Photovoltaic Glazing Assembly and Method
First Claim
1. A photovoltaic glazing assembly, comprising:
- a first substrate formed of a light transmitting material, and a second substrate, each of the first and second substrates having first and second major surfaces, each second surface having a central region and a periphery and the second surfaces facing each other, said second surfaces being generally parallel;
a temperature-sensitive photovoltaic coating over at least the central region of the second surface of the first substrate or the second substrate, the photovoltaic coating being characterized by a photovoltaic efficiency that decreases with increasing temperature;
a gas space located between the first and second substrates and having a thickness T of between 0.01 inch and 0.095 inch to facilitate heat transfer across the gas space so as to restrain loss of photovoltaic efficiency due to temperature increases of the photovoltaic coating, the gas space being the glazing assembly'"'"'s only interpane space; and
a peripheral seal system located between the first and second substrates and comprising contiguous first and second seals, each connecting the first and second substrates together along their peripheries, the first seal having a width W1 and a thickness t that provide a W1/t ratio of at least 2.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A photovoltaic glazing assembly including first and second substrates, at least one being formed of a light transmitting material. The assembly includes a photovoltaic coating over at least the central region of a surface of the first substrate or the second substrate. In some embodiments, a seal system encloses a gas space between the substrates and optionally has a thickness of between approximately 0.01 inch and approximately 0.1 inch. Certain embodiments provide a flexible and electrically non-conductive retention film over the photovoltaic coating. Additionally or alternatively, the assembly can have a peripheral seal system with relative dimensions in certain ranges. Advantageous manufacturing methods are also provided.
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Citations
54 Claims
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1. A photovoltaic glazing assembly, comprising:
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a first substrate formed of a light transmitting material, and a second substrate, each of the first and second substrates having first and second major surfaces, each second surface having a central region and a periphery and the second surfaces facing each other, said second surfaces being generally parallel; a temperature-sensitive photovoltaic coating over at least the central region of the second surface of the first substrate or the second substrate, the photovoltaic coating being characterized by a photovoltaic efficiency that decreases with increasing temperature; a gas space located between the first and second substrates and having a thickness T of between 0.01 inch and 0.095 inch to facilitate heat transfer across the gas space so as to restrain loss of photovoltaic efficiency due to temperature increases of the photovoltaic coating, the gas space being the glazing assembly'"'"'s only interpane space; and a peripheral seal system located between the first and second substrates and comprising contiguous first and second seals, each connecting the first and second substrates together along their peripheries, the first seal having a width W1 and a thickness t that provide a W1/t ratio of at least 2. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for making a photovoltaic glazing assembly, the method comprising:
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providing a first substrate and a second substrate, the first and second substrates each having first and second major surfaces, said second surfaces each having a central region and a periphery, at least one of the substrates being transparent; providing a temperature-sensitive photovoltaic coating on at least the central region of the second surface of the first or second substrate, the photovoltaic coating being characterized by a photovoltaic efficiency that decreases with increasing temperature; applying a first seal to the periphery of at least one of the substrates, such that the first seal is spaced from the edge of that substrate; bringing the first and second substrates together in an opposed relationship such that the first seal is between the peripheries of the second surfaces of the first and second substrates, and applying pressure until a gas space between the first and second substrates has a thickness T of less than 0.095 inch so as to facilitate heat transfer across the gas space and thereby restrain loss of photovoltaic efficiency due to temperature increases of the photovoltaic coating, and thereafter applying a second seal into a peripheral channel defined collectively by the first seal and peripheral regions of the second surfaces of the first and second substrates, the second seal being contiguous to the first seal such that there are substantially no air spaces between the first and second seals. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A photovoltaic glazing assembly, comprising:
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first and second substrates each having first and second major surfaces, each second surface having a central region and a periphery, the second surfaces facing each other, at least one of the first and second substrates being formed of a light transmitting material; a temperature-sensitive photovoltaic coating over at least the central region of the second surface of the first substrate or the second substrate, the photovoltaic coating being characterized by a photovoltaic efficiency that decreases with increasing temperature; a flexible and electrically non-conductive retention film over the photovoltaic coating, the retention film having a thickness of less than 0.009 inch and yet having a tear strength combined with a flexibility that hold the photovoltaic coating together with the underlying substrate in case that substrate is fractured; a gas space located between the first and second substrates, the gas space having a thickness T of between 0.01 inch and 0.09 inch to facilitate heat transfer across the gas space so as to restrain loss of photovoltaic efficiency due to temperature increases of the photovoltaic coating, wherein an exposed surface of the retention film bounds the gas space; and a seal system between the first and second substrates and joining the first and second substrates to each other along their peripheries. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method for making a photovoltaic glazing assembly, the method comprising:
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providing a first substrate and a second substrate, the first and second substrates each having first and second major surfaces, said second surfaces each having a central region and a periphery, at least one of the substrates being transparent, and wherein a photovoltaic coating is on at least the central region of the second surface of the first or second substrate; applying a ribbon comprising side-by-side first and second seals to the periphery of at least one of said second surfaces, such that when initially applied the ribbon has a thickness t that is greater adjacent to a midpoint of the ribbon than adjacent to sides of the ribbon; bringing the first and second substrates together in an opposed relationship such that the ribbon is between the peripheries of the second surfaces of the first and second substrates, and applying pressure so as to move the first and second substrates closer together until the thickness t of the ribbon is at least substantially uniform from the midpoint to the sides of the ribbon. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A photovoltaic glazing assembly, comprising:
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first and second substrates each having first and second major surfaces, each second surface having a central region and a periphery, the second surfaces facing each other, at least one of the first and second substrates being formed of a light transmitting material; a photovoltaic coating over at least the central region of the second surface of the first substrate or the second substrate; a flexible and electrically non-conductive retention film over the photovoltaic coating, the retention film having a thickness of less than 0.006 inch and yet having a tear strength combined with a flexibility that hold the photovoltaic coating together with the underlying substrate in case that substrate is fractured; a gas space located between the first and second substrates, wherein an exposed surface of the retention film bounds the gas space; and a seal system between the first and second substrates and joining the first and second substrates to each other along their peripheries. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54)
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Specification