Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100326498 | EXTERNAL ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS FOR SOLAR MODULES - Provided are low profile, water-resistant and touch safe safe electrical connectors for solar modules. According to various embodiments, the electrical connectors include a low-profile conductive stud, a low-profile sheath that surrounds the stud, and a socket to mate with the stud. According to various embodiments, the sheath and socket mate via keyed inter-engageable features. Also according to certain embodiments, the socket is fastened to the stud and/or sheath via snap fastening. | 12-30-2010 |
20110277811 | EXTERNAL ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS FOR SOLAR MODULES - Provided are low profile, water-resistant and touch safe electrical connectors for solar modules. According to various embodiments, the electrical connectors include a low-profile conductive stud, a low-profile sheath that surrounds the stud, and a socket to mate with the stud. According to various embodiments, the sheath and socket mate via keyed inter-engageable features. Also according to certain embodiments, the socket is fastened to the stud and/or sheath via snap fastening. | 11-17-2011 |
20120080077 | PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULE SUPPORT WITH INTERFACE STRIPS - Apparatus and techniques for mounting frameless photovoltaic modules reduce module stress induced by the mounting configuration. Interface strips and strip/rail spacing configured to relieve module stress by reducing or eliminating module sag are used. | 04-05-2012 |
20120129401 | EXTERNAL ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS FOR SOLAR MODULES - Provided are low profile, water-resistant and touch safe electrical connectors for solar modules. According to various embodiments, the electrical connectors include a low-profile conductive stud, a low-profile sheath that surrounds the stud, and a socket to mate with the stud. According to various embodiments, the sheath and socket mate via keyed inter-engageable features. Also according to certain embodiments, the socket is fastened to the stud and/or sheath via snap fastening. | 05-24-2012 |
20120291848 | SUPPORTING STRUCTURES FOR BUILDING INTEGRABLE PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULES - Building integrable photovoltaic (BIP) modules include photovoltaic inserts for producing electrical power and supporting structures for mechanically attaching and supporting the insert with respect to a building structure, such as roof tops. The supporting structures may include ventilation ribs that form ventilation channels under the photovoltaic insert and, in certain embodiments, under other components of the module. These ribs may be used to provide mechanical support to the entire module. In specific embodiments, ventilation channels of one module are configured to coincide with ventilation channels of one or more other like modules and to form a continuous channel along the roof edge. The supporting structures may be used to form moisture barriers in between two modules, such as side glitters. In certain embodiments, supporting structures are separate components and are attached to the insert to form a module during fabrication or installation of the module on a building structure. | 11-22-2012 |
20130098420 | INTERCONNECTING STRIPS FOR BUILDING INTEGRABLE PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULES - Provided are novel interconnecting strips for electrically connecting building integrable photovoltaic (BIPV) modules in a photovoltaic array. An interconnecting strip can be provided between a building structure and the BIPV modules, with electrical connections established by lowering the modules onto the strip previously positioned on the structure. The strip can includes two or more terminal groups aligned with different rows of BIPV modules. Each terminal group includes two or more connector terminals for connecting to the modules in that row. The interconnecting strip also includes leads extending between terminal groups and connecting connector terminals of different groups. In certain embodiments, terminal groups are offset with respect to adjacent groups to align with BIPV modules that are similarly offset to provide a moisture barrier. The interconnecting strip may be reconfigured in the field to provide different electrical connection schemes among BIPV modules. | 04-25-2013 |
20130146125 | INTEGRATED JUMPERS FOR BUILDING INTEGRABLE PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULES - Provided are novel building integrable photovoltaic (BIPV) modules having integrated jumpers for interconnecting similar modules in adjacent rows. An integrated jumper is provided on a back side of the photovoltaic portion of the module and includes at least two interconnected jumper contact points. The module also has two connectors provided on the front side of its flap portion. Each connector has at least one connector contact point connected to one or more photovoltaic cells of the module. When a module is positioned over flap portions of two other modules previously installed in an adjacent row, the two jumper contact points on the back side of this new module make electrical connections to the two connector contact points on the front side of the installed modules. In turn, these connections interconnect the photovoltaic cells of the two modules without any need for additional connectors or operations. | 06-13-2013 |
20130174885 | ELECTRICAL ROUTING STRUCTURES FOR BUILDING INTEGRABLE PHOTOVOLTAIC ARRAYS - Provided are electrical routing structures for installing on buildings and for interconnecting adjacent rows of building integrable photovoltaic (BIPV) modules at the ends of these rows. The electrical routing structures may be also used for sealing interfaces with other building components, such as asphalt shingles. An electrical routing structure may include a base, top flap, side flap, and one or two connectors. After the structure is installed, the base is aligned with photovoltaic portions of BIPV modules in one row and bridges a gap between photovoltaic portions of BIPV modules in two adjacent rows. The connectors may be used to interconnect BIPV modules positioned at the ends of two adjacent rows. | 07-11-2013 |