US-12618493-B2 - Modular support system and clamp

Abstract

A rooftop support system can include a base to support the rooftop support structure on a rooftop, and a post secured to and extending upwardly from the base. The rooftop support system can further include a clamp secured to the post to be supported by the post relative to the base. The clamp can include a first wall, a second wall extending from the first wall, and a third wall extending from the second wall, so that the first, second, and third walls at least partly define an interior volume of the clamp. A tab can extend from the third wall at least partly toward the first wall to further define the interior volume.

Inventors

• Scott Ernest Anderson

Assignees

• ERICO INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20231101

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A rooftop support system comprising: a rooftop support structure that includes: a support beam; a base to support the rooftop support structure on a rooftop; a post secured to and extending upwardly from the base; and a clamp secured to the post to be supported by the post relative to the base, the clamp including: a first wall; a second wall extending from the first wall; a third wall extending from the second wall, so that the first, second, and third walls partly define an interior volume of the clamp to receive the support beam with the first wall of the clamp below the support beam; and a tab extending from the third wall at least partly toward the first wall to further define the interior volume and retain the support beam within the interior volume; and a second clamp engaged with the support beam, the second clamp including: a second-clamp first wall; a second-clamp second wall extending from the second-clamp first wall; a second-clamp third wall extending from the second-clamp second wall; a second-clamp tab that extends from the second-clamp third wall so that the second-clamp first, second, and third walls and the second-clamp tab define a second-clamp interior volume; and a support post extending upwardly from the second-clamp second wall, with the second-clamp second wall seated above the beam, to secure a supported load to the beam.
2. 2 . The rooftop support system of claim 1 , wherein the tab extends from the third wall to define a reduced-clearance entrance region of the interior volume.
3. 3 . The rooftop support system of claim 2 , wherein the third wall is spaced from the first wall by a first distance in a first direction; and wherein the tab extends from the third wall to define a second distance from first wall in the first direction, at the reduced-clearance entrance region, the second distance being smaller than the first distance.
4. 4 . The rooftop support system of claim 1 , wherein the first and third walls include a first set of aligned openings and a second set of aligned openings spaced apart from the first set of aligned openings; and wherein the rooftop support system includes a first beam secured at the first set of aligned openings and a second beam secured at the second set of aligned openings.
5. 5 . The rooftop support system of claim 1 , wherein the support beam is received in the interior volume of the clamp and the tab retains the support beam in the interior volume of the clamp; and wherein a threaded fastener extends through a threaded opening in the first wall of the clamp into the interior volume to clamp the beam into the third wall adjacent to the tab.
6. 6 . The rooftop support system of claim 1 , further comprising a crossbeam assembly that includes: a crossbeam with a first end and a second end opposite from the first end in an elongate direction of the crossbeam; a first cross-beam clamp secured to the first end; a second cross-beam clamp secured to the second end; wherein each of the first cross-beam clamp and the second cross-beam clamp include, respectively: a first wall; a second wall extending from the first wall; a third wall extending from the second wall, so that the first, second, and third walls partly define an interior volume of the first or second clamp, respectively; and a tab extending from the third wall at least partly toward the first wall to further define the interior volume; the second wall of the first cross-beam clamp being seated on a first beam of the rooftop support system and the second wall of the second cross-beam clamp being seated on a second beam of the of the rooftop support to collectively support the crossbeam.
7. 7 . The rooftop support system of claim 1 , wherein the rooftop support system is a modular support system that includes: a plurality of clamps that are substantially identical to each other and include the clamp of the rooftop support structure, each clamp of the plurality of clamps including a U-shaped cross-sectional profile that at least partly defines an interior volume, a tab extending from a side wall of the U-shaped cross-sectional profile to define a narrowed entrance region into the interior volume, and a threaded fastener threadedly secured to the clamp to be adjustably extendable into the interior volume; a plurality of cross-members, each cross-member of the plurality of cross-members having a cross-sectional profile perpendicular to an elongate direction of the cross-member, the cross-sectional profile being sized to be received through the entrance region in the interior volume of any of the plurality of clamps to be secured against removal by the threaded fastener and the tab.
8. 8 . The modular support system of claim 7 , further comprising: a plurality of adjustable height support structures, including the rooftop support structure, each of the plurality of adjustable height support structures including one or more corresponding clamps of the plurality of clamps.
9. 9 . A rooftop support system comprising: a first rooftop support structure that includes a first clamp with a first inwardly extending tab; a second rooftop support structure that includes a second clamp with a second inwardly extending tab; a first beam received within and supported by the first clamp; a second beam received within and supported by the second clamp; and a crossbeam assembly that includes: a crossbeam with a first end and a second end opposite from the first end in an elongate direction of the beam; a first crossbeam clamp secured to the first end of the crossbeam; a second crossbeam clamp secured to the second end of the crossbeam; each of the first crossbeam clamp and the second crossbeam clamp including, respectively: a first wall; a second wall extending from the first wall; a third wall extending from the second wall, so that the first, second, and third walls partly define an interior volume of the first or second clamp, respectively; and a tab extending from the third wall at least partly toward the first wall, and past the first wall in a direction away from the second wall, to further define the interior volume.
10. 10 . The rooftop support system of claim 9 , wherein for the first crossbeam clamp the first wall is opposite the third wall from the first end of the beam, and for the second crossbeam clamp the first wall is opposite the third wall from the second end of the beam.
11. 11 . The rooftop support system of claim 10 , wherein for each of the first and second crossbeam clamps, respectively, the first wall includes a threaded opening that receives a threaded fastener so that the threaded fastener is disposed within the interior volume to secure a beam against the third wall.
12. 12 . The rooftop support system of claim 9 , further comprising: a third clamp engaged with the crossbeam, the third clamp including: a first wall; a second wall extending from the first wall and seated on the crossbeam; a third wall extending from the second wall; a tab that extends from a distal end of the third wall so that the first, second, and third walls and the tab define an interior volume with a reduced-clearance entrance region; and a support post that extends from the second wall to the exterior of the interior volume of the third clamp.
13. 13 . A method of installing a rooftop support system, the method comprising: providing a rooftop support structure, including: a base to support the rooftop support structure on a rooftop; a post; and a clamp, the clamp including: a first wall; a second wall extending from the first wall; a third wall extending from the second wall, so that the first, second, and third walls partly define an interior volume of the clamp to receive a support beam; and a tab extending from the third wall at least partly toward the first wall to further define the interior volume and retain the support beam within the interior volume; installing the rooftop support structure, including by installing the base on the roof top with the post secured to and extending upwardly from the base and with the clamp secured to the post to be supported by the post relative to the base; installing a beam into the interior volume of the clamp; and adjusting a fastener on the clamp so that the fastener and the tab retain the beam within the interior volume.
14. 14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein adjusting the fastener urges the beam into the third wall adjacent to the tab.
15. 15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the fastener and the tab retain the beam within the interior volume with the beam seated on the second wall and the tab extending partly across the beam on an opposite side of the beam from the second wall.
16. 16 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising: telescopically adjusting a height of the clamp relative to the base to change a supported height of the beam.
17. 17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the rooftop support system is a modular support system and the clamp is a first clamp of a plurality of clamps that are substantially identical to each other, the method further comprising: securing a plurality of beams to be supported by a plurality of rooftop support structures, with each beam of the plurality beams received, respectively, in at least one clamp of the plurality of clamps with the tab of each of the at least one clamp extending at least partly across the beam; and supporting equipment above the rooftop on the plurality of beams.
18. 18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein supporting the equipment on the plurality of beams includes: installing a preassembled crossbeam assembly that includes a first crossbeam clamp and a second crossbeam clamp of the plurality of clamps, and a crossbeam extending between the first and second crossbeam clamps, with: the first crossbeam clamp seated on a first beam of the plurality of beams; the second crossbeam clamp seated on a second beam of the plurality of beams; and the crossbeam extending between first and second beams; and supporting the equipment on the crossbeam assembly.
19. 19 . A modular rooftop support system comprising: a support structure that includes: a base to support the support structure on a support surface; a post secured to and extending upwardly from the base; a plurality of support members, each support member of the plurality of support members having a cross-sectional profile perpendicular to an elongate direction of the support member; and a plurality of clamps that include a first clamp secured to the post to be supported by the post relative to the base, each clamp of the plurality of clamps including: a first wall; a second wall; a third wall connected to the first wall by the second wall, so that the first, second, and third walls partly define an interior volume of the clamp to receive a support beam, with the third wall on an opposite side of the interior volume from the first wall; and a tab extending from the third wall at least partly toward the first wall to define a narrowed entrance region into the interior volume, the narrowed entrance region being sized to receive the cross-sectional profile of any of the plurality of support members into the interior volume; the first wall receiving a fastener that is adjustably extendable into the interior volume to clamp into the third wall a support member of the plurality of support members that is received into the interior volume, so that the fastener and the tab secure the received support member against removal from the interior volume through the narrowed entrance region.
20. 20 . The modular rooftop support system of claim 19 , wherein for each clamp of the plurality of clamps, the fastener is a threaded fastener that is threadedly secured to the first wall to be threadedly adjustably extendable into the interior volume to clamp the received support member against the third wall.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 from U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/382,876, filed Nov. 8, 2022, titled “Modular Support System and Clamp,” and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND In many applications, it may be useful to support equipment of various types (e.g., an air conditioning unit) on a rooftop, in a building, or on a ground surface. SUMMARY In some examples, the disclosed technology provides a rooftop support system that includes a rooftop support structure. The rooftop support structure may include a base configured to support the rooftop support structure on a rooftop, a post secured to and extending upwardly from the base, and a clamp secured to the post to be supported by the post relative to the base. In some embodiments, the clamp may include a first wall, a second wall extending from the first wall, and a third wall extending from the second wall, so that the first, second, and third walls partly define an interior volume of the clamp to receive a support beam. The clamp may further include a tab extending from the third wall at least partly toward the first wall to further define the interior volume and retain the support beam within the interior volume. In some examples, the disclosed technology provides a rooftop support system having a first rooftop support structure that may include a first clamp with a first inwardly extending tab. The system may further include a second rooftop support structure that includes a second clamp with a second inwardly extending tab. The system may also include a first beam that may be received within and supported by the first clamp, and a second beam that may be received within and supported by the second clamp. The system may further include a crossbeam assembly. The crossbeam assembly may include a crossbeam with a first end and a second end opposite from the first end in an elongate direction of the beam, the crossbeam being received and supported within the first and second clamps. The crossbeam assembly may further include a first crossbeam clamp secured to the first end of the crossbeam, and a second crossbeam clamp secured to the second end of the crossbeam. Each of the first crossbeam clamp and the second crossbeam clamp may include a first wall, a second wall extending from the first wall, and a third wall extending from the second wall, so that the first, second, and third walls partly define an interior volume of the first or second clamp, respectively. The first and second crossbeam clamp may also each include a tab extending from the third wall at least partly toward the first wall, and past the first wall in a direction away from the second wall, to further define the interior volume. In some examples, the disclosed technology provides a method of installing a rooftop support system. The method may include installing a rooftop support structure, including by installing a base on a roof top with a post secured to and extending upwardly from the base and with a clamp secured to the post to be supported by the post relative to the base. The method may further include installing a beam into the interior volume of the clamp that is defined by a first wall, a second wall extending from the first wall, a third wall extending from the second wall, and a tab extending from the third wall at least partly toward the first wall. The method may also include adjusting a fastener on the clamp so that the fastener and the tab retain the beam within the interior volume. In some examples, the disclosed technology provides a clamp for a rooftop support system. The clamp may include a first wall, a second wall extending from the first wall, and a third wall extending from the second wall, so that the first, second, and third walls at least partly define an interior volume of the clamp. The clamp may further include a tab that, may extend from the third wall at least partly toward the first wall to further define the interior volume, or may extend from third wall to define a reduced-clearance entrance region of the interior volume. In some examples, the disclosed technology provides a modular support system. The modular support system may include a plurality of clamps that are substantially identical. Each clamp of the plurality of clamps may include a U-shaped cross-sectional profile that partly defines an interior volume, a tab extending from a side wall of the U-shaped cross-sectional profile to define entrance region into the interior volume, and a threaded fastener threadedly secured to the clamp to be adjustably extendable into the interior volume. The modular support system may further include a plurality of cross-members. Each cross-member of the plurality of cross-members may have a cross-sectional profile perpendicular to an elongate direction of the cross-member, the cross-sectional profile being sized to be received through the entrance region in the interior