Roofing grommet forming a seal between a roof-mounted structure and a roof

• US 8,146,299 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2011
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rillito River Solar LLC (Esdec B.V.)
• Original Assignee: Vermont Slate & Copper Services, Inc.
• Inventors: Stearns, Brian Cecil, Lounsbury, Douglas Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Katcheves, Basil
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEPHAN, BETH A
• Application Number:
  US13/166,542
• Publication Number:
  US 20110247295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 286 Days
• Field of Search: 52/58, 52/60, 52 24- 26, 526/98, 521/731, 521/733, 522/026, 523/027, 52/97, 524/08, 527/414, 126/621, 126/623, 136/244, 248/237, 248/500, 248/505, 285/42, 285/43, 411/439, 411/542
• US Class Current: 52/58
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/388 Separate connecting elements Connecting devices specially adapted for embedding in concrete E04B1/41; Dowels, i.e. members adapted to penetrate the surfaces of two parts and to take the shear stresses E04B1/48
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/66 Sealings damp-proof courses E04B1/644; fire-proof sealings E04B1/948; additions of anti-leak properties to plaster C04B; bituminous sealing masses C08L95/00; sealings for hydraulic engineering work in general E02B3/16; against ground humidity or ground water E02D31/02; coverings against rain or other precipitations of the atmosphere E04D; composition of material or manufacture of sealing foils, see the relevant classes for these foils
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/665 Sheets or foils impervious to water and water vapor
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2001/389 Brackets
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/04 Roof drainage; Drainage fittings in flat roofs, balconies or the likegutter tiles E04D1/30; gutter slabs E04D3/40; vessels for collecting rainwater E03B3/03; street gullies E03F5/04
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/10 Snow traps ; Removing snow from roofs; Snow melters
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/14 Junctions of roof sheathings to chimneys or other parts extending above the roof
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/1407 for flat roofs
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/147 specially adapted for inclined roofs trays for cavity walls E04B1/70
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/1476 wherein the parts extending above the roof have a generally circular cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 43/001 for sealing or insulation
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/0258 using resiliently deformable sleeves, grommets or inserts F16B43/001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2025/021 Sealing means between support elements and mounting surface
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/61 for fixing to the ground or to building structures
• 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 roof mount assembly mounts a structure to a roof having a rafter and a substrate supported by the rafter. The roof mount assembly includes a piece of flashing positioned on the substrate. The flashing includes a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface and an aperture extending through the flashing. A fastener extends through the flashing aperture. A bracket is connected to the flashing via the fastener, and the bracket is sized to support at least one roof-mounted structure on the roof. A seal is positioned between the flashing aperture and the fastener. The seal is sized to form a water-tight seal with the aperture to inhibit flow of fluid through the aperture. The seal includes a first portion and a second portion, in which the first portion is positioned to abut the flashing first surface and the second portion is positioned to extend through the aperture.

Claims

1. A roof mounting system comprising:

a roof substrate;

a flashing defining a first surface spaced from the roof substrate and a second surface adjacent the roof substrate, the flashing including a frustoconical protrusion extending away from the roof substrate, the flashing defining a substantially constant thickness, such that the first surface forms a frustoconical recess and the second surface forms the frustoconical protrusion, the flashing defines a flashing aperture extending along an axis from the first surface to the second surface, the first aperture substantially centrally positioned in the frustoconical protrusion;

a first seal member positioned adjacent the flashing first surface, the first seal member defining a first seal aperture extending therethrough, the first seal aperture substantially aligned with the flashing aperture, such that the first seal aperture extends along the axis, the first seal member deformable to substantially conform to the frustoconical protrusion of the flashing, such that the first seal member forms a seal on the flashing first surface;

a second seal member positioned adjacent the flashing second surface, the second seal member defining a second seal aperture extending therethrough, the second seal aperture substantially aligned with the flashing aperture and the first seal aperture, such that the second seal aperture extends along the axis, the second seal member deformable to substantially conform to the frustoconical recess of the flashing, such that the second seal member forms a seal on the flashing second surface;

a bracket coupled to the first seal member, the second seal member and to the flashing, the bracket defining a first surface spaced from the first seal member and a second surface adjacent the first seal member, the bracket defining an aperture extending from the bracket first surface to the bracket second surface, the bracket aperture being tapered and defining a first aperture diameter at the bracket first surface and a second aperture diameter at the second bracket surface, wherein the second aperture diameter is greater than the first aperture diameter, the frustoconical protrusion extends at least partially into the tapered aperture, and the first seal member is deformed by the frustoconical protrusion, such that the first seal member extends into the tapered aperture, the bracket is operable to support a roof-mounted assembly, the tapered aperture is substantially aligned with the flashing aperture, the first seal aperture and the second seal aperture, such that the tapered aperture extends along the axis; and

a fastener defining a longitudinal axis, wherein the longitudinal axis is oriented along the axis, the fastener extending through the flashing aperture, the first seal aperture, the second seal aperture and the tapered bracket aperture to couple the flashing to the first seal member, the second seal member and the bracket,

wherein the flashing, the first seal member, the second seal member and the bracket are coupled to the roof substrate by at least one of the fastener and a second fastener,

wherein the first seal member is at least partially compressed to form a substantially water-tight seal between the flashing and the bracket.

2. The roof mounting system of claim 1, wherein the fastener is a bolt that extends through the flashing aperture, the first seal aperture, the second seal aperture and the tapered bracket aperture.

3. The roof mounting system of claim 2, wherein the bolt further extends through the roof substrate.

4. The roof mounting system of claim 1, wherein the fastener urges one of the first seal member and the second seal member to deform to the contour of the frustoconical protrusion.

5. The roof mounting system of claim 1, wherein the fastener urges the first seal member to deform to the contour of the frustoconical protrusion and urges the second seal member to deform to the contour of the frustoconical recess.

6. The roof mounting system of claim 1, wherein the first seal member is substantially circular and the second seal member is substantially circular.

7. The roof mounting system of claim 6, wherein the first seal member has a first outer diameter and the second seal member has a second outer diameter, wherein the first outer diameter is greater than the second outer diameter.

8. A method of mounting a roof mountable fixture to a roof, the method comprising:

positioning a first seal member on a first surface of flashing;

aligning a first seal aperture with a flashing aperture;

positioning a second seal member on a second surface of the flashing, the second surface opposite the first surface;

aligning a second seal aperture with the first seal aperture and the flashing aperture;

positioning the second seal member, the flashing and the first seal member on a roof substrate, such that the second seal member is adjacent the roof substrate;

positioning a bracket on the first seal member;

aligning a bracket aperture with the first seal aperture, the second seal aperture and the flashing aperture;

deforming the first seal member along a frustoconical protrusion of the flashing;

inserting a fastener through the bracket aperture, the first seal aperture, the second seal aperture and the flashing aperture;

tightening the fastener to compress the first seal member between the flashing and the bracket;

forming a seal between the flashing and the bracket with the first seal member;

securing the flashing, the first seal member, the second seal member and the bracket to the roof substrate; and

securing the roof mountable fixture to the bracket.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein securing the flashing, the first seal member, the second seal member and the bracket to the roof substrate includes inserting the fastener into the roof substrate.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein forming a seal between the flashing and the bracket with the first seal member includes compressing the first seal member between the flashing and the bracket while tightening the fastener.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising deforming the second seal member along the frustoconical protrusion of the flashing and creating a seal between the flashing and the roof substrate.