Photovoltaic systems, methods for installing photovoltaic systems, and kits for installing photovoltaic systems

摘要

The present invention relates particularly to photovoltaic systems for use in photovoltaically generating electrical energy. One aspect of the invention is a photovoltaic roofing system disposed on a roof deck. The photovoltaic roofing system includes one or more photovoltaic elements contiguously disposed on the roof deck, the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic elements defining a photovoltaic area; a plurality of roofing elements disposed adjacent the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic elements, along their side edges; side flashing disposed along the side edges of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic elements, the side flashing having a cross-sectional shape comprising a vertically-extending feature and a flange extending from each lateral side at the bottom of the vertically-extending feature, with the flange facing the photovoltaic area being at least partially disposed between a photovoltaic element and the roof deck, and the flange facing away from the photovoltaic area being at least partially disposed between a roofing element and the roof deck.

主权项

1. A photovoltaic roofing system disposed on a roof deck having an upper end and a lower end, the photovoltaic roofing system comprising:
one or more contiguously-disposed photovoltaic elements, the one or more contiguously-disposed photovoltaic elements together having a top edge facing the upper end of the roof deck, a bottom edge facing the lower end of the roof deck, and two side edges, the one or more contiguously-disposed photovoltaic elements defining a photovoltaic area; a plurality of roofing elements disposed adjacent the one or more contiguously-disposed photovoltaic elements, along the side edges of the one or more contiguously-disposed photovoltaic elements; a plurality of side flashings, each side flashing disposed along one of the side edges of the one or more contiguously-disposed photovoltaic elements, each side flashing having a cross-sectional shape comprising a vertically-extending feature and a flange extending from each lateral side at a bottom of the vertically-extending feature, with the flange facing the photovoltaic area being at least partially disposed between each of one or more of the one or more photovoltaic elements and the roof deck, and the flange facing away from the photovoltaic area being at least partially disposed between at least one of the roofing elements and the roof deck, each side flashing not extending under substantially the entire area of any photovoltaic element, wherein each photovoltaic element includes a substantial portion that is not disposed on a flashing, on a roofing element, or on another photovoltaic element and is disposed directly on the roof deck or directly on a roofing membrane or underlayment disposed directly on the roof deck, and wherein each side flashing includes a substantial portion that is not disposed on another flashing and is disposed directly on the roof deck or directly on a roofing membrane or underlayment disposed directly on the roof deck.