# US 2019/0245478 A1 · Non-flat solar roof tiles > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0245478 A1 - Document ID: US20190245478A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/887,913 - Filed: 2018-02-02 - Published: 2019-08-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-02-02 - Assignees: Tesla, Inc. - Applicants: Tesla, Inc. - Inventors: Nicholas G. J. de Vries; Bobby Yang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190245478A1 ## CPC - H02S 20/25: Roof tile elements - H02S 40/36: characterised by special electrical interconnection means between two or more PV modules, e.g. electrical module-to-module connection - H10F 19/80: Encapsulations or containers for integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells - H10F 19/807: {Double-glass encapsulation, e.g. photovoltaic cells arranged between front and rear glass sheets} - H10F 19/85: Protective back sheets - H10F 19/902: {for series or parallel connection of photovoltaic cells} - 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) - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - 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 One embodiment can provide a non-flat photovoltaic roof tile. The non-flat photovoltaic roof tile can include a transparent front cover, a back cover, and a plurality of Si-based photovoltaic structures. The transparent front cover can include a first side and a second side, with the first side comprising at least one non-flat portion and the second side comprising a plurality of flat facets. The flat facets are arranged to follow the contour of the at least one non-flat portion. A respective Si-based photovoltaic structure is positioned between a flat facet of the transparent front cover and the back cover. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A non-flat photovoltaic roof tile, comprising: a transparent front cover having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface comprises at least one portion that is convexly curved, wherein the second surface comprises a plurality of flat facets, and wherein the flat facets are arranged to follow the contour of the at least one convexly curved portion of the first surface; a back cover; and a plurality of Si-based photovoltaic structures, wherein a respective Si-based photovoltaic structure is positioned between a flat facet of the transparent front cover and the back cover. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The non-flat photovoltaic roof tile of claim 1, wherein the transparent front cover comprises glass. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The non-flat photovoltaic roof tile of claim 1, wherein the back cover comprises: a backsheet; or a rigid back cover comprising a second set of flat facets. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The non-flat photovoltaic roof tile of claim 1, wherein adjacent photovoltaic structures positioned on a same flat facet are electrically coupled to each other in series. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The non-flat photovoltaic roof tile of claim 4, wherein the adjacent photovoltaic structures positioned on the same flat facet are coupled in such a way that a first edge busbar positioned on a first photovoltaic structure overlaps a second edge busbar positioned on a second photovoltaic structure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The non-flat photovoltaic roof tile of claim 1, wherein adjacent photovoltaic structures positioned on different flat facets are electrically coupled to each other in parallel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The non-flat photovoltaic roof tile of claim 1, wherein a respective photovoltaic structure comprises a strip that is ⅓ of a 6-inch by 6-inch square solar cell. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The non-flat photovoltaic roof tile of claim 1, wherein the transparent front cover has a shape similar to that of a conventional roof tile, and wherein the at least one convexly curved portion comprises a partial-cylindrical surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The non-flat photovoltaic roof tile of claim 1, further comprising at least a pair of external electrical connectors for electrical coupling with adjacent roof tiles. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The non-flat photovoltaic roof tile of claim 9, wherein the adjacent roof tiles are arranged side by side along a latitudinal axis of the convexly curved portion, and where the external electrical connectors are configured to couple the adjacent roof tiles in parallel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The non-flat photovoltaic roof tile of claim 9, wherein the adjacent roof tiles are arranged up and down along a longitudinal axis of the convexly curved portion, and where the external electrical connectors are configured to couple the adjacent roof tiles in series. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The non-flat photovoltaic roof tile of claim 1, wherein the at least one convexly curved portion and the flat facets are arranged in such a way that an edge of the at least one convexly curved portion extends beyond an edge of the flat facets to conceal the flat facets from a side view. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The non-flat photovoltaic roof tile of claim 12, wherein a respective flat facet includes a flat bottom surface of a pocket formed on the second surface of the non-flat photovoltaic roof tile. ### Claim at position 14 14-20. (canceled)