Photovoltaic Roofing Wiring Array, Photovoltaic Roofing Wiring System and Roofs Using Them

Abstract

The present invention provides photovoltaic wiring arrays and photovoltaic wiring systems suitable for use in rooftop photovoltaic power generation systems. Accordingly, one aspect of the invention provides a photovoltaic roofing wiring array for use with a plurality of photovoltaic roofing elements, each photovoltaic roofing element having a positive lead terminated in a positive connector and a negative lead terminated in a negative connector, and a lead-to-lead distance between the positive connector and the negative connector, the photovoltaic roofing wiring system comprising: a positive parallel wiring run, the positive parallel wiring run comprising a main line and one or more connection branches pendant from the main line, each connection branch being terminated in a positive connector; and a negative parallel wiring run, the negative parallel wiring run comprising a main line and one or more connection branches pendant from the main line, each connection branch being terminated in a negative connector, wherein each positive connector is coupleable to the positive connectors of the photovoltaic roofing elements; and wherein each negative connector is coupleable to the negative connectors of the photovoltaic roofing elements. In some embodiments of the invention, the photovoltaic roofing wiring arrays are substantially prefabricated.

1 . A photovoltaic roofing wiring array for use with a plurality of photovoltaic roofing elements, each photovoltaic roofing element having a positive lead terminated in a positive connector and a negative lead terminated in a negative connector, and a lead-to-lead distance between the positive connector and the negative connector, the photovoltaic roofing wiring system comprising:
 a positive parallel wiring run, the positive parallel wiring run comprising a main line and one or more connection branches pendant from the main line, each connection branch being terminated in a positive connector; and   a negative parallel wiring run, the negative parallel wiring run comprising a main line and one or more connection branches pendant from the main line, each connection branch being terminated in a negative connector,   wherein each positive connector is coupleable to the positive connectors of the photovoltaic roofing elements; and   each negative connector is coupleable to the negative connectors of the photovoltaic roofing elements.   
     
     
         2 . The photovoltaic roofing wiring array of  claim 1 , wherein the positive connectors and negative connectors are quick-disconnect connectors 
     
     
         3 . The photovoltaic roofing wiring array of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more series wiring runs, each series wiring run comprising a sequence of one or more wiring elements, each wiring element having a positive end terminated in a positive connector coupleable to the positive connector of the photovoltaic roofing elements, and a negative end terminated in a negative connector coupleable to the negative connector of the photovoltaic roofing elements, the series wiring runs being disposed sequentially in a substantially head-to-tail fashion from a positive connector of the positive parallel wiring run to a negative connector of the negative parallel wiring run, wherein
 the negative connector of the first wiring element in the sequence is disposed within one lead-to-lead distance of the positive connector of the positive parallel wiring run; 
 the positive connector of the last wiring element in the sequence is disposed within one lead-to-lead distance of the negative connector of the negative parallel wiring run; and 
 for any other wiring elements in the sequence, the positive connector is within one lead-to-lead distance of the negative connector of the subsequent wiring element; and the negative connector is within one lead-to-lead distance of the positive connector of the previous wiring element. 
   
     
     
         4 . The photovoltaic roofing wiring array of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more wiring elements of each series wiring run include:
 a first end wiring element having a positive end terminated in a positive connector and a negative end terminated in a negative connector, the negative connector being disposed within one lead-to-lead distance of a positive connector of the positive parallel wiring run;   a second end wiring element having a positive end terminated in a positive connector and a negative end terminated in a negative connector, the positive connector being disposed within one lead-to-lead distance of a negative connector of the negative parallel wiring run;   a sequence of one or more interior wiring elements, each having a positive end terminated in a positive connector and a negative end terminated in a negative connector, disposed sequentially in a substantially head-to-tail fashion from the first end wiring element to the second end wiring element.   
     
     
         5 . The photovoltaic roofing wiring array of  claim 3 , wherein the wiring elements of each series wiring run are physically interconnected. 
     
     
         6 . The photovoltaic roofing wiring array of  claim 5 , wherein the wiring elements of each series wiring run are further interconnected with the positive parallel wiring run and the negative parallel wiring run. 
     
     
         7 . The photovoltaic roofing wiring array of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more series wiring runs, the positive parallel wiring run and the negative parallel wiring run are all disposed substantially along the same path. 
     
     
         8 . The photovoltaic roofing wiring array of  claim 1 , wherein at least one positive connector is affixed to its corresponding negative connector. 
     
     
         9 . The photovoltaic roofing wiring array of  claim 8 , wherein each pair of affixed connectors is formed in a unitary piece. 
     
     
         10 . The photovoltaic roofing wiring array of  claim 8 , wherein the positive connector of at least one connection branch of the positive parallel wiring run is affixed to the negative connector of a first end wiring element of its corresponding series wiring run. 
     
     
         11 . The photovoltaic roofing wiring array of  claim 8 , wherein the negative connector of each connection branch of the negative parallel wiring run is affixed to the positive connector of a second end wiring element of its corresponding series wiring run. 
     
     
         12 . The photovoltaic roofing wiring array of  claim 1 , wherein in one or more series wiring runs, the negative connector of at least one wiring element is affixed to its corresponding positive connector; and the positive connector of at least one wiring element is affixed to its corresponding negative connector. 
     
     
         13 . A roof comprising the photovoltaic roofing wiring array of  claim 1  disposed on a roof deck. 
     
     
         14 . A photovoltaic roofing wiring system comprising a wiring substrate; and
 a wiring array according to  claim 1  disposed on or within the wiring substrate.   
     
     
         15 . The photovoltaic roofing wiring system of  claim 14 , wherein the wiring substrate is a rolled roofing material. 
     
     
         16 . The photovoltaic roofing wiring system of  claim 14 , wherein the wiring substrate is a sheet of underlay material. 
     
     
         17 . The photovoltaic roofing wiring system of  claim 14 , wherein the wiring substrate is a rigid frame. 
     
     
         18 . The photovoltaic roofing wiring system of  claim 14 , wherein the rigid frame includes one or more channels, and the wiring array is disposed within the channels. 
     
     
         19 . The photovoltaic roofing wiring system of  claim 14 , wherein the rigid frame has wiring clips attached thereto, and wherein the wiring array is held by the wiring clips. 
     
     
         20 . The photovoltaic roofing wiring system of  claim 14 , wherein the wiring substrate is an underlay platform. 
     
     
         21 . The photovoltaic roofing wiring system of  claim 20 , wherein the underlay platform has channels formed therein, wherein the photovoltaic roofing wiring array is disposed within the channels. 
     
     
         22 . The photovoltaic roofing wiring system of  claim 20 , wherein the underlay platform has a void space in its interior or on its underside. 
     
     
         23 . The photovoltaic roofing wiring system of  claim 14 , wherein the wiring substrate is marked with indicia for the placement and/or connection of a photovoltaic roofing wiring array. 
     
     
         24 . The photovoltaic roofing wiring system of  claim 23 , wherein the wiring substrate is a rolled roofing material. 
     
     
         25 . The photovoltaic roofing wiring system of  claim 14 , wherein the wiring substrate is marked with indicia for the placement of roofing elements. 
     
     
         26 . A roof comprising the photovoltaic roofing wiring system of  claim 14  affixed to a roof deck. 
     
     
         27 . The roof of  claim 26 , further comprising a plurality of photovoltaic elements, each photovoltaic element having:
 a positive lead extending from the photovoltaic element and terminated in a positive connector, the positive connector being coupled to a positive connector of the photovoltaic roofing wiring array; and   a negative lead extending from the photovoltaic element and terminated in a negative connector, the negative connector being coupled to the negative connector corresponding to the positive connector.   
     
     
         28 . A roof comprising:
 a roof frame;   a wiring substrate disposed on the roof frame;   a wiring array disposed on or within the wiring substrate, the wiring array comprising
 a positive parallel wiring run, the positive parallel wiring run comprising a main line and one or more connection branches pendant from the main line, each connection branch being terminated in a positive connector; 
 a negative parallel wiring run, the negative parallel wiring run comprising a main line and one or more connection branches pendant from the main line, each connection branch being terminated in a negative connector; and 
 one or more series wiring runs, each series wiring run comprising
 a first end wiring element having a positive end terminated in a positive connector and a negative end terminated in a negative connector; 
 a second end wiring element having a positive end terminated in a positive connector and a negative end terminated in a negative connector; and 
 a sequence of one or more interior wiring elements, each having a positive end terminated in a positive connector and a negative end terminated in a negative connector, arranged in a substantially head-to-tail manner from the first end wiring element to the second end wiring element; and 
 
   one or more first end photovoltaic roofing elements, each first end photovoltaic roofing element comprising
 a roofing substrate; and 
 a photovoltaic element disposed on or within the roofing substrate, the photovoltaic element having a positive lead terminated in a positive connector, the positive connector being coupled to a positive connector of a connection branch of the positive parallel wiring run; and a negative lead terminated in a negative connector, the negative connector being coupled to the negative connector of the first end wiring element of the series wiring run corresponding to the positive connector of the connection branch; and 
   one or more second end photovoltaic roofing elements, each second end photovoltaic roofing element comprising
 a roofing substrate; and 
 a photovoltaic element disposed on or within the roofing substrate, the photovoltaic element having a negative lead terminated in a negative connector, the negative connector being coupled to a negative connector of a connection branch of the negative parallel wiring run; and a positive lead terminated in a positive connector, the positive connector being coupled to the positive connector of the second end wiring element corresponding to the negative connector of the connection branch. 
   
     
     
         29 . The roof of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 one or more interior photovoltaic roofing elements, each interior photovoltaic roofing element comprising
 a roofing substrate; and 
 a photovoltaic element disposed on or within the roofing substrate, the photovoltaic element having a positive lead terminated in a positive connector, the positive connector being coupled to a positive connector of the first end wiring element or an interior wiring element; and a negative lead terminated in a negative connector, the negative connector being coupled to the negative connector corresponding to the positive connector.