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US 11,056,997 B2Granted
Universal photovoltaic laminate
AssigneeSunPower Corporation
InventorDavid B. DeGraaff
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A photovoltaic (PV) module can include a PV laminate, a frame coupled to a perimeter of the laminate, a junction box that includes a housing for an electrical connection between a plurality of PV cells of the laminate and a plurality of conductors, and an electronics enclosure coupled to the frame. In embodiments, the electronics enclosure can include electronic circuitry that is electrically coupled to the plurality of conductors and to another photovoltaic module.
Claims21
A photovoltaic module, comprising:
- a photovoltaic laminate;
- a frame coupled to a perimeter of the photovoltaic laminate;
- a junction box coupled to the photovoltaic laminate, wherein the junction box includes a housing for an electrical connection between a plurality of solar cells of the photovoltaic laminate and a plurality of conductors,
- an electronics enclosure releasably coupled directly to the frame by a mounting recess and one or more projections extending from one or more respective sides of the mounting recess in a direction orthogonal to a backside of the photovoltaic laminate,
- wherein the one or more projections are spaced to couple the electronics enclosure to the frame via a tight engagement between the projections and the electronics enclosure;
- wherein the electronics enclosure includes electronic circuitry including one or more bypass diodes configured to provide reverse bias protection to the photovoltaic module,
- wherein the electronic circuitry is electrically coupled to the plurality of conductors and to another photovoltaic module, and
- wherein, from a plan view perspective with the frame over the electronics enclosure, the frame covers a portion of but not all of the electronics enclosure.
5 more elements
A photovoltaic module, comprising:
- a plurality of solar cells arrayed in a plane;
- a frame disposed about the periphery of the photovoltaic module;
- a junction box comprising a single output cable and a plurality of conductive posts;
- and
- a plurality of ribbons coupling the plurality of solar cells to the output cable via the plurality of posts, wherein the single output cable is configured to couple to an electronics module releasably mountable directly to the frame of the photovoltaic module by an interior mounting recess and one or more projections extending from one or more respective sides of the mounting recess in a direction orthogonal to the plane of the plurality of solar cells,
- wherein the one or more projections are spaced to couple the electronics enclosure to the frame via a tight engagement between the projections and the electronics enclosure;
- wherein the electronics module comprises electronic circuitry including one or more bypass diodes configured to provide reverse bias protection to the photovoltaic module, and
- wherein, from a plan view perspective with the frame over the electronics module, the frame covers a portion of but not all of the electronics module.
5 more elements
A photovoltaic module, comprising:
- a photovoltaic laminate;
- a frame coupled to a perimeter of the photovoltaic laminate;
- a junction box coupled to the photovoltaic laminate, wherein the junction box includes a housing for an electrical connection between a plurality of solar cells of the photovoltaic laminate and a plurality of conductors, the housing being permanently fixed to the laminate,
- an electronics enclosure releasably coupled directly to the frame by a mounting recess and one or more projections extending from one or more respective sides of the mounting recess in a direction orthogonal to a backside of the photovoltaic laminate,
- wherein the one or more projections are spaced to couple the electronics enclosure to the frame via a tight engagement between the projections and the electronics enclosure;
- wherein the electronics enclosure includes electronic circuitry including one or more bypass diodes configured to provide reverse bias protection to the photovoltaic module,
- wherein the electronic circuitry is electrically coupled to the plurality of conductors and to another photovoltaic module.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.