Solar array attachment
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorEric M. Rehder
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A solar array including at least one solar panel comprised of a substrate having one or more solar cells bonded thereto, and a frame for supporting the substrate and the solar cells, wherein the substrate is attached to the frame at a perimeter of the frame along one or more edges of the substrate, the frame has a cutout or opening in a center of the frame under the solar cells, and the cutout or opening enables direct cooling of the solar cells through the substrate by exposing a back side of the substrate for transferring or radiating heat directly through the cutout or opening of the frame.
Claims20
An apparatus, comprising:
- a substrate having one or more solar cells bonded thereto;
- and
- a frame for supporting the substrate and the solar cells, wherein the frame is a rectangular structure defining a perimeter around a cutout or opening under the solar cells, the substrate is attached to the frame at each side of the frame, only around the perimeter of the frame, along one or more edges of the substrate, the cutout or opening enables direct cooling of the solar cells through the substrate by exposing a back side of the substrate and the solar cells for transferring or radiating heat directly through the cutout or opening of the frame, reinforcing materials are in the cutout or opening of the frame, and the reinforcing materials allow radiative cooling at normal incidence from the solar cells, and block electron and proton radiation at non-normal incidence from reaching the solar cells.
A method, comprising:
- bonding one or more solar cells to a substrate;
- and
- attaching the substrate and the solar cells to a frame for support, wherein the frame is a rectangular structure defining a perimeter around a cutout or opening under the solar cells, the substrate is attached to the frame at each side of the frame, only around the perimeter of the frame, along one or more edges of the substrate, the cutout or opening enables direct cooling of the solar cells through the substrate by exposing a back side of the substrate for transferring or radiating heat directly through the cutout or opening of the frame, reinforcing materials are in the cutout or opening of the frame, and the reinforcing materials allow radiative cooling at normal incidence from the solar cells, and block electron and proton radiation at non-normal incidence from reaching the solar cells.
A method, comprising:
- transferring heat from one or more solar cells bonded to a substrate, wherein the substrate is mounted on a frame for support, the frame is a rectangular structure defining a perimeter around a cutout or opening under the solar cells, the substrate is attached to the frame at each side of the frame, only around the perimeter of the frame, along one or more edges of the substrate, the cutout or opening enables direct cooling of the solar cells through the substrate by exposing a back side of the substrate for radiating heat directly through the cutout or opening of the frame reinforcing materials are in the cutout or opening of the frame, and the reinforcing materials allow radiative cooling at normal incidence from the solar cells, and block electron and proton radiation at non-normal incidence from reaching the solar cells.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.