Frameless photovoltaic module
AssigneePrism Solar Technologies, Inc.
InventorsWayne Beckerman, Jose E. Castillo-Aguilella, Paul S. Hauser, Michael Sprague
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A photovoltaic module employing an array of photovoltaic cells disposed between two optically transparent substrates such as to define a closed-loop peripheral area of the module that does not contain a photovoltaic cell. The module is sealed with a peripheral seal along the perimeter; and is devoid of a structural element affixed to an optically transparent substrate and adapted to mount the module to a supporting structure. The two substrates may be bonded together with the use of adhesive material and, optionally, the peripheral seal can include the adhesive material. The module optionally includes diffraction grating element(s) adjoining respectively corresponding PV-cell(s).
Claims19
A photovoltaic (PV) module comprising:
- first and second optically transparent substrates;
- a bi-facial PV cell between the first and second substrates;
- a first flexible sealing material disposed between and in contact with both the first and second substrates around a perimeter of the module to sealingly affix the first and second substrates to one another,
- and
- an optically transparent layer disposed spaced-apart from and tangentially parallel to the second substrate such as to define a gap therebetween, a first PV cell in the gap, and a second flexible sealing material disposed between the first and second substrates around a perimeter of the PV module
- said module being devoid of a substantially rigid housing and a grounding wire.
A photovoltaic (PV) module comprising:
- first and second optically transparent substrates;
- a bi-facial PV cell between the first and second substrates;
- an array of electrically interconnected PV cells,
- wherein said array has transverse dimensions at least one of which is smaller than a transverse dimension of the PV module,
- wherein said array is disposed between the first and second substrates to define a peripheral area of the PV module devoid of a PV cell,
- wherein said peripheral area of the PV module is defined by a closed band a width of which corresponds to a difference between the transverse dimension of the PV module and the transverse dimension of the array of PV cells;
- and
- a first flexible sealing material disposed between the first and second substrates around a perimeter of the PV module,
- wherein said module is devoid of a substantially rigid housing and a grounding wire.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.