Connector system for photovoltaic array

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016156307-A1
Application number	US-201414898608-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 4, 2014
Priority date	Jul 19, 2013
Publication date	Jun 2, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A photovoltaic assembly comprising; (a) at least two photovoltaic components that are adjacent to each other in a first direction, each photovoltaic component comprising (i) a partial recess in communication with the partial recess in an adjacent photovoltaic component and (ii) one or more connector receptors aligned in a second direction which is non-parallel to the first direction; (b) a connector located at feast partially in the partial recess of the photovoltaic component and at least partially in the partial recess of the adjacent photovoltaic component so that the connector connects the photovoltaic component to the adjacent photovoltaic component, the connector comprising: (i) a flexible housing having a first end and a second end; (ii) one or more connection ports at the first end; (iii) one or more connection ports at the second end; and (iv) one more flexible electrical conductors that extend from the one or more connection ports at the first end to the one or more connection ports at the second end; wherein the connector is flexible so that the first end and the second end are movable relative to each other in a plane, out of the plane, or both; wherein the one or more connection ports at the first end and the one or more connection ports at the second end form a connection with the one or more connector receptors of the photovoltaic component and the adjacent photovoltaic component so that the connector electrically connects the photovoltaic component to the adjacent photovoltaic component.

First claim

1 ) A photovoltaic assembly comprising:
a) at least two photovoltaic components that are adjacent to each other in a first direction, each photovoltaic component comprising
i. a partial recess in communication with a partial recess in an adjacent photovoltaic component and
ii. one or more connector receptors aligned in a second direction which is non-parallel to the first direction;
b) a connector located at least partially in the partial recess of the photovoltaic component and at least partially in the partial recess of the adjacent photovoltaic component so that the connector connects the photovoltaic component to the adjacent photovoltaic component, the connector comprising:
i. a housing having a first end and a second end;
ii. one or more connection ports at the first end;
iii. one or more connection ports at the second end; and
iv. one or more flexible electrical conductors that extend from the one or more connection ports at the first end to the one or more connection ports at the second end, and
v. one or more flexible regions in the housing so that the housing is a flexible housing, the one or more flexible regions being located at an apex between the first end and the second end of the housing;

wherein the connector is flexible so that the first end and the second end are movable relative to each other in a plane, out of the plane, or both;
wherein the one or more connection ports at the first end and the one or more connection ports at the second end form a connection with the one or more connector receptors of the photovoltaic component and the adjacent photovoltaic component so that the connector electrically connects the photovoltaic component to the adjacent photovoltaic component.

2 ) The photovoltaic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first end and the second end each include a terminal cover and the terminal covers include a locking feature, and wherein the flexible housing includes a lock portion that forms a mating connection with a locking portion connector of the photovoltaic component.

3 ) The photovoltaic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flexible housing is sufficiently flexible so that the housing moves when in a connected state but includes enough rigidity and/or stiffness so that the connector can be moved into the connection state by a user gripping and moving the connector via a point on the housing.

4 ) The photovoltaic assembly of claim 2 , wherein the one or more connection ports at the first end and the one or more connection ports at the second end are sufficiently sealed by the terminal cover so that the one or more flexible electrical conductors are electrically insulated and are touch safe.

5 ) The photovoltaic assembly of claim 2 , wherein each terminal cover includes a seal, and the seal is located on an outside of the terminal covers, an inside of the terminal covers, an inside of the one or more connector receptors, or a combination thereof.

6 ) The photovoltaic assembly of claim 5 , wherein the one or more flexible regions are generally arcuate.

7 ) The photovoltaic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second direction is from about 45 degrees to about 90 degrees from the first direction.

8 ) The photovoltaic assembly of claim 6 , wherein the one or more conductors are substantially flat in shape and a portion of the one or more conductors are twisted so that a width of the one or more conductors are on edge as the one or more conductors curve from the first end to the second end.

9 ) The photovoltaic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more conductors are at least two conductors and include one or more conductor locating features that assist in maintaining spacing between the at least two conductors so that the at least two conductors are isolated from each other.

10 ) The photovoltaic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the photovoltaic components are a photovoltaic modules and the photovoltaic modules are connected directly to a roofing structure and provides roofing functions.

11 ) The photovoltaic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the photovoltaic component includes a latching mechanism proximate to the connector receptor, and the connector includes a mating locking feature on the first end, the second end, or both that forms a locked connection with the latching mechanism that assists in maintaining the electrical connection between the latching mechanism of the photovoltaic component and either the connection port at the first end or the connection port at the second end, or both.

12 ) The photovoltaic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing is generally U-shaped.

13 ) The photovoltaic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the partial recess is covered by one or more adjacent photovoltaic components.

14 ) The photovoltaic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first end or the second end of the connector is integrally connected to the photovoltaic component or the adjacent photovoltaic component.

15 ) A method of assembling a photovoltaic array comprising:
a. locating a photovoltaic component at a desired location; b. locating a second photovoltaic component adjacent to the photovoltaic component and aligning a partial recess in the photovoltaic component with a partial recess in the second photovoltaic component; c. inserting a connector into the partial recess in the photovoltaic component; d. inserting the connector into the partial recess in the second photovoltaic component, the connector comprising:
i. a flexible housing having a first end and a second end;
ii. one or more connection ports at the first end;
iii. one or more connection ports at the second end; and
iv. one more electrical conductors that extend from the one or more connection ports at the first end to the one or more connection ports at the second end; and
v. one or more flexible regions located at an apex between the first end and the second end of the connector;

wherein the flexible housing assembly is flexible so that the first end and the second end are movable relative to each other in a plane, out of the plane, or both; and
wherein the first end and the second end of the flexible housing are juxtaposed and extend in a second direction; and
forming an electrical connection, a physical connection, or both between the photovoltaic component and the second photovoltaic component.

Assignees

• Dow Global Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Keenihan James R
• Lopez Leonardo C
• Langmaid Joseph A
• Washburn Shane
• Eghbal Darius
• Koneru Vijay Karthik
• Leung Kelvin L

Classifications

• H02S40/34 Primary

  comprising specially adapted electrical connection means to be structurally associated with the PV module, e.g. junction boxes · CPC title

• H02S40/36

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

• H02S20/25 Primary

  Roof tile elements · CPC title

• Y02E10/50

  Photovoltaic [PV] energy · CPC title

• Y02B10/10

  Photovoltaic [PV] · CPC title