# US 10,121,910 B2 · Formed photovoltaic module busbars

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,121,910 B2
- Document ID: US10121910B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/877,785
- Filed: 2015-10-07
- Published: 2016-02-04
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2006-10-03
- Assignees: SunPower Corporation
- Applicants: SunPower Corporation
- Inventors: Douglas Rose; Shan Daroczi; Thomas Phu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10121910B2

## CPC

- H10F 77/937: {Busbar structures for modules}
- H02S 40/34: comprising specially adapted electrical connection means to be structurally associated with the PV module, e.g. junction boxes
- H02S 40/36: characterised by special electrical interconnection means between two or more PV modules, e.g. electrical module-to-module connection
- H10F 19/35: Structures for the connecting of adjacent photovoltaic cells, e.g. interconnections or insulating spacers
- H10F 19/90: Structures for connecting between photovoltaic cells, e.g. interconnections or insulating spacers (between thin-film photovoltaic cells on a single substrate H10F19/35)
- H10F 19/904: {characterised by the shapes of the structures}
- H10F 19/908: {for back-contact photovoltaic cells}
- H10F 77/219: {Arrangements for electrodes of back-contact photovoltaic cells}
- H10F 77/939: {Output lead wires or elements}
- Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- H02S: GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES (obtaining electrical energy from radioactive sources G21H1/12; light sensitive inorganic semiconductor devices H10F; light sensitive organic semiconductor devices H10K30/00; thermoelectric devices H10N10/00; pyroelectric devices H10N15/00)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A photovoltaic system including a cell connection piece coupled to a plurality of photovoltaic cells and a terminal of a junction box. The cell connection piece includes an interconnect bus, a plurality of bus tabs unitarily formed with the interconnect bus, and a terminal bus coupled with the interconnect bus. The plurality of bus tabs extend from the interconnect bus. The terminal bus includes a nonlinear portion.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A photovoltaic system, comprising:
a plurality of photovoltaic cells within a photovoltaic module;
a junction box coupled to the photovoltaic module, the junction box having a terminal; and
a cell connection assembly comprising:
a cell connection piece coupled to one or more of the plurality of photovoltaic cells, the cell connection piece comprising an interconnect bus and a plurality of bus tabs unitarily formed with the interconnect bus, wherein the plurality of bus tabs extend from only a single side of the interconnect bus; and
a terminal bus bar coupled with the interconnect bus of the cell connection piece, the terminal bus bar coupled to the interconnect bus at a solder joint, the terminal bus bar including a first portion defining a non-orthogonal, curvilinear shape and a second portion defining either a tapered shape or a hole to facilitate coupling of the second portion of the terminal bus bar to the terminal of the junction box.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The photovoltaic system of claim 1, wherein the junction box is coupled to the photovoltaic module to facilitate electrical coupling of the photovoltaic module to an external component of the photovoltaic system.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The photovoltaic system of claim 1, wherein the interconnect bus of the cell connection piece has a continuously variable width along a length of the interconnect bus.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The photovoltaic system of claim 1, wherein the interconnect bus of the cell connection piece has a step-wise variable width along a length of the interconnect bus.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The photovoltaic system of claim 1, wherein the interconnect bus of the cell connection piece comprises an extension at an end of the interconnect bus, the solder joint formed at the extension.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The photovoltaic system of claim 1, wherein the interconnect bus of the cell connection piece comprises an expansion joint to accommodate thermal expansion of the photovoltaic module, wherein the expansion joint is unitarily formed with the cell connection piece.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The photovoltaic system of claim 1, wherein the interconnect bus of the cell connection piece comprises a plurality of notches to accommodate a second plurality of bus tabs of a second cell connection piece in a fabrication process of the cell connection pieces.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The photovoltaic system of claim 1, wherein the interconnect bus of the cell connection piece is formed from a sheet of conductive material.

### Claim 9

A photovoltaic system, comprising:
a plurality of photovoltaic cells within a photovoltaic module;
a junction box coupled to the photovoltaic module, the junction box having a terminal; and
a plurality of cell connection assemblies, each cell connection assembly comprising:
a cell connection piece coupled to one or more of the plurality of photovoltaic cells, the cell connection piece comprising an interconnect bus and a plurality of bus tabs unitarily formed with the interconnect bus, wherein the plurality of bus tabs extend from only a single side of the interconnect bus; and
a terminal bus bar coupled with the interconnect bus of the cell connection piece, the terminal bus bar coupled to the interconnect bus at a solder joint, the terminal bus bar including a first portion defining a non-orthogonal, curvilinear shape and a second portion defining either a tapered shape or a hole to facilitate coupling of the second portion of the terminal bus bar to the terminal of the junction box.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The photovoltaic system of claim 9, wherein the junction box is coupled to the photovoltaic module to facilitate electrical coupling of the photovoltaic module to an external component of the photovoltaic system.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The photovoltaic system of claim 9, wherein the interconnect bus of the cell connection piece of each of the plurality of cell connection assemblies has a continuously variable width along a length of the interconnect bus.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The photovoltaic system of claim 9, wherein the interconnect bus of the cell connection piece of each of the plurality of cell connection assemblies has a step-wise variable width along a length of the interconnect bus.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The photovoltaic system of claim 9, wherein the interconnect bus of the cell connection piece of each of the plurality of cell connection assemblies comprises an extension at an end of the interconnect bus, the solder joint formed at the extension.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The photovoltaic system of claim 9, wherein the interconnect bus of the cell connection piece of each of the plurality of cell connection assemblies comprises an expansion joint to accommodate thermal expansion of the photovoltaic module, wherein the expansion joint is unitarily formed with the cell connection piece.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The photovoltaic system of claim 9, wherein the interconnect bus of the cell connection piece of each of the plurality of cell connection assemblies comprises a plurality of notches to accommodate a second plurality of bus tabs of a second cell connection piece in a fabrication process of the cell connection pieces.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The photovoltaic system of claim 9, wherein the interconnect bus of the cell connection piece of each of the plurality of cell connection assemblies is formed from a sheet of conductive material.