WO2013061012A1

WO2013061012A1 - Solar panel security system.

Info

Publication number: WO2013061012A1
Application number: PCT/GB2011/052074
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael Lee LOWES
Original assignee: LOWES STEWART DEVELOPMENTS Ltd
Current assignee: LOWES STEWART DEVELOPMENTS Ltd
Priority date: 2011-10-25
Filing date: 2011-10-25
Publication date: 2013-05-02
Anticipated expiration: 2014-04-25

Abstract

The present invention relates to a solar panel security system having a sensor (36) (and more preferably multiple such sensors each associated with a respective solar panel 10) arranged to detect removal of a solar panel (10) from an installation. The sensor serves to issue a corresponding output signal in response to removal of a solar panel to an electronic, controller (44). The electronic controller is adapted to respond to said output signal from the sensor by issuing a wireless signal for alerting a user.

Description

SOLAR PANEL SECURITY SYSTEM

The present invention is concerned with a solar panel security system and with a solar panel installation.

The provision of solar panels on buildings is increasingly common in the UK and elsewhere. Solar panels can take a variety of forms, including for example panels (also known as modules) used to heat water for domestic use. Most commonly they take the form of electricity generators such as photovoltaics (PV); The UK market for PV has been stimulated by a new UK Government Feed-In- Tariff. PV installations supply electricity for domestic use and/or feed electricity to the mains grid. Solar panels are commonly mounted on a building's roof although they can be sited elsewhere. They represent a substantial investment and are an attractive target for thieves. Being accessible from the building's exterior they are typically not protected by a conventional burglar alarm or security system.

In accordance with the present invention, there is a solar panel security system comprising a sensor and an electronic controller, the sensor being adapted and or arranged to detect removal of a solar panel from an installation and to issue a corresponding output signal in response, the electronic controller being adapted and/or arranged to receive said output signal from the sensor and in response to issue a wireless signal for alerting a user.

The sensor may be formed as a switch securable to a mounting profile for mounting the solar panel. The sensor may be formed as a switch securable to the solar panel.

Preferably the wireless signal issued by the electronic controller is in suitable form for receipt and relay by a telephone network, particularly but not exclusively a mobile (cellular) telephone network, it may for example take the form of an audio message or an SMS message for a mobile network.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, there is a solar panel installation comprising a solar panel security system of the above-described type and a plurality of solar panels. The solar panel installation may be mounted on a building, remote-sited frame or tracking device. A tracking device is a power driven support for the solar panel that follows the trajectory of the Sun.

The solar panels may be arranged in at least one row mounted on at least one elongate mounting profile, sensors being provided to solar panels at ends of said row(s).

The installation may comprise an array having multiple rows of solar cells, with sensors being provided at corners of said array. Preferably, said sensors are provided only at said corners.

In another embodiment, the sensors are provided to solar panels at the perimeter of the array.

Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 represents, somewhat schematically, an array of solar panels mounted upon a roof;

Figure 2 is a side and partly sectional view of a system used to mount the solar panels;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of a solar panel positioned above a profile;

Figure 4 corresponds to Figure 3 but shows a different profile;

Figure 5 is a detailed view of a corner panel of the array of Figure L the corner panel being shown partially transparent; and

Figure 6 is a schematic illustration of major components of a security system embodying the present invention.

The security system to be described below is for use in relation to solar panels and a typical solar panel installation will be described first of all. In Figure 1 an array of solar panels 10 is mounted on a roof 12 of a building. Each panel 10 is seen to include multiple individual photovoltaic cells 14 in this example. The installation comprises multiple rows of the solar panels 10, each row being mounted to the roof through a respective pair of mounting profiles 16.

Figures 2 and 3 show details of a mounting profile 16, which in this example is formed of metal, and more specifically aluminium. A downwardly facing channel 19 of the profile 16 receives heads 18 of mounting bolts 20 and a parallel upwardly facing channel 21 receives heads 23 of fixing bolts 22. The mounting bolts 20 pass, in this example, through holes drilled in roof tiles 24, and are screwed into bores in the building's roof trusses 28, providing a strong and stable mounting, A first locking nut 30 acts against a cup washer 26 and a second locking nut 32 bears upon a lower face of the mounting profile 16 to keep it in place. The upwardly facing channel 21 has an undercut mouth 34 with whose underside the heads 22a of fixing bolts 22 engage. An end damp 23 embraces the panel 10.

The profile 16a can take a range of different shapes. Figure 4 shows one further example. The profile 16a seen in this drawing has upwardly and downwardly facing channels 21a, 19a but whereas these are side by side in the Figure 3 version, the profile in Figure 4 has them one above the other.

Due to the large and potentially fragile nature of the panels, their smooth slippery surface and the roof angle at which they are installed, the only practical way to remove the panels 10 from their mountings is to begin by removing panels (see Figure 1) at the ends of their respective rows, and more specifically by removing the panels 10a which are at corners of the panel array.

In accordance with the present invention, the comer panels 10a of the panel array are provided with sensors 36 arranged to detect their removal. In the present embodiment the sensors take the form of marine grade micro-switches whose positions are indicated in Figure 1 . They are secured to the mounting profiles through mountings 50 and arranged so that their state (ON/OFF) will be changed upon removal of a respective solar panel 10a, Figure 5 shows a corner panel 10a. The corner panel 10a in Figure 5 is shown ghosted, revealing a sensor 36 and its mounting 50 attached to the profile 16, The micro-switch 36 makes contact with the back of the corner panel 10a,

Looking now at Figure 6, the sensors 36 in this embodiment are hard wired using wires 38 attached to the profile (and therefore concealed) where they then enter the roof with the solar panel array cabling, to a wiring centre 40 having output wiring 42 to cany a signal indicative of the system's status. That is, the signal is altered upon detection of removal of any of the monitored solar panels 10a, An electronic control module ("ECM") 44 receives this signal and responds appropriately. The ECM 44 may for example be mounted in the building's loft space, it may be dri ven by a mains power supply 46, as indicated in Figure 6, but preferably also has a battery back-up suppl y in order that loss of mains power will not render the system ineffective.

According to the present exemplary embodiment, the ECM 44 incorporates means for sending a signal wirelessly to individuals or to remote systems, making it unnecessary to lead wiring from the roof/loft installation to systems (e.g. a separate burglar alarm) elsewhere in the building. More specifically, the present embodiment has a GSM dialler unit for sending audible or text messages using a mobile (cellular) telephone network to any of a number of pre-programnied numbers. Known dialler units can automatically phone up to 3 land-line or mobile telephone numbers and can send SMS messages. In this way, for example, a property owner, caretaker, site agent and/or security company can be alerted to a theft in progress. For owners or agents with responsibility for multiple premises, the message can incorporate information identifying the specific premises, e.g. an address or house number, in the case of frail or infirm owners, a message can be sent to a designated third party receiver who would then protect them from anxiety / concern. The ECM is adapted to detect when wiring 38 and/or 42 is cut and to issue a message in that case, to prevent thieves from deactivating the security system in this manner.

The system may also have the ability to be linked to an audible alarm in order to protect the array if the owner is away on holiday, for example. This can be in addition to the GSM features of the security system.

Claims

1. A solar panel security system comprising a sensor and an electronic controller, the sensor being adapted and/br arranged to detect removal of a solar panel from an installation and to issue a corresponding output signal in response, the electronic controller being adapted and/or arranged to receive said output signal from the sensor and in response to issue a wireless signal for alerting a user.

2. A solar panel security system as claimed in claim 1 in which the sensor is a switch securable to a mounting profile for mounting the solar panel,

3. A solar panel security system as claimed in claim 1 in which the sensor is a switch securable to the solar panel.

4. A solar panel security system as claimed in any previous claim in which the wireless signal issued by the electronic controller is a telephone signal.

5. A solar panel security system as claimed in claim 4 in which the wireless signal is an audio message or an SMS message.

6. A solar panel installation comprising a solar panel security system as claimed in any preceding claim and a plurality of solar panels.

7. A solar panel installation as claimed in claim 6 wherein the plurality of solar cells is mounted on a building, wall, remote-sited frame or tracking device.

8. A solar panel installation as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7 in which at least one row of solar panels is mounted on at least one elongate mounting profile and sensors are provided to solar panels at ends of said row(s).

9. A solar panel installation as claimed in any of claims 6 to 8 comprising an array having multiple rows of solar panels, wherein sensors are provided to solar panels at corners of said array.

10. A solar panel installation as claimed in any of claims 6 to 9 wherein sensors are provided to solar panels at the perimeter of the array.

1 1. A solar panel installation as claimed in any of claims 6 to 10 wherein said solar panels each comprise multiple photovoltaic cells.

12. A solar panel security system substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

13. A solar panel installation substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.