# US 6,294,724 B1 · Solar cell module and power generation apparatus

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- Number: US 6,294,724 B1
- Document ID: US6294724B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 09/482,863
- Filed: 2000-01-14
- Granted: 2001-09-25
- Earliest claimed: 1999-01-14
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Makoto Sasaoka; Kimitoshi Fukae; Satoru Shiomi; Hidehisa Makita; Shigenori Itoyama
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6294724B1

## CPC

- H02S 20/25: Roof tile elements
- H10F 19/80: Encapsulations or containers for integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having 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

There is disclosed a solar cell module comprising a solar cell element, a front surface member provided at the light receiving surface side of the solar cell element, and a back surface member provided at the back surface side of the solar cell element. The front surface member and the back surface member are adjoined in a releasable state. At least the front surface member and the solar cell element are in close contact or the front surface member is in close contact with a solid layer which is in close contact with the solar cell element. The solar cell element, the front surface member and the back surface member can be separated without leaving residue of any of the front surface member, the back surface member or the solid layer on the solar cell element. Thus, there is provided a solar cell module allowing for easy component separation and easy collection and classification, whereby recycling of each component, particularly of the solar cell element, is facilitated.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A solar cell module comprising:
a solar cell element;
a solid layer provided in close contact with the light receiving surface side of said solar cell element;
a front surface member provided in close contact with said solid layer; and
a back surface member provided at the back surface side of said solar cell element,
wherein said front surface member and said back surface member are adjoined in a releasable state; and
said solar cell element, said solid layer, said front surface member and said back surface member can be separated without leaving residue of any of said front surface member, said back surface member or said solid layer on said solar cell element.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein there stands a relation: refractive index of air≦refractive index of said front surface member≦refractive index of said solid layer≦refractive index of an outermost layer of said solar cell element.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein said front surface member and said back surface member are composed of the same material.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein said front surface member and said back surface member are composed of mutually soluble materials.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein said front surface member and said back surface member have the same shape.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein at least either of said front surface member and said back surface member is shaped as a flat rectangular plate.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The solar cell module according to claim 1, further comprising an adjoining releasing portion for releasing the adjoining of said front surface member and said back surface member.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The solar cell module according to claim 1, further comprising, between said front surface member and said solar cell element, an elastic sheet with light transmittance.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein said solar cell element is flexible.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein said front surface member and said back surface member are adjoined by mutual fitting.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein the solid layer has elasticity.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein a size of the solid layer is equal to or larger than that of the solar cell element.

### Claim 13

A solar cell module comprising:
a solar cell element;
a front surface member provided at the light receiving surface side of said solar cell element; and
a back surface member provided at the back surface side of said solar cell element,
wherein said front surface member and said back surface member are adjoined in a releasable state;
a photocatalyst is provided at least on a face of said front surface member opposed to said solar cell element; and
said solar cell element, said front surface member and said back surface member can be separated without leaving residue of any of said front surface member or said back surface member on said solar cell element.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The solar cell module according to claim 13, wherein said front surface member and said back surface member are composed of the same material.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The solar cell module according to claim 13, wherein said front surface member and said back surface member are composed of mutually soluble materials.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The solar cell module according to claim 13, wherein said front surface member and said back surface member have the same shape.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The solar cell module according to claim 13, wherein at least either of said front surface member and said back surface member is shaped as a flat rectangular plate.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The solar cell module according to claim 13, further comprising an adjoining releasing portion for releasing the adjoining of said front surface member and said back surface member.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The solar cell module according to claim 13, wherein said solar cell element is flexible.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The solar cell module according to claim 13, wherein said front surface member and said back surface member are adjoined by mutual fitting.

### Claim 21

A solar cell module comprising:
a solar cell element;
a solid layer provided in close contact with the light receiving surface side of said solar cell element;
a front surface member provided in close contact with said solid layer;
a back surface member provided at the back surface side of said solar cell element; and
an adjoining member for adjoining said front surface member and said back surface member,
wherein said front surface member and said back surface member are adjoined in a releasable state; and
said solar cell element, said solid layer, said front surface member and said back surface member can be separated without leaving residue of any of said front surface member, said back surface member, said solid layer or said adjoining member on said solar cell element.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The solar cell module according to claim 21, wherein there stands a relation: refractive index of air≦refractive index of said front surface member≦refractive index of said solid layer≦refractive index of an outermost layer of said solar cell element.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The solar cell module according to claim 21, wherein said adjoining member is composed of a material the same as or mutually soluble with the material of said front or back surface member; and
at the separation of said solar cell element, said front surface member and said back surface member, at least a part of said adjoining member is fixed solely on the same or mutually soluble material constituting said front or back surface member.

### Claim 24 (depends on 21)

The solar cell module according to claim 21, wherein said front surface member and said back surface member are composed of the same material.

### Claim 25 (depends on 21)

The solar cell module according to claim 21, wherein said front surface member and said back surface member are composed of mutually soluble materials.

### Claim 26 (depends on 21)

The solar cell module according to claim 21, wherein said front surface member and said back surface member have the same shape.

### Claim 27 (depends on 21)

The solar cell module according to claim 21, wherein at least either of said front surface member and said back surface member is shaped as a flat rectangular plate.

### Claim 28 (depends on 21)

The solar cell module according to claim 21, further comprising, between said front surface member and said solar cell element, an elastic sheet with light transmittance.

### Claim 29 (depends on 21)

The solar cell module according to claim 21, wherein said solar cell element is flexible.

### Claim 30 (depends on 21)

The solar cell module according to claim 21, wherein the solid layer has elasticity.

### Claim 31 (depends on 21)

The solar cell module according to claim 21, wherein a size of the solid layer is equal to or larger than that of the solar cell element.

### Claim 32

A solar cell module comprising:
a solar cell element;
a front surface member provided at the light receiving surface side of said solar cell element;
a back surface member provided at the back surface side of said solar cell element; and
an adjoining member for adjoining said front surface member and said back surface member,
wherein said front surface member and said back surface member are adjoined by said adjoining member in a releasable state;
a photocatalyst is provided at least on a face of said front surface member opposed to said solar cell element; and
said solar cell element, said front surface member and said back surface member can be separated without leaving residue of any of said front surface member, said back surface member or said adjoining member on the solar cell element.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The solar cell module according to claim 32, wherein said adjoining member is composed of a material the same as or mutually soluble with the material of said front or back surface member; and
at the separation of said solar cell element, said front surface member and said back surface member, at least a part of said adjoining member is fixed solely on the same or mutually soluble material constituting said front or back surface member.

### Claim 34 (depends on 32)

The solar cell module according to claim 32, wherein said front surface member and said back surface member are composed of the same material.

### Claim 35 (depends on 32)

The solar cell module according to claim 32, wherein said front surface member and said back surface member are composed of mutually soluble materials.

### Claim 36 (depends on 32)

The solar cell module according to claim 32, wherein said front surface member and said back surface member have the same shape.

### Claim 37 (depends on 32)

The solar cell module according to claim 32, wherein at least either of said front surface member and said back surface member is shaped as a flat rectangular plate.

### Claim 38 (depends on 32)

The solar cell module according to claim 32, wherein said solar cell element is flexible.

### Claim 39 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)

A power generating apparatus comprising a solar cell module according to any of claims 1 to 38 and a power converting device.

### Claim 40 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)

A separating method for a solar cell module, which comprises separating the solar cell module according to any of claims 1 to 38 to obtain the solar cell element.

### Claim 41 (depends on 40)

A recycling method for a solar cell module comprising a step of preparing a solar cell module, utilizing the solar cell element obtained by the method according to claim 40, a front surface member and a back surface member.