# US 12,009,774 B1 · L-foot adapter for rail-based solar panel racking systems

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 12,009,774 B1
- Document ID: US12009774B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 18/400,244
- Filed: 2023-12-29
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2023-12-29
- Assignees: Sunmodo Corporation
- Applicants: Sunmodo Corporation
- Inventors: Roland Jasmin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12009774B1

## CPC

- H02S 20/23: specially adapted for roof structures
- F16B 5/02: by means of fastening members using screw-thread ({F16B5/0004 takes precedence}; construction of screw-threaded connections F16B25/00 - F16B39/00)
- F24S 25/61: for fixing to the ground or to building structures
- F24S 25/636: clamping by screw-threaded elements
- F24S 25/65: for coupling adjacent supporting elements, e.g. for connecting profiles together
- 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 H10F10/00, H10F19/00, of organic PV modules H10K30/00)
- F24S 2025/021: {Sealing means between support elements and mounting surface}
- F24S 2025/6005: {by screwed connection}
- F24S 2025/6006: {by using threaded elements, e.g. stud bolts}
- Y02E 10/47: Mountings or tracking
- H02S: GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES (obtaining electrical energy from radioactive sources G21H1/12; light sensitive inorganic semiconductor devices H10F; light sensitive organic semiconductor devices H10K30/00; thermoelectric devices H10N10/00; pyroelectric devices H10N15/00)
- F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D)
- F24S: SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS (for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

Described are supports with devices or brackets, that are specially mounted, such as L-foot adapters, that help mount solar panel racking systems to roofs. The L-foot adapter assembly may include an L-foot adapter body and a spacer that is removable and positionable between the two sides of the L-foot adapter body. A threaded fastener extends through the first of the two sides of the L-foot adapter body, through the spacer, and threadedly engages the second side of the L-foot adapter body. The spacer limits how much the two sides of the L-foot adapter body can be squeezed together and therefore prevents overtightening.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device for securing and attaching to a rail, the rail including a rail bottom surface, and for securing a solar panel racking system to a roof, comprising:
an L-foot adapter assembly including:
an L-foot adapter body including a bottom, a first side and a second side each extending upward from the bottom;
a spacer including a spacer front facing the first side, a spacer back facing the second side, and an aperture extending through the spacer front and the spacer back, the spacer front and the spacer back are removably positioned between the first side and the second side;
a threaded fastener extends through the first side, through the aperture in the spacer, and threadedly engages the second side;
the first side includes a first clamping portion and the second side includes a second clamping portion; and
the first clamping portion and the second clamping portion are structured to secure and prevent upward movement of the rail, the first side, the second side, the first clamping portion, and the second clamping portion are spaced apart and positioned so that the rail bottom surface seats directly against the spacer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein:
the spacer limits how much the first side and the second side can be squeezed together and prevents overtightening of the threaded fastener.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein:
the L-foot adapter body is u-shaped and comprises a one-piece body;
the first side is cross-sectionally narrower than the second side; and
with the first side and the second side pressed outward, the first side may flex with respect to the bottom of the L-foot adapter body while the second side remains rigid or stationary with respect to the bottom.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein:
with the threaded fastener fully tightened so that the spacer contacts both the first side and the second side, the first side, the spacer, and the second side form a rigid structure.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein:
the L-foot adapter body is u-shaped and comprises a one-piece body.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, further comprising:
an L-foot including an L-foot base and an L-foot riser extending upward from the L-foot base, the L-foot base is structured to attach to the roof; and
the threaded fastener extends through the L-foot riser, through the first side, through the spacer, and threadedly engages the second side.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The device of claim 6, wherein:
the L-foot adapter body comprises a one-piece body;
the first side is cross-sectionally narrower than the second side;
with the first side and the second side pressed outward, the first side may flex with respect to the bottom while the second side remains rigid or stationary with respect to the bottom; and
with the threaded fastener tightened, the first side and the L-foot riser form a first rigid structure.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7, wherein with the threaded fastener fully tightened so that the spacer contacts both the first side and the second side, the first side, the L-foot riser, the spacer, and the second side form a second rigid structure.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein:
the spacer includes a spacer top surface that is planar and is sized and shaped to directly seat the rail bottom surface.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein:
the spacer includes a spacer bottom surface extending from the spacer front and the spacer back; and
the L-foot adapter body includes a platform, the platform extends inward from the first side and is sized, shaped, and position to seat the spacer bottom surface and prevent the spacer from rotating.

### Claim 11

A device for securing and attaching to a rail, the rail including a rail bottom surface, and for securing a solar panel racking system to a roof, comprising:
an L-foot adapter assembly including:
an L-foot adapter body including a bottom, a first side and a second side each extending upward from the bottom;
a spacer including a spacer front facing the first side, a spacer back facing the second side, and an aperture extending through the spacer front and the spacer back, the spacer front and the spacer back are removably positioned between the first side and the second side;
a threaded fastener extends through the first side, through the aperture in the spacer, and threadedly engages the second side; and
the spacer includes a spacer top surface that is planar, the spacer, the first side and the second side are structured and positioned to seat the rail bottom surface directly seats against the spacer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein:
the spacer limits how much the first side and the second side can be squeezed together and prevents overtightening of the threaded fastener.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein:
the L-foot adapter body is u-shaped and comprises a one-piece body;
the first side is cross-sectionally narrower than the second side; and
with the first side and the second side pressed outward, the first side may flex with respect to the bottom of the L-foot adapter body while the second side remains rigid or stationary with respect to the bottom.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, further comprising:
an L-foot including an L-foot base and an L-foot riser extending upward from the L-foot base, the L-foot base is structured to attach to the roof; and
the threaded fastener extends through the L-foot riser, through the first side, through the spacer, and threadedly engages the second side.

### Claim 15

A device for securing and attaching to a rail, the rail including a rail bottom surface, and for securing a solar panel racking system to a roof, comprising:
an L-foot adapter assembly including:
an L-foot adapter body including a bottom, a first side and a second side each extending upward from the bottom;
a spacer including a spacer front facing the first side, a spacer back facing the second side, and an aperture extending through the spacer front and the spacer back, the spacer front and the spacer back are removably positioned between the first side and the second side;
a threaded fastener extends through the first side, through the aperture in the spacer, and threadedly engages the second side;
the spacer includes a spacer bottom surface; and
the L-foot adapter body includes a platform, the platform extends inward from the first side and is sized, shaped, and position to seat the spacer bottom surface and prevent the spacer from rotating.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The device of claim 15, wherein:
the spacer limits how much the first side and the second side can be squeezed together and prevents overtightening of the threaded fastener.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The device of claim 15, wherein:
the L-foot adapter body is u-shaped and comprises a one-piece body;
the first side is cross-sectionally narrower than the second side; and
with the first side and the second side pressed outward, the first side may flex with respect to the bottom of the L-foot adapter body while the second side remains rigid or stationary with respect to the bottom.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The device of claim 15, further comprising:
an L-foot including an L-foot base and an L-foot riser extending upward from the L-foot base, the L-foot base is structured to attach to the roof; and
the threaded fastener extends through the L-foot riser, through the first side, through the spacer, and threadedly engages the second side.

### Claim 19

A device for securing and attaching to a rail, the rail including a rail bottom surface, and for securing a solar panel racking system to a roof, comprising:
an L-foot adapter assembly including:
an L-foot adapter body including a bottom, a first side and a second side each extending upward from the bottom;
a spacer, removably positioned between the first side and the second side, the spacer, the first side, and the second side, are structured and positioned to seat the rail bottom surface directly against the spacer;
a threaded fastener extends through the first side, through the spacer, and threadedly engages the second side;
the first side includes a first clamping portion and a second side includes a second clamping portion; and
the first clamping portion and the second clamping portion are structured to secure and prevent upward movement of the rail, the first side, the second side, the first clamping portion, and the second clamping portion are spaced apart and positioned so that the rail bottom surface seats directly against the spacer.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The device of claim 19, wherein:
the spacer includes a spacer front facing the first side, a spacer back facing the second side, and an aperture extending through the spacer front and the spacer back, the spacer front and the spacer back are removably positioned between the first side and the second side; and
the threaded fastener extends through the aperture in the spacer.

### Claim 21 (depends on 19)

The device of claim 19, wherein:
the L-foot adapter body is u-shaped and comprises a one-piece body.

### Claim 22

A device for securing and attaching to a rail, the rail and for securing a solar panel racking system to a roof, comprising:
the rail including a rail bottom surface; and
an L-foot adapter assembly including:
an L-foot adapter body including a bottom, a first side and a second side each extending upward from the bottom;
a spacer, removably positioned between the first side and the second side, the rail bottom surface is seated directly against the spacer; and
a threaded fastener extends through the first side, through the spacer, and threadedly engages the second side;
the spacer includes a spacer front facing the first side, a spacer back facing the second side, and an aperture extending through the spacer front and the spacer back, the spacer front and the spacer back are removably positioned between the first side and the second side; and
the threaded fastener extends through the aperture in the spacer.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The device of claim 22, wherein:
the first side includes a first clamping portion and the second side includes a second clamping portion; and
the first clamping portion and the second clamping portion engage the rail and prevent upward movement of the rail.

### Claim 24 (depends on 22)

The device of claim 22, wherein:
the rail includes a first rail side and a second rail side spaced extending upward from and apart by the rail bottom surface, the first rail side includes a first lower rail detent and the second rail side includes a second lower rail detent;
the first side of the L-foot adapter body includes a first clamping portion, the second side of the L-foot adapter body includes a second side with a second clamping portion; and
the first clamping portion engages the first lower rail detent and the second clamping portion engages the second lower rail detent and prevents upward movement of the rail.

### Claim 25 (depends on 22)

The device of claim 22, wherein:
the L-foot adapter body is u-shaped and comprises a one-piece body.