Apparatuses and methods to reduce safety risks associated with photovoltaic systems

• US 7,884,278 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2008
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tigo Energy, Inc
• Original Assignee: Tigo Energy, Inc
• Inventors: Kikinis, Dan, Powell, Earl G., Arditi, Shmuel, Hadar, Ron
• Primary Examiner(s): BARTON, JEFFREY THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US12/254,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20090114263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 136243-265
• US Class Current: 136/244
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02021 for solar cells electrical connection means, e.g. junction boxes, specially adapted for structural association with photovoltaic modules H02S40/34
• 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

Apparatuses and methods to reduce safety risks associated with photovoltaic systems by providing a safety switch on a photovoltaic panel. In one embodiment, a photovoltaic panel includes: at least one photovoltaic cell; a connector to output energy from the photovoltaic panel; and a switch coupled between the at least one photovoltaic cell and the connector. The switch is configured to disconnect the at least one photovoltaic cell from the connector during installation of the photovoltaic panel, and to connect the at least one photovoltaic cell with the connector after installation of the photovoltaic panel.

Claims

1. A photovoltaic panel, comprising:

a plurality of photovoltaic cells;

at least one connection terminal configured on the photovoltaic panel to output electricity from the photovoltaic panel;

a voltage module to adjust an output of the plurality of photovoltaic cells;

a circuit configured to detect a load from an inverter; and

a switch coupled between the voltage module and the connection terminal to selectively provide the output through the switch to the connection terminal, the switch configured to disconnect the output in absence of the load detected by the circuit.

2. The photovoltaic panel of claim 1, wherein the voltage module outputs an alternating current (AC) output.

3. The photovoltaic panel of claim 1, wherein the switch comprises one of a semiconductor switch, a relay, a reed switch, and a spring loaded switch.

4. The photovoltaic panel of claim 1, wherein the switch comprises an optical sensor to control a state of the switch.

5. A photovoltaic panel, comprising:

a plurality of photovoltaic cells;

a connector to output energy generated by the plurality of photovoltaic cells of the photovoltaic panel;

a voltage module to adjust an output of at least one photovoltaic cell;

a circuit to detect a load from an inverter; and

a switch coupled between the voltage module and the connector and, the switch coupled with the circuit to connect the plurality of photovoltaic cells through the switch to the connector when the circuit detects a load from an inverter and to disconnect the plurality of photovoltaic cells from the connector via the switch when the circuit detects no load from an inverter.

6. The photovoltaic panel of claim 5, further comprising:

a junction box to host the connector, wherein the switch is integrated in the junction box.

7. The photovoltaic panel of claim 5, wherein the switch comprises a semiconductor switch device or a relay.

8. The photovoltaic panel of claim 7, wherein the semiconductor switch device comprises a Field-Effect Transistor (FET).