Thin flexible modules
AssigneeMiasole Hi-Tech Corp.
InventorsJohn Huang, Jason Stephen Corneille, Feng Xie, Richard Weinberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Provided herein are ultra-thin flexible photovoltaic modules. The flexible modules meet UL and IEC safety requirements without needing one or more encapsulant layers. The no-encapsulant design reduces material usage and associated cost and eliminates thermal and mechanical stress imparted by the encapsulant. In some embodiments, a flexible module includes photovoltaic cells enclosed between sealing sheets, wires partially embedded in wire carriers and disposed such that the wires interconnect the photovoltaic cells. The wire carriers include multiple polymeric layers. Adhesive from module components such as sealing sheets and wire carriers bonds the components together.
Claims15
A photovoltaic module comprising:
- a transparent flexible top sheet;
- a flexible bottom sheet;
- a plurality of photovoltaic cells disposed between the transparent flexible top sheet and flexible bottom sheet;
- and
- a plurality of individual wire assemblies overlaying the photovoltaic cells to interconnect the photovoltaic cells;
- wherein there is no encapsulant separating the plurality of individual wire assemblies from the transparent flexible top sheet and the flexible bottom sheet.
A photovoltaic module comprising:
- a transparent flexible top sheet;
- a flexible bottom sheet, comprising an innermost adhesive layer having a thickness of between 12.5 and 150 microns;
- a plurality of photovoltaic cells disposed between the transparent flexible top sheet and flexible bottom sheet;
- and
- a plurality of individual wire assemblies overlaying the photovoltaic cells to interconnect the photovoltaic cells,
- wherein there innermost layer of the flexible bottom sheet directly contacts at least some of the plurality of individual wire assemblies.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.