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:
Feb. 10, 2015
Filed:
Sep. 15, 2011
Dan Doble, Somerville, MA (US);
Rafal Mickiewicz, Cambridge, MA (US);
John Lloyd, Boston, MA (US);
Marco Jaeger, Freiburg, DE;
William F. Hartman, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Dan Doble, Somerville, MA (US);
Rafal Mickiewicz, Cambridge, MA (US);
John Lloyd, Boston, MA (US);
Marco Jaeger, Freiburg, DE;
William F. Hartman, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Fraunhofer USA, Inc., Plymouth, MI (US);
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for detecting cross-linking in a polymer, wherein, in some exemplary implementations, the polymer may constitute an encapsulation layer for a photovoltaic module. In one example, a polymer sample is physically deformed, and sample information relating to a relaxation or a recovery of the polymer sample in response to the deformation is obtained. The sample information is then compared to reference information relating to cross-linking of the polymeric material so as to determine a degree of cross-linking in the tested polymer sample. In one aspect, such a determination of polymer cross-linking is achieved without adversely affecting a relevant functionality of the polymer/encapsulation layer (e.g., without destruction to the polymer/encapsulation layer).