Solar cell module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10818809-B2
Application number	US-201816184277-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2018
Priority date	Dec 20, 2017
Publication date	Oct 27, 2020
Grant date	Oct 27, 2020

Abstract

A solar cell module includes: a sealing layer in which power generating elements are sealed; a front surface layer formed from resin and joined to a light-receiving surface side of the power generating elements in the sealing layer; and a rear surface layer joined to an opposite side from the light-receiving surface side of the power generating elements in the sealing layer, wherein the front surface layer has a solar cell installation area that forms a portion of a solar cell, and an antenna installation area that extends at a vehicle front side or a vehicle rear side of the solar cell installation area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A solar cell module comprising:
a sealing layer in which power generating elements are sealed;
a front surface layer formed from resin and joined to a light-receiving surface side of the power generating elements in the sealing layer; and
a rear surface layer joined to an opposite side from the light-receiving surface side of the power generating elements in the sealing layer, the rear surface layer including a protruding portion that extends upwards to abut a lower surface of the front surface layer,
wherein an end surface of the sealing layer abuts an inner surface of the protruding portion,
wherein a front end in a length direction of the solar cell module of the lower surface of the front surface layer is configured to be supported by a first vehicle header,
wherein a rear end in the length direction of the solar cell module of the lower surface of the front surface layer is configured to be supported by a second vehicle header,
wherein an intermediate position in a length direction of the solar cell module of the lower surface of the front surface layer is configured to be supported by a vehicle roof reinforcement,
wherein the protruding portion is separated from the intermediate position by a predetermined peripheral edge portion in the length direction of the solar cell module, and
wherein the front surface layer has a solar cell installation area that extends between the front end and the intermediate position to form a portion of a solar cell, and an antenna installation area that extends from the intermediate position to the rear end.

2. The solar cell module according to claim 1 , wherein an insertion hole, through which an antenna rod is inserted, is formed at the antenna installation area.

3. The solar cell module according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing layer and the rear surface layer are not provided at a vehicle lower side of the front surface layer in the antenna installation area, so that the antenna installation area is formed exclusively by the front surface layer.

4. The solar cell module according to claim 1 ,
wherein the protruding portion extends between opposite sides of the solar cell module in a width direction of the solar cell module, and
wherein the antenna installation area is rearward of the protruding portion in the length direction of the solar cell module.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd
• Toyota Jidoshokki Kk

Inventors

• Sakabe Motoya
• Ogata Kazuyoshi
• Inaba Hirotaka

Classifications

• H10F19/804

  Materials of encapsulations · CPC title

• H10F19/85

  Protective back sheets · CPC title

• H10F19/80 Primary

  Encapsulations or containers for integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells · CPC title

• B60K16/00 Primary

  Arrangements in connection with power supply of propulsion units in vehicles from forces of nature, e.g. sun or wind (electric propulsion with power supply from forces of nature, e.g. sun or wind, B60L8/00; wind motors specially adapted for installation on vehicles F03D9/32) · CPC title

• Y02B10/10

  Photovoltaic [PV] · CPC title