Connecting box for a solar panel and solar panel

• US 7,097,516 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2004
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TE Connectivity Germany GmbH (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: Tyco Electronics AMP GmbH (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Werner, Elke, Feldmeier, Guenter, Woeber, Andreas, Scherer, Heinz, Strelow, Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Truc
• Application Number:
  US10/895,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20050054244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: 439/709, 439/850, 439/852
• US Class Current: 439/709
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/112 forked sockets having two legs
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/629 Additional means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. aligning or guiding means, levers, gas pressure electrical locking indicators, manufacturing tolerances separate tools or apparatus H01R43/26
• 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

The connecting box comprises contact elements which allow automatic contacting and assembling of a solar panel with the connecting box. The solar panel comprises fixed contacts suitable for automatic contacting with the contact elements of the connecting box. The contact elements of the connecting box comprise tapered receiving regions allowing automatic insertion of the fixed contacts of the solar panel into a contact region of the contact elements. Inexpensive production is possible as a result of automatic assembling of the panels with the connecting boxes.

Claims

1. A connecting box for a solar panel comprising:

a housing having an opening for introducing contacts of the solar panel;

contact elements disposed in the housing for electrically connecting to the contacts of the solar panel, the contact elements having a tapered receiving region and a contact region extending from the tapered receiving region for automatic introduction of a contact of the solar panel via the receiving region into the contact region; and

a base board for receiving the housing, the base board having an opening positioned along the opening of the housing, and the housing having a receiving space for insertion of the contact being laterally offset from a lid opening.

2. The connecting box according to claim 1, wherein the contact element comprises two spring contact arms, the two spring contact arms have a spacing in the contact region which is smaller than the width of a contact to be inserted therein.

3. The connecting box according claim 1, wherein the receiving region extends over an angular range of up to 90°

.

4. The connecting box according to claim 1, wherein the connecting box comprises a flat, peripheral sealing face on the lower side for gluing the connecting box to the solar panel.

5. The connecting box according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a partially rectangular shape in the region of the receiving space.