Junction box for photovoltaic systems

1. An electrical junction box, comprising a housing having an exterior surface, an interior portion, a plurality of receptacles positioned within said interior portion, and a plurality of guide channels extending from said exterior surface to said interior portion, each of said plurality of guide channels including an outer end located on said exterior surface of said housing and an inner end located within said interior portion of said housing in communication with a corresponding one of said plurality of receptacles, said inner and outer ends of each of said plurality of guide channels having different orientations, wherein each of said plurality of guide channels includes a first wall having a convex surface, and a second wall spaced from said first wall and having a concave surface, whereby one of a plurality of electrical conductors is extendable through a corresponding one of said plurality of guide channels in a non-linear fashion; further comprising a plurality of buss bars, each of said plurality of receptacles being sized and shaped to receive one of said plurality of buss bars, each of said plurality of buss bars being connectable to a corresponding one of the plurality of electrical conductors, wherein each of said plurality of receptacles includes a pair of shoulders and a floor recessed between said pair of shoulders, and each of said plurality of buss bars includes a central portion and a pair of arms extending laterally therefrom, said arms of one of said plurality of buss bars rest on said shoulders of a corresponding one of said plurality of receptacles such that said central portion of said one of said plurality of buss bars is seated above said floor of said corresponding one of said plurality of receptacles, wherein the plurality of electrical conductors includes a plurality of foil strips, one of the plurality of foil strips being directed between said flat portion of a corresponding one of said plurality of receptacles and said central portion of a corresponding one of said plurality of buss bars when the foil strip is received by said corresponding one of said plurality of receptacles, wherein said plurality of foil strips are adapted to be electrically connected to a photovoltaic system.

2. The electrical junction box of claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of guide channels includes guiding means, located between said inner and outer ends of said guide channel, for guiding the electrical conductor from a first direction to a second direction different from said first direction.

3. The electrical junction box of claim 2 , wherein said first and second directions are substantially perpendicular to one another.

4. The electrical junction box of claim 1 , further comprising first connecting means for electrically connecting said plurality of buss bars to one another.

5. The electrical junction box of claim 4 , wherein said first connecting means includes at least one diode.

6. The electrical junction box of claim 5 , wherein said at least one diode includes a plurality of diodes.

7. The electrical junction box of claim 6 , further comprising a heat sink mounted to said housing, said heat sink including a mounting portion positioned within said interior portion of said housing and a plurality of fins extending from said mounting portion and protruding externally from said housing, and said plurality of diodes being mounted to said mounting portion of said heat sink.

8. The electrical junction box of claim 1 , further comprising second connecting means for connecting each of the plurality of foil strips to a corresponding one of said plurality of buss bars.

9. The electrical junction box of claim 8 , wherein said second connecting means includes a plurality of electrical connectors, each of the plurality of foil strips being connectable to a corresponding one of said plurality of buss bars by a corresponding one of said plurality of electrical connectors.

10. The electrical junction box of claim 9 , wherein said plurality of electrical connectors includes a plurality of low insertion connectors.

11. The electrical junction box of claim 10 , wherein said housing includes a base and a cover, said base including a first end and a second end opposite said first end, said cover being removably attached to said first end of said base, said outer ends of said plurality of guide channels being located at said second end of said base.

12. The electrical junction box of claim 11 , wherein said cover includes an interior surface and a plurality of boss members extending from said interior surface of said cover, whereby when said cover is attached to said base, each of said plurality of boss members is urged against a corresponding one of said plurality of low insertion connectors to facilitate a mechanical and an electrical connection between a corresponding one of the plurality of foil strips and a corresponding one of said plurality of buss bars.

13. The electrical junction box of claim 12 , wherein said cover includes at least one latch member and said base includes at least one lock tab, said at least one latch member and said at least one lock tab being sized and shaped such that they are releasably engageable with one another.

14. The electrical junction box of claim 10 , wherein one of said plurality of low insertion connectors is electrically connected to an external device, and another of said plurality of low insertion connectors is electrically connected to the external device.