Photovoltaic Mounting Rail With Angled Edges for Fast Module Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The current method of installing photovoltaic modules on mounting rails is time-consuming and costly due to the need to align mounting holes on the module panel frame with holes on the mounting rails, leading to increased installation costs and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A rail system with a body comprising a top portion with angled edges and notches, a middle portion with side edges, and a bottom portion with holes, designed to streamline the installation process by aligning and securing photovoltaic modules efficiently, allowing for improved spacing and aesthetic alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If installers use traditional mounting rails with straight edges and pre-drilled holes, then the mounting structure provides stable support, but the installation process requires time-consuming alignment of mounting holes between modules and rails
Solution Approach 1:
The rail features pre-formed angled edges and notches that are manufactured in advance to guide module placement. The angled edges are pre-calculated to match standard module dimensions, and notches are pre-positioned to align with module mounting holes, eliminating the need for installers to perform alignment calculations or adjustments during installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The angled edges and notches act as intermediary guiding features between the module and the mounting structure. These features serve as a mechanical interface that automatically guides the module into the correct position, mediating the alignment process and eliminating the need for direct hole-to-hole alignment by installers.
2Manufacturing precision
If installers manually align mounting holes on photovoltaic modules with holes on mounting rails, then precise mounting is achieved, but installation cost increases due to increased time and effort
Solution Approach 1:
The rail design enables self-aligning mounting through its geometric features. The angled edges and notches are designed to automatically guide the module into the correct position and align the mounting holes without requiring installer intervention for alignment, making the system self-servicing during the critical alignment phase of installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting holes in the rail are pre-positioned relative to the angled edges and notches during manufacturing. This preliminary positioning ensures that when a module is placed on the angled edges, the mounting holes automatically align, transferring the precision requirement from the installation phase to the manufacturing phase where it can be more efficiently achieved.
3Device complexity
If traditional mounting rails are used without angled edges, then the rail structure remains simple, but adjacent photovoltaic modules may touch and aesthetic alignment is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The rail features asymmetric angled edges rather than symmetric straight edges. The angles are specifically designed to create optimal spacing between adjacent modules, preventing them from touching while maintaining aesthetic alignment. This asymmetric geometry provides both functional spacing and visual appeal without requiring complex additional components.
Data Source
AI summary
A rail for a photovoltaic module arrangement, the rail including a body having at least a top portion, a middle portion, and a bottom portion, the top portion including at least one upper edge in which at least one end of the upper edge defines an angle configured to receive a photovoltaic module on the body, the middle portion including at least one side edge, and the bottom portion including at least a bottom edge.