U.S. patent application number 09/767861 was filed with the patent office on 2001-07-26 for solar cell panel.
This patent application is currently assigned to SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD.. Invention is credited to Higashikozono, Makoto, Watanabe, Kunihiko, Yoshikawa, Hiroyuki.
Application Number | 20010009159 09/767861 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18541297 |
Filed Date | 2001-07-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010009159 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Watanabe, Kunihiko ; et
al. |
July 26, 2001 |
Solar cell panel
Abstract
A solar cell panel has a pair of superimposed plates, and one or
more solar energy cells sandwiched between the plates. A connector
for making electrical connection to an external connection member
in use of the panel is mounted on the periphery of the superimposed
plates. To achieve a compact and simple construction, one-piece
strip metal electrical conductor members have first ends located
between the superimposed plates and electrically connected to the
solar energy cells and second ends which protrude from the
periphery and are held in a housing of the connector. The second
ends act as electrical terminals.
Inventors: |
Watanabe, Kunihiko;
(Yokkaichi, JP) ; Higashikozono, Makoto;
(Yokkaichi, JP) ; Yoshikawa, Hiroyuki; (Yokkaichi,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OLIFF & BERRIDGE, PLC
277 S. WASHINGTON STREET, SUITE 500
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Assignee: |
SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS,
LTD.
|
Family ID: |
18541297 |
Appl. No.: |
09/767861 |
Filed: |
January 24, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
136/244 ;
136/251; 136/256 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H02S 40/34 20141201;
Y02B 10/12 20130101; Y10S 136/293 20130101; Y10S 136/291 20130101;
Y02B 10/10 20130101; Y02E 10/50 20130101; H01L 31/0201 20130101;
H01L 31/02013 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
136/244 ;
136/251; 136/256 |
International
Class: |
H01L 031/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 24, 2000 |
JP |
2000-013749 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A solar cell panel comprising: a pair of superimposed plates
having a periphery; at least one solar energy cell sandwiched
between said superimposed plates; a connector for use in making
electrical connection to an external connection member in use of
the solar cell panel, mounted on said superimposed plates at said
periphery thereof and having a housing; at least one one-piece
electrical conductor member having a first end located between said
superimposed plates and electrically connected to said at least one
solar energy cell and a second end which protrudes from said
periphery and is received and held in said housing of said
connector, the second end being an electrical terminal that
electrically connects with said external connection member.
2. A solar cell panel according to claim 1, the at least one
one-piece electrical conductor member comprising a pair of said
electrical conductor members, which in use have opposite
polarity.
3. A solar cell panel according to claim 2, wherein said electrical
conductor members are each bent twice, outside said superimposed
plates, first to extend in a first direction which is a thickness
direction of said superimposed plates and secondly to extend in a
second direction substantially parallel to a portion of said
periphery, thereby being a pair of parallel spaced terminals of
said connector extending in said second direction.
4. A solar cell panel according to claim 2, further comprising a
bypass diode connected between said pair of said electrical
conductor members and housed in said housing.
5. A solar cell panel according to claim 1, wherein said housing
has a locking structure that engages said electrical conductor
member and holds said electrical conductor member in a longitudinal
position in said housing.
6. A solar cell panel according to claim 1, wherein said electrical
conductor member is a planar metal strip.
7. A solar cell panel according to claim 1, wherein said housing of
said connector is bonded to said periphery of said panel.
8. A solar cell panel according to claim 1, wherein said housing of
said connector has a passage, containing said electrical terminal,
to receive in use said external connection member, the connector
further comprising a support installed in and slidable along said
passage and supporting said terminal in position within said
passage.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a solar cell panel for
electricity generation using solar energy, having a connector
incorporated therein.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] FIG. 5 shows one form of known solar cell panel 100 having a
connector 110 for connecting with an external connector 120
provided on the end of cable K. The connector 110 is firmly fixed
on the outer periphery of the panel 100 which is made of a pair of
glass sheets 101, between which a plurality of solar cell elements
102 in a two-dimensional array are sandwiched. The solar cell
elements 102 are electrically connected mutually in series or in
parallel between the pair of glass sheets 101 by tape-like
conductors 103, which are electrically connected with the connector
110 through a connecting sheet 105.
[0005] In the connecting sheet 105 a pair of thin ribbon-like
conductors 106, which are arranged in parallel at suitable spacing,
is sandwiched by insulation sheets 107. The conductors 103 from the
solar cell elements 102 are electrically connected by soldering,
etc. to the respective conductors 106.
[0006] Tape-like conductors 109 are electrically connected by
soldering, etc. to the conductors 106 in the end area of the
connecting sheet 105, and extend to the outer peripheral area of
the panel 100 to be connected to the connector 110.
[0007] When the external connector 120 on the cable K is connected
with the connector 110, the solar cell panel 100 is electrically
connected to an external load or storage battery.
[0008] Generally, the electrical connection in connector 110 and
external connector 120 is performed by locking together of positive
and negative terminals inside the connectors. Thus a negative and a
positive terminal are arranged in the housing of the connector 110,
and electrically connected by for example soldering to the
conductors 109 which extend from the outer peripheral area of the
panel 100. However, space is required for connecting the conductors
109 and the negative terminal and the positive terminal inside the
connector 110, which causes a problem that the whole shape of the
connector 110 becomes large. This is unfavorable for design
reasons, because the connector 110 itself is conspicuous when the
solar cell panel is installed on the window frame or on the roof of
a building, etc. If a large frame body is installed around the
panel 100 to hide the connector 110, the effective area
contributing to solar energy electricity generation is
decreased.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,106 shows a single-pole connector
mountable on a solar panel by engagement of a slot on the connector
housing with a cut-out in a peripheral projecting flange of the
panel. A strip-shape conductor protrudes from between superimposed
sheets of the panel and is soldered to an exposed base member of a
folded metal terminal construction mounted in the connector
housing. The arrangement is space-consuming, since both the flange
and the connector project above the plane of the panel. Soldering
of the conductor to the terminal construction is inconvenient.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] An object of the present invention is to provide a connector
of compact structure on a solar cell panel.
[0011] According to the invention, there is provided a solar cell
panel having a pair of superimposed plates and at least one solar
energy cell sandwiched between the plates. A connector, used in
making electrical connection to an external connection member in
use of the solar cell, is mounted on the superimposed plates at
their periphery. At least one one-piece electrical conductor member
has a first end located between the superimposed plates and
electrically connected to the solar energy cell and a second end
which protrudes from the periphery of the plates and is received
and held in a housing of the connector where it constitutes an
electrical terminal for making electrical connection with the
external connection member in use. It is preferred that the
electrical conductor is of ribbon-like or strip shape. Typically
there are two such conductor members, providing terminals of
opposite polarity in the connector housing.
[0012] This construction permits a compact and simple connector to
be provided at the periphery of the panel.
[0013] Preferably, for a compact arrangement, the one-piece
electrical conductor member, or each such electrical member, is
bent twice, outside the superimposed plates, first to extend in a
first direction which is the thickness direction of the
superimposed members and secondly to extend in a second direction
substantially parallel to an edge of the panel, so as to constitute
a pair of parallel spaced terminals of the connector extending in
the second direction.
[0014] A bypass diode may easily be incorporated, in the housing of
the connector, between the two conductors.
[0015] Preferably, for locking of the conductor member, or each
conductor member, the housing has a locking structure that engages
the electrical conductor member and holds the electrical conductor
member in its longitudinal position in the housing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way
of non-limitative example with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[0017] FIG. 1 is a partially sectional side view of a solar cell
panel which is an embodiment of the present invention showing the
connected condition of an external connector and a connector of the
panel;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a partially sectional side view of the connector
shown in FIG. 1 on a larger scale;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a partially sectional plan view of the connector
shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2;
[0020] FIG. 4 is an end view of the connector shown in FIG. 1;
and
[0021] FIG. 5 is a side view showing a connector of a known solar
cell panel, described above.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0022] A solar cell panel 100 having a connector 1 which is an
embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, in
which the solar cell panel 100 itself is the same as in FIG. 5
except for conductor 109 and connector 110, so that repetition of
its description is not needed here. FIGS. 1 to 3 are described as a
matter of convenience with reference to a forward direction which
is to the right and a backward direction which is to the left (see
arrows in FIGS. 2 and 3).
[0023] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, a connector 1 is installed on the
outer periphery of panel 100 to be able to be connected with an
external connector 50 which is installed at the end of cable K. The
ends of the conductors 30 which extend out from the outer periphery
of the panel 100 are held in an insulating housing 2 of the
connector 1 and act as terminals 30b that connect with terminals 55
inside the external connector 50. The conductors 30 may be planar,
meaning that they have a cross section with a greater width than
thickness. For example, a ratio of the thickness of the conductors
30 to the width of the conductors 30 may be in a range of from
about 1:2 to about 1:20; or from about 1:4 to about 1:12; or from
about 1:6 to about 1:10. An advantage of planar conductors 30 is
that, to accommodate increased electrical current, the conductors
30 need only be increased in width, and their thickness does not
need to be increased. This avoids increasing the overall thickness
of the solar cell panel 100. However, it should be appreciated that
in some applications of this invention, the conductors 30 may be
round or square, for example, rather than planar.
[0024] The external connector 50 may be a two terminal connector
installed at the end of a two core cable K, having a housing 51 as
shown in FIG. 1 containing two connecting terminals 55 arranged
spaced apart and aligned and electrically connected with the
respective cores of the external cable K. Each terminal 55 is in
use connected with the respective terminal 30b by forcing the
planar terminal 30b between a resilient tongue 57 and an abutment
seat 58 of a connecting portion 56 of the terminal 55. The whole
terminal 55 may be formed of cut and bent metal sheet. The abutment
seat 58 may be formed by a side flange part which is folded over so
that its edge projects upwardly towards the tongue 57.
[0025] The housing 51 has a portion 60 extending towards its tip
side having a hook 60a which engages in a latching manner with a
recess 3a of the housing 2 of the connector 1.
[0026] Each one-piece conductor 30 may be formed by bending a metal
strip member made by punching out a thin metal sheet, and has at
one end a connecting area 30a sandwiched together with connecting
sheet 105 between a pair of glass sheets 101 of the panel 100. The
glass sheets 101 are superimposed with adhesive or filler between
them which supports the connecting area 30a of each conductor 30 in
the required position between them.
[0027] The connecting areas 30a of the conductors 30 are arranged
between the glass sheets 101 aligned at required intervals along
the edge of panel 100 and are electrically connected, e.g. by
soldering, to the thin ribbon-like conductors 106 in the connecting
sheet 105, which are connected to the leads 103 of the solar cell
elements 102 in the connecting sheet 105.
[0028] As shown in FIG. 3, the portions of the conductors 30
protruding from the outer periphery of the panel 100 may be bent
twice, to extend first in the thickness direction of the panel 100
and secondly in a direction parallel to the edge surface of the
panel 100 (i.e., a direction perpendicular to the thickness
direction of the panel 100), whereby in housing 2 they extend in a
spaced and aligned manner as the respective terminals 30b. The
terminals 30b may be coplanar. The housing 2 may have a
terminal-supporting region 10 having projections 13a which engage
in recesses 30c cut in the terminals 30b, to locate and support the
terminals 30b in the backwards/forward direction.
[0029] The housing 2 of the connector is flat, and of rectangular
cross-section, as seen in FIG. 4, in which a portion of the sheets
101 are shown diagrammatically. At its rear end, the housing 1 has
a cavity region 15 (see FIG. 3) bounded by the housing wall
containing the bent portions of the conductors 30, and having a
slit 16 in its base on the panel 100, at a location corresponding
to the gap between the pair of glass sheets 101, so that the
conductors 30 can extend from between the sheets directly into the
cavity 15. In the cavity 15 may be a diode D, for effecting
electrical bypass of the panel 100, which is required under certain
operating conditions. The diode D may be connected by leads DL, to
the respective conductors 30, e.g. by soldering. A sheet-shape
closure 19 closes the end opening of the cavity 15 at the rear side
of the connector, in order to prevent access of water.
[0030] In the terminal holding region 10, the housing 2 has a
barrier wall 11 with through holes 12, through which pass the
respective terminals 30b. Thus the terminals 30b are retained in
their aligned position substantially parallel to the edge of the
panel 100.
[0031] Adjacent the through holes 12, as seen in FIG. 3, are the
hook-like members 13 of the housing 2, extending in the backward
direction and having the projections 13a at their rear ends, to
engage with the recesses 30c of the terminals 30b. The members 13
have a flat shape, and are elastically deformable in the transverse
direction. The extremity of each member 13 has a surface 13b
inclined with respect to the insertion direction of the terminal
30b, so that the terminal 30b pushes the member 13 aside until the
projection 13a is engaged with the recess 30c by the spring back of
the member 13.
[0032] The forward portion of the housing 2 has an open ended
cavity 7 that receives the housing 51 of the connector 50. The
rearward part of this cavity 7 is divided by a partition 6a to form
a pair of terminal insertion passages 6. The terminals 30b extend
along these terminal insertion passages 6, and receive and engage
the terminals 55 of the external connector 50.
[0033] A thick sheet gasket 9, made of resilient material such as
rubber, with through holes 9a corresponding to the terminal
insertion passages 6, may be arranged against a shoulder 7a of the
cavity 7. This gasket 9 is engaged by the housing 51 of the
external connector 50, in the connected position of the connectors
1 and 50, to prevent access of water to the connected
terminals.
[0034] Support members 20 for the terminals 30b may be provided,
which are fully slidable along the respective terminal receiving
passages 6, and have through-holes 21 through which the terminals
30b pass. The supports 20 serve to maintain the alignment position
of the terminals 30b. A resilient member, such as a coil spring 25,
may be provided between the base of each terminal receiving passage
6 and the support 20, to urge the support 20 in the forward
direction. A stop (not shown) may retain the support 20 in the
passage 6.
[0035] When the external connector 50 is connected to the connector
2 the tip end of the connecting portion 56 of each terminal 55 of
the connector 50 engages the respective terminal support 20 and
pushes it in the backward direction. Since at the moment of
engagement the terminal 30b is held by the support 20 in the
correct position to be inserted between the tongue 57 and the
abutment seat 58 of the terminal 55, the risk of deformation of the
terminal 30b by the terminal 55 is avoided.
[0036] At its upper face, the housing 2 has a groove 3 which
receives the extending portion 60 of the housing 51 of the external
connector 50, so that the hook end 60a engages with the
correspondingly shaped recess 3a to lock the connectors
together.
[0037] To assemble the solar panel and connector construction shown
in FIGS. 1 to 4, first the end portion 30a of the conductors 30 are
connected by soldering to the conductors 106 of the connecting
sheet 105. Then the areas 30a are sandwiched between the glass
sheets 101. The conductors 30 are bent as described at their region
protruding from the panel 100. The diode D is connected between the
conductors 30. The conductors 30 are then inserted into the housing
2 from the rear end of the slit 16 and through the through holes 12
into the required position where they are locked by the members 13.
The terminal supports 20 may be inserted into the connector 1
before the terminals 30b or afterwards.
[0038] Alternatively, the connector 1 may be assembled in advance,
and the connecting portions 30a projecting from the slit 16 are
inserted and connected to the conductors 106 of the connecting
sheet 105, e.g. by soldering, before being sandwiched between the
glass sheets 101.
[0039] The housing 2, with its sealing end closure 19, is
adhesively bonded to the peripheral edge faces of the sheets 101,
so that the cavity 15 is sealed to the sheets 101.
[0040] As shown in FIG. 4, the arrangement of the bent conductors
30 extending out of the periphery of the panel 100 into the flat
connector housing 2 provides a compact shape for the whole
construction, as compared with that of FIG. 5. Because the
conductor 30 is bent first in the thickness direction of the panel
100 and then in a direction parallel to the periphery of the panel
100, a compact arrangement is achieved, and the external connector
50 is joined to the connector 1 in a direction parallel to the edge
of the panel 100. The two terminals 30b may be coplanar, to make
the construction compact. However, within the scope of the
invention, the terminals 30b may extend perpendicularly to the edge
direction of the panel 100, so that the connection with the
external connector 50 is made in this perpendicular direction.
[0041] As FIG. 4 shows, the connector 1 may be located between the
planes of the exterior main faces of the panel.
[0042] As shown in the drawings, the bypass diode D can be easily
incorporated into the solar cell panel construction.
[0043] The locking of the terminal 30b into position by engagement
of the projection 13a with the recess 30c effectively retains the
terminal in the correct position, even against the fitting force of
the terminal 55 of the external connector 50.
[0044] The return force of the springs 25 ensures continued
engagement of the hook 60a with the corresponding recess 3a.
[0045] While the invention has been illustrated by an exemplary
embodiment described above, many equivalent modifications and
variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art when given
this disclosure. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiment of the
invention set forth above is considered to be illustrative and not
limiting. Various changes to the described embodiment may be made
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *