Patent ID: 8099922

Claim:
An assembly for attaching a solar panel mounting frame to a pier, which comprises: (a) a pier cap that is configured to be attached to an upper portion of a pier, wherein the pier cap comprises a top portion and at least one side portion, which are joined together with an approximately ninety-degree angle between the top portion and at least one side portion, wherein the pier cap comprises (i) an opening disposed through the top portion and (ii) a flange stop that protrudes away from a top surface of the top portion, wherein the flange stop is configured to support a solar panel mounting frame member; (b) a clip that comprises (i) a first half that comprises an aperture extending from a top surface through a bottom surface of the first half and (ii) a second half that comprises a tab that is approximately perpendicular with a plane of the top surface of the first half, wherein the tab is configured to be disposed through the opening disposed in the top portion of the pier cap; (c) a bolt that includes a threaded portion which is configured to be disposed through the aperture at the bottom surface of the first half of the clip, such that a head portion of the bolt may reside adjacent to the bottom surface of the first half of the clip; and (d) a nut that is configured to receive and be attached to the threaded portion of the bolt at the top surface of the first half of the clip, wherein the nut is configured to secure the solar panel mounting frame member to the pier cap.