Adjustable Hinge Mount for Solar Panels on Metal Roof Profiles
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solar panel racking systems are not adaptable to various metal roof profiles, including corrugated, trapezoidal, and flat roofs, due to their rigid designs, which limits their installation flexibility and compatibility.
Innovation Solution
A hinged and optionally adjustable mounting device with hollow arcuate-shaped hinge sleeves and slot-shaped apertures, allowing for secure attachment to different metal roof types by pivoting and width adjustment, utilizing self-drilling screws and a hinge platform assembly that can accommodate multiple roof profiles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid mounting device design is used, then the structural strength is improved, but the adaptability to various metal roof profiles deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting device incorporates a hinged connection between the mounting bracket and the rail assembly, allowing the bracket to pivot and adapt to different roof profiles. This dynamic joint enables the rigid structural components to adjust their relative positions while maintaining overall structural integrity, resolving the contradiction between rigidity and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting device allows for adjustment of geometric parameters such as the angle of the mounting bracket relative to the rail, and the position of adjustable feet. By changing these parameters, the device can accommodate various roof profiles (corrugated, trapezoidal, flat) while maintaining the structural strength of the rigid components.
2Ease of manufacture
If a fixed-width mounting device is used, then the manufacturing simplicity is improved, but the versatility for different roof profiles deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting device is divided into separate modular components including the mounting bracket, rail assembly, and adjustable feet. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently with simple geometries, while the assembly provides the versatility to accommodate different roof profiles through configurable arrangements of these modular parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting device is designed as a universal system where the same basic components (bracket, rail, feet) can be configured to work with multiple roof profiles. The adjustable features and hinged connections enable one device design to serve multiple functions across different installation scenarios, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while achieving versatility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If extensive modifications to the racking system are made, then the compatibility with various roof profiles is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of modifying multiple rigid components, the invention introduces a single dynamic element - the hinged connection between the mounting bracket and rail assembly. This minimal modification provides the necessary adaptability for various roof profiles while keeping the overall device complexity low, as the hinge is a simple mechanical joint rather than a complex mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure discusses devices and systems for attaching solar panels to metal roofs. A mounting device has two or more hinge bases that can pivot at various angles about a hinge platform assembly. The hinge platform assembly is optionally widthwise adjustable. The above-mentioned adjustments allow the mounting device to secure solar panels to various types of metal roofs such as flat, corrugated, and trapezoidal. The hinge platform assembly interfaces with various components of the solar panel racking system. The hinge platform assembly includes hinge sleeves that pass into slots within the hinge bases and surround hinge pins that project upward from the hinge bases. This allows the hinge bases to captively rotate about the hinge platform assembly.