Power generating building panels and methods for their manufacture
First Claim
1. A building structure comprising:
- a plurality of sheet metal panels, each panel having;
a generally planar, central pan portion defined thereupon, a first connector flange disposed along, and projecting from, a first edge of said panel, and a second connector flange disposed along, and projecting from, a second edge of said panel, said first connector flange of each panel being capable of lockably engaging a second connector flange of another panel, whereby said panels may be lockably joined together;
a plurality of flexible, thin film, photovoltaic generator units, each comprising;
a flexible, thin film photovoltaic device having a positive electrode and a negative electrode, a body of laminating material encapsulating said photovoltaic device, a first lead in electrical communication with said positive electrode and a second lead in electrical communication with said negative electrode;
each of said photovoltaic generator units being affixed to the central pan portion of a respective one of said panels.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A photovoltaic building structure comprises a number of interlockable building panels having photovoltaic generator devices supported thereupon. The photovoltaic devices may be attached to the panels by a vacuum lamination process in which a flexible, air impermeable membrane covers a stack of layers being laminated to the panel. Evacuation of air from between the membrane and panel causes the lamination stack to be compressed against the panel, and a pressure and/or heat activatable adhesive is employed to adhere the various layers to the panel. Installation of the panels is in accord with standard building techniques, and the presence of the photovoltaic generators does not change the mechanical characteristics of the panels.
181 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A building structure comprising:
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a plurality of sheet metal panels, each panel having;
a generally planar, central pan portion defined thereupon, a first connector flange disposed along, and projecting from, a first edge of said panel, and a second connector flange disposed along, and projecting from, a second edge of said panel, said first connector flange of each panel being capable of lockably engaging a second connector flange of another panel, whereby said panels may be lockably joined together;a plurality of flexible, thin film, photovoltaic generator units, each comprising;
a flexible, thin film photovoltaic device having a positive electrode and a negative electrode, a body of laminating material encapsulating said photovoltaic device, a first lead in electrical communication with said positive electrode and a second lead in electrical communication with said negative electrode;
each of said photovoltaic generator units being affixed to the central pan portion of a respective one of said panels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of manufacturing a power generating building structure, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a flexible, thin film, photovoltaic generator unit comprising;
a thin film, photovoltaic device having a positive electrode and a negative electrode, a body of laminating material encapsulating said photovoltaic device, a first lead in electrical communication with said positive electrode, and a second lead in electrical communication with said negative electrode;providing a sheet metal building panel having;
a generally planar, central pan portion defined thereupon, a first connector flange disposed along, and projecting from, a first edge of said panel, and a second connector flange disposed along, and projecting from, a second edge of said panel, wherein the first connector flange of said panel is capable of lockingly engaging a second connector flange of a like panel;
whereby said panel and said like panel may be lockably joined together; and
then,affixing said photovoltaic generator unit to the central pan portion of said panel. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A photovoltaic building panel comprising:
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a sheet metal panel having;
a generally planar, central pan portion defined thereupon, a first connector flange disposed along, and projecting from, a first edge thereof, and a second connector flange disposed along, and projecting from, a second edge thereof, said first connector flange being capable of lockingly engaging a second connector flange of a like panel, whereby said panel and said like panel may be lockably joined together;a flexible, thin film photovoltaic generator unit, comprising;
a flexible, thin film photovoltaic device having a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a body of laminating material encapsulating said photovoltaic device, a first lead in electrical communication with said positive electrode, and a second lead in electrical communication with said negative electrode, said photovoltaic generator unit being affixed to the central pan portion of said panel.
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18. A method for attaching a photovoltaic device to an architectural panel, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing an architectural panel including a pan portion defined thereupon; providing a photovoltaic device; providing an adhesive body; disposing said architectural panel, photovoltaic device and adhesive body in a superposed relationship so as to form a lamination stack, comprising said photovoltaic device and adhesive body, in which said photovoltaic device overlies the pan portion of the architectural panel and the adhesive body is interposed therebetween; disposing a flexible, air impermeable membrane atop said lamination stack so that said membrane covers the entirety of said photovoltaic device and projects beyond the entire perimeter thereof and contacts said architectural panel; and evacuating at least a portion of an ambient atmosphere from a space defined between said membrane and said architectural panel, whereby atmospheric pressure acting on said membrane urges said photovoltaic device into contact with said adhesive body and said architectural panel. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification