Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric – Photoelectric – Panel or array
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-31
2004-07-13
Diamond, Alan (Department: 1753)
Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric
Photoelectric
Panel or array
C136S256000, C257S461000, C257S465000, C257S466000, C438S063000, C438S098000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06762359
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photovoltaic panel and a method of producing a photovoltaic panel.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Japanese patent document No. 7(1995)-335925 discloses a photovoltaic panel including (a) a transparent, plate-like member including a plurality of photovoltaic elements each of which has a P-N junction between its core portion and its shell portion; (b) a first electrode which is provided on one of opposite sides of the plate-like member and which is electrically connected to the respective shell portions of the photovoltaic elements; and (c) a second electrode which is provided on the other side of the plate-like member and which is electrically connected to the respective core portions of the photovoltaic elements.
The photovoltaic panel disclosed in the above-indicated document receives light on the above-indicated other side of the plate-like member where the second electrode does not fully cover the plate-like member. Since the second electrode does not fully cover a light receiving surface of the plate-like member, light can be incident to the light receiving surface of the plate-like member.
However, the photovoltaic panel disclosed in the above-indicated document has the problem that the second electrode only partly covers the light receiving surface of the plate-like member, i.e., that the light receiving area of the panel is decreased by the provision of the second electrode and accordingly the light incident to the panel cannot be efficiently utilized by the panel.
Japanese patent document No. 7(1995)-335925, indicated above, discloses a photovoltaic-panel producing method including (a) a photovoltaic-element-holding-member forming step of forming a light-transmitting, plate-like member holding a number of photovoltaic elements and (b) an electrode forming step of forming electrodes which are electrically connected to the photovoltaic elements held by the photovoltaic-element holding member formed in the photovoltaic-element-holding-member forming step. In the photovoltaic-element-holding-member forming step of the photovoltaic-panel producing method, the photovoltaic-element holding member is produced by first applying a light-transmitting resin to the photovoltaic elements fixed at respective predetermined positions on a substrate and subsequently curing the resin.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to make it possible to utilize more efficiently light incident to a photovoltaic panel.
It is another object of the present invention to make it possible to produce more easily a photovoltaic-element holding member than the photovoltaic-panel producing method disclosed in the above-indicated document does.
The above object may be achieved according to any one of the following features of the present invention in the form of a photovoltaic panel and a photovoltaic-panel producing method. Each of the following features of the present invention is numbered like the appended claims and depends from the other feature or features, where appropriate, to indicate and clarify possible combinations of technical features. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the technical features or any combinations thereof that will be described for illustrative purposes only. It is to be further understood that a plurality of elements included in any one of the following features of the invention are not necessarily provided all together, and that the invention may be embodied without some of the elements described with respect to each feature.
(1) A method of producing a photovoltaic panel, comprising the steps of:
producing a light-transmitting, photovoltaic-element holding member which holds, along a reference surface, a plurality of photovoltaic elements each of which includes a P-type layer and an N-type layer, and
forming, on one of opposite sides of the photovoltaic-element holding member, a first electrode which is electrically connected to the respective P-type layers of the photovoltaic elements, and a second electrode which is electrically connected to the respective N-type layers of the photovoltaic elements. The reference surface may be a plane surface or a curved surface. The photovoltaic-element holding member may have a generally plate-like shape.
In the photovoltaic-panel producing method according to this feature, the photovoltaic-element holding member holding the photovoltaic elements is produced, and both the first electrode electrically connected to the P-type layers and the second electrode electrically connected to the N-type layers are provided on one of opposite sides of the holding member. That is, neither of the first and second electrodes is provided on the other side of the holding member. Therefore, in the case where the holding member has a light receiving surface on the other side thereof, the photovoltaic panel can efficiently utilize the light incident thereto, without needing to decrease the light receiving area thereof.
(2) A method according to the first feature (1), wherein the step of producing comprises
producing a light-transmitting member which has, along the reference surface, a plurality of photovoltaic-element holding portions, and
holding, with the photovoltaic-element holding portions, the photovoltaic elements, respectively.
The photovoltaic-element holding portions may comprise recesses which are formed in a photovoltaic-element holding surface of a photovoltaic-element holding plate, and those recesses may be formed either mechanically using, e.g., a drill, or chemically.
The photovoltaic-element holding portions may be provided at a predetermined, regular interval of distance. If the distance between each pair of holding portions adjacent to each other is too great, a density of the photovoltaic elements may be too low; and if the distance is too small, a power-generating efficiency of each photovoltaic element may be too low. Thus, the distance is predetermined in view of those factors.
An adhesive may be used to fix the photovoltaic elements to the photovoltaic-element holding portions. In this case, the adhesive is one which can transmit light in its cured state. Alternatively, the photovoltaic elements may be fitted in, and fixed to, the photovoltaic-element holding portions. In the latter case, it is preferred that receiving holes as the holding portions have a size which is somewhat smaller than that of the photovoltaic elements.
(3) A method according to the first or second feature (1) or (2), the step of producing comprises
forming a light-transmitting layer of a light-transmitting material before curing,
embedding at least respective portions of the photovoltaic elements in the light-transmitting layer, and
curing the light-transmitting layer in a state in which the at least respective portions of the photovoltaic elements are embedded in the light-transmitting layer.
In the photovoltaic-panel producing method according to this feature, the light-transmitting layer is formed, and subsequently at least respective portions of the photovoltaic elements are embedded in the light-transmitting layer. Then, the light-transmitting layer is cured to form the photovoltaic-element holding member.
The light-transmitting layer before curing has physical properties which assure that respective portions of the photovoltaic elements are embedded in the layer, in other words, properties which maintain the state in which the respective portions of the photovoltaic elements are embedded in the layer. In many cases, the light-transmitting layer is in a half-solid (or gel) state, but in some cases, it is in a liquid state. That the light-transmitting layer is in a state in which the photovoltaic elements can be embedded therein may be expressed in terms of a viscosity, or an elasticity, of the light-transmitting layer.
The light-transmitting layer needs to have physical properties which assure that respective portions of the photovoltaic elements are embedded therein, just at the time when the embedding step is carried out. H
Asai Koichi
Muto Yasuo
Sakai Kazutoshi
Suzuki Kazuya
Diamond Alan
Fuji Machine Mfg. Co. Ltd.
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