# US 10,483,421 B2 · Solar cell module

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- Number: US 10,483,421 B2
- Document ID: US10483421B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/742,478
- Filed: 2015-06-17
- Published: 2015-12-24
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2014-06-18
- Assignees: LG Electronics Inc.
- Applicants: LG Electronics Inc.
- Inventors: Bojoong Kim; Minpyo Kim; Daehee Jang; Hyeyoung Yang; Taeki Woo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10483421B2

## CPC

- H10F 19/908: {for back-contact photovoltaic cells}
- H10F 10/146: {Back-junction photovoltaic cells, e.g. having interdigitated base-emitter regions on the back side}
- H10F 77/219: {Arrangements for electrodes of back-contact photovoltaic cells}
- H10F 77/937: {Busbar structures for modules}
- H10F 77/955: {for photovoltaic devices}
- Y02E 10/52: PV systems with concentrators
- Y02E 10/547: Monocrystalline silicon PV cells
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A solar cell module includes a plurality of solar cells each including a semiconductor substrate, and first electrodes and second electrodes formed on the semiconductor substrate, a plurality of lines connected to the first and second electrodes of first and second solar cells, which are positioned adjacent to each other among the plurality of solar cells, the plurality of lines using a conductive adhesive or insulated from the first and second electrodes of the first and second solar cells through an insulating layer, and a connector positioned between the first and second solar cells and connected to the plurality of lines. A width of the connector is equal to or greater than at least one of a first distance between the first solar cell and the connector or a second distance between the second solar cell and the connector.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A solar cell module comprising:
a plurality of solar cells each including a semiconductor substrate, and first electrodes and second electrodes which are formed on the semiconductor substrate and collect carriers of different conductive types, wherein the first electrodes and the second electrodes are extended in a first direction and alternatively disposed in the second direction crossing the first direction;
a plurality of first lines extended in the second direction to cross the first electrodes and the second electrodes, the plurality of first lines being connected to the first electrodes by a plurality of conductive adhesives formed at crossings of the first electrodes and the plurality of first lines and being insulated from the second electrodes by a plurality of insulating layers formed at crossings of the second electrodes and the plurality of first lines;
a plurality of second lines extended in the second direction to cross the first electrodes and the second electrodes, the plurality of second lines being connected to the second electrodes by the plurality of conductive adhesives formed at crossings of the second electrodes and the plurality of second lines and being insulated from the first electrodes by the plurality of insulating layers formed at crossings of the first electrodes and the plurality of second lines; and
a connector positioned between the first solar cell and the second solar cell and connected to the plurality of first lines and the plurality of second lines,
wherein a width of the connector is equal to or greater than at least one of a first distance between the first solar cell and the connector or a second distance between the second solar cell and the connector,
wherein an application area of the insulating layer on the connector is larger than an application area of the conductive adhesive on the connector, and
wherein ends of the plurality of first lines and the plurality of second lines of adjacent solar cells are bonded to the connector so that the adjacent solar cells are serially connected.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The solar cell module of claim 1, wherein an overlap area between the ends of the plurality of first lines and the plurality of second lines and the connector is equal to or less than the width of the connector.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The solar cell module of claim 2, wherein the overlap area between the ends of the plurality of first lines and the plurality of second lines and the connector is equal to or greater than the width of the connector*⅓.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The solar cell module of claim 2, wherein the connector includes a first surface, on which light is incident, and a second surface opposite the first surface, and
wherein the plurality of first lines and the plurality of second lines are connected to the second surface of the connector.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The solar cell module of claim 3, wherein a first surface of the connector includes a plurality of uneven portions each having a different inclined angle.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The solar cell module of claim 4, wherein the second surface of the connector includes the same material as at least one of materials forming the plurality of first lines and the plurality of second lines.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The solar cell module of claim 5, wherein a material forming the first surface of the connector is different from a material forming the second surface of the connector.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The solar cell module of claim 2, wherein a length of the connector is equal to or greater than a distance between two lines positioned on uppermost and lowermost sides among the plurality of first lines and the plurality of second lines and is less than a sum of a width of the first solar cell and a distance between strings of the plurality of solar cells.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The solar cell module of claim 8, wherein a middle width of the connector is less than an edge width of the connector.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The solar cell module of claim 9, wherein a maximum difference between the edge width of the connector and the middle width of the connector is 10 mm.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The solar cell module of claim 1, wherein the first electrodes and the second electrodes are formed on a back surface of the semiconductor substrate.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The solar cell module of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first lines and the plurality of second lines face each other on the connector at a distance which is equal to or less than the width of the connector.

### Claim 13 (depends on 2)

The solar cell module of claim 2, further comprising:
a plurality of strings each having a column of the plurality of solar cells connected through the connector; and
a bushing bar configured to connect a first string and a second string, which are positioned adjacent to each other among the plurality of strings,
wherein a cross-sectional area of the connector is less than a cross-sectional area of the bushing bar.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The solar cell module of claim 13, wherein a forming material of the bushing bar, a forming material of the connector, and a forming material of the plurality of first lines and the plurality of second lines commonly include at least one material.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The solar cell module of claim 13, wherein the bushing bar includes a first surface, on which light is incident, and a second surface opposite the first surface,
wherein the plurality of first lines and the plurality of second lines connected to the bushing bar are connected to the second surface of the bushing bar, and
wherein the first surface of the bushing bar includes a plurality of uneven portions each having an inclined surface, which is inclined in one direction.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The solar cell module of claim 1, wherein the first distance between one of the adjacent solar cells and the connector and the second distance between the other of the adjacent solar cells and the connector are 50 μm to 3 mm.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The solar cell module of claim 16, wherein the width of the connector is 0.1 mm to 20 mm, and a thickness of the connector is 0.015 mm to 2 mm.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The solar cell module of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the connector is greater than a thickness of at least one of the adjacent solar cells.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The solar cell module of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the connector is equal to or less than a thickness of at least one of the plurality of first lines and the plurality of second lines.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The solar cell module of claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional area of the plurality of first lines is different from a cross-sectional area of the plurality of second lines.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The solar cell module of claim 20, wherein a cross-sectional area of the first electrode of one of the adjacent solar cells is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the first electrode of the other of the adjacent solar cells, and
wherein the cross-sectional area of the plurality of first lines is larger than the cross-sectional area of the plurality of second lines.