This disclosure relates to a device for mounting solar panels to roofs of building structures.
Solar Panels can mount to various types of roof structures, such as pitched shingle roofs, tile roofs, metal roofs, or concrete roofs. Solar panels commonly secure to rails. Typically, these rails span the length of one or more solar panels. L-foot brackets and other mounting systems can secure the rails to the roof. The L-foot brackets often include slots to adjust the height of the rail with respect to the roof surface. Some rail-mounted solar panel mounting devices are slidable along the rail. This allows the installer to adjust the position of the solar panel along the roof-line and position the solar panel with respect to other solar panels.
Solar panel installers and manufacturers seek to simplify installation and minimize system costs. One alternative to a rail-based system that attempts to do this is a rail-less solar panel mounting system. Rather than a rail that spans the length or width of one or more solar panels, a rail-less solar panel mounting system typically includes mounting devices positioned periodically along the roof surface to support the solar panels. Rail-less solar panel mounting systems are potentially simpler than their rail-based counterparts. They do not require long spans of rail. However, rail-less solar panel mounting systems are not without their challenges. With a rail-based system, the rails can be positioned and leveled before the heavy solar panels are mounted. In a rail-less system the solar panels often must be attached to the mounting devices before they can be adjusted. To overcome this challenge, manufacturers have developed various strategies to adjust the position and height of the mounting hardware.