Multi-level mounting system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12429251-B2
Application number	US-202318375361-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2023
Priority date	Jun 26, 2017
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

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 system comprising:
a base including:
a surface mounting side, and
a mounting portion side having:
a first sidewall with a first protrusion, and
a second sidewall with a second protrusion;

an object mount connector including:
a first side having a first hole extending along a first axis through the first side,
a second side having a second hole extending along a second axis through the second side, and the first axis intersecting the second axis,
a first attachment section disposed at least partially on the first side, the first attachment section to engage with the mounting portion side in a first configuration of the system, the first attachment section having:
a first sidewall with a first protrusion, and
a second sidewall with a second protrusion, and

a second attachment section disposed at least partially on the second side, the second attachment section to engage with the mounting portion side in a second configuration of the system, the second attachment section having:
a first sidewall with a first protrusion, and
a second sidewall with a second protrusion; and

a fastener,
wherein, when in the first configuration, the fastener is disposable through the first hole in the first side of the object mount connector to secure the object mount connector to the base, and
wherein, when in the second configuration, the fastener is disposable through the second hole in the second side of the object mount connector to secure the object mount connector to the base.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the surface mounting side of the base is configured to be disposed against a surface to which the base is secured upon installation thereof; and
the first sidewall of the base and the second sidewall of the base extend upward from an inner area of the mounting portion side of the base.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first side of the object mount connector is disposed orthogonally to the second side of the object mount connector.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
in the first configuration:
the first protrusion of the first sidewall of the mounting portion side of the base and the first protrusion of the first sidewall of the first attachment section of the object mount connector at least partially interlock to secure the object mount connector to the base, and
the second protrusion of the second sidewall of the mounting portion side of the base and the second protrusion of the second sidewall of the first attachment section of the object mount connector at least partially interlock to secure the object mount connector to the base; and

in the second configuration:
the first protrusion of the first sidewall of the mounting portion side of the base and the first protrusion of the first sidewall of the second attachment section at least partially interlock to secure the object mount connector to the base, and
the second protrusion of the second sidewall of the mounting portion side of the base and the second protrusion of the second sidewall of the second attachment section at least partially interlock to secure the object mount connector to the base.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first sidewall of the mounting portion side of the base has a third protrusion;
the second sidewall of the mounting portion side of the base has a fourth protrusion arranged parallel with the third protrusion of the mounting portion side;
the first sidewall of the first attachment section of the object mount connector has a third protrusion;
the second sidewall of the first attachment section of the object mount connector has a fourth protrusion arranged parallel with the third protrusion of the first attachment section;
the first sidewall of the second attachment section of the object mount connector has a third protrusion; and
the second sidewall of the second attachment section of the object mount connector has a fourth protrusion arranged parallel with the third protrusion of the second attachment section.

6. A system comprising:
a base having a first surface configured to be mounted to a surface via apertures through a the base, the base including a tiered structure that extends away from a second surface opposite the first surface, the tiered structure having a first tier and a second tier;
an object mount connector to couple to the base in one of a first position of the object mount connector and a second position of the object mount connector, the object mount connector including:
a first attachment section disposed at least partially on a first side of the object mount connector, the first attachment section to engage with at least one of the first tier or the second tier in the first position, and
a second attachment section disposed at least partially on a second side of the object mount connector, the second attachment section to engage the at least one of the first tier or the second tier in the second position; and

a fastener,
wherein, when in the first position, the fastener is disposable through the first side of the object mount connector to secure the object mount connector to the base, and
wherein, when in the second position, the fastener is disposable through the second side of the object mount connector to secure the object mount connector to the base.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein:
the first tier includes one or more protrusions;
the second tier includes one or more protrusions;
the first attachment section includes one or more protrusions that interlock with at least one of the one or more protrusions of the first tier in the first position or the one or more protrusions of the second tier in the first position; and
the second attachment section includes one or more protrusions that interlock with the at least one of the one or more protrusions of the first tier in the second position or the one or more protrusions of the second tier in the second position.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein:
the object mount connector further includes:
a first hole, and
a second hole;

in the first position, the fastener is disposable through the first hole to secure the object mount connector to the base; and
in the second position, the fastener is disposable through the second hole to secure the object mount connector to the base.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein:
the first attachment section is slidably engageable with the tiered structure; and
the second attachment section is slidably engageable with the tiered structure.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein:
in the first position, a third side of the object mount connector is spaced apart from the second surface of the base by a first distance, the third side of the object mount connector being opposite the first side of the object mount connector; and
in the second position, a fourth side of the object mount connector is spaced apart from the second surface of the base by a second distance that is different than the first distance, the fourth side being opposite the second side of the object mount connector.

11. The system of claim 6 , wherein:
the tiered structure at least partially defines a channel; and
the fastener is at least partially disposed in the channel.

12. A system comprising:
a base including:
a surface mounting side, and
a solar panel mounting side opposite the surface mounting side, the solar panel mounting side including:
a first sidewall having a protrusion and a protruding lip that extend in opposite directions,
a second sidewall having a protrusion and a protruding lip that extend in opposite directions,
a channel defined between the first sidewall, the second sidewall, the protrudi

Assignees

• Unirac Inc

Inventors

• Robinson Chad

Classifications

• Y02B10/10

  Photovoltaic [PV] · CPC title

• H02S30/00

  Structural details of PV modules other than those related to light conversion (semiconductor device aspects of modules of electrolytic light sensitive devices H01G9/20, of inorganic PV modules H10F10/00, H10F19/00, of organic PV modules H10K30/00) · CPC title

• Y02B10/20

  Solar thermal · CPC title

• Y02E10/47

  Mountings or tracking · 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