Solar cell module having a specific front side covering material and a process for the production of said solar cell module

• US 6,204,443 B1
• Filed: 06/09/1998
• Issued: 03/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yamada, Satoru, Kiso, Sigeo, Shiotsuka, Hidenori, Kataoka, Ichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Ellis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miggins, Michael C.
• Application Number:
  US09/093,350
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 136/251, 136/259, 136/249, 126/651, 126/654, 126/663, 126/670, 126/621, 126/622, 126/623, 359/655, 359/664, 359/665, 359/667, 359/726, 359/727, 521/733
• US Class Current: 136/259
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/04 bonded with or embedded in a plastic substance
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10788 containing ethylene vinylacetate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0481 characterised by the composition of the encapsulation material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A solar cell module comprising a photovoltaic element, and at least a surface side filler and a surface protective member which are disposed in this order on a light incident face of said photovoltaic element, wherein said surface side filler comprises a non-crosslinked organic polymer resin and a crosslinked organic polymer resin, said crosslinked organic polymer resin being provided on at least a surface of said non-crosslinked organic polymer resin. Said solar cell module excels particularly in weatherability and moisture resistance.

Claims

1. A solar cell module comprising a photovoltaic element, and at least a surface side filler and a surface protective member which are disposed in this order on a light incident face of said photovoltaic element, characterized in that said surface side filler comprises a non-crosslinked organic polymer resin and a crosslinked organic polymer resin, wherein said crosslinked organic polymer resin is provided on at least a surface of said non-crosslinked organic polymer resin, and the organic polymer resin of each of said crosslinked organic polymer resin and said non-crosslinked organic polymer resin comprises at least an organic polymer resin selected from the group consisting of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl butyral, epoxy resins, acrylic resins, silicone resins, and fluororesins.

2. A solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein the crosslinked organic polymer resin comprises said organic polymer resin which is crosslinked by an organic peroxide.

3. A solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein at least either the non-crosslinked organic polymer resin or the crosslinked organic polymer resin is impregnated in a glass fiber.

4. A solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein the crosslinked organic polymer resin has a gel fraction of 60% or more, and the non-crosslinked organic polymer resin has a gel fraction of 10% or less.

5. A solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein the surface protective member has a corona discharged surface contacted with the surface side filler.

6. A process for producing a solar cell module, comprising steps of:

(a) laminating at least an organic polymer resin sheet containing no crosslinking agent and a surface protective member in this order on a light incident face of a photovoltaic element to obtain a stacked body, said organic polymer resin sheet comprising at least an organic polymer resin selected from the group consisting of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl butyral, epoxy resins, acrylic resins, silicone resins, and fluororesins;

(b) subjecting said stacked body to thermocompression bonding treatment;

wherein said step (a) includes a step of forming a layer comprising a crosslinked organic polymer resin on the surface of said surface protective member to be contacted with said organic polymer resin sheet, the organic polymer resin of said crosslinked organic polymer resin comprising at least an organic polymer resin selected from the group consisting of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl butyral, epoxy resins, acrylic resins, silicone resins, and fluororesins.

7. The process according to claim 6, wherein the organic polymer resin sheet containing no crosslinking agent is formed by impregnating the organic polymer resin containing no crosslinking agent in a glass fiber, said organic polymer resin comprising an organic polymer resin selected from the group consisting of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl butyral, epoxy resins, acrylic resins, silicone resins, and fluororesins.

8. A process for producing a solar cell module, comprising the steps of:

(a) forming a layer comprising a crosslinked organic polymer resin on a light incident face of a photovoltaic element, the organic polymer resin of said crosslinked organic polymer resin comprising at least an organic polymer resin selected from a group consisting of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl butyral, epoxy resins, acrylic resins, silicone resins, and fluororesins;

(b) laminating an organic polymer resin sheet containing no crosslinking agent and a surface protective member in this order on said layer formed on said light incident face of said photovoltaic element to obtain a stacked body, said organic polymer resin sheet comprising at least an organic polymer resin selected from a group consisting of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl butyral, epoxy resins, acrylic resins, silicone resins, and fluororesins; and

(c) subjecting said stacked body to thermocompression bonding treatment.

9. The process according to claim 8, wherein the organic polymer resin sheet containing no crosslinking agent is formed by impregnating an organic polymer resin containing no crosslinking agent in a glass fiber, said organic polymer resin comprising an organic polymer resin selected from a group consisting of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl butyral, epoxy resins, acrylic resins, silicone resins, and fluororesins.

10. A building construction material comprising a photovoltaic element which is sealed by a surface side filler to cover a light incident face of said photovoltaic element and a backside filler to cover a back face of said photovoltaic element on a back face reinforcing member, and a surface protective member provided to cover said surface side filler, wherein said surface side filler comprises a non-crosslinked organic polymer resin which is arranged on at least a surface of a crosslinked organic polymer resin, and the organic polymer resin of each of said non-crosslinked organic polymer resin and said crosslinked organic polymer resin comprises at least an organic polymer resin selected from the group consisting of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl butyral, epoxy resins, acrylic resins, silicone resins, and fluororesins.

11. A sunlight power generation apparatus comprising a solar cell module and a power conversion device electrically connected to said solar cell module, wherein said solar cell module comprises a photovoltaic element, and at least a surface side filler and a surface protective member which are disposed in this order on a light incident face of said photovoltaic element, said surface side filler comprising a non-crosslinked organic polymer resin and a crosslinked organic polymer resin, said crosslinked organic polymer resin being provided on at least a surface of said non-crosslinked organic polymer resin, and the organic polymer resin of each of said non-crosslinked organic polymer resin and said crosslinked organic polymer resin comprises at least an organic polymer resin selected from a group consisting of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl butyral, epoxy resins, acrylic resins, silicone resins, and fluororesins.