Patent · US Expired

Mechanically stacked photovoltaic cells, package assembly, and modules

US4746371A · kind A · utility

10Cited by
2References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 18, 1986
Grant dateMay 24, 1988
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 18, 2006

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02E10/50

Abstract

The present invention is an apparatus of mechanically stacked photovoltaic cells having a bottom heat spreader and a top heat spreader, a bottom photovoltaic cell and a top photovoltaic cell, and means for forming the necessary electrical contacts. The heat spreaders are electrically insulated from each other but are thermally connected to each other. The bottom photovoltaic cell has an anode and a cathode and is thermally bonded to the bottom heat spreader and is thermally connected to the top heat spreader. The top photovoltaic cell has an anode and a cathode, is electrically insulated from the bottom photovoltaic cell, and is thermally bonded to the top heat spreader and is thermally connected to the bottom heat spreader. The means for forming the necessary electrical contacts includes a means for electrically contacting the anode of the bottom photovoltaic cell, a means for electrically contacting the cathode of the bottom photovoltaic cell, a means for electrically contacting the anode of the top photovoltaic cell, and a means for electrically contacting the cathode of the top photovoltaic cell.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.