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

• US 8,701,354 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2011
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• 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): Glessner, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEPHAN, BETH A
• Application Number:
  US13/271,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20120023843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 52 58- 62, 521/733, 126/623, 136/244, 248/205.1, 248/237
• US Class Current: 52/24
• 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 first roof mounting assembly including

a first flashing positioned on the substrate, the first flashing defining a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface and a first aperture extending therethrough,

a first fastener extending through the first aperture and into the roof substrate to couple the first flashing to the roof, and

a first bracket coupled to the first flashing;

a second roof mounting assembling including

a second flashing positioned on the substrate, the second flashing defining a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface and a second aperture extending therethrough,

a second fastener extending through the second aperture and into the roof substrate to couple the second flashing to the roof, and

a second bracket coupled to the second flashing;

a track coupled to the first bracket by a third fastener and coupled to the second bracket by a fourth fastener;

a solar panel supported on the track at a distance above the roof substrate, the solar panel having a width, a height, and a top surface, the top surface of the solar panel defining a plane; and

a snow fence supported on the track above the roof substrate, the snow fence is spaced from the solar panel, the snow fence operable to inhibit snow from sliding off the roof, wherein the snow fence extends across a majority of the solar panel width, the snow fence having a first portion attached to the track and extending substantially parallel to the plane of the solar panel top surface and a second portion having a height and extending substantially perpendicular to the first portion, the height of the second portion greater than the height of the solar panel such that the second portion protrudes away from the first portion and the roof substrate and extends beyond the plane of the solar panel.

2. The roof mounting system of claim 1, wherein the first bracket is directly coupled to the first flashing and wherein the second bracket is directly coupled to the second flashing.

3. The roof mounting system of claim 1, wherein the track is elongate and has a substantially U-shaped cross-section.

4. The roof mounting system of claim 1, wherein the first bracket defines a first aperture sized to receive the first fastener therethrough and a second aperture sized to receive the third fastener therethrough, and wherein the second aperture is an elongate slot extending substantially normal to the roof substrate, such that the track is supported by the third fastener in the second aperture of the first bracket at a plurality of mount distances with respect to a selected point on the roof substrate.

5. The roof mounting system of claim 4, wherein the second bracket defines a first aperture sized to receive the second fastener therethrough and a second aperture sized to receive the fourth fastener therethrough, and wherein the second aperture is an elongate slot extending substantially normal to the roof substrate, such that the track is supported by the fourth fastener in the second aperture of the second bracket at a plurality of mount distances with respect to a selected point on the roof substrate.

6. The roof mounting system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of mount distances are at least partially defined by a plurality of pre-drilled apertures in at least one of the first bracket and the second bracket.

7. The roof mounting system of claim 1, wherein the first bracket defines a first aperture sized to receive the first fastener therethrough and a plurality of pre-drilled apertures sized to receive the third fastener therethrough.

8. The roof mounting system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of pre-drilled apertures includes a plurality of apertures in the first bracket, wherein the plurality of apertures are aligned along a substantially arcuate path, and wherein the substantially arcuate alignment of the plurality of apertures permits the solar panel to be mounted to the first mounting assembly in a plurality of mount locations with respect to a selected point on the substrate.

9. The roof mounting system of claim 1, further comprising a first seal positioned to substantially seal the roof substrate proximate the first fastener.

10. The roof mounting system of claim 1, further comprising a second seal positioned to substantially seal the roof substrate proximate the second fastener.

11. A roof mounting system comprising:

a roof substrate;

a first roof mounting assembly including

a first flashing positioned on the substrate, the first flashing defining a first aperture extending therethrough,

a first fastener extending along a first axis through the first aperture and into the roof substrate to couple the first flashing to the roof, and

a first bracket coupled to the first flashing;

a second roof mounting assembly including

a second flashing positioned on the substrate, the second flashing defining a second aperture extending therethrough,

a second fastener extending along a second axis through the second aperture and into the roof substrate to couple the second flashing to the roof, and

a second bracket coupled to the second flashing;

a first support element coupled to the first bracket, the first support element including a third fastener extending along a third axis, wherein the third axis is spaced from the first axis;

a second support element coupled to the second bracket, the second support element including a fourth fastener extending along a fourth axis, wherein the fourth axis is spaced from the second axis;

a solar panel coupled to the first support element and coupled to the second support element, wherein the solar panel is supported on the roof by the first roof mounting assembly and the second mounting assembly, the solar panel having a width, a height and a top surface, the top surface defining a plane; and

a snow fence coupled to the first support element, wherein the snow fence is supported above the roof to inhibit snow from sliding off the roof, wherein the snow fence extends across a majority of the solar panel width, wherein the snow fence is spaced from the solar panel, the snow fence having a first portion attached to the first support element and extending substantially parallel to the plane of the solar panel top surface and a second portion having a height and extending substantially perpendicular to the first portion, the height of the second portion greater than the height of the solar panel such that the second portion protrudes away from the first portion and the roof substrate and extends beyond the plane of the solar panel.

12. The roof mounting system of claim 11, further comprising an elongate track coupled to and extending between the first roof mounting assembly and the second roof mounting assembly, wherein the first and second support elements are coupled to the elongate track.

13. The roof mounting system of claim 11, wherein the first support element includes a first support surface and a third bracket, wherein the first support surface is coupled to the third bracket by the third fastener.

14. The roof mounting system of claim 13, wherein a distance extending normal to the roof substrate between the first support surface and the third bracket is adjustable within a range of distances.

15. The roof mounting system of claim 14, wherein the solar panel is positioned between the first support surface and the third bracket, and wherein the distance is adjusted to clamp the solar panel between the first support surface and the third bracket.

16. The roof mounting system of claim 13, wherein the second support element includes a second support surface and a fourth bracket, wherein the second support surface is coupled to the fourth bracket by the fourth fastener.

17. The roof mounting system of claim 16, wherein a distance extending normal to the roof substrate between the second support surface and the fourth bracket is adjustable within a range of distances.

18. The roof mounting system of claim 17, wherein the solar panel is positioned between the second support surface and the fourth bracket, and wherein the distance is adjusted to clamp the solar panel between the second support surface and the fourth bracket.

19. The roof mounting system of claim 11, further comprising a first seal positioned to substantially seal the roof substrate proximate the first fastener.

20. The roof mounting system of claim 11, further comprising a second seal positioned to substantially seal the roof substrate proximate the second fastener.