IP Library Granted Patent US 11,811,360
Granted Patent B2
US 11,811,360 · App. 14/228,646 · Granted Nov 7, 2023

High voltage solar modules

Inventors: Gopal Krishan Garg (Fremont, CA); Seung Bum Rim (Palo Alto, CA); Peter John Cousins (Los Altos, CA)
Assignee: Maxeon Solar Pte. Ltd.
H02S40/32H01L31/0475H01L31/0504H01L31/068H02S40/34Y02E10/547
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,811,360
App. No.
14/228,646
Granted
Nov 7, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A photovoltaic module can include a high voltage photovoltaic laminate that include a plurality of high voltage photovoltaic cells with each of the high voltage photovoltaic cells including a plurality of sub-cells. A boost-less conversion device can be configured to convert a first voltage from the high voltage photovoltaic laminate to a second voltage.

Claims (24)

1. A photovoltaic module, comprising:

a photovoltaic laminate that includes a plurality of physically separated sub-cells formed upon singulation of a photovoltaic cell, each of the plurality of sub-cells comprising a N-type semiconductor region and a P-type semiconductor region on a back surface, opposite a light-receiving surface, of each of the singulated and physically separated sub-cells, a metallization structure comprising a metal portion which electrically bridges but does not entirely overlap the- N-type semiconductor region of a first sub-cell to the P-type semiconductor region of a second sub-cell of the plurality of sub-cells, wherein the N-type semiconductor region of the first sub-cell and the P-type semiconductor region of the second sub-cell of the plurality of sub-cells extend along edges of respective sub-cells along a length of a groove that separates the N-type semiconductor region of the first sub-cell from the P-type semiconductor region of the second sub-cell of the plurality of sub-cells, the length of the groove being parallel along a same direction as an edge of the first sub-cell and an edge of the second sub-cell defining the groove, and the length of the groove orthogonal to a width of the groove, the width extending from the edge of the first sub-cell to the edge of the second sub-cell defining the groove, wherein the metal portion is directly on the N-type semiconductor region of the first sub-cell and directly on the P-type semiconductor region of the second sub-cell of the plurality of sub-cells, and the metal portion is a continuous structure that extends over the groove for substantially all of an entirety of the length of the groove.

2. The photovoltaic module of claim 1 , wherein the metal portion of the metallization structure connects the sub-cells in-parallel, in-series, or a combination thereof.

3. The photovoltaic module of claim 1 , further comprising a boost-less voltage conversion device configured to convert a first voltage from the photovoltaic laminate to a second voltage.

4. The photovoltaic module of claim 1 , wherein the metallization structure comprises a plated metal or a metal foil.

5. The photovoltaic module of claim 3 , further comprising a junction box, wherein the boost-less voltage conversion device is located inside a housing of the junction box.

6. The photovoltaic module of claim 3 , wherein the boost-less voltage conversion device includes a high frequency isolation transformer with a switching frequency greater than 100 KHz.

7. The photovoltaic module of claim 3 , wherein the boost-less voltage conversion device is further configured to convert the second voltage to a third voltage.

8. The photovoltaic module of claim 3 , wherein the boost-less voltage conversion device has Vmp>1.43 Vgrid.

9. The photovoltaic module of claim 3 , wherein the boost-less voltage conversion device is a boost-less direct current (DC) power optimizer with isolation, wherein both the first and second voltages are DC voltages.

10. The photovoltaic module of claim 3 , wherein the boost-less voltage conversion device is configured to provide the second voltage to a power grid.

11. The photovoltaic module of claim 3 , wherein the boost-less voltage conversion device is further configured to operate in a bypass mode dependent on a Vmp of the photovoltaic module falling below a threshold value.

12. A photovoltaic module, comprising:

a photovoltaic laminate that includes a plurality of photovoltaic cells, wherein each of the plurality of the photovoltaic cells comprises a plurality of physically separated sub-cells formed upon singulation of the photovoltaic cells, each of the plurality of sub-cells comprising a N-type semiconductor region and a P-type semiconductor region on a back surface, opposite a light-receiving surface, of each of the singulated and physically separated sub-cells, a metallization structure comprising a metal portion which electrically bridges but does not entirely overlap the N-type semiconductor region of a first sub-cell to the P-type semiconductor region of a second sub-cell of the plurality of sub-cells, wherein the N-type semiconductor region of the first sub-cell and the P-type semiconductor region of the second sub-cell of the plurality of sub-cells extend along edges of respective sub-cells along a length of a groove that separates the N-type semiconductor region of the first sub-cell from the P-type semiconductor region of the second sub-cell of the plurality of sub-cells, the length of the groove being parallel along a same direction as an edge of the first sub-cell and an edge of the second sub-cell defining the groove, and the length of the groove orthogonal to a width of the groove, the width extending from the edge of the first sub-cell to the edge of the second sub-cell defining the groove, wherein the metal portion is directly on the N-type semiconductor region of the first sub-cell and directly on the P-type semiconductor region of the second sub-cell of the plurality of sub-cells, and the metal portion is a continuous structure that extends over the groove for substantially all of an entirety of the length of the groove.

13. The photovoltaic module of claim 12 , wherein the metal portion of the metallization structure connects the sub-cells in-parallel, in-series, or a combination thereof.

14. The photovoltaic module of claim 12 , wherein the metallization structure comprises a plated metal or a metal foil.

15. The photovoltaic module of claim 12 , further comprising a junction box, wherein a boost-less voltage conversion device is located inside a housing of the junction box.

16. A photovoltaic laminate, the photovoltaic laminate comprising:

a plurality of physically separated sub-cells formed upon singulation of a photovoltaic cell, each of the plurality of sub-cells comprising a N-type semiconductor region and a P-type semiconductor region on a back surface, opposite a light-receiving surface, of each of the singulated and physically separated sub-cells, a metallization structure comprising a metal portion which electrically bridges but does not entirely overlap the N-type semiconductor region of a first sub-cell to the P-type semiconductor region of a second sub-cell of the plurality of sub-cells, wherein the N-type semiconductor region of the first sub-cell and the P-type semiconductor region of the second sub-cell of the plurality of sub-cells extend along edges of respective sub-cells along a length of a groove that separates the N-type semiconductor region of the first sub-cell from the P-type semiconductor region of the second sub-cell of the plurality of sub-cells, the length of the groove being parallel along a same direction as an edge of the first sub-cell and an edge of the second sub-cell defining the groove, and the length of the groove orthogonal to a width of the groove, the width extending from the edge of the first sub-cell to the edge of the second sub-cell defining the groove, wherein the metal portion is directly on the N-type semiconductor region of the first sub-cell and directly on the P-type semiconductor region of the second sub-cell of the plurality of sub-cells, and the metal portion is a continuous structure that extends over the groove for substantially all of an entirety of the length of the groove.

17. The photovoltaic module of claim 16 , wherein the metal portion of the metallization structure connects the sub-cells in-parallel, in-series, or a combination thereof.

18. The photovoltaic module of claim 16 , wherein the metallization structure comprises a plated metal or a metal foil.

19. The photovoltaic module of claim 16 , further comprising a junction box, wherein a boost-less voltage conversion device is located inside a housing of the junction box.

20. The photovoltaic module of claim 3 , wherein the boost-less voltage conversion device is a boost-less microinverter, wherein the first voltage is a direct current (DC) voltage and the second voltage is an alternating current (AC) voltage.

21. The photovoltaic module of claim 1 , wherein the groove is a thin laser groove.

Assignments (5)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 27, 2024
From: MAXEON SOLAR PTE. LTD.
To: DB TRUSTEES (HONG KONG) LIMITED
Reel/Frame 067924/0062 →
SECOND LIEN SECURITY INTEREST AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 26, 2024
From: MAXEON SOLAR PTE. LTD
To: DB TRUSTEES (HONG KONG) LIMITED
Reel/Frame 071343/0553 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2024
From: MAXEON SOLAR PTE. LTD.
To: DB TRUSTEES (HONG KONG) LIMITED
Reel/Frame 067637/0598 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 24, 2023
From: SUNPOWER CORPORATION
To: MAXEON SOLAR PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 062699/0875 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 2, 2015
From: GARG, GOPAL KRISHAN; RIM, SEUNG BUM; COUSINS, PETER JOHN
To: SUNPOWER CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 036478/0589 →