# US 2014/0196766 A1 · Solar panel

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- Number: US 2014/0196766 A1
- Document ID: US20140196766A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/116,495
- Filed: 2012-03-30
- Published: 2014-07-17
- Earliest claimed: 2011-05-19
- Inventors: Holger Schumacher; Hans-Werner Kuster; Dang Cuong Phan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196766A1

## CPC

- H02S 20/00: Supporting structures for PV modules
- H02S 20/23: specially adapted for roof structures
- H02S 20/24: specially adapted for flat roofs
- H02S 30/10: Frame structures
- Y02B 10/10: Photovoltaic [PV]
- Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy
- 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)
- Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A solar panel is described. The solar panel has at least a) a support layer, b) a first intermediate layer, arranged on top of the support layer, c) at least one crystalline solar cell, arranged on top of the intermediate layer, d) a second intermediate layer, arranged on top of the crystalline solar cell, e) a front pane from glass having a thickness of 0.85 to 2.8 mm, arranged on top of the second intermediate layer, and f) an edge reinforcing structure. The edge reinforcing structure projects from the front pane by a height of at least 0.5 mm and has at least one drain channel in every corner of the solar panel. The drain channel connects the interior and the exterior of the edge reinforcing structure.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A solar module, comprising:
a carrier layer,
a first intermediate layer, which is arranged above the carrier layer,
at least one crystalline solar cell, which is arranged above the first intermediate layer,
a second intermediate layer, which is arranged above the at least one crystalline solar cell,
a front pane, made of glass with a thickness of 0.85 mm to 2.8 mm, arranged above the second intermediate layer, and
an edge reinforcement, wherein
the edge reinforcement projects beyond the front pane by a height of at least 0.5 mm and the edge reinforcement has on each corner of the solar module at least one water drain channel that connects an internal side and an external side of the edge reinforcement.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The solar module according to claim 1, wherein the edge reinforcement has on each external side of the solar module at least one water drain channel.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The solar module according to claim 1, wherein the at least one water drain channel has a width of 0.5 mm to 5 mm, preferably of 2.5 mm to 5 mm.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The solar module according to claim 1, wherein the edge reinforcement covers at least one peripheral edge region of the front pane of at least 0.2 cm, preferably of at least 0.5 cm.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The solar module according to claim 1, wherein the carrier layer has a peripheral projection beyond the front pane of at least 0.3 cm, preferably of 0.5 cm to 5 cm and particularly preferably of 1 cm to 2 cm and the edge reinforcement is arranged at least partially above a projection.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The solar module according to claim 1, wherein the at least one crystalline solar cell is a monocrystalline or polycrystalline solar cell and contains a doped semiconductor material, preferably made of silicon or gallium arsenide, or a tandem cell with a crystalline solar cell.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The solar module according to claim 1, wherein a difference between a first coefficient of thermal expansion of the carrier layer and a second coefficient of thermal expansion of the front pane is less than or equal to 300%, of the second coefficient of thermal expansion.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The solar module according to claim 1, wherein the carrier layer includes a glass fiber reinforced plastic with a first coefficient of thermal expansion of 7.3×10−6/K to 35×10−6/K.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The solar module according to claim 1, wherein the carrier layer includes a metal foil with a first coefficient of thermal expansion of 7.3×10−6/K to 10.5×10−6/K and the first intermediate layer includes a stack sequence of at least one first adhesive layer, one insulating layer, and one second adhesive layer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

A flat roof with a solar module, comprising:
a roofing membrane with a pitch of 1% to 23.1%, and
at least one solar module according to claim 1, arranged on the roofing membrane,
wherein the roofing membrane and the solar module are connected to each other at least in sections by at least one adhesive layer and/or connecting means.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The flat roof according to claim 10, wherein the solar module is bolted to the roofing membrane in a region of the edge reinforcement and/or is fastened by the connecting means.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A method for producing a solar module, comprising wherein at least:
arranging a first intermediate layer above a carrier layer,
arranging at least one crystalline solar cell on the first intermediate layer (3), and connecting the at least one crystalline solar cell to busbars,
arranging a second intermediate layer above the at least one crystalline solar cell and arranging a front pane above the second intermediate layer (5),
laminating the carrier layer, the first intermediate layer, the at least one crystalline solar cell, the second intermediate layer, and the front pane at a temperature of 100° C. to 170° C., and
arranging the edge reinforcement at least on a projection of the carrier layer beyond the front pane,
thus producing the solar module according to claim 1.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method ) according to claim 12, wherein the arranging the edge reinforcement further comprises
extruding a strand with a cross-section of the edge reinforcement,
dividing the strand into segments, and
incorporating the at least one water drain channel into the segments.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method according to claim 12, wherein the edge reinforcement is produced by reaction injection molding or by an injection molding process.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

A method comprising:
using the solar module according to claim 1 on a flat roof, preferably a metal flat roof, of a building or of a vehicle for transportation on water, on land, or in the air.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

A method comprising:
a using the solar module according to claim 1 on a flat roof with a pitch of 1% to 23.1%, preferably of 2% to 17.6%, particularly preferably of 5% to 8.8%.

### Claim 17 (depends on 3)

The solar module according to claim 3, wherein the carrier layer has a peripheral projection beyond the front pane of 0.5 cm to 5 cm, preferably 1 cm to 2 cm.

### Claim 18 (depends on 7)

The solar module according to claim 7, wherein the difference between the first coefficient of thermal expansion of the carrier layer and the second coefficient of thermal expansion of the front pane is less than or equal to 17% and preferably less than or equal to 7%.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The flat roof according to claim 11, wherein the connecting means is at least one retaining rail.