Solardach

Abstract

The present invention relates to a solar roof with a solar roof upper side, a solar roof underside, at least one solar module fastened to a support element by means of fastening elements, and at least one bridging element connected to the solar module, wherein the solar roof is designed to drain precipitation via the solar roof upper side, and wherein the solar module has a solar laminate. The object of the invention is to provide solar roofs that are improved compared to the prior art for the efficient use of solar energy. This object is achieved by the solar roof that additionally has at least one frame element framing an edge region of the solar laminate, wherein the bridging element is fastened in a sealed manner to the frame element of the solar module or to the frame elements of at least two adjacent solar modules by means of connecting elements, in particular at least one screw.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a solar roof with a solar roof top, a solar roof bottom, at least one solar module fastened to a support element by means of fastening elements and at least one bridging element connected to the solar module, wherein the solar roof is designed to drain precipitation via the solar roof top, and wherein the solar module has a solar laminate.

[0002] Solar roofs on the roofs of buildings often have a water-bearing roof covering, e.g., made of roof tiles, as well as solar modules mounted at a distance above the roof covering. These solar roofs do not belong to the above-mentioned type of invention because rainwater drainage takes place at least partially beneath the solar modules or on the underside of the solar roof. A disadvantage of these solar roofs is the expensive use of two building materials, for example, solar modules and additional roof tiles.

[0003] There are also already various solar roof systems that are designed without a lower water-conducting layer and feature special solar module frame profiles with a gutter function for water running through gaps. These solar roof systems are often open around the solar modules, allowing dirt (e.g., pollen and leaves) to accumulate in gaps and the gutters. Solar heat can also escape through gaps.

[0004] Solar roofs according to the preamble of claim 1 are known from patio roofs and solar carports, in which frameless glass-on-glass solar modules are clamped between seals, so that the solar modules themselves contribute to the formation of a water-conducting roof membrane. The problem with frameless glass-on-glass solar modules is that they are susceptible to damage during installation and difficult to handle. Bridging elements placed on the glass surface impede the drainage of rainwater and the sliding off of snow, and they cause soiling of the glass surface in front of the bridging element.

[0005] The object of the invention is to demonstrate solar roofs that are improved compared to the prior art for the efficient use of solar energy.

[0006] The object is achieved by the solar roof defined at the outset, wherein the solar module has at least one frame element framing an edge region of the solar laminate, wherein the bridging element is fastened in a sealed manner to the frame element of the solar module or to the frame elements of at least two adjacent solar modules by means of connecting elements, in particular at least one screw.

[0007] The solar roof according to the invention uses framed solar modules, in which the solar laminate is glued into frames and protected by the frame at the laminate edges. The bridging elements that bridge gaps to neighboring solar modules or other roof components are not integral components of the solar modules in the inventive solution, but rather are separately manufactured elements that are then attached to the solar module. This results in a high degree of modularity. A standard solar module with a conventional frame, in combination with the bridging elements, can form a rainproof roof covering. A self-contained roof covering has the advantage of eliminating open gaps and hidden channels where accumulated dirt could compromise the waterproofness of the solar roof.With a sealed roof membrane, precipitation and dirt are drained away from the surface, while any remaining dirt is easily visible and removed. Another advantage of a sealed solar roof membrane is that solar-heated air is prevented from escaping through the roof membrane, allowing it to be efficiently used for solar thermal energy.

[0008] The connecting elements that connect the bridging elements to at least one solar module, or more precisely to the frame element of the solar module, can be conventional fasteners such as screws, rivets, clips, clamps, or the like. If the connecting elements are reusable, detachable elements such as screws, then maintenance work on the solar roof can be carried out particularly easily. The connecting elements enable a tightly sealed connection between the frame element and the bridging element, which remains impermeable to precipitation even under loads such as vibrations triggered by storms or deflections due to snow loads.Depending on the roof shape and existing requirements, all connections between the frame elements and the bridging elements can be sealed and mechanically connected; particularly with larger roof pitches (at an angle between 10° and 90°, especially over 30°), it is sometimes sufficient for the bridging element to overlap over a lower solar module without a sealed attachment to it.

[0009] In the solar roof according to the invention, solar modules can be used in which the frame element is arranged largely beneath the solar laminate of the solar module and the bridging element is fastened to a structure of the frame element oriented transversely to the surface of the solar roof. Due to their widespread use on the market, such solar modules can also be referred to as standard solar modules, which are available from a very large number of manufacturers. Coupled with large production quantities, such solar modules are available at particularly low prices. The frame profile of these solar modules can have a profile cross-sectional area in the shape of a rectangle, which is arranged behind the solar laminate and to which the connecting element, e.g. the screw, is fastened. As a rule, the frame profile also has a channel open on one side, into which the solar laminate is glued.

[0010] Solar modules can also be installed with other types of frames, whereby the frame element is arranged partially next to the solar laminate of the solar module and the bridging element is attached to a structure of the frame element located in the area of ​​the surface of the solar roof from the top of the solar roof. In addition to the widely used standard solar modules, there are also other types of solar modules, e.g. Alpin solar modules, which have other frame profiles. The frame profiles can also have mounting surfaces on the top of the solar roof for the sealed installation of the bridging element and / or groove channels. These solar modules enable easy installation of the solar modules because all or some of the installation work can be carried out easily from the top of the roof.

[0011] At least one seal can be arranged between the frame element and the bridging element. Seals usually have permanent elasticity, allowing them to follow small unevenness and movements of variable shapes while maintaining their sealing function. However, other sealing options can also be used in the solar roof, for example, a material connection through welding, bonding, or a form fit. Hardening seals can also be used. The required elasticity can be achieved at least partially by elastically designed bridging elements; for example, the bridging element can have a curved section or a bellows section.

[0012] The solar roof according to the invention can be mounted only from above, with the fastening elements and connecting elements being attached to the frame element only from above or from the side. Exclusive fastening from above is also necessary or at least advantageous in some applications, e.g., on roofs that are not accessible from below.

[0013] The solar roof can also be a roof accessible from below, such as a carport or a recreational area, where the solar module is a bifacial solar module and the supporting element of the solar roof is arranged next to the solar laminate in a plan view of the solar roof. Unlike with building roofs, with carports or other roofing systems that are open at the sides, a lot of solar radiation can be reflected from below onto the underside of the solar roof, so that a good bifaciality of the solar roof can increase its energy yield. With bifacial solar modules, it is also important that supporting elements or other system components cause as little rear shading as possible. If the bifacial solar modules are mounted next to the supporting elements, this has a correspondingly positive effect on the bifaciality and ultimately also on the solar power yield of the entire solar roof.

[0014] The solar roof according to the invention can also comprise special solar modules instead of standard solar modules, wherein the solar module has at least one edge strip of the solar laminate arranged at the bottom of a roof slope with unframed edge sections. The attribute "unframed" means that solar laminate edges at the unframed edge sections of the edge strip are not accommodated by the frame elements, and wherein the edge strip in the solar roof covers at least one other solar module. When installed, frames enclosing the solar laminate interfere with the self-cleaning of the solar roof, and ice adhesion can also lead to damage to solar modules. These special solar modules with a frameless lower edge can combine the advantages of unframed and framed solar modules.The framed edge sections enable simple and reliable installation of the solar modules, as well as the formation of a tight roof membrane through the sealed installation of the bridging elements on the frame elements; the unframed edge strip enables good self-cleaning of the solar roof through barrier-free precipitation drainage.

[0015] The unframed edges of the solar laminate edge strip can also be protected by protective elements. Edge protection for the solar laminate does not require a complex frame profile such as a frame element made of aluminum or another metal. The function of transport and / or hail protection edge protection can also be fulfilled by simple protective elements. The protective elements can, for example, consist of a partially molded plastic composite material.

[0016] The edge strip of the covering solar module can cover at least one feedthrough opening in the covered solar laminate and at least one connection box of the covered solar module located there. By covering a lower solar module with the unframed edge strip of an upper solar module, mechanical weak points such as cable feedthrough holes in the lower glass pane of a glass-glass laminate can be covered, so that the overlap can result in greater hail resistance of the solar roof. The overlap can also cover photoelectrically passive surface areas of the lower solar module with the photoelectrically active edge strip, thus achieving high efficiency of the solar roof.

[0017] The object of the invention is also achieved in one aspect by a solar roof that has both an electrical connection for discharging photovoltaic power and a thermal coupling for utilizing solar thermal heat on the solar roof. Solar thermal utilization can, for example, consist of an air-water heat pump installed under a solar carport or under the ridge of a building's roof, where it is supplied with solar-heated air by the solar roof. In other embodiments, the solar-heated air is connected to the brine circuit of a geothermal heat pump or to an ice storage system via a heat exchanger.

[0018] A person skilled in the art can independently derive a multitude of embodiments from the various options specified, so that the disclosure of the individual options also includes their permutation to form various embodiments.

[0019] Embodiments of the present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to figures, in which Fig. 1 a section of a solar roof, Fig. 2 another section of a solar roof, Fig. 3 a section of another solar roof variant, Fig. 4 a section of a solar roof with another connecting element variant, Fig. 5 a section of a solar roof with another connecting element variant, Fig. 6. a special framed solar module with a frameless edge strip, Fig. 7 a cross-section of a solar roof with shingle-like overlapping special solar modules, and Fig. 8 shows another cross-section of a solar roof with special solar modules overlapped in a shingle-like manner.

[0020] The characters Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 schematically show sections of a solar roof 1, which illustrate the present invention. The same reference numerals in different figures indicate the same or similar elements. Statements regarding a specific element in one figure also apply to the other figures, except for specific differences. The solar roof 1 has several solar modules 2 mounted on support elements 8, whereby only one outer edge of the solar module 2 is shown here. Each solar module 2 has a solar laminate 6 with solar cells and housing elements as well as frame elements 4.In the illustrated embodiment, the solar modules 2 are framed, so-called glass backsheet modules, in which the front housing of the solar cells (drawn above) consists of a glass pane and the rear housing consists of a backsheet (sketched below). Among other things, the glass pane, the electrically connected solar cells (not shown) and the backsheet are connected to one another to form a solar laminate 6. The solar laminate 6 is glued on its four outer sides into frame elements 4, which form the frame of the solar module 2 with frame connectors (not shown). Fig. 1 and Fig. The frame profiles 4 shown in Figure 2 are common frame profiles that can be found in one form or another on many standard solar modules. These frame profiles 4, in their cross-sections shown here, have a rectangular profile arranged beneath the solar laminate 6, as well as a channel open on one side above it for accommodating the solar laminate 6.

[0021] In the solar roof 1 according to the invention, a bridging element 3 is sealed and attached to at least one solar module 2. In Fig. 1 shows an embodiment with an inverted U-shaped bridging element 3, which is fastened with seals 7 and connecting elements 5, here screws, in the vertical gap between two adjacent solar modules 2. The two in Fig. The solar modules shown in Figure 1 are fastened to the support element 8 by fastening elements 9, 10; here, the fastening elements are the clamping bridge 9 and the screw 10. The clamping bridge 10 is much narrower than the solar module 2, so that rainwater on the upper side of the solar roof 1 can drain past the clamping blocks 9 over the frame elements 4 and the bridging element 3 from left to right or vice versa from the solar roof 1.

[0022] In Fig. 2 is another bridging element 3 in the orthogonal cross-sectional direction to Fig. 1. The bridging element 3 of Fig. 2 is sealed here with horizontally running seals on the top of the solar modules 2, which is different from the vertically oriented seals in Fig. 1. The bridging element in Fig. 2 is composed of the horizontally positioned upper flat profile and the lower, inverted U-shaped profile welded to it.

[0023] In the Fig. In the cross-section shown in Figure 2, a precipitation flow is provided orthogonal to the plane of representation, so that the bridging element 3 projecting upwards slightly beyond the solar modules 2 does not hinder the precipitation runoff.

[0024] The characters Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 shows another embodiment of a solar roof 1 according to the invention. Here, the solar modules 2 are bifacial glass-glass solar modules, in which the solar laminate 6 has a glass pane on both the top and bottom. Bifacial solar cells are also installed in the solar modules 2. The bifacial solar modules 2 shown have frame elements 4 that are not arranged largely beneath the solar laminate 6, but rather next to it. In the embodiment shown, not only the frame elements 6 but also the support elements 8 are arranged laterally next to the solar laminates 6, so that light from below onto the underside of the solar roof 1 is hardly obstructed.The high bifaciality of this solar roof 1 is also advantageous in winter, for example, when the sun is low in the sky, shines deep below the solar roof, and the top of the solar roof 1 is covered with snow. The backlight incidence therefore significantly improves the solar yield in this case. The frame elements 4 in Figures . Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 have groove channels 11, on which various fastening options are used with sliding blocks 12 and screws.

[0025] In the Fig. In the cross-section shown in Figure 3, the two adjacent solar modules 2 are inclined at a roof pitch, and the bridging element 3 is attached to the underside of the upper solar module 2, via the seal 7, to a surface of the frame element 4 that is orthogonal to the solar roof surface. This bridging element 3 was attached to the upper solar module 2 before its installation. The bridging element 3 is also attached to the lower solar module 2; here, the screw could be easily screwed in from above.

[0026] In a similar solar roof (not shown), a similar bridging element is only attached to the upper solar module because it was not necessary to attach it to the lower solar module due to the relatively large roof pitch.

[0027] In Fig. 4 is a cross section through the solar roof 1 of Fig. 3 along a contour line in the direction perpendicular to the roof pitch. Here, simple bridging elements 3 are used, which are attached to the slot nuts of both adjacent solar modules with screws as connecting elements 5. Instead of screws, stud bolts and nuts are used in other embodiments not shown, so that, for example, steps for service work can be attached to the stud bolts. The solar modules 2 are in Fig. 4 is attached to the support element 8 on the underside of the solar roof with screws, which is easily possible with a roof accessible from below. The cavity beneath the bridging element 4 is used in some preferred embodiments for laying cables and / or pipes.

[0028] Fig. 5 outlines a solar roof similar to Fig. 3, which, however, is a building roof that is not accessible from below and in which the solar modules are attached from the top of the solar roof with screws as fastening elements 10. For safety reasons, the bridging element 3 is designed as a tray from which water would overflow over the top of the solar roof in the event of a leak between the solar laminate 6 and the frame element 4.

[0029] Fig. Figure 6 shows a cross-section through a special solar module for use in a solar roof 1 according to the invention. The solar laminate 6 of this solar module 2 is glued only on the two opposite sides (not shown) into conventional frame elements 4 enclosing the solar laminate 6. The frame elements 4 shown in their cross-section, however, only support the solar laminate 6 from below, but do not encompass it. The special solar module of Fig. 6 has an unframed edge strip 12, in which no frame element 4 interferes with the drainage of precipitation over the edge shown on the left. The edge strip 12 is intended to overlap another identical solar module 2. In the overlapping area of ​​the two solar modules 2, solar cells 15 are arranged only in the upper solar module 2; in the overlapped area, however, electrical cables (not shown) are arranged in the solar laminate 6 and a junction box 13 of the solar module 2. Cables from the solar modules 2 are led out of the glass-glass solar laminate 6 through holes in the rear glass pane. (In conventional solar roofs from the prior art, such holes in the rear glass panel can lead to lower mechanical load-bearing capacity of the solar module in these areas, e.g., in heavy hailstorms.)

[0030] Fig. 7 shows a solar roof 1 according to the invention with similar solar modules as in Fig. 6. The edge strip 12 of the upper solar module 2 overlaps the junction box 13 of the lower solar module 2. The frameless edge strip 12 is further protected here with an overmolded edge protection element 14 made of a plastic composite material. A seal 7 is arranged between the two solar modules 2 and below the edge strip 12. The overlap creates a reinforcement and, accordingly, a solar roof that is free of weak points and capable of withstanding maximum mechanical loads, even above the glass hole or the J-box 13.

[0031] Fig. 8 shows a cross section through a similar solar roof as in Fig.7. Here, however, a cross-section of the solar roof 1 is shown through a viewing plane in which the lateral frame elements 4 of the two solar modules 2 are viewed. The bridging elements 3 shown here in cross-section bridge the gaps between the adjacent solar modules 2, which are located in front of the viewing plane. In this illustration, it can be seen that the bridging element 3 of the lower solar module 2 is also overlapped by the bridging element 3 of the upper solar module 2. This overlap, as well as seals 7, help to ensure that the solar roof 1 is, on the one hand, sealed against precipitation and, on the other hand, that solar-heated air can flow upwards on the underside of the solar roof 1, where, in one embodiment, the solar roof is coupled to a heat pump system via an air heat exchanger. Reference symbol 1 solar roof 2 solar modules 3 Bridging element 4 frame element 5 Connecting element 6 Solar laminate 7 Seal 8 supporting element 9 Fastening element (clamping bridge) 10 Fastening element (screw) 11 groove channel 12 edge strips 13 Junction box (J-Box) 14 (Edge) protective element 15 solar cells laminated in the solar laminate

Claims

[1] Solar roof (1) with a solar roof top, a solar roof bottom, at least one solar module (2) fastened to a support element (8) by means of fastening elements (9, 10) and at least one bridging element (3) connected to the solar module (2), wherein the solar roof (1) is designed to drain precipitation via the solar roof top, and wherein the solar module (2) has a solar laminate (6), characterized by in that the solar module (2) has at least one frame element (4) framing an edge region of the solar laminate (6), wherein the bridging element (3) is fastened in a sealed manner to the frame element (4) of the solar module (2) or to the frame elements (4) of at least two adjacent solar modules (2) by means of connecting elements (5), in particular at least one screw. [2] Solar roof according to claim 1, wherein the frame element (4) is arranged largely under the solar laminate (6) of the solar module (2) and the bridging element (3) is fastened to a structure of the frame element (4) oriented transversely to the surface of the solar roof (1). [3] Solar roof according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the frame element (4) is arranged partially next to the solar laminate (6) of the solar module (2) and the bridging element (3) is fastened to a structure of the frame element (4) lying in the region of the surface of the solar roof (1) next to the solar laminate (6) from the top side of the solar roof. [4] Solar roof according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one seal (7) is arranged between the frame element (4) and the bridging element (3). [5] Solar roof (1) according to at least one of claims 1-4, wherein the solar roof is mounted only from above, wherein the fastening elements (9, 10) and the connecting elements (5) are fastened to the frame element (4) only from above or from the side. [6] Solar roof (1) according to at least one of claims 1-4, wherein the solar roof is a roof of a carport or a recreation area for people that is accessible from below, wherein the solar module (2) is a bifacial solar module and wherein the support element (8) of the solar roof is arranged next to the solar laminate (6) in a plan view of the solar roof (1). [7] Solar roof (1) according to claim 1, wherein the solar module (2) has at least one edge strip (12) of the solar laminate (6) arranged at the bottom of a roof slope with unframed edge sections, wherein the attribute 'unframed' means that solar laminate edges at the unframed edge sections of the edge strip (12) are not received by the frame elements (4), and wherein the edge strip (12) in the solar roof (1) covers at least one other solar module (2). [8] Solar roof according to claim 7, wherein the unframed edges of the edge strip (12) of the solar laminate (6) are protected by protective elements (14). [9] Solar roof (1) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the edge strip (12) of the covering solar module (2) covers at least one feedthrough opening in the covered solar laminate (6) and at least one junction box (13) of the covered solar module (2) arranged there. [10] Solar roof (1) of claim 1, wherein the solar roof (1) has both an electrical connection for discharging the photovoltaic current and a thermal coupling for utilizing the thermal solar heat on the solar roof (1).

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