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

• US 9,422,723 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2016
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• 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:
  US15/003,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20160138269A1
• Time in Patent Office: 215 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: 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: 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 mount assembly for mounting a structure to a roof, the roof comprising at least one rafter and a substrate at least partially covering the at least one rafter, the roof mount assembly comprising:

flashing configured to be positioned on the substrate, the flashing including a first surface configured to be located adjacent the substrate and a second surface opposite the first surface, the first and second surfaces defining a projection that is configured to extend away from the substrate in response to being positioned on the substrate, the projection including an aperture extending therethrough;

a bracket configured to be positioned on the second surface with the projection received by an aperture of the bracket, the bracket is configured to be coupled to the structure;

a fastener extending through the apertures of the bracket and the flashing, the fastener configured to secure the bracket to the flashing and the substrate; and

a washer configured to form a water-tight seal to inhibit flow of fluid through the aperture of the flashing to the substrate, the washer including a first portion, a second portion, and an aperture extending through the first and second portions;

wherein the fastener extends through the aperture of the washer such that the washer is positioned between the fastener and the bracket.

2. The roof mount assembly of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the washer abuts a portion of the bracket, and wherein the first portion of the washer is a polymeric member.

3. The roof mount assembly of claim 2, wherein the second portion of the washer abuts a head of the fastener, and wherein the head of the fastener is configured to be received by a tool to rotate the fastener.

4. The roof mount assembly of claim 1, wherein the washer is a conical shaped washer.

5. The roof mount assembly of claim 1, wherein the washer is a compression washer.

6. The roof mount assembly of claim 1, wherein the aperture of the bracket defines a first portion having a first diameter and a second portion having a second diameter, and wherein the washer is adjacent the first portion of the bracket and the flashing is adjacent the second portion of the bracket.

7. The roof mount assembly of claim 6, wherein the first diameter is less than the second diameter.

8. The roof mount assembly of claim 6, wherein the projection includes an exterior surface surrounding the aperture of the projection, and wherein the exterior surface abuts the first portion of the bracket.

9. A method of mounting a roof mount assembly to a roof, the roof including at least one rafter and a substrate at least partially covering the at least one rafter, the method comprising:

positioning flashing and a bracket on the roof such that the flashing is positioned between the roof and the bracket, the flashing including a projection that extends away from the roof in response to the positioning and the bracket includes an aperture of the bracket that receives the projection in response to the bracket being positioned on the flashing;

extending a fastener through the flashing and the bracket and into the at least one rafter;

positioning a washer between a portion of the fastener and the bracket, wherein the washer includes a first portion, a second portion, and an aperture of the washer extending through the first portion and the second portion;

retaining the flashing, the bracket, and the washer on the roof with the fastener; and

compressing the first portion of the washer against a surface of the bracket with the fastener to form a seal therebetween inhibiting fluid flow through the flashing.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising abutting an exterior surface of the projection with a portion of the aperture of the bracket.

10. A roof mount assembly for mounting a structure to a roof, the roof comprising at least one rafter and a substrate at least partially covering the at least one rafter, the roof mount assembly comprising:

flashing configured to be positioned on the substrate, the flashing including a first surface configured to be located adjacent the substrate and a second surface opposite the first surface, the first and second surfaces defining a projection configured to extend away from the substrate in response to being positioned on the substrate, the projection including an aperture extending therethrough;

a bracket configured to be coupled to the structure and including an aperture, the aperture of the bracket configured to be aligned with the aperture of the projection;

a fastener extending through the apertures of the bracket and the flashing, the fastener configured to secure the bracket to the flashing and the substrate; and

a seal configured to inhibit flow of fluid through the aperture of the projection to the substrate, the seal including

a first portion extending above the projection,

a second portion having a planar surface that abuts the substrate, and

a third portion located between the first and second portions, the third portion configured to abut the first surface of the flashing adjacent the aperture of the projection.

12. The roof mount assembly of claim 10, wherein the bracket includes an elongated aperture configured to receive a second fastener to secure the structure to the bracket.

13. The roof mount assembly of claim 10, wherein the first portion of the seal forms a substantially circular disk.

14. The roof mount assembly of claim 10, wherein the second portion of the seal forms a substantially circular disk, and wherein the third portion abuts the substantially circular disk.

15. The roof mount assembly of claim 10, wherein the third portion of the seal defines a first diameter and a second diameter with the second diameter greater than the first diameter, and wherein the second diameter of the third portion is greater than a diameter of the aperture of the flashing.

16. The roof mount assembly of claim 15, wherein the first diameter of the third portion is less than an outer diameter of the second portion.

17. The roof mount assembly of claim 15, wherein the third portion of the seal tapers from the second diameter to the first diameter.

18. The roof mount assembly of claim 10, wherein the seal includes a notch between the first portion and the second portion.

19. The roof mount assembly of claim 10, further comprising a sealing member surrounding a portion of the fastener, wherein a portion of the sealing member is positioned between a portion of the bracket and a head of the fastener.