Solar panel foundation device

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION More specifically, FIG.
1 shows a conventional solar photovoltaic cell panel 1 having a plurality of commercially available photovoltaic cells 2 mounted thereon for the generation of electricity.
FIG.
1 also shows a thermal solar panel 3 which carries a plurality of pipes 4 which conduct a fluid such as liquid water therethrough to be heated by the sun to provide thermal energy as the output of panel 3.
Any other type of solar panel can also be employed in this invention in the manner illustrated for panels 1 and 3.
The solar panels, when in operation, are tilted to face the sun by way of, for example, legs 5 and 6 which legs are then supported by some sort of foundation device 7.
FIG.
2 shows a foundation device 10 within this invention which is composed of a bottom member 11 which rests on a supporting surface such as the surface of the earth, a rooftop, or the like.
Attached to bottom member 11 is upstanding side member 12 which in the embodiment of FIG.
2 is an essentially circular side member that angles outwardly to permit nesting of a plurality of foundation devices in the interior cavity 13 of the device as will be described in greater detail hereinafter with reference to FIG.
5.
Member 12 defines a closed interior cavity 13 which has an open top 14.
Bottom member 11 has at least one drain hole 15 therein to allow rainwater and other liquids to drain from interior cavity 13.
Reinforcement pads 16 and 17 are provided as support means for legs 5 and 6.
Such reinforcement pads can be carried by the bottom member as shown at 16 and 17 or by the side member as shown at 18 or a combination thereof as desired and necessary for the specific site in which the foundation device 10 is to be located and the particular solar panel or panels to be supported.
Foundation device 10 as formed in the factory will have its interior cavity empty and, preferably, is transported to the site of operation in this condition.
At the site of operation, in order to make the foundation device relatively permanent, interior cavity 13 is filled with locally available material 20 such as dirt, sand, rocks, scrap iron, gravel, and the like