Connection box for solar panel

• US 8,003,885 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2009
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lumberg Connect GmbH (Lumberg Holding GmbH & Company KG)
• Original Assignee: Lumberg Connect GmbH (Lumberg Holding GmbH & Company KG)
• Inventors: Gazke, Dennis, Richter, Michael, Fuhrmeister, Lothar
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, DHIRUBHAI R
• Application Number:
  US12/434,745
• Publication Number:
  US 20090272559A1
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 174/50, 174/58, 174/64, 136244-246, 136/251, 439/135, 439/136, 439/142, 439/571, 439/786, 439/796
• US Class Current: 174/50
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/28 End pieces consisting of a ferrule or sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/28 Clamped connections, spring connections made by means of terminals specially adapted for contact with, or insertion into, printed circuits H01R12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/5025 combined with a threaded ferrule operating in a direction parallel to the conductor
• 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

A box for connecting a ribbon output conductor of a solar panel with a feed cable has a base mountable on the solar panel and formed with a first hole for the ribbon output conductor and a second hole for the feed cable, a removable cover fittable with the base and forming when fitted with the base a substantially closed compartment, and two holders at the first hole oriented at a predetermined angle to each other and adapted to hold a conductive part of the feed cable in either of two positions offset by the predetermined angle relative to the first hole.

Claims

1. A box for connecting a ribbon output conductor of a solar panel with a feed cable, the box comprising:

a base mountable on the solar panel and formed with a first hole for the ribbon output conductor and a second hole for the feed cable, the first hole being dimensioned such that the ribbon conductor can engage through it in either of two positions at a predetermined angle to each other;

a removable cover fittable with the base and forming when fitted with the base a substantially closed compartment; and

two holders at the first hole oriented at the predetermined angle to each other and adapted to hold a conductive part of the feed cable in either of two positions offset by the predetermined angle and extending across the first hole such that the conductive part of the feed cable can be held by the holders in a position crosswise of the direction in which the ribbon output conductor is engaged through the first hole in either of the positions of the ribbon conductor.

2. The connection box defined in claim 1 wherein the conductive part of the feed cable is a stripped end of a conductor of the feed cable.

3. The connection box defined in claim 2 wherein the stripped end is reinforced.

4. The connection box defined in claim 3 wherein the stripped end is reinforced by a crimp sleeve.

5. The connection box defined in claim 1 wherein the angle is 90°

.

6. The connection box defined in claim 5 wherein each of the holders comprises a bracket and a clip flanking the first hole and both shaped to grip the cable to each side of the conductive part.

7. The connection box defined in claim 1 wherein the base is formed with a web spanning the first opening and supporting the conductive part.

8. A box for connecting a ribbon output conductor of a solar panel with a feed cable, the box comprising:

a base mountable on the solar panel and formed with a first hole for the ribbon output conductor and a second hole for the feed cable;

a removable cover fittable with the base and forming when fitted with the base a substantially closed compartment; and

two holders at the first hole oriented at an angle of 90°

to each other and adapted to hold a conductive part of the feed cable in either of two positions offset by the angle relative to the first hole, each of the holders comprising a pair of clips flanking the first hole, each of the clips being U-shaped and adapted to grip the conductive part of the feed cable with the conductive part extending across the first hole and the ribbon conductor extending through the first hole and wrapped at least partially around the conductive part.