Solar module interconnect

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10636924-B2
Application number	US-201414555292-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 26, 2014
Priority date	Nov 26, 2014
Publication date	Apr 28, 2020
Grant date	Apr 28, 2020

Abstract

A solar module can include a first and second solar cell having front sides which face the sun during normal operation and back sides opposite the front sides. In an embodiment, a first interconnect can be coupled to the back sides of both the first and second solar cell, where the first interconnect comprises an anodized region facing substantially the same direction as the front sides.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A solar module, comprising:
first and second pad-less solar cells having front surfaces which face the sun during normal operation and back surfaces opposite the front surface, wherein the front surface and the back surface of each solar cell have corresponding chamfered corners; and
a first tab-less interconnect coupled to metal regions of the first and second solar cells, wherein the first tab-less interconnect comprises aluminum and has a region facing substantially the same direction as the front surfaces, wherein a portion of the first tab-less interconnect is positioned on and between facing chamfered corners of the first and second solar cells, wherein the portion of the first tab-less interconnect is tapered along both of the facing chamfered corners toward the center of the first and second solar cells and is physically continuous between the first and second solar cells, and wherein the portion of the tab-less interconnect tapered along the facing chamfered corners of the first and second solar cells is planar across an entirety of a surface facing the first and second solar cells.

2. The solar module of claim 1 , further comprising a second tab-less interconnect coupled to other metal regions of the first and second solar cell, wherein the second tab-less interconnect comprises aluminum and has a region facing substantially the same direction as the front surfaces.

3. The solar module of claim 1 , wherein the first tab-less interconnect is substantially planar with the metal regions.

4. The solar module of claim 1 , wherein the first tab-less interconnect comprises at least one of nickel or zincate.

5. The solar module of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the tab-less interconnect is positioned in a diamond region between the facing chamfered corners of the first and second solar cells.

6. The solar module of claim 1 , wherein the first tab-less interconnect comprises one or more additional portions distinct from the portion of the first tab-less interconnect that is tapered along both of the facing chamfered corners toward the center of the first and second solar cells.

7. A solar module, comprising:
first and second solar cells having front surfaces which face the sun during normal operation and back surfaces opposite the front surfaces, wherein the front surface and the back surface of each solar cell have corresponding chamfered corners; and
an aluminum interconnect coupled to metal regions of the first and second solar cell, the metal regions located on the back surfaces, wherein the aluminum interconnect comprises a region located on an exposed region of the aluminum interconnect between the first and second solar cell, the region facing substantially the same direction as the front surfaces, wherein a portion of the aluminum interconnect is positioned on and between facing chamfered corners of the first and second solar cells, wherein the portion of the aluminum interconnect is tapered along both of the facing chamfered corners toward the center of the first and second solar cells and is physically continuous between the first and second solar cells, and wherein the portion of the aluminum interconnect tapered along the facing chamfered corners of the first and second solar cells is planar across an entirety of a surface facing the first and second solar cells.

8. The solar module of claim 7 , wherein the aluminum interconnect is substantially planar with the metal regions.

9. The solar module of claim 7 , wherein the aluminum interconnect comprises at least one of a nickel or zincate region.

10. The solar module of claim 7 , wherein the aluminum interconnect comprises one or more additional portions distinct from the portion of the aluminum interconnect that is tapered along both of the facing chamfered corners toward the center of the first and second solar cells.

11. A solar module, comprising:
a first and second solar cells having front surfaces which face the sun during normal operation and back surfaces opposite the front surfaces, wherein the front surface and the back surface of each solar cell have corresponding chamfered corners; and
a conductive foil coupled to the back surfaces of both the first and second solar cell, wherein the conductive foil has an anodized region facing substantially the same direction as the front surfaces, wherein a portion of the conductive foil is positioned on and between facing chamfered corners of the first and second solar cells, wherein the portion of the conductive foil is tapered along both of the facing chamfered corners toward the center of the first and second solar cells and is physically continuous between the first and second solar cells, and wherein the portion of the conductive foil tapered along the facing chamfered corners of the first and second solar cells is planar across an entirety of a surface facing the first and second solar cells.

12. The solar module of claim 11 , wherein the conductive foil is substantially planar with the first and second solar cells.

13. The solar module of claim 11 , wherein the conductive foil comprises at least one of nickel or zincate.

14. The solar module of claim 11 , wherein the conductive foil comprises one or more additional portions distinct from the portion of the conductive foil that is tapered along both of the facing chamfered corners toward the center of the first and second solar cells.

Assignees

• Sunpower Corp

Inventors

• Pass Thomas

Classifications

• Y02E10/50

  Photovoltaic [PV] energy · CPC title

• H01L31/022433

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L31/0352

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L31/0516

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L31/0512 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic