Spring loaded mounting foot for photovoltaic systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9923509-B2
Application number	US-201514806544-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 22, 2015
Priority date	Jul 22, 2015
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

A photovoltaic (PV) module mounting system including a mounting puck, an arm portion, and a PV module coupling device for coupling to the frames of two photovoltaic modules attached to the arm portion. A clamp pin formed in the mounting puck restrains the arm portion against the mounting puck when a spring holding the clamp pin is released from a compressed position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A photovoltaic (PV) module mounting system comprising:
a mounting puck;
an arm portion;
a spring within the mounting puck;
a PV module coupling device, connected to the arm portion, configured for coupling together frames of at least two photovoltaic modules; and
a clamp pin comprising a first portion extending away from the mounting puck, wherein the spring biasis the first portion of the clamp pin toward the mounting puck in order for the first portion to restrain the arm portion against the mounting puck.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mounting puck comprises an upper surface elevated above a lower edge, and a passage formed in the upper surface for accommodating a lag bolt.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the arm portion extends in cantilever from the upper surface of the mounting puck.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the arm portion comprises an elongated beam having a rectangular cross-section.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the clamp pin comprises a recess with a rectangular cross-section configured to recieve the rectangular cross-section of the elongated beam and hold the arm portion against the upper surface of the mounting puck.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a release pin, wherein the clamp pin is configured to be restrained by the release pin preventing the first portion of the cliam pin from translating toward the mounting puck.

7. The system of claim 2 , wherein the clamp pin extends externally through the upper surface of the mounting puck.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the spring holds the clamp pin at an internal portion of the mounting puck.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the PV module coupling device comprise rock-it connector.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the PV module coupling device comprises a clamping-style connector.

11. A photovoltaic (PV) module mounting system comprising:
a mounting puck adapted to mount to a structure via a lag bolt, the mounting puck having a mounting puck upper surface and one or more side surfaces;
a clamp pin extending through the mounting puck upper surface and being adapted to move from a first position to a second position;
a spring biasing the clamp pin from the first portion towards the second position; and
an arm portion comprising a PV module coupling device mounting platform, the arm portion extending in cantilever from the mounting puck, wherein the arm portion contacts the clamp pin and is not held by the clamp pin against the mounting puck upper surface when the clamp pin is in the first position, and wherein the spring and the clamp pin are configured to hold the arm portion against the mounting puck upper surface when the clamp pin is in the second position.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the arm portion and clamp pin are free to rotate relative to the mounting puck when the clamp pin is in the first position.

13. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a release pin configured to be positioned in a passage in the mounting puck in an engaged position, wherein when the clamp pin is the first position and the release pin is in the engaged position the release pin contacts the clamp pin and prevents the clamp pin from moving from the first position to the second position, wherein when the clamp pin is in the first position and the release pin is not in the engaged position the release pin does not contact the clamp pin and the clamp pin is configured to move from the first position to the second position due to the spring.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the clamp pin comprises a release indentation, wherein the release indentation is configured to allow the clamp pin to be pried from the second position to the first position.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein in the first position the clamp pin is rotatable with respect to the mounting puck to allow the PV module coupling device mounting platform to be placed 360 degrees about the clamp pin.

16. A photovoltaic (PV) module mounting system comprising:
a mounting puck adapted to mount to a structure, the mounting puck having an exterior surface and an interior surface, wherein the interior surface defines an interior space;
a clamp pin comprising a first end and a second end, opposite the first end, wherein the second end is positioned within the interior space, and wherein the clamp pin extends from the second end through the exterior surface to the first end;
a spring positioned within the interior space and contacting the interior surface and the clamp pin causing the spring to exert force on the clamp pin biasing the second end of the clamp pin to be away from the interior surface; and
an arm portion comprising a PV module coupling device mounting platform, the arm portion extending in cantilever from the mounting puck and releasably coupled to the clamp pin.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the mounting puck comprises a shelled structure.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the clamp pin is selectively releasable from a position in which the arm portion is free to a position in which the clamp pin holds the arm portion against the mounting puck exterior surface.

19. The system of claim 16 , further comprising a release pin, wherein the clamp pin is selectively releasable by a release pin that extends from a portion of the mounting puck exterior surface and couples against the clamp pin.

20. The system of claim 16 , wherein the spring encircles the clamp pin.

Assignees

• Solarcity Corp

Inventors

• Almy Charles

Classifications

• F24J2/5256

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• H02S20/23 Primary

  specially adapted for roof structures · CPC title

• F16M13/022

  repositionable · CPC title

• F24J2/5254

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• F16M11/08

  around a vertical axis {, e.g. panoramic heads (F16M11/12 takes precedence)} · CPC title