Solar panel tile roof mounting device

• US 8,776,456 B1
• Filed: 10/21/2013
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sunmodo Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sunmodo Corporation
• Inventors: Schrock, Clifford
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilbert, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): FERENCE, JAMES M
• Application Number:
  US14/059,435
• Time in Patent Office: 267 Days
• Field of Search: 521/733, 525/43, 525/44, 521/731, 403/256, 403/258, 403/262, 403/264, 403/373, 403/394, 403/346, 403/400, 136/244, 126/623
• US Class Current: 52/173.3
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/6801 Fillings therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/403 Threaded clamping parts
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2025/014 Methods for installing support elements
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2025/6005 by screwed connection
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/61 for fixing to the ground or to building structures
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/00 Supporting structures for PV modules
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/25 Roof tile elements
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7158 Diagonal connector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7194 Crossed rods

Abstract

Disclosed is a device for mounting solar panels and other equipment to tile roofs, or similar roof structures, that does not require removal of roofing tile for installation. A stanchion is inserted into a hole drilled into a roofing tile. Two or more wood securing fasteners are inserted into diagonal and crossing through-holes in the sides of the stanchion above the tile and exit on opposing sides of the stanchion, with respect to their insertion point, below the tile. The ends of the wood securing fasteners engage the surface of the roof sheeting beneath the tile at a distance outwardly away from the stanchion. With this arrangement, the tile roof equipment-mounting device engages the roof surface over a wider area than the diameter of the hole drilled into the roof tile without the need for removing the roof tile.

Claims

1. A device for mounting equipment to a tile roof, the tile roof including a roof tile with a tile aperture therethrough, and a roof sheathing, the device comprising:

two or more wood securing fasteners;

a stanchion comprising a vertically projected solid piece of material including a first end, a second end, and a projected side portion, the projected side portion between the first end and the second end, the second end including a second end perimeter, the second end seated on a surface of the roof sheathing;

the stanchion including two or more diagonal through-holes crossing each other, each of the two or more diagonal through-holes so positioned that when the stanchion is placed through the tile aperture, a corresponding wood securing fastener of the two or more wood securing fasteners is received and seated by one of the diagonal through holes of the two or more diagonal through-holes on the projected side portion of the stanchion above the roof tile and passes through the stanchion on an opposing portion of the projected side portion below the roof tile and intersects the surface of the roof sheathing outside the second end perimeter.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a formable flashing member; and

an elastomeric boot being integral with the formable flashing member, the elastomeric boot passing a top portion of the stanchion therethrough but covering each of the two or more wood securing fasteners.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a wood securing threaded stud extending vertically downward from a bottom surface of the stanchion.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the stanchion is substantially shaped as a right circular cylinder.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the stanchion is substantially shaped as a right hexagonal prism.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein an upper portion of the stanchion is substantially shaped as a right hexagonal prism and a lower portion of the stanchion is substantially shaped as a right circular cylinder.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the two or more diagonal through-holes are so positioned so that the two or more wood securing fasteners define approximately equidistant points of intersection on the surface of the roof sheathing with respect to a stanchion center.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the two or more diagonal through-holes are three diagonal through-holes including equidistant apertures around a circumference of the stanchion.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising a wood securing threaded stud extending vertically downward from a bottom surface of the stanchion.

10. The device of claim 9, further comprising:

a formable flashing member; and

an elastomeric boot being integral with the formable flashing member, the elastomeric boot passing a top portion of the stanchion therethrough but covering each of the two or more wood securing fasteners.