INTEGRATED EXTERNAL CONNECTORS
Granted: October 3, 2019
Application Number:
20190305715
Connectors, systems with connectors and processes with connectors are described. These include how connectors can actively hold external portions of two frames or other components together during transport and before final installation, as well as, how the connectors can be repositionable on the frame or other component so as to provide a mechanical connection in one position and not to provide a mechanical connection when moved into a second position. The connectors can also function to…
FLEXIBLE LAMINATES FOR SOLAR MODULES
Granted: October 3, 2019
Application Number:
20190305160
A solar module includes a laminate structure having at least two solar cells. Each of the solar cells has an individual reinforcement laminated to one face of each of the solar cells. The solar cells are spaced apart from each other and the individual reinforcements are spaced apart from each other such that a gap is defined between each of the solar cells. The solar module includes flexible conductors that extend through the gap between the solar cells and electrically connect the solar…
SINGLE-WALLED CONNECTING KEY FRAMESETS
Granted: October 3, 2019
Application Number:
20190301771
Frames and processes of manufacture using single-wall frame sections coupled to other single-wall frame sections or double-wall frame sections using a connecting key are provided. The connecting key can be metallic, polymer, ceramic, a laminate, and combinations thereof.
NON-PERMEABLE SUBSTRATE CARRIER FOR ELECTROPLATING
Granted: October 3, 2019
Application Number:
20190301046
One embodiment relates to a substrate carrier for use in electroplating a plurality of substrates. The substrate carrier comprises a non-conductive carrier body on which the substrates are to be held. Electrically-conductive lines are embedded within the carrier body, and a plurality of contact clips are coupled to the electrically-conductive lines embedded within the carrier body. The contact clips hold the substrates in place and electrically couple the substrates to the…
Remote Array Mapping
Granted: August 29, 2019
Application Number:
20190267939
Electrical component location is provided. Employed location techniques may include providing a cycling signal, having components to be located sense the cycling signal at the same time, report back the sensed signal, and determining relative locations for one or more of the components using the sensed signals reported by the components.
VERIFYING STATUS OF A TERMINATION END CAP OF A MICROINVERTER CHAIN
Granted: August 22, 2019
Application Number:
20190260207
A photovoltaic (PV) system includes a system control module that determines the presence of a microinverter chain termination end cap. The end cap includes an embedded circuit. The embedded circuit includes components having resistive, reactive, or impedance values. A signal source provides a signal through the microinverter chain. A parameter for a sensed signal detected by the system control module is used to determine the presence of the end cap using a change between the parameter…
SOLAR CELL CONTACT FORMATION USING LASER ABLATION
Granted: August 8, 2019
Application Number:
20190245099
The formation of solar cell contacts using a laser is described. A method of fabricating a back-contact solar cell includes forming a poly-crystalline material layer above a single-crystalline substrate. The method also includes forming a dielectric material stack above the poly-crystalline material layer. The method also includes forming, by laser ablation, a plurality of contacts holes in the dielectric material stack, each of the contact holes exposing a portion of the…
ARRANGEMENTS OF A PLURALITY OF PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULES
Granted: June 20, 2019
Application Number:
20190190443
Various embodiments are related to an arrangement of a plurality of photovoltaic modules. Each photovoltaic module has a light receiving front side and a light receiving back side. The photovoltaic modules of the plurality of photovoltaic modules are arranged in one or more rows to form photovoltaic module rows. One or more photovoltaic module rows are extended substantially in a direction of around North-South and the front sides of the photovoltaic modules of the one or more…
BACKFEED POWER SUPPLY FOR SOLAR POWER SYSTEM
Granted: June 20, 2019
Application Number:
20190190273
A solar collection system may collect energy from the sun to generate electricity for distribution on an electrical grid. In addition to generating electricity, a solar collection system may include support devices such as motors, controllers, sensors, and other support devices to perform various tasks to allow the solar collection system to more effectively generate electricity. When the solar collection system is generating sufficient power, the support devices may be powered by the…
CORNER CONNECTOR FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULE FRAME
Granted: June 13, 2019
Application Number:
20190181801
Corner connection members for a photovoltaic module frame include thru-passages for receiving insert components that perform and facilitate a variety of functions, such as attaching the photovoltaic module to a roof, providing a ground connection for the solar cells, to facilitate the mechanical and electrical connection of photovoltaic modules which are arranged side-by-side, to facilitate securing photovoltaic modules in a stack, and providing mechanical and electrical connections to…
SYSTEMS AND APPARATUSES FOR CARPORT WITH INTEGRATED PRECIPITATION AND CABLE MANAGEMENT
Granted: June 6, 2019
Application Number:
20190169871
A carport includes a casting, wherein first brace and a second brace on a first side of the casting and a third brace and a fourth brace on a second side of the casting support a canopy. The first brace and the third brace are configured for electrical cable management. Electrical cables disposed within the first brace extend from the canopy through the first side of the casting. Electrical cables disposed within the third brace extend from the canopy through the second side of the…
Plug-In Distributed Energy Resource
Granted: May 23, 2019
Application Number:
20190157867
A distributed energy resource (DER) may store electrical power from an AC circuit and discharge stored electrical power to the AC circuit. A DER may be coupled to the AC circuit via a plug inserted into a receptacle coupled to the AC circuit, and a load device may be plugged into the DER via a receptacle of the DER. The DER may pass AC power from the AC circuit to the load device, and may draw additional power from the AC circuit to charge an energy storage circuit of the DER. The DER…
BIFACIAL SOLAR CELL MODULE WITH BACKSIDE REFLECTOR
Granted: May 23, 2019
Application Number:
20190157468
A bifacial solar cell module includes solar cells that are protected by front side packaging components and backside packaging components. The front side packaging components include a transparent top cover on a front portion of the solar cell module. The backside packaging components have a transparent portion that allows light coming from a back portion of the solar cell module to reach the solar cells, and a reflective portion that reflects light coming from the front portion of the…
PREVENTING HARMFUL POLARIZATION OF SOLAR CELLS
Granted: April 11, 2019
Application Number:
20190109560
In one embodiment, harmful solar cell polarization is prevented or minimized by providing a conductive path that bleeds charge from a front side of a solar cell to the bulk of a wafer. The conductive path may include patterned holes in a dielectric passivation layer, a conductive anti-reflective coating, or layers of conductive material formed on the top or bottom surface of an anti-reflective coating, for example. Harmful solar cell polarization may also be prevented by biasing a region…
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SHINGLING WAFER STRIPS CONNECTED IN PARALLEL
Granted: April 11, 2019
Application Number:
20190109251
A solar device includes a first string of first solar wafers, wherein a plurality of the first solar wafers each overlap with at least one vertically adjacent solar wafer from the first string. Additionally, the solar device includes a second string of second solar wafers, wherein a plurality of the second solar wafers each overlap with at least one vertically adjacent solar wafer from the second string, wherein a plurality of the first solar wafers overlap with one or more of the…
CIRCUITS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING CURRENT IN A PARALLEL-CONNECTED ARRAY
Granted: March 7, 2019
Application Number:
20190074795
A solar device system includes one or more solar devices shingled into an array of solar devices. Each solar device includes one or more current generation cells configured to generate electric current, a plurality of current buses, and a control circuit configured to distribute the generated electric current to the plurality of current buses, and route the generated electric current to an adjacent solar device. Additionally, the solar device system includes an array collector…
AUTOMATED SOLAR COLLECTOR CLEANING DEVICE
Granted: February 28, 2019
Application Number:
20190063788
An autonomous solar collector cleaning device includes at least one main shaft, a first driver attached to a first end of the at least one main shaft, and a second driver attached to a second end of the at least one main shaft. The first and second drivers propel the cleaning device along a surface of the solar collector. A first sensor is attached to the first driver to detect an edge of the solar collector, and a second sensor is attached to the second driver to detect the edge of the…
LOCALIZED POWER POINT OPTIMIZER FOR SOLAR CELL INSTALLATIONS
Granted: February 14, 2019
Application Number:
20190052091
In one embodiment, a solar cell installation includes several groups of solar cells. Each group of solar cells has a local power point optimizer configured to control power generation of the group. The local power point optimizer may be configured to determine an optimum operating condition for a corresponding group of solar cells. The local power point optimizer may adjust the operating condition of the group to the optimum operating condition by modulating a transistor, such as by…
ETCHING OF SOLAR CELL MATERIALS
Granted: February 7, 2019
Application Number:
20190044006
A solar cell is fabricated by etching one or more of its layers without substantially etching another layer of the solar cell. In one embodiment, a copper layer in the solar cell is etched without substantially etching a topmost metallic layer comprising tin. For example, an etchant comprising sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide may be employed to etch the copper layer selective to the tin layer. A particular example of the aforementioned etchant is a Co-Bra Etch® etchant modified to…
TRENCH PROCESS AND STRUCTURE FOR BACKSIDE CONTACT SOLAR CELLS WITH POLYSILICON DOPED REGIONS
Granted: February 7, 2019
Application Number:
20190044015
A solar cell includes polysilicon P-type and N-type doped regions on a backside of a substrate, such as a silicon wafer. A trench structure separates the P-type doped region from the N-type doped region. Each of the P-type and N-type doped regions may be formed over a thin dielectric layer. The trench structure may include a textured surface for increased solar radiation collection. Among other advantages, the resulting structure increases efficiency by providing isolation between…
