US 11,949,367 B2
Solar module system for metal shingled roof
Brian Atchley, Petaluma, CA (US); Kyle Tripp, Sacramento, CA (US); and Ian Crecelius, Portland, OR (US)
Assigned to THE R&D LAB COMPANY, Petaluma, CA (US)
Filed by THE R&D LAB COMPANY, Petaluma, CA (US)
Filed on Nov. 30, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/538,952.
Application 17/538,952 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/393,959, filed on Aug. 4, 2021, granted, now 11,742,792.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/150,819, filed on Feb. 18, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/119,741, filed on Dec. 1, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0173691 A1, Jun. 2, 2022
Int. Cl. H02S 20/25 (2014.01); H02S 20/23 (2014.01); H02S 30/10 (2014.01)
CPC H02S 20/23 (2014.12) [H02S 30/10 (2014.12)] 25 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for aligning and grounding an array of solar modules above a metal shingled roof while permitting thermal expansion and contraction of each of the individual solar modules in the array, comprising:
a metal shingled roof;
an array of solar modules;
an array of solar mounting assemblies distributed across the metal shingled roof, wherein each solar mounting assembly in the array comprises grounding clips configured to ground an upper solar module to a lower solar module while permitting the upper and lower solar modules to thermally expand and contract; and
an array of lateral bonding clips, wherein each lateral bonding clip in the array grounds and aligns a pair of laterally adjacent solar modules to one another while permitting the laterally adjacent solar modules to thermally expand and contract,
wherein each solar mounting assembly in the array comprises:
a base,
an upper solar module cleat mounted onto the base, the upper solar module cleat being configured to support a lower end of an upper solar module, and
a lower solar module cleat mounted onto the base, the lower solar module cleat being configured to support an upper end of a lower solar module,
and wherein the grounding clips are in electrical contact with upper and lower module cleats.