Patent Application
20110049322
The present invention relates generally to mounting assemblies used for installation of photovoltaic arrays. More particularly, the present invention relates to improved designs of mounting assemblies which allow for their rapid assembly and rapid height adjustment.
Tube portion 18 at one end connects to supporting plate 16 using set screws. At the other end, tube portion 18 connects to base component 12. Specifically, base component 12 has a cavity which is large enough to receive tube portion 18 as shown in
Unfortunately, the conventional mounting assembly suffers from several drawbacks. By way of example, installing conventional mounting assemblies is a long and arduous task. It is not enough to assemble conventional mounting assemblies as shown in
As another example, it is difficult to adjust a height of the conventional mounting assembly. Movement of various interconnected components comes into play to adjust the conventional assembly's height and in some instances, where the amount of adjustment is not significant, shims may be used. Regardless of how a height adjustment is accomplished, it is clear that the above-mentioned drawbacks associated with leveling compound the process of height adjustment in a conventional design.
As yet another example, even after enduring such cumbersome efforts, often times the resulting mounting assembly does not have the requisite flatness or is not level. Consequently, subsequent photovoltaic panels installed on conventional mounting assemblies are frequently crooked and/or are bent. Such crooked and bent panels are undesirable as they reduce the efficiency of the panel.
As yet another example, the conventional design with all the different interconnecting components involved, represents a complicated design that is expensive to implement.
What is therefore needed is a novel system and method of assembly a mounting assembly which does not suffer from the drawbacks encountered by conventional designs.
In view of the foregoing, this invention provides novel systems and methods for implementing improved designs of mounting assemblies which allow for rapid assembly and rapid adjustment of height.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a mounting assembly. The mounting assembly includes: (i) a pipe having a first threaded end and a second threaded end; (ii) a base component having a base portion and a threaded connecting portion; (iii) a top component having a top portion and a threaded portion, the top component is capable of supporting a photovoltaic panel thereon; and (iv) wherein the first threaded end of the pipe and the threaded connecting portion of the base component include threads such that the first threaded end rotatably engages in a first direction with the threaded connecting portion, and the second threaded end of the pipe and the threaded portion of the top component include threads such that the first threaded end rotatably engages in a second direction with the threaded portion of the top component, the first direction is opposite to the second direction, and the first threaded end and the second threaded end are substantially cylindrical. Preferably, the pipe's cross section between the first threaded end and the second threaded end is a shape that is at least one of circular, triangular, and rectangular. The pipe may be made from an engineered material. The pipe is preferably made from a material that includes one member selected from a group consisting of aluminum, steel, fiberblass, plastic, alloy and treated materials that are galvanized, electrogalvanized and annealed. Preferably, the pipe has a diameter that is between about 1.25 inches and about 3.0 inches.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the base component is designed to be secured in concrete.
In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the first threaded end and the second threaded end include threads which extend to a depth that is between about 1 inch and about 3 inches, and more preferably, between about 1 inch and about 2 inches. In further preferred embodiments, the threaded connecting portion of the base component and the threaded portion of the top portion include threads which extend to a depth that is between about 1 inch and about 3 inches, and more preferably, between about 1 inch and about 2 inches.
In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the mounting assembly includes a frame that is capable of fastening to the top portion of the pipe. Further, the mounting assembly may include a rail which is secured upon the frame and is capable of having attached thereto a photovoltaic panel.
In another aspect, the present invention includes method for assembling a mounting assembly. The method includes: (i) immobilizing a base component on a surface, the base component including a base portion and a threaded connecting portion which includes threads; (ii) obtaining a pipe having first threaded end and a second threaded end, each of the first and the second threaded ends include threads; (iii) rotatably engaging threads of the first threaded end with threads of the threaded connecting portion of the bottom component to connect the bottom component and the pipe and forming a bottom subassembly; and (iv) rotatably engaging threads of the second threaded end with threads of the threaded portion of the top component to connect the bottom subassembly with the top component and forming the mounting assembly. Immobilizing may include securing a bottom part of the base component inside concrete.
In preferred embodiments of the present invention, inventive methods may include the further step of adjusting a height of the mounting assembly by rotating the threads of the first threaded end with respect to the threads of the threaded connecting portion. Inventive methods may further include the step of adjusting a height of the mounting assembly by rotating the threads of the second threaded end with respect to the threads of the threaded portion.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention may include the further step of leveling a height of the mounting assembly across a radial direction of the mounting assembly by rotating the threads of the first threaded end with respect to the threads of the threaded connecting portion. Inventive methods may further include the step of leveling a height of the mounting assembling across a radial direction of the mounting assembly by rotating the threads of the second threaded end with respect to the threads of the threaded portion.
Preferred embodiments may yet include the further step of fastening a frame to the top component using a fastening subassembly. The fastening subassembly may include U-shaped bolts straight bolts, screws, tabs with mounting holes, or other means of secondary attachment. The inventive method may further include the step of communicatively coupling a rail designed to secure a photovoltaic panel on the frame.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a mounting assembly. The mounting assembly includes: (i) a means for adjusting height of the mounting assembly, the means of adjusting including a first threaded end and a second threaded end; (ii) a means for immobilizing the mounting assembly including a threaded connecting portion; (iii) means for supporting a frame installed on the mounting assembly, the means for supporting including a threaded portion; and (iv) wherein the first threaded end and the threaded connecting portion include threads such that the first threaded end rotatably engages in a first direction with the threaded connecting portion, and the second threaded end and the threaded portion include threads such that the first threaded end rotatably engages in a second direction with the threaded portion, and the first direction is opposite to the second direction.
In preferred embodiments of the present invention, a pitch of threads on first and second threaded end 110 and 112, threaded portion 114 and threaded connecting portion 116 is a value that is between about 0.03 inches and about 0.11 inches, and is preferably between about 0.06 inches and about 0.11 inches.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following descriptions of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying figures.
In the following description numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without limitation to some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well known process steps have not been described in detail in order to not unnecessarily obscure the invention.
Pipe 108 has a first threaded end 110 and a second threaded end 112. Each threaded end includes threads thereon. Base component 102 includes a threaded connecting portion 116 and a base portion 122. During installation of a photovoltaic panel, at least a bottom part of base portion 122 is preferably designed to be submerged in concrete. Threaded connecting portion 116 includes threads such that first threaded end 110 rotatably engages in a first direction with threaded connecting portion 116. In other words, the threads of first threaded end 110 are capable of rotating around the threads of threaded connecting portion 116 in a particular direction.
Top component 104 includes a threaded portion 114 and a top portion 106. Disposed on top portion 106 are cross-bars 120 using a pair of U-bolts 118, as shown in
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the threads on first and second threaded end 110 and 112, threaded portion 114 and threaded connecting portion 116 extend to a depth that is between about 1 inch and about 3 inches, preferably extend to a depth that is between about 1 inch and about 2 inches, and more preferably extend to a depth that is about 1.5 inches.
In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the pitch of threads on first and second threaded end 110 and 112, threaded portion 114 and threaded connecting portion 116 is a value that is between about 0.03 inches and about 0.11 inches, and is preferably between about 0.06 inches and about 0.11 inches.
Although according to
Pipe 108 may be any shape, so long as first threaded end 110 and second threaded end 112 are cylindrical to effect rotational displacement. Moreover, an intermediate portion of pipe 108 that is located between first threaded end 110 and second threaded end 112 can have any shape. By way of example, the intermediate portion of pipe 108 has a cross-section that has a shape selected from a group consisting of circular, triangular and rectangular. The intermediate portion, which may well be a non-cylindrically shaped, is either welded to the cylindrically-shaped first and second threaded ends or is fastened using well known fastening hardware to the threaded ends. In the event pipe 108 is fabricated using a mold, then the intermediate portion is contiguous to the cylindrical threaded ends, and neither welds nor fastening assemblies are required.
Next, as shown in
At the other end of pipe 108, a top component 104 is similarly connected. Specifically, as shown in
The above-mentioned threaded connections between various components allow the present invention to rapidly and easily adjust the height of the inventive mounting assemblies. As shown in
After mounting assemblies are assembled according to the above-mentioned inventive processes, preferably a frame is built on cross-bars 120 (of
Although illustrative embodiments of this invention have been shown and described, other modifications, changes, and substitutions are intended. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the disclosure, as set forth in the following claims.
