Solar Panel Rooftop Mounting and Grounding Device

Abstract

Disclosed is a device for securing, mounting, aligning, and grounding solar panels to a roof mounted rail. The device in combination with a t-bolt, a nut, and a solar panel end-clamp or mid-clamp, secure, mount, align, and ground the solar panels to the roof mounted rail. The device can be inserted into the top of the rail anywhere along its length. After the device and t-bolt are inserted in the rail, the t-bolt rotated so it inserts into a slot at the bottom of the rail thereby securing the device to the rail, assuring the proper orientation of the t-bolt, and preventing further rotation of the t-bolt.

1 . An apparatus for mounting a solar panel to a rail, the apparatus comprising:
 a t-bolt, the t-bolt includes a t-bolt body, and a t-bolt head, the t-bolt head includes a t-bolt head length, a t-bolt head width, and t-bolt head planar bottom surface, with the threaded t-bolt body projecting perpendicularly from the t-bolt planar bottom surface;   a mounting device, comprising:   (a) a base portion, the base portion includes:
 (i) a base portion length; 
 (ii) a first and second base portion sides opposing and parallel to each other and oriented along the base portion length, the distance between the first and second base portion sides comprising a base portion width, the base portion width is narrower than the t-bolt head length; 
 (iii) a base portion bottom surface including a base portion slot transverse to the first and second base portion sides, the base portion slot is wider than the t-bolt head width and narrower than the t-bolt head length; 
   (b) a rigid alignment portion rigidly secured to the base portion, the rigid alignment portion includes:
 (i) an aperture aligned over the base portion slot and passing a portion of the t-bolt body therethrough; 
 (ii) an alignment portion length oriented along the base portion width and an alignment portion width oriented along the base portion length, the alignment portion length is wider than the base portion width, the alignment portion width is narrower than the base portion length; 
 (iii) an a first and a second alignment portion sides opposing and parallel to each other, projecting perpendicularly upward from the base portion, oriented perpendicularly transverse to the base portion first and second base portion sides, the distance between the first and second alignment portion sides comprising the alignment portion width; 
 (iv) the rigid alignment portion is positioned with respect to the base portion so that a top surface of the base portion presents a planar top surface on opposing sides of the first and the second alignment portion sides; and 
   a first position where the t-bolt head planar bottom surface rests flush against the base portion bottom surface within the base portion slot and the t-bolt is rotationally captive within the base portion slot.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the base portion including a base portion top surface;   a first grounding pin and second grounding pin each projecting through the base portion top surface and the base portion bottom surface, the first grounding pin and the second grounding pin positioned on the base portion on opposing sides of the rigid alignment portion.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the base portion and the rigid alignment portion are integrally formed. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , where in the base portion and the rigid alignment portion are each cuboid shaped. 
     
     
         5 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus for mounting a solar panel comprising:
 a rail, the rail includes a rail top surface, a rail slot oriented along a length of the rail top surface, and a rail slot cavity, the rail slot cavity includes a top inside surface that is cut longitudinally by the rail slot;   a t-bolt, including a t-bolt head and a t-bolt body, the t-bolt head includes a planar bottom surface with the t-bolt body projecting perpendicular therefrom;   a mounting device comprising:   (a) a base portion, including a base portion length, a base portion width, a base portion top surface, and a base portion bottom surface;   the base portion bottom surface includes a base portion slot along the base portion width;   (b) a rigid alignment portion, the rigid alignment portion includes an alignment portion length oriented along the base portion width, the rigid alignment portion is rigidly secured to and projecting upward from the base portion, the rigid alignment portion includes an alignment portion bottom surface and an aperture aligned over the base portion slot with a portion of the t-bolt body passing therethrough; and   the t-bolt, the mounting device, and the rail configurable into a first position where: the t-bolt is vertically and rotational captive within the rail slot and the base portion slot, the planar bottom surface of the t-bolt head rests flush against the base portion bottom surface within the base portion slot and rests flush against the top inside surface of the rail slot cavity, and the alignment portion bottom surface rests flush against the rail top surface.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a first grounding pin and second grounding pin each projecting through the base portion top surface and the base portion bottom surface, the first grounding pin and the second grounding pin positioned on the base portion on opposing sides of the rigid alignment portion; and   the position further comprises the first grounding pin and the second grounding pin making electrically conductive contact with the rail and the solar panel.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the base portion and the rigid alignment portion are integrally formed. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the base portion and the rigid alignment portion are each rectangular cuboid shaped;   the rigid alignment portion including an alignment portion length; and   the base portion length is perpendicular to the rigid alignment portion length.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the rigid alignment portion includes an alignment portion width oriented along the base portion length; and   the rigid alignment portion length is wider than the base portion width; and   the rigid alignment portion width is narrower than the base portion length.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the base portion length is positioned longitudinally along the rail slot; and   the base portion top is within the rail slot and aligned at or below the rail top surface.