Solar panel continuity bonding device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12424971-B1
Application number	US-202418642350-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Apr 22, 2024
Priority date	May 1, 2019
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

Abstract

A solar panel system includes a rail including a horizontal flange, a rib, and a channel. A clamp assembly includes a first member having a first side having a groove for receiving a portion of the rib and an anchor member for inserting into the channel. The clamp assembly further includes a second member slideably disposed on a second side of the first member and an actuator. When the actuator is actuated, the second member moves in a direction towards a bottom surface of a solar panel such that a top portion of the second member comes into contact with a bottom portion of the solar panel and electrically bonds with the solar panel, and an anchor member of the actuator comes into contact with an inside surface of the channel and electrically bonds with the rail.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A clamp assembly for use in a solar panel mounting system, the clamp assembly comprising:
a clamp member including a body having a through hole with a central axis;
a first anchor that is integrally formed at a lateral side surface of the clamp member such that the first anchor is distinctly spaced apart from the through hole and protruding from the lateral side of the clamp member, the first anchor protruding adjacent to the central axis of the through hole extends, and the first anchor having a free end with a first shape; and
a second anchor sized to extend through the through hole in the clamp member, the second anchor having a first end with a second shape that corresponds to the first shape of the first anchor, and a second end that is threaded; wherein the first end of the second anchor is laterally adjacent to the free end of the first anchor.

2. The clamp assembly of claim 1 , wherein the clamp member is a first clamp member, and the through hole is a first through hole, and
wherein the clamp assembly further comprises a second clamp member configured to engage with the first clamp member on a side thereof opposite the first anchor, the second clamp member having a second through hole such that upon engagement between the first clamp member and the second clamp member, the second through hole aligns coaxially with the first through hole.

3. The clamp assembly of claim 2 , wherein the second anchor is rotatable about the central axis.

4. The clamp assembly of claim 2 , wherein the second anchor is slidably actuatable along the central axis when installed.

5. The clamp assembly of claim 2 , wherein the second anchor is a threaded bolt.

6. The clamp assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first shape of the first anchor includes oppositely extending protrusions about a central portion integrally formed with the body of the clamp member, whereby the protrusions are sized to slide into a guide channel of a trim rail and anchor the clamp member to the trim rail.

7. The clamp assembly of claim 2 , wherein the second shape of the first end of the second anchor is configured to catch within a guide channel of a trim rail in parallel with the first anchor.

8. A clamp assembly for use in a solar panel mounting system, the clamp assembly comprising:
a clamp member including a body having a through hole with a central axis;
a first anchor that is integrally formed with the clamp member, the first anchor protruding from a side of the clamp member in a same direction in which the central axis of the through hole extends, and the first anchor having a free end of a T-shape, and the free end protruding from the side of the clamp member so as to be laterally adjacent to the central axis; and
a second anchor sized to extend through the through hole in the clamp member, the second anchor having an end with a T-shape that corresponds to the T-shape of the first anchor.

9. The clamp assembly of claim 8 , wherein the second anchor includes one or more protrusions for puncturing an anodized layer, a galvanized layer, or a painted layer of a rail upon installation of the clamp assembly.

10. The clamp assembly of claim 8 , wherein the second anchor is slidably displaceable within the through hole such the end of the second anchor is adjustable to align laterally with the free end of the first anchor.

11. The clamp assembly of claim 8 , wherein the clamp member is a first clamp member, and
wherein the clamp assembly further comprises a second clamp member configured to slidingly engage the first clamp member.

12. The clamp assembly of claim 11 , wherein the second clamp member has a through hole positioned to align coaxially with the through hole of the first clamp member upon installation.

13. The clamp assembly of claim 12 , further comprising a nut that engages with an opposing end of the second anchor to hold the second anchor in place upon installation of the clamp assembly.

14. The clamp assembly of claim 8 , wherein the T-shape of the first anchor and the T-shape of the second anchor are a same size.

15. A clamp assembly comprising:
a first clamp member including a first body having a first through hole, a first central axis of the first through hole extending in a first direction;
a second clamp member including a second body having a second through hole, the second clamp member configured to laterally engage the first clamp member such that a second central axis of the second through hole aligns with the first central axis of the first through hole;
a first anchor that is integrally formed with the first clamp member, the first anchor protruding from a side of the first clamp member in a same direction as the first direction in which the first central axis of the first through hole extends, the first anchor having a free end of a T-shape, and the free end protruding from the side of the first clamp member so as to be laterally adjacent to the first central axis; and
a second anchor sized to extend through the first through hole in the first clamp member and the second through hole in the second clamp member, the second anchor having an end with a T-shape that corresponds in shape and size to the T-shape of the first anchor.

16. The clamp assembly of claim 15 , wherein the second clamp member includes one or more protrusions that protrude from a surface above the second through hole, the one or more protrusions for puncturing an anodized layer, a galvanized layer, or a painted layer of a solar panel.

17. The clamp assembly of claim 15 , wherein the second anchor include a threaded shaft via which a threaded nut is configured to engage to secure the second anchor in position.

18. The clamp assembly of claim 15 , wherein the second anchor is slidable within the first through hole and the second through hole simultaneously whereby the second anchor secures the first clamp member to the second clamp member together.

19. The clamp assembly of claim 15 , wherein the first clamp member has a first surface that is angled with respect to a horizontal plane, and
wherein the second clamp member has a second surface that is angled with respect to the horizontal plane in an inverse angle to the first surface, such that upon engagement, the first surface slides planarly against the second surface.

20. The clamp assembly of claim 15 , wherein the first anchor and the second anchor are configured to engage a guide channel in a rail in a third direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, and
wherein the second clamp member is configured to support against a solar panel frame upon installation.

Assignees

• Unirac Inc

Inventors

• Schuit Nathan

Classifications

• H02S20/23

  specially adapted for roof structures · CPC title

• H02S30/10

  Frame structures · CPC title

• Y02E10/47

  Mountings or tracking · CPC title

• Y02B10/10

  Photovoltaic [PV] · CPC title

• Y02E10/50

  Photovoltaic [PV] energy · CPC title