Solar cell interconnection, module and panel method
First Claim
1. A method for making a laminated module of solar cells having front and back surfaces comprising:
- obtaining a top layer of a melt flowable optically transparent electrically insulating thermoplastic adhesive material having a first pattern of melt flowable electrically conductive thermoplastic adhesive thereon for making electrical connection to the front surface of solar cells;
placing a plurality of solar cells having front and back surfaces to which electrical connection may be made on the melt flowable top layer in locations with the first pattern of melt flowable electrically conductive thermoplastic adhesive adjacent the front surfaces of the plurality of solar cells,whereby an electrical connection may be made between the first pattern of melt flowable electrically conductive thermoplastic adhesive and the front surfaces of the plurality of solar cells;
whereby light may pass through said melt flowable optically transparent top layer to impinge upon the front surface of said plurality of solar cells and connection may be made to the back surfaces thereof;
obtaining a rear sheet of a melt flowable electrically insulating thermoplastic adhesive material having a second pattern of melt flowable electrically conductive thermoplastic adhesive thereon for making electrical connection to the back surfaces of the solar cells;
placing the melt flowable rear sheet adjacent to the melt flowable top layer and the back surfaces of the plurality of solar cells in a location with the second pattern of melt flowable electrically conductive thermoplastic adhesive adjacent the back surfaces of the plurality of solar cells;
heat laminating the melt flowable top layer, the plurality of solar cells and the melt flowable rear sheet to melt flow the melt flowable top layer and the melt flowable rear sheet together so that electrical connections are made between the first pattern of melt flowable electrically conductive thermoplastic adhesive and the front surfaces of the plurality of solar cells, between the second pattern of melt flowable electrically conductive thermoplastic adhesive and the back surfaces of the plurality of solar cells, and between the first and second patterns of pattern of melt flowable electrically conductive thermoplastic adhesive;
whereby the plurality of solar cells are embedded into at least the melt flowable top layer, andwhereby ones of the plurality of solar cells are electrically connected in series by the connection between the first and second patterns of electrically conductive thermoplastic adhesive.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A laminated module or panel of solar cells and a laminating method for making same comprise a top layer of melt flowable optically transparent molecularly flexible thermoplastic and a rear sheet of melt flowable insulating molecularly flexible thermoplastic both melt flowing at a temperature between about 80° C. and 250° C. and having a low glass transition temperature. Solar cells are encapsulated by melt flowing the top layer and rear sheet, and electrical connections are provided between front and back contacts thereof. Light passing through the transparent top layer impinges upon the solar cells and the laminated module exhibits sufficient flexural modulus without cross-linking chemical curing. Electrical connections may be provided by melt flowable electrically conductive molecularly flexible thermoplastic adhesive or by metal strips or by both.
-
Citations
44 Claims
-
1. A method for making a laminated module of solar cells having front and back surfaces comprising:
-
obtaining a top layer of a melt flowable optically transparent electrically insulating thermoplastic adhesive material having a first pattern of melt flowable electrically conductive thermoplastic adhesive thereon for making electrical connection to the front surface of solar cells; placing a plurality of solar cells having front and back surfaces to which electrical connection may be made on the melt flowable top layer in locations with the first pattern of melt flowable electrically conductive thermoplastic adhesive adjacent the front surfaces of the plurality of solar cells, whereby an electrical connection may be made between the first pattern of melt flowable electrically conductive thermoplastic adhesive and the front surfaces of the plurality of solar cells; whereby light may pass through said melt flowable optically transparent top layer to impinge upon the front surface of said plurality of solar cells and connection may be made to the back surfaces thereof; obtaining a rear sheet of a melt flowable electrically insulating thermoplastic adhesive material having a second pattern of melt flowable electrically conductive thermoplastic adhesive thereon for making electrical connection to the back surfaces of the solar cells; placing the melt flowable rear sheet adjacent to the melt flowable top layer and the back surfaces of the plurality of solar cells in a location with the second pattern of melt flowable electrically conductive thermoplastic adhesive adjacent the back surfaces of the plurality of solar cells; heat laminating the melt flowable top layer, the plurality of solar cells and the melt flowable rear sheet to melt flow the melt flowable top layer and the melt flowable rear sheet together so that electrical connections are made between the first pattern of melt flowable electrically conductive thermoplastic adhesive and the front surfaces of the plurality of solar cells, between the second pattern of melt flowable electrically conductive thermoplastic adhesive and the back surfaces of the plurality of solar cells, and between the first and second patterns of pattern of melt flowable electrically conductive thermoplastic adhesive; whereby the plurality of solar cells are embedded into at least the melt flowable top layer, and whereby ones of the plurality of solar cells are electrically connected in series by the connection between the first and second patterns of electrically conductive thermoplastic adhesive. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. A method for making a laminated module of solar cells having front and back surfaces comprising:
-
obtaining a top layer of a melt flowable optically transparent electrically insulating thermoplastic adhesive material having a first pattern of melt flowable electrically conductive thermoplastic adhesive thereon for making electrical connection to the front surface of solar cells; placing a plurality of solar cells having front and back surfaces to which electrical connection may be made on the melt flowable top layer in locations with the first pattern of melt flowable electrically conductive thermoplastic adhesive adjacent the front surfaces of the plurality of solar cells, whereby light may pass through said melt flowable optically transparent top layer to impinge upon the front surface of said plurality of solar cells and connection may be made to the back surfaces thereof; heat laminating the melt flowable top layer and the plurality of solar cells to melt flow the melt flowable top layer so that electrical connections are made between the first pattern of melt flowable electrically conductive thermoplastic adhesive and the front surfaces of the plurality of solar cells; wherein the plurality of solar cells are embedded into the melt flowable top layer, wherein the first pattern of melt flowable electrically conductive thermoplastic adhesive provides exposed electrical connections to the front surfaces of said plurality of solar cells, and wherein the back surfaces of said plurality of solar cells are exposed for making electrical connection thereto, whereby electrical connections to the front and back surfaces of said plurality of solar cells are exposed on the same surface of said laminated module of solar cells. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
-
-
40. A method for making a laminated module of solar cells having front and back surfaces comprising:
-
obtaining a top layer of a melt flowable optically transparent electrically insulating molecularly flexible thermoplastic adhesive material having at least ten percent molecular crystallites that melt flow at a temperature in the range between about 80°
C. and about 250°
C. and having a glass transition temperature of less than about 0°
C. to bond to the front surfaces of solar cells;placing a plurality of solar cells having front and back surfaces to which electrical connection may be made with the front surfaces thereof adjacent the melt flowable top layer; whereby light may pass through said melt flowable optically transparent top layer to impinge upon the front surface of said plurality of solar cells and connection may be made to the back surfaces thereof; providing electrical connections between the front surface of ones of the plurality of solar cells and the back surface of others of said plurality of solar cells; placing adjacent the back surfaces of the plurality of solar cells and top sheet a rear sheet of a melt flowable electrically insulating molecularly flexible thermoplastic adhesive material having at least ten percent molecular crystallites that melt flow at a temperature in the range between about 80°
C. and about 250°
C. and having a glass transition temperature of less than about 0°
C., to bond to the back surfaces of solar cells;heat laminating the melt flowable top layer, the plurality of solar cells and the melt flowable rear sheet to melt flow the melt flowable top layer and the melt flowable rear sheet together so that the plurality of solar cells and the electrical connections there between are encapsulated in the melt flowed molecularly flexible thermoplastic adhesive of at least the top layer; wherein the laminated module including the top layer and the rear sheet exhibits a flexural modulus at about 60°
C. that is at least fifty percent of the flexural modulus exhibited at about 20°
C. without cross-linking chemical curing. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44)
-
Specification