# US 2009/0260676 A1 · Solar panel junction box and components thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2009/0260676 A1 - Document ID: US20090260676A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/148,088 - Filed: 2008-04-16 - Published: 2009-10-22 - Earliest claimed: 2008-04-16 - Assignees: Molex Incorporated - Inventors: Sean McMahon; Peter Commane; Colm Reidy; George Hesse; Mike Mahony - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20090260676A1 ## CPC - H02S 40/34: comprising specially adapted electrical connection means to be structurally associated with the PV module, e.g. junction boxes - Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy - Y10S 439/907: Contact having three contact surfaces, including diverse surface - Y10T 29/49108: Electric battery cell making - 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 - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A solar panel junction box and components thereof including a plurality of generally L-shaped connecting elements, each comprising a conductive member with a flat section and a first angular section. The first angular section having a resilient cut-out connecting member forming an electrical contact and the flat section having one or more retaining slots for receiving an electronic component terminal. The junction box further includes a plate having rectangular extensions for retaining and positioning solar ribbon and cylindrical extensions for positioning the plate with respect to a base which has cylindrical receptacles for receiving the cylindrical extensions and also has a channel section for edgewise accommodation of the connecting element and compartment areas which position the diodes adjacent the respective retaining slots. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A connecting element, comprising a conductive member with a flat section and a first angular section, the flat section comprising at least one notch for receiving an electrical terminal of an electric component and the first angular section comprising a resilient connecting member forming an electrical contact. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The connecting element, according to claim 1, the flat section being arranged between the first angular section and a second angular section forming a contact portion for cable connection. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The connecting element according to claim 1, the first angular section comprising a recess towards which the resilient connecting member is resiliently movable, the resilient connecting member being integrally formed with the first angular section. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The connecting element according to claim 1, comprising a pair of connecting elements, each having a conductive member with a flat section and a first angular section, the flat section comprising at least one notch for receiving an electrical terminal and the first angular section comprising a resilient connecting member forming an electrical contact, for receiving opposite connecting terminals of an electric component arranged between the pair of connecting elements. ### Claim 5 A connecting element, comprising: a conductive member with a flat section, a first angular section and a second angular section, the flat section being arranged between the first angular section and the second angular section, the first angular section comprising a resilient connecting member forming an electrical contact and the second angular section forming a contact portion for cable connection. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The connecting element according to claim 5, the flat section comprising at least one notch for receiving an electrical terminal of an electric component. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The connecting element according to claim 5, comprising a pair of connecting elements, each having a conductive member with a flat section, a first angular section and a second angular section, the flat section being arranged between the first angular section and the second angular section, the first angular section comprising a resilient connecting member forming an electrical contact and the second angular section forming a contact portion for cable connection, for receiving opposite connecting terminals of an electric component arranged between the pair of connecting elements. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The connecting element according to claim 5, the first angular section being coplanar with the flat section, with the resilient connecting member extending outward therefrom, and with the second angular section extending orthogonal to the flat section within an orthogonality range. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The connecting element according to claim 5, the flat section extending in a direction of a first axis, the first angular section extending in a direction of a second axis, the second angular section extending in a direction of a third axis, the first axis, the second axis and the third axis being orthogonal with respect to each other within an orthogonality range. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The connecting element according to claim 5, the first angular section comprising a recess towards which the resilient connecting member is resiliently movable, the resilient connecting member being integrally formed with the first angular section. ### Claim 11 A junction box, comprising: a connecting element comprising a conductive member with a flat section having at least one notch and a first angular section, the first angular section comprising a resilient connecting member forming an electrical contact; a base member for accommodating said connecting element and an electric component having a connecting terminal; the notch of the flat section being formed to receive the connecting terminal of the electric component. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The junction box according to claim 11, the base member comprising a channel section for edgewise accommodating of the conductive member. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The junction element according to claim 11, the conductive member enabling an external cable connection thereto. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The junction box according to claim 11, the conductive member has a second angular section, the flat section being arranged between the first angular section and the second angular section. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The junction box according to claim 11, further comprising the electric component, in particular a capacitor or a diode. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The junction box according to claim 11, comprising: a plurality of connecting elements, each having a conductive member with a flat section having at least one notch and a first angular section, the first angular section comprising a resilient connecting member forming an electrical contact; the base member being adapted to accommodate a plurality of electric components, each having a connecting terminal; each notch being formed to accommodate a connecting terminal of a respective electric component. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The junction box according to claim 16, comprising: a plurality of connecting elements, each having a conductive member with a flat section having at least one notch and a first angular section, at least some of the conductive members having a second angular section with the flat section being arranged between the first angular section and the second angular section. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) A junction box according to claim 16 including a plate member, comprising: a first surface and a second surface, the second surface opposing the first surface; and a first protruding section protruding from the second surface for positioning a solar ribbon for connection with said resilient connecting member. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The junction box according to claim 18, wherein the first protruding section has a generally rectangular shape having two opposed surfaces respectively facing towards a longitudinal axis of the solar ribbon adhered thereto. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The junction box according to claim 18 wherein, the first protruding section has a flat rectangular shape. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The junction box according to claim 18 further comprising a second protruding section protruding from the second surface of the solar member. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The junction box according to claim 21, wherein the second protruding section comprises a cylindrical or tubular section protruding from the second surface of the solar member. ### Claim 23 (depends on 18) The junction box according to claim 18, further comprising a plurality of first protruding sections protruding from the second surface for contacting to a plurality of solar ribbons and a plurality of second protruding sections which can be mated with a plurality of third protruding sections protruding from a base for positioning the resilient connecting member against the solar ribbon. ### Claim 24 A solar panel junction box, comprising: a plate member having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface opposing the first surface, the plate member further comprising a first protruding section protruding from the second surface of the plate member; a solar ribbon covering at least a part of a surface of the first protruding section to form a contact surface; a connecting element with a conductive member having a flat section and a first angular section, the first angular section comprising a resilient connecting member; the resilient connecting member resiliently contacting to the solar ribbon. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The solar panel junction box according to claim 24, the second surface extending along a longitudinal axis of the plate member, the first protruding section perpendicularly protruding with respect to the longitudinal axis within an orthogonality range. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The solar panel junction box according to claim 24, the first protruding section having a rectangular shape having two opposed surfaces respectively facing towards a longitudinal axis of the solar ribbon. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) The solar panel junction box according to claim 24, the first protruding section having a flat rectangular shape. ### Claim 28 (depends on 24) The solar panel junction box according to claim 24, the first protruding section having two opposing surfaces which are covered by the solar ribbon, the solar ribbon further extending on the second surface in a longitudinal direction of the plate member to a solar cell. ### Claim 29 (depends on 24) The solar panel junction box according to claim 24, the conductive member having a second angular section, the flat section being arranged between the first angular section and the second angular section. ### Claim 30 (depends on 24) The solar panel junction box according to claim 24, a surface of the first angular section is coplanar with a surface of the flat section with the resilient connecting member extending outward therefrom, the second angular section extending orthogonal to the flat section within an orthogonality range. ### Claim 31 (depends on 29) The solar panel junction box according to claim 29, the flat section extending in a direction of a first axis, the first angular section extending in a direction of a second axis, the second angular section extending in a direction of a third axis, the first axis, the second axis and the third axis being orthogonal with respect to each other within an orthogonality range. ### Claim 32 (depends on 24) The solar panel junction box according to claim 24, the first angular section comprising a recess towards which the resilient connecting member is resiliently movable, the resilient connecting member being integrally formed with the first angular section. ### Claim 33 (depends on 24) The solar panel junction box according to claim 24, further comprising a base member for accommodating an electric component; the notch of the flat section of the connecting element being formed to receive a connecting terminal of an electric component. ### Claim 34 (depends on 24) The solar panel junction box according to claim 24, further comprising a base member for accommodating an electric component; the notch of the flat section of the connecting element being formed to receive a connecting terminal of the electric component; the base member comprising a channel section for edgewise accommodating the connecting element. ### Claim 35 (depends on 24) The solar panel junction box according to claim 24, further comprising an electric component, in particular a capacitor or a diode. ### Claim 36 (depends on 24) The solar panel junction box according to claim 24, comprising: a plurality of connecting elements, each having a conductive member with a flat section and a first angular section, each flat section having at least one notch, the first angular section comprising a resilient connecting member; a base member being formed to accommodate a plurality of electric components, each having a connecting terminal; each notch being formed to accommodate a connecting terminal of a respective electric component. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The solar panel junction box according to claim 36, at least some of the conductive members having a second angular section with the flat section being arranged between the first angular section and the second angular section. ### Claim 38 (depends on 24) The solar panel junction box according to claim 24, further comprising a base member, the base member comprising at least one third protruding section; the plate member comprising at least one second protruding section protruding from the second surface of the plate member; the at least one third protruding section accommodating the at least one second protruding section to assemble the base member to the plate member. ### Claim 39 A method for manufacturing a solar panel junction box, the method comprising: forming a connecting element having a conductive member with a flat section having at least one notch and a first angular section, the first angular section comprising a resilient connecting member forming an electrical contact; forming a plate member having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface having a plurality of first protruding sections and a plurality of second protruding sections extending therefrom; adhering a solar ribbon against the plate member with at least a portion hereof covering at least a part of a surface of the first protruding section; forming a base member with a channel portion for retaining the conductive member in an edgewise orientation and with third protruding sections for respectively mating with the second protruding sections and for accommodating an electric component having a connecting terminal; arranging a connecting terminal of the electric component in the notch of the flat section of the connecting element with the resilient connecting member in contact with the solar ribbon covering the first protruding section. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The method according to claim 39, comprising the step of forming at least some connecting elements with a conductive member having a flat section, a first angular section and a second angular section, the flat section being arranged between the first angular section and the second angular section, the first angular section comprising a resilient connecting member. ### Claim 41 A method for manufacturing a solar panel junction box, the method comprising: forming a plate member having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface opposing the first surface, the plate member further comprising a first protruding section protruding from the second surface; adhering a solar ribbon to the plate member covering at least a part of a surface of the first protruding section; forming a connecting element with a conductive member having a flat section, a first angular section and a second angular section, the flat section being arranged between the first angular section and the second angular section, the first angular section comprising a resilient connecting member; and resiliently contacting the resilient connecting member to the first protruding section to connect to the solar ribbon.