US 11,296,648 B1Granted

Solar panel racking system and devices for the same

AssigneeSunmodo Corporation

InventorsRoland Jasmin, Jun Liu, Steve Mumma, Boutros Abou Chacra, Clifford Schrock

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Abstract

A solar panel racking system that can include end clamps, mid clamps, bottom clamps, L-foot adapter assemblies, rails, and L-foot assemblies. The solar panel racking system minimizes the use of tools by snapping many of the mounting components in place. The end clamps, mid clamps, and bottom clamps can snap over the rail sides and lock into upper detented portions of the rail sides. The upper detented portions are structured to prevent upward movement of the end clamps, mid clamps, and bottom clamps. The L-foot adapter body of the L-foot adapter assembly snaps over lower detented portions of rail sides and secures the rail to an L-foot assembly. The end clamps, mid clamps, bottom clamps, rails, and L-foot adapter assemblies are independent of the L-foot assembly, allowing a selection of L-foot assemblies to be used as appropriate with the solar panel racking system.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A device for mounting a solar panel, comprising:

a rail including a rail top, a rail bottom, and a pair of rail sides that together form an enclosed region;
the pair of rail sides forming opposing outside-facing surfaces of the rail, each rail side of the pair of rail sides extends directly downward from a corresponding peripheral edge of a pair of peripheral edges located on opposite sides of the rail top and extends upward from the rail bottom;
each rail side of the pair of rail sides includes an upper region and an upper detented portion, the upper detented portion is indented lengthwise into the upper region, entirety of the upper detented portion is located below the rail top and is indented into the enclosed region, the upper region on each rail side of the pair of rail sides being parallel to each other;
and
the upper detented portion includes an upper first sloped surface sloping inward and upward from its corresponding rail side and an upper second sloped surface sloping downward and outward from below the upper first sloped surface, the upper first sloped surface extends into a hollow portion of the enclosed region that is positioned above the upper first sloped surface.

2 more elements

A device for mounting a solar panel, comprising:

a rail including a rail top, a rail bottom, and a pair of rail sides that together form an enclosed region;
the pair of rail sides forming opposing outside-facing surfaces of the rail, each rail side of the pair of rail sides extends directly downward from a corresponding peripheral edge of a pair of peripheral edges located on opposite sides of the rail top and extends upward from the rail bottom;
each rail side of the pair of rail sides includes an upper region and an upper detented portion, the upper detented portion is indented lengthwise in an upper region, entirety of the upper detented portion is located below the rail top and is indented into the enclosed region, the upper detented portion on each rail side of the pair of rail sides being a mirror image to each other;
and
the upper detented portion includes an upper first sloped surface sloping inward and upward from its corresponding rail side and an upper second sloped surface sloping downward and outward from below the upper first sloped surface, the upper first sloped surface extends into a hollow portion of the enclosed region that is positioned above the upper first sloped surface.

2 more elements

A device for mounting a solar panel, comprising:

a rail including a rail top, a rail bottom, and a pair of rail sides that together form an enclosed region;
the pair of rail sides forming opposing outside-facing surfaces of the rail and a rail top, each rail side of the pair of rail sides extends directly downward from a corresponding peripheral edge of a pair of peripheral edges located on opposite sides of the rail top and extends upward from the rail bottom;
each rail side of the pair of rail sides includes an upper region and an upper detented portion, the upper detented portion is indented lengthwise in an upper region, entirety of the upper detented portion is located below the rail top and is indented into the enclosed region, and the upper detented portion is positioned equal distance below the rail top;
and
the upper detented portion includes an upper first sloped surface sloping inward and upward from its corresponding rail side and an upper second sloped surface sloping downward and outward from below the upper first sloped surface, the upper first sloped surface extends into a hollow portion of the enclosed region that is positioned above the upper first sloped surface.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.