One-piece bonding splice for rails
A splice having a main body and one or more protrusions extending from the main body. The one or more protrusions can be operable to interfere with a rail when the main body is installed into an opening of the rail. The one or more protrusions may be operable to cut into a coating of the rail and form an electrical connection between the rail and the main body.
1. A solar panel mount assembly, comprising:
a first aluminum rail having a first moment capacity and a substantially u-shaped first cross-section, the first aluminum rail including:
a first inwardly protruding guide;
a second inwardly protruding guide, the guides at distal ends of the u-shaped first cross-section;
a first wall segment adjacent the first inwardly protruding guide, and having a first wall thickness; and
a second wall segment adjacent the first wall segment, and having a second wall thickness, the first wall thickness greater than the second wall thickness; and
a splice having a second moment capacity and a substantially u-shaped second cross-section that fits into the substantially u-shaped first cross-section of the first aluminum rail, the splice including:
a first edge that cooperates with the first inwardly protruding guide of the first aluminum rail; and
a second edge that cooperates with the second inwardly protruding guide of the first aluminum rail.
2. The solar panel mount assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first moment capacity and the second moment capacity are substantially similar.
3. The solar panel mount assembly of claim 1 , wherein the splice provides an electrical bonding path when the splice is installed in the first aluminum rail and a second rail.
4. The solar panel mount assembly of claim 1 , wherein an external surface contour of the splice substantially follows an internal surface contour of the first aluminum rail.
5. The solar panel mount assembly of claim 1 , wherein the splice is made of a material that is harder than the first aluminum rail.
6. The solar panel mount assembly of claim 1 , wherein the splice further includes at least one sharp protrusion to pierce a coating of the first aluminum rail.
7. A solar panel mount assembly, comprising:
a first aluminum rail having a first moment capacity and a substantially u-shaped first cross-section, the first aluminum rail including:
a first guide having:
a first surface;
a second surface that is substantially orthogonal to the first surface; and
a sloped transition surface between the first surface and the second surface; and
a second guide, the first and second guides at distal ends of the u-shaped first cross-section; and
a splice having a second moment capacity and a substantially u-shaped second cross-section that fits into the substantially u-shaped first cross-section of the first aluminum rail, the splice including:
a first edge that cooperates with the first guide of the first aluminum rail; and
a second edge that cooperates with the second guide of the first aluminum rail.
8. The solar panel mount assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first aluminum rail further includes:
a first wall segment adjacent the first guide, and having a first wall thickness; and
a second wall segment adjacent the first wall segment, and having a second wall thickness, the first wall thickness greater than the second wall thickness.
9. The solar panel mount assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first moment capacity and the second moment capacity are substantially similar.
10. The solar panel mount assembly of claim 7 , wherein the splice provides an electrical bonding path when the splice is installed in the first aluminum rail and a second rail.
11. The solar panel mount assembly of claim 7 , wherein an external surface contour of the splice substantially follows an internal surface contour of the first aluminum rail.
12. The solar panel mount assembly of claim 7 , wherein the splice is made of a material that is harder than the first aluminum rail.
13. The solar panel mount assembly of claim 7 , wherein the splice further includes at least one sharp protrusion to pierce a coating of the first aluminum rail.