Bird access prevention device

Abstract

In an integrally moulded bird excluder device for attachment to a solar panel (2), an attachment part is intended to lie along an edge of the solar panel. First and second jaws (3) are integrally moulded to the attachment part and extend from it substantially perpendicularly. The first jaw (3) is for engaging an upper side of the solar panel (2) and the second jaw (3) is for engaging an underside of the solar panel. A bird exclusion section (7), integrally moulded with and supported by the attachment part, is arranged to impede access to a space between the solar panel (2) and a roof (8).

Description

[0001] Bird Access Prevention Device

[0002] Field of the Invention

[0003]

[0001] This invention relates to a bird excluder device for attachment to the side of a solar panel, and to an attachment part of such an excluder device. The attachment part is capable of supporting various bird exclusion sections for deterring birds from gaining access to the space beneath solar panels.

[0004] Background

[0005]

[0002] Solar panel bird access prevention devices and guards have been used for many years to stop birds from gaining access to the area beneath the solar panels; usually, they are installed around the solar panel and act as a physical barrier to prevent birds from entering the gap between the solar panel and the roof. Birds such as, but not limited to, pigeons often like to build their nest underneath solar panels. The underside of a solar panel offers the bird protection from predators, protection from harsh weather conditions and provides the bird with the warmth they desire when laying their eggs. Additionally, solar panels are often situated on rooftops, where there is low human activity and high vantage points for birds to look for food sources; both of these factors make areas such as solar panels a favourable nesting location.

[0006]

[0003] When birds gain access to the underside of solar panels they cause an array of problems which can cause issues and concern for many homeowners. Birds will drag their nesting material underneath solar panels; these twigs and dry leaves can block ventilation and airflow around the panels leading to overheating. Overheating can cause the solar panels to become inefficient and can also pose a fire risk if the twigs and leaves come into contact with electrical components. In addition, the build-up of nesting material can cause moisture accumulation on the roof leading to potential water ingress, resulting in damage.

[0007]

[0004] Different types of solar panel bird access prevention units and excluders with an attachment plate have been known for many years, existing systems to prevent birds from gaining access to the space beneath the solar panels consist of methods such as but not limited to bird mesh, SolaSkirts®, solar guards, and solar panel bird excluders. Methods such as the ones listed above are usually made up of an attachment part that fits along the edge of a solar panel. This attachment part usually supports a bird exclusion section that prevents the birds from gaining access to the area beneath the solar panel. This attachment part is usually attached to the edge of the solar panel with a separatecomponent such as screws, glue, or clips. This separate attaching component is not only manufactured separately from the bird excluder (making it a two-part manufacturing process) but also has to be fixed or attached to the solar panel and the bird prevention unit making it a two-part installation process as well. Although these devices will stop birds from gaining access to the underside of the solar panels, they have limitations; these current systems are a two-part installation process, hence more expensive than necessary.

[0008]

[0005] Due to the limitations above, a device with an attachment part that does not require a multi-part installation process (particularly when attaching along the edge of the solar panel) is needed to allow for time-effective installation and affordability.

[0009] Summary of Invention

[0010]

[0006] To overcome these limitations, the present invention provides an attaching part of a bird excluder device for attachment to a solar panel, said attaching part being adapted to support a bird exclusion section, and comprising an attachment part intended to He along an edge of the solar panel;

[0011] the attaching part further comprising at least first and second jaws integrally moulded to the attachment part and extending substantiaHy perpendicular thereto, the first jaw for engaging an upper side of the solar panel and the second jaw for engaging an underside of the solar panel.

[0012]

[0007] Further, the invention provides an integraHy moulded bird excluder device for attachment to a solar panel, according to claim 1. Optional features of the attaching part and of the integrally moulded bird excluder device are set out in the dependent claims, and are noted as optional features and variations in the following description. The device has an attaching part for supporting a bird excluder section, the attaching part including an attachment part which is intended to He along an edge of the solar panel, with the attaching part further having integral attaching jaws, eliminating the need for a separate attaching component such as chps, screws, or glue. Thus, at least a first and second jaw are integraHy moulded to the attachment part and extend from the attachment part with the top jaw engaging with the upper side of the solar panel and the second jaw engaging with the underside of the solar panel. The attaching jaws will aHow the device to be pushed onto the side of the solar panel and once fitted the attaching part may sit flush with the top side of the solar panel.

[0013]

[0008] Typically, solar panels are made from a mixture of silicon and aluminium which often experience thermal expansion and thermal contraction. Thermal expansion is when material (such asaluminium) expands when it is heated, this is a common process that happens when units such as solar panels are exposed to heat, such as the sun, which may cause them to increase in size. Thermal contraction occurs when material (such as aluminium) is cooled, causing the side of the solar panel to contract or shrink in size. Both of these processes are particularly common for the edges of the solar panels which are often made of metal such as aluminium, or other material that will expand or shrink due to temperature variations. Previous devices for protecting solar panels usually require a separate clip that clips onto the side of the solar panel. However, when the side of the solar panel either expands or contracts due to the temperature effect on the aluminium, the clips can be at risk of snapping due to the pressure the clips have endured during expansion. Opposingly they can become loose and fall off the solar panel due to the side of the solar panel shrinking or contracting. This present invention has integrally moulded attaching jaws that may be designed in such a manner with integrally moulded collapsable teeth or fins. These teeth or fins within the attaching jaw are compressible; when the attaching jaw is pushed onto the side of the solar panel and the solar panel starts to experience thermal expansion, the teeth or fins will collapse which will reduce the pressure on the device’s attaching jaw causing it not to snap or break as the solar panel expands. As thermal contraction occurs, the teeth or fins will recoil meaning that it will not become too loose and fall off. Solar panels can expand during hot and cold weather conditions where there can be a significant difference in the width of the edges of the solar panels. These compressible teeth or fins mean that this device can be installed any day of the year, no matter the temperature, as the teeth or fins will collapse a significant amount during thermal expansion and less so during thermal contraction. The collapsed teeth or fins have the ability to compress and recoil as the temperature changes.

[0014]

[0009] This present invention includes an attachment part, that is a support unit for a bird exclusion section to prevent birds from accessing the underside of the solar panel, this may be in the form of, but is not limited to, a skirt, a mesh, tines, prongs, fingers or any other way of blocking the birds access to the underside of the solar panel. The bird exclusion section is integrally moulded to the attaching part so that access to the underside of the solar panels is blocked.

[0015]

[0010] It is envisaged that there will be multiple variations of this device that allow for adaptions such as (but not limited to), the type of exclusion section to stop birds from gaining access to the underside of the panel, a way to prevent birds from landing along the top edge of the solar panel, alternate attachment methods and ways in which to shorten the attaching plate.

[0011] It is intended that there will be variations of this device that allow for adaptions such as a way to prevent birds from landing along the top edge of the solar panels. Birds will often cause nuisance by, not only going beneath solar panels but also by perching on top of the solar panels, particularly around the edges where their droppings can cause damage to the solar panels and reduce the efficiency and effectiveness of the panel itself. To prevent this, this device may have attaching tines that are integrally moulded to the attachment part; these tines are situated on the top of the attaching part pointing up toward the sky. The tines act as a male attachment part that can be utilized for the attachment of another bird deterrent that is used for a separate operation of preventing birds from landing on top of the panels around the edges of the solar panels. These tines are envisaged to be compatible with traditional bird anti-roosting spikes which have holes along the base. The holes can be pressed down onto the device's tines so that the tine is inserted into the hole located along the base of the traditional anti-roosting spike. Thus, avoiding such bird deterrent devices having to be installed on top of the panels with other methods such as glue, clips, or screws. It is envisaged that future variations of these attaching tines could be used to attach other bird deterrent devices or elements.

[0016] Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017]

[0012] The invention will now be described solely by the way of example and with

[0018] reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0019]

[0013] Figure 1 shows a rear schematic perspective view of the Attachment Part of a bird access prevention device;

[0020]

[0014] Figure 2 shows a front view of the attachment part in situ attached to the side of the solar panel via the integral attaching jaw

[0021]

[0015] Figure 3 shows an enlarged rear view section of the Attachment Part with integral attaching jaws

[0022]

[0016] Figure 4 shows a rear schematic view of the Attachment Part of Figures 1 to 3, with the integrally moulded vertical prongs.

[0023]

[0017] Figure 5 shows a front schematic view of an alternative Attachment Part of a bird access prevention device with optional integrally moulded supporting eyes for the insertion of an exclusion component; for reference the drawing shows one exclusion component inserted into the two supporting eyes.Detailed Description of Particular Embodiments

[0024]

[0018] In Figure 1, the attaching part 1 has integrally moulded attaching jaws 3 which allows the attaching part 1 to be fixed to the side of the solar panel 2 (best shown in Figure 2). The attaching jaws 3 are designed in such a manner that they can be pushed onto the side of the solar panel 2 (shown in Figure 2) where it locks into place. When pushed onto the side of the solar panel 2, the integrally moulded attaching jaws 3, shown in Figure 3, have collapsable teeth or fins 4 that cause the attaching plate 1 to lock into place and sit flush with the top of the solar panel 2.

[0025]

[0019] Additionally, these collapsable teeth or fins 4 (best shown in Figure 3) allow for thermal expansion and thermal contraction of the side of the solar panel 2, which often happens due to the effect that varying temperatures have on the material that solar panels are made from. As the sides of the solar panels 2 expand due to the heat, the collapsable teeth or fins 4 will compress meaning that the integrally moulded attaching jaws 3 will not snap or break under the increased pressure, overcoming the limitations of previous devices. When the solar panel then starts to cool and thermal contraction takes place, the teeth or fins 4, will recoil ensuring that the integrally moulded attaching jaw 3 does not become loose. As can be seen in Figures 1, 3, and 4 the integrally moulded attaching jaws 3 contain multiple collapsable teeth or fins 4 that are small and widespread across the entire surface of the integrally moulded attaching jaws 3. Having multiple collapsable teeth or fins 4, allows for the pressure to be spread equally across the collapsable teeth or fins 4 allowing them to compress at a steady rate further ensuring that the integrally moulded attaching jaw 3 does not break or snap.

[0026]

[0020] This device includes the exclusion section (which is moulded to the attachment part) of the bird access prevention device which would stop the bird from physically gaining access to the underside of the solar panel. Additional fixing options and adaptions to stop birds from landing on the top side edges of the solar panels can be provided.

[0027]

[0021] An example as shown in Figure 4, could be that the attachment part 1 would be a support for integrally moulded prongs or fingers 7 that would protrude downwards towards the roof 8 (shown in Figure 2) and act as a barrier to stop birds (such as but not limited to pigeons) from gaining access to the underside of the solar panel. These vertical prongs or fingers 7 could additionally have slight lines of weakness that act as cutting points 9 to allow for the installer to break or snip the vertical prongs or fingers 7 to a shorter length if required.

[0022] As shown in Figure 5, as an alternative, the attachment part 1 could have integrally moulded supporting eyes 5 that would allow for the insertion of an exclusion component such as prongs, wire or rods 6. Such components could form the exclusion section, although it is envisaged that the attachment part 1 could support other means of exclusion such as (but not limited to) supporting mesh, skirts, tines or prongs.

[0028]

[0023] As shown in Figure 1, another optional feature could be attachment holes 10 to allow for additional fixings, such as but not limited to silicone or screws. Additional fixings are not necessary as the attachment plate 1 has the attaching jaws 3 which can be pushed directly onto the side of the solar panel 2 (shown in figure 2), making this a one-step installation process. However, these additional fixings are an adaption that is available to allow the installer to use alternate fixing methods if desired or for alternate use such as stopping birds or other pests from gaining access to other nesting cavities such as under roof tiles. Along the attaching part 1 of this bird prevention device there may also be lines of weakness 11 to allow for the attachment part 1 to be snapped into shorter strips to accommodate smaller runs or sections.

[0029]

[0024] Once the bird access prevention device is installed, the attachment part 1 will sit flush with the top side of the solar panel 12 (best shown in Figure 2). As seen in Figure 3, the top of the attaching plate 1 could have attaching tines 13 that extend upwards pointing towards the sky. The attaching tines 13 are envisaged to be compatible (as the male part) with the holes (the female part), that run along the base of a traditional bird anti-roosting spike or other bird deterrent devices. The attaching tines 13 will lock into the holes that are in the base of the traditional bird anti-roosting spike, preventing birds from being able to land on the edges of the solar panels, preventing the installer from having to install bird anti-roosting spikes as a separate operation with separate fixings such as glue or screws.

[0030]

[0025] Any skilled installer would realise that this bird access prevention device could be used in such a manner to block gaps where birds are gaining access and can be attached to other units that have a Up or edge of a similar width to a solar panel or indeed screwed or glued to other materials.

Claims

Claims1. An integrally moulded bird excluder device for attachment to a solar panel, the device comprising: an attachment part intended to He along an edge of the solar panel;at least first and second jaws integraHy moulded to the attachment part and extending from the attachment part substantially perpendicular thereto, the first jaw for engaging an upper side of the solar panel and the second jaw for engaging an underside of the solar panel; anda bird exclusion section, integraHy moulded with and supported by the attachment part, for impeding access to a space between the solar panel and a roof.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the bird exclusion section comprises a skirt, a mesh, and / or a plurahty of tines or prongs.

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first jaw has at least one resihent compressible formation on an underside thereof and the second jaw has at least one resilient compressible formation on an upper side thereof.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein the resihent compressible formations comprise teeth or fins.

5. A device according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein the attachment part has holes for facilitating attachment thereof to the solar panel.

6. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the bird exclusion section has lines of weakness for shortening.

7. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the attachment part has lines of weakness for shortening the attachment part.

8. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the attachment part has tines arranged to point upwards when the device is attached to a solar panel, for attachment of one or more additional bird prevention elements.

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