PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULE

• US 20120274264A1
• Filed: 04/25/2012
• Published: 11/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trina Solar Limited
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Myonghwan, Mun, Hyunrok
• Granted Patent: US 9,000,714 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/101
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/05 Electrical interconnection means between PV cells inside the PV module, e.g. series connection of PV cells electrodes H01L31/0224; electrical interconnection of thin film solar cells formed on a common substrate H01L31/046; particular structures for electrical interconnecting of adjacent thin film solar cells in the module H01L31/0465; electrical interconnection means specially adapted for electrically connecting two or more PV modules H02S40/36
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/32 comprising DC/AC inverter means associated with the PV module itself, e.g. AC modules
• 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 photovoltaic module includes: a solar cell module including a plurality of solar cells; a junction box including a dc/dc converter unit to convert the level of DC power supplied from the solar cell module; a plate on one surface of the solar cell module and disposed between the solar cell module and the junction box; and a coupling member attaching and detaching the junction box from the solar cell module.

Claims

1. A photovoltaic module comprising:

a solar cell module including a plurality of solar cells;

a junction box including a dc/dc converter unit to convert the level of DC power supplied from the solar cell module;

a plate on one surface of the solar cell module and disposed between the solar cell module and the junction box; and

a coupling member attaching and detaching the junction box from the solar cell module.

2. The photovoltaic module of claim 1, wherein the plate includes a coupling groove to couple the coupling member to the plate.

3. The photovoltaic module of claim 1, wherein

the junction box includes a first surface and a second surface having a larger area than that of the first surface, and an opening is formed on the second surface through which at least a portion of the coupling member passes through the junction box.

4. The photovoltaic module of claim 1, further comprising:

an adhesive member covering an end portion of the plate and a contact surface of the solar cell module.

5. The photovoltaic module of claim 1, further comprising:

a heat releasing member disposed between the plate and the solar cell module.

6. The photovoltaic module of claim 5, wherein

the heat releasing member has a larger area than that of the plate.

7. The photovoltaic module of claim 5, wherein the heat releasing member includes a coupling groove to couple the coupling member to the heat releasing member.

8. The photovoltaic module of claim 5, wherein the heat releasing member includes an opening to pass at least a portion of the coupling member through heat releasing member.

9. The photovoltaic module of claim 5, further comprising:

an adhesive member covering an end portion of the plate and a contact surface of the heat releasing member.

10. The photovoltaic module of claim 1, wherein the solar cell module further includes a rear substrate including a coupling groove to couple the coupling member to the rear substrate.

11. The photovoltaic module of claim 8, wherein the solar cell module further includes a rear substrate including a coupling groove to couple the coupling member to the rear substrate.

12. The photovoltaic module of claim 1, wherein

the solar cell module further includes a first sealing member and a second sealing member formed on lower and upper surfaces of the plurality of solar cells, a rear substrate formed on a lower surface of the first sealing member, and a front substrate formed an upper surface of the second sealing member.

13. The photovoltaic module of claim 5, wherein

the heat releasing member includes at least one of gold (Au), silver (Ag), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al) or tungsten (W).

14. The photovoltaic module of claim 1, wherein

the plate includes at least one of gold (Au), silver (Ag), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al) or tungsten (W).

15. The photovoltaic module of claim 1, wherein the solar cell module further includes a solar cell string formed with some of the plurality of solar cells connected in a row, and a conductive line electrically connecting the solar cell string and the junction box.

16. The photovoltaic module of claim 15, wherein

the solar cell module further includes a bus ribbon connecting at least two solar cell strings and another conductive line electrically connecting the bus ribbon and the junction box.

17. The photovoltaic module of claim 16, wherein

the junction box is disposed to be closer to an end portion, to which the conductive lines extend, among both end portions of the solar cell module.

18. The photovoltaic module of claim 1, wherein

the junction box further includes a bypass diode between two strings of the solar cells and configured to bypass the two strings of the solar cells when a reverse voltage occurs, among the plurality of solar cells in the two strings of the solar cells.

19. The photovoltaic module of claim 1, wherein

the junction box further includes a capacitor unit configured to store the DC power supplied from the solar cell module.

20. The photovoltaic module of claim 1, wherein

the junction box further includes an inverter unit configured to convert the level-converted DC power into AC power.