PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULE MOUNTING ASSEMBLY

• US 20110214366A1
• Filed: 08/13/2010
• Published: 09/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RMH Tech LLC
• Original Assignee: Dustin Marshall-Maston Haddock, Robert M.M. Haddock
• Inventors: Haddock, Robert M. M., Haddock, Dustin Marshall-Maston
• Granted Patent: US 10,054,336 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/173.3
• 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 20/23 specially adapted for roof structures
• 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 assembly (70c) for installing solar cell or photovoltaic modules (58) on a building surface (34) is disclosed. The mounting assembly (70c) includes a mounting device (74), a stud (114) that may be threaded to the mounting device (74), a clamping member (142) that may be positioned on the stud (114), and a nut (128) that may be threaded onto the stud (114) to secure the clamping member (142) to the mounting device (74). A mounting plate (110′) is disposed somewhere between the clamping member (142) and the mounting device (74). This mounting plate (110′) includes a raised structure or dome (174) on its upper surface (170) for positionally registering modules (58) thereto, a plurality of grounding projections (172) on this same upper surface (170), and a plurality of wiring tabs or clips (178) on its lower surface (176).

Claims

1. A photovoltaic system, comprising:

a building surface;

a plurality of mounting assemblies comprising a first mounting assembly, wherein each said mounting assembly comprises;

a mounting device mounted to said building surface;

a mounting plate positioned on said mounting device, wherein an upper surface of said mounting plate comprises first and second PV module positional registrants;

a clamping member comprising first and second clamping legs; and

a threaded clamp fastener that extends through said clamping member, through said mounting plate, and that is secured to said mounting device; and

first and second photovoltaic modules positioned on said upper surface of said mounting plate of said first mounting assembly in at least adjacent relation to each of said first and second PV module positional registrants, respectively, wherein said first clamping leg of said first mounting assembly is engaged with said first photovoltaic module, wherein said second clamping leg of said first mounting assembly is engaged with said second photovoltaic module, and wherein said first and second PV module positional registrants of said first mounting assembly are positioned between said first and second photovoltaic modules.

2. The photovoltaic system of claim 1, wherein said upper surface of said mounting plate comprises a raised structure, wherein first and second portions on an outer perimeter of said raised structure comprises said first and second PV module positional registrants, respectively.

3. The photovoltaic system of claim 2, wherein said raised structure of said mounting plate is centrally disposed relative to an outer perimeter of said mounting plate.

4. The photovoltaic system of claim 2, wherein said threaded clamp fastener extends through a center of said raised structure.

5. The photovoltaic system of claim 2, wherein an outer perimeter of said raised structure and an outer perimeter of said mounting plate are concentric relative to said threaded clamp fastener.

6. The photovoltaic system of claim 2, wherein said first and second photovoltaic modules abut oppositely disposed portions of said raised structure of said first mounting assembly.

7. The photovoltaic system of claim 2, wherein said raised structure of said first mounting assembly positionally registers each of said first and second photovoltaic modules relative to said first mounting assembly.

8. The photovoltaic system of claim 2, wherein an outer perimeter of said raised structure is circular in a plan view.

9. The photovoltaic system of claim 2, wherein a position of said raised structure of said first mounting assembly, in a plane that is parallel to said first and second photovoltaic modules, does not change relative to said first and second photovoltaic modules by rotating said mounting plate of said first mounting assembly about said threaded clamp fastener.

10. The photovoltaic system of claim 1, wherein said first and second PV module positional registrants are separate and discrete structures.

11. The photovoltaic system of claim 10, wherein said first photovoltaic module butts up against said first PV module positional registrant, and wherein said second photovoltaic module butts up against said second PV module positional registrant.

12. The photovoltaic system of claim 10, wherein said mounting plate further comprises at least one mounting device positional registrant on a lower surface of said mounting plate.

13. The photovoltaic system of claim 12, wherein said at least one mounting device positional registrant requires said mounting plate to be positioned on said mounting device in a certain orientation.

14. The photovoltaic system of claim 1, wherein said upper surface of said mounting plate comprises a plurality of grounding projections.

15. The photovoltaic system of claim 14, wherein said plurality of grounding projections are spaced about said threaded clamp fastener.

16. The photovoltaic system of claim 14, wherein said plurality of grounding projections are equally spaced about said threaded clamp fastener.

17. The photovoltaic system of claim 14, wherein at least one of said plurality of grounding projections of said first mounting assembly is engaged with said first photovoltaic module, and wherein at least one of said plurality of grounding projections of said first mounting assembly is engaged with said second photovoltaic module.

18. The photovoltaic system of claim 14, wherein at least one of said plurality of grounding projections of said first mounting assembly is engaged with a frame of said first photovoltaic module, and wherein at least one of said plurality of grounding projections or said first mounting assembly is engaged with a frame of said second photovoltaic module.

19. The photovoltaic system of claim 14, wherein at least one of said plurality of grounding projections of said first mounting assembly is engaged with said first said photovoltaic module for each angular position of said mounting plate on said mounting device, wherein at least one of said plurality of grounding projections of said first mounting assembly is engaged with said second photovoltaic module fix each angular position of said mounting plate on said mounting device, and wherein said angular position of said mounting plate is an angle between first and second reference lines that extend from said threaded clamp fastener and that are contained within a common plane, with said first reference line being in a fixed position relative to said mounting plate and with said second reference line moving with said mounting plate as said mounting plate is rotated about an axis coinciding with said threaded clamp fastener.

20. The photovoltaic system of claim 14, wherein said plurality of grounding projections are integrally formed with said mounting plate.

21. The photovoltaic system of claim 1, wherein said lower surface of said mounting plate comprises at least one wiring clip.

22. The photovoltaic system of claim 1, wherein said lower surface of said mounting plate comprises a plurality of wiring clips.

23. The photovoltaic system of claim 22, wherein said plurality of wiring clips are equally spaced about said threaded clamp fastener.

24. The photovoltaic system of claim 21, wherein each said wiring clip is integrally formed with said mounting plate.

25. The photovoltaic system of claim 21, wherein each said wiring clip comprises a recessed region.

26. The photovoltaic system of claim 21, wherein said mounting plate further comprises an aperture associated with each said wiring clip, wherein said aperture provides access to a space below said mounting plate.

44. The photovoltaic system of claim 1, wherein each said mounting device comprises a slot and at least one seam fastener that extends through said mounting device and engages a corresponding standing seam of said building surface and that is disposed within said slot.

45. The photovoltaic system of claim 1, wherein each of said mounting plate and said clamping member comprise un-threaded holes through which said threaded clamp fastener extends.

46. The photovoltaic system of claim 1, wherein said mounting late of each said mounting assembly is clamped onto its corresponding said mounting device by its corresponding said clamping member.

47. The photovoltaic system of claim 1, wherein said mounting plate of each said mounting assembly is located between its corresponding said mounting device and its corresponding said clamping member.

48. The photovoltaic system of claim 1, wherein an upper surface of said mounting plate has a surface area of at least about 5 in.².

27-43. -43. (canceled)