Unitized Building Integrated Photovoltaic Conversion Module Adapted With Electrical Isolation and Grounding

1 . A unitized curtain wall unit with glazing material adapted for use in a vertical portion of an exterior shell of a building structure and comprising:

a rigid frame member;

said rigid frame member being adapted with a mounting structure capable of mounting an energy conversion device within the glazing material;

a grounding element connected to and adapted to ground the rigid frame member to a building structure or other ground path;

one or more isolation elements within said mounting structure of the rigid frame member that are adapted to isolate said energy conversion device from said rigid frame members.

2 . The unitized curtain wall unit of claim 1 wherein said isolation elements are partially flexible seals and/or gaskets.

3 . The unitized curtain wall unit of claim 1 wherein said isolation elements include structural silicones and/or VHB tape.

4 . The unitized curtain wall unit of claim 1 wherein said isolation elements are sufficiently flexible to accommodate expected minor movements of said rigid frame relative to said glazing materials.

5 . The unitized curtain wall unit of claim 2 wherein said gaskets include Underwriter Laboratories (UL) rated wedge gaskets and bed gaskets preassembled into said rigid frame.

6 . The unitized curtain wall unit of claim 1 further including an integrated raceway portion connected to said rigid frame member which is adapted to couple electrical wiring for a control module to be paired with said energy conversion device.

7 . The unitized curtain wall unit of claim 1 including a pocket portion within said rigid frame member adapted to receive an edge connection and electrical wiring for said energy conversion device.

8 . The unitized curtain wall unit of claim 1 wherein said rigid frame member includes a first pair of horizontal framing members and a second pair of vertical framing members;

said horizontal framing members defining first conduits for electrical wiring; and

said vertical framing members defining second conduits for electrical wiring.

9 . The unitized curtain wall unit of claim 1 wherein said rigid frame member is sealed against environmental and weather intrusions including air and water.

10 . The unitized curtain wall unit of claim 1 wherein the unit is Underwriter Laboratories (UL) rated.

11 . The unitized curtain wall unit of claim 1 wherein the unit is compliant with applicable local regulatory requirements associated with power generation systems.

12 . The unitized curtain wall unit of claim 1 , wherein said unit includes vision and spandrel areas; and

said at least one of said vision areas can be configured to include at least one energy conversion device; and

and at least one of said spandrel areas can be configured to include at least one energy conversion device.

13 . A unitized curtain wall unit with glazing material adapted for use in a vertical portion of an exterior shell of a building structure and comprising:

a rigid frame member;

said rigid frame member being adapted with a mounting structure to mount a photovoltaic energy conversion module within the glazing material;

said rigid frame member having a pocket portion adapted to receive an electrical connection and wiring for said photovoltaic energy conversion module;

a grounding element connected to and adapted to ground the rigid frame member to a building structure or other ground path;

one or more isolation elements within said mounting structure of the rigid frame member that are adapted to isolate said photovoltaic energy conversion module from said rigid frame members.

14 . The unitized curtain wall unit of claim 13 wherein said isolation elements are partially flexible seals and/or gaskets.

15 . The unitized curtain wall unit of claim 13 wherein said isolation elements include structural silicones and/or VHB tape.

16 . The unitized curtain wall unit of claim 13 wherein said isolation elements are sufficiently flexible to accommodate expected minor movements of said rigid frame relative to said glazing materials.

17 . The unitized curtain wall unit of claim 13 wherein said gaskets include Underwriter Laboratories (UL) rated wedge gaskets and bed gaskets preassembled into said rigid frame.

18 . The unitized curtain wall unit of claim 13 wherein said building structure is one of a commercial structure, a residential structure, a parking structure, a hospital, an airport terminal, a train station terminal and/or a sea port terminal.

19 . The unitized curtain wall unit of claim 13 wherein said electrical wiring is integrated and preassembled within said unit.

20 . A unitized curtain wall unit with glazing material adapted for use in a vertical portion of an exterior shell of a building structure and comprising:

a metallic frame member;

said metallic frame member being adapted to mount a photovoltaic energy conversion module within the glazing material;

a wireway attached to a back portion of said metallic frame member;

wherein said wireway is adapted to carry both signal and power cables for said photovoltaic energy conversion module;

said metallic frame member further including:

i) a pair of first horizontal framing members defining stack joints adapted as first conduits for carrying electrical wiring; and

ii) a pair of vertical framing members defining mullions adapted as second conduits for said electrical wiring;

wherein wiring can be routed in at least two different pathways and directions within said metallic frame member;

iii) a pocket portion adapted to receive an edge connector and wiring for said photovoltaic energy conversion module;

iv) one or more wire routing holes for routing said wiring between said photovoltaic energy conversion module and said wireway;

v) one or more semi-flexible gasket isolation elements adapted to isolate said photovoltaic energy conversion module from said rigid frame members;

wherein said semi-flexible gasket isolation elements further accommodate minor movement disturbances caused by wind, heat and/or seismic forces;

vi) a grounding element adapted to ground said framing unit to the building structure or another electrical ground path;

wherein said unitized curtain wall unit is configured to be physically interconnected to one or more adjacent unitized curtain wall units within the exterior shell to form an electrically isolated power generating system integrated within a façade for the building structure.