System and method for mounting PV panels in bracket and/or rail mount design
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
H02S-030/10
F16B-005/06
H02S-040/34
출원번호
US-0872058
(2015-09-30)
등록번호
US-10256767
(2019-04-09)
발명자
/ 주소
Sinai, Bob
Schwartzman, Cael
Contreras, Isaiah G.
출원인 / 주소
ORION SOLAR RACKING, INC.
대리인 / 주소
Wasserbauer, Esq., Damian
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
11
초록▼
A modular mounting system for securing a photovoltaic (PV) panel to support structure and a solar array. The mounting system and method configured for flat and pitched surfaces with a minimum of components parts reducing manufacturing and installation costs. The mounting system and method in a rack
A modular mounting system for securing a photovoltaic (PV) panel to support structure and a solar array. The mounting system and method configured for flat and pitched surfaces with a minimum of components parts reducing manufacturing and installation costs. The mounting system and method in a rack mount embodiment comprises a base assembly and an elevation assembly each connecting a PV panel via a top plate and mid-clamp assembly. The mounting systems in a rail mount embodiment, the mid-clamp assembly and an end assembly are utilized to ground and secure the PV panel to the rail mount and support structure. The modular mounting system provides a ballast pan, connecting belts for connecting each base bracket to the ballast pan and each other adding rigidity to the system. The modular mounting system provides a reduction in the seismic plates utilized prevent lateral displacement from seismic activity and other environmental factors.
대표청구항▼
1. A modular rack mount system for securing a photovoltaic (PV) panel to a support structure, the rack mount system comprising: a frame configured with front, rear and side portions for holding the PV panel in a predetermined angle spaced apart from the supporting structure;a plurality of top plates
1. A modular rack mount system for securing a photovoltaic (PV) panel to a support structure, the rack mount system comprising: a frame configured with front, rear and side portions for holding the PV panel in a predetermined angle spaced apart from the supporting structure;a plurality of top plates configured for supporting said frame, each top plate comprises a raised portion formed on an upper surface having a threaded opening configured for receiving a fastener, and a pair of out-turned top plate flanges for supporting said top surface, and each top plate flange having a flange opening on a portion thereof, said top plate flange capable of operably connecting to one or more base assemblies and/or one or more elevation assemblies;each of said base assemblies comprising:a base bracket comprising a plurality of sides formed by an out-turned bend at least two of said sides having upper portions with an opening for operably coupling to said top plate flanges, and an out-turned base flange located on a lower portion thereof, said base flange configured with an opening in said base flange for securing said base flange to the support structure, said base bracket configured to align said openings of said top plate flanges with said openings in said upper base assembly, said base bracket configured to support said front portion of said frame adjacent said raised portion of said top plate;each of said one or more elevation assemblies comprising:another of said base bracket and an interleave bracket comprising a plurality of sides formed by an out-turned bend having a plurality of openings in at least two of said sides, said plurality of openings being formed in an upper portion of said at least two sides configured to operably couple said top plate flanges of another of said top plate to said openings in said interleave bracket using one or more fasteners, said interleave bracket further comprising openings along said at least two sides of said interleave bracket to operably couple to openings in the upper portion of said at least two sides of the another of said base bracket using one or more fasteners so as to form a predetermined length, and said interleave bracket configured to secure a rear portion of said frame to said upper surface of each of said top plateswhereby said predetermined length of said each elevation assembly is configured by fastening said one or more fasteners to a selected one of said plurality of openings in at least two of said sides of said interleave bracket to said openings in said at least two sides of said base bracket so as to establish said predetermined angle by adjusting a height of said rear portion of said frame; anda plurality of a mid-clamp assemblies, each comprising a bolt, a washer, a tabbed-spacer configured for operably connecting to said raised portion of said plurality of top plates so as to secure said frame to said structure, said bolt configured to be received in said threaded opening in each of said top plates of respective said base assembly and/or said elevation assembly for connecting to said frame for spacing said frame a predetermined distance apart and a toothed portion adjacent said tab for operably connecting to said frame, said base assembly and/or said elevation assembly to ground to the structure. 2. The modular rack mount system of claim 1, further comprising an end plate configured for grounding an outside edge of said frame in a solar array, said end plate comprising an elongated member configured with a slot located adjacent said opening of said raised portion of each of said top plates of respective said base assembly and each of said top plates of respective said elevation assembly, said elongated member further configured with a spike on a surface adjacent said aperture so as to secure and ground the PV panel and/or said frame using a fastener connected to said threaded opening of said top plate, wherein said slot is configured in a dimension to provide adjustability of said end plate in relation to said top plates relative to each of said base assembly and/or elevation assembly in rows of said solar arrays. 3. The modular rack mount system of claim 1, wherein said tabbed-spacer further comprising a flat portion adjacent said toothed portion and adjacent said frame, said flat portion cooperating with said washer for securely holding said frame. 4. The modular rack mount system of claim 1, wherein one or more of said top plates further comprises one or more spikes disposed on said upper surface adjacent said raised portion, said one or more spikes configured to operably ground said frame and/or the PV panel. 5. The modular rack mount system of claim 1, further comprises a ballast pan adapted to receive ballast so as to maintain the modular rack mount system under environmental conditions, said ballast pan being in the elongated-tray shape with integral drain holes, said ballast pan being configured to operably connect to said base bracket of said base assembly and said elevation assembly to provide grounding to said frame. 6. The modular rack mount system of claim 1, further comprises a solar belt configured to operably connect said elevation assembly of a first solar array to said base assembly of a second solar array, said solar belt configured for connecting said flange of said base bracket of said base assembly in said first solar array to a flange of said base bracket of said elevation assembly in an adjacent row of said second solar array at a predetermined distance for optimal exposure. 7. The modular rack mount system of claim 6, further comprises a seismic plate configured to operably connect to said solar belt at a midpoint thereof, said seismic plate configured to provide grounding to said frame, said seismic plate configured to prevent lateral displacement of adjacent rows of said first and second solar arrays. 8. A modular rail mount system for securing a photovoltaic (PV) panel to support structure, the rail mount system comprising: a frame configured with front, rear and side portions for holding the PV panel in a predetermined angle spaced apart from the supporting structure;a plurality of tracks operably coupled to at least one of a base assembly configured to join the end portions of one of said plurality of tracks spaced apart from the structure and at least one of an elevation assembly configured to secure ends of another of said plurality of tracks spaced apart from the structure, whereby said base assembly comprises a stand having an upper portion for receiving a fastener and a lower portion connected to a shoe base, said shoe base configured with an opening in said base assembly for a fastener to attach to said support structure, an L-foot having a slot in a vertically extending portion for operably connecting to said shoe base, and an L-bracket for connecting to one of said plurality of tracks and to said L-foot using a fastener so as to secure said front portion to said frame to said track along with said base assembly to said support structure;said elevation assembly comprises another of said stand, said L-foot, said L-bracket, and a telescopic leg assembly for connecting using a plurality of fasteners to another of said plurality of tracks, said stand being operably connected to said L-foot at said upper portion and to said structure at said shoe base using said fasteners, said telescopic leg assembly connects at one end to said slot of said vertically extending portion and, at another end, is configured with an integral adjustment arm disposed in said telescopic leg assembly, said integral adjustment arm configured to operably couple to said L-bracket to operably couple to said another of said plurality of tracks using a fastener to secure bottom portion of said frame to said elevation assembly, and said telescopic leg assembly configured to adjust said integral adjustment arm to a predetermined length to elevate said frame;one or more mid-clamp assemblies each comprising a fastener, a channel nut configured to receive said fastener and to be disposed in each of said plurality of tracks, a washer, a tabbed-spacer configured with at least one tab for spacing the frame a predetermined distance apart from an adjacent frame in a solar array, a toothed portion located adjacent said tab for operably grounding said frame, and said channel nut configured for operably connecting with said fastener using a threaded portion of said fastener to secure in each of said plurality of tracks and to affix said tooth portion to said frame forming a ground thereby; anda grounding clip configured to secure said front, rear, and/or side portions of said frame to at least one of said plurality of tracks using another bolt disposed in said grounding clip and to operably connect to said channel nut so as to secure said channel nut in said track, said grounding clip being configured with at least one spike for grounding said frame. 9. The modular rail mount system of claim 8, wherein said tabbed-spacer further comprising a flat portion configured to apply securing force to said frame, said flat portion extending over said PV panel frame for cooperating with said washer for securely holding the frame. 10. A modular rack mount system for securing a photovoltaic (PV) panel disposed in a frame configured with front, rear and side portions in a predetermined angle to a support structure, the rack mount system comprising: a plurality of top plates configured for supporting said frame, each top plate comprises a raised portion formed on an upper surface having a threaded opening configured for receiving a fastener, a pair of out-turned top plate flanges for supporting said top surface, and each top plate flange having a flange opening on a portion thereof configured for operably connecting to one or more base assemblies and/or one or more elevation assemblies;each said base assembly comprising: a base bracket comprising a plurality of sides formed by an out-turned bend having at an upper portion for operably coupling to said top plate flanges with openings in at least two of said side portions, and an out-turned base flange located on a lower portion thereof, said base flange configured with an opening for securing said base flange to the support structure, said base bracket configured to align said openings of said top plate flanges with said openings in said upper portion of each of said two of said side portions for operably coupling using one or more fasteners to said base assembly using one or more fasteners, said base bracket configured to support said front portion of said frame adjacent said raised portion of said top plate;each of said elevation assembly comprising: an interleave bracket comprising a plurality of sides formed by an out-turned bend having a plurality of openings in at least two of said sides, said plurality of openings comprising openings in an upper portion for operably coupling said top plate flanges of another of said top plate using one or more fasteners, and openings along said at least two sides of said interleave bracket operably coupled to said at least two sides of another of said base bracket using said one or more fasteners so as to form a predetermined length, said interleave bracket configured to secure a rear portion of said frame to said upper surface of said top plate, whereby said predetermined length of said elevation assembly is configured by fastening said one or more fasteners to a selected one of said plurality of openings in at least two of said sides of said interleave bracket to said openings in said a least two sides of said base bracket so as to establish said predetermined angle by adjusting a height of said rear portion of said frame; anda plurality of mid-clamp assemblies each comprising a bolt disposed in a washer and in a tabbed-spacer configured for operably connecting to said threaded opening in said raised portion of said plurality of top plates so as to secure said frame to said structure, said bolt being received in said threaded opening of said top plates of said base assembly and/or said elevation assembly for connecting the frame, said tabbed-spacer comprising at least one tab, a toothed portion and at least one flat portion adjacent said toothed portion, said tab configured for spacing the frames a predetermined distance apart, said toothed-portion located adjacent said tab for operably connecting to said frame and said base assembly and/or said elevation assembly to provide grounding to the structure. 11. A modular rail mount system for securing a photovoltaic (PV) panel disposed in a frame configured with front, rear and side portions in a predetermined angle spaced apart from a support structure, the rail mount system comprising: a plurality of tracks operably coupled to at least one of a base assembly configured to secure end portions of one of said plurality of tracks spaced apart from the structure and at least one of an elevation assembly configured to secure ends of another of said plurality of tracks spaced apart from the structure, whereby said base assembly comprising a stand comprising an upper portion for receiving a fastener and a lower portion connected to a shoe base configured with an opening for a fastener to attach to said supporting structure, an L-foot having a slot in a vertically extending portion and an opening in a base portion for operably connected to said shoe base, and an L-bracket for connecting to one of said plurality of tracks and to said L-foot using fasteners, so as to secure said front portion of said frame to said track, said base assembly to said support structure;said elevation assembly comprising another of said stand, said L-foot, said L-bracket and a telescopic leg assembly for connecting using a plurality of fasteners to another of said plurality of tracks, said stand being operably connected to said L-foot at said upper portion and to said structure at said shoe base using said fasteners, said telescopic leg assembly connects at one end to said slot of said vertically extending portion and at another end is configured with an integral adjustment arm disposed in said telescopic leg assembly, said integral adjustment arm configured to operably couple to said L-bracket and to operably couple to said track so as to secure said bottom portion of said frame to said elevation assembly, and said telescopic leg assembly configured to adjust said integral adjustment arm to a predetermined length so as to elevate a rear portion of said frame;one or more mid-clamp assemblies each comprising a fastener, a channel nut configured to received said fastener and to be disposed in said track, a washer, a tabbed-spacer configured with at least one tab for operably connecting between two frames thereby holding the PV panels in a solar array a predetermined distance apart, said mid-clamp assembly configured for operably connecting said frame to said plurality of tracks of said rail mount system and for operably grounding said frame, and said channel nut operably connects to said fastener configured to tighten with a threaded portion to secure in said track and to affix said tooth portion in said frame forming a ground; anda grounding clip configured to secure said front, rear, and/or side portions of said frame to said tracks using another bolt disposed in said grounding clip and operably connecting to said channel nut so as to secure said channel nut in said track, said grounding clip configured to secure and ground said frame at the ends in a solar array, and said grounding clip being configured with at least one spike for grounding said frame.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (11)
Clark Peter D. (East Berlin CT), Adjustable mounting rack for solar collectors.
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