Plunger and puck mounting system for photovoltaic panels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10027273-B2
Application number	US-201514701475-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2015
Priority date	Apr 30, 2015
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

A photovoltaic (PV) mounting hardware support system having a base portion. A foot has an elongated body adapted to connect to at least one PV module frame mounting component. A latch is located between the foot and the base portion and comprising first and second flexible flanges adapted to extend into fixed connection with the top portion of base portion. A plunger having first and second extensions, the plunger is located between the latch and the base portion and moveable from a first position to a second position. In the first position of the plunger, the first and second flexible flanges of the latch are not in fixed connection with the base portion. In the second position of the plunger, the first and second extensions of the plunger respectively apply forces to the first and second flexible flanges such that the first and second flexible flanges are placed into fixed connection with the base portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A photovoltaic (PV) mounting system comprising:
a base portion;
a foot portion for supporting a PV module frame mounting component; and
a plunger passing through the foot portion and selectively coupling to the base portion, wherein application of a downward force on one end of the plunger compresses the plunger towards the base portion to selectively lock the foot portion to the base portion, wherein the plunger comprises an elongated shaft passing through the foot portion, wherein the plunger selectively couples to the base portion via a latch positioned between the plunger and base portion, and wherein the latch comprises first and second flexible flanges adapted to extend into fixed connection with the base portion.

2. The PV mounting system of claim 1 , wherein the plunger comprises first and second extensions that respectively lock the first and second flexible flanges of the latch into the base portion.

3. The PV mounting system of claim 2 , wherein the plunger comprises tabs on the shaft that lock the shaft with the latch during compression of the plunger to prevent further movement of the plunger.

4. A photovoltaic (PV) mounting hardware support system comprising:
a base portion for mounting to a structure;
a foot having an elongated body adapted to connect to at least one PV module frame mounting component;
a latch between the foot and the base portion and comprising first and second flexible flanges adapted to extend into fixed connection with the base portion;
a plunger having first and second extensions, the plunger being located between the latch and the base portion and moveable from a first position to a second position, wherein the plunger comprises an elongated shaft that extends upwardly through a passage in the latch and a slot within the foot and the shaft extends downwardly to the first and second extensions that further extend from a plunger planar portion,
wherein in the first position of the plunger, the first and second flexible flanges of the latch are not in fixed connection with the base portion, and
wherein in the second position of the plunger, the first and second extensions of the plunger respectively apply forces to the first and second flexible flanges such that the first and second flexible flanges are placed into fixed connection with the base portion.

5. The PV mounting hardware support system of claim 4 , wherein the base portion comprises a lip for the first and second flexible flanges to fixedly connect to.

6. The PV mounting hardware support system of claim 4 , wherein the latch comprises a latch planar portion having a first end and a second end, wherein the first flexible flange extends downwardly from the first end and wherein the second flexible flange extends downwardly from the second end.

7. The PV mounting hardware support system of claim 4 , further comprising a cap arranged above the foot and configured to transfer force to the plunger for changing from the first position of the plunger to the second position of the plunger.

8. A photovoltaic (PV) mounting hardware support system comprising:
a base portion for mounting to a structure;
a foot having an elongated body adapted to connect to at least one PV module frame mounting component;
a latch between the foot and the base portion and comprising first and second flexible flanges adapted to extend into fixed connection with the base portion;
a plunger having first and second extensions, the plunger being located between the latch and the base portion and moveable from a first position to a second position,
wherein in the first position of the plunger, the first and second flexible flanges of the latch are not in fixed connection with the base portion, and
wherein in the second position of the plunger, the first and second extensions of the plunger respectively apply forces to the first and second flexible flanges such that the first and second flexible flanges are placed into fixed connection with the base portion,
wherein the elongated body of the foot comprises a U-shaped extrusion elongated along a first direction and having channels elongated along the first direction for holding the latch.

9. A photovoltaic (PV) mounting hardware support system comprising:
a base portion assembly for mounting to a structure;
a foot assembly detachably coupled to the base portion assembly;
wherein the foot assembly comprises a latch configured to fixedly secure to the base portion assembly without any bolts sufficiently to support at least one PV module frame,
wherein the latch comprises a pair of flanges, and the foot assembly further comprises a plunger for pushing the pair of flanges into the base portion assembly.

10. The PV mounting hardware support system of claim 9 , wherein the base portion assembly comprises at least a circular housing.

11. The PV mounting hardware support system of claim 10 , wherein the base portion assembly further comprises a lag bolt for securing the base portion assembly to a roof structure.

12. The PV mounting hardware support system of claim 11 , wherein the base portion assembly further comprises a flashing configured to mount between the circular housing and the roof structure.

13. The PV mounting hardware support system of claim 9 , wherein downward movement of the plunger fixedly secures the foot assembly to the base portion assembly.

14. The PV mounting hardware support system of claim 9 ,
wherein the foot assembly comprises a plurality of preassembled components and is provided with the base portion assembly within a kit.

Assignees

• Solarcity Corp

Inventors

• West Jack
• Hudson Tyrus
• Molina David

Classifications

• F24S25/60

  Fixation means, e.g. fasteners, specially adapted for supporting solar heat collector modules · CPC title

• H02S20/23 Primary

  specially adapted for roof structures · CPC title

• F24S25/632

  Side connectors; Base connectors · CPC title

• Y02E10/47

  Mountings or tracking · CPC title

• Y02B10/12

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic