Height adjustable solar panel mounting assembly with an asymmetric lower bracket

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10819271-B2
Application number	US-201615352494-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2016
Priority date	Aug 3, 2015
Publication date	Oct 27, 2020
Grant date	Oct 27, 2020

Abstract

A height adjustable solar panel mounting assembly with an asymmetric lower bracket is disclosed. The asymmetric lower bracket includes a flat support ledge on a first side of the asymmetric lower bracket and a tilted spring support ledge on a second side of the asymmetric lower bracket, where the first side is opposite from the second side. A central box frame is defined by the asymmetric lower bracket where a helical drive element is receivable in the central box frame.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An asymmetric lower bracket for use in a solar panel mounting assembly, comprising:
a central box frame having a first side opposite a second side;
a flat support ledge extending from the first side of the central box frame;
a tilted spring support ledge extending from the second side of the central box frame, the tilted spring support ledge including a tilted portion integrally joined to a horizontal distal portion;
a flat proximal portion extending from the second side of the central box frame, the flat proximal portion integrally formed with the tilted portion; and
a hollow volume positioned on the second side of the central box frame and proximate to the tilted spring support ledge on the second side of the central box frame, the hollow volume bounded by:
a first vertical support wall interfacing with the central box frame and is integral to the flat proximal portion,
a second vertical support wall opposite the first vertical support wall, and
an angled web section attached to a bottom portion of the first vertical support wall and attached to a bottom portion of the second vertical support wall,

wherein the tilted portion of the tilted spring support ledge is integrally joined to, and cantilevered from, the second vertical support wall of the hollow volume in a direction away from the central box frame.

2. The asymmetric lower bracket of claim 1 , wherein the tilted spring support ledge is tilted at an angle ranging from 10-30 degrees to a horizontal plane when a photovoltaic module is not mounted on the tilted spring support ledge.

3. The asymmetric lower bracket of claim 1 , wherein the tilted spring support ledge is tilted at an angle of approximately 20 degrees to a horizontal plane when a photovoltaic module is not mounted on the tilted spring support ledge.

4. The asymmetric lower bracket of claim 1 , wherein the tilted spring support ledge has a width (W) and a thickness (t) sufficient to provide an elastic, spring-like force that pushes upward on a photovoltaic module when the photovoltaic module is installed on the tilted spring support ledge.

5. The asymmetric lower bracket of claim 4 , wherein a ratio of the width to the thickness (W/t) is greater than 15.

6. A clamping assembly for clamping photovoltaic modules, comprising:
a lower bracket including:
a central box frame having a first side opposite a second side,
a flat support ledge extending from the first side of the central box frame,
a tilted spring support ledge extending from the second side of the central box frame, the tilted spring support ledge including a tilted portion integrally joined to a horizontal distal portion,
a flat proximal portion extending from the second side of the central box frame, the flat proximal portion integrally formed with the tilted portion, and
a hollow volume positioned on the second side of the central box frame and proximate to the tilted spring support ledge on the second side of the central box frame, the hollow volume bounded by:
a first vertical support wall interfacing with the central box frame and is integral to the flat proximal portion,
a second vertical support wall opposite the first vertical support wall, and
an angled web section attached to a bottom portion of the first vertical support wall and attached to a bottom portion of the second vertical support wall; and

an upper bracket including:
a vertical wall that has a lower end to be accommodated in a groove of the lower bracket,
a first wing extending from a top of the vertical wall, and
a second wing extending from the top of the vertical wall opposite the first wing,

wherein the tilted portion of the tilted spring support ledge is integrally joined to, and cantilevered from, the second vertical support wall of the hollow volume in a direction away from the central box frame.

7. The clamping assembly of claim 6 , wherein the tilted spring support ledge is tilted at an angle ranging from 10-30 degrees to a horizontal plane when a photovoltaic module is not mounted on the tilted spring support ledge.

8. The clamping assembly of claim 6 , wherein the tilted spring support ledge is tilted at an angle of approximately 20 degrees to a horizontal plane when a photovoltaic module is not mounted on the tilted spring support ledge.

9. The clamping assembly of claim 6 in combination with a first photovoltaic module and a second photovoltaic module, wherein the first photovoltaic module is disposed on a first side of the clamping assembly, wherein the second photovoltaic module is disposed on a second side of the clamping assembly, and wherein the first photovoltaic module and the second photovoltaic module are disposed between the upper bracket and the asymmetric lower bracket.

10. The clamping assembly of claim 9 , wherein the tilted spring support ledge is deflected when the second photovoltaic module is inserted between the upper bracket and the asymmetric lower bracket, wherein the deflected tilted spring support ledge provides a vertical force that pushes upward on the second photovoltaic module such that there is essentially no gap between the upper bracket and the second photovoltaic module.

11. The clamping assembly of claim 6 , wherein the tilted spring support ledge has a width (W) and a thickness (t) sufficient to provide an elastic, spring-like force that pushes upward on a photovoltaic module when the photovoltaic module is installed on the tilted spring support ledge and wherein a ratio of the width to the thickness (W/t) is greater than 15.

12. The clamping assembly of claim 6 , further comprising a helical drive element received in the central box frame, the helical drive element having a hollow, central core that is surrounded by outer helical threads,
wherein the outer helical threads are coated with a coating of a low-noise plastic or elastomer material.

13. The clamping assembly of claim 12 , wherein the low-noise plastic or elastomer material is nylon.

14. The clamping assembly of claim 12 , wherein the coating has a thickness ranging from 0.010 to 0.020 inches.

15. The clamping assembly of claim 12 , wherein the coating is approximately 0.013 inches thick.

16. A method of mounting a photovoltaic module in a solar panel mounting assembly including:
an upper bracket; and
a lower bracket including:
a central box frame having a first side opposite a second side,
a flat support ledge extending from the first side of the central box frame,
a tilted spring support ledge extending from the second side of the central box frame,
a flat proximal portion extending from the second side of the central box frame, the flat proximal portion integrally formed with the tilted spring support ledge;
a hollow volume positioned on the second side of the central box frame and proximate to the tilted spring support ledge on the second side of the central box frame, the hollow volume bounded by:
a first vertical support wall interfacing with the central box frame and is integral to the flat proximal portion,
a second vertical support wall opposite the first vertical support wall, and
an angled web section attached to a bottom portion of the first vertical support wall and attached to a bottom portion of the second vertical support wall,

wherein the tilted portion of the tilted spring support ledge is integrally joined to, and cantilevered from, the second vertical wall of the hollow volume in a direction away from the central box frame;
and the method of mounting the photovoltaic module comprising the steps of:
inserting the photovoltaic module between the upper brac

Assignees

• Unirac Inc

Inventors

• Schuit Nathan
• Mayfield Jason
• Gallegos Ernest

Classifications

• Y02B10/20

  Solar thermal · CPC title

• F16H25/20

  Screw mechanisms (with automatic reversal F16H25/12) · CPC title

• Y02E10/50

  Photovoltaic [PV] energy · CPC title

• F24S25/632

  Side connectors; Base connectors · CPC title

• H02S20/23 Primary

  specially adapted for roof structures · CPC title