Terminal box for a solar battery module, a rectifying-device unit

• US 20050197001A1
• Filed: 05/02/2005
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Kiryu, Masuhiro, Yoshikawa, Hiroyuki, Higashikozono, Makoto
• Granted Patent: US 7,365,965 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/485
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6641 with diode with LED H01R13/7175
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/16 Fastening of connecting parts to base or case; Insulating connecting parts from base or case
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/223 Insulating enclosures for terminals for switches H01H9/0264
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/2425 Structural association with built-in components for coupling parts H01R13/66
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/34 comprising specially adapted electrical connection means to be structurally associated with the PV module, e.g. junction boxes
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/345 with cooling means associated with the electrical connection means, e.g. cooling means associated with or applied to the junction box cooling means for PV cells H01L31/052, for PV modules H02S40/42
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A terminal box for a solar battery module is provided with a plurality of terminal plates (30) juxtaposed on a base plate (11) and connectable with positive and negative electrodes of the solar battery module, cables for external connection connectable with the terminal plates (30), and rectifying-device units (50) each of which spans between two corresponding terminal plates (30). Each rectifying-device unit (50) includes a bypass diode (52) connectable with the two corresponding terminal plates (30) to prevent an inverse current, and a metal-made clip (53) for resiliently holding the bypass diode (52). The clip (53) is held in contact with a heat discharging plate (55) of the bypass diode (52) to discharge heat generated by the bypass diode (52).

Claims

1. A terminal box for a solar battery module (100), comprising:

a base plate (11),

a plurality of terminal plates (30) on the base plate (11) and connectable with positive and negative electrodes of the solar battery module (100) via cables (80) for external connection; and

a rectifying-device unit (50) spanning between two corresponding terminal plates (30), the rectifying-device unit (50) including at least one rectifying device (52) connectable with each of the two corresponding terminal plates (30), and a heat discharging member (53;

57;

91) for holding the rectifying device (52) in contact therewith.

2. The terminal box of claim 1, wherein the heat discharging member (53) includes a pair of supporting pieces (56A, 56B) for resiliently holding the at least one rectifying device (52) therebetween.

3. The terminal box of claim 1, wherein the rectifying device (52) is packaged by resin sealing (54) with a heat discharging portion (55) exposed at its outer surface, and the heat discharging member (53;

57;

91) engageable with the heat discharging portion (55).

4. The terminal box of claim 1, wherein the heat discharging member (53;

57;

91) includes at least one engaging portion (56G;

91ED) resiliently engageable with at least one engageable portion (19;

19A) of the base plate (11), and the rectifying-device unit (50) is positionable on the base plate (11) by the resilient engagement of the engaging portion (56G;

91 ED) and the engageable portion (19;

19A).

5. The terminal box of claim 4, wherein a plurality of rectifying devices (52) are provided on the base plate (11), and one heat discharging member (53;

57;

91) is provided for each rectifying device (52).

6. The terminal box of claim 4, wherein a plurality of rectifying devices (52) are provided on the base plate (11) and are collectively held by the one heat discharging member (53;

57;

91).

7. The terminal box of claim 1, wherein the rectifying device (52) is at least partly packaged by resin sealing (54), and the heat discharging member (53;

57;

91) is shaped to extend substantially along a step of the rectifying device (52) and has a holding surface (57E) abutted against this step.

8. The terminal box of claim 1, wherein the rectifying device (52) is at least partly packaged by resin sealing (54), the heat discharging member includes a boss insertable into a hole of the rectifying device (52), and the rectifying device (52) is mounted on the heat discharging member by the boss.

9. The terminal box of claim 1, wherein the heat discharging member (53;

57;

91) includes a pair of divided members (57), and the rectifying device (52) is held tightly between facing surfaces of the two divided members (57) by uniting the divided members (57).

10. The terminal box of claim 9, wherein the two divided members (57) are formed with through holes (57G;

58A) substantially coaxially penetrating the divided members (57) where the rectifying device (52) is held, and a screw (60) at least partly inserted through the through holes (57G;

58A) and screwed into a screw receiving portion (11E) of the base plate (11), thereby fastening the rectifying device (52) by way of the two divided members (57).

11. The terminal box of claim 1, wherein the rectifying device (52) is mounted on the heat discharging member (57;

91) by a screw (60).

12. The terminal box of claim 1, wherein a through hole (11H) is formed in a surface of the base plate (11) where the heat discharging member (53;

57;

91) is placed to communicate with the solar battery module (100), and a heat transferring portion (92;

93) is provided inside the through hole (11H).

13. The terminal box of claim 12, wherein the heat transferring portion (92;

93) includes a heat discharging block (92) unitary to the heat discharging member (91).

14. The terminal box of claim 13, wherein an end surface of the heat discharging block (92) substantially faces a surface of the base plate (11) to be mounted on the solar battery module (100).

15. The terminal box of claim 12, wherein the heat transferring portion (92;

93) includes an adhesive member (93) having a good heat conductivity.

16. The terminal box of claim 1, wherein the heat discharging member has a heat dissipation fin for discharging heat.

17. The terminal box of claim 1, wherein the heat-discharging member (53;

57;

91) is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

18. A rectifying-device unit (50) to span between two terminal plates (30) on a base plate (11), connectable with positive and negative electrodes of a solar battery module and connectable with cables (80) for external connection, comprising:

a rectifying device (52) connectable with each of the corresponding terminal plates (30); and

a heat-discharging member (53) contacting the rectifying device (52).

19. The rectifying-device unit of claim 18, wherein the heat-discharging member (53) includes a pair of supporting pieces (56A, 56B) for resiliently holding the rectifying device (52) therebetween.

20. The rectifying-device unit of claim 18, wherein the rectifying device (52) is packaged by resin sealing (54) with a heat discharging portion (55) exposed at its outer surface, and the heat discharging member (53) being engageable with the heat discharging portion (55).