Photovoltaic module having an external electrical connector
AssigneeSunPower Corporation
InventorsGabriela Elena Bunea, Cuong Manh Ta, Lewis Abra, Lee Gorny
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A photovoltaic module having an external electrical connector is described. For example, the photovoltaic module may include a plug receptacle mounted on a module laminate, and a contact may extend from a photovoltaic cell within the module laminate into a plug channel of the plug receptacle. The plug receptacle may receive a mating electrical connector, e.g., an electrical plug, of off-panel electronics. Accordingly, the contact may be removably connected to the mating electrical connector, and the photovoltaic cell may be placed in electrical connection with the off-panel electronics.
Claims20
A photovoltaic module, comprising:
- a module laminate including a photovoltaic cell electrically connected to an electrical conductor between a front layer and a back layer;
- a plug receptacle mounted on the module laminate, wherein the plug receptacle includes a plug casing around a plug channel, and a base wall having a contact slot aligned with the plug channel;
- and
- a contact including a contact base attached to the electrical conductor, and a contact prong extending through the contact slot into the plug channel.
A photovoltaic system, comprising:
- a photovoltaic module including
- a module laminate including a photovoltaic cell electrically connected to an electrical conductor between a front layer and a back layer,
- a plug receptacle mounted on the module laminate, wherein the plug receptacle includes a plug casing around a plug channel, and
- a contact including a contact base attached to the electrical conductor, and a contact prong extending into the plug channel;
- an off-panel electronics device;
- and
- an external cable extending between and electrically connecting the contact and the off-panel electronics device.
A method, comprising:
- connecting a photovoltaic cell, an electrical conductor, and a contact between a front layer and a back layer, wherein the contact includes a contact base between the front layer and the back layer and a contact prong extending outward through the back layer;
- surrounding the photovoltaic cell, the electrical conductor, and the contact with an encapsulant between the front layer and the back layer;
- curing the encapsulant;
- and
- attaching a plug receptacle having a contact slot to the back layer, wherein the contact prong extends through the contact slot.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.