# US 2021/0242820 A1 · Integrated photovoltaic module mounting system for use with tufted geosynthetics > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0242820 A1 - Document ID: US20210242820A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/238,732 - Filed: 2021-04-23 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2017-06-20 - Assignees: Watershed Solar LLC - Applicants: Watershed Solar LLC - Inventors: Michael R. Ayers; S. Kyle Ehman; Neta Reef; Sharone Zehavi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210242820A1 ## CPC - H02S 20/10: Supporting structures directly fixed to the ground (H02S20/30 takes precedence) - F24S 25/13: Profile arrangements, e.g. trusses (F24S25/12 takes precedence) - 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 25/632: Side connectors; Base connectors - F24S 25/634: Clamps; Clips - F24S 25/636: clamping by screw-threaded elements - H02S 20/20: Supporting structures directly fixed to an immovable object (H02S20/30 takes precedence) - H02S 20/23: specially adapted for roof structures - H02S 20/25: Roof tile elements - H02S 30/10: Frame structures - H02S 40/22: Light-reflecting or light-concentrating means (directly associated with the PV cell or integrated with the PV cell H10F77/42) - H02S 40/425: {using a gaseous or a liquid coolant, e.g. air flow ventilation, water circulation} - H10F 19/20: comprising photovoltaic cells in arrays in or on a single semiconductor substrate, the photovoltaic cells having planar junctions (having multiple thin-film photovoltaic cells deposited on the same substrate H10F19/31) - F24S 25/20: Peripheral frames for modules - F24S 2025/6003: {by clamping} - F24S 2025/6005: {by screwed connection} - Y02B 10/10: Photovoltaic [PV] - Y02E 10/47: Mountings or tracking - Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy - Y02E 10/52: PV systems with concentrators - 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) - F24S: SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS (for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00) - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - 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 A mounting system 110 for a solar panel 11 includes a base plate 114 having an elongated mounting slot 116, a spacer beam 124 with a slot 128, a first T-shaped fastener 131 having a mounting plate 132 with a width slightly smaller than the size of the slot and a length larger than the size of the slot, so that the mounting plate may be passed through the slot and then rotated so that it then cannot pass back through the slot. A second T-shaped fastener 137 having the same configuration couples the solar panel to the spacer. The system optionally has a ballast system 145 which includes a ballast tray 146 and third T-shaped fastener 155 of the same configuration for coupling the tray to the base plate. An anti-creep strip 161 is coupled to the base member through fourth T-shaped fasteners 162 of the same configuration. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An integrated photovoltaic module mounting system for use in mounting a photovoltaic module to tufted geosynthetics, comprising: at least one elongated base plate; at least one elongated rail, said elongated rail coupled to and longitudinally aligned with said base plate; a plurality of rail fasteners coupling said base plate and said elongated rail; a plurality of photovoltaic module fasteners coupling said rail with the photovoltaic module, and an anti-creep strip coupled to a bottom surface of said base plate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The integrated photovoltaic module mounting system of claim 1 wherein said base plate includes an elongated base plate slot and wherein said rail fasteners include a mounting plate having a selected width smaller than the width of said base plate slot and a length larger than the width of said base plate slot. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The integrated photovoltaic module mounting system of claim 2 wherein said elongated rail includes an elongated rail slot and wherein said photovoltaic module fasteners include a mounting plate having a selected width smaller than the width of said rail slot and a length larger than the width of said rail slot. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The integrated photovoltaic module mounting system of claim 1 wherein said elongated rail includes an elongated rail slot and wherein said photovoltaic module fasteners include a mounting plate having a selected width smaller than the width of said rail slot and a length larger than the width of said rail slot. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The integrated photovoltaic module mounting system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of anti-creep strip fasteners with a mounting plate having a selected width smaller than the width of said base plate slot and a length larger than the width of said base plate slot. ### Claim 6 An integrated photovoltaic module mounting system for use in mounting a photovoltaic module to tufted geosynthetics, comprising: at least one elongated rail; a plurality of first fasteners coupling said rail with the photovoltaic module; and an anti-creep strip coupled to a bottom surface of said rail. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The integrated photovoltaic module mounting system of claim 6 wherein said rail includes an elongated slot and wherein said first fasteners include a mounting plate having a selected width smaller than the width of said slot and a length larger than the width of said slot. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The integrated photovoltaic module mounting system of claim 6 further comprising an elongated second rail, said elongated second rail being coupled to said rail and a plurality of second fasteners coupling said rail with said elongated second rail, and wherein the photovoltaic module is coupled to said rail through said elongated second rail and said plurality of second fasteners. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The integrated photovoltaic module mounting system of claim 8 wherein said elongated second rail includes an elongated rail slot and wherein said second fasteners include a mounting plate having a selected width smaller than the width of said rail slot and a length larger than the width of said rail slot. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The integrated photovoltaic module mounting system of claim 7 further comprising a plurality of second fasteners coupling said rail to said anti-creep strip, each said second fastener includes a mounting plate having a selected width smaller than the width of said base plate slot and a length larger than the width of said slot. ### Claim 11 An integrated photovoltaic module mounting system for use in mounting a photovoltaic module to tufted geosynthetics, comprising: at least one elongated base plate, said base plate having a base member, two opposing side walls each having an inwardly extending lip to define a base plate slot therebetween having a selected slot width; a plurality of first fasteners coupling said base plate with the photovoltaic module, said first fasteners having a mounting plate with a selected width less than said selected slot width and a selected length greater than said selected slot width; and an anti-creep strip coupled to a bottom surface of said base plate, said anti-creep strip including a support and a plurality of projections depending downwardly from said support. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The integrated photovoltaic module mounting system of claim 11 further comprising at least one elongated rail, said rail coupling said base plate to the photovoltaic module, and a plurality of second fasteners coupling said base plate to said elongated rail. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The integrated photovoltaic module mounting system of claim 12 wherein said rail includes an elongated rail slot and wherein said second fasteners include a mounting plate having a selected width smaller than the width of said rail slot and a length larger than the width of said rail slot. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The integrated photovoltaic module mounting system of claim 13 further comprising a plurality of third fasteners coupling said anti-creep strip to said base plate, each said third fastener having a mounting plate having a selected width smaller than the width of said base plate slot and a length larger than the width of said base plate slot. ### Claim 15 A method of mounting a photovoltaic module for use with tufted geosynthetics, comprising the steps of: (a) coupling an anti-creep strip to a bottom surface of an elongated rail; (b) positioning the anti-creep strip onto a portion of a tufted geosynthetics covering a surface; and (c) coupling a photovoltanic module to the elongated rail, wherein the photovotanic module generates electricity and the anti-creep strip inter-engaged with the tufts of the tufted geosynthetics resists wind uplift.