Integrated solar roofing tile connection system

Abstract

An integrated solar roofing tile connection system for installing on a roof surface for converting solar energy into electrical energy includes a plurality of battens that each have a length and are mounted to the roof surface. The plurality of battens are generally parallel to and spaced from one another. A plurality of electrically connected female connectors mounted to each batten and spaced along the length of each batten. A plurality of photovoltaic roofing tiles are mounted to each batten. Each photovoltaic roofing tile has a tile base that has a first side surface, a second side surface and a top edge and a photovoltaic circuit. The photovoltaic circuit includes a plurality of electrically interconnected photovoltaic cells and first and second terminal ends. Each photovoltaic roofing tile includes a male connector that extends from the tile base. Each male connector at least partially exposes the first and second terminal ends. Each male connector is removably mountable to and in electrical engagement with a corresponding female connector.

1 . An integrated solar roofing tile connection system for installing on a roof surface and converting solar energy into electrical energy, the integrated solar roofing tile connection system comprising:
 a plurality of battens each having a length and being mounted to the roof surface, the plurality of battens being generally parallel to and spaced from one another;   a plurality of electrically connected female connectors mounted to each batten and spaced along the length of each batten; and   a plurality of photovoltaic roofing tiles mounted to each batten, each photovoltaic roofing tile having a tile base having a first side surface, a second side surface and a top edge and a photovoltaic circuit, the photovoltaic circuit including a plurality of electrically interconnected photovoltaic cells and first and second terminal ends, each photovoltaic roofing tile further including a male connector extending from the tile base, each male connector at least partially exposing the first and second terminal ends, each male connector being removably mountable to and in electrical engagement with a corresponding female connector.   
     
     
         2 . The integrated solar roofing tile connection system of  claim 1 , wherein the photovoltaic cells and photovoltaic circuit are contained within a laminate that is mounted to each tile base. 
     
     
         3 . The integrated solar roofing tile connection system of  claim 2 , wherein the laminate is spaced a first predetermined tile overlap distance from the top edge of the base and substantially covers the remainder of the first side surface of the tile base. 
     
     
         4 . The integrated solar roofing tile connection system of  claim 1 , wherein each male connector has an outwardly extending flange that extends around an outer periphery of the male connector proximate the top edge of the tile base. 
     
     
         5 . The integrated solar roofing tile connection system of  claim 4 , wherein the flange includes a sealing elastomeric o-ring. 
     
     
         6 . The integrated solar roofing tile connection system of  claim 1 , wherein the male connector extends from the top edge of the tile base. 
     
     
         7 . The integrated solar roofing tile connection system of  claim 1  wherein each batten includes a pivot extension extending from a top edge of the batten, each female connector being pivotably mounted to a respective pivot extension. 
     
     
         8 . The integrated solar roofing tile connection system of  claim 1  wherein each female connector is electrically connected through wiring, the wiring at least partially mounted to each batten and extending between each of the female connectors. 
     
     
         9 . The integrated solar roofing tile connection system of  claim 1 , wherein each female connector is mounted to the respective batten. 
     
     
         10 . The integrated solar roofing tile connection system of  claim 1 , wherein each female connector includes first and second contacts electrically coupling with the first and second terminal ends respectively. 
     
     
         11 . The integrated solar roofing tile connection system of  claim 1 , wherein each photovoltaic roofing tile partially overlaps three adjacent photovoltaic roofing tiles. 
     
     
         12 . The integrated solar roofing tile connection system of  claim 1 , wherein each female connector includes a bypass diode electrically connected between the first and second terminal ends. 
     
     
         13 . The integrated solar roofing tile connection system of  claim 1 , wherein the male connectors are rigid. 
     
     
         14 . The integrated solar roofing tile connection system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second terminal ends are exposed on a bottom surface of the male connector facing toward the second side surface of the tile base. 
     
     
         15 . The integrated solar roofing tile connection system of  claim 1 , wherein each tile base includes at least one batten latch flexibly extending from the second side surface, each batten latch releasably engaging a top edge of the corresponding batten at least partially securing the roofing tile to the respective batten. 
     
     
         16 . The integrated solar roofing tile connection system of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of non-photovoltaic roofing tiles mounted to the battens. 
     
     
         17 . An integrated solar roofing tile connection system for installing on a roof surface and converting solar energy into electrical energy, the integrated solar roofing tile connection system comprising:
 a plurality of battens each having a length and a top edge and being mounted to the roof surface, the plurality of battens being generally parallel to one another; and   a plurality of electrically connected female connectors pivotably mounted to the top edge of each batten and spaced along the length of each batten;   a plurality of photovoltaic roofing tiles mounted to each batten, each photovoltaic roofing tile having:
 a tile base having a first side surface, a second side surface, a top edge and a lateral edge, 
 a photovoltaic laminate including a plurality of electrically interconnected photovoltaic cells, the photovoltaic laminate being fixedly mounted to the first side surface of the tile base and being spaced a second tile overlap distance from the top edge, the photovoltaic laminate substantially covering the remainder of the first side of the tile base, the photovoltaic laminate including a contact tab extending outwardly from the top edge of the tile base, a photovoltaic circuit electrically connecting the photovoltaic cells and having first and second terminal ends extending along the contact tab, the first and second terminal ends being at least partially exposed on a surface of the contact tab facing toward the second side surface of the tile base, 
 a rigid contact support mounted partially over the contact tab and being generally parallel to the photovoltaic laminate, 
 a flange mounted around the contact tab and the contact support proximate the top edge of the tile base forming a male connector, 
   wherein each male connector is removably mounted to and in electrical engagement with the corresponding female connector, and   wherein a central photovoltaic roofing tile overlaps a laterally adjacent photovoltaic roofing tile by an amount equal to a first predetermined tile overlap distance and two photovoltaic roofing tiles adjacent the top edge of the central photovoltaic roofing tile each overlap the central photovoltaic roofing tile an amount equal to the second tile overlap distance.   
     
     
         18 . The integrated solar roofing tile connection system of  claim 17  further comprising a plurality of non-photovoltaic roofing tiles generally covering the remainder of the roof surface.