US 11,962,268 B2
Frameless solar module mounting
Alexander W. Au, Oakland, CA (US)
Assigned to NEXTRACKER LLC, Fremont, CA (US)
Filed by Nextracker LLC, Fremont, CA (US)
Filed on May 11, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/196,313.
Application 18/196,313 is a continuation of application No. 16/546,181, filed on Aug. 20, 2019, granted, now 11,689,150.
Application 16/546,181 is a continuation of application No. 15/379,919, filed on Dec. 15, 2016, granted, now 10,389,294, issued on Aug. 20, 2019.
Application 15/379,919 is a continuation of application No. 14/735,085, filed on Jun. 9, 2015, granted, now 9,543,888, issued on Jan. 10, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2023/0308046 A1, Sep. 28, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F16B 5/06 (2006.01); H02S 20/30 (2014.01); H02S 20/32 (2014.01); F24S 25/634 (2018.01); F24S 25/636 (2018.01); H02S 30/10 (2014.01)
CPC H02S 20/32 (2014.12) [F16B 5/06 (2013.01); F16B 5/0607 (2013.01); F16B 5/0621 (2013.01); F16B 5/0635 (2013.01); F16B 5/0664 (2013.01); H02S 20/30 (2014.12); F24S 25/634 (2018.05); F24S 25/636 (2018.05); H02S 30/10 (2014.12); Y02E 10/50 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A locking spacer device, comprising:
a lower insulating region formed from a thickness of polymeric material, the lower insulating region having an open region, wherein the lower insulating region is oriented parallel to a major plane of a glass-on-glass solar module;
an upper insulating region formed from the thickness of polymeric material, the upper insulating region configured to transition from a first position that is substantially normal to the lower insulating region to a second position that is substantially parallel to the lower insulating region;
a spacer region interposed between the lower insulating region and the upper insulating region and defining a gap between the lower insulating region and the upper insulating region, the spacer region coupling the lower insulating region to the upper insulating region; and
a bend region spatially disposed between the spacer region and the upper insulating region, the bend region having a thickness that is less than the thickness of the polymeric material to enable the upper insulating region to transition from the first position to the second position about the bend region.