Height adjustment bracket for roof applications

• US 9,431,953 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2015
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rillito River Solar LLC (Esdec B.V.)
• Original Assignee: Rillito River Solar LLC (Esdec B.V.)
• Inventors: Stearns, Brian Cecil, Bornemann, Alexander Grant
• Primary Examiner(s): Glessner, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): FORD, GISELE D
• Application Number:
  US14/928,235
• Publication Number:
  US 20160126884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 305 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/35 by means of profiles with a cross-section defining separate supporting portions for adjacent modules
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/61 for fixing to the ground or to building structures
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/632 Side connectors; Base connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/634 Clamps; Clips
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/636 clamping by screw-threaded elements
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/65 for coupling adjacent supporting elements, e.g. for connecting profiles together
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/23 specially adapted for roof structures
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 30/00 Structural details of PV modules other than those related to light conversion semiconductor device aspects of modules of electrolytic light sensitive devices H01G9/20, of inorganic PV modules H01L31/00, of organic PV modules H10K30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 30/10 Frame 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 for mounting at least one solar panel to a roof surface including a base. The roof mount includes a clamp connected to the base and a first recess sized to support a first solar panel. The first recess has a first height extending between a first top flange and a first bottom flange. The clamp also includes a second recess sized to support one of a second solar panel and a skirt flange. The second recess has a second height extending between a second top flange and a second bottom flange. The roof mount further includes a fastener connected to the clamp. The second fastener is operable to adjust the first and second heights, such that upon tightening of the second fastener, the first height increases and the second height decreases, and upon loosening of the second fastener, the first height decreases and the second height increases.

Claims

1. A roof mount, comprising:

a base installable on a roof surface and capable of being coupled to the roof surface, the base defining a slot extending in a first direction, wherein the first direction extends substantially parallel to the roof surface in response to the base being installed on and coupled to the roof surface;

a first fastener having a head positioned in the slot and moveable along the slot in the first direction, and a shaft extending in a second direction, wherein the second direction extends substantially perpendicular to the roof surface in response to the base being installed on and coupled to the roof surface and the first fastener being installed in the base;

a clamp connected to the base by the first fastener, a distance between the clamp and the base is adjustable in the second direction, the clamp including,

a first recess sized to receive and support a first solar panel, the first recess defined between a first top flange and a first bottom flange, the first recess having a first height extending between the first top flange and the first bottom flange, the first height being adjustable, and

a second recess sized to receive and support one of a second solar panel and a skirt flange, the second recess defined between a second top flange and a second bottom flange, the second recess having a second height extending between the second top flange and the second bottom flange, the second height being adjustable, and

a second fastener connected to the clamp, the second fastener operable to adjust the first height and the second height,

wherein in response to tightening of the second fastener, the first height increases and the second height decreases, and

wherein in response to loosening of the second fastener, the first height decreases and the second height increases.

2. The roof mount of claim 1, further comprising a nut rotatably coupled to the clamp and positioned to receive the first fastener, and an insert connectable to the clamp,

wherein the nut includes a flange, such that the flange is positionable between the insert and the clamp to retain the nut on the clamp.

3. The roof mount of claim 1, wherein the clamp is a unitary, monolithic component.

4. The roof mount of claim 1,

wherein the base includes a first portion that extends substantially along the roof surface and a second portion that protrudes away from the roof surface in response to the base being installed on the roof surface, and

wherein the second portion defines the slot.

5. The roof mount of claim 4, wherein the slot is sized to receive the head of the first fastener and inhibit rotation of the fastener when the head is positioned in the slot.

6. The roof mount of claim 4,

wherein the second portion of the base includes first and second arms extending away from the roof surface and defining the slot therebetween in response to the base being installed on the roof surface, and

wherein the base further includes a third portion extending across the slot and connected to the first and second arms.

7. The roof mount of claim 6, wherein the third portion includes an aperture through which the first fastener extends, such that the third portion and the first fastener are moveable along the first and second arms of the second portion in the first direction.

8. The roof mount of claim 1, wherein at least one of the second top flange and the second bottom flange includes a roughened surface.

9. The roof mount of claim 1, wherein the first bottom flange includes a channel that permits the first solar panel to be inserted into the first recess at an acute angle with respect to the roof surface in response to the based being installed on the roof surface and the rotated to a position in which the first solar panel is substantially parallel with the roof surface.

10. The roof mount of claim 1, wherein one of the first bottom flange and the first top flange includes a protrusion configured to form an electrical ground with the first solar panel in response to the first solar panel being installed in the first bottom flange and the first top flange.

11. The roof mount of claim 1, wherein one of the second bottom flange and the second top flange includes a protrusion configured to form an electrical ground with one of the second solar panel and the skirt flange in response to the second solar panel being installed in the second bottom flange and the second top flange.

12. The roof mount of claim 1, further comprising a skirt bracket coupled to the clamp and configured to support the skirt flange on the clamp.

13. A roof mount, comprising:

a base capable of being positioned on and coupled to a roof surface, the base defining a slot extending along a first axis,

wherein the first axis extends substantially parallel to the roof surface in response to the base being installed on the roof surface;

a first fastener having a head positioned in the slot and moveable in the slot along the first axis, and a shaft extending along a second axis,

wherein the second axis extends substantially perpendicular to the roof surface in response to the base being installed on the roof surface and the first fastener being installed in the base;

a clamp connected to the base by the first fastener and spaced above the base a distance, the distance between the clamp and the base along the second axis is adjustable, the clamp including,

a first bottom flange operable to support a first solar panel,

a second bottom flange operable to support one of a second solar panel and a skirt flange,

a resilient wall positioned between the first and second bottom flanges,

a first top flange positioned at a first height relative to the first bottom flange, and a second top flange positioned at a second height relative to the second bottom flange; and

a second fastener connected to the clamp,

wherein in response to tightening of the second fastener, the resilient wall deflects in a first direction thereby increasing the first height and decreasing the second height, and

wherein in response to loosening of the second fastener, the resilient wall deflects in a second direction opposite to the first direction thereby decreasing the first height and increasing the second height.

14. The roof mount of claim 13, further comprising a nut rotatably coupled to the clamp and positioned to receive the first fastener, and an insert connectable to the clamp,

wherein the nut includes a flange positionable between the insert and the clamp to retain the nut on the clamp.

15. The roof mount of claim 13, wherein the clamp is a unitary, monolithic component.

16. The roof mount of claim 13,

wherein the base includes a first portion that extends substantially along the roof surface and a second portion that protrudes away from the roof surface in response to the base being installed on the roof surface,

and wherein the second portion defines the slot.

17. The roof mount of claim 16, wherein the slot is sized to receive the head of the first fastener and inhibit rotation of the fastener when the head is positioned in the slot.

18. The roof mount of claim 16,

wherein the second portion of the base includes first and second arms extending away from the roof surface and defining the slot therebetween in response to the base being installed on the roof surface, and

wherein the base further includes a third portion extending across the slot and connected to the first and second arms.

19. The roof mount of claim 18, wherein the third portion includes an aperture through which the first fastener extends, such that the third portion and the first fastener are moveable along the first and second arms of the second portion in the first direction.

20. The roof mount of claim 13, wherein at least one of the second top flange and the second bottom flange includes a roughened surface.

21. The roof mount of claim 13, wherein the first bottom flange includes a channel that permits the first solar panel to be inserted into the first recess at an acute angle with respect to the roof surface and then rotated to a position in which the first solar panel is substantially parallel with the roof surface in response to the first solar panel being installed in the first bottom flange and the first top flange.

22. The roof mount of claim 13, wherein one of the first bottom flange and the first top flange includes a protrusion configured to form an electrical ground with the first solar panel in response to the first solar panel being installed in the first bottom flange and the first top flange.

23. The roof mount of claim 13, wherein one of the second bottom flange and the second top flange includes a protrusion configured to form an electrical ground with one of the second solar panel and the skirt flange in response to the second solar panel being installed in the second bottom flange and the second top flange.

24. The roof mount of claim 13, further comprising a skirt bracket coupled to the clamp configured to support the skirt flange on the clamp.

25. The roof mount of claim 13, wherein the clamp further includes a threaded aperture that receives the second fastener, the threaded aperture defining a third axis, wherein the third axis is spaced from the resilient wall.

26. The roof mount of claim 25, wherein when the second fastener is tightened, a moment force acts on the resilient wall thereby deflecting the resilient wall in the first direction.