NL1043481B1

NL1043481B1 - Adjustable roof mounting system

Info

Publication number: NL1043481B1
Application number: NL1043481A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Brands Jan
Original assignee: Praxiz B V
Priority date: 2019-11-26
Filing date: 2019-11-26
Publication date: 2021-08-30

Abstract

Mounting structure for rails, e.g. for mounting photovoltaic panels on a roof, comprising a bottom element (1), a connection element (11), and a rail holder (21). Two of the bottom element (1), connection element (11) and the rail holder (21) are connected to each other by means of a first screw thread assembly (3, 13). The first screw thread assembly (3, 13) comprising a combination of a first outer screw thread surface (3) and a first inner screw thread surface (13) being part of respective ones of the two of the bottom element (1), connection element (11) and the rail holder 21).

Description

Adjustable roof mounting system Field of the invention The present invention relates to a mounting structure for rails, e.g. for mounting photovoltaic panels on a roof.

Background art US patent application US20130291479 discloses an adjustable mounting system for mounting solar panels on roofs. The system allows a user to mount the solar panels either with or without rails. The mounting assemblies are adjustable to allow the user to mount a base plate in a chosen location (either on a roof joist or other structural member or not) and to adjust the mounting location for the panel in as many as three axis of adjustment from the location of the base plate. A system for mounting and grounding the panels at the same time is also disclosed.

US patent application US20130091786A1 shows a fastening system for photovoltaic panels. In another aspect herein, a hook fastens a photovoltaic panel assembly to a building roof.

Another aspect employs catches that removeably attach an auxiliary component, such as a solar panel frame, to a building in hinge and slide motions for engagement of the catches. A method of installing a fastening system is additionally provided.

US patent US8955259B2 provides an attachment system for solar panels. In another aspect, a latching assembly is mounted to a building roof. Another aspect employs a moveable latch that removeably attaches an auxiliary component, such as a solar panel, to a building in a single motion and/or snap-in installation manner, Summary of the invention The present invention seeks to provide an improved mounting structure for slanted roofs with a high degree of freedom for its configuration on to which rails can be mounted.

According to the present invention, a mounting device as defined above is provided, comprising a bottom element, a connection element, and a rail holder. Two of the bottom element, connection element and the rail holder are connected to each other by means of a first screw thread assembly. The first screw thread assembly comprises a combination of a first outer screw thread surface and a first inner screw thread surface being part of respective ones of the two of the bottom element, connection element and the rail holder.

Unlike the prior art mounting systems, the mounting structure of the present invention can be adapted in mounting height by the first screw thread assembly, i.e. using screw thread connectors. The screw type connectors enable mounting panels on a slanted roof with roof tiles of different thicknesses and roof battens of different dimensions. The mounting structure can be configured as a hook so that it hooks onto the roof tile and roof batten or can be configured such that it can be fixated on a roof through mounting by screws or nails. The first screw thread assembly also allows different orientations (e.g. vertical or horizontal) of the mounting rails to which panels can be attached. The panels can be photovoltaic panels, solar thermal heat collecting panels or other panels. The first screw thread assembly can also be used to modify the distance of the panel to the roof. Also a flat plane of a plurality panels can be arranged on slanted roof that is irregular by adjusting the first screw thread assemblies of multiple mounting structures. Unlike prior art structures the adjustment of the configuration of the mounting structure does not require bolts and nuts or alike and can be arranged by easy manual rotation. Short description of drawings The present invention will be discussed in more detail below, with reference to the attached drawings, which show various views of different aspects and structures of the present invention embodiments: Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of the mounting structure of the present invention, Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the mounting structure embodiment of Fig. 1 in a different mutual orientation of the components; Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of a bottom element of a mounting structure according to a further embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of a connection element of a mounting structure according to a further embodiment of the present invention; Fig, 5 shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of the mounting structure of the present invention; Fig. 6 shows a cross sectional view of a roof with roof tiles and a plurality of mounting structures according to the present invention; and Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of a rail holder of a mounting structure according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

Description of embodiments This invention relates to a mounting structure with which panels can be mounted on slanted roofs. Examples of these panels are photovoltaic panels or solar thermal heat collecting panels.

In the following, the present invention embodiments are described with reference to a number of exemplary embodiments. It is noted that in the embodiments, elements with similar function are denoted by the same reference numeral, as used throughout the description and in the claims as attached.

Fig.1 shows the mounting structure 30 that comprises three elements, namely bottom element 1, connection element 11 and rail holder 21. Since the connection of element 1 with element 11 and the connection of element 11 with rail holder 21 are arranged by screw thread connections, rotational freedom is present of element 1 relative to element 11 and of rail holder 21 relative to element 11. By rotating the elements 1 relative to element 11 and element 22 to element 11 the distance between these elements also can be varied. In this way mounting structure 30 has a high degree of freedom for setting its shape.

Fig.1 shows a configuration where bottom element 1 is substantially overlapping with connection element 11. In this configuration bottom element 1 and 11 form a U shape. Mounting structure 30 is in this case a roof hook. This configuration can hook onto a roof tile and roof tile batten. In that case bottom element is positioned under the roof tile and roof tile batten, cylinder 12 is resting on the edge of the roof tile in proximity of the roof tile batten and connection element 11 is positioned on the side of the roof tile facing the sky. Connection element 11 can be on top of the roof tile or just above the roof tile. In an embodiment one side of cylinder 12 is flattened in order to spread the force the mount structure is exerting on the rooftile over a bigger contact area.

Fig.2 shows a configuration where bottom element 1 and connection element 11 are substantially non-overlapping. This configuration can be used if a roof batten is absent or if another mounting method has preference.

Fig. 3 shows that in an embodiment bottom element 1 has one or more holes 5 that can be used for mounting bottom element 1 with bolts, screws or nails.

It shouid be noted that in special embodiments the number of elements can be reduced to two. Elements 1 and 11 together could be made in a monolithic way or elements 11 and 21 together could be made in a monolithic way. The composition of structure 30 with three elements is the preferred embodiment since this gives the highest degree of freedom to configure the mounting structure 30.

The shapes of these elements can be obtained through injection molding, 3D printing or similar techniques. In an embodiment one or more of these components are made of metal. In another embodiment one or more of these components are made of plastic. The plastics preferably are plastics than have sufficient strength, for over twenty years in outdoor conditions, to carry mounting rails and photovoltaic panels.

In an embodiment the plastic is chosen from the following types: Polyamide 6 synthesized from monomer Caprolactum, Polyamide 12 synthesized from monomer Laurolactam, Polyamide 66 synthesized from monomer Hexamethylene Diamine/ Adipic Acid, Polyamide 69 synthesized from monomer Hexamethylene Diamine/ Azelaic Acid, Polyamide 6-10 synthesized from monomers Hexamethylene Diamine/ 1,12-Dodecanedioic Acid, Polyamide 6-12 synthesized from monomers Hexamethylene Diamine/ Sebacic Acid, Polyamide 46 synthesized from monomers 1,4-Diaminobutane/ Adipic Acid, Polyamide 1212 synthesized from monomers 1,12- Dodecanediamine/ 1,12-Dodecanedioic Acid, PPA (Polyphthalamide) and POM (Polyoxymethylene). In a further embodiment these plastics are reinforced with fillers like glass fibers, minerals, clay particles or thin exfoliated layered silicate plates. In an embodiment the plastic is PA66 with 30% glass fibers. In a further embodiment the plastic comprises a flame retardant. The flame retardant may comprise halogens, inorganic phosphorus, organic phosphorus, aluminium diethyl phosphinate (AIPi), ammonium sulphanate (AS), dipentaerythritol (DP) and clay particles. The clay particle van be chosen from the clay type organically modified 40 montmirrolonite clay, Cloisite 25A.

Fig 3. shows that bottom component 1 comprises a substantially flat plate 6 and a cylinder 2 with a male thread 3. The rotational axis 4 of cylinder 2 of the bottom element 1 will be substantially perpendicular to the plane of the roof.

Fig. 1 shows that connection element 11 is connecting bottom element 1 with rail holder

21. Connection element 11 comprises a substantially flat plate and two cylinders perpendicular to the plate and pointing in opposite directions. In a further embodiment these two cylinders are substantially positioned at the terminal edges of element 11. Cylinder 12 has a female thread that matches the male thread 3 of cylinder 2 of bottom element 1. Connection element 11 can be turned into bottom element 1. On the opposite end of the element 11 the other cylinder has a male thread. The rail holder element 21 comprises a cylinder 22 with a female thread that matches the male thread 15 of cylinder 14 of element 11. Rail holder 21 can be turned into connection element 11. The rail holder element 21 contains two parallel side walls 24 and 25. The side walls 24 and 25 are positioned such that a rail 31 can be clamped in between the side wall. In yet another embodiment the screws thread types are reversed, i.e. male thread becomes female thread and vice versa.

Fig. 4 shows connection element 11 with cylinder 14 and male screw thread 15 and cylinder 12 with female screw thread 13. In an embodiment female screw thread has slits 18 where the screw thread is interrupted. These slits enable easy mold releasing in case the injection molding process applies. In a further embodiment the bottom side 16 of connection element 11 has a reinforcement structure 17 that gives sufficient tensile strength and torque resistance at lower material usage. Fig.4 shows an embodiment where reinforcement structure 17 has a hexagonal pattern. In a further embodiment connection element has a hole 19.

Fig. 5 shows an embodiment of mounting structure 30 with bottom element 1b. In this embodiment cylinder 2 is substantially positioned in the center of bottom element 1b.

Furthermore fig. 5 shows that rail holder 21 can accommodate a mounting rail 31. Fig. 5 shows a rail that for the sake of clarity is truncated 31. In reality the rail typically has a length of one to several meters. In an embodiment rail 31 is has a special profile that is obtained by an aluminum extrusion process. Fig.1 shows that the side wall 25 of rail holder 21 has a ridge 26 that is able to clamp the rail 31. As can be seen from fig. 1 and fig. 5 side wall 24 of rail holder 21 has an indentation 27 that can accommodate bolts and nuts or similar for fixation of the rail to the rail holder.

Fig.1 and fig.5 show a configuration of mounting structure 30 where the rail holder 21 is oriented such that the rail will be perpendicular to the connection element 11. When mounting structure 30 is mounted on the roof the rail 31 will be in a horizontal orientation. It should be noted that rail holder 21 can be rotated such that the rail will be parallel to connection element 11 and when mounting structure 30 is mounted on the slanted roof, the rail will then be in a vertical orientation.

Fig.6 shows a cross section of a slanted roof where roof battens 42 are mounted on a slanted (wooden) roof joist 41. Roof tiles 43 are hooked on the roof battens 41 and do partially 40 overlap. In fig. 6 mounting structure 30, comprising bottom element 1, connection element 11 and rail holder 21, is configured in the U shape and is hooked onto the edge of the roof tile 43 and roof batten 42. Fig.7 shows the rail holder 21 with screw thread 23, side wall 25 with ridge 26, side wall 24 with indentation 27 and cylinder 22.

5 The present invention has been described above with reference to a number of exemplary embodiments as shown in the drawings. Modifications and alternative implementations of some parts or elements are possible, and are included in the scope of protection as defined in the appended claims. The following list of reference numerals is indicating that for various like elements, synonyms or exemplary implementations of features may have been used in the detailed description and claims: 1 bottom element 2 cylinder 3 screw thread 4 inter-cell areas 5hole 6 plate 7 solar cell 11 connection element 12 cylinder 13 screw thread 14 cylinder 15 screw thread 16 plate 17 reinforcement structure 18slit 19 hole 21 rail holder 22 cylinder 23 screw thread 24 side wall 25 side wall 26 ridge 27 indentation 30 mounting structure 31rall 41 roof joist 42 roof batten 43 roof tile

The present invention embodiments have been described above with reference to the exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings, but can also be described as the following numbered and interrelated embodiments. Embodiment 1. Mounting structure for rails, e.g. for mounting photovoltaic panels on a roof, comprising a bottom element (1), a connection element (11), and a rail holder (21), wherein two of the bottom element (1), connection element (11) and the rail holder (21) are connected to each other by means of a first screw thread assembly (3, 13), the first screw thread assembly (3, 13) comprising a combination of a first outer screw thread surface (3) and a first inner screw thread surface (13) being part of respective ones of the two of the bottom element (1), connection element (11) and the rail holder (21).

Embodiment 2. Mounting structure according to embodiment 1, wherein the first outer screw thread surface (3) is part of either the bottom element (1) or the connection element (11), and the first inner screw thread surface (13) is part of the other one of the bottom element (1) and the connection element (11).

Embodiment 3. Mounting structure according to embodiment 1 or 2, wherein a further two of the bottom element (1), connection element (11) and the rail holder (21) are connected to each other by means of a second screw thread assembly (15, 23), the second screw thread assembly (15, 23) comprising a combination of a second outer screw thread surface (15) and a second inner screw thread surface (23) being part of respective ones of the further two of the bottom element (1), connection element (11) and the rail holder (21).

Embodiment 4. Mounting structure according to embodiment 3, wherein the second outer screw thread surface (15) is part of either the connection element (11) or the rail holder (21), and the second inner screw thread surface (23) is part of the other one of the connection element (11) and the rail holder (21).

Embodiment 5. Mounting structure according to any one of embodiments 1-4, wherein the bottom element (1) and the connection element (11) have a substantially parallel mutual orientation. Embodiment 6. Mounting structure according to any one of embodiments 1-5, wherein the bottom element (1) is an elongated element and comprises one part of the first screw thread assembly (3, 13) at one end thereof.

Embodiment 7. Mounting structure according to any one of embodiments 1-5, wherein the bottom element (1) is a rectangular element and comprises one part of the first screw thread assembly (3, 13) in a center part thereof. 40

Embodiment 8. Mounting structure according to any one of embodiments 1-7, wherein the first screw thread assembly (3, 13) comprises a cylinder (12), wherein the cylinder (12) has a flattened outer surface. Embodiment 9. Mounting structure according to any one of embodiments 1-8, wherein the bottom element (1) comprises one or more mounting apertures (5). Embodiment 10. Mounting structure according to any one of embodiments 1-9, wherein the rail holder (21) comprises a rail clamping arrangement (24-26).

11. Mounting structure according to any one of embodiments 1-10, wherein one or more of the mounting structure (30) components are made from a plastic material. Embodiment 12. Mounting structure according to embodiment 11, wherein the plastic material is a UV resistant plastic material. Embodiment 13. Mounting structure according to embodiment 11 or 12, wherein the plastic material is a reinforced plastic material.

Embodiment 14. Mounting structure according to any one of embodiments 1-13, wherein the bottom element (1) and/or the connection element (11) comprises a reinforcement structure (17).

Claims

Conclusions

A mounting unit for mounting rails, on which e.g. solar panels can be mounted, comprising a bottom element (1), a connecting element (11), and a rail holder (21), two of which are of the bottom element (1) , connecting element (11), and rail holder (21) are connected to each other by means of a first threaded connection (3, 13), the first threaded connection comprising a combination of a first outer thread surface (3) and a first inner thread surface ( 13) as part of respective elements of the two of the lower element (1), the connecting element (11), and the rail holder (21).

A fastener unit according to claim 1, wherein the first outer threaded surface (3) is part of the lower member (1) or the connecting element (11), and the first inner threaded surface (13) is part of the other of the lower element (1) and the connecting element (11).

Fixing unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein two elements selected from the lower element (1), connecting element (11) and the rail holder (21) are connected by a second threaded connection (15, 23), the second threaded connection (15, 23) comprises a second outer thread surface (15) and a second inner thread surface (23) as part of respective elements of the two of the lower element (1), the connecting element (11), and the rail holder ( 21).

The fastener unit of claim 3, wherein the second outer threaded surface (15) is part of either the connecting element (11) or the rail holder (21), and the second inner threaded surface (23) is part of the other of the connecting element (11) and the rail holder (21).

Fastening unit according to claims 1-4, wherein the lower element (1) and the connecting element (11) are oriented substantially parallel to each other.

Fastening unit according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein the lower element (1) is elongate and comprises one part of the first threaded connection (3, 13) at the end.

Fastening unit according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein the lower element (1) is rectangular and comprises in the middle one part of the first threaded connection (3, 13).

A fastener unit according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein the first threaded connection (3, 13) comprises a cylinder (12), the cylinder (12) having a flattened surface.

Fastening unit according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein the bottom element (1) comprises one or more openings (5).

A mounting unit according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein rail holder (21) comprises a rail clamp structure (24-26).

Fastening unit according to any one of claims 1-10, wherein one or more elements of fastening unit (30) are made of plastic.

A mounting unit according to claim 11, wherein the plastic is a UV-resistant plastic.

13. Fastening unit according to claims 11 or 12, wherein the plastic is a reinforced plastic composite.

A fastening unit according to any one of claims 1-13, wherein the lower element (1) and/or the connecting element (11) comprises a reinforcing structure (17).