Photovoltaic shingles with multi-module power electronics

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12407296-B2
Application number	US-202418949344-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2024
Priority date	Feb 23, 2023
Publication date	Sep 2, 2025
Grant date	Sep 2, 2025

Abstract

A system includes a plurality of building integrated photovoltaic modules installed on a roof deck and arranged in an array. The plurality of building integrated photovoltaic modules includes a first building integrated photovoltaic module and a second building integrated photovoltaic module, with the first building integrated photovoltaic module being vertically adjacent to the second building integrated photovoltaic module. Each of the building integrated photovoltaic modules includes a plurality of solar cells arranged in at least one row, and a power electronics unit. The power electronics unit is adjacent to a first end of one of the at least one row of the plurality of solar cells. The power electronics unit is electrically connected to the plurality of solar cells. The power electronics unit of the first building integrated photovoltaic module is electrically connected to the power electronics unit of the second building integrated photovoltaic module.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a plurality of building integrated photovoltaic modules installed on a roof deck,
wherein the plurality of building integrated photovoltaic modules is arranged in an array on the roof deck,
wherein the plurality of building integrated photovoltaic modules includes a first building integrated photovoltaic module and a second building integrated photovoltaic module,
wherein the first building integrated photovoltaic module is vertically adjacent to the second building integrated photovoltaic module,
wherein each of the plurality of building integrated photovoltaic modules includes
a plurality of solar cells arranged in at least one row, and
a power electronics unit,
wherein the power electronics unit is adjacent to a first end of one of the at least one row of the plurality of solar cells,
wherein the power electronics unit is electrically connected to the plurality of solar cells,
wherein the power electronics unit of the first building integrated photovoltaic module is electrically connected to the power electronics unit of the second building integrated photovoltaic module,
wherein the power electronics unit includes a first terminal and a second terminal,

a first electrical connector electrically connected to the plurality of solar cells, and
a second electrical connector electrically connected to the plurality of solar cells,
wherein the first terminal of the power electronics unit of the first building integrated photovoltaic module is electrically connected to the second electrical connector of the first building integrated photovoltaic module, and wherein the first terminal of the power electronics unit of the second building integrated photovoltaic module is electrically connected to the second electrical connector of the second building integrated photovoltaic module.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the power electronics unit is horizontally adjacent to the first end of the one of the at least one row of the plurality of solar cells.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of building integrated photovoltaic modules is a plurality of solar shingles.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector includes a first connector and a second connector, wherein the first terminal of the power electronics unit of the first building integrated photovoltaic module is electrically connected to the first connector of the second electrical connector of the first building integrated photovoltaic module, and wherein the first terminal of the power electronics unit of the second building integrated photovoltaic module is electrically connected to the first connector of the second electrical connector of the second building integrated photovoltaic module.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the power electronics unit of the first building integrated photovoltaic module is mechanically connected to the second electrical connector of the first building integrated photovoltaic module, and wherein the power electronics unit of the second building integrated photovoltaic module is mechanically connected to the second electrical connector of the second building integrated photovoltaic module.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the first terminal of the power electronics unit of the first building integrated photovoltaic module is mechanically connected to the first connector of the second electrical connector of the first building integrated photovoltaic module.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the first terminal of the power electronics unit of the second building integrated photovoltaic module is mechanically connected to the first connector of the second electrical connector of the second building integrated photovoltaic module.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the second terminal of the power electronics unit of the first building integrated photovoltaic module is electrically connected to the second connector of the first electrical connector of the first building integrated photovoltaic module by a first electrical cable.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the second connector of the second electrical connector of the first building integrated photovoltaic module is electrically connected to the first connector of the first electrical connector of the first building integrated photovoltaic module by a second electrical cable.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the second terminal of the power electronics unit of the second building integrated photovoltaic module is electrically connected to the second connector of the first electrical connector of the second building integrated photovoltaic module by a third electrical cable.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the second connector of the second electrical connector of the second building integrated photovoltaic module is electrically connected to the first connector of the first electrical connector of the second building integrated photovoltaic module by a fourth electrical cable.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the power electronics unit includes a third terminal and a fourth terminal, wherein the third terminal of the power electronics unit of the first building integrated photovoltaic module is electrically connected to the fourth terminal of the power electronics unit of the second building integrated photovoltaic module by a fifth electrical cable.

13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a third electrical connector installed on the roof deck, wherein each of the power electronics unit of the first building integrated photovoltaic module and the power electronics unit of the second building integrated photovoltaic module is electrically connected to the third electrical connector.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the third electrical connector includes a first connector and a second connector, wherein the third terminal of the power electronics unit of the second building integrated photovoltaic module is electrically connected to the first connector of the third electrical connector by a sixth electrical cable.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the fourth terminal of the power electronics unit of the first building integrated photovoltaic module is electrically connected to the second connector of the third electrical connector by a seventh electrical cable.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the power electronics unit includes a housing and power electronics within the housing.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the power electronics includes an optimizer, a bypass diode, system monitoring electronic components, a rapid shutdown device, an electronic communication component, or combinations thereof.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of building integrated photovoltaic modules is installed on the roof deck by a plurality of fasteners.

19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of building integrated photovoltaic modules includes a third building integrated photovoltaic module, wherein the third building integrated photovoltaic module is horizontally adjacent to the first building integrated photovoltaic module.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the plurality of building integrated photovoltaic modules includes a fourth building integrated photovoltaic module, wherein the fourth building integrated photovoltaic module is horizontally adjacent to the second building integrated photovoltaic module.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the fourth building integrated photovolta

Assignees

• GAF Energy LLC

Inventors

• Perkins Richard
• Bunea Gabriela
• Nguyen Thierry
• Abra Lewis
• Farhangi Babak
• Amin Hasib
• Pham Henry

Classifications

• H02S20/25

  Roof tile elements · CPC title

• E04D1/30 Primary

  Special roof-covering elements, e.g. ridge tiles, gutter tiles, gable tiles, ventilation tiles (E04D3/40 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E04D2001/308

  for special purposes not otherwise provided for, e.g. turfing tiles, step tiles · CPC title

• H02S40/36 Primary

  characterised by special electrical interconnection means between two or more PV modules, e.g. electrical module-to-module connection · CPC title

• H02S20/23

  specially adapted for roof structures · CPC title