Solar cell array panel and method of manufacture
AssigneesHughes Aircraft Company, International Telecommunications Satellite Organization
InventorsAllister F. Fraser, Walter G. Alsbach
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An integral lightweight solar cell panel containing a plurality of interconnected solar cells bonded to a fiber-reinforced polyimide film made from an isoimide-containing precursor. The solar cells can be placed on the reinforced polyimide film while the film is in a partially cured condition and the cells become bonded to the film upon completion of the cure. A transparent polymeric film, such as a polyimide, can be used as protective means for the front surfaces of the cells.
Claims25
An integral solar cell panel comprising a plurality of interconnected solar cells attached to a fiber-reinforced polyimide film substrate, wherein said solar cells are bonded to the surface of said polyimide film by the final curing of said polyimide.
A method for manufacturing an integral solar cell panel comprising
- forming a partially cured, fiber-reinforced substrate film from a solution containing at least one of the following oligomers:
- ##STR35## where up to 70% of the (iso)imide groups can be in the form of imide groups and where R is a tetravalent organic group containing 2 to 27 carbon atoms, R.sub.1 is a divalent organic group containing 1 to 20 carbon atoms, R.sub.5 is a divalent aromatic group containing from 6 to 30 carbon atoms, R.sub.7 is a trivalent aryl group having substituted thereon X, or a heterocyclic group, or a radical containing an alkenylene group, X is a functional group capable of undergoing addition polymerization, n denotes the degree of polymerization and is 0 or 1 to about 30, and m denotes the degree of polymerization and is 1 to about 30,
- placing a plurality of solar cells on a surface of said substrate film while in a partially cured state and
- completing the cure of said substrate film to thereby bond said solar cells to said substrate film.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.