Bonding clamp

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9985361-B2
Application number	US-201615382613-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2016
Priority date	Dec 22, 2015
Publication date	May 29, 2018
Grant date	May 29, 2018

Abstract

Bonding clamps used to assembly photovoltaic (PV) arrays and provide an electrical bond between PV module frames forming part of the PV arrays is provided. The bonding clamp includes an electrically conductive body, at least one electrical bonding member extending from the body, and at least one pressure member extending from the body. The bonding clamp may also include one or more spacers to provide a uniform spacing between PV module frames.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bonding clamp comprising:
an electrically conductive body having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a mounting structure for receiving a mounting fastener;
at least one electrical bonding member extending from the body at an angle relative to the bottom surface, the at least one electrical bonding member having a piercing surface;
at least one pressure member extending from the body at an angle relative to the bottom surface, the at least one pressure member having a structure engaging surface that is capable of applying pressure to the one or more structures to be clamped without piercing non-conductive surfaces on the one or more structures to be clamped;
wherein the piercing surface of the at least one electrical bonding member extends from the body so that the piercing surface extends beyond the structure engaging surface of the at least one pressure member so that the at least one piercing surface is capable of piercing non-conductive surfaces on the one or more structures to be clamped; and
at least one spacer member extending from the electrically conductive body in a direction away from the bottom surface of the body.

2. The bonding clamp according to claim 1 , wherein at least one spacer member comprises:
a first spacer member extending from the electrically conductive body in a direction away from the bottom surface of the body; and
a second spacer member extending from the electrically conductive body in a direction away from the bottom surface of the body.

3. The bonding clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the mounting structure comprises an aperture.

4. The bonding clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive body is substantially planar.

5. The bonding clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the first spacer member extends from one end of the electrically conductive body, and the second spacer member extends from an opposite end of the electrically conductive body.

6. The bonding clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the first spacer member extends from the bottom surface of the electrically conductive body, and the second spacer member extends from the bottom surface of the electrically conductive body.

7. The bonding clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrical bonding member comprises a single electrical bonding member.

8. The bonding clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrical bonding member comprises a plurality of electrical bonding members.

9. The bonding clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrical bonding member includes at least one piercing surface.

10. The bonding clamp according to claim 9 , wherein the at least one piercing surface comprises a plurality of piercing surfaces.

11. The bonding clamp according to claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of piercing surfaces comprise a pointed tip.

12. The bonding clamp according to claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of piercing surfaces comprise a serrated tip.

13. The bonding clamp according to claim 9 , wherein the at least one piercing surface comprises a single piercing surface.

14. The bonding clamp according to claim 13 , wherein the single piercing surface comprise a pointed tip.

15. The bonding clamp according to claim 13 , wherein the single piercing surface comprise a serrated tip.

16. The bonding clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one pressure member comprises a single pressure member.

17. The bonding clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one pressure member comprises a plurality of pressure members.

18. The bonding clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one pressure member extending from the electrically conductive body has an offset such that a frame engaging surface of the at least one pressure member lies in a different plane than the bottom surface of the electrically conductive body.

19. A bonding clamp comprising:
an electrically conductive body having a top surface, a bottom surface, first and second spacer sides, first and second frame sides, and a mounting structure for receiving a mounting fastener;
at least one electrical bonding member extending from the first frame side at an angle relative to the bottom surface such that the at least one electrical bonding member is capable of piercing non-conductive surfaces on one or more structures to be clamped, and at least one electrical bonding member extending from the second frame side at an angle relative to the bottom surface such that the at least one electrical bonding member is capable of piercing non-conductive surfaces on one or more structures to be clamped;
at least one pressure member extending from the first frame side at an angle relative to the bottom surface such that the at least one pressure member is capable of applying pressure to the one or more structures to be clamped without piercing non-conductive surfaces on the one or more structures to be clamped, and at least one pressure member extending from the second frame side at an angle relative to the bottom surface such that the at least one pressure member is capable of applying pressure to the one or more structures to be clamped without piercing non-conductive surfaces on the one or more structures to be clamped;
a first spacer member extending from the electrically conductive body; and
a second spacer member extending from the electrically conductive body.

20. The bonding clamp according to claim 19 , wherein the mounting structure comprises an aperture.

21. The bonding clamp according to claim 19 , wherein the electrically conductive body is substantially planar.

22. The bonding clamp according to claim 19 , wherein the first spacer member extends from the first spacer side and in a direction away from the bottom surface of the body, and the second spacer member extends from the second spacer side and in a direction away from the bottom surface of the electrically conductive body.

23. The bonding clamp according to claim 19 , wherein the first spacer member extends from the bottom surface of the electrically conductive body, and the second spacer member extends from the bottom surface of the electrically conductive body.

24. The bonding clamp according to claim 19 , wherein the at least one electrical bonding member comprises a single electrical bonding member.

25. The bonding clamp according to claim 19 , wherein the at least one electrical bonding member comprises a plurality of electrical bonding members.

26. The bonding clamp according to claim 19 , wherein the at least one electrical bonding member includes at least one piercing surface.

27. The bonding clamp according to claim 19 , wherein the at least one electrical bonding member comprises a plurality of piercing surfaces.

28. The bonding clamp according to claim 19 , wherein the at least one pressure member comprises a single pressure member.

29. The bonding clamp according to claim 19 , wherein the at least one pressure member comprises a plurality of pressure members.

30. The bonding clamp according to claim 19 , wherein the at least one pressure member extending from the electrically conductive body has an offset such that a frame engaging surface of the at least one pressure member lies in a different plane than the bottom surface of the electrically conductive body.

3

Assignees

• Hubbell Inc

Inventors

• Martin Evan Ronald

Classifications

• F24J2/5258

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• H01R4/64

  Connections between or with conductive parts having primarily a non-electric function, e.g. frame, casing, rail · CPC title

• Y02E10/47

  Mountings or tracking · CPC title

• H02S40/36

  characterised by special electrical interconnection means between two or more PV modules, e.g. electrical module-to-module connection · CPC title

• H01R4/40 Primary

  Pivotable clamping member · CPC title