Rail-less roof mounting clamp assembly

• US 9,813,012 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2015
• Issued: 11/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wencon Development Incorporated (Esdec B.V.)
• Original Assignee: Quality Product, LLC
• Inventors: Wentworth, Stuart, Wentworth, Claudia
• Primary Examiner(s): Fox, Charles A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sadlon, Joseph J.
• Application Number:
  US14/605,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20150168021A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• Field of Search: 521733, 52710, 527471, 52 58, 52 60, 136251, 136244, 136291
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2025/6008 by using toothed elements
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2025/803 having a central web, e.g. I-shaped, inverted T- shaped
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2025/807 having undercut grooves
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/33 forming substantially planar assemblies, e.g. of coplanar or stacked profiles
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/61 for fixing to the ground or to building structures
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/636 clamping by screw-threaded elements
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/70 with means for adjusting the final position or orientation of supporting elements in relation to each other or to a mounting surface; with means for compensating mounting tolerances
• 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 rail-less roof mounting system for installing photovoltaic (PV) modules on a roof structure comprises a base mount assembly that engages with a clamp assembly and attaches to the roof structure. The base mount assembly comprises a base member having a waterproof means, a block slider, a top slider and a covering means. An elevated seal portion of a block slider includes a borehole to receive the waterproof means. A vertical engaging portion of the block slider is attached with a sliding seal member of the top slider. The clamp assembly includes a clamp member and a plate member and the clamp member is attached with a track of the top slider. The clamp member interlocks the PV modules to provide a corner-to-corner coupling arrangement, which enables the connection of PV module corners to adjacent PV module corners by sandwiching above and beneath frame members of the PV modules.

Claims

1. A rail-less roof mounting system comprising:

a plurality of PV modules each having at least one corner;

a clamp assembly having a clamp member with a pair of holes on an inner surface and a plate member, the clamp assembly in contact with a first PV module frame member and at least one adjacent PV module frame member, interconnecting said first PV module frame member to said at least one adjacent PV module frame member; and

whereby the plurality of PV modules are interlocked in a way to provide a corner-to-corner coupling arrangement which enables the connection of at least one PV module corner to at least one adjacent PV module corner by sandwiching above and beneath said frame members of the plurality of PV modules wherein said corner-to-corner coupling arrangement is supported above the roof through the frame members of the plurality of PV modules.

2. The rail-less roof mounting system of claim 1 wherein the clamp assembly further comprises a grooved edge and wherein a PV array skirt is located within the grooved edge.

3. The rail-less roof mounting system of claim 1 further comprising at least one securing means.

4. The rail-less roof mounting system of claim 1 wherein at least three PV module corners are bridged to adjacent corners.

5. The rail-less roof mounting system of claim 3 wherein the securing means is selected from the group consisting of a cap screw, a lock nut, and a pair of screws connected to said pair of holes.

6. The rail-less roof mounting system of claim 1 wherein the clamp assembly interlocks top and bottom surfaces of the frame members of the plurality of PV modules.

7. The rail-less roof mounting system of claim 1 wherein the clamp member is made from aluminum.

8. A rail-less roof mounting system comprising:

a clamp assembly comprising a clamp member with a plurality of apertures on an inner surface and a plate member, the clamp member and the plate member being attached to a track utilizing at least one securing means such that the clamp member interconnects only at least one PV module frame member to at least one adjacent PV module frame member by sandwiching above and beneath said frame members and wherein a plurality of PV modules are interlocked in a corner-to-corner coupling arrangement, and wherein said corner-to-corner coupling arrangement is supported above the roof through the frame members of the plurality of PV modules.

9. The rail-less roof mounting system of claim 8 wherein the clamp assembly comprises a grooved edge and wherein a PV array skirt is positioned within the grooved edge.

10. The rail-less roof mounting system of claim 8 wherein said corner-to-corner coupling arrangement has no support to the roof except through the frame members of the plurality of PV modules.

11. The rail-less roof mounting system of claim 8 wherein the rail-less roof mounting system provides a single grounding lug for assembling the PV array consisting of 300 PV modules.

12. The rail-less roof mounting system of claim 8 wherein the at least one securing means is a cap screw.

13. The rail-less roof mounting system of claim 8 wherein the at least one securing means is securely tightened utilizing a lock nut.

14. The rail-less roof mounting system of claim 8 wherein the clamp member is attached to each of said PV module frame members by a plurality of screws inserted through a plurality of holes on the clamp member.

15. A method for installing a plurality of photovoltaic (PV) modules on a roof structure, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a rail-less roof mounting system comprising;

a clamp assembly having a clamp member, and a plate member;

b) tightening at least one fastening means;

c) attaching the clamp assembly only to at least one PV module frame member and at least one adjacent PV module frame member;

d) interconnecting via the clamp assembly said at least one PV module frame member to at least one adjacent PV module frame member to provide a corner-to-corner coupling arrangement;

e) whereby the corner-to-corner coupling arrangement enables the connection of PV module corners to adjacent PV module corners by sandwiching above and beneath frame members of the at least one PV module frame member and the at least one adjacent PV module frame member; and

f) wherein said corner-to-corner coupling arrangement is supported above the roof through the frame members of the plurality of PV modules.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the rail-less roof mounting system further comprises a grooved edge and wherein a PV array skirt is slotted within the grooved edge.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the at least one fastening means is a cap screw.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein said corner-to-corner coupling arrangement has no support to the roof except through the frame members of the plurality of PV modules.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the rail-less roof mounting system further comprises a single grounding lug for assembling the PV array and for providing an electrical grounding path for the modules.