Granted Patent B2

US 12,553,494 · App. 18/120,630 · Granted Feb 17, 2026

Inventors: Brady Schimpf (Eagle Point, OR); Benjamin Wade (Holladay, UT); Alexander Bornemann (Duxbury, VT)

Assignee: EASY SOLAR PRODUCTS, INC.

F16G11/02H02S30/10H02S40/34

Abstract

Claims (48)

1 . An apparatus comprising:

a first mounting clip;

a second mounting clip, wherein the first and second mounting clips are configured to connect to a frame of a panel, the first mounting clip comprising a first spanning member connection point and the second mounting clip comprising a second spanning member connection point;

a spanning member configured to connect between the first spanning member connection point and the second spanning member connection point; and

at least one tensioner configured to provide tension to the spanning member while the spanning member is connected between the first mounting clip and the second mounting clip,

wherein the spanning member is configured to support a wire of the panel.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein one of:

the spanning member comprises a cable stop at a first end of the spanning member and a tensioner of the at least one tensioner at a second end of the spanning member;

the spanning member comprises a cable stop at each end of the spanning member and a tensioner of the at least one tensioner between the first and second mounting clips; and

the at least one tensioner comprises a first tensioner on the spanning member at the first end of the spanning member and a second tensioner on the spanning member at the second end of the spanning member.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:

the cable stop positioned on a side of the first mounting clip opposite a center section between the first and second mounting clips is configured to prevent the spanning member from being pulled through the first spanning member connection point resulting from a force applied to the spanning member toward the center section; and

at least one of the first tensioner and the second tensioner each comprise a locking mechanism positioned on a side of the first or second spanning member connection point opposite the center section and configured to resist movement of the spanning member in a first direction toward the center section and configured to allow movement of the spanning member in a second direction opposite the first direction, wherein applying a force on the spanning member on an end of the spanning member with a tensioner in the second direction provides tension to the spanning member.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one spanning member tensioner comprises a spring force provided by at least one of the first mounting clip and the second mounting clip resulting from a force applied to the spanning member in a direction opposite a center section between the first and second mounting clips and securing the spanning member at the first and second spanning member connection points after the force is applied to the spanning member.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein one or both of the first mounting clip and the second mounting clip comprise a locking mechanism configured to resist movement of the spanning member in a first direction toward a center section between the first and second mounting clips and configured to allow movement of the spanning member in a second direction opposite the first direction, wherein applying a force on the spanning member on an end of the spanning member in the second direction provides tension to the spanning member.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first spanning member connection point and the second spanning member connection point comprise one or more openings sized to accommodate the spanning member.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising one or more wire supports connected to the spanning member, each wire support configured to support the wire of the panel.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the spanning member comprises a cable and wherein at least one of the first mounting clip and the second mounting clip each comprise a slack management opening configured to hold a portion of the spanning member extending from the first or second mounting clip.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the spanning member comprises at least a portion that is rigid.

10 . An apparatus comprising:

a first mounting clip configured to attached to a frame of a panel;

a first spanning member connection point on the first mounting clip;

a second spanning member connection point, wherein the first and second spanning member connection points are each configured to be positioned on the frame of the panel;

a spanning member configured to connect between the first spanning member connection point and the second spanning member connection point; and

at least one tensioner configured to provide tension to the spanning member while the spanning member is connected between the first spanning member connection point and the second spanning member connection point,

wherein the spanning member is configured to support a wire of the panel.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the second spanning member connection point is on a second mounting clip, wherein the second mounting clip are configured to attach to the frame of the panel.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein one of:

the spanning member comprises a cable stop at a first end of the spanning member and a tensioner of the at least one tensioner at a second end of the spanning member; and

the at least one tensioner comprises a first tensioner on the spanning member at the first end of the spanning member and a second tensioner on the spanning member at the second end of the spanning member.

13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein:

the cable stop positioned on a side of the first mounting clip opposite a center section between the first and second mounting clips is configured to prevent the spanning member from being pulled through the first spanning member connection point resulting from a force applied to the spanning member toward the center section; and

at least one of the first tensioner and the second tensioner each comprise a locking mechanism positioned on a side of the first or second spanning member connection point opposite the center section and configured to resist movement of the spanning member in a first direction toward the center section and configured to allow movement of the spanning member in a second direction opposite the first direction, wherein applying a force on the spanning member on an end of the spanning member with a tensioner in the second direction provides tension to the spanning member.

14 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the at least one spanning member tensioner comprises a spring force provided by at least one of the first mounting clip and the second mounting clip resulting from a force applied to the spanning member in a direction opposite a center section between the first and second mounting clips and securing the spanning member at the first and second spanning member connection points after the force is applied to the spanning member.

15 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein one or both of the first mounting clip and the second mounting clip comprise a locking mechanism configured to resist movement of the spanning member in a first direction toward a center section between the first and second mounting clips and configured to allow movement of the spanning member in a second direction opposite the first direction, wherein applying a force on the spanning member on an end of the spanning member in the second direction provides tension to the spanning member.

16 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the spanning member comprises a first spanning member and the tensioner comprises a first tensioner and further comprising a second spanning member with a second tensioner and a third spanning member connection point positioned on the frame, wherein the second spanning member is configured to connect between the third spanning member connection point and the first spanning member.

17 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first spanning member connection point and the second spanning member connection point each comprise an opening in the frame of the panel.

18 . An apparatus comprising:

a first mounting clip;

a second mounting clip, wherein the first and second mounting clips are configured to connect to a frame of a panel, the first mounting clip comprising a first spanning member connection point and the second mounting clips comprising a second spanning member connection point;

a spanning member configured to connect between the first spanning member connection point and the second spanning member connection point; and

at least one tensioner configured to provide tension to the spanning member while the spanning member is connected between the first mounting clip and the second mounting clip, wherein the spanning member is configured to support a wire of the panel,

wherein one of:

the spanning member comprises a cable stop at a first end of the spanning member and a tensioner of the at least one tensioner at a second end of the spanning member; and

the at least one tensioner comprises a first tensioner on the spanning member at the first end of the spanning member and a second tensioner on the spanning member at the second end of the spanning member,

wherein:

the cable stop positioned on a side of the first mounting clip opposite a center section between the first and second mounting clips is configured to prevent the spanning member from being pulled through the first spanning member connection point resulting from a force applied to the spanning member toward the center section; and

at least one of the first tensioner and the second tensioner each comprise a locking mechanism positioned on a side of the first or second spanning member connection point opposite the center section and configured to resist movement of the spanning member in a first direction toward the center section and configured to allow movement of the spanning member in a second direction opposite the first direction, wherein applying a force on the spanning member on an end of the spanning member with a tensioner in the second direction provides tension to the spanning member.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (21)