Electrical connectors of building integrable photovoltaic modules
View Patent ↗Provided are novel building integrable photovoltaic (BIP) modules and methods of fabricating thereof. A module may be fabricated from an insert having one or more photovoltaic cells by electrically interconnecting and mechanically integrating one or more connectors with the insert. Each connector may have one or more conductive elements, such as metal sockets and/or pins. At least two of all conductive elements are electrically connected to the photovoltaic cells using, for example, bus bars. These and other electrical components are electrically insulated using a temperature resistant material having a Relative Temperature Index (RTI) of at least about 115° C. The insulation may be provided before or during module fabrication by, for example, providing a prefabricated insulating housing and/or injection molding the temperature resistant material. The temperature resistant material and/or other materials may be used for mechanical integration of the one or more connectors with the insert.
1. A method of fabricating a building integrable photovoltaic module, the method comprising:
providing a photovoltaic module insert comprising one or more sealing sheets, a plurality of electrically interconnected photovoltaic cells sealed within the one or more sealing sheets, and a bus bar that is electrically connected within the one or more sealing sheets to the plurality of electrically interconnected photovoltaic cells and that extends outside the one or more sealing sheets;
providing a connector member comprising a conductive element;
electrically connecting the conductive element to the bus bar; and
after electrically connecting the conductive element to the bus bar, forming a connector body around at least a portion of the connector member by injection molding a first polymeric material,
wherein the building integrable photovoltaic module comprises a temperature resistant material having a Relative Temperature Index (RTI) of at least about 115° C., the temperature resistant material covering the conductive element and the portion of the bus bar that extends outside the one or more sealing sheets.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature resistant material is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, nylon, polyphenylene sulfide, polyamide, polycarbonate, polyester, polypropylene, and polyvinyl chloride.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature resistant material comprises one or more additives selected from the group consisting of mineral fillers, glass fillers, and flame retardants.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature resistant material has a Relative Temperature Index (RTI) of at least about 125° C.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature resistant material is at least partially enclosed in one or more materials selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, thermoplastic rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, ethylene propylene diene monomer, fluoroelastomers, thermoplastic vulcanizates, and flexible cast thermoset materials.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the connector member comprises an insulating housing providing mechanical support to and/or insulating the conductive element, the insulating housing comprising the temperature resistant material.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, thermoplastic rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, and ethylene propylene diene monomer, and wherein the connector body extends over at least a portion of the photovoltaic module insert.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the insulating housing comprises one or more extension flaps forming an insulating sleeve around the bus bar.
9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising insulating the bus bar, prior to forming the connector body, by injection molding the temperature resistant material around the portion of the bus bar.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first polymeric material comprises the temperature resistant material, and wherein the connector body extends over at least a portion of the photovoltaic module insert.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a module overmold extending over at least a portion of the photovoltaic module insert and extending over at least a portion of the connector body by injection molding a second polymeric material.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first polymeric material comprises the temperature resistant material, and wherein the second polymeric material comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, thermoplastic rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, and ethylene propylene diene monomer.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the connector body comprises a cavity containing the conductive element positioned inside the cavity and a seal positioned around an opening of the cavity.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the seal is formed by injection molding one or more materials selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, thermoplastic rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, ethylene propylene diene monomer, fluoroelastomers, thermoplastic vulcanizates, and flexible cast thermoset materials into the cavity of the connector body.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein electrically connecting comprises aligning the connector member with respect to the photovoltaic module insert, and wherein this alignment is substantially maintained during forming the connector body.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein electrically connecting comprises one or more techniques selected from the group consisting of resistance welding, ultrasonic welding, laser welding, and soldering the bus bar to the conductive element.
17. A building integrable photovoltaic module for use on building structures, the building integrable photovoltaic module comprising:
a photovoltaic module insert comprising one or more sealing sheets, a plurality of electrically interconnected photovoltaic cells sealed within the one or more sealing sheets, and a bus bar that is electrically connected within the one or more sealing sheets to the plurality of electrically interconnected photovoltaic cells and that extends outside the one or more sealing sheets;
a connector comprising i) a first conductive element electrically connected to the plurality of electrically interconnected photovoltaic cells by the bus bar and ii) a connector body formed around the first conductive element and the portion of the bus bar that extends outside the one or more sealing sheets, the connector body comprising a temperature resistant material having a Relative Temperature Index (RTI) of at least about 115° C. and
an overmold disposed over at least a portion of the photovoltaic module insert and extending over at least a portion of the connector body.
18. The building integrable photovoltaic module of claim 17 , wherein the connector body further comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, thermoplastic rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, and ethylene propylene diene monomer, the one or more materials formed around the temperature resistant material and extending over at least a portion of the photovoltaic module insert.
19. The building integrable photovoltaic module of claim 17 , wherein the photovoltaic module insert comprises one or more ventilation channels for cooling the photovoltaic module during operation.
20. The building integrable photovoltaic module of claim 17 , wherein the photovoltaic module insert comprises a second bus bar indirectly electrically connected to the plurality of electrically interconnected photovoltaic cells, the second bus bar electrically connected to a second conductive element of the connector member.