# US 2023/0411545 A1 · Tabbing apparatus and tabbing method using the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0411545 A1 - Document ID: US20230411545A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/210,401 - Filed: 2023-06-15 - Published: 2023-12-21 - Earliest claimed: 2022-06-16 - Assignees: Hanwha Corporation - Applicants: Hanwha Corporation - Inventors: Sung Gyu JEON; Dong Jin CHUNG; Min Kyo JUNG - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230411545A1 ## CPC - H10F 19/90: Structures for connecting between photovoltaic cells, e.g. interconnections or insulating spacers (between thin-film photovoltaic cells on a single substrate H10F19/35) - H10F 71/1375: {Apparatus for automatic interconnection of photovoltaic cells in a module} - Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A tabbing apparatus for forming a solar cell module by connecting a solar cell with a wire includes: a solar cell transportation apparatus configured to transport the solar cell; a wire transportation apparatus configured to transport the wire; a wire jig transportation apparatus configured to transport a wire jig that is configured to support the wire; an alignment apparatus configured to mount thereon the solar cell transported by the solar cell transportation apparatus, and correct a position of the solar cell; and a delivering apparatus configured to support the solar cell mounted on the alignment apparatus and having the corrected position and the wire jig transported by the wire jig transportation apparatus, and mount the solar cell and the wire jig on the wire on the wire transportation apparatus. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tabbing apparatus for forming a solar cell module by connecting a solar cell with a wire, the tabbing apparatus comprising: a solar cell transportation apparatus configured to transport the solar cell; a wire transportation apparatus configured to transport the wire; a wire jig transportation apparatus configured to transport a wire jig that is configured to support the wire; an alignment apparatus configured to mount thereon the solar cell transported by the solar cell transportation apparatus, and correct a position of the solar cell; and a delivering apparatus configured to support the solar cell mounted on the alignment apparatus and having the corrected position and the wire jig transported by the wire jig transportation apparatus, and mount the solar cell and the wire jig on the wire on the wire transportation apparatus. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tabbing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the alignment apparatus comprises a plurality of displacement devices including a first displacement device movable in a direction of an X-axis, a second displacement device movable in a direction of a Y-axis, and a third displacement device rotatable with respect to a Z-axis. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The tabbing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a controller; and a position identification sensor configured to identify the position of the solar cell mounted on the alignment apparatus, wherein the controller is configured to correct the position of the solar cell, by controlling the alignment apparatus based on the position of the solar cell identified by the position identification sensor and a pre-stored reference value, and wherein the controller is configured to control the alignment apparatus based on one or more of position information about the wire transportation apparatus and position information about the wire jig transportation apparatus as the reference value. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The tabbing apparatus of claim 1, wherein, after the delivering apparatus simultaneously supports the solar cell, the position of which is corrected by the alignment apparatus, and the wire jig, the delivering apparatus is configured to move to the wire transportation apparatus and simultaneously mount the solar cell and the wire jig on the wire. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The tabbing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wire jig transportation apparatus comprises a stopper at an end thereof adjacent to the alignment apparatus, the stopper contacting the wire jig, and wherein the delivering apparatus is configured to simultaneously support the solar cell mounted on the alignment apparatus and the wire jig contacting the stopper. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The tabbing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the delivering apparatus further comprises a cell-jig transportation apparatus, and wherein the cell jig transportation apparatus comprises: a main body; a first movement structure connected to the main body to be movable in a first direction; a second movement structure connected to the main body to be movable in a second direction which is different from the first direction; and a first support structure and a second support structure each integrally moving with the second movement structure and respectively supporting the wire jig and the solar cell at a same time, wherein the first support structure comprises a first contact surface facing the wire jig, wherein the second support structure comprises a second contact surface facing the solar cell, and wherein the first contact surface and the second contact surface have different heights from each other. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The tabbing apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first contact surface is arranged to be higher than the second contact surface, and wherein a bottom surface of the wire jig and a bottom surface of the solar cell are arranged on a same plane. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The tabbing apparatus of claim 6, wherein, after the cell-jig transportation apparatus simultaneously supports the solar cell mounted on the alignment apparatus and the wire jig transported by the wire jig transportation apparatus, the cell jig transportation apparatus is configured to move along with the delivering apparatus, and mount the solar cell and the wire jig on the wire mounted on the wire transportation apparatus. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The tabbing apparatus of claim 6, wherein the cell-jig transportation apparatus is provided in plural to be integrally movable through the delivering apparatus, and, wherein after each of the plurality of cell jig transportation apparatuses simultaneously supports the solar cell and the wire jig, each of the plurality of cell-jig transportation apparatuses is configured to simultaneously mount the solar cell and the wire jig on the wire. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The tabbing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the plurality of cell-jig transportation apparatuses comprise two cell-jig transportation apparatuses, and wherein the main body of any one of the cell-jig transportation apparatuses is arranged on the second support structure of the other cell-jig transportation apparatus. ### Claim 11 A tabbing method of forming a solar cell module by connecting a solar cell with a wire, the tabbing method comprising: transporting the solar cell, the wire, and a wire jig supporting the wire, respectively via a solar cell transportation apparatus, a wire transportation apparatus, and a wire jig transportation apparatus; correcting a position of the solar cell, using an alignment apparatus, while the alignment apparatus is supporting the solar cell transported by the solar cell transportation apparatus; and after supporting the solar cell and the wire jig using a delivering apparatus, moving to the wire transportation apparatus and mounting the solar cell and the wire jig on the wire using the delivering apparatus. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The tabbing method of claim 11, comprising: identifying the position of the solar cell mounted on the alignment apparatus using a position identification sensor; correcting the position of the solar cell in at least three different directions by controlling the alignment apparatus based on the position of the solar cell using a controller; and supporting the solar cell having the corrected position and the wire jig using the delivering apparatus. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The tabbing method of claim 12, wherein, after supporting the solar cell and the wire jig, moving the solar cell and the wire jig to the wire transportation apparatus and simultaneously mounting the solar cell and the wire jig on the wire using the delivering apparatus. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The tabbing method of claim 12, wherein correcting the position of the solar cell based on the position of the solar cell and a pre-stored reference value using the controller, and wherein the reference value is one or more of position information about the wire transportation apparatus and position information about the wire jig transportation apparatus. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The tabbing method of claim 11, comprising: sequentially transporting the wire jig in plural toward a stopper disposed at an end of the transportation apparatus adjacent to the alignment apparatus and contacting the wire jig; and transporting a next wire jig after a predetermined time period so that the wire jig maintains a predetermined gap with a wire jig getting near after contacting the stopper. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The tabbing method of claim 11, wherein the delivering apparatus further comprises a cell-jig transportation apparatus, and wherein the cell jig transportation apparatus comprises: a main body; a first movement structure connected to the main body to be capable of relative movement in a first direction; a second movement structure connected to the main body to be capable of relative movement in a second direction which is different from the first direction; and a first support structure and a second support structure each integrally moving along with the second movement structure and respectively simultaneously supporting the wire jig and the solar cell, wherein the method comprises: controlling a first contact surface of the first support structure to face the wire jig; and controlling a second surface of the second support structure to face the solar cell, and wherein the first contact surface and the second contact surface have different heights from each other. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The tabbing method of claim 16, comprising: arranging the first contact surface to be higher than the second contact surface; and arranging a bottom surface of the wire jig and a bottom surface of the solar cell on a same plane. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The tabbing method of claim 16, comprising: after simultaneously supporting the solar cell mounted on the alignment apparatus and the wire jig transported by the wire jig transportation apparatus using the cell-jig transportation apparatus, moving the cell-jig transportation apparatus along with the delivering apparatus; and mounting the solar cell and the wire jig on the wire mounted on the wire transportation apparatus. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The tabbing method of claim 16, comprising: providing the cell jig transportation apparatus in plural to be integrally movable through the delivering apparatus; and, after simultaneously supporting the solar cell and the wire jig, simultaneously mounting the solar cell and the wire jig on the wire using each of the plurality of cell-jig transportation apparatus. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The tabbing method of claim 19, comprising: arranging the main body of one of the plurality of cell jig transportation apparatuses on the second support structure of another of the plurality of cell jig transportation apparatuses.