Flexible, rollable photovoltaic cell module
First Claim
1. A photovoltaic module comprising:
- busbar means;
a plurality of individual photovoltaic cell strips, each said cell strip having an electrically conductive substrate layer, a semiconductor body deposited on said substrate layer, and a transparent electrically conductive layer deposited on said semiconductor body, said transparent electrically conductive layer being selectively sectioned to define a plurality of electrically distinct photovoltaic cells carried by said cell strip;
grid means deposited on said transparent electrically conductive layer of each said photovoltaic cell;
continuous electrically conductive filament means alternately and repetitively connected, at contact points, to said electrically conductive substrate layer of one said photovoltaic cell strip and to said grid means of another said photovoltaic cell strip, wherein said filament means is connected medially of the lateral edges of said respective cell strips; and
means for connecting said transparent electrically conductive layer of one said photovoltaic cell strip to said busbar means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A photovoltaic array module incorporating a plurality of photovoltaic cell strips (11). Each cell strip (11) incorporates an electrically conductive substrate layer (22), a semiconductor body (23) deposited on the substrate layer (22), and a transparent electrically conductive layer (24) deposited on the semiconductor body (23). Electrically conductive filaments (20) are alternately connected to contact points (31) on the electrically conductive substrate layer (22) of one cell strip (11) and to contact points (32) on the transparent electrically conductive layer (24) of another cell strip (11). A first busbar (12) and a second busbar (13) are connected to the end cell strips (11) of the array to collect the electrical energy generated thereby.
219 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A photovoltaic module comprising:
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busbar means; a plurality of individual photovoltaic cell strips, each said cell strip having an electrically conductive substrate layer, a semiconductor body deposited on said substrate layer, and a transparent electrically conductive layer deposited on said semiconductor body, said transparent electrically conductive layer being selectively sectioned to define a plurality of electrically distinct photovoltaic cells carried by said cell strip; grid means deposited on said transparent electrically conductive layer of each said photovoltaic cell; continuous electrically conductive filament means alternately and repetitively connected, at contact points, to said electrically conductive substrate layer of one said photovoltaic cell strip and to said grid means of another said photovoltaic cell strip, wherein said filament means is connected medially of the lateral edges of said respective cell strips; and means for connecting said transparent electrically conductive layer of one said photovoltaic cell strip to said busbar means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A photovoltaic module comprising:
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busbar means; a plurality of individual photovoltaic cell strips, each said cell strip having an electrically conductive substrate layer, a semiconductor body deposited on said substrate layer, and a transparent electrically conductive layer deposited on said semiconductor body; continuous electrically conductive filament means alternately and repetitively connected, at contact points, to said electrically conductive substrate layer of one said photovoltaic cell strip and to said transparent electrically conductive layer of another said photovoltaic cell strip, wherein said filament means is connected medially of the lateral edges of said respective cell strips; and means for connecting said transparent electrically conductive layer of one said photovoltaic cell strip to said busbar means. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A photovoltaic module comprising:
- busbar means;
a plurality of individual photovoltaic cell strips, each said strip having an electrically conductive substrate layer, a semiconductor body deposited on said substrate layer and a discontinuous transparent electrically conductive layer deposited on said semiconductor body wherein each said cell strip is divided into a plurality of electrically distinct photovoltaic cells; continuous electrically conductive filament means alternately and repetitively connected, at contact points, to said electrically conductive substrate of one said photovoltaic cell strip and to said transparent conductive layer of another said photovoltaic cell strip, wherein said filament means includes a first stress relief region proximate to a said contact point on one said cell strip, a second stress relief region proximate to a said contact point on a next adjacent said cell strip, and a third stess relief region interposed between said first and second stress relief regions; and means for connecting said transparent electrically conductive layer of at least one photovoltaic cell to said busbar means. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
- busbar means;
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25. A photovoltaic module comprising:
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a plurality of individual photovoltaic cell strips, each said cell strip having an electrically conductive substrate layer, a semiconductor body deposited on said substrate layer, and a transparent electrically conductive layer deposited on said semiconductor body; continuous electrically conductive filament means alternately and repetitively connected to said electrically conductive substrate layer of one said photovoltaic cell strip and to said transparent electrically conductive layer of another said photovoltaic cell strip, said filament means making contact with said layers at a plurality of contact points and having a first stress relief region proximate to a said contact point on one said cell strip, a second stress relief region proximate to a said contact point on a next adjacent cell strip, and a third stress relief region angularly interposed between said first and second regions; and means for receiving electrical energy from said transparent electrically conductive layer of one said photovoltaic cell strip.
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26. A flexible photovoltaic array roll comprising:
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a plurality of longitudinally spaced flexible photovoltaic modules, wherein said photovoltaic modules comprise busbar means, a plurality of individual photovoltaic cell strips, each said cell strip having an electrically conductive substrate layer, a semiconductor body deposited on said substrate layer, and a transparent electrically conductive layer deposited on said semiconductor body, said transparent electrically conductive layer being selectively sectioned to define a plurality of electrically distinct photovoltaic cells carried by said cell strip, grid means deposited on said transparent electrically conductive layer of said photovoltaic cell, continuous electrically conductive filament means alternately and repetitively connected, at contact points, to said electrically conductive substrate layer of one said photovoltaic cell strip and to said grid means of another said photovoltaic cell strip, said filament means including a first stress relief region proximate to a said contact point on one said cell strip, a second stress relief region proximate to a said contact point on a next adjacent said cell strip, and a third stress relief region interposed between said second and third stress relief regions and, means for connecting said transparent electrically conductive layer of one said photovoltaic cell strip to said busbar means; means for receiving electrical energy from said modules; and means which encapsulate said modules and said means for receiving.
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Specification