Clamps for securing solar energy panels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9660570-B2
Application number	US-201514887231-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2015
Priority date	Oct 20, 2014
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

Abstract

Clamp assemblies for mounting solar panels and accessories. Clamp assemblies can have geometric features, shaped apertures for fasteners, and measured protrusions for allowing clamp rotation, lateral adjustment, self-alignment, and angled surfaces for facilitating installation of a solar panel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A solar panel clamp assembly comprising:
a top clamp comprising:
a substantially planar plate, a first top flange with a substantially flat lower surface extending away from the plate, and a second top flange with a substantially flat lower surface extending away from the plate in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of the plate and in substantially the opposite direction than the first top flange; and
a top clamp aperture disposed through the plate and a geometric protrusion; and

a bottom clamp comprising:
a base member having a top surface and a lower surface;
a first base flange extending away from the lower surface of the base member and a second base flange extending away from the lower surface of the base member in substantially the opposite direction than the first base flange, wherein the first base flange is substantially parallel with the plane of the plate, wherein the second base flange is angled upward toward the top clamp such that an interface between the second base flange and the plate is lower than an interface between the first base flange and the plate wherein the second base flange is displaced downward, thereby compressing a frame of the solar panel when a solar panel is inserted between the top clamp and the bottom clamp; and
a bottom clamp aperture extending through the base member,

wherein the top clamp and the bottom clamp are configured to clamp together with a fastener that extends through the top clamp aperture and the bottom clamp aperture.

2. A solar panel clamp assembly comprising:
a top clamp comprising:
a substantially planar plate, a first top flange with a substantially flat lower surface extending away from the plate, and a second top flange with a substantially flat lower surface extending away from the plate in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of the plate and in substantially the opposite direction than the first top flange; and
a top clamp aperture disposed through the plate and a geometric protrusion; and

a bottom clamp comprising:
a base member having a top surface and a lower surface;
a first base flange extending away from the lower surface of the base member and a second base flange extending away from the lower surface of the base member in substantially the opposite direction than the first base flange, wherein the first base flange is substantially parallel with the plane of the plate, wherein the second base flange is angled upward toward the top clamp such that an interface between the second base flange and the plate is lower than an interface between the first base flange and the plate wherein the top surface of the bottom clamp further comprises an upward facing protrusion on a side of the second base flange, wherein the upward facing protrusion is configured to engage a bottom surface of the plate when a solar panel is clamped between the first top flange and the first base flange, thereby acting as a fulcrum to allow for clamping the top clamp and bottom clamp with only one solar panel installed while preventing the top clamp from being angled askew with respect to the bottom clamp; and
a bottom clamp aperture extending through the base member,

wherein the top clamp and the bottom clamp are configured to clamp together with a fastener that extends through the top clamp aperture and the bottom clamp aperture.

3. A solar panel clamp assembly comprising:
a top clamp comprising:
a substantially planar plate, a first top flange with a substantially flat lower surface extending away from the plate, and a second top flange with a substantially flat lower surface extending away from the plate in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of the plate and in substantially the opposite direction than the first top flange; and
a top clamp aperture disposed through the plate and a geometric protrusion; and

a bottom clamp comprising:
a base member having a top surface and a lower surface;
a first base flange extending away from the lower surface of the base member and a second base flange extending away from the lower surface of the base member in substantially the opposite direction than the first base flange; and
a bottom clamp aperture extending through the base member,

wherein the top clamp and the bottom clamp are configured to clamp together with a fastener that extends through the top clamp aperture and the bottom clamp aperture, wherein the top clamp aperture and bottom clamp aperture comprise a slot for allowing the top clamp and bottom clamp to adjust laterally without moving the fastener when the fastener is fixed to a particular location.

4. A solar panel clamp assembly comprising:
a top clamp comprising:
a substantially planar plate, a first top flange with a substantially flat lower surface extending away from the plate, and a second top flange with a substantially flat lower surface extending away from the plate in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of the plate and in substantially the opposite direction than the first top flange; and
a top clamp aperture disposed through the plate and a geometric protrusion; and

a bottom clamp comprising:
a base member having a top surface and a lower surface;
a first base flange extending away from the lower surface of the base member and a second base flange extending away from the lower surface of the base member in substantially the opposite direction than the first base flange, wherein the first base flange and second base flange taper in cross-sectional area as they extend from the center, thereby reducing point stresses on a supported solar energy panel; and
a bottom clamp aperture extending through the base member,

wherein the top clamp and the bottom clamp are configured to clamp together with a fastener that extends through the top clamp aperture and the bottom clamp aperture.

5. A clamp assembly for mounting solar panels and accessories comprising:
a top clamp comprising:
a substantially planar plate;
a first raised flange with a first substantially flat lower surface, the first raised flange on a first terminal edge of a first surface that extends upwards from the plate;
a second raised flange with a second substantially flat lower surface, the second raised flange on a second terminal edge of a second surface that extends upwards from the plate, the second raised flange extending in substantially an opposite direction than the first raised flange;
a geometric protrusion extending downward from the plate; and
a top clamp aperture disposed through the plate and the geometric protrusion;

a bottom clamp comprising:
a base member having a lower surface and top surface with a geometric cavity disposed therein;
a first base flange extending away from the lower surface of the base member;
a second base flange extending away from the lower surface of the base member in substantially the opposite direction than the first base flange; and
a bottom clamp aperture extending through the base member and the geometric cavity; and

a fastener extending through the top clamp aperture and the bottom clamp aperture, and configured to compress the top clamp and bottom clamp together,
wherein the top clamp and the bottom clamp are configured to freely rotate about the fastener relative to each other when the geometric protrusion is not compressed within the geometric cavity, and
wherein the first raised flange and the second raised flange respectively align above the first base flange or the second base flange when the geometric protrusion is compressed within the geometric cavity.

6. The clamp assembly of claim 5 , wherein the first raised flange and the second raised flange extend away from the plate in a direction that creates a minor acute angle with an axis substantially

Assignees

• Pegasus Solar Inc

Inventors

• Stephan Erich Kai
• Harris Glenn

Classifications

• F16B2005/0678

  in abutting relationship · CPC title

• H02S20/23

  specially adapted for roof structures · CPC title

• F16B5/0028

  using I-shaped connectors (with flanges moving towards each other F16B5/0068) · CPC title

• H02S20/20 Primary

  Supporting structures directly fixed to an immovable object (H02S20/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16B2/065

  using screw-thread elements (F16B2/08 - F16B2/12 take precedence) · CPC title