CN217783941U

CN217783941U - Fastener and fastening assembly

Info

Publication number: CN217783941U
Application number: CN202220872754.6U
Authority: CN
Inventors: 安托万·乐格尔; 叶日安
Original assignee: A Raymond SARL
Current assignee: A Raymond SARL
Priority date: 2021-04-15
Filing date: 2022-04-15
Publication date: 2022-11-11
Anticipated expiration: 2032-04-15
Also published as: ES1294190Y; ES1294190U

Abstract

The utility model provides a fastener (102) and fastening assembly (100) including this fastener. The fastener is used to fasten the first member (10) to the second member (20). The fastener is adapted to pass through the first aperture (16) of the first member and the second aperture (24) of the second member in an insertion direction to a fastening position. The fastener includes at least one retaining arm (106, 206, 306, 406, 506) including a first retaining section and a second retaining section. The holding arm is configured such that: the first retaining section is engageable with the first member and the second retaining section is engageable with the second member when the fastener is in the fastened position to resiliently hold the first and second members together. According to the utility model discloses a fastener and fastening components can realize the quick fastening of first component and second component.

Description

Fastener and fastening assembly

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to the field of fastener technology, and more particularly to a fastener and fastening assembly for fastening a photovoltaic panel to a support structure.

Background

In recent years, new energy fields such as the photovoltaic industry have been rapidly developed in order to cope with climate change.

At present, photovoltaic panels are generally fastened to the supporting structure by means of bolted connections. In some prior art solutions, for example as shown in fig. 1, a photovoltaic panel may be mounted to a photovoltaic panel holder 1, in particular, the edge of the photovoltaic panel may be held in a receiving channel 3 of the photovoltaic panel holder 1, the photovoltaic panel holder 1 may then be fastened to a support structure 2 by means of bolts, thereby achieving the mounting of the photovoltaic panel. In other solutions, the photovoltaic panels may be fixed by pressing blocks and by means of bolts to purlins supported by the supporting structure, as disclosed in CN 104967398A.

In practical application, a plurality of photovoltaic panels are often required to be fixedly installed, and each photovoltaic panel is provided with a plurality of fixing points, so that the installation time is long and the efficiency is low through bolt connection.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and to provide an improved fastening element and assembly for fastening a photovoltaic panel to a support structure.

A first aspect of the invention provides a fastener for fastening a first member to a second member, the fastener being adapted to pass through a first aperture of the first member and a second aperture of the second member in an insertion direction to a fastening position, the fastener comprising at least one retaining arm comprising a first retaining section and a second retaining section, the retaining arm being configured such that: the first retaining section is engageable with the first member and the second retaining section is engageable with the second member when the fastener is in the fastened position to resiliently hold the first and second members together.

According to the utility model discloses a fastener can accomplish the fastening to first component and second component through simple insertion action, and is easy and simple to handle, can improve fastening efficiency.

In accordance with the above-described concepts, the present invention may further include any one or more of the following alternatives.

In some alternatives, the first retaining section includes a stop portion that is capable of impeding separation of the first and second members from one another when the fastener is in the fastened position.

In some alternatives, the retaining arm further comprises a transition section, the first retaining section being connected to the second retaining section via the transition section, and the transition section being adapted to be at least partially positioned in the first and second apertures when the fastener is in the fastened position.

In some alternatives, the stop portion of the first retention section abuts the transition section, and the stop portion is arcuate in shape. The stopper portion is designed in an arc shape, which can prevent stress concentration and allow the stopper portion to withstand high force without breaking.

In some alternatives, the first retention section includes a barb configured to engage the first member when the fastener is in the fastened position.

In some alternatives, the barbs have sharp corners that are themselves angled at 30 ° to 90 °, preferably at about 40 ° or 60 °.

By providing the barbs, a stable mechanical and/or electrical connection between the fastener and the first member may be established.

In some alternatives, the first retaining section further comprises a spring increasing portion to increase the elasticity of the first retaining section, on one hand, the tendency of the transition sections to approach each other due to the first retaining section being too rigid after the fastener is inserted to the fastening position and even to cause an improper unlocking of the fastener can be avoided, and on the other hand, the thickness range of the first and second members that the fastener can clamp can be made larger.

In some alternatives, the spring enhancement portion is in the form of a recessed hole.

In some alternatives, the fastener comprises at least two retaining arms adapted to resiliently abut the periphery of the first and/or second apertures, each retaining arm comprising a connecting section, one end of the connecting section of each retaining arm being connected to each other and the other end of the connecting section of each retaining arm being connected to a respective second retaining section.

In some alternatives, the retaining arm further comprises an unlocking portion adapted to engage with a tool to move the retaining arms toward each other and away from the periphery of the first and/or second apertures.

In some alternatives, the fastener includes two symmetrically disposed retaining arms.

In some alternatives, the fastener is integrally formed from a sheet of material.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fastening assembly, comprising: the fastener according to the first aspect of the invention, the fastener comprising at least two retaining arms connected to each other adapted to resiliently abut the periphery of the first and/or second aperture, the retaining arms comprising a transition section adapted to be at least partially positioned in the first and second aperture when the fastener is in the fastened position; and a spacer configured to be insertable and retainable between the at least two retention arms along the insertion direction for impeding the transition sections from approaching each other.

By providing the spacer, the transition sections positioned in the first and second openings may be prevented from approaching each other, thereby preventing relative displacement of the first and second members along their contact surfaces.

In some alternatives, the spacer includes a spacer spaced between the transition sections of the at least two retention arms when the spacer is inserted into position.

In some alternatives, the spacer includes stop legs configured to be resiliently deformable to allow insertion of the spacer between the retaining arms and to resume deformation after moving past the transition section to insert the spacer into place to prevent the spacer from moving away from the fastener in a direction opposite the insertion direction.

In some alternatives, the spacer includes a stop arm configured to resist movement of the spacer in the insertion direction as the spacer is inserted into place.

In some alternatives, the fastener includes a recess, and the spacer includes a stop protrusion, the spacer being insertable into position through the recess and being hindered by the stop protrusion from moving away from the fastener in a direction opposite the insertion direction.

In some alternatives, the spacer further comprises a limit bump arranged to impede movement of the spacer in the insertion direction when the spacer is inserted into place.

According to the utility model discloses a fastening components can realize the quick fastening of first component and second component, can also avoid first component and second component along its contact surface relative movement when first component and second component set up for the horizontal direction slope.

Drawings

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of alternative embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts, and in which:

figure 1 shows a prior art fastening of a photovoltaic panel holder to a support structure;

fig. 2A and 2B show a perspective view and a cross-sectional view, respectively, of a fastening assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention for fastening a photovoltaic panel holder to a support structure;

fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the fastener of the fastening assembly of fig. 2A used alone to fasten a photovoltaic panel holder to a support structure;

fig. 4A and 4B respectively show partial perspective views of the fastening assembly of fig. 2A at different positions when the fastener alone is used to fasten the photovoltaic panel holder to a support structure;

fig. 5A and 5B show a front view and a cross-sectional view, respectively, of the fastener of the fastening assembly of fig. 2A alone used to fasten the photovoltaic panel holder to the support structure;

fig. 6A and 6B show a perspective view and a side view, respectively, of the photovoltaic panel holder and support structure of fig. 2A in contact with each other;

fig. 6C and 6D show respective perspective views of the photovoltaic panel holder and the support structure of fig. 2A;

FIGS. 7A and 7B show perspective views of the fastener of the fastening assembly of FIG. 2A, respectively, from different angles;

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of the spacer of the fastening assembly of FIG. 2A;

fig. 9A and 9B respectively show perspective views from different angles of a fastening assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention for fastening a photovoltaic panel holder on a support structure;

FIGS. 10A and 10B respectively show cross-sectional views taken in different directions of the fastening assembly of FIG. 9A for fastening a photovoltaic panel holder to a support structure;

fig. 11 shows a perspective view of the fastener of the fastening assembly of fig. 9A used alone to fasten the photovoltaic panel holder to the support structure;

FIGS. 12A and 12B show perspective views of the fastener of the fastening assembly of FIG. 9A, respectively, from different angles;

FIG. 13 shows a perspective view of the spacer of the fastening assembly of FIG. 9A;

figures 14A and 14B show a perspective view and a front view, respectively, of a fastening assembly according to a third embodiment of the present invention for fastening a photovoltaic panel holder to a support structure;

fig. 15 shows a cross-sectional view of the fastening assembly of fig. 14A used to fasten a photovoltaic panel holder to a support structure;

figures 16A and 16B show perspective and cross-sectional views, respectively, of the fastener of the fastening assembly of figure 14A alone used to fasten the photovoltaic panel holder to the support structure;

FIGS. 17A and 17B show perspective views of the fastener of the fastening assembly of FIG. 14A, respectively, from different angles;

FIG. 18 shows a perspective view of the spacer of the fastening assembly of FIG. 14A;

FIG. 19 shows a front view of the fastener of FIG. 17A in comparison to the fastener of FIG. 12A;

figures 20A and 20B show a perspective view and a cross-sectional view, respectively, of a fastening assembly according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention for fastening a photovoltaic panel holder to a support structure;

fig. 21A and 21B show perspective and front views, respectively, of the fastener of the fastening assembly of fig. 20A alone used to fasten the photovoltaic panel holder to the support structure;

FIGS. 22A and 22B show perspective views of the fastener assembly of FIG. 20A, respectively, from different angles;

figures 23A and 23B show a perspective view and a front view, respectively, of a fastening assembly according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention for fastening a photovoltaic panel holder to a support structure;

fig. 24 shows a cross-sectional view of the fastening assembly of fig. 23A used to fasten a photovoltaic panel holder to a support structure;

fig. 25A and 25B show perspective and cross-sectional views, respectively, of the fastener of the fastening assembly of fig. 23A used alone to fasten a photovoltaic panel holder to a support structure;

FIGS. 26A and 26B show perspective views of the fastener of the fastening assembly of FIG. 23A, respectively, from different angles; and

fig. 27 shows a perspective view of the spacer of the fastening assembly of fig. 23A.

Detailed Description

The making and using of the embodiments are discussed in detail below. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the particular manner of making and using the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The description of the structural positions of the respective members such as up, down, top, bottom, etc. is not absolute, but relative. When the respective members are arranged as shown in the drawings, these directional expressions are appropriate, but when the positions of the respective members in the drawings are changed, these directional expressions are also changed accordingly. In the present invention, the inside of the fastener refers to an internal space surrounded by the retaining arms of the fastener, and the outside of the fastener is a concept opposite to the inside thereof.

Fig. 2A to 8 show a fastening assembly 100 and its component parts according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to fig. 2A-3, the fastening assembly 100 of the present invention is used to fasten a first member to a second member. The fastening assembly 100 includes a fastener 102 and a spacer 104. Wherein the fastening assembly 100 may be used in combination to fasten a first member to a second member, the fastener 102 of the fastening assembly 100 may also be used alone to fasten a first member to a second member, which will be described in detail below.

The fastening assembly 100 according to the present invention will be described below by taking as an example the first member as a photovoltaic panel holder 10 and the second member as a support structure 20 for supporting a photovoltaic panel. It can be understood that the fastening assembly according to the present invention can be used for fastening other members, such as any two plates, the plate and the hollow pipe, etc.; and according to the utility model discloses a fastening components is not restricted to being applied to the photovoltaic field, all can use in the application field that other needs carry out quick fastening to the component according to the utility model discloses a fastening components.

Referring to fig. 6A-6D, in the illustrated embodiment, the photovoltaic panel holder 10 can have a support wall 12 and a holding wall 14 that are perpendicular to each other. The support wall 12 may include a first aperture 16. The retaining wall 14 may include a receiving channel 18 for receiving and retaining an edge of the photovoltaic panel. The face of the photovoltaic panel is substantially parallel to the support wall 12 when the edge of the photovoltaic panel is retained in the receiving channel 18. The support structure 20 serves to support the photovoltaic panel holder 10 and the photovoltaic panel. The support structure 20 has a support plate 22 with a second opening 24 provided therein. The support structure 20 may be secured to the ground, roof, etc. by other members or structures to provide stable support for the photovoltaic panel. Referring to fig. 2A and 2B, the photovoltaic panel holder 10 and the support structure 20 are shown on only one side of the photovoltaic panel, and the photovoltaic panel holder 10 and the support structure 20 may be similarly provided on the other sides of the photovoltaic panel. In addition, the photovoltaic panel holders and the supporting structures for fastening used in the fastening assemblies of the second to fourth embodiments, which will be described below, have the same configuration, and will not be described in detail.

Referring to fig. 3 to 6D, the fastener 102 may be passed through the first aperture 16 of the photovoltaic panel holder 10 and the second aperture 24 of the support structure 20 in the insertion direction D to a fastening position. The fastener 102 includes at least one retaining arm 106, the retaining arm 106 including a first retaining section 108 and a second retaining section 110, the retaining arm 106 configured such that: when the fastener 102 is in the fastened position, the first retaining section 108 can engage the photovoltaic panel holder 10 and the second retaining section 110 can engage the support structure 20 to resiliently hold/clamp the photovoltaic panel holder 10 and the support structure 20 together.

Specifically, in the illustrated embodiment, the fastener 102 may be inserted through the first aperture 16 of the support wall 12 and the second aperture 24 of the support plate 22 in the insertion direction D to a fastened position. Wherein the support wall 12 and the support plate 22 may substantially abut each other, the insertion direction D being substantially perpendicular to the support wall 12 and the support plate 22.

Referring to fig. 7A and 7B, the fastener 102 includes at least two retaining arms 106 connected to each other to be adapted to resiliently abut the peripheral edge of the first aperture 16 and/or the second aperture 24. In the illustrated embodiment, the fastener 102 comprises two retaining arms 106 arranged symmetrically about its longitudinal axis L (which is parallel to the insertion direction D) and connected to each other. It is to be understood that the fastener 102 may also include more than two retaining arms 106 disposed about its longitudinal axis L to enhance the fastening force of the fastener 102; further, each retention arm 106 may have the same or different configuration. Alternatively, the fastener 102 may be integrally formed from a sheet of material, such as a metal sheet, by a process such as stamping and bending.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 7A and 7B, the retention arm 106 may include, in succession, from the free end 118, a first retention section 108, a transition section 112, a second retention section 110, and a connecting section 114. In the illustrated embodiment, one end of the attachment section 114 of each retention arm 106 is connected to one another and the other end of the attachment section 114 of each retention arm 106 is connected to a corresponding second retention section 110, forming a resilient fastener 102. With combined reference to fig. 5A and 5B, the first retaining section 108, the transition section 112, and the second retaining section 110 may collectively form a generally C-shaped retaining structure to retain/clamp the support wall 12 and the support plate 22 together. As such, during insertion of the fastener 102 into the first and

second apertures

16, 24 in the insertion direction D, the retaining arms 106 elastically deform against the periphery of the first and/or

second apertures

16, 24 such that the second retaining segments 110 of the retaining arms 106 are brought closer together, thereby allowing the second retaining segments 110 to move past the support wall 12 and support plate 22 via the first and

second apertures

16, 24; subsequently, the retaining arms 106 return to the deformed position, the second retaining sections 110 of the retaining arms 106 engage the support plate 22, and the first retaining sections 108 of the retaining arms 106 engage the support wall 12, thereby resiliently clamping the support wall 12 and the support plate 22 together with the fastener 102 in the fastened position.

Referring to fig. 4A, 4B, 7A, and 7B, in the illustrated embodiment, the first retention section 108 of the retention arm 106 may include a barb 116. The barb 116 may be disposed at one end (i.e., the free end 118) of the first retention section 108. The barb 116 may extend from the free end 118 of the first retention section 108 toward the interior of the fastener 102 in an oblique manner relative to the longitudinal axis L.

The barbs 116 are capable of engaging the upper surface of the support wall 12 of the photovoltaic panel holder 10 when the fasteners 102 are in the fastened position. In the illustrated embodiment, the barbs 116 may have sharp corners 117. The corners 117 of the barbs 116 may penetrate the upper surface of the support wall 12 when the fastener 102 is in the fastened position. In this way, on the one hand a firm mechanical connection between the fastener 102 and the photovoltaic panel holder 10 can be established, preventing relative movement of the first holding section 108 and the supporting wall 12; on the other hand, the anti-rust coating, which is usually poor in conductivity, on the surface of the photovoltaic panel holder 10 can be pierced, for example, to establish a stable electrical connection between the fastener 102 and the photovoltaic panel holder 10, thereby facilitating the grounding of the photovoltaic panel.

The first retaining section 108 may also include a stop portion 120, the stop portion 120 being capable of obstructing the support wall 12 and the support plate 22 from separating from one another when the fastener 102 is in the fastened position. In the illustrated embodiment, the stop portion 120 may be disposed at the other end of the first retention section 108 and abut the transition section 112.

When the fastener 102 is in the fastened position, the support wall 12 of the photovoltaic panel holder 10 and the support plate 22 of the support structure 20 may substantially abut each other in the absence of an external force on the photovoltaic panel holder 10, at which point the stop portion 120 may not be in contact with the support wall 12 of the photovoltaic panel holder 10, and the first retaining section 108 may engage the support wall 12 via the barb 116 while cooperating with the second retaining section 110 to retain the support wall 12 and the support plate 22 together; in the case where the photovoltaic panel holder 10 is subjected to an external force and tends to separate from the support plate 22 (for example, the photovoltaic panel held on the photovoltaic panel holder 10 is subjected to an upward wind force that lifts the photovoltaic panel holder 10 to move the photovoltaic panel holder 10 upward), the support wall 12 is moved relative to the support plate 22 in a direction opposite to the insertion direction D, and at this time, the stopper portion 120 abuts on the support wall 12 while cooperating with the second holding section 110, hindering the support wall 12 and the support plate 22 from separating from each other.

Alternatively, as shown in fig. 5A and 5B, the stopping portion 120 may have an arc shape. The arcuate design of the stop portion 120 may avoid stress concentrations of the stop portion 120 when stressed against the support wall 12 of the photovoltaic panel holder 10, thereby allowing the stop portion 120 to be able to withstand higher forces without breaking, in other words, allowing the photovoltaic panel to withstand stronger wind forces without separating from the support structure 20.

Referring to fig. 7A and 7B, the first retention section 108 further includes a spring increasing portion 122 to increase the resiliency of the first retention section 108, thereby decreasing the rigidity of the first retention section 108. By providing the spring-increasing portion 122, on the one hand, it is possible to prevent the transition sections 112 from approaching each other and even leading to an improper unlocking of the fastener 102 due to the difficulty in elastically deforming the first retaining section 108 due to the excessive rigidity of the first retaining section 108 when inserting the fastener 102 into the fastening position via the first aperture 16 and the second aperture 24; on the other hand, a greater range of thicknesses of the support wall 12 and the support plate 22 that the fastener 102 can clamp is made, such as when the support wall 12 and the support plate 22 are relatively thick, to also clamp the support wall 12 and the support plate 22 together by elastically deforming the first retaining section 108. In the illustrated embodiment, the spring enhancement portion 122 is in the form of a generally U-shaped recessed hole. It will be appreciated that the spring enhancement portion 122 may be configured as a relatively thin portion or a wavy portion of the first retention section 108, which may also serve to increase the resiliency.

The first retention section 108 may be connected to the second retention section 110 via a transition section 112. Referring collectively to fig. 5B, the transition section 112 is adapted to be positioned at least partially within the first and

second apertures

16, 24 when the fastener 102 is in the fastened position. The transition section 112 may abut a perimeter of the first aperture 16 and/or the second aperture 24 when the fastener 102 is in the fastened position to provide a point of support for the retaining arm 106. In the illustrated embodiment, the transition section 112 abuts the periphery of the second aperture 24 when the fastener 102 is in the fastened position.

Referring to fig. 7A and 7B, in the illustrated embodiment, one end of the second retention section 110 is connected to the transition section 112. The second retention section 110 may extend from one end of the transition section 112 towards the exterior of the fastener 102 in an oblique manner with respect to the longitudinal axis L. The other end of the second retention section 110 is connected to the connecting section 114. The second retention section 110 is in the form of a shoulder between the transition section 112 and the connection section 114. The second retaining section 110 of the retaining arm 106 engages the support plate 22 of the support structure 20 when the fastener 102 is in the fastened position.

In the illustrated embodiment, the spacing between the two connection sections 114 of the fastener 102 gradually decreases in the insertion direction D. The two connecting sections 114 are connected to each other at one end to form a generally trapezoidal shaped lower portion of the fastener 102. It will be appreciated that the lower portion of the fastener 102 may have other suitable shapes, such as a generally V-shape.

With continued reference to fig. 7A and 7B, the retaining arms 106 may further include unlocking portions 124, the unlocking portions 124 being adapted to engage with a tool to move the retaining arms 106 toward and away from the periphery of the first and/or

second apertures

16, 24, and more specifically, to move the second retaining segments 110 of the retaining arms 106 toward each other, thereby allowing the second retaining segments 110 to move past the support plate 22 and the support wall 12 via the first and

second apertures

16, 24 in a direction opposite the insertion direction D, to remove the fasteners 102 from the first and

second apertures

16, 24, thereby unlocking the support plate 22 from the support wall 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the unlocking portion 124 may be provided at the first retaining section 108 such that a tool may conveniently approach and engage the unlocking portion 124. More specifically, the unlocking portion 124 may be disposed on a depending tab 126 of the first retention section 108 adjacent to the spring gain portion 122. The depending tabs 126 may be formed by providing the spring enhancement 122 in the form of a recessed hole in the first retention section 108. Alternatively, the unlocking portion 124 may be in the form of a through hole to engage with a tool such as pliers.

As described above, the fastener 102 may be used alone to fasten the photovoltaic panel holder 10 and the support structure 20 together. In this manner of use, with reference to fig. 3, in the case of a photovoltaic panel disposed inclined with respect to the horizontal, the photovoltaic panel has a tendency to slide downwards with respect to the supporting structure 20 under the effect of gravity, possibly bringing about a relative displacement of the supporting wall 12 of the photovoltaic panel holder 10 with respect to the supporting plate 22 of the supporting structure 20 along its contact surface (in other words, in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction D). This may cause the photovoltaic panels to be misaligned with each other in the case where the plurality of fasteners 102 are used to fix the plurality of photovoltaic panels at the same time, resulting in poor appearance; furthermore, movement of the support wall 12 relative to the support plate 22 may also cause the peripheral edges of the first and/or

second apertures

16, 24 to push the transition sections 112 of the fasteners 102 located in the first and/or

second apertures

16, 24 closer together, possibly even causing improper unlocking of the fasteners 102 when the relative displacement is too great. To prevent such relative displacement, the fastener 102 may be used in combination with the spacer 104 shown in fig. 8. The spacers 104 will be described in detail below.

With reference to fig. 2A and 2B and fig. 8, the spacer 104 is configured to be insertable and retainable between two retaining arms 106 of the fastener 102 along an insertion direction D for impeding the transition sections 112 from approaching each other. The spacer 104 may be made of plastic.

Spacer 104 includes a spacer portion 128. The spacer 128 may be spaced between the transition sections 112 of the two retaining arms 106 when the spacer 104 is inserted into position to block the transition sections 112 positioned in the first and

second apertures

16, 24 from approaching each other and thus from relative displacement of the support wall 12 and the support plate 22 along their interface.

Spacer 104 may include stop legs 130. In the illustrated embodiment, the spacer 104 has two stop legs 130 that are symmetrically disposed. The two stop legs 130 may be disposed at a lower portion of the spacer 104. The stop leg 130 may also include a stop ridge 132. The stop legs 130 are configured to be elastically deformable to allow the spacer 104 to be inserted between the retaining arms 106 and to resume deformation after moving past the transition section 112 to insert the spacer 104 into position (fig. 2B shows the state of the fastener 102 in position) to prevent the spacer 104 from moving away from the fastener 102 in a direction opposite the insertion direction D.

Specifically, during insertion of spacer 104 between retaining arms 106, stop legs 130 first abut retaining arms 106 and elastically deform such that the two stop legs 130 approach each other, thereby allowing stop legs 130 to move past transition section 112 of retaining arms 106; subsequently, the stop legs 130 return to shape after moving past the transition sections 112, the stop bumps 132 of the stop legs 130 can engage the retaining arms 106 to prevent the spacer 104 from moving away from the fastener 102 in a direction opposite the insertion direction D, at which point the spacer 104 is in the inserted-in-place state and the spacing portions 128 of the spacer 104 are spaced between the transition sections 112 to hinder the transition sections 112 from approaching each other.

Spacer 104 may also include stop arms 134. In the illustrated embodiment, spacer 104 has two stop arms 134 that are symmetrically disposed. The two stop arms 134 are disposed at an upper portion of the spacer 104, and the stop arms 134 are disposed transverse to the stop legs 130 when viewed from above the spacer 104. Stop arms 134 can abut support wall 12 to impede spacer 104 from moving in insertion direction D when spacer 104 is inserted into position.

In this manner, the spacer 104 is stably retained between the retaining arms 106 of the fastener 102 for spacing therebetween when inserted into position to resist movement of the support wall 12 relative to the support plate 22.

Fig. 9A to 13 show a fastening assembly 200 and its component parts according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The fastening assembly 200 includes a fastener 202 and a spacer 204. The fastener 202 of the fastening assembly 200 according to the second embodiment is similar in configuration to the fastener 102 of the fastening assembly 100 according to the first embodiment, except primarily that the fastener 202 according to the second embodiment includes a recess 236 (see fig. 12A). Accordingly, the spacer 204 (see fig. 13) of the fastening assembly 200 according to the second embodiment has a different configuration than the spacer 104 of the fastening assembly 100 according to the first embodiment. The differences between the two embodiments will be mainly explained below, and the descriptions of the same parts will be omitted.

With reference to fig. 6A to 6D and 11 to 12B, the fastener 202 can be passed through the first aperture 16 of the support wall 12 of the photovoltaic panel holder 10 and the second aperture 24 of the support plate 22 of the support structure 20 in the insertion direction D to the fastening position shown in fig. 11. In the illustrated embodiment, the fastener 202 includes two retaining arms 206 connected to each other and symmetrically disposed to be adapted to resiliently abut the periphery of the first aperture 16 and/or the second aperture 24. The retention arm 206 may include a first retention section 208, a transition section 212, a second retention section 210, and a connection section 214. When the fastener 202 is in the fastened position, the first retaining section 208 can engage the support wall 12 and the second retaining section 210 can engage the support plate 22 to resiliently hold/clamp the support wall 12 and the support plate 22 together. The first retention section 208 is connected to the second retention section 210 via a transition section 212 to form a generally C-shaped retention structure. The transition section 212 is adapted to be at least partially positioned in the first and

second apertures

16, 24 when the fastener 202 is in the fastened position. One end of the connecting section 214 of each of the retaining arms 206 is connected to each other, and the other end of the connecting section 214 of each of the retaining arms 206 is connected to the corresponding second retaining section 210 to form the fastener 202 having elasticity.

The fasteners 202 may be used alone to fasten the photovoltaic panel holder 10 and the support structure 20 together or may be used in conjunction with the spacers 204 shown in fig. 13 to fasten the photovoltaic panel holder 10 and the support structure 20 together.

Referring to fig. 9A-10B and 13, the spacer 204 is configured to be insertable and retainable between the two retaining arms 206 in the insertion direction D for impeding the transition sections 212 from approaching each other. The spacer 204 may include a spacer 228. The spacer 228 may be spaced between the transition sections 212 of the two retaining arms 206 when the spacer 204 is inserted in place (fig. 9A shows the spacer 204 inserted in place) to block the two transition sections 212 positioned in the first and

second apertures

16, 24 from approaching each other and thus blocking relative displacement of the support wall 12 and the support plate 22 along their interface.

Referring collectively to fig. 12A and 12B, fastener 202 may include a recess 236. The groove 236 is provided at the connecting section 214 of the holding arm 206.

Accordingly, referring to fig. 9A and 13, the spacer 204 may include a stop protrusion 240. The spacer 204 can be inserted into place through the groove 236 and the stop tab 240 blocks movement of the spacer 204 away from the fastener 202 in a direction opposite the insertion direction D. In the illustrated embodiment, the spacer 204 is symmetrically provided with two stopper projections 240 at both sides. The stop protrusion 240 of the spacer 204 may have a wedge shape that tapers in the insertion direction D so that the spacer 204 can smoothly pass through the groove 236 of the fastener 202. When the spacer 204 has a tendency to move in a direction opposite the insertion direction D relative to the fastener 202, the stop projection 240 can abut the bottom of the fastener 202, thereby preventing the spacer 204 from moving away from the fastener 202.

Additionally, the recess 236 of the fastener 202 may also increase the resiliency of the retaining arm 206, reducing the insertion force of the fastener, thereby facilitating insertion of the fastener 202 into the first and

second apertures

16, 24.

The spacer 204 may also include a limit protrusion 242. The limit tab 242 is configured to impede movement of the spacer 204 in the insertion direction D when the spacer 204 is inserted into place. In the illustrated embodiment, the spacer 204 is symmetrically provided with two limit protrusions 242 on both sides.

In this manner, the spacer 204 is stably retained between the retaining arms 206 of the fastener 202 for its spacing function when inserted into position to resist movement of the support wall 12 relative to the support plate 22.

Fig. 14A to 18 show a fastening assembly 300 according to a third embodiment of the invention and its component parts. The fastening assembly 300 includes a fastener 302 and a spacer 304. The fastening assembly 300 according to the third embodiment is similar in configuration to the fastening assembly 200 according to the second embodiment, differing primarily in the configuration of the first retaining section 308 of the fastener 302 of the fastening assembly 300 according to the third embodiment and the first retaining section 208 of the fastener 202 according to the second embodiment. The differences between the two embodiments will be mainly explained below, and the description of the same parts will not be repeated.

Referring to fig. 16A to 17B, the fastener 302 may be passed through the first aperture 16 of the support wall 12 of the photovoltaic panel holder 10 and the second aperture 24 of the support plate 22 of the support structure 20 in the insertion direction D to the fastened position shown in fig. 16A and 16B. In the illustrated embodiment, the fastener 302 includes two retaining arms 306 connected to one another and symmetrically disposed to be adapted to resiliently abut the periphery of the first aperture 16 and/or the second aperture 24. The retention arm 306 may include a first retention section 308, a transition section 312, a second retention section 310, and a connection section 314. When the fastener 302 is in the fastened position, the first retention section 308 can engage the support wall 12 and the second retention section 310 can engage the support plate 22 to resiliently hold/clamp the support wall 12 and the support plate 22 together. The first retention section 308 is connected to the second retention section 310 via a transition section 312 to form a generally C-shaped retention structure. The transition section 312 is adapted to be at least partially positioned in the first and

second apertures

16, 24 when the fastener 302 is in the fastened position. One end of the connecting section 314 of each holding arm 306 is connected to each other, and the other end of the connecting section 314 of each holding arm 306 is connected to the corresponding second holding section 310 to form the fastener 302 having elasticity.

In the illustrated embodiment, the first retention section 308 of the retention arm 306 may include a barb 316. The barb 316 may be disposed at one end (free end 318) of the first retention section 308. The barbs 316 may extend toward the exterior of the fastener 302 in an oblique manner relative to the longitudinal axis L. In the illustrated embodiment, the barbs 316 may be formed by bending the end corners of the free ends 318 of the first retaining sections 308 directly, which may simplify the manufacturing process and improve the manufacturing efficiency. The barbs 316 are capable of engaging the upper surface of the support wall 12 of the photovoltaic panel holder 10 when the fastener 302 is in the fastened position.

The first retention section 308 may also include a stop portion 320. The stop portion 320 can block the support wall 12 and the support plate 22 from separating from each other when the fastener 302 is in the fastened position. In the illustrated embodiment, the stop portion 320 may be disposed at the other end of the first retention section 308 and abut the transition section 312. Alternatively, as shown in fig. 17A, the stopper portion 320 may have an arc shape.

The first retention section 308 may also include an unlocking portion 324. The unlocking portion 324 is adapted to engage a tool to move the retaining arms 306 toward each other and away from the periphery of the first and/or

second apertures

16, 24. In the illustrated embodiment, the unlocking portion 324 may be in the form of a through hole to engage with a tool, such as pliers. Fig. 19 shows a front view of a fastener 302 according to the third embodiment in comparison with the fastener 202 according to the second embodiment. As can be seen in fig. 19, the first retaining section 308 of the fastener 302 according to the third embodiment is shorter than the first retaining section 208 of the fastener 202 according to the second embodiment. Further, as shown in fig. 17A, the first holding section 308 of the fastener 302 according to the third embodiment is not provided with a spring increasing portion for increasing the elasticity of the first holding section 308. This design of the first retaining section 308 of the fastener 302 of the third embodiment saves material and simplifies the manufacturing process of the fastener 302, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and increasing production efficiency.

In addition, the fastener 302 may be used alone to fasten the photovoltaic panel holder 10 and the support structure 20 together, or may be used in cooperation with the spacer 304 shown in fig. 18 to fasten the photovoltaic panel holder 10 and the support structure 20 together. As shown in fig. 14A, 17B, and 18, fastener 302 may be provided with a recess 336 and used in conjunction with spacer 304 shown in fig. 18, where spacer 304 shown in fig. 18 is the same configuration as spacer 204 shown in fig. 13.

Fig. 20A-20B illustrate a fastening assembly 400 and its component parts according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The fastening assembly 400 includes a fastener 402 and a spacer 404. The fastener 402 of the fastening assembly 400 according to the fourth embodiment is substantially the same configuration as the fastener 302 of the fastening assembly 300 according to the third embodiment, except primarily that the fastener 402 according to the fourth embodiment does not have a recess. Accordingly, the spacer 404 (see fig. 20A and 20B) of the fastening assembly 400 according to the fourth embodiment may have the same configuration as the spacer 104 of the fastening assembly 100 according to the first embodiment. The differences between the two embodiments will be mainly explained below, and the description of the same parts will not be repeated.

Referring to fig. 20A-21B, the fastener 402 may be passed through the first aperture 16 of the support wall 12 of the photovoltaic panel holder 10 and the second aperture 24 of the support plate 22 of the support structure 20 in the insertion direction D to the fastened position shown in fig. 20A and 20B. With combined reference to fig. 22A-22B, in the illustrated embodiment, the fastener 402 includes two retaining arms 406 coupled to one another and symmetrically disposed so as to be adapted to resiliently abut the peripheral edge of the first and/or

second apertures

16, 24. The retention arm 406 may include a first retention section 408, a transition section 412, a second retention section 410, and a connection section 414. When the fastener 402 is in the fastened position, the first retaining section 408 can engage the support wall 12 and the second retaining section 410 can engage the support plate 22 to resiliently hold/clamp the support wall 12 and the support plate 22 together. The first retention section 408 is connected to the second retention section 410 via a transition section 412 to form a generally C-shaped retention structure. The transition section 412 is adapted to be at least partially positioned in the first and

second apertures

16, 24 when the fastener 402 is in the fastened position. One end of the connecting section 414 of each retaining arm 406 is connected to each other, and the other end of the connecting section 414 of each retaining arm 406 is connected to the corresponding second retaining section 410 to form the fastener 402 having elasticity.

The attachment section 414 of the fastener 402 has no grooves. The fastener 402 may be used in conjunction with the spacer 404 shown in fig. 20A and 20B. The spacer 404 shown in fig. 20A and 20B has the same configuration as the spacer 104 shown in fig. 8.

Fig. 23A to 27 show a fastening assembly 500 and its component parts according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. The fastening assembly 500 includes a fastener 502 and a spacer 504. The fastener 502 of the fastener assembly 500 according to the fifth embodiment is substantially the same configuration as the fastener 402 of the fastener assembly 400 according to the fourth embodiment, differing primarily in the design of the barbs 516 of the fastener 502 according to the fifth embodiment (see fig. 26A and 26B). Furthermore, the spacer 504 of the fastening assembly 500 according to the fifth embodiment may have a different configuration than the spacer 404 of the fastening assembly 400 according to the fourth embodiment. The differences between the two embodiments will be mainly explained below, and the descriptions of the same parts will be omitted.

Referring to fig. 23A-25B, the fastener 502 may be passed through the first aperture 16 of the support wall 12 of the photovoltaic panel holder 10 and the second aperture 24 of the support plate 22 of the support structure 20 in the insertion direction D to the fastened position shown in fig. 25B. With combined reference to fig. 26A-26B, in the illustrated embodiment, the fastener 502 includes two retaining arms 506 connected to one another and symmetrically disposed to be adapted to resiliently abut the peripheral edge of the first and/or

second apertures

16, 24. The retention arm 506 may include a first retention section 508, a transition section 512, a second retention section 510, and a connection section 514. When the fastener 502 is in the fastened position, the first retaining section 508 can engage the support wall 12 and the second retaining section 510 can engage the support plate 22 to resiliently hold/clamp the support wall 12 and the support plate 22 together. The first retention section 508 is connected to the second retention section 510 via a transition section 512 to form a generally C-shaped retention structure. The transition section 512 is adapted to be at least partially positioned in the first and

second apertures

16, 24 when the fastener 502 is in the fastened position. One end of the connecting section 514 of each retaining arm 506 is connected to each other, and the other end of the connecting section 514 of each retaining arm 506 is connected to the corresponding second retaining section 510 to form the fastener 502 having elasticity. Additionally, the fastener 502 may include a recess 536 to increase the resiliency of the fastener retaining arm 506 to facilitate smooth insertion of the fastener 502 into the first and

second apertures

16, 24. A groove 536 may be provided at the connecting section 514 of the retaining arm 506.

In the illustrated embodiment, the first retention section 508 of the retention arm 506 may include a barb 516. A barb 516 may be cantilevered at one end (free end 518) of the first retention section 508. The barbs 516 are capable of engaging the upper surface of the support wall 12 of the photovoltaic panel holder 10 when the fastener 502 is in the fastened position. In the illustrated embodiment, one barb 516 is disposed on each side of the free end 518 of the first retention section 508. The barbs 516 may extend toward the exterior of the fastener 502 in an oblique manner relative to the longitudinal axis L of the fastener 502.

In the illustrated embodiment, the barbs 516 may have sharp corners 517. The corners 517 of the barbs 516 may penetrate into the upper surface of the support wall 12 when the fastener 502 is in the fastened position, which may establish a secure mechanical connection between the fastener 502 and the photovoltaic panel holder 10, on the one hand, preventing relative movement of the first holding section 508 and the support wall 12; on the other hand, the rust-proof coating, which is generally poor in conductivity, on the surface of the photovoltaic panel holder 10 can be pierced, so that the stable electrical connection between the fastener 502 and the photovoltaic panel holder 10 is established, and the grounding of the photovoltaic panel is facilitated. The angle α of the corner 517 of the barb 516 itself may be about 30 ° to 90 °, preferably about 40 ° or 60 °, to enable the barb to pierce the rust-inhibiting coating of the surface of the photovoltaic panel holder 10 more easily while ensuring the required mechanical strength of the corner 517 of the barb 516.

The fastener 502 may be used in conjunction with a spacer 504 shown in fig. 27. Referring to fig. 23B, 25B, and 27, the spacer 504 is configured to be insertable and retained between the two retaining arms 506 of the fastener 502 along the insertion direction D for impeding the transition sections 512 from approaching each other.

Specifically, the spacer 504 includes a spacer 528. The spacer 528 may be spaced between the transition sections 512 of the two retention arms 506 when the spacer 504 is inserted into position to block the transition sections 512 positioned in the first and

second apertures

The spacer 504 may include stop legs 530. In the illustrated embodiment, the spacer 504 has two stop legs 530 that are symmetrically disposed. The stop legs 530 are configured to be elastically deformable to allow the spacer 504 to be inserted between the retaining arms 506 and to resume deformation after moving past the transition section 512 to insert the spacer 504 into place (fig. 23B shows the fastener 502 in place) to prevent the spacer 504 from moving away from the fastener 502 in a direction opposite the insertion direction D. The stop leg 530 may be disposed at a lower portion of the spacer 504. The spacing of the two stop legs 530 may be tapered in the insertion direction D, which helps to reduce the force required to insert the spacer 504 between the retaining arms 506. The stop leg 530 may also have a stop end 533.

Specifically, during insertion of the spacer 504 between the retaining arms 506, the stop legs 530 first elastically deform against the retaining arms 506 such that the two stop legs 530 approach each other, thereby allowing the stop legs 530 to move past the transition sections 512 of the retaining arms 506; subsequently, the stop leg 530 resumes deformation after moving past the transition section 512, the stop end 533 of the stop leg 530 can engage the second retention section 510 of the retention arm 506 to prevent the spacer 504 from moving away from the fastener 502 in a direction opposite the insertion direction D, at which point the spacer 504 is in an inserted-in-place state, and the spacing portions 528 of the spacer 504 can be spaced between the transition sections 512 to obstruct the transition sections 512 from approaching each other.

Further, the upper end 527 of the spacer 504 may be configured to have a width that is wider than the spacer 528, such that when the spacer 504 is inserted into place, the upper end 527 of the spacer 504 can be stopped by the retaining arms 506 to impede further movement of the spacer 504 in the insertion direction.

In this manner, the spacers 504 are stably retained between the retaining arms 506 of the fasteners 502 when inserted into position for their spacing to resist movement of the support wall 12 relative to the support plate 22 and thus resist displacement of the photovoltaic panel.

It should be understood that the embodiment shown in fig. 2A-27 merely illustrates the shape, size and arrangement of the various optional components of the fastening assembly according to the present invention, however, it is merely illustrative and not limiting, and that other shapes, sizes and arrangements may be adopted without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In addition, various features of the embodiments shown and described with reference to any one of the figures may be combined with features shown in one or more other figures to produce other embodiments not explicitly shown or described.

The technical content and technical features of the present invention have been disclosed above, but it should be understood that various changes and modifications of the concept disclosed above can be made by those skilled in the art under the inventive concept of the present invention, and all fall within the scope of the present invention. The above description of embodiments is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A fastener (102) for fastening a first member (10) to a second member (20), characterized in that the fastener is adapted to be passed through a first aperture (16) of the first member (10) and a second aperture (24) of the second member (20) in an insertion direction to a fastening position,

the fastener includes at least one retention arm (106, 206, 306, 406, 506) including a first retention segment (108, 208, 308, 408, 508) and a second retention segment (110, 210, 310, 410, 510), the retention arm configured such that: the first retaining section is engageable with the first member (10) and the second retaining section is engageable with the second member (20) when the fastener is in the fastened position to resiliently retain the first member (10) and second member (20) together, the first retaining section including a barb (116, 316, 516) engageable with the first member (10) when the fastener is in the fastened position.

2. The fastener (102) of claim 1, wherein the first retaining section comprises a stop portion that is capable of obstructing the first member (10) and the second member (20) from separating from each other when the fastener is in the fastened position.

3. The fastener (102) of claim 2, wherein the retention arm (106, 206, 306, 406, 506) further comprises a transition section (112, 212, 312, 412, 512), the first retention section being connected to the second retention section via the transition section, and the transition section being adapted to be at least partially positioned in the first aperture (16) and the second aperture (24) when the fastener is in the fastened position.

4. The fastener (102) according to claim 3, wherein the stop portion (120, 320) of the first retention section abuts the transition section (112, 312) and the stop portion is arcuate in shape.

5. The fastener (102) according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first retention section (108) further comprises a spring increasing portion (122) to increase the elasticity of the first retention section.

6. The fastener (102) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises at least two retaining arms (106, 206, 306, 406, 506) adapted to elastically abut the periphery of the first aperture (16) and/or the second aperture (24), each retaining arm comprising a connecting section, one end of the connecting section of each retaining arm (106, 206, 306, 406, 506) being connected to each other, the other end of the connecting section of each retaining arm being connected to a respective second retaining section (110, 210, 310, 410, 510).

7. The fastener (102) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the fastener is integrally formed from a sheet of material.

8. A fastening assembly (100), characterized in that it comprises: the fastener (102) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising at least two retaining arms (106, 206, 306, 406, 506) connected to each other adapted to resiliently abut a periphery of a first aperture (16) and/or a second aperture (24), the retaining arms comprising a transition section (112, 212, 312, 412, 512) adapted to be at least partially positioned in the first aperture (16) and the second aperture (24) when the fastener is in the fastened position; and

a spacer (104, 204, 304, 404, 504) configured to be insertable and retainable between the at least two retaining arms along the insertion direction (D) for obstructing the transition sections from approaching each other.

9. The fastening assembly (100) of claim 8 wherein the spacer includes a spacer (128, 228, 528) spaced between the transition sections of the at least two retaining arms when the spacer is inserted into position.

10. The fastening assembly (100) according to any one of claims 8 and 9, wherein the spacer comprises stop legs (130, 530) configured to be elastically deformable to allow insertion of the spacer between the retaining arms and to resume deformation after moving past the transition section to insert the spacer into place to prevent the spacer from moving away from the fastener (102) in a direction opposite to the insertion direction.

11. The fastening assembly (100) of any one of claims 8 and 9 wherein the fastener (102) includes a recess (236) and the spacer includes a stop protrusion (240) through which the spacer is insertable into position and by which the spacer is blocked from moving away from the fastener (102) in a direction opposite the insertion direction.