The present invention is related to a method and system for the installation of solar panels. Solar panels are today mounted either on roofs of buildings, like private houses, public or commercial buildings, or on the ground, held in place by racks or frames that are attached to ground-based mounting supports (in the following: "panel stands"). Such panel stands often adopt the shape of a "T" or a "π", mostly with the upper beam provided in a tiltable form, to allow tilting of the entire panel in order to optimize the angle of incidence with respect to the collected solar light.

The latter variants are preferably used in the countryside, where sufficient space is available. Oftentimes, entire areas are covered by solar panels mounted on said supports. This may occur on former municipal landfulls or garbage dumps, fallow land, industrial wasteland, but also on agricultural areas which have been converted for new use.

These areas, however, often suffer from poor infrastructure, so that different equipment must be provided to allow the construction and mounting of solar panels. This can create significant costs

By definition, solar panels cast shadows which affect the land underneath ("solar panel shading effect").

The vegetation impact from solar panels further includes the reduction in space for the existing vegetation created by the presence of the panels, and their ground anchors, thus hindering plant growth. Furthermore, the land underneath a solar panel is typically sterilized prior or after mounting the solar panel, to assure that vegetation does not affect the efficiency of the photovoltaic or photothermic process, and as a precaution against fire. However, such sterilization process affects the environment as chemicals are introduced and natural re-vegetation is hindered.

All of the above effects may affect vegetation and soil fauna dwelling on said land, as well as wildlife and other fauna. Further, soil erosion may thus be promoted, and soil can become infertile and thus useless for later agrucultural use.

In order to tackle at leats part of these problems, panel stands can be used which have a minimum height. Thus, sufficient space for plant growth is provided, as well as the solar panel shading effect is reduced, by creating a crepuscular environment which may offer sufficient light to plants species which can tolerate some shading.

Mounting and installing solar panels on stands exceeding a given height can however be troublesome, particularly in areas of poor infrastructure.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above disadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and system for mounting solar panels which is capable of mounting solar panels on stands exceeding a given height.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a self contained system which is capable of independently mounting solar panels, without the need of further infrastructure or equipment.

Embodiments of the invention

These objects are met with methods and means according to the independent claims of the present invention. The dependent claims are related to preferred embodiments. It is yet to be understood that value ranges delimited by numerical values are to be understood to include the said delimiting values.

Summary of the invention Before the invention is described in detail, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular component parts of the devices described or process steps of the methods described as such devices and methods may vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for purposes of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting. It must be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an" and "the" include singular and/or plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It is moreover to be understood that, in case parameter ranges are given which are delimited by numeric values, the ranges are deemed to include these limitation values.

In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.

According to the invention a system for mounting solar panels is provided. Said system comprises one or more containers capable of accomodating a plurality of solar panels, plus a vehicle chassis comprising a platform. The system further comprises first lifting means arranged at said vehicle chassis, said first lifting means capable of (i) picking up a container, (ii) lifting said container up, and/or (iii) dumping said container to the platform of the vehicle chassis.

The system further comprises second lifting means arranged at said vehicle chassis, said second lifting means capable of (i) unloading a solar panel from said container, and/or (ii) disposing a solar panel on a panel stand.

Such system can conveniently be used to mount solar panels on suitable panel stands.

Prior to use of the system, at or near a given construction site, one or more containers comprising a plurality of solar panels are delivered. Suitable solar panel stands are already provided at said site.

The system now picks up a container from the ground, from a stack of containers, or from a vehicle carrying said container, by means of the first lifting means. The latter consists, preferably, of two lift arms arranged ate the front and rear end of the platform of the vehicle chassis, and capable of engaging with respective receptacles at the front and rear narrow sides of the container.

The first lifting means thus picks up the container and lifts it up. If the container has to be transported to the actual construction site, it can first be dumped to the platform of the vehicle chassis by the lifting means, and then be transported to the construction site.

At the actual construction site, the system unloads a solar panel from said container and disposes said solar panel on a panel stand by means of the second lifting means.

The second lifting means consists, preferably, of a telescopic boom comprising connecting means for lifting a solar panel. It is however clear that the teaching of the present invention is not restricted to such embodiment. The skilled person can easily determine other suitable embodiments from routine knowledge, and pertinent literature, without applying any inventive work.

Such connecting means can for example consist of a pneumatic vacuum lifter having an array of suction cups, as it is today being used to lift glass panels. In another embodiment, the connecting means has a frame with twistable bars which are adapted to engage behind the solar panel, to grab it. It is however clear that the teaching of the present invention is not restricted to such embodiment. The skilled person can easily determine other suitable embodiments from routine knowledge, and pertinent literature, without applying any inventive work.

Both the first and second lifting means are preferably provided as hydraulic lifting means according to the predominant art. It is however clear that the teaching of the present invention is not restricted to such embodiment. The skilled person can easily determine other suitable embodiments from routine knowledge, and pertinent literature, without applying any inventive work.

Once all solar panels are unloaded from the container, the system can unload the entire container by means of the first lifting means, pick up a new one, lift it up, and start again unloading and disposing solar panels on the respective stands by means of the second lifting means.

As discussed above, solar panels stands exceeding a given height are increasingly used due to environmental concerns. One important feature of the present invention is that the first lifting means is capable of not only of picking up a container, but also of lifting said container up to a given height.

This facilitates the unloading and disposing of solar panels on a panel stand of a minimum height. Further, by lifting the container up to a given height, the system can approach closely to a row of solar panel stands without interfering with the horizontal beams thereof on which the solar panels are disposed.

Further, the system is thus capable of picking up, or unloading, a container from or to a stack of containers of a given height. Located next to the construction site. As discussed elsewhere herein, standard containers have a height of 2,26 m. A stack of three containers thus has a height of 6,78 m. Preferably, the first lifting means enable the system to pick up and/or unload a container from or to said stack.

The system according to the invention is thus capable of mounting solar panels on stands exceeding a given height due to environmental concerns.

The system according to the invention is further a self contained system which is capable of independently bringing containers accomodating a plurality of solar panels to a construction site, and disposing solar panels on panel stands at the construction site, without the need of further infrastructure or equipment.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the container comprises stacking means for stacking a plurality of solar panels horizontally or vertically. In each way, it is vital that solar panels can be unloaded from said container individuality.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle chassis is part of a truck trailer. In this embodiment, the chassis comes without a tractor truck, and will have to be connected to such tractor truck for relocation. Preferably, such truck trailer may form part of a semi-trailer truck, According to yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle chassis is part of a truck. In this embodiment, the chassis is integral part of a truck. Preferably, such truck is a flatbed truck.

In both cases, the truck or truck trailer has, preferably, offroad capabilities, to allow operation even in areas with poor infrastructure.

The vehicle chassis has a platform which is suitable to accomodate, a container, preferably a standard container (see below). For this purpose, it is preferably provided that said platfor ois equipped with twistlock and corner castings, which together form a standardised rotating connector for securing containers. The primary uses are for locking a container into place on container ship, semi-trailer truck or railway container train; and for lifting of the containers by container cranes and sidelifters.

It is particularly preferred that the first lifting means further comprises one or more retractable supports. These retractable supports are, preferably, fashioned as hydraulic support stands. They serve, primarily, to stabilize the vehicle chassis when a container comprising solar panels is picked up by the first lifting means.

Likewise, it is preferred that the second lifting means further comprises one or more retractable supports. These retractable supports are, preferably, fashioned as hydraulic support stands. They serve, primarily, to stabilize the vehicle chassis when a solar panel is unloaded from the container and/or disposed on a panel stand.

In either case, the respective supports may comprise, preferably, a hydraulic extension system. Furthermore, in either case the respective supports may be equipped with one or more rollers or wheels, to enable locomotion of the entire chassis when the support is extended, e.g., during operation of the respective lifting means. This is particularly important with respect to the second lifting means and its retractable supports. It is desirable that, during the unloading and disposing process, the chassis can be driven up slowly with the container in a lifted position, to enable disposing of solar panels on different solar panel stands, and without needing to dump the entire container to the vehicle chassis. It is particularly preferred that the solar panel stands on which the system is capable of disposing solar panels have a height of at least 4m from ground.

Panel stands of this height or higher create a sufficient distance between ground and solar panel. Thus, sufficient space for plant growth is provided, as well as the solar panel shading effect is reduced, by creating a crepuscular environment which may offer sufficient light to plants species which can tolerate some shading.

The container which accommodates is a standard container, preferably selected from the group consisting of 8 ^' standard, 10 ^' standard, 20 ^' standard and/or 40 ^' standard.

Standard containers (also called intermodal containers) are standardized reusable steel boxes used for the storage and movement of materials and products. Their dimensions, and other features, are standardizes under ISO norm 668. The following list shows the dimensions of the preferred containers mentioned above, as well as others which are also covered by the scope of the presnet invention:

40 Open Top 12192 2438 2591 65,0

20 'Flat 6058 2438 2591

40 'Flat 12192 2438 2591

20 'Platform 6058 2438

40 'Platform 12192 2438

A 40 ^' standard container may for example accommodate 18 solar panels of about 11,50 m x 2 m, stacked either horizontally or vertically.

The invention further provides a method of mounting solar panels, said method comprising the steps of

• providing one or more containers capable of accomodating a plurality of solar panels

• providing a vehicle chassis comprising a platform

• providing first lifting means arranged at said vehicle chassis, said first lifting means capable of

- picking up a container

- lifting said container up, and/or

- dumping said container to the platform of the vehicle chassis,

• providing second lifting means arranged at said vehicle chassis, said second lifting means capable of

- unloading a solar panel from said container, and/or

- disposing a solar panel on a panel stand.

Furthermore, said method preferably comprises the steps of (i) picking up a container, (ii) lifting said container up, and/or (iii) dumping said container to the platform of the vehicle chassis.

In another preferred embodiment, said method further comprises the steps of (i) unloading a solar panel from the container, and/or (ii) disposing a solar panel on a panel stand, when the container is either in a lifted position, or in a position on the vehicle platform.

The invention further provides a method of mounting solar panels, in which method further a system according to the above description is used. Figures

For means of illustration of the present invention, but not in a limiting sense, the following figures demonstrate some preferred embodiments of the present invention. It is furthermore important to understand that any dimensioning shown in the figures is merely exemplary, and has no restrictive character.

Fig. 1 shows a lateral aspect of a system according to the invention, comprising of a container 11 capable of accomodating a plurality of solar panels, and a vehicle chassis 12 comprising a platform 13, which is, in the present example, a flatbed truck.

The system further comprises first lifting means 14 arranged at the vehicle chassis 12, which is capable of picking up a container, lifting said container up, and/or dumping said container to the platform of the vehicle chassis. In the example of Fig. 1, the first lifting means 14 consists of two hydraulic lift arms arranged at the front and rear end of the platform of the vehicle chassis. The lifting means are capable of engaging with respective receptacles at the front and rear narrow sides of the container 11.

The system further comprises second lifting means 15 arranged at the vehicle chassis 12, which is capable of unloading a solar panel from said container, and/or disposing a solar panel on a panel stand.

The first lifting means 14 further comprises retractable supports 16, which are fashioned as hydraulic support stands, and which serve, primarily, to stabilize the vehicle chassis when a container comprising solar panels is picked up by the first lifting means. The second lifting means 15 further comprises a retractable support 17 which is fashioned as hydraulic support stand, and which serves, primarily, to stabilize the vehicle chassis when a solar panel is unloaded from the container and/or disposed on a panel stand.

The retractable supports may be equipped with rollers or wheels (not shown), to enable locomotion of the entire chassis during operation of the respective lifting means. This is particularly important with respect to the second lifting means and its retractable supports. It is desirable that, during the unloading and disposing process, the chassis can be driven up slowly with the container in a lifted position, to enable disposing of solar panels on different solar panel stands, and without needing to dump the entire container to the vehicle chassis.

Fig. 2 shows a rear aspect of a system according to the invention, in a position where the first lifting means 14 arranged at the vehicle chassis 12 picks up a container 11, in order to lift said container up, and/or dumping said container to the platform of the vehicle chassis 12. Both the retractable supports 16 and 17 are extended, so that the vehicle chassis 12 is stabilized when a container comprising solar panels is picked up by the first lifting means, and when a solar panel is unloaded from the container and/or disposed on a panel stand.

Fig. 3 shows a rear aspect of a system according to the invention, in a position where the first lifting means 14 arranged at the vehicle chassis 12 has lifted up a container 11. In a next step, solar panels will be unloaded from the container by means of the second lifting means, and disposed on a solar panel stand.

Fig. 4 shows a lateral aspect of a system according to the invention, in a position where the first lifting means 14 have lifted up the container 11, and the second lifting means 15, which is provided as a telescopic boom, starts unloading a solar panel from the container 11.

Fig. 5 shows a connecting means 51, which can be used, by the second lifting means, to pick up a solar panel. Said connecting means is provided as a pneumatic vacuum lifter having an array of suction cups, as it is today being used to lift glass panels.

Fig. 6 shows a rear aspect of a system according to the invention, in a position where the first lifting means arranged at the vehicle chassis has lifted up a container. In a next step, solar panels will be unloaded from the container by means of the second lifting means, and disposed on a solar panel stand. Fig. 6 shows, furthermore, a solar panel stand 61 with a height of about 4 m. The container has been lifted, by the first lifting means, high enough to make sure that the system can approach closely to the solar panel stands without interfering with the horizontal beams thereof, on which the solar panels are disposed. Further, by lifting the container up to a given height, the unloading and disposing of solar panels on the panel stand 61 is significantly facilitated. Fig. 7 shows a lateral aspect of a system according to the invention, in a position where the first lifting means have lifted up the container, and the second lifting means starts unloading a solar panel 71 from the container, in order to dispose it on a solar panel stand 61 with a height of about 4 m.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive; the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims.