Illumination agnostic solar panel
First Claim
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1. A photovoltaic module comprising:
- a plurality of discrete photovoltaic cells arranged in a plurality of cell rows, wherein;
the plurality of photovoltaic cells in each cell row are electrically connected in parallel to each other;
the plurality of cell rows are electrically connected in series to each other; and
the plurality of cell rows include a first row, one or more intermediate rows, and a last row; and
a substantially electrically conductive and continuous area backsheet forming a current return path between the first and last rows such that the intermediate rows are electrically connected to the backsheet only via connections that each include at least one of the first row or the last row;
wherein the plurality of photovoltaic cells are configured such that, in operation, current flows substantially uni-directionally through the plurality of photovoltaic cells between the first row and the last row.
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Abstract
In one example, a photovoltaic module includes a plurality of discrete photovoltaic cells arranged in a plurality of cell rows, and a substantially electrically conductive and continuous area backsheet. The photovoltaic cells in each cell row are electrically connected in parallel to each other. The cell rows are electrically connected in series to each other and include a first row and a last row. The backsheet forms a current return path between the first and last rows. The photovoltaic cells are configured such that, in operation, current flows substantially uni-directionally through the plurality of photovoltaic cells between the first row and the last row.
232 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A photovoltaic module comprising:
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a plurality of discrete photovoltaic cells arranged in a plurality of cell rows, wherein; the plurality of photovoltaic cells in each cell row are electrically connected in parallel to each other; the plurality of cell rows are electrically connected in series to each other; and the plurality of cell rows include a first row, one or more intermediate rows, and a last row; and a substantially electrically conductive and continuous area backsheet forming a current return path between the first and last rows such that the intermediate rows are electrically connected to the backsheet only via connections that each include at least one of the first row or the last row; wherein the plurality of photovoltaic cells are configured such that, in operation, current flows substantially uni-directionally through the plurality of photovoltaic cells between the first row and the last row. - 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, 24, 25)
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26. A photovoltaic module comprising:
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a plurality of photovoltaic cells arranged in a plurality of cell rows, the plurality of photovoltaic cells in each cell row being connected in parallel to each other and the plurality of cell rows being connected in series to each other such that, in operation, current flows substantially uni-directionally through the plurality of photovoltaic cells, the plurality of cell rows including a first row, one or more intermediate rows, and a last row; a substantially electrically conductive backsheet forming a current return path between the first and last rows, the backsheet including a first end electrically connected to the first row of photovoltaic cells through an electronics assembly and a second end electrically connected to the last row of photovoltaic cells, wherein the intermediate rows are electrically connected to the backsheet only via connections that each include at least one of the first row or the last row; the electronics assembly attached to the first end of the backsheet, the electronics assembly including a plurality of power conversion circuits and a housing extending substantially parallel to the first end of the backsheet; and two terminals, each extending in a direction substantially orthogonal to a major surface of the backsheet, each of the two terminals having a contact area of at least six square millimeters. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification