System and method for mounting PV panels in bracket and/or rail mount design

A modular rail mount system for securing a photovoltaic (PV) panel to support structure, the rail mount system comprising:

• a frame configured with front, rear and side portions for holding the PV panel in a predetermined angle spaced apart from the supporting structure;
• a plurality of tracks operably coupled to at least one of a base assembly configured to join the end portions of one of said plurality of tracks spaced apart from the structure and at least one of an elevation assembly configured to secure ends of another of said plurality of tracks spaced apart from the structure, whereby
• said base assembly comprises a stand having an upper portion for receiving a fastener and a lower portion connected to a shoe base, said shoe base configured with an opening in said base assembly for a fastener to attach to said support structure, an L-foot having a slot in a vertically extending portion for operably connecting to said shoe base, and an L-bracket for connecting to one of said plurality of tracks and to said L-foot using a fastener so as to secure said front portion to said frame to said track along with said base assembly to said support structure;
• said elevation assembly comprises another of said stand, said L-foot, said L-bracket, and a telescopic leg assembly for connecting using a plurality of fasteners to another of said plurality of tracks, said stand being operably connected to said L-foot at said upper portion and to said structure at said shoe base using said fasteners, said telescopic leg assembly connects at one end to said slot of said vertically extending portion and, at another end, is configured with an integral adjustment arm disposed in said telescopic leg assembly, said integral adjustment arm configured to operably couple to said L-bracket to operably couple to said another of said plurality of tracks using a fastener to secure bottom portion of said frame to said elevation assembly, and said telescopic leg assembly configured to adjust said integral adjustment arm to a predetermined length to elevate said frame;
• one or more mid-clamp assemblies each comprising a fastener, a channel nut configured to receive said fastener and to be disposed in each of said plurality of tracks, a washer, a tabbed-spacer configured with at least one tab for spacing the frame a predetermined distance apart from an adjacent frame in a solar array, a toothed portion located adjacent said tab for operably grounding said frame, and said channel nut configured for operably connecting with said fastener using a threaded portion of said fastener to secure in each of said plurality of tracks and to affix said tooth portion to said frame forming a ground thereby;
• and
• a grounding clip configured to secure said front, rear, and/or side portions of said frame to at least one of said plurality of tracks using another bolt disposed in said grounding clip and to operably connect to said channel nut so as to secure said channel nut in said track, said grounding clip being configured with at least one spike for grounding said frame.

A modular rack mount system for securing a photovoltaic (PV) panel disposed in a frame configured with front, rear and side portions in a predetermined angle to a support structure, the rack mount system comprising:

• a plurality of top plates configured for supporting said frame, each top plate comprises a raised portion formed on an upper surface having a threaded opening configured for receiving a fastener, a pair of out-turned top plate flanges for supporting said top surface, and each top plate flange having a flange opening on a portion thereof configured for operably connecting to one or more base assemblies and/or one or more elevation assemblies;
• each said base assembly comprising:
• a base bracket comprising a plurality of sides formed by an out-turned bend having at an upper portion for operably coupling to said top plate flanges with openings in at least two of said side portions, and an out-turned base flange located on a lower portion thereof, said base flange configured with an opening for securing said base flange to the support structure, said base bracket configured to align said openings of said top plate flanges with said openings in said upper portion of each of said two of said side portions for operably coupling using one or more fasteners to said base assembly using one or more fasteners, said base bracket configured to support said front portion of said frame adjacent said raised portion of said top plate;
• each of said elevation assembly comprising:
• an interleave bracket comprising a plurality of sides formed by an out-turned bend having a plurality of openings in at least two of said sides, said plurality of openings comprising openings in an upper portion for operably coupling said top plate flanges of another of said top plate using one or more fasteners, and openings along said at least two sides of said interleave bracket operably coupled to said at least two sides of another of said base bracket using said one or more fasteners so as to form a predetermined length, said interleave bracket configured to secure a rear portion of said frame to said upper surface of said top plate, whereby said predetermined length of said elevation assembly is configured by fastening said one or more fasteners to a selected one of said plurality of openings in at least two of said sides of said interleave bracket to said openings in said a least two sides of said base bracket so as to establish said predetermined angle by adjusting a height of said rear portion of said frame;
• and
• a plurality of mid-clamp assemblies each comprising a bolt disposed in a washer and in a tabbed-spacer configured for operably connecting to said threaded opening in said raised portion of said plurality of top plates so as to secure said frame to said structure, said bolt being received in said threaded opening of said top plates of said base assembly and/or said elevation assembly for connecting the frame, said tabbed-spacer comprising at least one tab, a toothed portion and at least one flat portion adjacent said toothed portion, said tab configured for spacing the frames a predetermined distance apart, said toothed-portion located adjacent said tab for operably connecting to said frame and said base assembly and/or said elevation assembly to provide grounding to the structure.

A modular rail mount system for securing a photovoltaic (PV) panel disposed in a frame configured with front, rear and side portions in a predetermined angle spaced apart from a support structure, the rail mount system comprising:

• a plurality of tracks operably coupled to at least one of a base assembly configured to secure end portions of one of said plurality of tracks spaced apart from the structure and at least one of an elevation assembly configured to secure ends of another of said plurality of tracks spaced apart from the structure, whereby
• said base assembly comprising a stand comprising an upper portion for receiving a fastener and a lower portion connected to a shoe base configured with an opening for a fastener to attach to said supporting structure, an L-foot having a slot in a vertically extending portion and an opening in a base portion for operably connected to said shoe base, and an L-bracket for connecting to one of said plurality of tracks and to said L-foot using fasteners, so as to secure said front portion of said frame to said track, said base assembly to said support structure;
• said elevation assembly comprising another of said stand, said L-foot, said L-bracket and a telescopic leg assembly for connecting using a plurality of fasteners to another of said plurality of tracks, said stand being operably connected to said L-foot at said upper portion and to said structure at said shoe base using said fasteners, said telescopic leg assembly connects at one end to said slot of said vertically extending portion and at another end is configured with an integral adjustment arm disposed in said telescopic leg assembly, said integral adjustment arm configured to operably couple to said L-bracket and to operably couple to said track so as to secure said bottom portion of said frame to said elevation assembly, and said telescopic leg assembly configured to adjust said integral adjustment arm to a predetermined length so as to elevate a rear portion of said frame;
• one or more mid-clamp assemblies each comprising a fastener, a channel nut configured to received said fastener and to be disposed in said track, a washer, a tabbed-spacer configured with at least one tab for operably connecting between two frames thereby holding the PV panels in a solar array a predetermined distance apart, said mid-clamp assembly configured for operably connecting said frame to said plurality of tracks of said rail mount system and for operably grounding said frame, and said channel nut operably connects to said fastener configured to tighten with a threaded portion to secure in said track and to affix said tooth portion in said frame forming a ground;
• and
• a grounding clip configured to secure said front, rear, and/or side portions of said frame to said tracks using another bolt disposed in said grounding clip and operably connecting to said channel nut so as to secure said channel nut in said track, said grounding clip configured to secure and ground said frame at the ends in a solar array, and said grounding clip being configured with at least one spike for grounding said frame.