Narrow flashing for waterproof mounting of solar panels to a roof
View Patent ↗Improved versions of flat flashings are used for waterproofing mounting hardware that holds photovoltaic solar panels on a roof; typically, such a roof is a pitched, composition shingle roof. The flashings are narrow in width, and have chamfered and/or rounded corners, and a variety of alignment marks printed on the flashing for aligning the flashing with adjacent shingles. The height/width aspect ratio of the flashing can range from 1.4 to 2.0, or more.
1. A flat flashing for use in mounting solar panels to a roof, the flashing comprising:
a flat sheet of metal or plastic with an aperture disposed in a lower portion of the flashing;
first and second pairs of rounded upper corners at an upper end of the flashing, with a pair of angled straight-line segments of flashing perimeter disposed in between each adjacent first and second pair of rounded upper corners; and
a third pair of rounded lower corners disposed in the lower portion of the flashing.
2. The flat flashing of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of parallel lines printed on the flashing, disposed equidistant on either side of the aperture and aligned along a north-south direction.
3. The flat flashing of claim 1 , further comprising a horizontal bar printed on the flashing, disposed above the aperture and aligned along an east-west direction.
4. The flat flashing of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of side marks printed on the flashing, and located on east and west sides of the flashing, at a height equal to a height of the aperture.
5. The flat flashing of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of height divided by width of the flashing is equal to 1.4.
6. The flat flashing of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of height divided by width of the flashing is greater than or equal to 2.0.
7. The flat flashing of claim 6 , wherein the rounded lower corners disposed in the lower portion of the flashing combine to make a semi-circular rounded lower end of the flashing.
8. The flat flashing of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of height divided by width of the flashing ranges from 1.4 to 2.0.
9. The flat flashing of claim 1 , wherein the aperture is located midway across the flashing in an east-west direction, and approximately ¼ of the way up from a southern-most edge.
10. The flat flashing of claim 1 , further comprising a “U”-shaped mark printed on the lower portion of the flashing, and disposed so that the U-shaped mark partially surrounds the aperture.
11. A flat flashing for use in mounting solar panels to a roof, the flashing comprising:
a flat sheet of metal or plastic with an aperture disposed in a lower portion of the flashing;
a first pair of rounded upper corners disposed at an upper end of the flashing;
a second pair of rounded lower corners disposed in the lower portion of the flashing;
a horizontal bar printed on the flashing, disposed above the aperture and aligned along an east-west direction; and
a “cross” printed on the flashing, disposed above the horizontal bar and aligned along an east-west/north-south direction.
12. A flat flashing for use in mounting solar panels to a roof, the flashing comprising:
a flat sheet of metal or plastic with an aperture disposed in a lower portion of the flashing;
a first pair of chamfered, rounded upper corners disposed at an upper end of the flashing;
a second pair of rounded lower corners disposed in the lower portion of the flashing;
a pair of parallel lines printed on the flashing, disposed equidistant on either side of the aperture and aligned along a north-south direction;
a horizontal bar printed on the flashing, disposed above the aperture and aligned along an east-west direction;
a “cross” printed on the flashing, disposed above the horizontal bar and aligned along an east-west/north-south direction; and
a pair of printed side marks located on east and west sides of the flashing, at a height equal to a height of the aperture;
wherein a ratio of height divided by width of the flashing is equal to 1.4; and
wherein the aperture is located midway across the flashing in an east-west direction, and approximately ¼ of the way up from a southernmost edge.
13. A flat flashing for use in mounting solar panels to a roof, the flashing comprising:
a flat sheet of metal or plastic with an aperture disposed in a lower portion of the flashing;
a first pair of rounded upper corners disposed at an upper end of the flashing;
a second pair of rounded lower corners disposed in the lower portion of the flashing;
a pair of parallel lines printed on the flashing, disposed equidistant on either side of the aperture, and aligned along a north-south direction;
a horizontal bar printed on the flashing, disposed above the aperture, and aligned along an east-west direction;
a “cross” printed on the flashing, disposed above the horizontal bar, and aligned along an east-west/north-south direction; and
a pair of printed side marks located on east and west sides of the flashing, at a height equal to a height of the aperture;
wherein a ratio of height divided by width of the flashing is equal to 2.0; and
wherein the aperture is located midway across the flashing in an east-west direction, and approximately ¼ of the way up from a southernmost edge.
14. An assembly for mounting a solar panel to a roof, the assembly comprising:
a flashing including a flat sheet of metal or plastic with an aperture disposed in a lower portion of the flashing, first and second pairs of rounded upper corners disposed at an upper end of the flashing, with a pair of angled straight-line segments of flashing perimeter disposed in between each adjacent first and second pairs of rounded upper corners, and a third pair of rounded lower corners disposed in the lower portion of the flashing;
a bracket;
a lag-screw including a head;
an elastomeric washer disposed between the head of the lag screw and a lower flange of the bracket; and
a sealing pad disposed in-between the lower flange of the bracket and the flashing for the purpose of water sealing.
15. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein a ratio of height divided by width of the flashing is greater than or equal to 2.0.
16. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the rounded lower corners disposed in the lower portion of the flashing combine to make a semi-circular rounded lower end of the flashing.
17. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein a ratio of height divided by width of the flashing ranges from 1.4 to 2.0.
18. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the sealing pad comprises an elastomeric or butyl rubber.
19. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the sealing pad comprises an adhesive material.
20. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein a radius of the rounded lower corners is at least 5 times greater than a radius of the rounded upper corners.
21. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein a width of the flashing is less than or equal to 7 inches.
22. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the bracket is a slider bar; the elastomeric washer is disposed in-between the head of the lag screw and the slider bar; and the sealing pad is disposed in-between the slider bar and the flashing.
23. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the bracket is an L-foot.