APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MOUNTING AND SUPPORTING A SOLAR PANEL

摘要

The present invention generally relates to a simple and cost effective device and method for mounting and supporting solar panels. A solar panel according to the present invention is supported from the backside via a plurality of elongated support members. The elongated support members may have open V-shaped or W-shaped arrangements and may be adhered to the solar panels through strong, flexible glue or double-sided tape that withstands significant environmental loads, such as wind uploading, yet remain flexible enough to minimize stress concentrations in the solar panels. The support members may be attached to a solar panel by a support member attachment module incorporated into an automated solar panel production line. A plurality of solar panels may be field mounted to a solar panel support structure having one or more piles or the like with at least a lower and upper transverse support rails spanning the plurality of solar panels.