Multi-level mounting system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11774144-B2
Application number	US-202217843489-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2022
Priority date	Jun 26, 2017
Publication date	Oct 3, 2023
Grant date	Oct 3, 2023

Abstract

A tiered mounting system includes a base plate including a mounting guide rail having a plurality of mounting grooves that extend along opposing sides of the guide rail. The system also includes an object mount connector having a plurality of mounting ridges. The object mount connector is configured to: slidingly engage the mounting guide rail via insertion of one or more of the plurality of mounting ridges within a corresponding one or more of the plurality of mounting grooves, and lock in place along the mounting guide rail via a bolt placed through the object mount connector and secured tightly to an inner track of the mounting guide rail.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tiered mounting system, comprising:
a base plate including:
a planar portion having an upper surface, the upper surface defining a plane, and
a mounting guide rail that abuts and protrudes from the upper surface substantially orthogonal to the plane; and
an object mount connector having a longer length direction than a width direction, the object mount connector including:
a first connection section that protrudes, along the longer length direction, from a first sidewall,
a second connection section that protrudes, along the width direction, from a second sidewall that abuts and is substantially orthogonal to the first sidewall,
wherein the first connection section is configured to mount to the mounting guide rail in a first position where the longer length direction extends substantially orthogonal to the plane of the upper surface, and the second connection section is configured to mount to the mounting guide rail in a second position where the width direction extends substantially orthogonal to the plane of the upper surface, and
wherein each of the first connection section and the second connection section include a multiple-tiered mount to permit multiple different mounting heights at each of the first connection section and the second connection section.

2. The tiered mounting system according to claim 1 , wherein the base plate is configured to be mounted on a surface, the planar portion having one or more through-holes sized to accommodate a surface fastener to secure the base plate against the surface, and
wherein the mounting guide rail extends transversely to the planar portion.

3. The tiered mounting system according to claim 1 , wherein the object mount connector further includes:
a first fastener hole extending in the longer length direction and passing through the first connection section, the first fastener hole sized for receiving a body of a fastener for securing the object mount connector in the first position; and
a second fastener hole extending in the width direction and passing through the second connection section, the second fastener hole for receiving the body of the fastener for securing the object mount connector in the second position.

4. The tiered mounting system according to claim 3 , wherein:
an axis of the first fastener hole is aligned to pass through a body portion of the object mount connector and through a center of the first connection section such that the fastener is insertable through the object mount connector via the first fastener hole to secure the object mount connector to the mounting guide rail in the first position upon engagement of a nut disposed outside of the object mount connector, and
an axis of the second fastener hole is aligned to pass through the body portion of the object mount connector and through a center of the second connection section such that the fastener is insertable through the object mount connector via the second fastener hole to secure the object mount connector to the mounting guide rail in the second position upon engagement of the nut disposed outside of the object mount connector.

5. The tiered mounting system according to claim 1 , wherein the mounting guide rail includes:
a first rail wall disposed parallel to a second rail wall,
an inner track extending between the first rail wall and the second rail wall, the inner track including a gap sized to:
allow passage of a body of a fastener therethrough, and
prevent passage of a head of the fastener therethrough.

6. The tiered mounting system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the multiple-tiered mount of the first connection section has a first plurality of mounting ridges that protrude from the first sidewall, and
wherein the multiple-tiered mount of the second connection section has a second plurality of mounting ridges that protrude from the second sidewall.

7. The tiered mounting system according to claim 6 , wherein the mounting guide rail includes:
a first rail wall disposed parallel to a second rail wall,
a plurality of mounting grooves including a first set of grooves spaced apart on an outer side of the first rail wall and a second set of grooves spaced apart on an outer side of the second rail wall; and
wherein:
the first connection section of the object mount connector is configured to slidingly engage the mounting guide rail via insertion of the first plurality of mounting ridges within a corresponding one or more of the plurality of mounting grooves, and
the second connection section of the object mount connector is configured to slidingly engage the mounting guide rail via insertion of the second plurality of mounting ridges within the corresponding one or more of the plurality of mounting grooves.

8. A tiered mounting system, comprising:
a base plate to secure against a surface, the base plate including:
a planar portion having one or more through-holes sized to accommodate a surface fastener to secure the base plate against the surface, and
a mounting guide rail that abuts and protrudes substantially orthogonal to the planar portion; and
an object mount connector having a longer length direction than a width direction, the object mount connector including:
a first connection section that protrudes, along the longer length direction, from a first sidewall, and
a second connection section that protrudes, along the width direction, from a second sidewall of the object mount connector that abuts and is substantially orthogonal to the first sidewall,
wherein the first connection section is configured to mount to the mounting guide rail in a first position where the longer length direction extends substantially orthogonal to the planar portion of the base plate, and the second connection section is configured to mount to the mounting guide rail of the base plate in a second position where the width direction extends substantially orthogonal to the planar portion of the base plate, and
wherein each of the first connection section and the second connection section include a multiple-tiered mount to permit multiple different mounting heights at each of the first connection section and the second connection section.

9. The tiered mounting system according to claim 8 ,
wherein the multiple-tiered mount of the first connection section has a first plurality of mounting ridges that protrude from the first sidewall, and
wherein the multiple-tiered mount of the second connection section has a second plurality of mounting ridges that protrude from the second sidewall.

10. The tiered mounting system according to claim 9 , wherein the mounting guide rail includes:
a first rail wall disposed parallel to a second rail wall,
a plurality of mounting grooves including a first set of grooves spaced apart on an outer side of the first rail wall and a second set of grooves spaced apart on an outer side of the second rail wall; and
wherein:
the first connection section of the object mount connector is configured to slidingly engage the mounting guide rail via insertion of the first plurality of mounting ridges within a corresponding one or more of the plurality of mounting grooves, and
the second connection section of the object mount connector is configured to slidingly engage the mounting guide rail via insertion of the second plurality of mounting ridges within the corresponding one or more of the plurality of mounting grooves.

11. The tiered mounting system according to claim 8 , wherein the object mount connector further includes:
a first fastener hole extending in the longer length direction and passing through the first connection section, the first fastener hole for receiving a body of a fastener for

Assignees

• Unirac Inc

Inventors

• Robinson Chad

Classifications

• Y02B10/10

  Photovoltaic [PV] · CPC title

• F24S25/33 Primary

  forming substantially planar assemblies, e.g. of coplanar or stacked profiles · CPC title

• F24S25/13

  Profile arrangements, e.g. trusses (F24S25/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F24S25/30 Primary

  using elongate rigid mounting elements extending substantially along the supporting surface, e.g. for covering buildings with solar heat collectors (extending in directions away from the supporting surface F24S25/10; peripheral frames for modules F24S25/20) · CPC title

• F24S25/61

  for fixing to the ground or to building structures · CPC title