Trapezoidal rib mounting bracket with flexible legs

1 . A mounting bracket for trapezoidal rib panels, comprising:

an upper wall having an upper thickness measured in a vertical direction, the upper wall comprising:

a first side and a second side spaced from one another by an upper width measured in a lateral direction;

a first open end and a second open end spaced from one another by a depth measured in a longitudinal direction; and

an aperture extending through the upper wall;

a first sidewall and a second sidewall, each extending from the respective first side and second side of the upper wall, wherein the first sidewall comprises a first planar portion having a first interior surface and a first exterior surface, and wherein the second sidewall comprises a second planar portion having a second interior surface and a second exterior surface;

a first extending planar portion and a second extending planar portion, wherein the first extending planar portion extends inwardly from the first interior surface toward the second interior surface, wherein the second extending planar portion extends inwardly from the second interior surface toward the first interior surface, and wherein a space is defined between the first extending planar portion and the second extending planar portion;

a first leg and a second leg extending away from the first and second sidewalls, wherein the first leg extends from the first sidewall at a first intersection point, and wherein the second leg extends from the second sidewall at a second intersection point; and

a rib receptacle formed between said first and second legs.

2 . The mounting bracket of claim 1 , wherein a first distance between the upper wall and either the first intersection point or the second intersection point is greater than a second distance between the first intersection point and the second intersection point.

3 . The mounting bracket of claim 1 , wherein the first leg is oriented at an oblique angle relative to the first extending planar portion, and wherein the second leg is oriented at an oblique angle relative to the second extending planar portion.

4 . The mounting bracket of claim 1 , wherein a first section is defined by the upper wall, a portion of each of the first and second sidewalls, and the first extending planar portion, and wherein the first section has at least a first width that is approximately equal to that of the upper width.

5 . The mounting bracket of claim 4 , wherein a second section is defined by a portion of each of the first and second sidewalls, the first extending planar portion, and the second extending planar portion, and wherein the second section has a second width that is at least equal to the first width.

6 . The mounting bracket of claim 5 , further comprising a sidewall transition within the second section, wherein a distance between the first sidewall and the second sidewall increases at the sidewall transition such that the second width of the second section increases from being at least equal to the first width to a third width of the second section.

7 . The mounting bracket of claim 1 , wherein at least one of:

the first side and the second side are spaced in the lateral direction that is approximately orthogonal to the vertical direction; and

the first open end and the second open end are spaced in a longitudinal direction that is approximately orthogonal to the vertical direction.

8 . The mounting bracket of claim 1 , wherein at least one of:

the first and second sidewalls are substantially mirror images of each other relative to a reference plane through the upper wall and the rib receptacle;

the first sidewall is oriented approximately orthogonal to the upper wall;

the second sidewall is oriented approximately orthogonal to the upper wall; and

each extending planar portion is orientated approximately parallel to the upper wall.

9 . The mounting bracket of claim 1 , wherein the first and second extending planar portions each comprise an inward-facing end, and wherein a distance between each respective inward-facing end defines a second space that is at most approximately equal to the upper width.

10 . A mounting bracket for trapezoidal rib panels, comprising:

an upper wall having an upper thickness measured in a vertical direction, the upper wall comprising:

a first side and a second side spaced from one another by an upper width measured in a lateral direction; and

an aperture extending through the upper wall;

two sidewalls, wherein each of the two sidewalls extends from a respective first and second side of the upper wall, wherein each of the two sidewalls comprises at least one respective planar portion having an interior surface and an exterior surface;

at least one upper extending planar portion, wherein the at least one upper extending planar portion extends inwardly from the interior surface of one sidewall of the two sidewalls toward the interior surface of another sidewall of the two sidewalls;

at least one lower extending planar portion, wherein the at least one lower extending planar portion extends at least inwardly from the interior surface of one sidewall of the two sidewalls toward the interior surface of another sidewall of the two sidewalls;

a first leg and a second leg extending away from a respective sidewall of the two sidewalls, wherein the first leg extends from a first intersection point with one sidewall of the two sidewalls, and wherein the second leg extends from a second intersection point with another sidewall of the two sidewalls; and

a rib receptacle formed between said first and second legs.

11 . The mounting bracket of claim 10 , wherein a first distance between the upper wall and either the first intersection point or the second intersection point is greater than a second distance between the first intersection point and the second intersection point.

12 . The mounting bracket of claim 10 , wherein the first leg is oriented at an oblique angle relative to an axis defined through the at least one lower extending planar portion and the second leg is oriented at an oblique angle relative to the axis defined through the at least one lower extending planar portion.

13 . The mounting bracket of claim 10 , wherein a first section is defined by the upper wall, a portion of each of the two sidewalls, and the at least one upper extending planar portion, and wherein the first section has a first width that is approximately equal to that of the upper width.

14 . The mounting bracket of claim 13 , wherein a second section is defined by a portion of each of the two sidewalls, the at least one upper extending planar portion, and the at least one lower extending planar portion, and wherein the second section is of at least a second width that is at least equal to the first width.

15 . The mounting bracket of claim 14 , wherein a sidewall transition is between the first section and the second section, wherein a distance between the two sidewalls increases at the sidewall transition such that the first width of the first section laterally expands into the second width of the second section.

16 . The mounting bracket of claim 10 , wherein the first side and the second side are spaced in the lateral direction that is approximately orthogonal to the vertical direction.

17 . The mounting bracket of claim 10 , wherein at least one of:

the two sidewalls are substantially mirror images of each other relative to a reference plane through the upper wall and the rib receptacle;

the exterior surface of at least one of the two sidewalls is oriented approximately orthogonal to the upper wall;

the at least one upper extending planar portion is oriented approximately parallel to the upper wall; and

the at least one lower extending planar portion is oriented approximately parallel to the upper wall.

18 . The mounting bracket of claim 10 , where the at least one upper extending planar portion includes a first upper extending planar portion and a second upper extending planar portion, wherein the first and second upper extending planar portions each comprise a respective inward-facing end.

19 . The mounting bracket of claim 10 , wherein the at least one lower extending planar portion includes a first lower extending planar portion and a second lower extending planar portion, wherein the first and second lower extending planar portions each comprise a respective inward-facing end.

20 . A mounting bracket for trapezoidal rib panels, comprising:

an upper wall having an upper thickness measured in a vertical direction, the upper wall comprising:

a first side and a second side spaced from one another by an upper width measured in a lateral direction; and

an aperture extending through the upper wall;

two sidewalls, wherein each of the two sidewalls extends from a respective first and second side of the upper wall, wherein each of two sidewalls comprises at least one respective planar portion having an interior surface and an exterior surface;

a first extending planar portion and a second extending planar portion, wherein each extending planar portion extends inwardly from the interior surface of one sidewall of the two sidewalls toward the interior surface of another sidewall of the two sidewalls, and wherein a space is formed between a first inward-facing end of the first extending planar portion and a second inward-facing end of the second extending planar portion;

a first leg and a second leg extending away from a respective sidewall of the two sidewalls, wherein the first leg extends from a first intersection point with one sidewall of the two sidewalls proximate to the first extending planar portion, and wherein the second leg extends from a second intersection point with another sidewall of the two sidewalls proximate to the second extending planar portion; and

a rib receptacle formed between the first and second legs, and the first and second extending planar portions.