First Solar, Inc.

Von Ardenne Anlagentechnik Gmbh

James Ernest Hinkle

Thomas Truman

James B Foote

Ricky Charles Powell

Imran Khan

Joshua Conley

Stephen P Murphy

Hubertus Von Der Waydbrink

Georg Laimer

Siegfried Scheibe

Markus Gloeckler

Jigish Trivedi

Scott Jacoby

Daniel Burgard

Gary T Faykosh

Modesto Sanchez

Michael Sweet

James R Foote

An apparatus and a method for testing and/or conditioning photovoltaic modules. The apparatus includes a set of contacts for contacting electrical conductors of the module and a testing and/or conditioning system for testing and/or conditioning of the module and measuring parameters associated therewith.

Method and apparatus for electrically accessing photovoltaic modules

Disclosed embodiments provide laser object marking methods and devices in which multiple slidable mechanisms are used for holding respective laser heads.

Method and apparatus for laser marking an object

Characteristics of partially assembled photovoltaic modules can be determined using electrical connection apparatuses and methods. By providing deformable electrical contacts against a partially assembled module on an assembly line, an electrical bias can be applied to the module before the module is completely assembled. An electrical connection apparatus for a photovoltaic module may include a first contact configured to engage a first lead on the photovoltaic module, a second contact configured to engage a second lead on the photovoltaic module, and an electrical power source configured to apply an electrical bias between the first contact and the second contact.

In-process electrical connector

A method for processing a coated glass substrate may include a high-temperature activation process.

Edge processing of photovoltaic substrates

A transport device and method of transporting a substrate using a rotatable shaft and baffles may be used to extend cleaning intervals for the transport device and reduce deposition of a vapor deposition material upon the transport device.

Transporting device, in particular for transporting sheet-like substrates through a coating installation

The transporting device according to the invention, in particular for transporting sheet-like substrates through a coating installation, comprises transporting rollers which are rotatably mounted on both sides and horizontally arranged transversely in relation to the transporting direction, the uppermost surface lines of the transporting rollers defining the transporting plane, and is characterized in that the end parts of the transporting rollers have a smaller diameter than the middle part of the transporting rollers and in that baffles which are mounted displaceably in the axial direction of the transporting rollers between a first position and a second position are arranged between the end parts of the transporting rollers and the transporting plane. The fact that the baffles are mounted in an axially displaceable manner has the effect of considerably extending the cleaning intervals of the transporting device. At first the baffles are arranged in a first position, in which the end of the baffle lies underneath the substrate and, in the horizontal direction, as close as possible to the middle of the transporting roller Vapor-depositing material that gets beyond the edge of the substrate hits the baffle. During operation of the transporting device, the baffles are continuously displaced from the middle part to the ends of the transporting rollers. As a result, the increase in thickness of the layer produced on the baffles is limited, since the vapor keeps hitting new portions of the baffle.

Transport device, in particular for transporting sheet-like substrates through a coating installation

A system for removing film from a planar substrate includes a shuttle which transports a film-coated substrate through a film removal station to a rotation station. At the rotation station, the substrate is removed from the shuttle and rotated to a new orientation. After being repositioned on the shuttle, the substrate is transported by the shuttle through a second film removal station.

System and method for removing film from planar substrate peripheries

A chemical vapor deposition system ( ) includes a housing ( ) having an entry ( ) and an exit ( ) through which glass sheet substrates (G) to be coated are introduced and exited from a deposition chamber ( ) defined by lower and upper housing portions ( ) having a seal assembly ( ) at their horizontal junction which is higher than both the entry and the exit.

Growing community of inventors

Lambertville, MI, United States of America

James Ernest Hinkle