Patent ID: 8745936

Claim:
A rack assembly for mounting solar modules over an underlying body, the rack assembly comprising: a plurality of rail structures that are arrangeable over the underlying body to form an overall perimeter for the rack assembly, the plurality of rail structures including multiple pairs of interleaved rail structures, each pair of interleaved rail structures including a lower rail structure and an upper rail structure, the upper rail structure having a rail segment protruding downward therefrom, the rail segment having a protruding height, the lower rail structure having a receiving segment extending upward therefrom to receive the rail segment therein, the receiving segment having a depth, the protruding height of the rail segment is greater than the depth of the receiving segment; one or more retention structures provided with one or more of the upper rail structures, wherein the retention structures are configured to support one or more solar modules at a given elevation above the underlying body; and wherein at least some of the plurality of rail structures are adapted to enable individual rail structures in the plurality of rail structures to be sealed over the underlying body so as to constrain air flow underneath the one or more solar modules; and wherein each retention structure of the plurality of rail structures is adjustable to adapt to a thickness of a corresponding solar module that is being supported by that retention structure.