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US-12620927-B1 - Mounting system for replacement tile(s) and photovoltaic module(s)

US12620927B1US 12620927 B1US12620927 B1US 12620927B1US-12620927-B1

Abstract

A mounting system includes a base, a post coupled to the base, a stanchion having a passageway that rotatably couples about the post, a locking mechanism removably coupled to the base and configured to engage with the stanchion to prevent rotation of the stanchion, a cap having an opening, and a fastener disposed through the opening and into the passageway.

Inventors

  • Vignesh Karthikeyan

Assignees

  • UNIRAC, INC.

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20230828

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A mounting system for coupling a replacement tile and a photovoltaic module to a structure, the mounting system comprising: a base including a receptacle and a channel, the base configured to be disposed adjacent to a bottom side of the replacement tile; a post coupled to the base and extending at least partially into the channel; a stanchion rotatably coupled to the post and being received at least partially within the receptacle, the stanchion including a groove; a locking mechanism coupled to the base and configured to prevent rotation of the stanchion, the locking mechanism including: a first arm configured to at least partially engage with the groove, a second arm extending from the first arm, a third arm extending from the second arm, a tab extending from the first arm, wherein the tab is configured to be at least partially disposed within the channel, and a flange disposed on or extending from the third arm, wherein the flange is configured to engage with an interior surface of the channel; and a bracket coupled to the stanchion, the bracket configured to be disposed adjacent to a top side of the replacement tile, opposite the bottom side, the bracket configured to support the photovoltaic module.
  2. 2 . The mounting system of claim 1 , further comprising: a cap including an opening; and a fastener configured to be disposed through the opening and the replacement tile into the stanchion.
  3. 3 . The mounting system of claim 2 , wherein: the stanchion includes: a first end configured to couple to the post, and a second end configured to receive the fastener; and the groove extends between the first end and the second end.
  4. 4 . The mounting system of claim 2 , wherein the cap further includes a collar having a leading edge configured to pierce the replacement tile.
  5. 5 . A mounting system comprising: a base configured to be disposed beneath a replacement tile, the base including: a bottom, a first sidewall that extends from the bottom, a second sidewall adjoined to the first sidewall, a third sidewall that extends from the bottom and adjoined to the second sidewall, the third sidewall having: a receptacle, and an opening connected to the receptacle, and a channel defined at least in part by the bottom, the first sidewall, the second sidewall, and the third sidewall; a post coupled to the base; a stanchion configured to be at least partially disposed (i) through the receptacle and (ii) within the channel, the stanchion including a passageway that rotatably couples about the post; a locking mechanism engageable with the stanchion to prevent rotation of the stanchion, wherein at least a portion of the locking mechanism is insertable through the receptacle and the opening of the third sidewall; a cap including an opening; a bracket configured to be disposed above the replacement tile; and a fastener configured to be disposed through the opening of the cap, the bracket, and into the passageway to secure the bracket to the stanchion.
  6. 6 . The mounting system of claim 5 , wherein: the stanchion includes a first end that receives the post and a second end, opposite the first end, that receives the fastener; and the passageway extends between the first end and the second end.
  7. 7 . The mounting system of claim 5 , wherein: the stanchion includes a groove; and the locking mechanism is at least partially received within the groove.
  8. 8 . The mounting system of claim 5 , wherein: the third sidewall includes: a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a third surface; and the locking mechanism includes: a first arm having a tab configured to engage with the first surface or the third surface, a second arm configured to reside adjacent to the second surface, and a third arm having a flange configured to engage with the first surface.
  9. 9 . The mounting system of claim 5 , wherein the cap includes an edge disposed around the opening, the edge being configured to form an aperture through a replacement tile mounted to the stanchion via the fastener.
  10. 10 . A system comprising: a base including a channel; a post coupled to the base and extending at least partially into the channel; a stanchion configured to extend above the base via rotation about the post, the stanchion including a groove; a locking mechanism configured to prevent rotation of the stanchion, the locking mechanism including: a first arm disposable at least partially within the groove, a second arm extending from the first arm, a third arm extending from the second arm, and a tab configured to engage with a surface of the base; a cap; a bracket; and a fastener configured to couple the cap and the bracket to the stanchion.
  11. 11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein: the stanchion includes a passageway having a first end and a second end; the first end receives the post; and the second end receives the fastener.
  12. 12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein: the base includes a receptacle; and the stanchion is insertable into the channel via the receptacle.
  13. 13 . The system of claim 10 , further comprising a tile, wherein the cap further includes an opening and an edge disposed around the opening, the edge being configured to deform a portion of the tile corresponding to a location at which the fastener couples to the stanchion.
  14. 14 . The mounting system of claim 5 , wherein the post, the locking mechanism, and the cap are disposable beneath the replacement tile.
  15. 15 . The mounting system of claim 1 , wherein the tab is deflectable relative to the first arm.
  16. 16 . The mounting system of claim 2 , wherein the cap includes a pocket disposable on an end of the stanchion.
  17. 17 . The mounting system of claim 5 , wherein the cap is disposed beneath the replacement tile.
  18. 18 . The mounting system of claim 5 , wherein: the base includes apertures disposed through the bottom; and the apertures are disposed external to the channel.
  19. 19 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the tab extends from or is disposed on an end of the third arm.
  20. 20 . The system of claim 10 , wherein: a first portion of the first arm is disposable internal to the channel; and a second portion of the second arm is disposable external to the channel.

Description

BACKGROUND The solar industry is growing world-wide and, as a result, more-efficient structures are desirable for mounting photovoltaic modules or solar panel modules to a structure, such as a roof of a home or other building. Whereas many different structures are known, there is a desire to reduce the complexity of such structures and improve the efficiency of such structures. Therefore, there is a need for an improved apparatus for mounting solar panel modules. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The use of the same reference numbers in different figures indicates similar or identical components or features. The components, devices, and/or apparatuses depicted in the accompanying figures are not to scale and components within the figures may be depicted not to scale with each other. FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an example mounting system usable with photovoltaic modules, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 2A illustrates a first side view of the mounting system of FIG. 1, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 2B illustrates a second side view of the mounting system of FIG. 1, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 3A illustrates a third side view of the mounting system of FIG. 1, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 3B illustrates a fourth side view of the mounting system of FIG. 1, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 4A illustrates a fifth side view of the mounting system of FIG. 1, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 4B illustrates a sixth side view of the mounting system of FIG. 1, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the mounting system of FIG. 1, taken along line A-A of FIG. 3B, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the mounting system of FIG. 1, taken along line B-B of FIG. 4A, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. FIGS. 7A-7D illustrate an example base that may be usable with the mounting system of FIG. 1, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 illustrates an example base that may be usable with the mounting system of FIG. 1, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. FIGS. 9A and 9B illustrate an example stanchion of the mounting system of FIG. 1, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrate an example locking mechanism of the mounting system of FIG. 1, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate an example cap of the mounting system of FIG. 1, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 12 illustrates the cap of FIGS. 11A and 11B disposed atop the stanchion of FIGS. 9A and 9B, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. FIGS. 13A-13C illustrate an example installation of an example replacement tile using the mounting system of FIG. 1, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. FIGS. 14A-14C illustrate an example installation of an example replacement tile using the mounting system of FIG. 1, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 15 illustrates an example use of the cap of FIGS. 11A and 11B to pierce an example replacement tile, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. FIGS. 16A-16C illustrate an example use of the mounting system of FIG. 1, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 17 illustrates an example method for installing a replacement tile, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION This application is directed, at least in part, to a mounting system having a variably adjusted height for accommodating a replacement tile on a structure, such as a roof, in which photovoltaic modules are installed. The structure, for example, may include a tile roof and to install the photovoltaic modules on the structure, some of the tiles may be removed. With the tile removed, the mounting system may mount to the structure (e.g., sheathing, studs, decking, etc.) and the replacement tile may be mounted to the mounting system. The replacement tile may be secured to the mounting system, and additional supports that accommodate the photovoltaic modules may be coupled to the mounting system. For example, a system of rails, frames, and so forth may couple to the mounting system, and the photovoltaic modules may couple to the rails. The mounting system may be adjustable in height to accommodate different sized and shaped tile roofs such that an existing roof of the structure is not compromised. In an embodiment, the mounting system may include a base, a stanchion, a post, a cap, a locking mechanism, and a bracket. The base may couple to the struc