Wireless solar shingle panel and a method for implementing same

• US 8,621,813 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2009
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Paul Dube
• Original Assignee: Paul Dube
• Inventors: Dube, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Glessner, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): SADLON, JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US12/586,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20100223864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,562 Days
• Field of Search: 521/733, 525/18, 136/243, 136/244, 136/251, 136/252, 136/293, 136/265
• US Class Current: 52/518
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0521 using a gaseous or a liquid coolant, e.g. air flow ventilation, water circulation
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/25 Roof tile elements
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/36 characterised by special electrical interconnection means between two or more PV modules, e.g. electrical module-to-module connection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A shingle and method is provided, wherein the shingle includes a shingle back having at least one back conductive trace and a shingle front configured to securely include at least one solar cell. The shingle front includes at least one front conductive trace configurable such that when the shingle front includes a solar cell, the solar cell is conductively connected to the at least one front conductive trace in a series fashion. At least one of the back conductive traces is conductively connected to at least one of the front conductive traces. The back conductive traces and the front conductive traces are configured such that when the shingle is associated with a like shingle, the back conductive trace of the like shingle is conductively connected to the at least one front conductive trace of the shingle to be in a series fashion.

Claims

1. A shingle configured for installation onto a structure of a building, the shingle comprising:

a shingle back, said shingle back including at least one back conductive trace; and

a shingle front configured to securely include at least one solar cell, said shingle front having at least one front conductive trace,

wherein when said shingle front includes said at least one solar cell, said at least one solar cell is conductively connected to said at least one front conductive trace in a series fashion,

wherein at least one of said at least one back conductive trace is conductively connected to at least one of said at least one front conductive trace and

wherein said at least one of said at least one back conductive trace and said at least one of said at least one front conductive trace are configured such that when said shingle is associated with a like shingle, the at least one back conductive trace of said like shingle physically contacts said at least one front conductive trace of said shingle such that said shingle and said like shingle are conductively connected in a series fashion.

2. The shingle of claim 1, wherein when said like shingle is associated with said shingle, said at least one back conductive trace of said like shingle is conductively connected to said at least one front conductive trace of said shingle via a conducting apparatus.

3. The shingle of claim 2, wherein said conducting apparatus is a resilient member.

4. The shingle of claim 2, wherein said at least one front conductive trace, said at least one back conductive trace and said resilient member are constructed from an electrically conductive material.

5. The shingle of claim 1, wherein said at least one front conductive trace and said at least one back conductive trace include a plurality of protruding members such that when said at least one back conductive trace of said like shingle is conductively associated with said at least one front conductive trace of said shingle, said plurality of protruding members of said at least one back conductive trace and said at least one front conductive trace frictionally interact to secure said at least one back conductive trace and said at least one front conductive trace together.

6. The shingle of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said at least one front conductive trace and said at least one back conductive trace are configured to be removable.

7. The shingle of claim 1, wherein said at least one back conductive trace includes a back conductive trace start and a back conductive trace end and wherein said at least one front conductive trace includes a front conductive trace start and a front conductive trace end.

8. The shingle of claim 7, wherein said front conductive trace end is electrically connected to said back conductive trace start such that said at least one back conductive trace is connected to said at least one front conductive trace in an electrically series fashion.

9. The shingle of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said at least one front conductive trace is removable to form a gap in said at least one front conductive trace, wherein when said solar cell is connected to said shingle a first electrical lead of said solar cell is connected to said at least one front conductive trace on one side of said gap and a second electrical lead of said solar cell is connected to said at least one front conductive trace on the other side of said gap such that said solar cell is connected to said at least one front conductive trace in a series fashion.

10. A shingle system configured for installation on a roof of a building, the shingle system comprising:

a plurality of shingles, wherein each of said plurality of shingles includes,

a shingle back having at least one back conductive trace, and

a shingle front having at least one front conductive trace, said shingle front being configured to electrically connect at least one solar cell to said at least one front conductive trace in a series fashion, and

wherein said shingle back and said shingle front are configured such that when a shingle of said plurality of shingles is associated with a like shingle of said plurality of shingles, said at least one back conductive trace of said like shingle physically contacts said at least one front conductive trace of said shingle such that said shingle and said like shingle are conductively associated with each other in a series fashion.

11. The shingle system of claim 10, wherein when said like shingle is associated with said shingle, said at least one back conductive trace of said like shingle is conductively connected to said at least one front conductive trace of said shingle via a conducting apparatus.

12. The shingle system of claim 11, wherein said conducting apparatus is a resilient member.

13. The shingle system of claim 11, wherein said at least one front conductive trace, said at least one back conductive trace and said resilient member are constructed from an electrically conductive material.

14. The shingle system of claim 10, wherein said at least one front conductive trace and said at least one back conductive trace include a plurality of protruding members such that when said at least one back conductive trace of said like shingle is conductively associated with said at least one front conductive trace of said shingle, said plurality of protruding members of said at least one back conductive trace and said at least one front conductive trace frictionally interact to secure said at least one back conductive trace and said at least one front conductive trace together.

15. The shingle system of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of said at least one front conductive trace and said at least one back conductive trace are configured to be removable.

16. The shingle system of claim 10, wherein said at least one back conductive trace includes a back conductive trace start and a back conductive trace end and wherein said at least one front conductive trace includes a front conductive trace start and a front conductive trace end.

17. The shingle system of claim 16, wherein said front conductive trace end is electrically connected to said back conductive trace start such that said at least one back conductive trace is connected to said at least one front conductive trace in an electrically series fashion.

18. The shingle system of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of said at least one front conductive trace is removable to form a gap in said at least one front conductive trace, wherein when said solar cell is connected to said shingle a first electrical lead of said solar cell is connected to said at least one front conductive trace on one side of said gap and a second electrical lead of said solar cell is connected to said at least one front conductive trace on the other side of said gap such that said solar cell is connected to said at least one front conductive trace in a series fashion.

19. A method for implementing a wireless solar shingle system, the wireless solar shingle system including shingles having a shingle back which includes at least one back conductive trace, and a shingle front having at least one front conductive trace, the shingle front being configurable to electrically connect at least one solar cell to the at least one front conductive trace in an electrically series fashion, the method comprising:

positioning a plurality of first layer shingles on a structure surface to form a first layer;

anchoring said plurality of first layer shingles to said structure surface such that each of said plurality of first layer shingles are electrically connected to adjacent first layer shingles in series fashion via at least one of said at least one front conductive trace and said at least one back conductive trace;

positioning a plurality of second layer shingles on said structure surface to form a second layer; and

anchoring said plurality of second layer shingles to said structure surface such that said plurality of second layer shingles are electrically connected to said adjacent second layer shingles and said first layer in series fashion via at least one of said at least one front conductive trace and said at least one back conductive trace.

20. A method for fabricating a wireless solar shingle, wherein the wireless solar shingle includes a shingle front and a shingle back, the shingle back including at least one back conductive trace and the shingle front configured to securely include at least one solar cell, the shingle front having at least one front conductive trace, wherein the at least one front conductive trace is configurable such that when the shingle front includes the at least one solar cell, the at least one solar cell is conductively connected to the at least one front conductive trace in a series fashion, wherein at least one of the at least one back conductive trace is conductively connected to at least one of the at least one front conductive trace and wherein at least one of the at least one back conductive trace and the at least one of the at least one front conductive trace are configured such that when the shingle is associated with a like shingle, the at least one back conductive trace of the like shingle is conductively connected to the at least one front conductive trace in a series fashion, the method comprising:

depositing an electrically conductive material on said shingle front to form a front trace, wherein said front trace includes a front trace start and a front trace end;

depositing an electrically conductive material on said shingle back to form a back trace, wherein said back trace includes a back trace start and a back trace end; and

connecting said back trace start with said front trace end such that said back trace end is connected with said front trace start via a series connection.