CAM-ACTUATED SELF-LOCKING CLAMP ASSEMBLY FOR SOLAR PANELS

Clamp assemblies and systems for mounting solar panels to mounting units are presented. For instance, a clamp assembly for clamping a solar panel includes a clamp portion and a lever portion. The clamp portion includes at least one tooth for clamping onto a first flange of the solar panel. The lever portion is spaced apart from the clamp portion and include a cam and a guard. The cam includes a rounded surface and a flat surface. Each of the clamp portion and the lever portion comprise an opening for receiving a pivoting element. The opening is generally aligned when the clamp portion and the lever portion are fitted together. Upon rotation of the lever portion, the cam urges the clamp portion into a clamped condition.

BRIEF SUMMARY

In one embodiment, a clamp assembly for clamping a solar panel includes a clamp portion and a lever portion. The clamp portion includes at least one tooth for clamping onto a first flange of the solar panel. The lever portion is spaced apart from the clamp portion and include a cam and a guard. The cam includes a rounded surface and a flat surface. Each of the clamp portion and the lever portion comprise an opening for receiving a pivoting element. The opening is generally aligned when the clamp portion and the lever portion are fitted together. Upon rotation of the lever portion from a position in which the rounded surface of the cam rotates along the bottom of a support portion to a position in which the flat surface of the cam locks against the bottom of the support portion, the cam urges the clamp portion into a clamped condition such that the at least one tooth clamps onto the first flange of the solar panel.

In another embodiment, a clamp assembly for mounting a solar panel to a mounting unit is presented. For example, the clamp assembly includes a saddle portion, a clamp portion and a lever portion. The saddle portion has a means for mounting the saddle portion to a tower of the mounting unit. The clamp portion is fitted into a top of the saddle portion and comprising at least one tooth for clamping onto a first flange of the solar panel. The lever portion is fitted into a bottom of the saddle portion. The lever portion comprises a cam and, in one example, a guard. The cam comprises a rounded surface and a flat surface. Each of the saddle portion, the clamp portion and the lever portion comprise an opening for receiving a pivoting element. The openings are generally aligned when the saddle portion, the clamp portion and the lever portion are fitted together. Upon rotation of the lever portion from a position in which the rounded surface of the cam rotates along the bottom of the saddle portion to a position in which the flat surface of the cam locks against the bottom of the saddle portion, the cam urges the clamp portion into a clamped condition such that the at least one tooth clamps onto the first flange of the solar panel. In an example, upon continued rotation of the lever portion the guard of the lever portion contacts the bottom of the saddle portion to prevent further rotation of the lever portion.

In a further embodiment, a system for mounting a solar panel to a plurality of mounting units is presented. For example, a plurality of clamp assemblies as described in the first embodiment discussed above are positioned on towers of the mounting units and are used to clamp a solar panel in place at an angle to the mounting units.

An advantage realized in one or more embodiments described herein is that toolless installation may be achieved because the clamps may be attached to the solar panel using the cam-actuated self-locking clamp assembly instead of using a tool. Another advantage realized in one or more embodiments described herein is that the clamp can be first attached to the solar panel and then the solar panel can be attached to the mounting units, creating great efficiencies in the installation of solar panels. Another advantage realized in one or more embodiments described herein is that the clamping assembly is universal to solar panels by virtue of clamping a bottom flange of the solar panel, and thereby being able to clamp any thickness solar panel.

The above embodiments are exemplary only. Other embodiments as described herein are within the scope of the disclosed subject matter.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout several views. The examples set out herein illustrate several embodiments, but should not be construed as limiting in scope in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure relates to the installation of solar panels on a roof of a building or structure. The prior art describes the use of mounting units with towers of different heights that allow a solar panel to be installed at an angle relative to the roof and mounting units. In some conventional systems, rails are used between the towers of the mounting unit, and the solar panel is installed on top of these rails. In such a case, rails are used to mount the solar panels without tools and in the regular spacing required.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,850,754 B2 to the same inventor of the present disclosure, entitled Molded Solar Panel Racking Assembly, was granted Oct. 7, 2014, and is incorporated herein in its entirety for any purpose including for the purpose of enablement and written description. The '754 Patent requires the use of rails extending between the towers of the mounting units in order to support the solar panels. These rails can be expensive to procure and install. Applicant has discovered that the present technique, in some embodiments, can eliminate these expensive rails. Applicant's technique makes use of clamp assemblies described below, and rails are not required.

During installation of solar panels, conventional systems require that a variety of tools and components are carried and used by the installer. For instance, multiple bolts and other fasteners are typically required for installation of each solar panel. This forces the installer to perform hundreds of discrete tasks using tools and hundreds of separate components while stationed on the roof of a building or structure. Clearly this can lead to increased labor costs when installing solar panels, in addition to other disadvantages. In addition, bolts and screws can tend to loosen over time due to vibration from the wind and other sources, meaning that continued maintenance tasks are required to ensure operation of the installation.

FIG.1Aillustrates a saddle portion110of a clamp assembly100(shown assembled inFIGS.1D-1F). The saddle portion110may be attached to posts of a mounting unit210or220(shown inFIGS.2A-2C) using opening Y. Slots112facilitate assembly and opening X lines up with the openings X of the other portion when the clamp assembly100is assembled, as described below.

FIG.1Billustrates a clamp portion120of the clamp assembly100(shown assembled inFIGS.1D-1F). Clamp portion120includes tabs124which include openings X, which may be inserted into slots112of the saddle portion110. Clamp portion120includes teeth122which will grip the frame of a solar panel, as described below. Clamp portion120may also include ribs125which add to the structural integrity of claim portion124, which will assist in gripping the frame of a solar panel, as described below. For instance, ribs125strengthen the clamp portion120to mitigate loosening of the at least one tooth clamped onto the first flange of the solar panel when the clamp portion120is in the clamped condition, as described below.

FIG.1Cillustrates a lever portion130of the clamp assembly100(shown assembled inFIGS.1D-1F). Lever portion130includes cams131which include openings X which align with the openings X of the saddle portion110and clamp portion120when assembled together. Lever portion130includes a flat portion136used to rotate the lever along the axis of openings X, and guards134which prevent over-rotation. Cams131include flat surfaces132and curved surfaces133. In the embodiment ofFIG.1C, Dl is the diameter of cam131to the curved surface as shown, and D2is the diameter of cam131to the flat surface132as shown, and D2is greater than D1, facilitating the locking of the solar panel by the clamp as explained below.

FIGS.1D-1Fillustrate the partially assembled clamp assembly100. As may be seen, the saddle portion110, clamp portion120and lever portion130are assembled together such that openings X align. Rivets may be used to join the clamp assembly100at openings X. The tolerances of the clamp assembly are such that when the flat portion136of the lever portion130is pushed downward, the lever portion130rotates clockwise such that the flat surfaces132unlock from the saddle and the lever portion releases its force on the clamp portion120to unlock the clamp portion120from the top of the saddle portion110. In addition, guard portion134prevents further rotation in the counterclockwise direction, preventing over-torqueing and preventing potential damage to a clamped solar panel.

FIG.1Fdepicts the lever portion120in the loose, unlocked or unclamped condition. As depicted inFIG.1F, lever136is rotated to about a 5 o'clock position, such that diameter D1is oriented upwards, such that lever portion120causes clamp portion120to be loose such that teeth122are not urged against the saddle110.FIG.1Gdepicts the lever portion120in the locked or clamped condition. As depicted inFIG.1F, level136is rotated to about a 3 o'clock position, such that diameter D2, which is greater than diameter D1, is oriented upwards, thus urging clamp portion120downward such that teeth122are disposed against the saddle portion110.

FIG.1H, likeFIG.1F, depicts the lever portion120in the loose, unlocked or unclamped condition, this time with frame portion310of solar panel300placed between the clamp portion120and the saddle portion110. As depicted inFIG.1H, lever136is rotated to about a 5 o'clock position, such that diameter D1is oriented upwards, such that lever portion120causes clamp portion120to be loose such that teeth122are not urged towards the saddle110and thus teeth122do not engage with the frame portion310(which may be described as the bottom flange of solar panel).FIG.1I, likeFIG.1G, depicts the lever portion120in the locked or clamped condition, this time with frame portion310of solar panel300placed between the clamp portion120and the saddle portion110. As depicted inFIG.1F, the frame portion is the bottom flange of the solar panel. As depicted inFIG.1F, level136is rotated to about a 3 o'clock position, such that diameter D2, which is greater than diameter D1, is oriented upwards, thus urging clamp portion120downward such that teeth122engage frame portion310and hold it against the saddle portion110.

Advantageously, by clamping the bottom flange of a solar panel, the clamps described herein are more universal in use because, unlike conventional fasteners that fasten the top flange of a solar panel, the thickness of the solar panel need not be accounted for. In conventional fasteners, different part numbers will need to be stocked for different solar panels of different thickness. Of course, conventional fasteners such as bolts or screws cannot be installed on a lower flange, unlike the toolless clamps of the present disclosure. Furthermore, by clamping the bottom flange of the solar panel, it is less likely that the fastening will be loosened because the cam lock is below the plane of the top surface.

FIGS.2A-2Cillustrates two mounting units210and220with clamp assemblies100shown on posts201of the mounting units210,220. As depicted inFIG.2B, a solar panel300may be positioned across four clamp assemblies100and clamped into place, with the details of the frame310being clamped as shown inFIGS.1F-1I.

FIGS.3A-3Dillustrate example embodiments of the operation of the clamp assemblies100when used with solar panels300and mounting units210. For instance,FIG.3Adepicts a clamp assembly100attached to a mounting unit210. A frame portion310of a solar panel300is then clamped by the clamp assembly100. As shown inFIGS.3B-3C, by spacing a plurality of mounting units210, a plurality of solar panels300may be clamped using a plurality of clamping units210. In addition,FIG.3Ashows how the post of a basket is received into the saddle and abuts against the clamping mechanism to prevent it from being loosened because the cam actuated clamp cannot be rotated when in this position. In such a manner, the clamping assembly100is resistant to vibration, weather related motions, etc., so that it will not come undone.

FIGS.4A-4Dillustrates an example in which the clamp assembly100does not include a saddle portion, and instead the clamp portion clamps to a square tube400.FIG.4Adepicts the clamp assembly100in the clamped condition and placed over the square tube400and ready to clamp a frame portion310.FIG.4Bdepicts the clamp assembly100ofFIG.4Aalong line4B-4B thereof, with the frame portion310elided.FIG.4Cdepicts the clamp assembly100in the clamped condition and clamping the frame portion310to the square tube400.FIG.4Ddepicts the clamp assembly100ofFIG.4Calong line4D-4D thereof, with the frame portion310elided.

FIGS.5A-5Dillustrates an example in which the clamp assembly does not include a saddle portion, and instead the clamp portion clamps to a square tube, in accordance with one or more aspects set forth herein.FIG.5Adepicts the clamp assembly100in the clamped condition and placed over the round tube500and ready to clamp a frame portion310.FIG.5Bdepicts the clamp assembly100ofFIG.5Aalong line5B-5B thereof, with the frame portion310elided.FIG.5Cdepicts the clamp assembly100in the clamped condition and clamping the frame portion310to the round tube500.FIG.5Ddepicts the clamp assembly100ofFIG.5Calong line5D-5D thereof, with the frame portion310elided. As depicted inFIGS.4A-5D, modifications to the shape of the clamp assembly100to accommodate different cross-sectional tubes, such as square, round, rectangular, etc., are within the scope of the present disclosure.

Thus, the clamp assembly100may operate in conjunction with various support portions, including a saddle110or tubes400,500in order to clamp a solar panel to the support portion. In such a manner, the present disclosure is compatible with both railed and railless installation.