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US 11,108,356 B2Granted
Integration of microinverter with photovoltaic module
AssigneeEnphase Energy, Inc.
InventorsPhil Gilchrist, William Morris, Kristine Little, Patrick Chapman, William P. Mulligan, Marco A. Marroquin
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Abstract
Various technologies for integrating a microinverter with a photovoltaic module are disclosed. An alternating current photovoltaic (ACPV) module includes a photovoltaic module having a frame and a junction box including a direct current (DC) output connector, and a microinverter having a housing coupled to the frame and a DC input connector electrically mated with the DC output connector of the photovoltaic module.
Claims10
An alternating current photovoltaic (ACPV) module comprising:
- a photovoltaic (PV) module, the PV module having a perimeter frame, the perimeter frame extending away from a back surface of the PV module, the PV module having a DC output connector, the DC output connector secured to the back surface of the PV module;
- and
- a microinverter positioned in a housing, the housing configured to electrically connect the DC output connector to a DC input connector electrically connected to the microinverter, the housing having a plurality of external tabs, the external tabs positioned to meet a corresponding aperture of a plurality of apertures positioned on the perimeter frame,
- wherein the corresponding external tabs and apertures of the plurality of apertures are each secured together with a fastener, and
- wherein a separate mounting bracket, to secure the microinverter to the perimeter frame, is not employed;
- and wherein a separate docking member to retain the housing is not employed.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.