DOUBLE SIDED TAPE
A double sided tape without pin holes has a plurality of flexible support and pressure sensitive adhesive layers.
1 . A double sided tape comprising:
a first pressure sensitive adhesive layer comprising a first pressure sensitive adhesive side and a second pressure sensitive adhesive side, wherein the first and second pressure sensitive adhesive sides comprise a pressure sensitive adhesive;
a first flexible support layer comprising a first support side and a second support side, wherein the first support side is layered adjacent to the second pressure sensitive adhesive side of the first pressure sensitive adhesive layer; and
a second pressure sensitive adhesive layer comprising a first pressure sensitive adhesive side and a second pressure sensitive adhesive side, wherein the first and second pressure sensitive adhesive sides comprise the pressure sensitive adhesive, wherein the first pressure sensitive adhesive side of the second pressure sensitive adhesive layer is layered adjacent to the second support side of the first flexible support layer.
2 . The double sided tape of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second flexible support layer comprising a first support side and a second support side, wherein the first support side of the second flexible support layer is layered adjacent to the second pressure sensitive adhesive side of the second pressure sensitive adhesive layer; and
a third pressure sensitive adhesive layer comprising a first pressure sensitive adhesive side and a second pressure sensitive adhesive side, wherein the first and second pressure sensitive adhesive sides comprise the pressure sensitive adhesive, and the first pressure sensitive adhesive side of the third pressure sensitive adhesive layer is layered adjacent to the second support side of the second flexible support layer.
3 . The double sided tape of claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive comprises a low surface energy pressure sensitive adhesive.
4 . The double sided tape of claim 1 , wherein the flexible support layer comprises a polyethylene terephthalate.
5 . The double sided tape of claim 1 , comprising a dielectric breakdown voltage greater than about 5 kV.
6 . The double sided tape of claim 5 , comprising a dielectric breakdown voltage greater than about 10 kV.
7 . The double sided tape of claim 5 , comprising a dielectric breakdown voltage greater than about 16 kV.
8 . The double sided tape of claim 5 , comprising a dielectric breakdown voltage greater than about 20 kV.
9 . The double sided tape of claim 1 , wherein each pressure sensitive adhesive layer has a thickness less than 0.08 mm.
10 . The double sided tape of claim 9 , wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive layer has a thickness in the range of 0.01 millimeter to 0.02 millimeter.
11 . The double sided tape of claim 1 , wherein the flexible support layer has a thickness less than 0.1 millimeter.
12 . The double sided tape of claim 11 , wherein the flexible support layer has a thickness in the range of 0.02 millimeter to 0.03 millimeter.
13 . A method of manufacturing a double sided tape comprising layering a first pressure sensitive adhesive layer, a first flexible support layer, and a second pressure sensitive adhesive layer, wherein the layering comprises:
placing the first support side of the first flexible support layer comprising a first support side and a second support side adjacent to the first pressure sensitive adhesive side of the first pressure sensitive adhesive layer comprising a first pressure sensitive adhesive side and a second pressure sensitive adhesive side; and
placing the second support side of the first flexible support layer adjacent to the first pressure sensitive adhesive side of the second pressure sensitive adhesive layer comprising a first pressure sensitive adhesive side and a second pressure sensitive adhesive side.
14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising layering a second flexible support layer adjacent to the second pressure sensitive adhesive layer and a third pressure sensitive adhesive layer adjacent to the second flexible support layer, wherein the layering comprises:
placing the first support side of the second flexible support layer comprising a first support side and a second support side adjacent to the second pressure sensitive adhesive side of the second pressure sensitive adhesive layer; and
placing the first pressure sensitive adhesive side of the third pressure sensitive adhesive layer comprising a first pressure sensitive adhesive side and a second pressure sensitive adhesive side adjacent to the second support side of the second flexible support layer.
15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive layer has a thickness less than 0.08 millimeter.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive layer has a thickness in the range of 0.01 millimeter to 0.02 millimeter.
17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the flexible support layer has a thickness less than 0.1 millimeter.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the flexible support has a thickness in the range of 0.02 millimeter to 0.03 millimeter.
19 . A photovoltaic module comprising:
a transparent conductive layer on a substrate;
a first submodule comprising a first plurality of photovoltaic cells connected in series;
a second submodule comprising a second plurality of photovoltaic cells connected in series, wherein the first and second submodules are connected in parallel and contacting the transparent conductive layer through a shared cell;
a strip of tape having a length distributed along a contact region on the first and second submodules, the strip of tape comprising:
a first pressure sensitive adhesive layer comprising a first pressure sensitive adhesive side and a second pressure sensitive adhesive side, wherein the first and second pressure sensitive adhesive sides comprise a pressure sensitive adhesive;
a first flexible support layer comprising a first support side and a second support side and attached adjacent to the second pressure sensitive adhesive side of the first pressure sensitive adhesive layer;
a second pressure sensitive adhesive layer comprising a first pressure sensitive adhesive side and a second pressure sensitive adhesive side, wherein the first and second pressure sensitive adhesive sides comprise the pressure sensitive adhesive, and the first pressure sensitive adhesive side of the second pressure sensitive adhesive layer is attached adjacent to the second support side of the first flexible support layer;
a second flexible support layer comprising a first support side and a second support side and attached adjacent to the second pressure sensitive adhesive side of the second pressure sensitive adhesive layer; and
a third pressure sensitive adhesive layer comprising a first pressure sensitive adhesive side and a second pressure sensitive adhesive side, wherein the first and second pressure sensitive adhesive sides comprise the pressure sensitive adhesive, and the first pressure sensitive adhesive side of the third pressure sensitive adhesive layer is attached adjacent to the second support side of the second flexible support layer.
20 . The photovoltaic module of claim 19 , further comprising
a lead foil distributed along the length of the strip of tape;
a plurality of parallel bus bars, positioned adjacent and perpendicular to the strip of tape, wherein each one of the plurality of parallel bus bars contacts the lead foil; and
a back support adjacent to the bus bars comprising an access opening for accessing the lead foil.
21 . The photovoltaic module of claim 19 , wherein at least one of the pressure sensitive adhesive layers of the strip of tape comprises discontinuous stripes.
22 . The photovoltaic module of claim 19 , wherein the strip of tape comprises a release liner on at least one of the pressure sensitive adhesive layers.