JP7506466B2 - Solar panel installation structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a solar panel installation structure for supporting solar panels.

In recent years, attention has been focused on generating electricity using renewable energy sources that are always present in nature, such as sunlight, wind, and geothermal energy, as an alternative to fossil fuels such as oil, coal, and natural gas. Among these, photovoltaic power generation, which uses sunlight, is rapidly gaining in popularity as it allows for the effective use of fallow land and vacant lots.

Typically, such solar panels are installed in a row on a mounting frame formed into a rectangular shape using steel beams or the like, a low-legged support attached to one end of the mounting frame, and a high-legged support attached to the other end of the mounting frame to provide a solar panel mounting stand tilted forward at a predetermined angle, as disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1 below.

This solar panel mounting frame is installed by constructing a concrete foundation on the installation surface, setting foundation bolts at predetermined positions on the concrete foundation, installing and fixing the support pillars using the foundation bolts and nuts, and then attaching the mounting frame, etc. to the support pillars.

JP 2000-101123 A

However, conventional solar panel mounting frames, which are mainly constructed from structural steel and other materials, have high material costs, and with the falling price of solar panels, the cost of the frame can sometimes be more expensive than the cost of the panels themselves.

In addition, because solar panels are installed at a certain angle to the ground, a space is formed between the solar panels and the ground, and there is a risk that the solar panels and their mounting frames may be lifted up by wind pressure during strong winds such as typhoons.

On the other hand, if a sturdy mounting frame that can withstand strong winds is used, the manufacturing costs of the mounting frame will increase, and the transportation and storage costs will also increase. Furthermore, if there is snowfall, the snow that has accumulated on the solar panels will need to be removed to restore power generation efficiency, which requires excessive effort and cost.

Furthermore, when installing solar panels on top of cow sheds, pig sheds, chicken coops, or greenhouses for growing vegetables and fruit, the conventional installation structure requires the solar panels to be mounted on sturdy stands, as mentioned above. However, in cases where there is a lack of sunlight due to climate change, not only does the amount of electricity generated by the solar panels decrease, but the solar panels cannot be easily removed, which could have a negative impact on the growth of crops.

The main objective of the present invention is to provide a solar panel installation structure that is easy to install, keeps installation costs down, and can easily cope with strong winds, lack of sunlight, etc.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention according to claim 1 provides a solar panel comprising two wires stretched in parallel, a plurality of solar panels supported by the two wires at both sides via fasteners so as to be straddled between the wires and movably supported along the extension direction of the wires, and a connecting member connecting adjacent solar panels in a foldable manner between the solar panels,
The solar panel is configured to be switchable between a state in which it is flatly deployed between the wires and a state in which it is folded in a zigzag pattern with alternating mountain folds and valley folds,
The wire is installed at an inclination angle so that the solar panel is installed at an inclination angle facing the sun, and a pulling wire is connected to the end of a relatively higher solar panel among the plurality of solar panels, and the solar panel can be switched from a folded state to an unfolded state by pulling the pulling wire to apply tension ,
A solar panel installation structure is provided in which a connector with a release function is interposed between the tip of the pulling wire and its connection base, and is configured to release the connection with the connection base when a predetermined amount of tension or more is applied to the pulling wire, so that when excessive wind pressure acts on a solar panel in an unfolded state, the connection of the connector with a release function is automatically released, and the solar panel is automatically folded .

In the invention described in claim 1 above, multiple solar panels are installed across two wires stretched in parallel. Therefore, if the wires are stretched between structures, a mounting frame for the solar panels is not required, making installation easier and allowing for a significant reduction in the material costs and construction costs of the mounting frame.

In addition, adjacent solar panels are connected to each other by foldable connecting members, and the solar panels are configured to be switchable between an unfolded state and a folded state. Therefore, by folding and storing the solar panels during strong winds such as typhoons or snowfall, the solar panels can be quickly restored to power generation without being blown away by wind pressure or requiring snow removal after snowfall.

In addition, it is easy to install and the solar panels can be easily folded up, making it suitable for agricultural solar power generation when there is a lack of sunlight. The solar panels can be stored compactly and easily unfolded to generate power, making it suitable as a power generation device in the event of a disaster.

The present invention according to claim 2 provides a solar panel installation structure according to claim 1, in which each solar panel is supported by the wires via a fastener only at a position close to the mountain fold, and when the solar panel is switched from the unfolded state to the folded state, the valley fold side of the solar panel drops due to its own weight, forming the valley fold.

In the invention described in claim 2, each solar panel is supported by the wires via a fastener only at a position close to the mountain fold. When the solar panel is switched from the unfolded state to the folded state, the valley fold side of the solar panel drops due to its own weight, and the valley fold is naturally formed. This makes it possible to easily and quickly fold the solar panel in a zigzag shape.

The present invention according to claim 3 provides a solar panel installation structure according to claims 1 or 2, in which a hanging ring is used as the fastening device and a connecting ring is used as the connecting member.

The invention described in claim 3 above shows a member that can be suitably used as the fastening device and the connecting member. Specifically, a hanging ring can be used as the fastening device, and a connecting ring can be used as the connecting member.

The present invention according to claim 4 provides a solar panel installation structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which a row of multiple solar panels installed between the two parallel wires is treated as one set, and multiple sets of solar panel rows are arranged so that they are adjacent in a direction perpendicular to the wire direction.

The invention described in claim 4 above shows a suitable manner of installing solar panels. By installing solar panels in multiple rows as described above, solar power generation can be performed with high efficiency.

The present invention according to claim 5 provides a solar panel installation structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which is provided with a sensor and controls switching between the unfolded and folded states of the solar panel according to a value measured by the sensor.

In the invention described in claim 5 above, the solar panel is controlled to switch between the deployed and folded states in response to data such as wind speed, illuminance, and/or temperature measured by sensors such as an anemometer, illuminometer, and thermometer. This makes it possible to automatically fold and store the solar panel when the wind resistance is exceeded, for example.

The present invention according to claim 6 provides a solar panel installation structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the solar panel is stored in a storage box in a folded state, and the storage box is provided with a storage battery that stores electricity generated by the solar panel.

In the invention described in claim 6 above, the solar panel is folded and stored compactly in a storage box, and this storage box is equipped with a storage battery, so that the storage box can be brought to a disaster site or the like where the power transmission has been cut off, and electricity can be easily supplied by simply unfolding and setting up the solar panel, making it possible to use it as a power generation facility in the event of a disaster.

As explained above in detail, the present invention provides a solar panel installation structure that is easy to install, reduces installation costs, can be used as a power generation facility in the event of a disaster, and can easily respond to strong winds, lack of sunlight, etc.

1A is a perspective view of an installation structure for a solar panel 1, showing an unfolded state and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the installation structure for a solar panel 1, showing an unfolded state and a folded state. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the solar panel 1 in an unfolded state. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the solar panel 1 in a folded state. FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing the solar panel 1 in a folded state. FIG. 11 is a side view showing an installation structure for a solar panel 1 according to a modified example.

The following describes in detail the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the installation structure for a solar panel 1 according to the present invention includes two wires 2, 2 stretched in parallel, a plurality of solar panels 1, 1... supported between the wires 2, 2 by having both sides supported by the two wires 2, 2 via fasteners and supported movably along the extension direction of the wires 2, and a connecting member 3 connecting adjacent solar panels 1, 1 between them in a foldable manner,
As shown in Figure 1 (A), the solar panel 1 is configured to be switchable between a state in which it is flatly deployed between the wires 2, 2, and a state in which it is folded in a zigzag pattern with alternating mountain folds and valley folds, as shown in Figure 1 (B).

The solar panel 1 can be any commercially available solar panel with a roughly rectangular planar shape, and it is particularly preferable to use a lightweight panel whose surface is made of a resin material such as acrylic resin rather than glass. By using such a lightweight panel, the load on the wire 2 can be kept low, preventing the wire 2 from slackening and making it easier to move the solar panel 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, the solar panel 1 is supported by the wire 2 in a predetermined manner. In the illustrated example, an opening 1a is provided in each outer frame of the solar panel 1 on the side parallel to the direction in which the wire 2 extends, and a hanging ring 4 made of resin or metal such as stainless steel is inserted into the opening 1a, and the wire 2 is inserted into the hanging ring 4, so that the solar panel 1 is suspended and supported so as to be movable along the direction in which the wire 2 extends. The hanging ring 4 is preferably circular in plan view, and the cross-sectional shape of the annular portion is preferably circular to facilitate sliding with the wire 2. The hanging ring 4 is a member equivalent to the "fastening device" of the present invention.

The wires 2 are stretched in parallel with both ends supported on each side of a row of solar panels 1, 1..., and when the pair of wires 2, 2 is taken as one row, they may be arranged in a single row, or in multiple rows as shown in FIG. 1, for example, in three rows as shown in the illustrated example. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the wires 2 are arranged so that they span between buildings by fixing both ends to the exterior walls of different buildings, but they may be provided with mounting racks at both ends and stretched between the racks, or they may be stretched between piles driven into the ground, or they may be stretched diagonally between the exterior wall of the building and the ground.

The adjacent solar panels 1, 1 are connected to each other by the connecting member 3. The connecting member 3 is used to connect the adjacent solar panels 1, 1 in a foldable manner between them. Specifically, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a plurality of openings 1b, 1b... are provided at corresponding positions of the outer frame on the opposing sides (long side sides in the illustrated example) of the adjacent solar panels 1, 1 at a predetermined interval, and it is preferable to configure the connecting member 3 by a connecting ring made of a resin or metal such as stainless steel that is inserted continuously into the corresponding openings 1b, 1b. By using the connecting ring as the connecting member 3, as shown in Fig. 3, when the adjacent solar panels 1, 1 are folded between them, the solar panels 1, 1... can be folded in any direction along the connecting ring, so that mountain folds or valley folds can be made between the adjacent solar panels 1, 1. Note that instead of the connecting ring, a string or band made of a material that is easily bent and deformed may be used for connection. It is also possible to connect by a hinge.

In order to fold the solar panels 1, 1, . . . between the adjacent solar panels 1, 1 to form a zigzag shape in which mountain folds 5 and valley folds 6 are alternately and repeatedly formed, it is preferable to support each solar panel 1 by the hanging ring 4 on the wire 2 only at a position close to the mountain fold 5, and not support each solar panel 1 on the wire 2 at a position close to the valley fold 6, as shown in Figs. 2 to 4. In other words, it is preferable to arrange the opening 1a and the hanging ring 4 inserted into this opening 1a on the side parallel to the wire 2 of each solar panel 1, biased toward the end on the side that will become the mountain fold 5, and not to arrange them on the side that will become the valley fold 6. In other words, starting from the solar panel 1 arranged at one end in the direction in which the wire 2 extends, the hanging ring 4 arranged at one end in the direction in which the wire 2 extends and the hanging ring 4 arranged at the other end are arranged alternately and repeatedly. As a result, as shown in FIG. 2, when the solar panel 1... is switched from a flat, unfolded state between the wires 2, 2 to a zigzag folded state, the side without the hanging ring 4, which forms the valley fold 6, naturally sinks under its own weight and forms a valley fold, while the side with the hanging ring 4, which forms the mountain fold 5, is held in a suspended state by the wire 2 and naturally forms a mountain fold. This makes it easier for the panel to deform into a zigzag shape formed by alternating mountain folds 5 and valley folds 6, and allows for a smooth and rapid transition to the folded state.

The multiple solar panels 1 are preferably folded so that the light receiving surfaces of the solar panels 1 at both ends face inward when folded, and therefore it is preferable to have an even number of solar panels 1 in total. This makes it possible to prevent damage to the solar cells on the light receiving surfaces.

To switch the solar panels 1... from the folded state shown in Fig. 3 to the unfolded state shown in Fig. 2, it is preferable to connect a pulling wire 7 to the solar panel 1 arranged at the end of the multiple solar panels, as shown in Fig. 2, and pull the pulling wire 7 to apply tension. One or more pulling wires 7 are provided on the solar panel 1 at the end, and in the illustrated example, three are provided at a predetermined interval. The pulling wire 7 is wound up manually or automatically by a winch or the like, and is maintained in a state where a predetermined tension is applied during unfolding so that the solar panels 1... are maintained in a state where they are unfolded approximately parallel to the wire 2. When switching from this unfolded state to the folded state, the tension of the pulling wire 7 is released, and the mountain folds 5 and valley folds 6 are naturally formed by the weight of the solar panels 1... as described above, and the panels can be folded in a zigzag shape. On the other hand, the solar panel 1, which is located at the end opposite to the end to which the pulling wire 7 is connected, is fixed to the wire 2 or a building, etc., so that it cannot move along the direction in which the wire 2 extends.

The solar panel 1 can be switched between the unfolded and folded states at will, but for example, by providing an anemometer, the solar panel 1 can be controlled to switch between the unfolded and folded states according to the wind speed measured by the anemometer. Specifically, the unfolded and folded states can be controlled to switch between the unfolded and folded states manually or automatically using a winch or the like based on information that the wind speed measured by the anemometer exceeds the resistant wind speed and meteorological information such as snowfall, warnings, and alerts. Instead of or in addition to the anemometer, a weather measurement sensor such as a light meter or a thermometer can be provided, and the solar panel 1 can be controlled to switch between the unfolded and folded states according to the value measured by this sensor.

In addition, by interposing a connector with a release function between the tip of the pulling wire 7 and its connection base, the connector is configured to release the connection with the connection base when a tension (tensile force) of a predetermined amount or more is applied to the pulling wire 7, so that when excessive wind pressure acts on the solar panels 1, 1... in the unfolded state, the connector with the release function is automatically released and the solar panels 1, 1... are automatically folded.

As shown in FIG. 3, a power transmission cable 8 extends from the back surface (non-light receiving surface) of each solar panel 1 to transmit electricity generated by the solar cell.

The electricity generated by the solar panel 1 is stored in a storage battery (not shown) and made available for use at each facility.

As a modified example of the installation structure of the solar panel 1, as shown in FIG. 5, multiple solar panels 1, 1... may be stored in a storage box 9 in a folded state, and the storage box 9 may be provided with a storage battery 10 for storing electricity generated by the solar panels 1. In other words, the solar panels 1... and the storage battery 10 are compactly stored as a set in one storage box 9. Then, the storage box 9 can be moved to any location and power can be easily generated simply by unfolding the solar panels 1.... This makes it possible to use it as a disaster response in disaster-stricken areas that have lost power due to earthquakes, typhoons, etc. The storage box 9 may be provided with reels for winding up the wires 2, 2, and wheels for easily moving the storage box 9 (not shown).

As described above, the solar panel 1 installation structure of the present invention has multiple solar panels 1, 1... straddled between two parallel wires 2, 2, eliminating the need for a stand to mount the solar panels 1, making installation easy and allowing for significant reductions in the material costs of the stand, construction costs, construction time, etc.

In addition, adjacent solar panels 1, 1 are connected to each other by foldable connecting members 3, and the solar panels 1, 1... are configured to be switchable between an unfolded state and a folded state. Therefore, by folding and storing the solar panels 1... during strong winds such as typhoons or snowfall, the solar panels 1... can be quickly restored to power generation without being blown away by wind pressure or requiring snow removal after snowfall.

Furthermore, in cases where strong winds such as a typhoon cause severe damage to power transmission facilities and cause widespread power outages, the installation structure for the solar panel 1 according to the present invention is particularly effective because it allows for the early resumption of power generation, as described above. In addition, because the installation structure for the solar panel 1 according to the present invention is easy to install, it can also be used as a temporary power generation device in disaster-stricken areas until the power transmission facilities are restored.

In addition, because it is easy to install and the solar panel 1 can be easily folded up, in the case of agricultural solar power generation where the solar panel 1 is installed on the top surface of a cow shed, pig shed, chicken shed, or greenhouse for growing vegetables or fruit, it can be folded up and stored when there is a lack of sunlight, reducing the risk that the solar panel 1 will have a negative impact on the growth of agricultural crops.

[Other examples]
(1) In the above embodiment, the wire 2 is stretched between the buildings, but since solar panels generate more power efficiently when facing the sun, in Japan, which is located at approximately 35 degrees north latitude, it is considered optimal to install the panels facing due south at an inclination angle of about 30 degrees to the horizontal. Therefore, the wire may be installed at an inclination angle so that the solar panels are installed at that angle. In this case, if the pulling wire 7 is installed on the solar panel that is relatively higher, the solar panel can be easily folded up by utilizing its own weight.

(2) In the above embodiment, the wires 2 are stretched between the buildings, but the wires 2 may be stretched diagonally from the exterior walls or rooftops of the buildings toward the ground. This allows the solar panels 1 to be arranged like a curtain that can generate electricity while suppressing solar radiation into the building, like a green curtain. When solar radiation is required or during the winter, the solar panels 1 can be folded up or removed.

(3) In the above embodiment, a row of solar panels installed between the two parallel wires is regarded as one set, and the solar panels 1, 1... are installed in multiple sets (three sets) of rows so that they are adjacent in a direction perpendicular to the wire direction. In this case, the wires 2 are stretched on both sides of each row of solar panels 1, 1..., but it is also possible to use the wire between the rows of solar panels 1, 1... as a single wire.

1...Solar panel, 2...Wire, 3...Connecting member (connection ring), 4...Suspension ring (fastening device), 5...Mountain fold, 6...Valve fold, 7...Tension wire, 8...Power transmission cable, 9...Storage box, 10...Storage battery

Claims (6)

The solar panel comprises two wires stretched in parallel, a plurality of solar panels supported between the wires by having both sides supported by the two wires via fasteners and supported movably along the direction in which the wires extend, and a connecting member connecting adjacent solar panels to each other in a foldable manner,
The solar panel is configured to be switchable between a state in which it is flatly deployed between the wires and a state in which it is folded in a zigzag pattern with alternating mountain folds and valley folds,
The wire is installed at an inclination angle so that the solar panel is installed at an inclination angle facing the sun, and a pulling wire is connected to the end of a relatively higher solar panel among the plurality of solar panels, and the solar panel can be switched from a folded state to an unfolded state by pulling the pulling wire to apply tension ,
A solar panel installation structure characterized in that a connector with a release function is interposed between the tip of the pulling wire and its connection base, the connector being configured to release the connection to the connection base when a predetermined amount of tension or more is applied to the pulling wire, so that when excessive wind pressure acts on a solar panel in an unfolded state, the connection of the connector with a release function is automatically released, and the solar panel is automatically folded . The solar panel installation structure of claim 1, in which each solar panel is supported by the wires via a fastener only at a position close to the mountain fold, and when the solar panel is switched from the unfolded state to the folded state, the valley fold side of the solar panel drops due to its own weight, forming the valley fold. The solar panel installation structure according to claim 1 or 2, in which a hanging ring is used as the fastening device and a connecting ring is used as the connecting member. The solar panel installation structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which a row of multiple solar panels installed between the two parallel wires is regarded as one set, and multiple sets of solar panel rows are arranged so that they are adjacent in a direction perpendicular to the wire direction. The solar panel installation structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which is provided with a sensor, and in which switching between the unfolded state and the folded state of the solar panel is controlled according to the value measured by the sensor. The solar panel installation structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the solar panel is stored in a storage box in a folded state, and the storage box is provided with a storage battery for storing electricity generated by the solar panel.

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