APPARATUS AND METHOD OF A UNIVERSAL MODULE JUNCTION BOX

• US 20160359450A1
• Filed: 06/02/2016
• Published: 12/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JA Solar USA, Inc. (JA Solar Technology Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: JA Solar USA, Inc. (JA Solar Technology Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: GALITEV, Teodor, SHAN, Wei
• Granted Patent: US 10,404,208 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/32 comprising DC/AC inverter means associated with the PV module itself, e.g. AC modules
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/34 comprising specially adapted electrical connection means to be structurally associated with the PV module, e.g. junction boxes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a universal junction box for solar modules that comprises multiple sub-assemblies with a replaceable diode black and an open-IP plug sub-assembly. The universal junction box includes a first sub-assembly (junction box platform), a second sub-assembly (a replaceable diode block), and a third sub-assembly (an open sub-assembly or plug sub-assembly. If the electronics in the diode block becomes defective, a new replaceable diode block can be used to substitute into the defective diode black without having to replace the entire junction box. The open-IP plug sub-assembly provides the flexibility to couple a variety of cable sub-assembly or IMEs to the universal junction box as long as a particular selected cable sub-assembly fits with the dimension of the open-IP plug sub-assembly.

Claims

1. A universal solar module box mounted on a solar module, comprising:

a junction box platform having a base plate, a blade block, and a cover;

a modular diode block coupled electrically and mechanically to the junction box platform via the blade block; and

a plug sub-assembly having a plug block and a cable block, attachable to the junction box platform and the modular diode block, the plug sub-assembly providing a protective covering to weatherize the diode block, the blade block, and the cable block, the cable block attachable mechanically to the plug block, the cable block securing mechanically and electrically to one or more output cables.

2. The universal solar module box of claim 1, wherein the modular diode block is a replaceable component when one of the diodes in the modular diode block fails.

3. The universal apparatus of claim 1, wherein the modulator diode block comprises three diodes for protecting a plurality solar cells on the solar module.

4. The universal apparatus of claim 1, wherein the modulator diode block comprises at least one diode.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plug sub-assembly is coupled to a pair of cables.

6. The universal apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plug sub-assembly is coupled to a single cable.

7. The universal solar module box of claim 1, wherein the junction box platform having a cage that is mechanically attached to the solar module frame and the base plate for distributing the physical load to the frame from the base plate.

8. The universal solar module box of claim 1, wherein the plug sub-assembly comprises one or more micro-inverters.

9. The universal solar module box of claim 1, wherein the plug sub-assembly comprises one or more micro-inverters and electronics.

10. The universal solar module box of claim 1, wherein the solar module has a module frame, further comprising a cage metallic frame mechanically attached to the module frame and the base plate, thereby distributing the load and weight to the module frame from the base plate.

11. A universal solar module box mounted on a solar module, comprising:

a junction box platform having a base plate, a blade block, and a cover, the base plate having a structure for attaching to one of a plurality of plug sub-assemblies dependent on the selection of a particular plug sub-assembly, the selected plug sub-assembly including electronics that optimize or invert a solar module output power for the solar module; and

a modular diode block coupled electrically and mechanically to the junction box platform via the blade block.

12. The universal solar module box of claim 11, wherein the particular plug sub-assembly comprises an open-IP plug sub-assembly having a plug block and a cable block, attachable to the junction box platform and the modular diode block, the plug sub-assembly providing a protective covering to weatherize the diode block, the blade block, and the cable block, the cable block attachable mechanically to the plug block, the cable block securing mechanically and electrically to one or more output cables.

13. A universal solar module box mounted on a solar module, comprising:

a junction box platform having a base plate, a blade block, a cover, and a cage;

a modular diode block coupled electrically and mechanically to the junction box platform via the blade block; and

a plug sub-assembly having a plug block and a cable block, attachable to the junction box platform and the modular diode block, the plug sub-assembly providing a protective covering to weatherize the diode block, the blade block, and the cable block, the cable block attachable mechanically to the plug block, the cable block securing mechanically and electrically to one or more output cables.