First Solar, Inc.

Donald R Mapes

James B Foote

Benjamin L Richie, Jr

Larry G Crosser

David Jeffrey Aitchison

A photovoltaic array includes a plurality of elongated rails and rectangular photovoltaic modules. Each rail can have an extruded resin construction and can include a lower base and an upper cap that cooperate to define a pair of grooves that open in opposite directions from each other. The elongated rails can be mounted on a support surface and extend in a spaced and parallel relationship with each other. During mounting, edges of the photovoltaic modules can be received by the grooves. In this way, the photovoltaic modules can be mounted above the support surface in a spaced relationship from the support surface.

Photovoltaic array

A photovoltaic array ( &prime;) includes a plurality of elongated rails ( ) each of which has a lower base ( ) and an upper cap ( ) of an extruded resin construction defining a pair of grooves ( ) that open in opposite directions from each other to receive edges of rectangular photovoltaic modules ( ) so as to provide mounting thereof on a support surface ( ). The photovoltaic modules ( ) are arranged in pairs ( ) with the modules of each pair abutting each other and with each pair of modules being spaced along the elongated lengths of the rails from each adjacent pair of modules to provide openings ( ) therebetween. Cross members ( ) extend between the lower bases ( ) of the rails to space the rails from each other and have upwardly opening shapes that receive electrical wiring ( ).

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Prescott, AZ, United States of America

Donald R Mapes