# US 2014/0196770 A1 · Photovoltaic module and system

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- Number: US 2014/0196770 A1
- Document ID: US20140196770A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/158,214
- Filed: 2014-01-17
- Published: 2014-07-17
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-17
- Assignees: University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
- Applicants: University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
- Inventors: Earl Harvey Jacobs, IV
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196770A1

## CPC

- H02S 40/34: comprising specially adapted electrical connection means to be structurally associated with the PV module, e.g. junction boxes
- H02S 30/10: Frame structures
- H02S 40/36: characterised by special electrical interconnection means between two or more PV modules, e.g. electrical module-to-module connection
- Y02B 10/10: Photovoltaic [PV]
- Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy
- Y10T 29/49002: Electrical device 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)
- 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
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

In at least one aspect of this disclosure, a photovoltaic module includes a frame, at least one photovoltaic cell disposed on the frame, a photovoltaic junction box electrically connected to the at least one photovoltaic cell and having a first photovoltaic junction box terminal and a second a photovoltaic junction box terminal, a first frame terminal electrically connected to the first photovoltaic junction box terminal via a first wire disposed within the frame, a second frame terminal electrically connected to the second photovoltaic junction box terminal via a second wire disposed within the frame, a third frame terminal, and a fourth frame terminal electrically connected to the third frame terminal via a third wire.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A photovoltaic module, comprising:
a frame;
at least one photovoltaic cell disposed on the frame;
a photovoltaic junction box electrically connected to the at least one photovoltaic cell and having a first photovoltaic junction box terminal and a second a photovoltaic junction box terminal;
a first frame terminal electrically connected to the first photovoltaic junction box terminal via a first wire disposed within the frame;
a second frame terminal electrically connected to the second photovoltaic junction box terminal via a second wire disposed within the frame;
a third frame terminal; and
a fourth frame terminal electrically connected to the third frame terminal via a third wire.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The photovoltaic module of claim 1, wherein the frame includes one or more channels configured to allow the first, second, and third wires to be contained therein.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The photovoltaic module of claim 1, wherein the second frame terminal is configured to releasably mate with the first frame terminal disposed on another of the photovoltaic modules.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The photovoltaic module of claim 1, wherein the fourth frame terminal is configured to releasably mate with the third frame terminal disposed on another of the photovoltaic modules.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The photovoltaic module of claim 1, wherein the first and second frame terminals or the third and fourth frame terminals are configured to magnetically couple to one or more terminals on another photovoltaic module.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The photovoltaic module of claim 1, wherein the frame is configured to be slidably mounted onto a structure and to be connected to one or more other photovoltaic modules on the structure.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The photovoltaic module of claim 1, wherein the third wire is at least a portion of the home run wire.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The photovoltaic module of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first, second, third, or fourth frame terminals are contained inside the frame and are configured to transfer or receive electrical power via a magnetic field.

### Claim 9

A system, comprising:
a first and second photovoltaic module, each photovoltaic module comprising:
a frame;
at least one photovoltaic cell disposed on the frame;
a photovoltaic junction box electrically connected to the at least one photovoltaic cell and having a first photovoltaic junction box terminal and a second a photovoltaic junction box terminal;
a first frame terminal electrically connected to the first photovoltaic junction box terminal via a first wire disposed within the frame;
a second frame terminal electrically connected to the second photovoltaic junction box terminal via a second wire disposed within the frame;
a third frame terminal; and
a fourth frame terminal electrically connected to the third frame terminal via a third wire,
wherein the first frame terminal of the second photovoltaic module is releasably connected to the second frame terminal of the first photovoltaic module, and wherein the third frame terminal of the second photovoltaic module is releasably connected to the fourth frame terminal of the first photovoltaic module.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, further comprising a jumper cable releasably connected to the second and fourth frame terminals of the second photovoltaic module.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, further comprising an output cable releasably connected to the first and third frame terminals of the first photovoltaic module.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, further comprising an inverter or junction box connected to the output cable.

### Claim 13

A method, comprising:
disposing electrical wire within a frame of first and second photovoltaic modules;
attaching the first photovoltaic module to a rack;
releasably connecting a first frame terminal of the second photovoltaic module to a second frame terminal of the first photovoltaic module and releasably connecting a third frame terminal of the second photovoltaic module to a fourth frame terminal of the first photovoltaic module; and
attaching the second photovoltaic module to the rack.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising connecting a jumper cable to the second and fourth frame terminals of the second photovoltaic module.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising connecting an output cable to the first and third frame terminals of the first photovoltaic module.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising connecting an inverter or junction box to the output cable.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising attaching additional photovoltaic modules in parallel or series with at least one of the first or second photovoltaic modules.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising determining an amount of photovoltaic modules to connect in series suitable to output a desired voltage.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising determining an amount of photovoltaic modules to connect in parallel suitable to output a desired current.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising labeling the second, third, and fourth frame terminals on each photovoltaic module as positive and the first frame terminal as negative.