Energy harvester

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11626835-B2
Application number	US-201916980844-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2019
Priority date	Mar 30, 2018
Publication date	Apr 11, 2023
Grant date	Apr 11, 2023

Abstract

An energy harvester, wherein it comprises: a flat plate-like energy harvesting part having a power generation region which generates electric power by utilizing an energy in the external environment and an internal wiring to which the electric power thus generated is supplied; a connector part connectable to an external device; a diode of which anode is electrically connected with the internal wiring; and a flexible wiring sub state on which the diode and a connection part for electrically connecting a cathode of the diode to the connector part are provided, wherein the internal wiring extends from the power generation region to a side edge portion of the energy harvesting part, and at least a portion of the flexible wiring substrate is provided in the side edge portion so as to overlap a portion of the internal wiring.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An energy harvester, wherein it comprises:
a flat plate-like energy harvesting part having a power generation region which generates electric power by utilizing an energy in an external environment and an internal wiring to which the electric power thus generated is supplied;
a connector part connectable to an external device;
a diode having an anode, the anode being electrically connected with the internal wiring; and
a flexible wiring substrate, the flexible wiring substrate including an insulating layer and a wiring layer, on which the diode and a connection part for electrically connecting a cathode of the diode to the connector part are provided,
wherein the internal wiring extends from the power generation region to a side edge portion of the energy harvesting part,
at least a portion of the flexible wiring substrate is provided in the side edge portion so as to overlap a portion of the internal wiring,
the energy harvesting part has an opening portion where the internal wiring is exposed, and the flexible wiring substrate is provided in the opening portion,
the insulating layer of the flexible wiring substrate is the only one insulating layer provided between the internal wiring and the diode, on a plane vertical to the flat plate-like energy harvesting part, in the side edge portion,
an electrode substrate, the internal wiring, the portion of the flexible wiring substrate, and the diode are laminated in this order, on the plane, in the side edge portion, and
the anode of the diode is electrically connected with the internal wiring by way of a connecting member provided in a hole formed in the insulating layer.

2. The energy harvester of claim 1 , wherein peripheries of the diode are coated with a sealing material formed of a cured resin composition for sealing, the resin composition for sealing includes a photocurable resin composition, a thermosetting resin composition, or a thermoplastic resin composition.

3. The energy harvester of claim 2 , wherein a conductive member exposed from the flexible wiring substrate in the vicinity of the diode is coated with the sealing material.

4. The energy harvester of claim 1 , further comprising a housing for accommodating the diode and the connection part and clamping the side edge portion of the energy harvesting part.

5. The energy harvester of claim 1 , wherein the flexible wiring substrate is bent to extend from one surface of the side edge portion to the other surface thereof, the diode is located on the one surface side of the side edge portion, and the connection part is located on the other surface side of the side edge portion.

6. The energy harvester of claim 1 , wherein the flexible wiring substrate is disposed on a surface of the side edge portion,
the diode and the connection part are located on the surface side of the side edge portion, and
the connection part is positioned between the diode and the power generation region in a direction in which the connector part is attached to/detached from the exterior device.

7. The energy harvester of claim 1 , wherein the flexible wiring substrate is disposed on a surface of the side edge portion, the diode and the connection part are located on the surface side of the side edge portion, and
the diode and the connection part are juxtaposed with each other to be substantially in parallel to a side edge of the energy harvesting part.

8. The energy harvester of claim 1 , wherein a projecting portion projecting from the power generation region includes the side edge portion of the energy harvesting part.

9. The energy harvester of claim 8 , wherein the diode and the connection part are located in the projecting portion.

10. The energy harvester of claim 1 , wherein the flexible wiring substrate is adhered to the internal wiring without clearance therebetween in an entire area of the side edge portion.

Assignees

• Zeon Corp

Inventors

• Yoshida Masayoshi
• Kojima Kiyoshige
• Matsuo Takatoshi
• Yamaai Midori

Classifications

• H10F19/00

  Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one photovoltaic cell covered by group H10F10/00, e.g. photovoltaic modules · CPC title

• H10F19/80

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

• H10F77/937

  Busbar structures for modules · CPC title

• H10F77/939 Primary

  Output lead wires or elements · CPC title

• Y02E10/50

  Photovoltaic [PV] energy · CPC title