Solar panel assembly attachment apparatus
AssigneeA. Raymond Et Cie
InventorsDorian J. Kilgore, William Teller, Elio G. Evangelista, Justin McCullah, Thomas Wagner, Luc DuPont, James VanBoxel
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Abstract
A solar panel assembly attachment apparatus is provided. In another aspect, a single piece and entirely metallic grounding clip is employed. A further aspect includes a clip or fastener which provides both frame grounding and a frame-to-strut attachment. In still another aspect, a grounding clip having barbs is linearly slid onto a solar panel frame and the clip additionally includes one or more flexible wings which are removably snap-fit into a slot of an elongated and rigid strut.
Claims26
A solar panel assembly attachment apparatus comprising an electrically conductive and single piece grounding clip further comprising:
- at least one substantially C-shaped clamp including an upper wall;
- a lead-in wall upwardly and outwardly angling away from the upper wall;
- multiple barbs continuing from the lead-in wall and internally projecting from the upper wall;
- and
- a mounting section including flexible wings;
- the at least one clamp being adapted to linearly slide onto and sandwich a flange of a solar panel assembly frame therein;
- the barbs of the clip being adapted to electrically connect and provide a ground to the frame;
- and
- the mounting section being adapted to linearly enter an opening in a strut such that the wings are adapted to snap into engagement with the strut.
A solar panel assembly attachment apparatus comprising:
- an elongated and rigid strut including a pair of opposed internal surfaces defining a slot therebetween;
- a solar panel frame including a lateral flange;
- and
- a clip further comprising a substantially C-shaped clamp coupled to a mounting section including flexible wings, the clamp including a receptacle defined between spaced apart upper and lower clamping walls, a lead-in wall upwardly and outwardly angling from the upper wall, and at least one barb continuing from the lead-in wall and projecting into the receptacle;
- the flange of the frame being linearly received into the receptacle of the clamp so the at least one barb engages the frame;
- the mounting section being linearly inserted into the slot of the strut so the wings snap into engagement with the internal surfaces of the strut;
- and
- the at least one barb grounding the clip to the frame and the clip attaching the frame to the strut.
A solar panel assembly attachment apparatus comprising:
- (a) a solar panel frame;
- (b) a grounding fastener further comprising:
- (i) a first substantially C-shaped clasp;
- (ii) at least a second substantially C-shaped clasp, each of the clasps sandwiching a portion of the frame therein;
- (iii) at least one pointed projection extending from each of the clamps to provide electrical grounding contact with the portion of the frame;
- (iv) a member longitudinally extending in a substantially perpendicular direction to a plane laterally spanning between walls of the clasps;
- and
- (v) at least one snap-in wing being flexibly coupled adjacent a distal end of the member, and the clasps being entirely laterally outboard of the wing.
A solar panel assembly attachment apparatus comprising an electrically conductive grounding fastener further comprising:
- (a) a first clamp;
- (b) at least a second clamp laterally spaced apart from the first clamp;
- (c) at least one pointed projection extending from each of the clamps to provide grounding contact;
- (d) a bridge spanning between the clamps;
- (e) elongated members longitudinally extending from the bridge;
- (f) a first snap-in wing flexibly coupled between a pair of the members;
- (g) a second snap-in wing flexibly coupled between another pair of the members, each of the wings including a step located closer to its free end than to its flexibly coupled end;
- (h) a bent tapered segment located adjacent a distal end of the members;
- and
- (i) anti-rotational tabs located adjacent and laterally outboard of the clamps.
A method of grounding a solar panel frame and attaching the frame to a rigid strut, the method comprising:
- (a) linearly pushing a single piece and entirely metallic clip onto a portion of the solar panel frame in a first direction;
- (b) compressing more than two spaced apart, pointed projections of the clip into the portion of the frame;
- and
- (c) flexibly snapping wings of the clip into the rigid strut;
- wherein the clip grounds the frame and attaches the frame to the strut in primarily linear unthreaded installation motions, and
- wherein the rigid strut is elongated in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
- and
- (d) contacting anti-rotational tabs located adjacent and laterally outboard of the clip, against the strut.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.