Trim Assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017133975-A1
Application number	US-201715405801-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 13, 2017
Priority date	Oct 16, 2014
Publication date	May 11, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A trim assembly is disclosed. The trim assembly includes a trim, where the trim has a curved form, and a trim mounting bracket, where the trim is mountable on the trim mounting bracket.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A trim assembly, comprising:
a trim, wherein the trim has a curved form; and a trim mounting bracket, wherein the trim is mountable on the trim mounting bracket.

2 . The trim assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the trim mounting bracket has a first trim mounting structure and a second trim mounting structure, wherein the first trim mounting structure and the second trim mounting structure are U-shaped, and wherein an upper portion of the trim is receivable in the first trim mounting structure and a lower portion of the trim is receivable in the second trim mounting structure.

3 . The trim assembly according to claim 2 further comprising an attachment device, wherein the attachment device is disposable through an aperture in the trim mounting bracket and is engageable with the upper portion of the trim when the upper portion of the trim is received in the first trim mounting structure.

4 . The trim assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the attachment device is a screw with a pointed end and wherein the screw cuts into the upper portion of the trim and electrically bonds the trim to the trim mounting bracket when the screw engages with the upper portion of the trim.

5 . The trim assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the trim has no attachment holes for attaching the trim to the trim mounting bracket and wherein the upper portion of the trim is snappable into the first trim mounting structure and the lower portion of the trim is snappable into the second trim mounting structure.

6 . The trim assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the trim mounting bracket has an angled mid-portion, wherein the trim has a curved mid-portion, and wherein the angled mid-portion of the trim mounting bracket is received within the curved mid-portion of the trim when the trim is mounted on the trim mounting bracket.

7 . The trim assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the trim mounting bracket has an upper portion with a first U-shaped trim mounting structure, a lower portion with a second U-shaped trim mounting structure, and a mid-portion with an angled structure.

8 . The trim assembly according to claim 1 in combination with an apparatus for mounting photovoltaic modules, the apparatus for mounting photovoltaic modules comprising:
a bracket, wherein the bracket defines a slot in a lower portion of the bracket and wherein the slot extends along a longitudinal length of the bracket;
a clamp securable to the bracket on an upper portion of the bracket;
wherein a first photovoltaic module and a second photovoltaic module are mountable on a first side of the bracket and a first side of the clamp, wherein the first photovoltaic module is adjacent to the second photovoltaic module, and wherein only a respective end portion of the first photovoltaic module and the second photovoltaic module is mountable in the first side of the bracket and the first side of the clamp; and
a footer, wherein the footer is variably positionable on the bracket along the slot;
wherein the trim mounting bracket is mountable on the bracket.

9 . The trim assembly and apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the trim mounting bracket has a first bracket mounting structure and a second bracket mounting structure, wherein the first bracket mounting structure is U-shaped, and wherein the second bracket mounting structure has two legs that each include an outwardly extending tab on a respective end of the two legs.

10 . The trim assembly and apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the U-shaped first bracket mounting structure is engageable on a ridge of the bracket and wherein the second bracket mounting structure is engageable in the slot of the bracket.

11 . The trim assembly and apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the outwardly extending tabs of the two legs of the second bracket mounting structure are engageable behind structure of the bracket that defines the slot.

12 . The trim assembly and apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising an attachment device, wherein the attachment device is disposable through an aperture in the trim mounting bracket and within the slot of the bracket and is engageable with the bracket internal to the slot.

13 . The trim assembly and apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the attachment device is a screw with a pointed end and wherein the screw cuts into the bracket and electrically bonds the trim mounting bracket to the bracket when the screw engages with the bracket.

14 . The trim assembly and apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein a top portion of the trim is electrically bonded to a top portion of the trim mounting bracket and wherein a bottom portion of the trim mounting bracket is electrically bonded to the bracket.

15 . The trim assembly and apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein a longitudinal length of the trim is longer than the longitudinal length of the bracket.

16 . The trim assembly and apparatus according to claim 15 , where the trim extends across the first photovoltaic module and the second photovoltaic module when the trim and the first photovoltaic module and the second photovoltaic module are mounted on the bracket.

17 . The trim assembly and apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein a lowest-most portion of the trim assembly extends below a lowest-most portion of the bracket.

18 . The trim assembly and apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a first bonding clip and a second bonding clip, wherein the first bonding clip and the second bonding clip are disposed on the first side of the bracket; wherein the first bonding clip and the second bonding clip are disposed on opposing longitudinal ends of a first ledge of the bracket and wherein the first photovoltaic module and the second photovoltaic module are engageable with the first bonding clip and the second bonding clip, respectively; wherein the first ledge includes a depression and wherein a portion of the first bonding clip and a portion of the second bonding clip are disposed in the depression.

19 . The trim assembly and apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising a micro-inverter mounting bracket, wherein the micro-inverter mounting bracket is mountable on the bracket.

20 . The trim assembly and apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein the micro-inverter mounting bracket is mountable in the slot of the bracket.

Assignees

• Unirac Inc

Inventors

• Ganshaw Todd
• Gallegos Ernest
• Mayfield Jason
• Schuit Nathan

Classifications

• F24J2/5256

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• H02S30/10

  Frame structures · CPC title

• H02S20/23 Primary

  specially adapted for roof structures · CPC title

• F16M13/02

  for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle · CPC title

• F24J2/5207

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic