Method and apparatus of fabricating a solar cell device
AssigneeSunPower Corporation
InventorsNathaniel CASWELL, David C. Hosken, Jason Kalus
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Solar cell devices as well as method and apparatus for producing solar cell devices are disclosed. Aspects of the disclosure provide a solar cell device that includes a string of solar cells. The string of solar cells are conductively connected in series and arranged in a shingled manner with sides of adjacent solar cells being overlapped. A first metal ribbon segment is conductively bonded to a front surface of an end cell, the front surface being configured to face a light incoming direction to receive energy from a light source.
Claims20
A solar cell device comprising:
- a first string of solar cells that are conductively connected in series and arranged in a shingled manner with sides of adjacent solar cells being overlapped;
- and
- a first metal ribbon segment conductively bonded to a front surface of a end cell of the first string, the front surface being configured to face a light incoming direction to receive energy from a light source.
The solar cell device of clam further comprising:
- a second string of solar cells that are conductively connected in series and arranged in the shingled manner with sides of adjacent solar cells being overlapped;
- and
- a second metal ribbon segment conductively bonded to the front surface of an end cell of the second string, wherein the second metal ribbon segment and the first metal ribbon sement are bonded to form a first metal ribbon.
A method for manufacturing a solar cell device from silicon solar cells, the method comprising:
- preparing a first metal ribbon segment;
- dispensing an electrically conductive adhesive (ECA) onto the first metal ribbon segment;
- placing a first solar cell onto the first metal ribbon segment, the first metal ribbon segment being bonded with a front surface of the first solar cell through the ECA in a shingled manner with sides of the first metal ribbon segment and the first solar cell being overlapped, and the front surface being configured to face a light incoming direction to receive energy from a light source;
- and
- bonding one or more solar cells with the first solar cell through a ECA in a shingled manner with sides of adjacent solar cells being overlapped to form a first string of solar cells.
An apparatus for manufacturing a solar cell device from silicon solar cells, the apparatus comprising:
- an inspection and electrically conductive adhesive (ECA) dispensing component configured to inspect quality/quantity/location of a metal ribbon segment and an ECA, and dispense the ECA onto the metal ribbon segment;
- a metal ribbon dispensing component configured to prepare a metal ribbon segment for the solar cell device;
- and
- a placement gripper component configured to pick up a metal ribbon segment and transfer the prepared metal ribbon segment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.