Edge coating apparatus for solar cell substrates
AssigneeSunPower Corporation
InventorsEmmanuel Abas, Luca Pavani
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A non-contact edge coating apparatus applies coating material to an edge of a non-circular solar cell substrate without physical contact. The apparatus may include a rotatable substrate support configured to hold the substrate. The apparatus may further include an applicator configured to receive a coating material and apply the coating material to an edge of the substrate while the substrate is rotated without any portion of the applicator physically touching the edge of the substrate. The substrate support may be mechanically coupled to a cam, which contacts a follower mechanically coupled to the applicator. A variety of coating materials may be employed with the apparatus including hot melt ink and UV curable plating resist.
Claims14
An edge coating apparatus for solar cell substances, the apparatus comprising:
- a rotatable substrate support comprising:
- a cam that is located under a chuck, the cam being mechanically coupled to be rotated with a non-circular solar cell substrate and having a shape of the substrate;
- and
- the chuck configured to hold the substrate;
- and
- an applicator comprising:
- a feed tube adapted to contain a coating material;
- a circular roller comprising:
- a groove adapted to receive the coating material from the feed tube at a first location adjacent to the feed tube, the groove configured to surround a perimeter edge of the substrate at a second location spaced apart from the first location and dispense the coating material along the perimeter edge of the substrate at the second location while the substrate and roller are rotated, wherein the groove does not contact the perimeter edge of the substrate;
- and
- a follower concentric with and supporting the circular roller, the follower contacting the cam and positioning the applicator a coating distance away from the perimeter edge of the substrate so as not to physically contact the perimeter edge of the substrate while applying the coating material to the perimeter edge of the substrate.
An edge coating apparatus for solar cell substrates, the apparatus comprising:
- a roller having a groove adapted to receive a coating material from a feed tube at a first location adjacent to the feed tube, the groove configured to surround a perimeter edge of the substrate at a second location spaced apart from the first location and dispense the coating material along the perimeter edge of the substrate at the second location while the substrate and roller are rotated, wherein the groove does not contact the perimeter edge of the substrate, the substrate being a non-circular solar cell substrate;
- a substrate support configured to hold the solar cell substrate while the perimeter edge of the substrate is coated with a coating material in the groove of the roller;
- a cam mechanically coupled to be rotated with the substrate, the cam having a shape of the substrate, the cam is located under the substrate support;
- and
- a follower that is concentric with and supporting the roller, the follower mechanically coupled to be rotated with the roller, the follower being in mechanical contact with the cam to follow the shape of the cam when the coating material is being applied to the perimeter edge of the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.