Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090183760 | REDUNDANT ELECTRICAL ARCHITECTURE FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULES - One example embodiment includes a PV module comprising a conductive backsheet, a substantially transparent front plate, a plurality of PV cells, a plurality of conductive spacers, and a power conversion device. The PV cells can be disposed between the conductive backsheet and the front plate and can be arranged in a plurality of rows. The PV cells within each row can be connected to each other in parallel and the rows can be connected in series. The PV cells can be interconnected between the conductive spacers. The power conversion device can be redundantly connected to the PV cells via a last conductive spacer connected to a last row. The power conversion device can substantially maintain a maximum peak power of the PV module and can convert a lower voltage collectively generated by the PV cells to a predetermined stepped up voltage greater than or equal to 12 volts. | 07-23-2009 |
20090183763 | Flat-Plate Photovoltaic Module - One example embodiment includes a PV module comprising a conductive backsheet, a non-conductive layer disposed on the conductive backsheet, a plurality of PV cells arranged in rows and collectively generating a first power output characterized by a first voltage, and a power conversion device. Each of the rows can include two or more PV cells. The PV cells within each row can be connected to each other in parallel. The rows can be connected in series. A top row can be connected to the conductive backsheet. The power conversion device can be redundantly connected to a bottom row and to the conductive backsheet to form a complete circuit. The power conversion device can convert the first power output to a second power output characterized b a second voltage that is larger than the first voltage. The power conversion device can also maintain peak power of the PV cells. | 07-23-2009 |
20090183764 | Detachable Louver System - One example embodiment includes a detachable louver system comprising primary louvers and a frame. The primary louvers are arranged substantially parallel to each other and are configured to reflect light rays incident on the primary louvers onto photovoltaic areas of a photovoltaic module. The frame is configured to support the primary louvers and to removably couple the detachable louver system to the photovoltaic module. | 07-23-2009 |
20100131108 | THIN-FILM PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULE - In some embodiments, a photovoltaic module includes an active layer, a top layer, and a bottom layer. The active layer includes a plurality of strips of thin-film PV material that are arranged spaced apart from and substantially parallel to each other. The top layer is disposed above the active layer and includes a substantially transparent film. The bottom layer is disposed below the active layer, the bottom layer including a conductive backsheet configured to form a current return path for the strips of thin-film PV material. The PV module further includes means for serially and redundantly interconnecting the strips of thin-film PV material together. | 05-27-2010 |
20100212720 | HIGHLY EFFICIENT RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEM - In one embodiment, a solar energy system includes a plurality of module rows and a plurality of reflector rows. Each module row includes a plurality of PV modules. Each PV module includes a plurality of PV cells arranged in a plurality of cell rows, the PV cells in each cell row being electrically connected in parallel to each other, and the plurality of cell rows being electrically connected in series to each other. Each reflector row includes a plurality of reflectors. The reflector rows are interposed between the module rows such that each reflector row is mechanically interconnected between two adjacent module rows and is arranged to reflect light having some incident angles on to one of the two adjacent module rows. | 08-26-2010 |
20100258185 | TEXTURED SUBSTRATE FOR THIN-FILM SOLAR CELL - Provided herein are textured substrates for thin-film solar cells. According to various embodiments, the textured substrates are characterized by substrate patterns exhibiting low-frequency roughness or flatness and long range order. The substrates may be metallic or non-metallic substrates, and in certain embodiments are stainless steel foils. According to various embodiments, the substrates may be provided in the form of a web, ready for deposition of thin-film photovoltaic stacks. Also provided are textured back contact thin films. | 10-14-2010 |
20100258542 | LASER POLISHING OF A BACK CONTACT OF A SOLAR CELL - Provided herein are methods of polishing, cleaning and texturing back contacts of thin-film solar cells. According to various embodiments, the methods involve irradiating sites on the back contact with laser beams to remove contaminants and/or smooth the surface of the back contact. The back contact, e.g., a molybdenum, copper, or niobium thin-film, is smoothed prior to deposition of the absorber and other thin-films of the photovoltaic stack. In certain embodiments, laser polishing of the back contact is used to enhance the diffusion barrier characteristics of the back contact layer, with all or a surface layer of the back contact becoming essentially amorphous. In certain embodiments, the adhesion of the absorber layer is enhanced by the textured back contact and by the presence of the amorphous metal at the deposition surface. | 10-14-2010 |
20100258982 | LASER POLISHING OF A SOLAR CELL SUBSTRATE - Provided herein are methods of polishing and texturing surfaces thin-film photovoltaic cell substrates. The methods involve laser irradiation of a surface having a high frequency roughness in an area of 5-200 microns to form a shallow and rapidly expanding melt pool, followed by rapid cooling of the material surface. The minimization of surface tension causes the surface to re-solidify in a locally smooth surface. the high frequency roughness drops over the surface with a lower frequency bump or texture pattern remaining from the re-solidification. | 10-14-2010 |
20100282293 | ILLUMINATION AGNOSTIC SOLAR PANEL - In one example, a photovoltaic module includes a plurality of discrete photovoltaic cells arranged in a plurality of cell rows, and a substantially electrically conductive and continuous area backsheet. The photovoltaic cells in each cell row are electrically connected in parallel to each other. The cell rows are electrically connected in series to each other and include a first row and a last row. The backsheet forms a current return path between the first and last rows. The photovoltaic cells are configured such that, in operation, current flows substantially uni-directionally through the plurality of photovoltaic cells between the first row and the last row. | 11-11-2010 |
20110038078 | INTEGRATED RECORDING HEAD WITH SELECTIVE MOVEMENT - A recording head for use in magnetic storage devices is disclosed. The recording head includes a transducer that is bi-directionally movable with respect to a surface of the magnetic storage medium, thereby enabling improved positioning of the transducer during recording head read and write operations. Various structures are disclosed to bi-directionally actuate the recording head transducer. In one embodiment, an interleaver assembly having a plurality of flexure assemblies employs a motor including magnetic portions for selective, bi-directional actuation. In another embodiment, electrostatic charges are employed in the flexure assemblies for selective actuation. In yet another embodiment, piezoelectric elements are included to provide for selective actuation. | 02-17-2011 |
20110072645 | MICROPOSITIONING RECORDING HEAD FOR A MAGNETIC STORAGE DEVICE - A method of assembling a recording head includes attaching a first segment having a plurality of toroidal coils to a second segment having a plurality of flexure beams to form a wafer assembly. The method also includes attaching the wafer assembly to a slider body such that a cavity portion of the second segment cooperates with a cavity portion in the slider body to form a transducer cavity. The method also includes vacuum attaching the slider body to a reference flat surface. The method also includes positioning a transducer body having a transducer in the transducer cavity using a touch sensor. | 03-31-2011 |
20120204935 | HIGHLY EFFICIENT SOLAR ARRAYS - In an example, a solar energy system includes multiple PV modules, multiple reflectors, and a racking assembly. Each of the reflectors is positioned opposite a corresponding one of the PV modules. The racking assembly mechanically interconnects the PV modules and the reflectors to form an interconnected system. The racking assembly defines gaps within the racking assembly and between adjacent PV modules and reflectors. The interconnected system includes multiple contact points associated with the gaps. The gaps and contact points configure the interconnected system to accommodate surface unevenness of an installation surface up to a predetermined surface unevenness. | 08-16-2012 |
20120234374 | THIN-FILM PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULE - A method of forming a longitudinally continuous photovoltaic (PV) module includes arranging strips of thin-film PV material to be spaced apart from and substantially parallel to each other. The method also includes laminating a bottom layer to a first surface of the strips of thin-film PV material, the bottom layer including multiple bottom layer conductive strips. The method also includes laminating a top layer to a second surface of the strips of thin-film PV material opposite the first surface, the top layer including multiple top layer conductive strips. Laminating the bottom layer to the first surface and laminating the top layer to the second surface includes serially and redundantly interconnecting the strips of thin-film PV material together by connecting each one of the strips of thin-film PV material to a different one of the bottom layer conductive strips and a different one of the top layer conductive strips. | 09-20-2012 |
20130062956 | CELL-TO-GRID REDUNDANDT PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEM - In an embodiment, a photovoltaic system includes multiple photovoltaic modules and a module-to-module bus. Each photovoltaic module defines a first end and a second end opposite the first end. Each photovoltaic module includes multiple photovoltaic cells and multiple converters. Energy generated by each photovoltaic cell has multiple paths through the photovoltaic cells to the second end. The converters are electrically coupled to the photovoltaic cells at the second end such that energy generated by each photovoltaic cell is receivable at any of the converters. The module-to-module bus is electrically coupled to each of the photovoltaic modules. The module-to-module bus has an output. Energy generated by each photovoltaic module is receivable at the output independent of any other of the photovoltaic modules. | 03-14-2013 |
20130120878 | INTEGRATED RECORDING HEAD WITH SELECTIVE MOVEMENT - A recording head for use in magnetic storage devices is disclosed. The recording head includes a transducer that is bi-directionally movable with respect to a surface of the magnetic storage medium, thereby enabling improved positioning of the transducer during recording head read and write operations. Various structures are disclosed to bi-directionally actuate the recording head transducer. In one embodiment, an interleaver assembly having a plurality of flexure assemblies employs a motor including magnetic portions for selective, bi-directional actuation. In another embodiment, electrostatic charges are employed in the flexure assemblies for selective actuation. In yet another embodiment, piezoelectric elements are included to provide for selective actuation. | 05-16-2013 |
20130170072 | INTEGRATED RECORDING HEAD WITH SELECTIVE MOVEMENT - In one example, a head is provided that may include a slider body, a transducer body, a transducer connected to the transducer body, and an interleaver assembly interconnecting the slider body and the transducer body. The interleaver assembly may include an interleaver body to which the transducer body is attached, the interleaver body having a plurality of geometric features that enable temporary deformation of the interleaver body in response to exertion of a force on the interleaver body, and the interleaver body may further include piezoelectric elements positioned in the interleaver body, the piezoelectric elements operable such that, when selectively actuated, the piezoelectric elements exert a force on the interleaver body so as to effect selective movement of the transducer with respect to a surface of a medium. | 07-04-2013 |
20130312812 | SPACE AND ENERGY EFFICIENT PHOTOVOLTAIC ARRAY - In an embodiment, a solar energy system includes multiple photovoltaic modules, each oriented substantially at a same angle relative to horizontal. The angle is independent of a latitude of an installation site of the solar energy system and is greater than or equal to 15 degrees. The solar energy system defines a continuous area within a perimeter of the solar energy system. The solar energy system is configured to capture at the photovoltaic modules substantially all light incoming towards the continuous area over an entire season. | 11-28-2013 |
20140035373 | ILLUMINATION AGNOSTIC SOLAR PANEL - In one example, a photovoltaic module includes a plurality of discrete photovoltaic cells arranged in a plurality of cell rows, and a substantially electrically conductive and continuous area backsheet. The photovoltaic cells in each cell row are electrically connected in parallel to each other. The cell rows are electrically connected in series to each other and include a first row and a last row. The backsheet forms a current return path between the first and last rows. The photovoltaic cells are configured such that, in operation, current flows substantially uni-directionally through the plurality of photovoltaic cells between the first row and the last row. | 02-06-2014 |
20140174535 | HIGHLY EFFICIENT SOLAR ARRAYS - In an example, a solar energy system includes multiple PV modules, multiple reflectors, and a racking assembly. Each of the reflectors is positioned opposite a corresponding one of the PV modules. The racking assembly mechanically interconnects the PV modules and the reflectors to form an interconnected system. The racking assembly defines gaps within the racking assembly and between adjacent PV modules and reflectors. The interconnected system includes multiple contact points associated with the gaps. The gaps and contact points configure the interconnected system to accommodate surface unevenness of an installation surface up to a predetermined surface unevenness. | 06-26-2014 |
20140360561 | FULLY REDUNDANT PHOTOVOLTAIC ARRAY - In an embodiment, a photovoltaic (PV) system includes a direct current (DC) bus, multiple PV modules and multiple inverter units. The PV modules are electrically coupled in parallel to the DC bus. The inverter units have DC inputs electrically coupled in parallel to the DC bus and have alternating current (AC) outputs electrically coupled to an AC grid. | 12-11-2014 |
20150047689 | REDUNDANT ELECTRICAL ARCHITECTURE FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULES - One example embodiment includes a PV module comprising a conductive backsheet, a substantially transparent front plate, a plurality of PV cells, a plurality of conductive spacers, and a power conversion device. The PV cells can be disposed between the conductive backsheet and the front plate and can be arranged in a plurality of rows. The PV cells within each row can be connected to each other in parallel and the rows can be connected in series. The PV cells can be interconnected between the conductive spacers. The power conversion device can be redundantly connected to the PV cells via a last conductive spacer connected to a last row. The power conversion device can substantially maintain a maximum peak power of the PV module and can convert a lower voltage collectively generated by the PV cells to a predetermined stepped up voltage greater than or equal to 12 volts. | 02-19-2015 |