Patent · US Active

Photovoltaic building materials and related methods of installation

US7587864B2 · kind B2 · utility

128Cited by
21References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 18, 2004
Grant dateSep 15, 2009
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 14, 2026

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02E10/50
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Disclosed herein are photovoltaic building materials and related methods of manufacturing and installing such materials. In one embodiment, a modular roofing structure comprises a photovoltaic shingle panel having a planar lower surface and an upper surface, and a rigid back member having a length the same as or greater than the length of the shingle panel and attached to the planar lower surface of the shingle panel. The roofing structure also includes at least one electrical contact pad on a lower surface of the back member, and at least one electrical conductor electrically coupled to the shingle panel via the lower surface and passing through the back member and out the lower surface. In such embodiments, the electrical conductor is electrically coupled to the at least one contact pad and extends past a front end of the back member sufficient to electrically contact a contact pad on another back member of a separate modular roofing structure couplable to the first.

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