IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,191,798
Granted Patent B2
US 12,191,798 · App. 18/387,592 · Granted Jan 7, 2025

Surface mount assemblies for a solar panel system

Inventor: Martin John Affentranger, Jr. (Paso Robles, CA)
Assignee: Sunrun Inc.
H02S20/23F16B19/008F24S25/10F24S25/61H02S30/00F24S2025/021F24S2025/6005Y02E10/47
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,191,798
App. No.
18/387,592
Granted
Jan 7, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Surface mount assembly for mounting to a solar panel frame to an installation surface is disclosed. In some embodiments, a surface mount assembly includes a base and an enclosure. The base includes a lower member and an upper member. The lower member could include a brace, a center aperture extending through the lower and upper members for receiving a fastener to facilitate the mounting to a solar panel frame; the upper member could include a hub from which a plurality of arms may extend. The mount enclosure could include a chamber with a chamber aperture for receiving a fastener from the surface mount, a post support extending upward from the chamber and forming a post aperture for receiving a post, and a horizontal member with one or more sealant grooves extending horizontal outward from the chamber.

Claims (50)

1. A surface mount, comprising:

a base comprised of a lower member and an upper member, where

the lower member is comprised of:

a brace extending outwardly from one side of the lower member,

a first aperture extending from a bottom surface of the lower member to an upper surface of a hub of the upper member, where

the first aperture is configured to receive a fastener extending upwardly from the bottom surface and through the first aperture, and

no more than one second aperture extending between an upper surface of the lower member and the bottom surface; and

the upper member is comprised of:

the hub to which the first aperture extends, and

a pair of arms extending outwardly from the hub to an upper surface of the brace, where

the second aperture is located in between the pair of arms.

2. The surface mount of claim 1 , wherein the fastener and the first aperture are threaded.

3. The surface mount of claim 1 , wherein the fastener is a flush fastener pressed against the bottom surface when the base is mounted to an installation surface.

4. The surface mount of claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface includes a cavity at the first aperture configured to receive the fastener prior to being received by the first aperture.

5. The surface mount of claim 1 , wherein a distal end of the fastener is configured to engage a post received by a post aperture of a surface mount enclosure after extending upwardly through both the first aperture and a chamber aperture of the surface mount enclosure.

6. The surface mount of claim 5 , wherein the engagement of the distal end of the fastener to the post facilitates a mounting of the surface mount enclosure to an installation surface when the base is mounted to the installation surface.

7. A surface mount enclosure, comprising:

a chamber comprised of a perimeter, an inner surface, an outer surface, and a chamber aperture extending between the inner and outer surfaces;

a fixed post support extending upwardly from the chamber and forming a post aperture configured to receive a post; and

a plurality of arms extending outwardly from the fixed post support and above the outer surface of the chamber;

wherein the chamber aperture is configured to receive a distal end of a fastener extending upwardly from the inner surface to the outer surface;

wherein the fastener couples the surface mount enclosure to a base configured for being mounted to an installation surface; and

wherein the fastener is a flush fastener pressed against a bottom surface of the base when the base is mounted to an installation surface.

8. The surface mount enclosure of claim 7 , wherein the post aperture is configured to receive the post configured to engage the distal end of the fastener.

9. The surface mount enclosure of claim 7 , wherein a hub of an upper surface of the base engages a lower portion of the inner surface of the chamber when the base is coupled to the surface mount enclosure.

10. The surface mount enclosure of claim 7 , wherein the distal end of the fastener extends upwardly through an aperture of the base prior to being received by the chamber aperture and prior to the base being coupled to the surface mount enclosure.

11. The surface mount enclosure of claim 7 , wherein the post aperture is configured to receive a post.

12. The surface mount enclosure of claim 7 , further comprising:

a horizontal member having a plurality of grooves parallel to each other.

13. The surface mount enclosure of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of grooves Original configured to receive sealant prior to the surface mount enclosure being mounted to an installation surface.

14. A surface mount assembly, comprising:

a surface mount comprised of:

a base comprised of a lower member and an upper member, where

the lower member is comprised of:

a brace extending outwardly from one side of the lower member,

a first aperture extending from a bottom surface of the lower member to an upper surface of a hub of the upper member, and

no more than one second aperture extending between an upper surface of the lower member and the bottom surface of the lower member, and

the upper member is comprised of:

a pair of arms extending outwardly from a hub to an upper surface of the brace, where

the second aperture is located in between the pair of arms; and

a surface mount enclosure comprised of:

a chamber comprised of a perimeter, an inner surface, an outer surface, and a chamber aperture extending from the inner surface to the outer surface; and

a post aperture, where,

the surface mount and the surface mount enclosure are configured for being coupled together.

15. The surface mount assembly of claim 14 , wherein the surface mount and the surface mount enclosure are coupled together at an intersection of the first aperture and the chamber aperture.

16. The surface mount assembly of claim 14 , further comprising:

a fastener, where

the fastener is received by the first aperture prior to the base being mounted to an installation surface, and

the fastener is received by at least the chamber aperture after the base is mounted to the installation surface.

17. The surface mount assembly of claim 16 , wherein the fastener coupled the surface mount to the surface mount enclosure.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 7, 2024
From: AFFENTRANGER, MARTIN JOHN, JR.
To: SUNRUN INC.
Reel/Frame 066408/0752 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 18118387 · Mar 7, 2023
Continuation 17947057 · Sep 16, 2022
Related Publication 20240186937A1 · Jun 6, 2024
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