Assembly for clamping and grounding objects

{
  "publication_number": "US12062881B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Assembly for clamping and grounding objects",
  "abstract": "In various representative aspects, an apparatus for clamping and grounding solar panel frames to a mounting rail is disclosed herein. The apparatus includes a fastener with an enlarged end, and a shank, with the enlarged end having one or more sharp protrusions that resemble teeth, and a washer with one or more sharp protrusions, and an opening. When installed, the shank is inserted through the opening of the washer, the sharp protrusions of the enlarged end penetrate either the lower or upper surface of the mounting rail and the sharp protrusions of the washer penetrate the other surface of the solar panel frames while at the same time creating a grounding path through the apparatus.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A clamping assembly for securing a pair of parallel solar panel mounting frames to a mounting rail, the clamping assembly comprising: a washer comprising: a body, a central opening passing through the body, a pair of flanges positioned on opposing sides of the body, a pair of elongated side portions connected to the washer, wherein each elongated side portion extends orthogonally to the body of the washer and from the pair of flanges, and at least one tooth structure extending downward from each flange, wherein the at least one tooth structure is configured to penetrate a top surface of at least one of the parallel solar panel mounting frames; a nut; and a fastener comprising: a threaded shank configured to pass through the central opening of the washer and engage with the nut, and an enlarged end positioned on a bottom portion of the fastener, wherein the enlarged end comprises a plurality of raised ridges extending across a top surface of the enlarged end, and wherein the plurality of raised ridges are configured to at least partially penetrate at least a surface layer of a channel formed in the mounting rail when the nut is tightened; wherein the pair of elongated side portions are configured to separate the pair of parallel solar panel mounting frames.",
    "2. The clamping assembly of claim 1, wherein the enlarged end defines a T-bolt end.",
    "3. The clamping assembly of claim 1, wherein the nut is hexagonal and is coupled to a top portion of the fastener at a position above a top surface of the body of the washer.",
    "4. The clamping assembly of claim 3, wherein the nut comprises an internally threaded portion.",
    "5. The clamping assembly of claim 1, wherein the washer, the nut, and the fastener are formed of electrically-conductive materials.",
    "6. An assembly comprising: a first solar panel mounting frame and a second solar panel mounting frame, wherein each of the first solar panel mounting frame and the second solar panel mounting frame comprises an elongated channel for receiving a solar panel; a mounting rail, wherein the mounting rail comprises an upwardly-open channel formed therein; and a clamp assembly, the clamp assembly comprising: a washer comprising: a body, a central opening passing through the body, a pair of flanges positioned on opposing sides of the body, at least one tooth structure extending downward from the flanges, wherein the at least one tooth structure is configured to penetrate a top surface of at least one of the first and second solar panel mounting frames, and a pair of elongated side portions, and wherein each elongated side portion extends orthogonally to the body of the washer and the pair of elongated side portions are configured to separate the first solar panel mounting frame and the second solar panel mounting frame, the elongated side portions extending from the flanges, an internally threaded nut; and a fastener comprising: a threaded shank configured to pass through the central opening of the washer and engage with the internal threads of the internally threaded nut, and an enlarged end positioned on a bottom portion of the fastener, wherein the enlarged end comprises a plurality of raised ridges extending across a top surface of the enlarged end, and wherein the plurality of raised ridges are configured to at least partially penetrate at least a surface layer of the elongated channel formed in the mounting rail when the nut is tightened.",
    "7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the enlarged end of the fastener defines a T-bolt end.",
    "8. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the internally threaded nut is hexagonal and is coupled to a top portion of the fastener at a position above a top surface of the body of the washer.",
    "9. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the washer, the internally threaded nut, and the fastener of the clamp assembly are formed of electrically-conductive materials.",
    "10. A method of coupling a pair of solar panel frames to a mounting rail, the method comprising: providing a first solar panel frame and a second solar panel frame; providing a mounting rail, wherein the mounting rail comprises an upwardly-open channel formed therein; providing at least one clamp assembly, the at least one clamp assembly comprising: a washer comprising: a body, a central opening passing through the body, a pair of flanges positioned on opposing sides of the body, at least one tooth structure extending downward from the flanges, and a pair of elongated side portions, wherein each elongated side portion extends orthogonally to the body of the washer and the elongated side portions extend from the pair of flanges; a nut; and a fastener comprising: a threaded shank configured to pass through the central opening of the washer and engage with the nut, and an enlarged end positioned on a bottom portion of the fastener, wherein the enlarged end comprises a plurality of raised ridges extending across a top surface of the enlarged end; positioning the enlarged end of the fastener of the at least one clamp assembly within the upwardly-open channel of the mounting rail; positioning the flanges of the washer of the at least one clamp assembly over respective top surfaces of each of the first solar panel frame and the second solar panel frame; and tightening the fastener of the at least one clamp assembly such that the first solar panel frame and the second solar panel frame are securely coupled to the mounting rail, the at least one tooth structure extending downward from the flanges at least partially penetrates the respective top surfaces of each of the first solar panel frame and the second solar panel frame, and the plurality of raised ridges of the enlarged end of the fastener at least partially penetrate an interior surface of the upwardly-open channel of the mounting rail; wherein the pair of elongated side portions are configured to separate the first solar panel frame and the second solar panel frame.",
    "11. The method of claim 10, wherein the enlarged end of the fastener of the at least one clamp assembly is configured as a T-bolt end.",
    "12. The method of claim 11, wherein positioning the enlarged end of the at least one clamp assembly within the upwardly-open channel of the mounting rail comprises: rotating the T-bolt end to a first position; inserting the T-bolt end into the upwardly-open channel of the mounting rail; and rotating the T-bolt end to a second position such that the T-bolt end is securable within the upwardly-open channel."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates generally to providing an apparatus for clamping multiple objects together and providing a grounding path between the objects. More specifically, the invention relates to providing a way for the assembly to penetrate metallic objects to better secure the assembly when clamping the objects together while at the same time providing a grounding path between them. One exemplary application of the assembly is to affix a solar panel frame to a mounting rail.\n\nExisting solutions are either unsatisfying in providing sufficient electrical grounding capacity or too complicated to manufacture or install. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,006,074 (Franks) teaches an adjustable clamping device using a threaded bolt with an abrading surface to penetrate an outer surface to ground a conductor. The device is not designed to affix two or more objects. US patent application, publication number US 2011/0039430 A1 (Aftanas), discloses a fastening assembly with a metallic bolt and a metallic leaf spring. The metallic leaf spring has at least one tooth projecting from one of the opposing ends. The tooth may penetrate the solar panel frame or the support frame member and ground the solar panel frame. Because the leaf spring is non-structural it only has the capacity to clamp objects together while at the same time providing a grounding path between them.\n\nAnother example is US patent application, publication number US 2011/0179606 A1 (Magno et al.), which discloses an assembly for clamping two objects with a single hand and for grounding the objects.",
  "cpc": [
    "H01R 9/18",
    "F16B 2/12",
    "F16B 43/00",
    "F16B 7/187",
    "F24S 25/636",
    "H01R 13/648",
    "Y02E 10/47",
    "Y02E 10/50"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "F16B 2/12",
    "F16B 43/00",
    "F16B 7/18",
    "F24S 25/636",
    "H01R 13/648",
    "H01R 9/18"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Ironridge Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Jon Ash",
    "Shawn J. Meine"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2021-10-11",
  "publication_date": "2024-08-13",
  "grant_date": "2024-08-13",
  "priority_date": "2012-07-05",
  "application_number": "US-202117498077-A",
  "family_id": "54335629",
  "cited_by_count": 2,
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