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

• US 9,127,464 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2014
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• 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): STEPHAN, BETH A
• Application Number:
  US14/253,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20140223839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 52/58, 52/60, 52 24- 26, 526/98, 523/021, 523/026, 523/027, 521/731, 521/733, 52/97, 524/08, 527/414
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 mounting system mounts a structure to a roof and includes a roof substrate having a roof surface, a flashing positioned on the roof surface and having a flashing plane, and a bracket connected to the flashing. The bracket has a bottom surface that has a bracket plane. The bottom surface is positioned on the flashing, so that the flashing plane extends substantially parallel to the bracket plane. The bracket has a bracket aperture and a seal is positioned within the bracket aperture and has a seal aperture. A fastener extends through the bracket aperture and the seal aperture, and the seal limits flow of moisture through the bracket aperture. At least one of the flashing and the bracket form a drainage opening, so that the drainage opening permits egress of moisture away from of the bracket aperture.

Claims

1. A roof mounting system for mounting a structure to a roof, the roof mounting system comprising:

a roof substrate having a roof surface;

a flashing positioned on the roof surface and defining a flashing plane;

a bracket coupled to the flashing, the bracket having a bottom surface defining a bracket plane, the bottom surface positioned on the flashing, such that the flashing plane extends substantially parallel to the bracket plane, the bracket defining a bracket aperture extending therethrough;

a seal positioned within the bracket aperture and defining a seal aperture,

a fastener extending through the bracket aperture and the seal aperture, wherein the seal is configured to inhibit flow of moisture through the bracket aperture;

wherein at least one of the flashing and the bracket form a drainage opening, wherein the drainage opening permits egress of moisture away from of the bracket aperture.

2. The roof mounting system of claim 1, wherein the flashing forms the drainage opening, such that a portion of the flashing extends out of the flashing plane to define the drainage opening.

3. The roof mounting system of claim 2, wherein the drainage opening includes a channel extending below the flashing plane with respect to the roof surface to permit moisture to enter the channel under the force of gravity.

4. The roof mounting system of claim 2, wherein the drainage opening is formed between first and second ends of a raised portion of the flashing that extend above the flashing plane, such that the drainage opening is substantially positioned along the flashing plane.

5. The roof mounting system of claim 1, wherein a portion of the bracket extends out of the bracket plane away from the flashing to define the drainage opening between the portion of the bracket and the bracket plane.

6. The roof mounting system of claim 5, wherein the drainage opening includes a recess formed in the bottom surface of the bracket, such that the recess is positioned above the bracket plane with respect to the roof surface.

7. The roof mounting system of claim 5, wherein the flashing defines a flashing aperture sized to receive the fastener therethrough.

8. The roof mounting system of claim 7, wherein the flashing defines a protrusion extending above the flashing plane with respect to the roof surface.

9. The roof mounting system of claim 8, wherein the flashing aperture is formed in the protrusion.

10. The roof mounting system of claim 9, wherein the protrusion is shaped to direct moisture away from the flashing opening and toward the drainage opening under the force of gravity.

11. The roof mounting system of claim 1, wherein the bracket includes a recessed portion spaced from the bracket plane to define a pocket between the recessed portion and the bracket plane.

12. A roof mounting system for mounting a structure to a roof, the roof mounting system comprising:

a roof substrate having a roof surface;

a flashing positioned on the roof surface, the flashing defining a flashing plane and a flashing aperture;

a bracket positioned on the flashing, the bracket having a bottom surface defining a bracket plane, the bottom surface positioned on the flashing such that the bracket plane is substantially parallel to the flashing plane, the bracket defining a bracket aperture extending therethrough, the bracket aperture including a first end portion having a first diameter and a second end portion having a second diameter, wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter;

a seal defining a seal aperture and including a first seal portion having a first seal diameter and a second seal portion having a second seal diameter, wherein the first seal diameter is greater than the second seal diameter, wherein the seal is positioned in the bracket aperture such that the first seal portion is positioned in the first end portion of the bracket aperture and the second seal portion is positioned in the second end portion of the bracket aperture; and

a fastener extending through the bracket aperture, the seal aperture and the flashing aperture, wherein the seal is configured to inhibit flow of moisture through at least one of the bracket aperture and the flashing aperture.

13. The roof mounting system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the flashing and the bracket form a drainage opening, wherein the drainage opening permits egress of moisture from a location between the bracket and the flashing.

14. The roof mounting system of claim 12, wherein the seal further includes a middle seal portion positioned between the first seal portion and the second seal portion, wherein the middle seal portion has a third seal diameter that is less than the first seal diameter and is less than the second seal diameter.

15. The roof mounting system of claim 14, wherein the first seal portion includes a taper decreasing from the first seal diameter to the third seal diameter.

16. The roof mounting system of claim 14, wherein the second seal portion includes a protruding flange extending from the third diameter to the second diameter.

17. The roof mounting system of claim 14, wherein the seal aperture extends through the first end portion, the second end portion and the middle portion, and wherein the seal aperture has a substantially constant diameter along an entire length of the seal aperture.

18. The roof mounting system of claim 12, wherein the flashing includes a protrusion extending out of the flashing plane and away from the roof surface and wherein the flashing aperture extends through the protrusion.

19. The roof mounting system of claim 18, wherein the protrusion extends through the bracket plane.

20. The roof mounting system of claim 18, wherein the seal is deformable by the protrusion such that the seal is operable to substantially conform to a portion of a profile of the protrusion.

21. The roof mounting system of claim 12, wherein the first seal portion includes a first end surface, wherein the first end surface is substantially parallel to the flashing plane.