Roof mount assembly and method of mounting same

• US 8,782,983 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2012
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rillito River Solar LLC (Esdec B.V.)
• Original Assignee: Vermont Slate & Copper Services, Inc.
• Inventors: Stearns, Brian C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chapman, Jeanette E
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUCKLE JR, JAMES J
• Application Number:
  US13/623,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20130074441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 52/24, 52/25, 52/26, 52/58, 52/60, 52/902, 521/733, 524/09, 524/10, 524/11, 526/98, 527/05, 527/461.1, 126/621, 126/623, 136/244, 248/237
• US Class Current: 52/410
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/10 Snow traps ; Removing snow from roofs; Snow melters
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2025/6006 by using threaded elements, e.g. stud bolts
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/61 for fixing to the ground or to building structures
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/20 Solar thermal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/47 Mountings or tracking

Abstract

A roof mounting system for mounting one or more roof-mounted fixtures to a roof includes a roofing system having a top surface and a roof attachment assembly mounted to the top surface of the roofing system. The roof attachment system includes a plate having an aperture, at least one membrane patch coupled to the plate, at least one disc including a disc aperture, a nut, and a first fastener including a head positioned adjacent the at least one membrane patch and a shaft extending through the at least one disc aperture and the nut. A second fastener includes a head positioned adjacent the plate and a shaft extending through the plate aperture and through the roofing system top surface, to connect the roof attachment assembly to the roofing system.

Claims

1. A roof mounting system for mounting one or more roof-mounted fixtures to a roof, the roofing mounting system comprising:

a roofing system including a top surface;

a roof attachment assembly mountable to the top surface of the roofing system, the roof attachment assembly including

a plate having a plate aperture,

at least one membrane patch coupled to the plate, at least one disc including a disc aperture;

a nut, and

a first fastener including a first head positioned adjacent the at least one membrane patch and a first shaft extending through the disc aperture and the nut; and

a second fastener including a second head positioned adjacent the plate and a second shaft extending through the plate aperture and through the roofing system top surface, to couple the roof attachment assembly to the roofing system, wherein the plate includes a central recessed portion, a raised portion and a transition portion extending between the central recessed portion and the raised portion.

2. The roof mounting system of claim 1, wherein the plate aperture is defined in at least one of the central recessed portion, the raised portion and the transition portion.

3. The roof mounting system of claim 2, wherein the plate aperture is defined in the central recessed portion, the transition portion and the raised portion, such that a first portion of the plate aperture is positioned adjacent the top surface and a second portion of the plate aperture is spaced from the top surface.

4. The roof mounting system of claim 3, wherein the second head is insertable into the plate aperture after the second fastener is coupled to the roofing system.

5. The roof mounting system of claim 1, wherein the plate aperture includes a first portion, a second portion and a third portion, wherein the first portion has a first width extending substantially perpendicular to an axis of the first fastener, wherein the third portion has a second width extending substantially perpendicular to the axis of the first fastener, wherein the second width is greater than the first width, and wherein the second portion connects the first portion and the third portion.

6. The roof mounting system of claim 5, wherein the first portion is substantially circular, wherein the second portion is substantially linear, and wherein the third portion is substantially circular.

7. The roof mounting system of claim 5, wherein the second head is insertable into the third portion and slidable along the second portion toward the first portion, after the second fastener is coupled to the roofing system.

8. The roof mounting system of claim 1, further comprising a membrane defining the top surface of the roofing system, wherein the at least one membrane patch has a first diameter and the plate has a second diameter, less than the first diameter, such that the at least one membrane patch is weldable to the membrane to further couple the roof attachment assembly to the roofing system.

9. The roof mounting system of claim 8, wherein the at least one membrane patch includes a first membrane patch and a second membrane patch, and wherein the at least one disc includes a first disc and a second disc, wherein the first membrane patch is positioned between the plate and the first disc, and the second membrane patch includes an aperture and is positioned between the first disc and the second disc, and wherein the first fastener extends through the first disc, the aperture of the second membrane patch, the second disc and the nut.

10. The roof mounting system of claim 9, wherein the first membrane patch is weldable to the membrane to couple the first membrane patch to the top surface of the roofing system and the second membrane patch is weldable to the first membrane patch to couple the second membrane patch, the first fastener, the first disc, the second disc and the nut to the first membrane and the plate.

11. The roof mounting system of claim 9, wherein the second membrane patch is at least one of deformable and frangible to permit the first disc to slide through the aperture in the second membrane patch upon application of a first force, wherein the first membrane patch is separable from the membrane upon application of a second force, and wherein the second force is greater than the first force.

12. The roof mounting system of claim 11, wherein the first force includes at least one of a first tensile force and a first shear force, wherein the second force includes at least one of a second tensile force and a second shear force, and wherein the second tensile force is greater than the first tensile force and the second shear force is greater than the first shear force.

13. A roof attachment assembly mountable to a top surface of a roofing system, the roof attachment assembly comprising:

a plate defining an aperture and having a central recessed portion, a middle raised portion, a first transition between the central recessed portion and the middle raised portion, an outer recessed portion, and a second transition between the middle raised portion and the other recessed portion;

a first membrane patch coupled to the middle raised portion of the plate;

a disc including a disc aperture;

a second membrane patch coupled to the first membrane patch and substantially containing the disc between the first membrane patch and the second membrane patch, the second membrane including a membrane aperture; and

a first fastener including a head positioned adjacent the first membrane patch and a shaft extending through the disc aperture and the membrane aperture,

wherein the plate is coupleable to a roof system by installing a second fastener in the roof and extending the second fastener through the plate aperture, and wherein the first fastener is coupleable to a roof-mounted apparatus to support the roof-mounted apparatus on the roofing system.

14. The roof attachment assembly of claim 13, wherein the plate aperture includes a first portion, a second portion and a third portion, wherein the first portion has a first width extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to an axis of the first fastener, wherein the third portion has a second width extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of the first fastener, wherein the second width is greater than the first width, and wherein the second portion connects the first portion and the third portion.

15. The roof attachment assembly of claim 13, further comprising a second disc and a nut, wherein the second membrane patch is positioned between the disc and the second disc, and wherein the first fastener extends through the second disc and the nut.

16. The roof attachment assembly of claim 13, wherein the first transition is tapered and the second transition is tapered, and wherein the central recessed portion and the outer recessed portion lie in substantially the same plane.

17. The roof attachment assembly of claim 13, wherein the roof attachment assembly is mountable to the top surface of the roofing system by at least one of welding the first membrane patch to the top surface, and coupling the second fastener to the roofing system and inserting the second fastener into the plate aperture.

18. The roof attachment assembly of claim 16, wherein the second membrane patch is at least one of deformable and frangible to permit the disc to slide through the aperture in the second membrane patch upon application of a first force, wherein the roof attachment assembly is separable from the roofing system upon application of a second force, and wherein the second force is greater than the first force.

19. The roof attachment assembly of claim 18, wherein the first force includes at least one of a first tensile force and a first shear force, wherein the second force includes at least one of a second tensile force and a second shear force, and wherein the second tensile force is greater than the first tensile force and the second shear force is greater than the first shear force.

20. A method of installing a roof attachment assembly to a top surface of a roofing system to permit mounting of a roof-mounted apparatus to the roofing system, the method comprising:

inserting a first fastener into the top surface of the roofing system, such that a head of the first fastener protrudes above the top surface of the roofing system;

positioning a roof attachment assembly adjacent the head of the first fastener;

inserting the head of the first fastener into an aperture defined in a plate of the roof attachment assembly;

moving the roof attachment assembly at least one of laterally and rotationally with respect to the head of the first fastener to couple the roof attachment assembly to the roofing system;

forming a seal around the first fastener; and

coupling a roof-mounted apparatus to the roof attachment assembly to thereby mount the roof-mounted apparatus to the roofing system.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein forming a seal includes adhering a membrane of the roof attachment assembly to the top surface of the roofing system.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the top surface of the roofing system includes a membrane and wherein adhering the membrane of the roof attachment assembly to the top surface of the roofing system includes welding the membrane of the roof attachment assembly to the membrane of the roofing system around a perimeter of the plate.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein upon application of at least one of a tensile force and a shear force, the roof-mounted apparatus separates from the roof attachment assembly prior to the welded membrane separating from the membrane of the roofing system.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein inserting a first fastener into the top surface of the roofing system, such that a head of the first fastener protrudes above the top surface of the roofing system further includes positioning a gauge adjacent the top surface of the roofing system, inserting the first fastener into a slot in the gauge, and inserting the first fastener into the top surface of the roofing system, such that the head abuts the gauge, to thereby space the head a pre-determined distance from the top surface of the roofing system.