Metal panel electrical bonding clip
A clip for electrically bonding a pair of adjacently-disposed metal panels is disclosed. One embodiment entails such a clip ( 104 ) including a first clip member ( 112 ) and an oppositely disposed second clip member ( 116 ). The surface ( 114 ) of the first clip member ( 112 ) that faces the second clip member ( 116 ) includes at least one grounding projection ( 128 ), while the surface ( 118 ) of the second clip member ( 116 ) that faces the first clip member ( 112 ) also includes at least one grounding projection ( 128 ). The clip ( 104 ) may be installed on a standing seam ( 102 ) of a panel assembly ( 100 ), with its first clip member ( 112 ) engaging one of the metal panels 82 ″ that define this stand seam ( 102 ) and with its second clip member ( 116 ) engaging the other of the metal panels 82 ″ that define this same standing seam ( 102 ).
1 . An electrical bonding clip for providing an electrical connection between two metal panels that are a part of a panel assembly having a standing seam, the electrical bonding clip configured to be oriented in a vertical dimension when in a position of use, comprising:
a first clip member including a first outer surface that is continuous between a first upper surface and a second lower surface of the electrical bonding clip, the second lower surface being opposite of the first upper surface, the first clip member including a first grounding projection that extends to a first engaging edge without breaking a first plane defined by the first outer surface;
a second clip member disposed in opposing relation to the first clip member, the second clip member including a second outer surface that is continuous between the first upper surface and the second lower surface of the electrical bonding clip, the second clip member including a second grounding projection that extends to a second engaging edge without breaking a second plane defined by the second outer surface;
a closed end section operable to connect the first clip member to the second clip member, the closed end section including a third outer surface that is continuous and having a substantially constant radius between the first upper surface and the second lower surface of the electrical bonding clip, wherein the first grounding projection is pointed toward the closed end section; and
an open inlet section opposite the closed end section and operable to receive the standing seam, wherein the second grounding projection is pointed toward the open inlet section,
wherein a first height of the first outer surface is substantially equal to a second height of the second outer surface and is substantially equal to a third height of the third outer surface, and
wherein, when the electrical bonding clip is installed on the panel assembly:
the second clip member is located within a cavity defined by a first surface of a first one of the two metal panels and a first surface of a second one of the two metal panels, and
the second grounding projection engages the first surface of the second one of the two metal panels.
2 . The electrical bonding clip of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first upper surface and the second lower surface are substantially planar.
3 . The electrical bonding clip of claim 1 , wherein the first clip member comprises a first inlet surface positioned at the open inlet section and extending between the first upper surface and the second lower surface, and wherein the second clip member comprises a second inlet surface positioned at the open inlet section and extending between the first upper surface and the second lower surface.
4 . The electrical bonding clip of claim 3 , wherein the first inlet surface and the second inlet surface extend in a lateral direction at the open inlet section relative to a reference plane through the closed end section and the open inlet section.
5 . The electrical bonding clip of claim 4 , wherein at least one of:
at least a portion of the first clip member is contoured to conform to an arc to cause the first inlet surface to extend in the lateral direction at the open inlet section relative to the reference plane; and
at least a portion of the second clip member is contoured to conform to an arc to cause the second inlet surface to extend in the lateral direction at the open inlet section relative to the reference plane.
6 . The electrical bonding clip of claim 1 , wherein the first grounding projection extends from the first clip member in a medial direction relative to a reference plane through the closed end section and the open inlet section and into a cavity defined between the first clip member and the second clip member.
7 . The electrical bonding clip of claim 6 , wherein the first grounding projection is positioned in an intermediate portion of the first clip member between the closed end section and a first inlet surface of the first clip member.
8 . The electrical bonding clip of claim 6 , wherein the first grounding projection is positioned between the first upper surface and the second lower surface of the electrical bonding clip and within the first outer surface of the first clip member.
9 . The electrical bonding clip of claim 1 , wherein the second grounding projection extends from the second clip member in a medial direction relative to a reference plane through the closed end section and the open inlet section and into a cavity defined between the first clip member and the second clip member.
10 . The electrical bonding clip of claim 9 , wherein at least one of:
the second grounding projection is positioned in an intermediate portion of the second clip member between the closed end section and a second inlet surface of the second clip member; and
the second grounding projection is positioned between the first upper surface and the second lower surface of the electrical bonding clip and within the second outer surface of the second clip member.
11 . The electrical bonding clip of claim 1 , wherein the first grounding projection is positioned proximate to the first upper surface of the electrical bonding clip, and wherein the second grounding projection is positioned proximate to the second lower surface of the electrical bonding clip.
12 . The electrical bonding clip of claim 1 , wherein, when the electrical bonding clip is installed on the panel assembly, the standing seam is positioned within the open inlet section such that the first clip member is positioned lateral from a first sidewall of the standing seam formed by the first one of the two metal panels and the second clip member is positioned lateral from a second sidewall of the standing seam formed by the second one of the two metal panels, and wherein the second sidewall of the standing seam includes the first surface of the second one of the two metal panels.
13 . The electrical bonding clip of claim 12 , wherein, when the electrical bonding clip is installed on the panel assembly, a first end surface of the first one of the two metal panels and a second end surface of the second one of the two metal panels is within a cavity defined between the first clip member and the second clip member and proximal to an inner surface of the closed end section.
14 . The electrical bonding clip of claim 12 , wherein, when the electrical bonding clip is installed on the panel assembly, the electrical bonding clip is configured such that the second clip member is positioned between the second sidewall of the standing seam formed by the second one of the two metal panels and an outer sidewall of the standing seam formed by the first one of the two metal panels, and wherein the outer sidewall of the standing seam includes the first surface of the first one of the two metal panels.
15 . The electrical bonding clip of claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
the electrical bonding clip is formed of a conductive metal or metal alloy, and wherein the electrical bonding clip is of an integral construction;
the first clip member and the second clip member are biased toward each other prior to installation of the electrical bonding clip on the panel assembly; and
the first engaging edge and the second engaging edge are each configured to break a coating on the two metal panels of the panel assembly.
16 . The electrical bonding clip of claim 1 , wherein the first grounding projection of the first clip member engages a second surface of the first one of the two metal panels, and wherein the second grounding projection is configured to scratch the first surface of the second one of the two metal panels.
17 . The electrical bonding clip of claim 1 , wherein the first grounding projection at least partially breaks a third plane defined by a first inner surface of the first clip member.
18 . The electrical bonding clip of claim 1 , wherein:
the first grounding projection is a first distance from the closed end section; and
the second grounding projection is a second distance from the closed end section, the second distance being less than the first distance.
19 . An electrical bonding clip for providing an electrical connection between two metal panels that are a part of a panel assembly having a standing seam, the electrical bonding clip configured to be oriented in a vertical dimension when in a position of use, comprising:
a first clip member including a first single grounding projection, wherein the first single grounding projection is positioned proximate to a first upper surface of the electrical bonding clip;
a second clip member disposed in opposing relation to the first clip member and including a second single grounding projection, wherein the second single grounding projection is positioned proximate to a second lower surface of the electrical bonding clip;
a closed end section operable to connect the first clip member to the second clip member, wherein the first single grounding projection is pointed toward the closed end section; and
an open inlet section opposite the closed end section and operable to receive the standing seam, wherein the second single grounding projection is pointed toward the open inlet section,
wherein the first single grounding projection extends from the first clip member in a first direction toward the second clip member and to a first engaging edge without breaking a first plane defined by a first outer surface that is continuous between the first upper surface and second lower surface,
wherein the second single grounding projection extends from the second clip member in a second direction toward the first clip member and to a second engaging edge without breaking a second plane defined by a second outer surface that is continuous between the first upper surface and second lower surface, and
wherein, when the electrical bonding clip is installed on the panel assembly:
the second clip member is located within a cavity defined by a first surface of a first one of the two metal panels and a first surface of a second one of the two metal panels, and
the second single grounding projection engages the first surface of the second one of the two metal panels.
20 . An electrical bonding clip for providing an electrical connection between two metal panels that are a part of a panel assembly having a standing seam, the electrical bonding clip configured to be oriented in a vertical dimension when in a position of use, comprising:
a first clip member;
a second clip member disposed in opposing relation to the first clip member;
a closed end section operable to connect the first clip member to the second clip member, the closed end section including a first upper surface and a second lower surface connecting the first clip member and the second clip member, wherein the first upper surface and the second lower surface are each contoured to conform to a respective arc with a substantially constant radius such that the first clip member and the second clip member are biased toward each other prior to installation of the electrical bonding clip on the panel assembly;
an open inlet section opposite the closed end section and operable to receive the standing seam; and
a grounding projection extending from a portion of the second clip member, toward the open inlet section, to an engaging edge without breaking an outer surface plane of the second clip member that is continuous between the first upper surface and the second lower surface thereof,
wherein, when the electrical bonding clip is installed on the panel assembly:
the second clip member is located within a cavity defined by a first surface of a first one of the two metal panels and a first surface of a second one of the two metal panels, and
the grounding projection scratches the first surface of the second one of the two metal panels.