Solar module with light-transmissive edge seal
AssigneeFirst Solar, Inc.
InventorsBenyamin Buller, Steve Murphy, Brian Cohen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A solar module with a front support, a back support, and a photovoltaic active material located between the front and back supports. An electrically insulative light transmissive seal is located at the peripheral edges of the front support and back support to electrically isolate the active material from the outer surfaces of the solar module.
Claims61
A solar module comprising:
- a front support having a length and width;
- a back support being a length and width substantially the same as the front support, the back support being aligned with said front support and defining with said front support peripheral edges of the front and back supports;
- an active photo sensitive material area provided between the front and back supports;
- and
- an electrically insulating light transmissive material located at the peripheral edges of the front and back supports that provides electrical isolation of the active material with respect to areas outside the solar module.
A solar module comprising:
- a front support having a length and width;
- a back support being a length and width substantially the same as said front support, said back support being aligned with said front support and defining with said front support peripheral edges of said module;
- a photo sensitive material area provided between said front and back supports;
- and
- an electrically insulating material at the peripheral edges of said module, said material comprising a sidewall and a pair of edges extending from said sidewall which respectively engage with a front surface of said front support and a back surface of said back support, said sidewall and extending edges defining with the peripheral edges of said module a cavity.
An insulating seal for a solar module comprising:
- an electrically insulating light transmissive seal for attaching to peripheral edges of front and back supports of said solar module to provide electrical isolation of an active material within said solar module with respect to an outer surface of said module.
The insulating seal of 30 wherein said pair of edges engage with a back and front surface of said solar module when said seal is attached to said solar module.
A method of manufacturing a solar module comprising:
- providing a back support having a length and width;
- forming an active photo sensitive material area over said back support;
- placing a front support having a length and width substantially the same as said back support over said active photo sensitive material area;
- aligning said back support with said front support so that said front and back supports define peripheral edges of front and back supports;
- forming an electrically insulating light transmissive seal at the peripheral edges of front and back supports to provide electrical isolation of said active material with respect to an outer surface of said module.
A solar module comprising:
- a front support having a length and width;
- a back support having a length and width substantially the same as said front support, said back support being aligned with said front support and defining with said front support peripheral edges of said front and back supports;
- a photo sensitive material area provided between said front and back supports;
- and
- an electrically insulating light transmissive seal attached to said module that provides an increased tracking distance for said module without decreasing the active material of said module.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.