Photovoltaic module mounting assembly
First Claim
1. A photovoltaic module mounting assembly, comprising:
- a mounting device attachable to a building surface;
a mounting plate positioned on said mounting device;
a lower bracket comprising first and second legs, wherein said first leg is positioned on said mounting plate, wherein a free end of said first leg fails to extend beyond a location in a first dimension that coincides with an outer perimeter of said mounting plate, and wherein said second leg extends away from said first leg in a second dimension; and
an upper bracket comprising third and fourth legs, wherein said third leg of said upper bracket and said first leg of said lower bracket are spaced from one another in said second dimension, wherein said fourth leg of said upper bracket extends away from said third leg of said upper bracket and engages said second leg of said lower bracket; and
a threaded clamp fastener that extends through said third leg of said upper bracket, through an open space between said third leg of said upper bracket and said first leg of said lower bracket, through said first leg of said lower bracket, through said mounting plate, and into threaded engagement with said mounting device, wherein said second leg of said lower bracket is located between said threaded clamp fastener and said fourth leg of said upper bracket in said first dimension, wherein a first mating surface of said second leg of said lower bracket comprises a plurality of spaced teeth and projects toward said fourth leg of said upper bracket, wherein a second mating surface of said fourth leg of said upper bracket comprises a plurality of spaced teeth and projects toward said second leg of said lower bracket, and wherein said first and second mating surfaces are disposed in interlocking relation to restrict relative motion between said upper bracket and said lower bracket in said second dimension.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A photovoltaic module mounting assembly (200) uses a mounting device (74), mounting plate (110′), lower bracket (210), upper bracket (230), and stud (114). The mounting plate (110′) is positioned on the mounting device (74), and a leg (212) of the lower bracket (210) is positioned on the mounting plate (110′). An outside surface (222) of another leg (220) of the lower bracket (210) includes teeth (224) and engages an inside surface (238) of a leg (236) of the upper bracket (230), which also has teeth (240). The mounting plate (110′) engages a lower surface (63) of a photovoltaic module (58), an end of the leg (212) of the lower bracket (210) may engage a side surface (64) of the module (58), and a head (246) on an end of another leg (232) of the upper bracket (230) may engage an upper surface (65) of the module (58).
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A photovoltaic module mounting assembly, comprising:
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a mounting device attachable to a building surface; a mounting plate positioned on said mounting device; a lower bracket comprising first and second legs, wherein said first leg is positioned on said mounting plate, wherein a free end of said first leg fails to extend beyond a location in a first dimension that coincides with an outer perimeter of said mounting plate, and wherein said second leg extends away from said first leg in a second dimension; and an upper bracket comprising third and fourth legs, wherein said third leg of said upper bracket and said first leg of said lower bracket are spaced from one another in said second dimension, wherein said fourth leg of said upper bracket extends away from said third leg of said upper bracket and engages said second leg of said lower bracket; and a threaded clamp fastener that extends through said third leg of said upper bracket, through an open space between said third leg of said upper bracket and said first leg of said lower bracket, through said first leg of said lower bracket, through said mounting plate, and into threaded engagement with said mounting device, wherein said second leg of said lower bracket is located between said threaded clamp fastener and said fourth leg of said upper bracket in said first dimension, wherein a first mating surface of said second leg of said lower bracket comprises a plurality of spaced teeth and projects toward said fourth leg of said upper bracket, wherein a second mating surface of said fourth leg of said upper bracket comprises a plurality of spaced teeth and projects toward said second leg of said lower bracket, and wherein said first and second mating surfaces are disposed in interlocking relation to restrict relative motion between said upper bracket and said lower bracket in said second dimension. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A photovoltaic module mounting assembly, comprising:
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a mounting device attachable to a building surface; a lower bracket comprising first and second legs, wherein said first leg extends in a first dimension from a first intersection between said first and second legs, wherein said second leg extends in a second dimension from said first intersection, and wherein said first and second dimensions are at least generally orthogonal to one another, an upper bracket comprising third and fourth legs, wherein said third leg extends in said first dimension from a second intersection between said third and fourth legs, wherein said fourth leg extends in said second dimension from said second intersection, and wherein said second leg of said lower bracket engages said fourth leg of said upper bracket; and a threaded clamp fastener that extends through said third leg of said upper bracket, through an open space between said third leg of said upper bracket and said first leg of said lower bracket, through said first leg of said lower bracket, and into threaded engagement with said mounting device, wherein said second leg of said lower bracket is located between said threaded clamp fastener and said fourth leg of said upper bracket in said first dimension, wherein a first mating surface of said second leg of said lower bracket comprises a plurality of spaced teeth and projects toward said fourth leg of said upper bracket, wherein a second mating surface of said fourth leg of said upper bracket comprises a plurality of spaced teeth and projects toward said second leg of said lower bracket, and wherein said first and second mating surfaces are disposed in interlocking relation to restrict relative motion between said upper bracket and said lower bracket in said second dimension.
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Specification