Solar panel installation tool

Abstract

A solar panel installation tool, with coarse and fine position adjustment. The tool fits on a mounting rail installed on a roof, and supports the solar panel along its bottom side. A panel support bracket on the tool is adjusted to align the solar panel with the roof edge. The tool can be removed after the solar panel is bolted into place on the rack.

Claims

1. A solar panel installation tool, for positioning solar panels on mounting rails attached to a roof surface, comprising: a tool body, with a first end and a second end, a top side and a bottom side, with a rail engaging foot on said second end, with said rail engaging foot defining a rail slot facing away from said bottom side; a panel support bracket attached to the first end of said tool body, said panel support bracket attached to and responsive to a position adjuster, and extending from said tool body in an opposite direction from said rail slot; one or more increment markings on said tool body; wherein said position adjuster is configured to move said panel support bracket in relation to said rail engaging foot, with said rail engaging foot configured for placing said rail slot on a mounting rail attached to a roof, and with said panel support bracket configured to support and position a solar panel at a distance from said rail engaging slot determined by said position adjuster.

2. A solar panel installation tool, for positioning solar panels on mounting rails attached to a roof surface, comprising: a tool body, comprised of an outer tube substantially surrounding an inner tube, with said outer tube having a first end and a second end, with a fine adjuster on said first end of said outer tube, and further comprising a coarse adjuster, with said outer tube attached to said inner tube; said inner tube having a first end and a second end, said inner tube second end attached to a rail engaging foot, with said rail engaging foot defining a rail slot facing downward; said tool body further comprising a panel support bracket on said first end of said outer tube, said panel bracket attached to and responsive to said fine adjuster, and extending from said tool body in an opposite direction from said rail slot; said fine adjuster turnable to move said panel bracket toward or away from said second end of said outer tube; and said coarse adjuster configured to extend and lock said inner tube from said outer tube; wherein said rail engaging foot is configured for placing said rail slot on a mounting rail attached to a roof, and with said panel support bracket is configured to support and position a solar panel at a distance from said rail determined by said coarse adjuster and said fine adjuster.

3. The solar panel installation tool of claim 2 which further comprises increment markings on said tool body.

4. The solar panel installation tool of claim 2 in which said coarse adjustment is comprised of passages in said outer tube, and a spring loaded post in said inner tube which serves as a detent in said passages.

5. The solar panel installation tool of claim 4 in which said passages further comprise a recessed shoulder to aid in depressing said post.

6. The solar panel installation tool of claim 2 in which said fine adjustment is a screw attached to an adjustment knob, with said screw passing through said panel support bracket, and with panel support bracket enclosed in a slot on said outer tube.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the solar panel installation tool.

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a different embodiment of the solar panel installation tool.

(3) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the reverse side of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 of the solar panel installation tool.

(4) FIG. 4 is an end view of the tool, showing the fine adjustment knob.

(5) FIG. 5 is an end view of the tool, showing the rail engaging foot.

(6) FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing two tools engaging a mounting rail.

(7) FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing two tools ready to engage the rail, and engaging the rail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(8) While the presently disclosed inventive concept(s) is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrated embodiments thereof have been shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the inventive concept(s) to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept(s) is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the inventive concept(s) as defined in the claims.

(9) Referring now to the figures, FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of the solar installation tool. The solar installation tool is referred to as 10 in the figures, and in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 includes a tool body 12, outer tube 14, and inner tube 16. The inner tube telescopes out from the outer tube, and the installation tool 10 includes a coarse adjustment 20 in the form of holes in the outer tube of which one hole is engaged by a detent button located on the inner tube. In this way the inner tube may be extended out from the outer tube, to achieve a coarse adjustment of the length of the tube.

(10) The installation tool 10 also includes a rail engaging foot 30, located on the second end of the inner tube 16. The outer tube has a first end 22 and a second end 24. The inner tube has a first end 26 and a second end 28. The rail engaging foot 30 is attached to the second end 28 of the inner tube. Attached to the first end 22 of the outer tube 14 is a panel support bracket 34. Attached to the panel support bracket 34 is a fine adjuster 18, which in this case is a screw which is attached to the panel support bracket 34 and causes that support bracket to move back and forth in relation to the rail engaging foot, by a finely controlled adjustment. In one embodiment the panel support bracket is moved by a jack screw, by turning an adjustment knob 46. The panel support bracket is held in a slot 60, and moves back and forth on a screw 54, by turning the adjustment knob 46. The embodiment of FIG. 1 can be different sizes for different sized solar panels, but in one embodiment the outer tube is 10.5 inches long, made of 1 square aluminum tubing. The inner tube can be 8.5 inches long, made of square aluminum tubing. The rail engaging foot can be thick, and form a slot 1 deep and 11/16 wide at the top. The slot tapers according to the profile of the particular rail being use.

(11) The coarse adjustment of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 includes passages 50 defined in the outer tube 14, and a spring loaded post 58 on the inner tube 16 which engages one of the passages 50 to lock the tubes 14 and 16 together for a use on a particular rail. The passages 50 can include a recessed shoulder 66 to aid the user in depressing the post 58 with his thumb or finger.

(12) FIG. 2 shows a different embodiment of the device, in which the tool body 12 is made up of a first arm 14 which is equivalent to the outer tube shown as 14 in FIG. 1. It also includes a second arm 16 which is equivalent to the inner tube 16 shown in FIG. 1. A coarse adjuster 20 is present in the form of holes in the two arms which can be connected to each other at different points such as by the bolts 42 and wing nuts 40 shown in FIG. 2. The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 includes a rail engaging foot 30 which includes a rail slot 32 which is generally U shaped. The device includes a fine adjuster 18 which in this case is a screw with a crank which is attached to the rail engaging foot 30 and moves the rail engaging foot 30 back and forth in relation to the panel support bracket 34. FIG. 2 shows an alternative feature which may be present in any of the embodiments, which is a handle 44 which may be used to turn the device during the installation process of fitting the rail engaging foot 30 onto a rail.

(13) FIG. 3 shows the same embodiment as shown in FIG. 1, but shows the reverse side of the device.

(14) FIG. 4 shows the first end of the device, including the fine adjuster knob 46, the back rear side of the panel support bracket 34 and the back side of the rail engaging foot 30. This shows that the center line C1 of the rail engaging foot 30 is not coplanar with the center line C2 of the tool body. It is offset, which allows it to fit between the rail and the solar panel, and then be turned, which will be shown in other figures.

(15) FIG. 5 shows a view of the second end of the tool body, showing the rail engaging foot 30, the outer tube 14 and the inner tube 16, and the panel support bracket 34. Again, the centerline of the rail engaging foot 30 is shown as being not coplanar with the centerline of the panel support bracket 34 and the outer tube 14. The purpose of that will be discussed below.

(16) Shown in FIG. 6 are two solar installation tools 10, which show how the units are mounted onto a rail 36. The rails 36 would typically be mounted to a structure, which can be the top of a roof, or a side of a wall, or in a free standing frame. The solar panel would be placed on a rail, and the solar panel is not shown in FIG. 6. There is a gap between the bottom of the solar panel and the top of the rail, due to the solar panel having a frame which keeps the underside of the solar panel spaced apart from the top of the rail. The rail engaging foot 30 of the device is placed in a flat position between the underside of the solar panel and the top of the rail, and moved until the rail slot 32 is positioned over the top of the rail 36. The tool 10 is then rotated as shown into position of the upper tool, so that the rail slot 32 fits down over the top of the rail 36. In this configuration the bottom of the solar panel would be resting on the panel support bracket 34. The fine adjuster 18 or the coarse adjuster 20 would be moved until the panel is in the right relationship to the rail and the edge of the roof. As other panels are attacked to the rail, the same tools 10 would be used to move each panel individually until it aligned perfectly with the first one. The tools are rotated and removed once the solar panels are bolted down.

(17) FIG. 7 shows the underside of the solar panel 38 showing the rail 36, with the same two installation tools 10 preparing to engage or engaging the top of the rail 36. Shown is the panel support bracket 34 and in both tools the fine adjuster 18 is shown, and the coarse adjuster 20 is shown on the left hand tool.

(18) In use, the first solar panel 38 would be roughly positioned over the pre-installed rails 36, and aligned using the coarse and fine adjuster so the bottom edge of the solar panel is parallel with a feature on the roof, such as the bottom edge of the roof. Once the first solar panel is installed, the other solar panels are installed so that their bottom edges form a straight line, which is parallel with the feature on the roof such as the bottom edge of the roof, and parallel with the bottom edge of the first solar panel installed. Once a solar panel is positioned and bolted down, the installation tool can be rotated, and removed from the rail.

(19) An option is to have a centering light such as a laser on the second end of the tool. A laser would be emitted from one tool to another, to verify that the panels are perfectly aligned. In this way a tool mounted on the first panel in a row could be used to align all the other panels in that row, using the laser on the first tool as a sight gauge to align subsequent tools and the panels they support.

(20) An additional feature is calibration or increment markings 48 on the side of the tool. The marking can be at each coarse adjustment position, to indicate inches to the center of the rail. These are markings like 15, 16, etc. Additional increments are also possible, such as rule marks with 1/16 inch increments.

(21) While certain preferred embodiments are shown in the figures and described in this disclosure, it is to be distinctly understood that the presently disclosed inventive concept(s) is not limited thereto but may be variously embodied to practice within the scope of the following claims. From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the following claims.