Tile Roof PV Mounting Bracket Without Tile Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing photovoltaic mounting systems for tile roofs are costly and time-consuming due to the need to remove tiles for attachment, and conventional tile hooks require additional materials and tools, being messy and imprecise.
Innovation Solution
A bracket system with a base portion, curved portions, and a flange that fits between overlapping tiles, allowing for secure attachment to the roof surface without removing tiles, using a thinner design that spans the tile width and includes apertures for fasteners, providing structural support and mounting holes for PV modules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a conventional tile hook is used to attach PV modules to tile roofs, then the hook can provide sufficient strength to resist wind and gravity forces, but the hook must be relatively thick which requires cutting or breaking off a portion of the tile elevating stand, making the installation messy and requiring additional power tools
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket is divided into multiple functional portions: a base portion for attaching to the roof structure, curved portions for fitting between tiles, a riser portion for vertical support, and a flange for mounting PV modules. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized for its specific function, enabling the bracket to provide necessary strength without requiring thick material that would damage tiles during installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket utilizes three-dimensional spatial arrangement by extending in multiple directions (horizontally between tiles, vertically along the roof pitch, and outward for PV module mounting). This multi-dimensional approach allows the bracket to achieve structural strength through spatial configuration rather than relying on increased thickness in a single dimension, thereby avoiding tile damage during installation.
2Device complexity
If a conventional tile hook with narrow width is used, then the hook profile is compact, but the hook must be very thick to provide sufficient strength, increasing material and transportation costs
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket transitions from a two-dimensional flat hook profile to a three-dimensional structure that extends in multiple directions. By utilizing vertical height (riser portion) and lateral spread (curved portions between tiles), the bracket achieves structural strength through volumetric configuration rather than increasing thickness, thereby reducing material quantity and transportation costs while maintaining profile compactness.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket is formed from a single piece of metal material that is bent and shaped into a complex three-dimensional configuration. This monolithic construction provides structural strength through geometric optimization rather than material thickness, reducing both material quantity and the need for additional fasteners or components, thereby lowering overall material costs.
3Reliability
If tiles are removed to expose the roof surface for mounting hardware attachment, then secure attachment to the roof deck can be achieved, but the installation process becomes more time-consuming and expensive compared to systems used on composite shingle roofs
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket is pre-formed with curved portions that are designed to fit between overlapping tiles without requiring tile removal. The base portion is pre-configured with apertures for fastener attachment, and the entire structure is prepared beforehand, allowing installers to simply position and secure the bracket without time-consuming tile removal and replacement operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket serves as an intermediary element that bridges the gap between the tiles and the roof structure. Instead of directly attaching hardware to the roof deck (which requires tile removal), the bracket fits between the tiles as a mediator and attaches to the roof structure through its base portion, thereby securing PV modules without requiring tile removal and maintaining high installation productivity.
4Ease of operation
If a bracket design spans the entire width of a tile is used, then the bracket can provide structural support without removing tiles, but the bracket must be precisely fitted between overlapping tiles in successive courses
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket features curved portions with specific geometries designed to match the profiles of overlapping tiles at different locations. The base portion has apertures positioned at specific locations for fastener attachment, and the riser and flange portions are shaped to provide proper support and mounting surfaces. This localized optimization of geometry at different portions of the bracket enables precise fitting between tiles while maintaining installation simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
A bracket for installing photovoltaic modules on a tile roof. The bracket can have a base portion adapted to sit on a flat roof surface below a tile. A pair of curved portions above the base portion can be supported by a pair of vertical portions. A riser portion can be connected to the pair of curved portion and rising in a direction perpendicular to a roof surface. A flange can be connected to and be perpendicular to the riser portion and parallel to the base.