High altitude aircraft with integrated solar cells, and associated systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9957037-B2
Application number	US-201414310415-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2014
Priority date	Jul 10, 2013
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

A method of making a solar cell assembly includes placing backsides of multiple solar cells in contact with a substrate. The solar cells are electrically connected to each other. Heat and pressure are applied to the solar cells and the substrate to simultaneously impress the solar cells into the substrate and bond the solar cells to the substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making a solar cell assembly, comprising:
placing backsides of multiple solar cells in contact with a substrate;
electrically connecting the solar cells to each other; and
applying heat and pressure to the solar cells and the substrate to simultaneously impress the solar cells into the substrate and bond the solar cells to the substrate,
wherein the substrate comprises a composite structure including:
first and second fabric layers coated in adhesive; and
a center core layer disposed between the first and second fabric layers,

wherein the center core layer includes a foam core and the adhesive is cured when applying the heat and the pressure,
wherein applying the heat and pressure to the solar cells and the substrate causes the solar cells to form recesses into the first fabric layer and the center core layer that are simultaneously filled by the solar cells.

2. A method of making a solar cell assembly, comprising:
electrically connecting contact terminals on the backsides of multiple solar cells to each other with electrical connectors to form an electrically connected assembly of solar cells;
placing the backsides of the multiple solar cells including the contact terminals in contact with a substrate; and
applying heat and pressure to the electrically connected assembly of solar cells and the substrate after the solar cells have been electrically connected via the electrical connectors to simultaneously impress the electrically connected assembly of solar cells including the contact terminals and the electrical connectors into the substrate and bond the solar cells to the substrate,
wherein the backsides of the multiple solar cells are opposite light incident sides of the multiple solar cells,
wherein the substrate comprises a composite structure including:
first and second fabric layers coated in adhesive; and
a center core layer disposed between the first and second fabric layers,

wherein the adhesive is cured when applying the heat and the pressure,
wherein the solar cells are impressed into both the first fabric layer and the center core layer of the substrate while applying the heat and the pressure.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein applying the heat and pressure to the solar cells and the substrate causes the solar cells to form recesses into the substrate that are simultaneously filled by the solar cells.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
stacking the multiple solar cells and the substrate on a mold surface, the mold surface having a curved profile of a surface of a wing or a stabilizer of an aircraft,
wherein the heat and pressure is applied while the solar cells and the substrate are stacked on the mold surface.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
applying adhesive between the backsides of the solar cells and the substrate,
wherein the heat and the pressure applied to the solar cells and the substrate causes the adhesive to form bonds between the backsides of the solar cells and bottoms of the recesses.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the heat and the pressure applied to the solar cells and the substrate causes the adhesive to form bonds between side edges of the solar cells and side walls of the recesses such that the substrate and the solar cells form an intimately integrated assembly that can transmit compressive loads from one solar cell to another via surrounding portions of the substrate along a load path.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein applying the heat and the pressure to the solar cells and the substrate also causes inter-cell recesses in the substrate between one or more of the solar cells, the method further comprising:
filling, at least partially, the inter-cell recesses with a filler material.

8. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
providing a protective layer having an inside surface;
coating the inside surface of the protective layer with a protective layer adhesive to bond the inside surface of the protective layer to active surfaces of the solar cells and portions of the substrate,
wherein the protective layer is transparent to wavelengths that activate a current generation function of the solar cells.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the solar cells comprise bare crystalline solar cells that are in intimate contact with the protective layer and the substrate.

10. The method of claim 2 , wherein the solar cells comprise planar solar cells and wherein the backsides of the solar cells comprise planar backsides with planar contact terminals and the light incident sides of the solar cells are planar.

11. A method for making solar powered aircraft, comprising:
placing multiple bare solar cells on a transparent film bearing a first adhesive with active surfaces of the solar cells against the first adhesive and backside surfaces of the bare solar cells facing away from the transparent film;
electrically connecting contact terminals on the backside surfaces of the bare solar cells with electrical connectors to form an electrically connected assembly of solar cells;
disposing a second adhesive against the backside surfaces of the bare solar cells;
placing a substrate including two layers of fabric disposed on either side of a center core against the first and second adhesives;
drawing a vacuum on a region including the bare solar cells, the contact terminals, the electrical connectors, the transparent film, and the substrate, wherein drawing the vacuum causes the backside surfaces of the bare solar cells and the contact terminals of the electrically connected assembly of solar cells to recess into a first one of the layers of fabric and the center core of the substrate while the bare solar cells are connected with the electrical connectors; and
forming a wing surface or a stabilizer surface by heating the region to simultaneously cure the first and second adhesives and form a cohesive bond between the substrate, the bare solar cells and the transparent film.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein drawing the vacuum on the region includes drawing the vacuum over a mold surface having a profile of the wing surface or the stabilizer surface.

Assignees

• X Dev Llc

Inventors

• Cornew Daniel H
• Yaney Maximus

Classifications

• Y02E10/50

  Photovoltaic [PV] energy · CPC title

• H02S10/40

  Mobile PV generator systems · CPC title

• H01L31/0475

  Electricity · mapped topic

• Y02T50/44

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• H01L31/048

  Electricity · mapped topic