Integral corner bypass diode interconnecting configuration for multiple solar cells
View Patent ↗A photovoltaic solar cell assembly includes a bypass diode, a first and a second planar solar cell. Each of the first and the second solar cell includes a front facing side and a rear facing side, each rear facing side including a respective conductive surface, each front facing side including a respective current collector bar, and corresponding grid of metallic lines conductively coupled with the current collector bar. A first terminal of the bypass diode is electrically coupled with the conductive surface of the first solar cell. A second terminal of the bypass diode is electrically coupled with the current collector bar of the second solar cell. Electrical coupling of the bypass diode with the first solar cell and the second solar cell excludes any external wiring or busbar.
1. A photovoltaic solar cell assembly comprising:
a bypass diode;
a first planar solar cell; and
a second planar solar cell, each of the first solar cell and the second solar cell including a front facing side and a rear facing side opposite the front facing side, each rear facing side including a respective conductive surface, each front facing side including a respective current collector bar, and a corresponding grid of metallic lines conductively coupled with the current collector bar; wherein:
each solar cell includes a first edge, a second edge, a third edge, and a fourth edge, a distance between the second edge and the fourth edge defining a characteristic width of each cell;
each current collector bar comprises at least two conductively coupled collector bar segments, the at least two conductively coupled collector bar segments including a first collector bar segment that is substantially parallel to and proximate to the first edge, and a second collector bar segment that is substantially parallel to and proximate to the second edge, the second edge being orthogonal with respect to the first edge;
the bypass diode is disposed between the first planar solar cell and the second planar solar cell, proximate to a beveled corner edge of the first planar solar cell;
a first terminal of the bypass diode is connected by way of a first electrical coupling to the conductive surface of the first solar cell, a proximal portion of the first electrical coupling being connected with the first terminal, a distal portion of the first electrical coupling underlying the rear facing side of the first solar cell;
a second terminal of the bypass diode is connected by way of a second electrical coupling to the second collector bar segment of the current collector bar of the second solar cell a proximal portion of the second electrical coupling being connected with the second terminal, a distal portion of the second electrical coupling overlying the front facing side of the second solar cell; and
each of the first electrical coupling and the second electrical coupling excludes any external wiring or busbar.
2. The photovoltaic solar cell assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the first electrical coupling and the second electrical coupling include no portions external to the characteristic width.
3. The photovoltaic solar cell assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first electrical coupling includes an interconnect member.
4. The photovoltaic solar cell assembly of claim 1 , wherein in each solar cell:
no collector bar segment is parallel to and proximate to at least one of the third edge and the fourth edge.
5. The photovoltaic solar cell assembly of claim 4 , wherein the second terminal of the bypass diode is adjacent to a proximal end of the second collector bar segment of the second solar cell, and the second electrical coupling includes a first cell interconnect.
6. The photovoltaic solar cell assembly of claim 4 , wherein in each solar cell the corresponding grid of metallic lines comprises a plurality of parallel metallic lines, said lines being substantially straight.
7. The photovoltaic solar cell assembly of claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of parallel metallic lines is disposed substantially orthogonal to the first edge and substantially parallel to the second edge.
8. The photovoltaic solar cell assembly of claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of parallel metallic lines is disposed at an acute angle to the first edge and to the second edge.
9. A solar panel comprising:
a plurality of photovoltaic solar cell assemblies, the solar panel further comprising a plurality of strings, each said string comprising a series connected subset of the plurality of photovoltaic solar cell assemblies, wherein each solar cell assembly includes:
a bypass diode;
a first planar solar cell; and
a second planar solar cell, each of the first solar cell and the second solar cell including a front facing side and a rear facing side opposite the front facing side, each rear facing side including a respective conductive surface, each front facing side including a respective current collector bar, and a corresponding grid of metallic lines conductively coupled with the current collector bar; wherein:
each planar solar cell includes a first edge, a second edge, a third edge, and a fourth edge, a distance between the second edge and the fourth edge defining a characteristic width of each cell;
each current collector bar comprises at least two conductively coupled collector bar segments, the at least two conductively coupled collector bar segments including a first collector bar segment that is substantially parallel to and proximate to the first edge, and a second collector bar segment that is substantially parallel to and proximate to the second edge, the second edge being orthogonal with respect to the first edge;
the bypass diode is disposed between the first planar solar cell and the second planar solar cell, proximate to a beveled corner edge of the first planar solar cell;
a first terminal of the bypass diode is connected by way of a first electrical coupling to the conductive surface of the first solar cell, a proximal portion of the first electrical coupling being connected with the first terminal, a distal portion of the first electrical coupling underlying the rear facing side of the first solar cell;
a second terminal of the bypass diode is connected by way of a second electrical coupling to the second collector bar segment of the current collector bar of the second solar cell', a proximal portion of the second electrical coupling being connected with the second terminal, a distal portion of the second electrical coupling overlying the front facing side of the second solar cell; and
each of the first electrical coupling and the second electrical coupling excludes any external wiring or external busbar.
10. The solar panel of claim 9 , wherein in each solar cell assembly:
the first electrical coupling and the second electrical coupling include no portions external to the characteristic width.
11. The solar panel of claim 10 , wherein in each solar cell assembly the first electrical coupling includes an interconnect member.
12. The solar panel of claim 10 , wherein in each solar cell
no collector bar segment is parallel to and proximate to at least one of the third edge and the fourth edge.
13. The solar panel of claim 12 , wherein in each solar cell assembly, the second terminal of the bypass diode is adjacent to a proximal end of the second collector bar segment of the second solar cell, and the second electrical coupling includes a first cell interconnect.
14. The solar panel of claim 12 , wherein in each solar cell the corresponding grid of metallic lines comprises a plurality of parallel metallic lines, said lines being substantially straight.
15. The solar panel of claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of parallel metallic lines is disposed substantially orthogonal to the first edge and substantially parallel to the second edge.
16. The solar panel of claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of parallel metallic lines is disposed at an acute angle to the first edge and to the second edge.
17. The photovoltaic solar cell assembly of claim 5 , wherein the bypass diode is configured to protect both of the first solar cell and the second solar cell, and the bypass diode is electrically coupled with the first solar cell and the second solar cell only by way of the first electrical coupling and the second electrical coupling.
18. The photovoltaic solar cell assembly of claim 17 , wherein:
the first collector bar segment of the first solar cell is electrically connected to the conductive surface of the second solar cell with a second cell interconnect; and
the first solar cell and the second solar cell are connected in series to form a series connected pair of solar cells, and the bypass diode is connected in parallel across the series-connected pair of solar cells.
19. The solar panel of claim 13 , wherein, within each solar cell assembly, the bypass diode is configured to protect both of the first planar solar cell and the second planar solar cell and the bypass diode is electrically coupled with the first solar cell and the second solar cell only by way of the first electrical coupling and the second electrical coupling.
20. The solar panel of claim 19 , wherein, within each solar cell assembly,
the first collector bar segment of the first solar cell is electrically connected to the conductive surface of the second solar cell with a second cell interconnect; and
the first planar solar cell and the second planar solar cell are connected in series to form a series connected pair of solar cells, and the bypass diode is connected in parallel across the series-connected pair of solar cells.