Adjustable roof mounting system
AssigneeD Three Enterprises, LLC
InventorsRichard F. Schaefer, David Kreutzman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An adjustable mounting system for mounting solar panels on roofs is disclosed. The system allows a user to mount the solar panels either with or without rails. The mounting assemblies are adjustable to allow the user to mount a base plate in a chosen location (either on a roof joist or other structural member or not) and to adjust the mounting location for the panel in as many as three axis of adjustment from the location of the base plate. A system for mounting and grounding the panels at the same time is also disclosed.
Claims20
An electrically conductive grounding clip for mounting solar panels, comprising:
- a top member having a bottom surface adapted to engage and compress against an underlying solar panel;
- a bushing having:
- a lower portion disposed through an aperture in said top member;
- and
- a flanged upper portion with a lower surface that rests on a top surface of said top member, wherein said lower portion of said bushing is sized to rotate in said aperture;
- and
- a threaded bolt disposed through a threaded bore of said bushing, wherein upon a lower end of said threaded bolt engaging a support structure, said bushing may be threadably advanced along said threaded bolt to compress said bottom surface of said top member against the underlying solar panel.
An electrically conductive solar panel attachment assembly, comprising:
- a metallic panel engaging clip having:
- a top member with an aperture between first and second side sections, wherein said first and second side sections have first and second bottom surfaces, respectively, adapted to engage and compress against top surfaces of first and second solar panels, respectively;
- a bushing having a lower portion disposed through said aperture and a flanged upper portion with a serrated lower surface that rests on a top surface of said top member when said top member compresses against the first and second solar panels;
- and
- a threaded bolt disposed through a threaded bore of said bushing and having a cutting surface on the lower terminal end, wherein said bushing may be threadably advanced along said threaded bolt to compress said top member against the first and second solar panels;
- a metallic support structure having a top surface for supporting bottom surfaces of the first and second solar panels and having:
- a threaded receptacle for threadably receiving a lower portion of said threaded bolt;
- and
- a backing surface below a bore of said threaded receptacle, wherein said cutting surface engages said backing surface upon advancement of said bolt through said threaded receptacle.
An electrically conductive grounding clip for mounting solar panels, comprising:
- a top member with an aperture between first and second side sections, wherein said first and second side sections have first and second bottom surfaces, respectively, adapted to engage and compress against top surfaces of first and second solar panels, respectively;
- a threaded bolt having an upper portion disposed through said aperture and having a cutting surface on a lower terminal end, wherein a lower portion of said threaded bolt is adapted to threadably engage a support structure;
- a threaded element for threadably engaging said upper portion of said threaded bolt, said threaded element having a lower surface that rests on a top surface of said top member, wherein said threaded element may be threadably advanced along said threaded bolt to compress said first and second bottom surfaces of said top member against the top surfaces of the first and second solar panels;
- and
- a serrated element disposed between said lower surface of said threaded element and said top surface of said top member, wherein said serrated element is operative to cut into said top surface of said top member when said threaded element is threadably advanced along said threaded bolt to compress said top member against the first and second solar panels
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.