Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric – Photoelectric – Panel or array
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-06
2001-06-05
Diamond, Alan (Department: 1753)
Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric
Photoelectric
Panel or array
C136S251000, C136S293000, C136S256000, C136S291000, C052S173300, C438S066000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06242685
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a structure and method of installing a photovoltaic module on a roof, etc., at a given location such as on the roof of a building.
A photovoltaic module is known as one way for obtaining electric energy. The photovoltaic module is often installed at a location well exposed to solar energy, such as the roof of a building.
There are two type of photovoltaic modules—a crystalline type and an amorphous type. In one practical form of a thin film amorphous type, transparent conductive films are formed at predetermined intervals in a band-like fashion on one-side (back surface side) of a glass substrate.
A plurality of band-like cells are arranged at predetermined intervals on the transparent conductive film and formed of a semiconductor layer. A back electrode layer is formed on each cell in a stacking fashion. The respective adjacent cells are electrically connected, in a serial array, through the transparent conductive film and back electrode layer.
Bus bars, as output power collecting electrodes, are attached to the transparent conductive films at one end and at the other end. One of the bus bars serves as an anode and the other bus bar serves as a cathode.
The cells formed on the back surface side of the glass substrate are sealed with resin and the resin is covered with a resin film. The longitudinal end sides of the paired bus bars extend through the resin and a power output of the solar cells is obtained across these bus bars.
In the photovoltaic module thus configured, the sealing of the resin at the back side of the glass substrate is achieved by joining a sheet-like resin to the back side, setting the joined area under reduced pressure and further heating the resin.
If any external force is inadvertently applied to the resin and bus bars when the photovoltaic modules are installed or, for example, after such installation is done, then the seal quality by the resin sometimes deteriorates.
In the case where a photovoltaic module with a deteriorated resin-sealing quality is placed on the roof of a building, etc., there is sometimes the case that rainwater seeps into the module and causes corrosion in the photovoltaic module.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly the object of the present invention to provide a structure and method of installing a photovoltaic module which reduces the amount of corrosion in the module.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object of the present invention, an installed structure according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention is provided in which, in the installed structure containing a photovoltaic module having a cathode and anode for taking out a power output, the photovoltaic module has its cathode set in a higher position than the anode.
The present invention is based on the following finding. That is, in their experiments, the inventors have found that the bus area serving as the cathode or solar cells adjacent to the cathode in particular is more likely to be corroded earlier than the bus area serving as the anode.
According to the structure containing the photovoltaic modules, even if rainwater, etc., seeps into the photovoltaic module, since the cathode is set in a higher position than the anode, rainwater is less likely to accumulate and it is possible to prevent the cathode area from being corroded earlier.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3769091 (1973-10-01), Leinkram et al.
patent: 5590495 (1997-01-01), Bressler et al.
Mizukami Seishiro
Nomura Takuji
Diamond Alan
Hogan & Hartson LLP
Kaneka Corporation
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