Adjustable mounting assembly for standing seam panels

• US 8,430,372 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2010
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RMH Tech LLC
• Original Assignee: Robert M.M. Haddock
• Inventors: Haddock, Robert M. M.
• Primary Examiner(s): STERLING, AMY JO
• Application Number:
  US12/832,281
• Publication Number:
  US 20100269430A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 411/389, 248/500, 248/505, 403/167, 403/168, 521/733, 522/041, 522/35, 370/477
• US Class Current: 248/500
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/0821 the additional fastening elements located in-between two adjacent covering elements
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2025/6006 by using threaded elements, e.g. stud bolts
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/20 Peripheral frames for modules
• 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

An adjustable mounting assembly (70a/70b) for installing solar cell modules (58) on a building surface (34) is disclosed. The mounting assembly (70a/70b) 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 nut (126) is fixed to the stud (114) at an intermediate location along its length. This fixed nut (126) may be used to tighten the stud (114) to a mounting device (74), and furthermore may be positioned such that the stud (114) does not extend into a slot (90) of the mounting device (74).

Claims

1. A solar cell module mounting assembly, comprising:

a mounting device adapted for attachment to a building surface;

a removable mounting plate comprising upper and lower surfaces, wherein said mounting plate is positioned directly on an upper surface of said mounting device such that part of said lower surface of said mounting plate interfaces with said upper surface of said mounting device, and wherein said mounting plate extends beyond an outer perimeter of said mounting device to accommodate supporting a pair of solar cell modules when positioned on said upper surface of said mounting plate;

a clamping member comprising a base and first and second clamping legs that are disposed in opposing relation and that extend upwardly from said base;

a removable stud comprising first and second stud ends, wherein said stud extends though said base of said clamping member, then through said mounting plate, and then into threaded engagement with said mounting device;

a first nut threaded onto said first end of said stud and engaged with a first side of said base of said clamping member; and

a second nut positioned on said stud on a second side of said base of said clamping member, wherein said second side of said base of said clamping member projects in a direction of said upper surface of said mounting plate, wherein said second nut is spaced from said second stud end and is engaged with said upper surface of said mounting plate and clamps said mounting plate onto said mounting device, and wherein said stud extends upwardly from said base of said clamping member to said first stud end.

2. The solar cell module mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein said clamping member is positionable between a pair of adjacently disposed solar cell modules.

3. The solar cell module mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein said first and second clamping legs are adapted to simultaneously engage first and second solar cell modules, respectively, that are adjacently disposed.

4. The solar cell module mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein said stud comprises first and second threaded sections, wherein said second nut is located between said first and second threaded sections, wherein said first threaded section extends from said first stud end toward said second nut, and wherein said second threaded section extends from said second stud end toward said second nut.

5. The solar cell module mounting assembly of claim 4, wherein said second nut is fixed to said stud so as to not move relative to said stud.

6. The solar cell module mounting assembly of claim 5, further comprising an unthreaded section between said second nut and said first threaded section.

7. The solar cell module mounting assembly of claim 4, further comprising an unthreaded section between said second nut and said first threaded section.

8. The solar cell module mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein said second nut is fixed to said stud so as to not move relative to said stud.

9. The solar cell module mounting assembly of claim 8, further comprising an unthreaded section extending from said second nut toward said first stud end, wherein said first nut is positionable anywhere between said first stud end and said unthreaded section.

10. The solar cell module mounting assembly of claim 1, further comprising an unthreaded section extending from said second nut toward said first stud end, wherein said first nut is positionable anywhere between said first stud end and said unthreaded section.

11. The solar cell module mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein a threaded section extending from said first stud end toward said second nut is at least about 1.5 inches long.

12. The solar cell module mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein said stud comprises a first threaded section that extends from said first stud end toward said second stud end, wherein said clamping member may be disposed at any location along said first threaded section.

13. The mounting assembly of claim 12, wherein disposing said clamping member at different locations along said first threaded section accommodates clamping solar cell modules of different thicknesses with said solar cell module mounting assembly.

14. The solar cell module mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein said mounting plate has a surface area of at least about 5 in.².

15. The solar cell module mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein said first and second nuts engage said first and second sides, respectively, of said base of said clamping member, respectively, when said solar cell module mounting assembly is in a first clamping configuration, and wherein said first nut engages said first side of said base of said clamping member and said second nut is spaced from said second side of said base of said clamping member when said solar cell module mounting assembly is in a second clamping configuration.

16. The solar cell module mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein said clamping member is at least generally U-shaped, and wherein said stud extends into an open space between said first and second clamping legs of said clamping member when said clamping member is positioned on said stud via said first stud end.

17. The solar cell module mounting assembly of claim 1, further comprising a third nut threaded onto said first stud end, wherein said first and third nuts engage said first and second sides, respectively, of said base of said clamping member, and wherein said third nut is located between said first and second nuts along said stud.

18. A building assembly comprising the solar cell module mounting assembly of claim 1 and a first solar cell module, wherein said first clamping leg of said clamping member engages said first solar cell module, and wherein said second clamping leg of said clamping member is unused.

19. A building assembly comprising the solar cell module mounting assembly of claim 1, a first solar cell module, and a second solar cell module, wherein said first clamping leg of said clamping member engages said first solar cell module, and wherein said second clamping leg of said clamping member engages said second solar cell module.