Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Combined – With a sunlight activated device
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-08
2001-11-06
Stephan, Beth A. (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Combined
With a sunlight activated device
C052S748100, C136S251000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06311436
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a solar roof member which is a solar cell integral type roofing material.
2. Related Background Art
Solar cells can be installed on roofs by methods roughly grouped into two types. One is a method in which solar cells are attached to an existing roof. The other is a method in which solar cells themselves are provided on a roof as roofing materials.
In the former, since the solar cells are installed on the existing roof by the use of some stand, conventional solar cells can be used for that purpose as they are, but they require a high cost for installation and also may give a poor appearance. Accordingly, the latter method has recently attracted notice.
With regard to the latter method, various working methods are commonly known as roofing methods from old times, which typically include hirabuki (boad roofing), tatehazebuki (standing seam roofing), namiitabuki (corrugated sheet roofing), oriitabuki (folding plate roofing), yokobuki (lateral roofing), kawaraboubuki (batten seam roofing), kawarabuki (clay tile roofing) and yousetsubuki (weld roofing) (all native terminology in Japanese own roofing). Also, as to materials for such roofing, various materials such as metals, ceramics, plastics and woods are put into use.
As known techniques making use of solar cells, various working methods have been proposed until now as disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 5-18051 (slate roofing), 7-302924 (lateral roofing) and 7-211932 (batten seam roofing), and their development is on progress in variety in accordance with the various roofing methods and the quality of solar cells.
Attempts to integrally set up solar cells and roofing materials to achieve a cost reduction and an improvement in appearance are not so recently started. However, not a few methods have peculiar problems because of unique operations for lead-wire connection which must be performed when solar cell integral type roofing materials are assembled and also because of restrictions coming from the quality of solar cells and shape or design of roofing materials in the conventional solar cell integral type roofing materials. For example, in a solar cell integral type roofing material disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-302924 (see FIGS.
1
and
2
), a space continuously extends between a sheathing roof board
21
and each roof panel
1
in the lateral direction of the roof (in the direction parallel to the ridge, i.e., in the direction crossing the direction where rain water flows, the direction vertical to the surface of the drawing) when individual solar cell integral type roofing materials are connected with one another by wiring. Wires
22
of roofing materials adjoining in the lateral direction (in the direction parallel to the ridge) can be connected through such a space. However, no space continuously extends in the flow direction of the roof (in the direction vertical to the ridge, i.e., in the direction where rain water flows), and hence the wires can not be connected therethrough. This makes it necessary to assemble the roofing materials according to the following procedure. In the following, the direction parallel to the ridge may be called “lateral direction”, and the direction vertical to the ridge may be called “longitudinal direction”.
Typical Procedure in the Roofing Shown in FIGS.
1
and
2
(1) First, a joint drip cap board
2
is joined with a solar cell integral type roof panel
1
a
having already been installed at the lower tier (on the eaves side).
(2) A lead wire
3
b
of a solar cell integral type roof panel
1
b
having already been installed adjoiningly side by side before the step (1) is passed around the back of the joint drip cap board
2
and led out.
(3) The roof panel
1
b
is fastened to the sheathing roof board
21
with a screw or the like by means of a clip
23
(see FIG.
2
).
(4) The lead wire
3
b
of the roof panel
1
b
having been installed and one lead wire
3
c
of another solar cell integral type roof panel
1
c
to be installed subsequently are connected with each other through a connector
4
.
(5) The roof panel
1
c
is joined with a roof panel la having been installed at the lower tier (on the eaves side), and is fitted onto joint drip cap boards
2
having been set on its both sides.
(6) Subsequently, the procedure of steps (1) to (5) is repeated to install the roof panels.
(7) After the roofing for one row or roofing up for the all, joint covers
5
are set over to complete the roofing.
In the working method of lateral roofing as described above, the solar cell integral type roof panels can mutually be wire-connected only in the space continuously extending in the lateral direction, and hence the wiring can only be made at a low degree of freedom. Also, the wiring is operated through the back of each roof panel, and hence it must be done simultaneously with the installation of the roof panels. Thus, it has been required to simultaneously make troublesome operations concerning the wiring arrangement when the roof panels are installed. This has caused a problem that roofing workers having a poor electrical know-how often make wiring mistakes, especially causing a problem in the case of roof panels of the type they can not be exchanged in part after roofing where the roofing is performed in the order of from the eaves side to the ridge side as in the lateral roofing or clay tile roofing.
To cope with this problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 5-18051 (see
FIG. 3
) and 7-21932 (see
FIG. 4
) disclose that a spacer member
31
or
41
is provided between a sheathing roof board
32
or
42
and each solar cell integral type roof panel
33
or
43
to ensure the degree of freedom for the wiring so that the roofing can be performed in less compliancy. These roofing methods, however, make it necessary to additionally set spacer members which are unnecessary for structural strength, and can not avoid resulting in a higher cost from both aspects of the material cost and the roofing cost for setting such members.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention solves the problems discussed above. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a solar roof member as a solar cell integral type roof panel, and a roofing method therefor, that can ensure the degree of freedom for wiring without providing any spacer member and also can prevent troubles such as wiring mistakes that may otherwise be caused by complicated wiring operations at the time of roofing.
The present invention made in order to achieve the above object is constituted as described below.
That is, the present invention is a solar roof member comprising a photovoltaic device encapsulated with an insulating material onto a reinforcing member, wherein;
the reinforcing member has a joining portion at which an adjoining solar roof member is joined, and a curved portion through which a lead wire is led out and which is so provided in the reinforcing member as to extend over at least part of the joining portion.
The present invention also provides a process for manufacturing a solar roof member, comprising the steps of:
encapsulating a photovoltaic device with an insulating material onto a reinforcing member;
bending at least part of the reinforcing member to form a joining portion for joining a solar roof member; and
forming in the reinforcing member a curved portion so formed as to extend over at least part of the joining portion.
The present invention still also provides a roofing method for installing the solar roof member of the present invention, comprising leading out a lead wire through the curved portion of the reinforcing member to a roof base member on which an adjoining solar roof member has not been installed when solar roof members are installed on the roof base member.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5094697 (1992-03-01), Takabayashi et al.
patent: 5280133 (1994-01-01), Nath
patent: 5409549 (1995-04-01), Mori
patent: 5500055 (1996-03-01), Toyama et al.
patent: 5651837 (199
Komori Ayako
Mimura Toshihiko
Mori Masahiro
Takabayashi Akiharu
Takada Takeshi
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Glessner Brian E.
Stephan Beth A.
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