Solar cell module excelling in reliability

• US 6,175,075 B1
• Filed: 04/21/1999
• Issued: 01/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yamada, Satoru, Shiotsuka, Hidenori, Kataoka, Ichiro, Kiso, Shigeo
• Primary Examiner(s): Dye, Rena L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miggins, Michael C.
• Application Number:
  US09/295,373
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 136/244, 136/251, 136/259
• US Class Current: 136/251
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/04 bonded with or embedded in a plastic substance
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10788 containing ethylene vinylacetate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0201 comprising specially adapted module bus-bar structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022425 for solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/048 Encapsulation of modules
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0504 specially adapted for series or parallel connection of solar cells in a module
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0512 made of a particular material or composition of materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A solar cell module which comprises a photovoltaic element string comprising a plurality of photovoltaic elements electrically connected with each other by means of an electric connection material, said photovoltaic element string being sealed by a sealing material, wherein when an area of one (a) of said plurality of photovoltaic elements is represented by A and a sum of clearances areas between said photovoltaic element (a) and adjacent photovoltaic elements (b) situated next to said photovoltaic element (a) is represented by B, the area ratio of B/A is in a range of 0.003 to 0.045. A process for producing a solar cell module using said photovoltaic element string by a vacuum lamination method.

Claims

1. A solar cell module which comprises a photovoltaic element string comprising a plurality of photovoltaic elements each formed on an independent substrate, said plurality of photovoltaic elements being electrically connected with each other by means of an electric connection material, said photovoltaic element string being sealed by a sealing material disposed so as to cover said photovoltaic element string and said electric connection material, wherein when an area of one (a) of said plurality of photovoltaic elements is represented by A and a sum of clearance areas between said photovoltaic element (a) and adjacent photovoltaic elements (b) situated next to said photovoltaic element (a) is represented by B, the area ratio of B/A is in a range of 0.003 to 0.045.

2. The solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein the number of the adjacent photovoltaic elements (b) situated next to the photovoltaic element (a) is two or more.

3. The solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of photovoltaic elements are electrically connected with each other in series connection or in parallel connection.

4. The solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of photovoltaic elements is shaped in a square form or a rectangular form.

5. The solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein a surface level difference exists between each pair of adjacent photovoltaic elements, said surface level difference being smaller than the thickness of said electric connection material.

6. The solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the sealing material situated on the electric connection material of connecting each adjacent photovoltaic elements of the plurality of photovoltaic elements has a thickness of 200 μ

m or more.

7. The solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein the electric connection material which connects each pair of adjacent photovoltaic elements is arranged on the light receiving face side of the photovoltaic element string.

8. The solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein the electric connection material which connects each pair of adjacent photovoltaic elements comprises a metal foil member whose surface is covered by an electrically insulating material.

9. The solar cell module according to claim 7, wherein an electrode having a polarity which is different from that of the electric connection material is provided at the back face of each photovoltaic element.

10. The solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein a transparent resin and a transparent film are sequentially arranged at least on the light receiving face side of the photovoltaic element string and a reinforcing member is provided at the back face side of the photovoltaic element string.