Module assembly for thin solar cells
AssigneeSunPower Corporation
InventorGabriela Bunea
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Solar cells are packaged by placing the solar cells between sheets of encapsulants. The encapsulants are exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light to cure the encapsulants and bond the encapsulants together to encapsulate the solar cells. The UV curing steps may be performed to bond one of the encapsulants to a transparent top cover and the solar cells, and to bond the other encapsulant to the solar cells and a backsheet. A protective package that includes the transparent top cover, encapsulated solar cells, and the backsheet is then optionally mounted on a frame.
Claims13
A method of making a solar cell module, the method comprising:
- placing a first encapsulant on a transparent top cover;
- placing front sides of a plurality of solar cells on the first encapsulant, the front sides of the solar cells facing the sun to collect solar radiation during normal operation;
- curing the first encapsulant to bond the transparent top cover to the first encapsulant by exposing the first encapsulant to ultraviolet (UV) light through the transparent top cover in a first curing step;
- and
- curing the first encapsulant to bond the plurality of solar cells to the first encapsulant by exposing the first encapsulant to UV light through the transparent top cover in a second curing step, wherein the second curing step is different from the first curing step.
A method of making a solar cell module, the method comprising:
- curing a first encapsulant with ultraviolet (UV) light in a first curing step to bond a transparent top cover to the first encapsulant;
- curing the first encapsulant with UV light in a second curing step to bond a plurality of solar cells to the first encapsulant, wherein the second curing step is different from the first curing step;
- curing a second encapsulant with UV light in a third curing step to bond the first and second encapsulants together and encapsulate the plurality of solar cells;
- and
- mounting a protective package comprising the encapsulated plurality of solar cells, the transparent top cover, and a backsheet onto a frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.