Granted Patent B2

US 12,519,421 · App. 19/078,979 · Granted Jan 6, 2026

Inventor: Dean Solon (Gallatin, TN)

Assignee: SHOALS TECHNOLOGIES GROUP, LLC

H02S40/30H01R4/70H01R9/03

Abstract

Claims (30)

1 . A lead assembly for electrically coupling one or more drop lines to a feeder cable, the lead assembly comprising:

a feeder cable having a first diameter;

a drop line cable having a second diameter different than the first diameter, the drop line cable comprising:

a first drop line configured to terminate at a first drop line connector, the first drop line connector configured to be capable of detachable connection to a wire harness having a plurality of branches that are each configured to receive electrical power generated by a corresponding photovoltaic (PV) panel resulting in combined electrical power at the first drop line connector;

a second drop line configured to terminate at a second drop line connector; and

one or more mold structures disposed about and enclosing a region of electrical interconnection between the feeder cable and the drop line cable;

wherein, in the region of electrical interconnection, at least a portion of the drop line cable extends along a longitudinal axis that is parallel to a longitudinal axis of at least a portion of the feeder cable;

the first drop line connector is configured to connect to a first central trunk of the wire harness;

each branch of the plurality of branches of the wire harness couples a different one of a first plurality of PV panels to the first central trunk;

the first plurality of PV panels electrically coupled by the wire harness form a first solar array;

the first drop line connector and the first drop line are configured to electrically couple the first solar array to the feeder cable;

the second drop line connector is configured to connect to a second central trunk of a second wire harness;

each branch of a plurality of branches of the second wire harness couples a different one of a second plurality of PV panels to the second central trunk;

the second plurality of PV panels electrically coupled by the second wire harness form a second solar array; and

the second drop line connector and the second drop line are configured to electrically couple the second solar array to the feeder cable.

2 . A solar power system comprising:

a lead assembly for electrically coupling one or more drop lines to a feeder cable, the lead assembly comprising:

a feeder cable having a first diameter;

a drop line cable having a second diameter different than the first diameter, the drop line cable comprising:

a first drop line configured to terminate at a first drop line connector, the first drop line connector configured to be capable of detachable connection to a wire harness having a plurality of branches that are each configured to receive electrical power generated by a corresponding photovoltaic (PV) panel resulting in combined electrical power at the first drop line connector;

a second drop line configured to terminate at a second drop line connector; and

one or more mold structures disposed about and enclosing a region of electrical interconnection between the feeder cable and the drop line cable;

wherein, in the region of electrical interconnection, at least a portion of the drop line cable extends along a longitudinal axis that is parallel to a longitudinal axis of at least a portion of the feeder cable;

a first plurality of PV panels electrically coupled by the wire harness to form a first solar array, the wire harness further including a first central trunk, each branch of the plurality of branches electrically coupling a different one of the first plurality of PV panels to the first central trunk; and

a second plurality of PV panels electrically coupled by a second wire harness to form a second solar array, the second wire harness including a second central trunk and a second plurality of branches, each branch of the second plurality of branches electrically coupling a different one of the second plurality of PV panels to the second central trunk,

wherein:

the first drop line connector connects to the first central trunk;

the first drop line connector and the first drop line electrically couple the first solar array to the feeder cable;

the second drop line connector connects to the second central trunk; and

the second drop line connector and the second drop line electrically couple the second solar array to the feeder cable.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (7)

References Cited (235)