The Standard Oil Company

David A Dilts

Robert A Hartman

Paul E Koch

Gary C Catella

Ronald C Cull

Timothy W Brauneck

A flexible, photovoltaic panel composed of photovoltaic strips, each strip having a flexible conducting substrate, an amorphous semiconductor body deposited on the substrate, a transparent conductive coating deposited on the semiconductor body, and a current collection grid on the coating, is formed by joining strips along overlapping lengthwise margins with a flexible plastic tape. The tape may contain one or more conducting paths contacting the current collecting grid on an overlapped strip and the substrate of an overlapping strip to electrically interconnect the strips in series. Photovoltaic cells in each strip are electrically connected in parallel, so that interconnected panels may be designed with a wide range of voltage and current outputs.

Flexible, interconnected array of amorphous semiconductor photovoltaic

A semirigid support member is provided for deploying flexible photovoltaic modules in a manner that imparts a degree of rigidity and permanence to the deployment. The semirigid support members provide lightweight economical means for lending structural support to flexible photovoltaic modules. The support members may be interconnected and additionally connected to a permanent base foundation.

Semirigid photovoltaic module assembly and structural support therefor

An apparatus for making a photovoltaic module having a plurality of cell strips. The apparatus (10) includes a frame (11) and a support drum (25) rotatably received in the frame (11). The support drum (25) has a substantially curved surface (42) having a plurality of paired dowel guides (45) for registering cell strips (50) relative to the surface (42) and an interconnect mesh (36) relative to the cell strip (50). A plurality of paired complementary clamp sets (51, 52) receive and secure the cell strips (50) and the interconnect mesh (36) to the support drum (25).

Apparatus for making photovoltaic modules

An apparatus for making a photovoltaic module having a plurality of cell strips. The apparatus (10) includes a frame (11) and a support drum (25) rotatably received in the frame (11). The support drum (25) has a substantially curved surface (42) having a plurality of paired dowel guides (45) for registering cell strips (50) relative to the surface (42) and an interconnect mesh (36) relative to the cell strip (50). A plurality of paired complimentary clamp sets (51, 52) receive and secure the cell strips (50) and the interconnect mesh (36) to the support drum (25).

Growing community of inventors

Gates Mills, OH, United States of America

David A Dilts