Photovoltaic insulating glazing

• US 7,834,265 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2002
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Glaswerke Arnold GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Glaswerke Arnold GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Schmidt, Christoph
• Primary Examiner(s): Ruddock; Ula C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mowla; Golam
• Application Number:
  US10/490,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20050034754A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,979 Days
• Field of Search: 136/248, 136/256, 136/251, 136/259, 136/252, 428/34, 428/67, 428/1.5, 428/192, 206/0.82, 206/0.83, 206/0.84, 206/445, 206/486, 527/861, 521/713, 527/861.3
• US Class Current: 136/251
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2323/05 Bonding or intermediate layer characterised by chemical composition, e.g. sealant or spacer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02008 for solar cells or solar cell modules
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0488 Double glass encapsulation, e.g. photovoltaic cells arranged between front and rear glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/22 Nonparticulate element embedded or inlaid in substrate and visible
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24777 Edge feature

Abstract

The invention relates to a photovoltaic insulating glazing comprising a multi-layer glazing with a photovoltaic module. The glazing is further characterized in that two contact strips for contacting the photovoltaic module are led out from an intermediate space between the glass layers and a spacer spaces the glass layers apart, thereby forming the intermediate space.

Claims

1. A photovoltaic insulating multi-layer glazing, for connection to an electrical element disposed external to the glazing, the glazing comprising:

a photovoltaic module having a first pane, a second pane, and a photovoltaic element disposed between said first pane and said second pane;

a third pane, said third pane consisting essentially of glass;

a spacer disposed between said first pane of said photovoltaic module and said third pane to define a space between said first pane of said photovoltaic module and said third pane, said spacer structured to define a blind bore hole opening fashioned in said spacer on an outer side thereof;

a contact strip in electrical communication with said photovoltaic element and fed sidewardly out of said photovoltaic module between said first pane and said second pane to contact the external electrical element; and

a bolt cooperating with said contact strip and said blind bore hole to fix said contact strip in said blind bore hole from an outside direction, wherein neither said first pane nor said second pane has a through hole within which said contact strip passes from said photovoltaic element to said blind bore hole.

2. The photovoltaic insulating glazing of claim 1, wherein said spacer comprises several spacer elements and several connecting elements, wherein individual spacer elements are connected via said connecting elements and said opening is provided in at least one of said connecting elements.

3. The photovoltaic insulating glazing of claim 1, further comprising an elastic sealing nipple disposed in said opening for sealing said space between said module and said third pane from an outside of the glazing.

4. The photovoltaic insulating glazing of claim 3, wherein said elastic sealing nipple comprises a threaded nut.

5. The photovoltaic insulating glazing of claim 2, wherein at least one connecting element consists essentially of plastic material.

6. The photovoltaic insulating glazing of claim 2, wherein said spacer elements are pushed onto said connecting elements and are clamped thereon.

7. The photovoltaic insulating glazing of claim 2, wherein said connecting elements are linear connecting elements.

8. The photovoltaic insulating glazing of claim 2, wherein said connecting elements are corner connecting elements.

9. The photovoltaic insulating glazing of preceding claim 2, further comprising at least one cable lug for connection to at least one of the electrical element and said contact strip.

10. The photovoltaic insulating glazing of claim 2, wherein said spacer elements comprise electrically conducting, shaped elements.

11. The photovoltaic insulating glazing of claim 1, further comprising at least one non-conducting washer disposed to prevent electric contact between said bolt and said spacer.

12. The photovoltaic insulating glazing of claim 1, wherein said opening has a stepped bore.

13. The photovoltaic insulating of claim 1, wherein said opening has a thread and said bolt is a threaded bolt which is screwed into said opening thread.

14. The photovoltaic insulating glazing of claim 1, wherein said the bolt is a blind rivet.