Photovoltaic packaging, and a method for manufacturing such a photovoltaic packaging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12446330-B2
Application number	US-201716474181-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2017
Priority date	Jan 2, 2017
Publication date	Oct 14, 2025
Grant date	Oct 14, 2025

Abstract

The present teachings relate to a photovoltaic packaging comprising a polymer back layer, photovoltaic cells electrically connected to each other, a polymer front layer which is transparent to light, and which is configured to be connected to the polymer back layer by means of welding, wherein the photovoltaic cells are located between the front and back layer, the front and back layer being connected to each other by means of a welded connection, such that the photovoltaic cells is completely enclosed between the front layer and the back layer by the welded connection, surrounding the photovoltaic cells, and wherein each individual cell is separated from the remaining of the photovoltaic cells by the welded connection. The present teachings also relate to a method of manufacturing, and to a solar panel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A photovoltaic packaging, comprising:
a polymer back layer,
a plurality of photovoltaic cells electrically connected to each other by electrical conductors,
a polymer front layer which is transparent to light, and which is configured to be connected to the polymer back layer by welding,
wherein the plurality of mutually connected photovoltaic cells are located between the front layer and the back layer,
the front layer and the back layer being locally connected to each other by a local welded connection, such that the plurality of photovoltaic cells is completely enclosed between the front layer and the back layer by the welded connection, surrounding the plurality of photovoltaic cells, and wherein each individual cell of the plurality of photovoltaic cells is separated from the remaining of the photovoltaic cells by the welded connection,
wherein the front layer is reversibly adhered to the photovoltaic cells by a reusable adhesive.

2. The photovoltaic packaging according to claim 1 , wherein the front layer comprises a polyolefin.

3. The photovoltaic packaging according to claim 1 , wherein the front layer comprises a polypropylene.

4. A photovoltaic packaging, comprising:
a back layer comprising a back layer polymer, the back layer extending from a first side to a second side, and extending from a first end to a second end,
a plurality of photovoltaic cells electrically connected to each other by electrical conductors, with a first electrical conductor positioned and extended along the first side of the back layer, and a second electrical conductor positioned and extended along the second side of the back layer, and a third electrical conductor positioned and extended along the back layer between the first and second electrical conductors and between a first row of photovoltaic cells and a second row of photovoltaic cells,
a fourth electrical conductor positioned and extended along the second end of the back layer, the fourth electrical conductor transverse to the first and second electrical conductors and connected to the first and second electrical conductors;
a front layer comprising a front layer polymer which is transparent to light, and which is configured to be connected to the back layer by welding,
wherein the plurality of photovoltaic cells are located between the front layer and the back layer,
the front layer and the back layer being directly connected to each other by a local line-shaped laser welded connection, such that the plurality of photovoltaic cells is completely enclosed between the front layer and the back layer by the local line-shaped laser welded connection that surrounds the plurality of photovoltaic cells, and wherein each individual cell of the plurality of photovoltaic cells is in a pocket separated from the remaining of the photovoltaic cells by the local line-shaped laser welded connection;
wherein the local line-shaped laser welded connection comprises a plurality of welds directly adjacent to each of the first, second, third and fourth electrical conductors on each side of each of the first, second, third and fourth electrical conductors; and
wherein a first thickness of the photovoltaic packaging between the first row of photovoltaic cells and the second row of photovoltaic cells is less than a second thickness of the photovoltaic packaging comprising the back layer, an individual cell of the plurality of photovoltaic cells, and the front layer,
wherein the front layer comprises a polyolefin and is reversibly adhered to the photovoltaic cells by a reusable adhesive.

5. The photovoltaic packaging according to claim 4 , wherein the packaging is free from encapsulant layers which encapsulate and fully embed photovoltaic cells, so that the front layer and the back layer are in direct contact with the plurality of photovoltaic cells.

6. The photovoltaic packaging according to claim 4 , the front layer and the back layer being configured such that the plurality of photovoltaic cells do not adhere or reversibly adhere to the back layer.

7. The photovoltaic packaging according to claim 4 , each individual cell of the plurality of photovoltaic cells being separated from the remaining of the photovoltaic cells by the local line-shaped laser welded connection between the front layer and the back layer, the welded connection extending around the individual cell, that means around the perimeter of the individual cell, defining a pocket enclosing the individual cell.

8. The photovoltaic packaging according to claim 4 , wherein the welded connection comprises more than one weld passing between each two adjacent photovoltaic cells of the plurality of photovoltaic cells.

9. The photovoltaic packaging according to claim 4 , wherein the polymer front layer is a sheet having a thickness in the range of 20 to 1000 micrometer, and wherein the back layer is a sheet having a thickness in the range of 300 to 10000 micrometer.

10. The photovoltaic packaging according to claim 4 , wherein the front layer comprises a polypropylene.

11. The photovoltaic packaging according to claim 4 , wherein the plurality of photovoltaic cells is electrically connected to each other in a parallel electrical configuration.

12. A solar panel, having a rigid, UV protective top layer which is transparent to light connected to the photovoltaic packaging according to claim 4 on a front, sun facing side of the photovoltaic packaging.

13. A photovoltaic packaging according to claim 9 , wherein the front layer is a sheet having a thickness in the range of 100 to 500 micrometer, and wherein the back layer is a sheet having a thickness in the range of 300 to 3000 micrometer.

14. The photovoltaic packaging according to claim 4 , wherein the front layer is laser transmissive and the back layer is laser absorbent.

15. The photovoltaic packaging according to claim 4 , wherein the local line-shaped laser welded connection comprises longitudinal welds and transverse welds; and
wherein each individual cell of the plurality of photovoltaic cells is surrounded by longitudinal welds and transverse welds so that each individual cell is enclosed in a pocket defined by the front layer and the back layer and the longitudinal welds and the transverse welds.

16. The photovoltaic packaging according to claim 4 , wherein the local line-shaped laser welded connection comprises longitudinal welds and transverse welds; and
wherein at a junction of a longitudinal weld and a transverse weld, the local line-shaped laser welded connection comprises a plurality of circular welds surrounding a connecting member that passes through the front layer and the back layer, the connecting member connected to a supporting structure.

Assignees

• Sabic Global Technologies Bv

Inventors

• Van Giesen Roland
• Steenbakkers-Menting Henrica Norberta Alberta Maria
• Bercx Rick Robert Emilie
• Van Der Ven Maud Corrina Willie
• Venderbosch Rob

Classifications

• H10F71/137

  Batch treatment of the devices · CPC title

• H10F19/902

  for series or parallel connection of photovoltaic cells · CPC title

• H10F19/80

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

• Y02E10/50

  Photovoltaic [PV] energy · CPC title

• H10F19/85 Primary

  Protective back sheets · CPC title