SAN JOSE, Calif. - The US Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO") issued Andalay Solar, Inc. its seventh US patent, which further strengthens the company's unique InstantConnect® wiring technology. According to the company, US Patent No. 8,938,919 covers the built-in electrical connectors that mate into the Andalay frame technology. Andalay Solar is the first and only company in the industry to enjoy the advantage of having electrical connections that are integrated in the frame. As the modules are assembled, the electrical connections automatically and instantly connect, thereby reducing the amount of rooftop manual labor normally needed to complete wiring for solar systems.
This latest patent for Andalay's award-winning plug and play solar solution complements the patents that have already been granted for its integrated mounting system for solar panels. Andalay Solar, Inc.'s game-changing patented technology is a low-profile, rail-less system that is aesthetically pleasing. The company's splice technology not only connects the modules together, but also automatically wires and grounds the system, which saves costs and eliminates the need for extra parts such as panel to panel copper wire and grounding lugs.
"Our patent portfolio is even stronger now with this patent which focuses on the easy and instant connection of solar panel wiring. The built-in wire management saves time for installers as well as reduces future operation and maintenance costs," said Steven Chan, President and CEO of Andalay Solar. "Since the wires in our system are built-in, we have seen far fewer maintenance issues due to wire management issues as compared to conventional systems given that there are no dangling wires, less manual wire connections, no wires touching the roof surface and no exposed wires. We have done multiple product demos with installers who have commented that the Andalay system has by far the best thought out integrated wire management system as compared to other solar mounting systems, including other rail-less systems."
Founded in 2001, the Company is a designer and manufacturer of integrated solar power systems. The Company has been a pioneer in the concept of integrating the racking, wiring and grounding directly into a solar panel. The Company's AC solar panel reduces the number of components for a rooftop solar installation by approximately 80% and lowers labor costs by approximately 50%. This AC panel, which won the 2009 Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Award, has become the industry's most widely installed AC solar panel. The Company currently sells its new generation "Instant Connect®" products in both AC and DC format which provide the best combination of safety, performance and reliability. For more information on the Company, visit www.andalaysolar.com.