# US 12,113,343 B2 · Wire management structure for a rail-less solar panel assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,113,343 B2 - Document ID: US12113343B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/748,384 - Filed: 2022-05-19 - Published: 2022-09-01 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2014-11-19 - Assignees: IronRidge, Inc. - Applicants: IronRidge, Inc. - Inventors: Shawn Meine; Jon Ash; David F. Taggart; Willie Kim; Clayton Robert Rietz; William Anthony Pereira - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12113343B2 ## CPC - H02G 3/263: {Installation, e.g. suspension, of conduit channels or other supports} - F24S 25/33: forming substantially planar assemblies, e.g. of coplanar or stacked profiles - F24S 25/61: for fixing to the ground or to building structures - F24S 25/634: Clamps; Clips - H02S 20/23: specially adapted for roof structures - F24S 25/613: in the form of bent strips or assemblies of strips; Hook-like connectors; Connectors to be mounted between building-covering elements - F24S 2025/021: {Sealing means between support elements and mounting surface} - Y02B 10/10: Photovoltaic [PV] - Y02B 10/20: Solar thermal - Y02E 10/47: Mountings or tracking - Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy - H02G: INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES - F24S: SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS (for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00) - 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) - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract In various representative aspects, an assembly for securing array skirts and solar panel modules in an array on a roof by providing a leveling system that utilizes a barrel bolt and barrel nut to vertically adjust the assembly. Improved electrical bonding by utilizing bonding pins installed in mounting plates of a support clamp are also provided. Additionally, an improved array skirt design that is installed on the outer row of the array, as well as improved designs in the support clamp and splice mechanisms are also provided. Finally, an improved wire management system is included as well as a method of installation of the array assembly. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An adjustable solar panel mounting assembly comprising: a clamp comprising an upper and a lower portion; a first mounting plate extending outward from the lower portion of the clamp to an end; a first flange extending outward from the upper portion of the clamp; a leveling bolt comprising a drive on a top end of the leveling bolt; a pivot rail defining a slot; and a guide configured to move linearly along the slot, wherein the clamp and the leveling bolt are configured to move linearly along the pivot rail via the guide moving linearly along the slot, wherein the leveling bolt is non-threadably received by the guide such that the leveling bolt is freely rotatable with respect to the guide, wherein the leveling bolt is further threadably received by the clamp, and wherein a height of the clamp with respect to the pivot rail is adjusted up or down depending on a direction of rotation of the leveling bolt. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the leveling bolt is threadably received within a cavity formed in the lower portion of the clamp. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first mounting plate further comprises a raised portion for electrically bonding a first solar panel module to a second solar panel module. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The assembly of claim 3, wherein the raised portion is a pin that is coupled to the first mounting plate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The assembly of claim 3, wherein the raised portion is a clip that is coupled to the first mounting plate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the end of the first mounting plate further comprises a release lever. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the clamp further comprises: a second mounting plate extending outward in a direction opposite of the first mounting plate; a second flange extending outward in a direction opposite of the first flange. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The assembly of claim 7, wherein the second mounting plate and the second flange define a second opening configured to receive a second solar panel module. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first mounting plate and the first flange define a first opening configured to receive a first solar panel module. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first mounting plate and the first flange define a first opening configured to receive a skirt. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first mounting plate and the first flange define a first opening configured to receive a first solar panel module or a skirt. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The assembly of claim 11, wherein the clamp further comprises a second mounting plate extending outward in a direction opposite of the first mounting plate and a second flange extending outward in a direction opposite of the first flange, and wherein the second mounting plate and the second flange define a second opening configured to receive a second solar panel module. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) An adjustable solar panel mounting system comprising: a plurality of adjustable solar panel mounting assemblies of claim 12; a skirt; a first solar panel module; and a second solar panel module, wherein the skirt is received in the first opening of the clamp of a first adjustable solar panel mounting assembly, wherein a first side of the first solar panel module is received in the second opening of the clamp of the first adjustable solar panel mounting assembly and a second side of the first solar panel module is received in the first opening of the clamp of a second adjustable solar panel mounting assembly, and wherein a first side of the second solar panel module is received in the second opening of the clamp of the second adjustable solar panel mounting assembly and a second side of the second solar panel module is received in the first opening of the clamp of a third adjustable solar panel mounting assembly. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The adjustable solar panel mounting system of claim 13, wherein the height of the clamp with respect to the pivot rail of each of the plurality of adjustable solar panel mounting assemblies is independently adjustable by rotation of the leveling bolt of each respective adjustable solar panel mounting assembly.