Photovoltaic structure cleaving system
AssigneeSolarCity Corporation
InventorsPablo Gonzalez, Bobby Yang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cleaving system and method are described. The system can include a holding apparatus to retain a photovoltaic structure at a center section of a cleaving platform. The system can further include a contact apparatus to make contact with the photovoltaic structure and separate it into a plurality of strips. During operation, the system can activate an actuator to move the contact apparatus against the photovoltaic structure, thereby separating the photovoltaic structure into strips.
Claims12
An apparatus for separating a photovoltaic structure, the apparatus comprising:
- a first surface;
- and
- a second surface;
- wherein a junction between the first surface and second surface forms a first fulcrum edge, thereby facilitating the photovoltaic structure to be separated along the first fulcrum edge;
- and
- wherein the second surface comprises a buffer mechanism adapted to reduce impact when the photovoltaic structure lands on the second surface.
An apparatus for separating a photovoltaic structure, the apparatus comprising:
- a first surface;
- a second surface connected to the first surface;
- and
- a third surface connected to the first surface,
- wherein a junction between the first surface and second surface forms a first fulcrum edge and a junction between the first surface and third surface forms a second fulcrum edge configured to simultaneously separate photovoltaic structure into three strips.
A cleaving system comprising:
- a contact apparatus configured to make contact with a photovoltaic structure on a cleaving platform;
- an actuator configured to move the contact apparatus and the cleaving platform relative to each other causing separation of the photovoltaic structure into two or more strips, and
- a side section comprising a buffer mechanism adapted to reduce impact when a strip of the two or more separated strips lands on the side section.
A method comprising:
- activating an actuator to cause a contact apparatus to contact a photovoltaic structure and separate the photovoltaic structure into three portions, comprising a first portion, and second portion, and a third portion, along two fulcrum edges on a cleaving platform,
- wherein the first portion and the second portion are simultaneously cleaved from the photovoltaic structure by the contact apparatus, and wherein the first portion and second portion extend from opposite sides of the third portion of the photovoltaic structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.