Mounting device for building surfaces having elongated mounting slot

• US 10,106,987 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2017
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RMH Tech LLC
• Original Assignee: Dustin M.M. Haddock, Robert M.M. Haddock
• Inventors: Haddock, Dustin M. M., Haddock, Robert M. M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sterling, Amy J.
• Application Number:
  US15/621,739
• Publication Number:
  US 20170275890A1
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/61 of slab-shaped building elements with each other
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2001/389 Brackets
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/0842 specially adapted for thin sheet-like materials, e.g. sheet-metal or plastics
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2025/6008 by using toothed elements
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/615 for fixing to protruding parts of buildings, e.g. to corrugations or to standing seams
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/636 clamping by screw-threaded elements
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/00 Supporting structures for PV modules
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/22 specially adapted for buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/20 Solar thermal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/47 Mountings or tracking
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A mounting device or bracket for paneled building surfaces is disclosed. The mounting bracket includes an upper wall in the form of a flat surface for supporting various types of attachments. An elongated mounting slot extends through the upper wall, and the mounting bracket includes an elongated nut receptacle that is positioned below this elongated mounting slot. With an attachment being positioned on the upper wall, an attachment fastener may be directed through the attachment, then through the elongated mounting slot, and then may be threadably engaged with a nut that is positioned within and movable along the nut receptacle in its elongated dimension. The elongated configuration of the mounting slot and nut receptacle provides adjustability for the position of the attachment fastener relative to the mounting bracket, including after the mounting bracket has already been installed on the building surface.

Claims

1. A mounting device attachable to a building surface, comprising:

a mounting body disposable in a first orientation and comprising;

first and second ends that are oppositely disposed;

first and second side surfaces when said mounting body is in said first orientation, wherein said first and second side surfaces are oppositely disposed and are located between said first and second ends;

first and second surfaces that are oppositely disposed and that are located between said first and second ends;

a slot that is on said second surface, that is in the form of a first open space, and that extends between said first and second ends, wherein said slot is defined by first and second slot sidewalls that are oppositely disposed and a slot base that extends between said first and second slot sidewalls; and

a receptacle that is in the form of a second open space and that is located between said first surface and said slot in a first dimension such that said slot base is disposed between said slot and said receptacle proceeding in said first dimension through said mounting body;

a first threaded fastener that extends through said first side surface, through said first slot sidewall, and into said slot to secure said mounting device relative to a building surface when said mounting device is in an installed configuration; and

a second threaded fastener that extends through said first surface of said mounting body and into said receptacle of said mounting body, wherein said first and second ends, said first and second side surfaces, and said first and second surfaces are on a perimeter of said mounting body, wherein said second threaded fastener comprises first and second fastener segments, wherein said first fastener segment extends from said first surface to said receptacle and is threadably engaged with said mounting body between said first surface and said receptacle, and wherein said second fastener segment extends from said first fastener segment and into said receptacle.

2. The mounting device of claim 1, wherein said second threaded fastener fails to extend into said slot.

3. The mounting device of claim 1, wherein said mounting body comprises a threaded hole that extends from said first surface to said receptacle, wherein said second threaded fastener is engaged with said threaded hole.

4. The mounting device of claim 1, wherein said second threaded fastener is at least one of a self-drilling fastener and a self-tapping fastener.

5. The mounting device of claim 1, wherein said second threaded fastener comprises a head, a flange, and a shaft, wherein said head extends from one side of flange, wherein said flange is positioned on said first surface, and wherein said shaft extends from an opposite side of said flange and into said mounting body through said first surface.

6. The mounting device of claim 5, wherein said shaft comprises a free end that is pointed.

7. The mounting device of claim 5, wherein said mounting body comprises a threaded hole that extends from said first surface to said receptacle, wherein said second threaded fastener is engaged with said threaded hole.

8. The mounting device of claim 1, wherein said second threaded fastener secures an attachment relative to said mounting body when said mounting device is in an installed configuration.

9. A building surface and the mounting device of claim 1, wherein said building surface comprises a first standing seam that extends into said slot of said mounting device, and wherein said first threaded fastener engages a portion of said first standing seam within said slot.

10. A mounting device attachable to a building surface, comprising:

a mounting body comprising an upper surface when said mounting body is in an upright position, wherein said mounting body further comprises a slot, wherein said slot is in the form of a first open space and comprises a slot base that defines an upper boundary of said slot when said mounting body is disposed in said upright position, wherein said upper surface and said slot are both on an exterior of said mounting body, and wherein said slot is concave relative to said exterior of said mounting body;

a receptacle that is the form of a second open space and that extends completely through said mounting body from a first location on said exterior of said mounting body to a second location on said exterior of said mounting body, wherein said receptacle has a closed perimeter proceeding from said first location to said second location, wherein said mounting body further comprises a wall that extends between said upper surface and said receptacle, and wherein an underside of said wall defines an upper boundary of said receptacle when said mounting body is in said upright position;

a first threaded fastener that extends through a portion of said mounting body and into said slot to secure said mounting device relative to a building surface when said mounting device is in an installed configuration; and

a second threaded fastener that extends through said upper surface of said mounting body, then through and in threaded engagement with said wall of said mounting body, and then into said receptacle.

11. The mounting device of claim 10, wherein when said mounting device is in said upright position:

1) a lower boundary of said receptacle is defined by a receptacle base;

     2) said upper surface of said mounting body, said underside of said wall, said receptacle base, and said slot base are all spaced from one another in a vertical dimension;

     3) said underside of said wall is located between said upper surface of said mounting body and said receptacle base in said vertical dimension; and

     4) said receptacle base is located between said slot base and said underside of said wall in said vertical dimension.

12. The mounting device of claim 10, wherein said upper surface and said slot are oppositely disposed on said exterior of said mounting body.

13. The mounting device of claim 10, wherein said mounting body further comprises first and second ends that are oppositely disposed on said exterior of said mounting body, and wherein said slot extends between said first and second ends.

14. The mounting device of claim 13, wherein said first end of said mounting body comprises said first location where said receptacle intersects with said exterior of said mounting body, and wherein said second end of said mounting body comprises said second location where said receptacle intersects with said exterior of said mounting body.

15. The mounting device of claim 10, wherein said second threaded fastener fails to extend into said slot.

16. The mounting device of claim 10, wherein said second threaded fastener is a self-drilling fastener.

17. The mounting device of claim 10, wherein said second threaded fastener comprises a head, a flange, and a shaft, wherein said head extends from one side of flange, wherein said flange is positioned on said upper surface, and wherein said shaft extends from an opposite side of said flange, completely through said wall of said mounting body, and into said receptacle.

18. The mounting device of claim 17, wherein said second threaded fastener is a self-drilling fastener and said shaft comprises a free end that is pointed.

19. The mounting device of claim 17, wherein said mounting body comprises a threaded hole that extends from said upper surface, completely through said wall of said mounting body, and to said receptacle, wherein said shaft of said second threaded fastener is engaged with said threaded hole.

20. A mounting device attachable to a building surface, comprising:

a mounting body disposable in an upright position and comprising;

first and second ends that are oppositely disposed and that are spaced from one another along a length dimension of said mounting body;

first and second side surfaces when said mounting body is in said upright position, wherein said first and second side surfaces are oppositely disposed and extend between said first and second ends; and

upper and lower surfaces when said mounting body is in said upright position, wherein said upper and lower surfaces are oppositely disposed, are spaced from one another in a vertical dimension when said mounting body is in said upright position, and extend between said first and second ends;

a slot that is in the form of a first open space, that extends between said first and second ends of said mounting body and that is defined on said lower surface of said mounting body, and that comprises a slot base, wherein said slot base defines an upper boundary of said slot when said mounting body is disposed in said upright position;

a receptacle in the form of a second open space and comprising first and second open ends that are spaced from one another and that each intersect with an exterior of said mounting body outside of said upper and lower surfaces, wherein a boundary of said receptacle is defined by a receptacle wall of said mounting body, wherein said receptacle wall defines a closed perimeter for said receptacle, wherein said receptacle wall extends between said first and second open ends of said receptacle, and wherein said receptacle is oriented relative to said mounting body such that an entirety of said receptacle wall of said mounting body is spaced in said vertical dimension from each of said upper surface of said mounting body and said slot base when said mounting body is in said upright position;

a first threaded fastener that extends through said first side surface of said mounting body and into said slot to secure said mounting device relative to a building surface when said mounting device is in an installed configuration; and

a second threaded fastener that extends through said upper surface of said mounting body, through said receptacle wall of said mounting body, and into said receptacle, wherein said first and second ends, said first and second side surfaces, and said upper and lower surfaces are all on said exterior of said mounting body.

21. The mounting device of claim 20, wherein said second threaded fastener fails to extend into said slot.

22. The mounting device of claim 20, wherein said second threaded fastener is a self-drilling fastener.

23. The mounting device of claim 20, wherein said second threaded fastener comprises a head, a flange, and a shaft, wherein said head extends from one side of flange, wherein said flange is positioned on said upper surface, and wherein said shaft extends from an opposite side of said flange, into said mounting body, through said receptacle wall, and into said receptacle.

24. The mounting device of claim 23, wherein said second threaded fastener is a self-drilling fastener and said shaft comprises a free end that is pointed.

25. The mounting device of claim 23, wherein said mounting body comprises a threaded hole that extends from said upper surface to said receptacle, and wherein said shaft of said second threaded fastener is engaged with said threaded hole.

26. The mounting device of claim 20, wherein said first open end of said receptacle is on said first end of said mounting body, and wherein said second open end of said receptacle is on said second end of said mounting body.

27. The mounting device of claim 20, wherein said receptacle wall comprises upper and lower receptacle wall sections that define upper and lower boundaries, respectively, of said receptacle when said mounting body is in said upright position, and wherein when said mounting device is in said upright position:

1) said upper surface of said mounting body, said upper receptacle wall section, said lower receptacle wall section, and said slot base are all spaced from one another in said vertical dimension;

     2) said upper receptacle wall section is located between said upper surface of said mounting body and said lower receptacle wall section in said vertical dimension; and

     3) said lower receptacle wall section is located between said upper receptacle wall section and said slot base.

28. The mounting device of claim 27, wherein said mounting body comprises a wall that extends from said upper surface of said mounting body to said upper receptacle wall section, wherein said second threaded fastener extends through said upper surface of said mounting body, then through said wall, then through said upper receptacle wall section, and then into said receptacle, and wherein said second threaded fastener is threadably engaged with said wall.

29. The mounting device of claim 20, wherein said second threaded fastener is threadably engaged with said mounting body between said upper surface of said mounting body and said receptacle wall.

30. The mounting device of claim 20, wherein said second threaded fastener is threadably engaged with said mounting body from said upper surface of said mounting body to said receptacle wall.