The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 23, 1989
Filed:
Aug. 11, 1987
The Boeing Company, Seattle, WA (US);
Abstract
The solar cells of a photovoltaic solar cell array are protected from the effects of voltage/plasma interaction in a space environment. The solar array includes a glass enclosure having a substrate and superstrate with integral cell support ridges. The solar cells are held in place, without bonding, by the integral cell support ridges. The solar array is capable of withstanding severe temperature cycling, as the solar cells can freely expand and contract independent of the substrate or superstrate. In addition, a conductive grid is provided on the outer surface of the solar array to provide a zero-potential ground plane to reduce the electric field. The conductive grid provides additional protection against voltage/plasma interaction should the glass enclosure develop holes or cracks, for example, by the penetration of a micrometeor.