POWER-LOSS-INHIBITING CURRENT-COLLECTOR
A power-loss-inhibiting current-collector. The power-loss-inhibiting current-collector includes a trace for collecting current from a solar cell. The power-loss-inhibiting current-collector further includes a current-limiting portion of the power-loss-inhibiting current-collector. The current-limiting portion of the power-loss-inhibiting current-collector is coupled to the trace. The current-limiting portion of the power-loss-inhibiting current-collector is configured to regulate current flow through the power-loss-inhibiting current-collector.
1 . A power-loss-inhibiting current-collector comprising:
a trace for collecting current from a solar cell; and
a current-limiting portion coupled with said trace, said current-limiting portion configured to regulate current flow through said power-loss-inhibiting current-collector.
2 . The power-loss-inhibiting current-collector of claim 1 , wherein said trace further comprises an electrically conductive core.
3 . The power-loss-inhibiting current-collector of claim 1 , wherein said trace further comprises nickel.
4 . The power-loss-inhibiting current-collector of claim 1 , wherein said trace further comprises an electrically conductive core and a layer overlying said electrically conductive core, said layer overlying said electrically conductive core comprising nickel.
5 . The power-loss-inhibiting current-collector of claim 1 , wherein said current-limiting portion comprises a layer of current-limiting material disposed coating at least a portion of said trace.
6 . The power-loss-inhibiting current-collector of claim 1 , wherein said current-limiting portion of a segment of said power-loss-inhibiting current-collector has a resistance that increases with occurrence of a shunt defect in said solar cell located in proximity to a contact between said current-limiting portion of said segment of said power-loss-inhibiting current-collector and said solar cell.
7 . The power-loss-inhibiting current-collector of claim 1 , wherein said current-limiting portion is integrated with said trace.
8 . The power-loss-inhibiting current-collector of claim 1 , wherein said current-limiting portion further comprises a positive-temperature-coefficient-of-electrical-resistance structure having a positive temperature coefficient of electrical resistance, said positive-temperature-coefficient-of-electrical-resistance structure comprising:
a low-conductivity matrix portion; and
a plurality of high-conductivity portions dispersed in said low-conductivity matrix portion.
9 . The power-loss-inhibiting current-collector of claim 8 , wherein said low-conductivity matrix portion of said positive-temperature-coefficient-of-electrical-resistance structure is selected from the group of materials consisting of a thermoplastic, an epoxy, an adhesive, an electrical varnish and a binder of an ink.
10 . The power-loss-inhibiting current-collector of claim 8 , wherein said plurality of high-conductivity portions dispersed in said low-conductivity matrix of said positive-temperature-coefficient-of-electrical-resistance structure is selected from the group of materials consisting of silver, tin, nickel, and carbon.
11 . The power-loss-inhibiting current-collector of claim 1 , wherein said current-limiting portion further comprises a material selected from the group of current-limiting materials consisting of silver oxide, nickel oxide, indium tin oxide, zinc oxide, aluminum zinc oxide, resistive aluminum zinc oxide, a conductive carbon-containing material and a conductive nitrogen-containing material.
12 . A combined solar-cell, power-loss-inhibiting current-collector comprising:
a solar cell; and
a power-loss-inhibiting current-collector comprising:
a trace for collecting current from said solar cell; and
a current-limiting portion coupled with said trace, said current-limiting portion configured to regulate current flow through said power-loss-inhibiting current-collector.
13 . The combined solar-cell, power-loss-inhibiting current-collector of claim 12 , wherein said current-limiting portion comprises a layer of current-limiting material disposed coating at least a portion of said trace.
14 . The combined solar-cell, power-loss-inhibiting current-collector of claim 12 , wherein said current-limiting portion is integrated with said trace.
15 . The combined solar-cell, power-loss-inhibiting current-collector of claim 12 , wherein said current-limiting portion further comprises a positive-temperature-coefficient-of-electrical-resistance structure having a positive temperature coefficient of electrical resistance, said positive-temperature-coefficient-of-electrical-resistance structure comprising:
a low-conductivity matrix portion; and
a plurality of high-conductivity portions dispersed in said low-conductivity matrix portion.
16 . The combined solar-cell, power-loss-inhibiting current-collector of claim 15 , wherein said low-conductivity matrix portion of said positive-temperature-coefficient-of-electrical-resistance structure is selected from the group of materials consisting of a thermoplastic, an epoxy, an adhesive, an electrical varnish and a binder of an ink.
17 . The combined solar-cell, power-loss-inhibiting current-collector of claim 15 , wherein said plurality of high-conductivity portions dispersed in said low-conductivity matrix of said positive-temperature-coefficient-of-electrical-resistance structure is selected from the group of materials consisting of silver, tin, nickel, and carbon.
18 . The combined solar-cell, power-loss-inhibiting current-collector of claim 12 , wherein said current-limiting portion further comprises a material selected from the group of current-limiting materials consisting of silver oxide, nickel oxide, indium tin oxide, zinc oxide, aluminum zinc oxide, resistive aluminum zinc oxide, a conductive carbon-containing material and a conductive nitrogen-containing material.
19 . A system for photovoltaic current-collection comprising:
an electrical-conduction means for collecting current from a photovoltaic-convertor means for converting radiant power into electrical power; and
a current-regulating means for limiting current to a portion of said system for photovoltaic current-collection coupled with said electrical-conduction means, said current-regulating means configured to regulate current flow through said system for photovoltaic current-collection.
20 . The system for photovoltaic current-collection of claim 19 , wherein said current-regulating means of a segment of said system for photovoltaic current-collection has a resistance that increases with occurrence of a shunt defect in said photovoltaic-convertor means located in proximity to a contact between said current-regulating means of said segment of said system for photovoltaic current-collection and said photovoltaic-convertor means.