Sandwich panel and building envelope comprising same

Abstract

The invention relates to a sandwich panel comprising a photovoltaic active area arranged on an outer panel and an upper part electrical connector, a corresponding lower part electrical connector arranged in an upper part cavity, a corresponding lower part cavity in an insulating material in an upper half of the sandwich panel, the lower part cavity in an insulating material in a lower half of the sandwich panel, the upper part cavity and the lower part cavity adjacent to a longitudinal recess in an inner central part of an inner panel and both adjacent to a first longitudinal side of the insulating material or both adjacent to a second longitudinal side of the insulating material, such that a first upper part electrical connector, respectively a first lower part electrical connector can be accessed from the upper part cavity, respectively the lower part cavity along one longitudinal side of the insulating material and can be connected through the longitudinal recess.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to sandwich panels intended for use in constructing building envelopes, and more particularly, to use in constructing building roofs, walls, facades, and cladding, but is not limited thereto. In particular, this invention relates to building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) sandwich panels. Background Technology

[0002] Roofing coverings are known to be made of sandwich panels, which consist of an inner panel, an outer panel, and insulation material sandwiched between the inner and outer panels. Both panels are typically made of metal, and the insulation material is typically polyurethane (PUR) foam, polyisocyanurate (PIR) foam, or mineral wool.

[0003] As known from WO2012 / 120489, the individual layers of a photovoltaic solar collector unit are pressed together onto a sandwich panel by pressure applied by rollers and heat supplied by a temperature chamber, as described in that patent. Figure 8 As illustrated, in this process, the thin film surrounding the solar cells melts and embeds them into the collector units. However, the temperatures reached during the lamination of the photovoltaic solar collector units onto the sandwich panel damage the insulation material of the sandwich panel, jeopardizing the adhesion between the insulation material and the metal plate.

[0004] At the same time, improvements in the way photovoltaic functions are integrated into sandwich panels should not jeopardize the manufacturing process of sandwich panels in existing production facilities, nor should they impair other functions of sandwich panels. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a building-integrated photovoltaic sandwich panel with improved photovoltaic integration, while keeping the method for manufacturing the sandwich panel essentially unchanged.

[0006] For this purpose, the first subject of the present invention is a sandwich panel for a building envelope, comprising an inner panel, an outer panel, and an insulating material sandwiched between the inner panel and the outer panel, the insulating material having a first longitudinal side, a second longitudinal side, an upper transverse side, and a lower transverse side, the sandwich panel having an upper half and a lower half.

[0007] The inner panel includes an inner central portion, which includes a longitudinal groove extending from the upper transverse side to the lower transverse side of the insulating material.

[0008] The outer panel includes:

[0009] - First longitudinal outer flange

[0010] - The outer central portion extending from the first longitudinal outer flange includes:

[0011] o First upper perforation, through which a first upper electrical conductor extends.

[0012] o First lower perforation, through which a first lower electrical conductor extends.

[0013] - A first photovoltaic active region, which is disposed on the outer central portion and electrically connected to the first upper conductor and the first lower conductor.

[0014] - A second longitudinal outer flange extending from the outer central portion, the first longitudinal outer flange and the second longitudinal outer flange having a shape that allows one to overlap the other.

[0015] The back of the outer panel includes:

[0016] - A first upper cable that connects the first upper electrical conductor to a first upper electrical connector disposed in the upper cavity.

[0017] - A first lower cable connects the first lower electrical conductor to a first lower electrical connector disposed in the lower cavity. The first lower electrical connector and the first upper electrical connector are corresponding male and female connectors.

[0018] The upper cavity is located within the insulating material in the upper half of the sandwich panel, and the lower cavity is located within the insulating material in the lower half of the sandwich panel.

[0019] The upper cavity and the lower cavity are adjacent to the longitudinal groove, and both are adjacent to the first longitudinal side of the insulating material or both are adjacent to the second longitudinal side of the insulating material, such that the first upper electrical connector and the corresponding first lower electrical connector can be accessed from the upper cavity and the corresponding lower cavity along one of the longitudinal sides of the insulating material, and can be connected through the longitudinal groove.

[0020] The first subject matter of the invention may also have the following optional features, considered individually or in combination:

[0021] - The outer panel also includes an upper transverse outer edge that connects to the upper overlapping area.

[0022] - The outer panel also includes a lower lateral outer edge extending beyond the lower lateral side of the insulation material to form a lower overlap region, the upper overlap region and the lower overlap region having a shape that allows the lower overlap region to overlap the upper overlap region.

[0023] - The electrical conductor is a conductive band.

[0024] - The longitudinal groove also includes an upper opening adjacent to the upper cavity and a lower opening adjacent to the lower cavity.

[0025] - The upper cavity and the lower cavity are open along the longitudinal side of the insulating material.

[0026] - The upper cavity and the lower cavity are each freely embedded in the insulating material, defining the shell.

[0027] - The upper cavity prevents the first upper electrical connector from being trapped in the insulating material.

[0028] - The lower cavity prevents the first lower electrical connector from being trapped in the insulating material.

[0029] - The first photovoltaic active region includes a layer capable of converting solar energy into electrical energy, and the first upper perforation and the first lower perforation are substantially located below this layer.

[0030] - The back of the outer panel also includes a first upper junction box for connecting the first upper electrical conductor to the first upper cable, and a first lower junction box for connecting the first lower electrical conductor to the first lower cable.

[0031] - The first upper cable and the corresponding first lower cable pass through the insulation material until they enter the upper cavity and the corresponding lower cavity,

[0032] - The first upper cable and the corresponding first lower cable are substantially embedded in the insulating material between the first upper conductor, the corresponding first lower conductor, the upper cavity, and the corresponding lower cavity.

[0033] - The outer central section also includes:

[0034] The second upper perforation is through which the second upper electrical conductor passes.

[0035] The second lower perforation is through which the second lower electrical conductor passes.

[0036] - The outer panel also includes a second photovoltaic active area, which is disposed on the central portion of the outer panel and electrically connected to the second upper conductor and the second lower conductor.

[0037] - The back of the outer panel also includes:

[0038] The second upper cable connects the second upper electrical conductor to the second upper electrical connector disposed in the upper cavity.

[0039] The second lower cable connects the second lower electrical conductor to a second lower electrical connector disposed in the lower cavity. This second lower electrical connector and the second upper electrical connector are corresponding male and female connectors.

[0040] - The first upper electrical connector and the second upper electrical connector are corresponding male and female connectors, and the first lower electrical connector and the second lower electrical connector are corresponding male and female connectors.

[0041] The second subject of this invention is a sandwich panel for a building envelope, comprising an inner panel, an outer panel, and an insulating material sandwiched between the inner and outer panels, the insulating material having a first longitudinal side, a second longitudinal side, an upper transverse side, and a lower transverse side, the sandwich panel having an upper half and a lower half.

[0042] The inner panel includes an inner central portion, which includes a longitudinal groove extending from the upper transverse side to the lower transverse side of the insulating material.

[0043] The outer panel includes:

[0044] - First longitudinal outer flange

[0045] - The outer central portion extending from the first longitudinal outer flange includes:

[0046] o First upper perforation, through which a first upper electrical conductor passes.

[0047] o First lower perforation, through which a first lower electrical conductor passes.

[0048] - A first photovoltaic active region, which is disposed on the outer central portion and electrically connected to the first upper electrical conductor and the first lower electrical conductor.

[0049] - A second longitudinal outer flange extending from the outer central portion, the first longitudinal outer flange and the second longitudinal outer flange having a shape that allows one to overlap the other.

[0050] The back of the outer panel includes:

[0051] - A first upper cable, extending from the first upper electrical conductor, passing through at least one upper cavity and an upper opening in the longitudinal groove, to the first upper electrical connector.

[0052] - A first lower cable extends from the first lower electrical conductor, passes through at least one lower cavity and a lower opening in the longitudinal groove, and extends to a first lower electrical connector, which, along with the first upper electrical connector, is a corresponding male and female connector.

[0053] The upper cavity is located within the insulating material in the upper half of the sandwich panel, and the lower cavity is located within the insulating material in the lower half of the sandwich panel.

[0054] The upper cavity and the lower cavity are adjacent to the longitudinal groove, and both are open along the first longitudinal side of the insulating material, or both are open along the second longitudinal side of the insulating material.

[0055] The second subject matter of the invention may also have the following optional features, individually or in combination, listed below:

[0056] - The outer panel also includes an upper transverse outer edge that connects to the upper overlapping area.

[0057] - The outer panel also includes a lower lateral outer edge that extends beyond the lower lateral side of the insulation material to form a lower overlap area. The upper overlap area and the lower overlap area have shapes that allow the lower overlap area to overlap the upper overlap area.

[0058] - A portion of the first upper cable with the first upper electrical connector and a portion of the first lower cable with the first lower electrical connector are retained in the longitudinal groove.

[0059] A third aspect of the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a sandwich panel according to the invention, comprising:

[0060] - Provide an outer panel, which includes:

[0061] o Outer central part, which includes:

[0062] A first upper perforation, through which a first upper electrical conductor passes.

[0063] A first lower perforation, through which a first lower electrical conductor passes.

[0064] The first photovoltaic active region is disposed on the outer central portion and electrically connected to the first upper electrical conductor and the first lower electrical conductor.

[0065] The back of the outer panel includes:

[0066] A first upper cable connects the first upper electrical conductor to a first upper electrical connector disposed in the upper cavity.

[0067] A first lower cable connects the first lower electrical conductor to a first lower electrical connector disposed in the lower cavity. The first lower electrical connector and the first upper electrical connector are corresponding male and female connectors.

[0068] The upper cavity is located in the upper half of the outer panel.

[0069] The lower cavity is located in the lower half of the outer panel.

[0070] - Provide an inner panel including an inner central portion, the inner central portion including a longitudinal groove.

[0071] - Place the insulation in place.

[0072] - The inner plate is held at a given distance from the outer plate such that the upper cavity and the lower cavity are adjacent to the longitudinal groove.

[0073] The third subject matter of the invention may also have the following optional features, considered individually or in combination:

[0074] - In the upper half of the outer panel, the upper cavity is attached to the back of the outer panel.

[0075] - In the lower half of the outer panel, the lower cavity is attached to the back of the outer panel.

[0076] - The inner panel is provided to be cut and shaped to a specific size, such that it includes an upper transverse inner edge, a lower transverse inner edge, and the longitudinal groove extends from the upper transverse inner edge to the lower transverse inner edge.

[0077] - The outer plate and the inner plate are set in the mold at a given distance from each other.

[0078] - A reaction mixture is injected into the mold between the inner and outer plates, causing the reaction mixture to react and expand to fill the gap between the inner and outer plates and form the insulating material.

[0079] - The inner plate is provided in the form of an inner strip, which is shaped such that its inner center includes the longitudinal groove. The inner strip enters a twin-belt conveyor on the manufacturing line.

[0080] - This outer panel is part of the continuous feed of the manufacturing line within the outer panel.

[0081] - The reaction mixture is applied to the back side of the outer plate or the back side of the inner belt, causing the reaction mixture to react, expand in the dual-belt conveyor to fill the gap between the inner belt and the outer plate, and form the insulating material.

[0082] The method further includes: opening the upper cavity to allow access to the first upper electrical connector, and opening the lower cavity to allow access to the first lower electrical connector.

[0083] The method further includes: after opening the upper cavity and the lower cavity, allowing the first upper electrical connector and the first lower electrical connector, and possibly a portion of their cables, to pass through the longitudinal groove.

[0084] - The method also includes preparing the outer panel according to the following steps before providing the outer panel:

[0085] The outer panel is cut from strip to a fixed length.

[0086] The first upper perforation and the first lower perforation are completed in the outer central portion.

[0087] The first photovoltaic active area is located on the outer central part.

[0088] The back of the outer panel is equipped with the first upper cable, the first upper electrical connector, the first lower cable, the first lower electrical connector, the upper cavity, and the lower cavity.

[0089] - The first photovoltaic active region is laminated on the outer central part.

[0090] - The lower cavity is located in the lower half of the outer panel, outside the lower overlap area.

[0091] The fourth subject of this invention is a method for assembling a building envelope on a building structure, comprising:

[0092] -(i) providing a first sandwich panel and a second sandwich panel according to the invention,

[0093] - (ii) Secure the first sandwich panel to the building structure.

[0094] - (iii) The second sandwich panel is provided such that the lower transverse side of its insulation material is adjacent to the upper transverse side of the insulation material of the first sandwich panel, and the second sandwich panel is fastened to the building structure.

[0095] - (iv) Connect the first upper electrical connector of the first sandwich panel to the first lower electrical connector of the second sandwich panel.

[0096] The fourth subject matter of the invention may also have the following optional features, considered individually or in combination:

[0097] - The outer panel of the first sandwich panel further includes an upper transverse outer edge that borders the upper overlapping area, and the outer panel of the second sandwich panel further includes a lower transverse outer edge that extends beyond the lower transverse side of the insulation material to form a lower overlapping area. The upper overlapping area and the lower overlapping area have shapes that allow the lower overlapping area to overlap the upper overlapping area.

[0098] - The second sandwich panel is configured such that its lower overlapping area covers the upper overlapping area of ​​the first sandwich panel.

[0099] As is evident, this invention relies on conventional methods for manufacturing sandwich panels, namely semi-continuous or intermittent methods, in which laying the insulation material is one of the final steps, if not the last. These conventional methods remain essentially unchanged, allowing both standard sandwich panels and BIPV sandwich panels to be manufactured in the same existing production lines or presses. Therefore, the photovoltaic active area is separately disposed on the outer panel before it is provided for manufacturing the sandwich panel. Specifically, the electrical conductors connected to the photovoltaic active area extend through the outer panel before lamination in a manner that does not compromise the flatness of the lamination. Similarly, there are no protrusions on the upper side of the outer panel other than the photovoltaic active area itself, ensuring that laying the insulation material in existing production facilities is not compromised. Furthermore, the sandwich panel is pre-wired before the insulation is placed in place, such that the cables required for electrical connections to adjacent sandwich panels are within the boundaries of the sandwich panel. Specifically, the cables required for electrical connections between adjacent sandwich panels are housed in cavities embedded in the insulation material, and these cavities can be subsequently opened to access, and possibly pull out, the cables to connect the sandwich panels. Furthermore, because the sandwich panels are pre-wired before the insulation is placed in place, the sandwich panels do not contain any holes made in the outer panel, the insulation material, and the inner panel in a single operation. This improves the watertightness of the sandwich panels. Similarly, the cavities are not open along the outer panel; that is, they are closed along the outer panel.

[0100] Other features and advantages of the invention will be described in more detail in the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0101] The invention will be better understood by reading the following description, which is provided for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be limiting. Reference:

[0102] - Figure 1 It is a perspective view of the sandwich panel according to the present invention.

[0103] - Figure 2 It is a perspective view of the sandwich panel according to the present invention.

[0104] - Figure 3 It is a perspective view of the sandwich panel according to the present invention.

[0105] - Figure 4 It is a perspective view of the sandwich panel according to the present invention.

[0106] - Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the sandwich panel according to the present invention.

[0107] - Figure 6 It is a perspective view of the sandwich panel according to the present invention.

[0108] - Figure 7 This is a top view of the outer panel of the sandwich panel according to the present invention.

[0109] - Figure 8 This is a view of the cable loops of the sandwich panel according to the present invention.

[0110] - Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view of a sandwich panel according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0111] - Figure 10 According to Figure 9 Rear view of the outer panel of the sandwich panel of the first embodiment.

[0112] - Figure 11 It is a perspective view of the inner panel of the sandwich panel according to the first embodiment.

[0113] - Figure 12 This is a perspective view of the lower part of the sandwich panel according to the first embodiment.

[0114] - Figure 13 This is a perspective view of the upper part of the sandwich panel according to the first embodiment.

[0115] - Figure 14 This is a cross-sectional view of a sandwich panel according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0116] - Figure 15 This is a rear view of the outer panel of the sandwich panel according to the second embodiment.

[0117] - Figure 16 This is a perspective view of the lower part of the sandwich panel according to the second embodiment.

[0118] - Figure 17 This is a perspective view of the upper part of the sandwich panel according to the second embodiment.

[0119] - Figure 18 It is a perspective view of the assembly of four sandwich panels in a building structure according to the present invention.

[0120] - Figure 19 It is a perspective view of the assembly of two sandwich panels according to the first embodiment.

[0121] - Figure 20 It is a perspective view of two sandwich panels assembled on a building structure according to the first embodiment.

[0122] - Figure 21 This is a cross-sectional view of a sandwich panel according to a second embodiment of the inner and outer panels. Detailed Implementation

[0123] It should be noted that, as used in this application, the terms "inward" and "outward" refer to the position and orientation of the different constituent elements of the sandwich panel relative to the insulating material. Therefore, if an element extends inward, it extends in the direction of the insulating material. Similarly, if an element extends outward, it extends in the opposite direction of the insulating material.

[0124] It should also be noted that, for ease of description, sandwich panels will be described relative to their usual positions on a building roof. Therefore, the terms "inner" and "outer" as used herein refer to this usual position. Thus, the outer panel faces the exterior of the building, and the inner panel faces the interior of the building. Therefore, the inner flange refers to the flange of the inner panel, and the outer flange refers to the flange of the outer panel. Similarly, spatial relative terms as used herein, such as "above," "below," "lower," "upper," etc., refer to the position and orientation of the different constituent elements of the sandwich panel when it is installed on a roof. Therefore, "below" does not mean "underneath."

[0125] Throughout this article, the term "photovoltaic active region" should be understood as referring to a stack of multiple layers, including one layer:

[0126] - It can convert solar energy into electricity, and

[0127] - Protected by an insulating layer and unaffected by external influences.

[0128] Such a stack typically includes an insulating foil called a backsheet, a first encapsulation layer, solar cells connected by strips and busbars, a second encapsulation layer, and a transparent insulating foil called a frontsheet. The solar cell itself typically consists of several layers, including a substrate, a back electrode, a pn junction (which converts solar energy into electrical energy), and a front electrode. The solar cell can be, in particular, a wafer-based crystalline silicon cell or a thin-film cell. Solar cells can be grouped into modules. The photovoltaic active region may include bypass diodes, typically one every 18-24 cells, to prevent the destructive effects of hot-spot heating when a cell or module becomes shaded or fails. Each photovoltaic active region has a first polarity and a second polarity for connecting to other photovoltaic active regions or the power grid. More preferably, each photovoltaic active region does not have more than a single pair of first and second polarities. When two or more photovoltaic active regions are arranged adjacent to each other, they may have their own backsheet and frontsheet, or they may share a single backsheet and / or a single frontsheet.

[0129] Throughout this text, "plate" should be understood to mean an element having a flat shape, i.e., whose thickness is low relative to its other dimensions. Generally, its thickness is 500 to 4000 times less than its width. The plate can be made of a single material or a composite component. In the latter case, the plate is a stack of multiple layers of the same or different materials. Among other things, the materials discussed can be metallic or polymeric. Steel, aluminum, copper, and zinc can be cited as non-limiting examples of metallic materials. The plate is preferably a metallic plate. It is preferably made of pre-galvanized and pre-coated steel to protect it from corrosion. The inner plate and the outer plate are examples of plates.

[0130] In the context of this invention, the panel will preferably be pre-formed by any known forming method, including bending, forming, stamping, and molding as non-limiting examples. In particular, the U-shaped bend described later is an element of the sandwich panel, and its manufacturing process is not limited to bending.

[0131] This forming process can result in the formation of longitudinal flanges, ribs, stiffeners, grooves, mortises, tenons, tongues, and edge notches on the surface of the panel. Throughout this text, "rib" should be understood as a protrusion formed on the surface of the panel. For example, a rib can be trapezoidal or rectangular, corrugated, sinusoidal, or even omega-shaped. It includes a central top portion and two lateral flanges. A stiffener is a rib with a limited height, typically 10 to 30 times lower than a rib. Ribs or stiffeners are usually placed parallel to the longitudinal edges of the panel to significantly increase its rigidity and are then defined as longitudinal ribs or longitudinal stiffeners. Throughout this text, "groove" should be understood as a recess formed on the surface of the sandwich panel. The groove can have a shape similar to that provided for the rib.

[0132] refer to Figures 1 to 5 According to the invention, the sandwich panel 1 firstly includes an insulating material 2 sandwiched between an inner panel 3 and an outer panel 4. This insulating material is defined by a first longitudinal side 5, a second longitudinal side 6, an upper transverse side 7, and a lower transverse side 8. The inner panel lies substantially flat in a plane P.

[0133] The insulating material 2 can be any material that provides some insulation to the sandwich panel 1. As a non-limiting example, it can be polyurethane foam, polyisocyanurate foam, phenolic foam, mineral wool, wood fiber, and mixtures thereof. It is preferably a foamed insulating material.

[0134] Some sides, particularly the longitudinal sides, of the insulating material may include an edge strip 9 covering the insulating material. This edge strip extends along a given side. The edge strip significantly prevents the insulating foam from expanding beyond the sandwich panel during manufacturing and prevents the equipment from becoming soiled by the foam. As a non-limiting example, the edge strip may be made of foamed plastic, plastic film, kraft paper, or cardboard.

[0135] Some sides, particularly the transverse sides, may include end caps 10 covering the insulating material. These end caps essentially close the gap between the inner panel 3 and the outer panel 4. Such end caps are commonly used in intermittent manufacturing processes to prevent the insulating foam from expanding beyond the sandwich panel during manufacturing. As non-limiting examples, they may be made of foamed plastic, plastic film, kraft paper, or cardboard.

[0136] refer to Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 The outer plate 4 is a rectangular plate, including a first longitudinal outer edge 11, a second longitudinal outer edge 12, an upper transverse outer edge 13, and a lower transverse outer edge 14. A first longitudinal outer flange 15 extends along the first longitudinal outer edge 11, and a second longitudinal outer flange 16 extends along the second longitudinal outer edge 12. The first longitudinal outer flange 15 and the second longitudinal outer flange 16 are connected by an outer central portion 17. Preferably, the latter lies substantially flat in a plane parallel to plane P.

[0137] The sandwich panel is designed to enable:

[0138] - The first longitudinal outer flange 15 of the first sandwich panel can overlap the second longitudinal outer flange 16 of the laterally adjacent second sandwich panel, and the second longitudinal outer flange of the first sandwich panel can overlap the first longitudinal outer flange of the laterally adjacent third sandwich panel, or

[0139] - The first longitudinal outer flange 15 of the first sandwich panel can be overlapped by the second longitudinal outer flange 16 of the laterally adjacent second sandwich panel, and the second longitudinal outer flange of the first sandwich panel can overlap the first longitudinal outer flange of the laterally adjacent third sandwich panel.

[0140] Therefore, in Figures 1 to 5 In the first embodiment of the outer panel shown, the first longitudinal outer flange 15 of the outer panel includes a first longitudinal rib 18 projecting from a first longitudinal side 5 of the insulating material, as defined above. "Projecting" means that the first longitudinal outer flange extends beyond the first longitudinal side of the insulating material, specifically beyond the plane of that first longitudinal side. In the illustrated example, the first longitudinal rib 18 has a trapezoidal shape, having a top central portion 19 and two lateral wings 20. Because the first longitudinal rib 18 projects from the insulating material, its lower side is therefore not covered by the insulating material. The first longitudinal rib 18 can thus overlap the second longitudinal outer flange 16 of the laterally adjacent sandwich panel without any discontinuity in the insulating material.

[0141] Accordingly, the second longitudinal flange 16 of the outer panel includes a second longitudinal rib 21, with the first longitudinal rib 18 and the second longitudinal rib 21 having a shape that allows the first longitudinal rib to overlap the second longitudinal rib. In the illustrated example, the second longitudinal rib 21 has a trapezoidal shape, with a top central portion 19 and two lateral wings 20, having a shape substantially the same as the first longitudinal rib 18. It provides effective watertightness. The underside of the second longitudinal rib is preferably completely covered by insulating material. This further improves the thermal insulation of the assembly.

[0142] Similarly, the sandwich panel can be designed such that the lower part of the first sandwich panel can partially overlap the upper part of the second sandwich panel which is set along the roof slope with a lower slope, and the upper part of the first sandwich panel can partially overlap the lower part of the third sandwich panel which is set along the roof slope with a higher slope.

[0143] Therefore, the lower transverse outer edge 14 of the outer panel can extend beyond the lower transverse side 8 of the insulation material. The corresponding protruding portion, i.e., the portion of the outer panel extending from its lower transverse outer edge 14 to the lower transverse side 8 of the insulation material, is defined as the lower overlap area 22. Since its lower side is not covered by the insulation material, the lower overlap area of ​​a sandwich panel can cover the upper portion of the lower adjacent sandwich panel. The upper portion of the sandwich panel that can be covered by the lower overlap area is defined as the upper overlap area 23. It is bounded by the upper transverse outer edge 13, and its height (obtained parallel to the longitudinal edge of the outer panel) is in fact substantially the same as the distance between the lower transverse outer edge 14 of the outer panel and the lower transverse side 8 of the insulation material (i.e., the height of the lower overlap area), because the sandwich panels are assembled without discontinuity in the insulation material. The heights of the upper and lower overlap areas are typically 150 mm to 500 mm, particularly depending on the roof slope.

[0144] The lower overlapping region 22 and the upper overlapping region 23 have shapes that allow the lower overlapping region to overlap the upper overlapping region. This means that, except for portions of the first longitudinal rib 18 and the second longitudinal rib 21 present in the upper and lower overlapping regions, the lower overlapping region 22 and the upper overlapping region 23 do not include shaped areas that prevent the overlap. Such areas can be, for example, grooves in the lower overlapping region that do not match grooves in the upper overlapping region. Preferably, the lower overlapping region 22 and the upper overlapping region 23 are preferably flat, except for portions of the first longitudinal rib 18 and the second longitudinal rib 21 present in the upper and lower overlapping regions.

[0145] exist Figure 21In the second embodiment of the illustrated outer panel, the first longitudinal outer flange 15 of the outer panel includes an inwardly extending outer mortise 102. In the illustrated example, this outer mortise is in the form of a U-shaped bend extending substantially parallel to the outer central portion 17. In particular, the outer mortise includes two branches that are substantially parallel and connected by the U-shaped bend. More preferably, the two parallel branches have substantially the same length. Other designs of the outer mortise are possible. It can specifically have a V-shape where the two branches converge toward the U-shaped bend. It can also have an L-shape with branches and a base.

[0146] According to a variation of the second embodiment, the first longitudinal outer flange 15 includes a first outer vertical wall 104 extending between a first longitudinal end at the outer central portion and an outer mortise, such as... Figure 21 As illustrated, the first outer vertical wall may extend substantially perpendicular to the outer center portion, i.e., perpendicular to plane P, or it may be inclined toward the outer mortise, or it may be inclined toward the outer center portion.

[0147] According to another variation of the second embodiment, the first longitudinal outer flange 15 includes a first extension 105 that extends inward between a first longitudinal end of the outer central portion, or between the first outer vertical wall (if applicable), and the outer mortise, or between the first outer vertical wall or another outer vertical wall (if applicable). Figure 21 As illustrated. Preferably, the first extension is substantially flat. Preferably, the first extension extends substantially parallel to the outer central portion 17. It forms a male protrusion 106 with the outer central portion, the male protrusion 106 being designed to cover the head of a fastener inserted into the second longitudinal outer flange 16 of the adjacent sandwich panel.

[0148] Consistent with the mortise, the second longitudinal flange 16 of the outer panel includes an outwardly extending tenon 103. The tenon and the mortise have a shape that allows one longitudinal flange to overlap the other, i.e., the tenon and the mortise interlock. In the illustrated example, the tenon protrudes from the second longitudinal side 6 of the insulating material. By "protrudes," it means that the second longitudinal flange 16 extends beyond the second longitudinal side 6 of the insulating material, specifically beyond the plane of that second longitudinal side.

[0149] In the illustrated example, the outer tenon is in the form of a U-shaped bend extending substantially parallel to the outer central portion 17. Specifically, the outer tenon comprises two branches that are substantially parallel and connected by the U-shaped bend. More preferably, the two parallel branches have substantially the same length. Other designs of the outer tenon are possible. It can specifically have a V-shape where the two branches converge toward the U-shaped bend. It can also have an L-shape with branches and a base.

[0150] According to a variation of the second embodiment, the second longitudinal outer flange 16 includes a second outer vertical wall 107 extending between the second longitudinal end of the outer central portion and the outer tenon, such as Figure 21 As shown in the diagram above, the second outer vertical wall may extend substantially perpendicular to the outer center portion, i.e., perpendicular to plane P, or it may be inclined toward the outer tenon, or it may be inclined toward the outer center portion.

[0151] According to another variation of the second embodiment, the second longitudinal outer flange 16 includes an outer edge groove 108 that extends inward between the second longitudinal end of the outer central portion and the outer tenon, such as... Figure 21 As illustrated, the outer edge notch forms a recess that can accommodate a fastener head. Preferably, the fastener head can be covered and thus hidden by the male protrusion 106 of the first longitudinal outer flange 15 of the adjacent sandwich panel. Accordingly, the shapes of the outer edge notch and the male protrusion are adjusted such that the fastener head can be positioned between them.

[0152] Preferably, the outer edge groove 108 extends substantially parallel to the outer central portion 17. Preferably, the outer edge groove, starting from the second longitudinal end of the outer central portion, sequentially includes a second outer vertical wall 107 as described above, and a second extension 109. The second outer vertical wall may extend substantially perpendicular to the outer central portion or may be inclined toward the second extension. The latter is preferably parallel to plane P to facilitate the tightening of fasteners in this portion of the sandwich panel.

[0153] The mortise 102 and tenon 103 have a shape that allows one longitudinal flange to overlap the other when assembling one sandwich panel with a laterally adjacent sandwich panel. Preferably, their shapes are substantially complementary and their dimensions are such that:

[0154] - The height of the mortise (measured along the vertical axis Z) is greater than the height of the tenon.

[0155] - The width of the mortise (measured along the transverse axis Y) is greater than or equal to the width of the tenon.

[0156] This interlocking of the outer mortise and tenon improves the resistance of the enclosure structure made of sandwich panels, especially its resistance to wind suction.

[0157] The sandwich panel is divided into an upper half and a lower half. The upper half begins from the upper transverse side 7 of the insulating material (which corresponds to the upper transverse outer edge 13 of the outer panel) and extends to half the length of the outer panel (this length is obtained parallel to the longitudinal edge of the outer panel). The upper half of the sandwich panel thus corresponds to the upper half of the outer panel. The lower half begins from the lower transverse outer edge 14 of the outer panel and extends to half the length of the outer panel. The lower half of the sandwich panel thus corresponds to the lower half of the outer panel.

[0158] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The sandwich panel 1 is a building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) sandwich panel. Therefore, it includes a first photovoltaic active region 24 disposed on the outer central portion 17 as defined above, and components for electrical connections of the first photovoltaic active region to other sandwich panels or to the power grid are integrated into the thickness of the sandwich panel.

[0159] Specifically, the first photovoltaic active region 24 is directly constructed on the outer center of the outer panel before the sandwich panel is manufactured. Specifically, it is laminated onto the outer center of the outer panel. This significantly improves the water tightness of the sandwich panel.

[0160] The first photovoltaic active region 24 is preferably sized such that, on the one hand, no part of it is covered by adjacent sandwich panels when the sandwich panels are assembled, and on the other hand, the active surface is maximized. Therefore, the upper lateral edge of the first photovoltaic active region is preferably positioned as close as possible to the upper lateral outer edge 13 of the outer panel, or as close as possible to the upper overlap area (if applicable), and the lower lateral edge of the first photovoltaic active region is preferably positioned as close as possible to the lower lateral outer edge 14 of the outer panel. Similarly, in a variation of the invention where only one photovoltaic active region exists, the first longitudinal edge of the first photovoltaic active region is positioned as close as possible to the first longitudinal outer flange 15, and the second longitudinal edge of the first photovoltaic active region is positioned as close as possible to the second longitudinal outer flange 16. The first polarity of the first photovoltaic active region is preferably disposed in the upper half of the first photovoltaic active region, more preferably adjacent to the upper lateral outer edge 13, below the upper overlap area (if applicable). The second polarity of the first photovoltaic active region is preferably disposed in the lower half of the first photovoltaic active region, more preferably adjacent to the lower overlapping area 22 of the sandwich panel, if applicable.

[0161] The first photovoltaic active region 24 is electrically connected to the first upper electrical conductor 25 and the first lower electrical conductor 26. Specifically, the first polarity of the first photovoltaic active region is connected to the first upper electrical conductor, and the second polarity of the first photovoltaic active region is connected to the first lower electrical conductor. Since the first photovoltaic active region 24 is located on the upper side of the outer panel and is electrically connected within the thickness of the sandwich panel, the first upper electrical conductor and the first lower electrical conductor extend through the outer panel. Figure 6In the variant shown, the first upper conductor 25 and the first lower conductor 26 are conductive strips, also known as conductive wires. They are part of the first photovoltaic active region. They are preferably directly connected to the PV cells of the first photovoltaic active region. Both extend on the surface of the outer panel and then through the outer panel. In another variant (not shown), the first upper conductor 25 and the first lower conductor 26 are intermediate conductors connected to the conductive strip of the first photovoltaic active region. The first upper conductor 25 and the first lower conductor 26 can be particularly embedded in the non-conductive loop 29 described below. In this case, the conductive strip of the first photovoltaic active region can extend on the surface of the outer panel and can be connected to the first upper conductor 25 and the first lower conductor 26 extending through the outer panel.

[0162] Therefore, and refer to Figure 7 The outer central portion 17 includes a first upper through-hole 27 (through which a first upper electrical conductor extends) and a first lower through-hole 28 (through which a first lower electrical conductor extends). The positions of the first upper and first lower through-holes can depend particularly on the positions of the first and second polarities of the photovoltaic active region and the positions of electrical connections within the thickness of the sandwich panel. Generally, the first upper through-hole is preferably located in the upper half of the sandwich panel, and the first lower through-hole is preferably located in the lower half of the sandwich panel, outside the lower overlap region 22 (if applicable). Since the first photovoltaic active region 24 preferably has its first polarity adjacent to its upper lateral end, below (i.e., adjacent to) the upper overlapping region 23 (if applicable), and its second polarity adjacent to its lower lateral end or the lower overlapping region (if applicable), the first upper perforation 27 is preferably positioned adjacent to the upper lateral end of the first photovoltaic active region, below (i.e., adjacent to) the upper overlapping region (if applicable), and the first lower perforation 28 is preferably positioned adjacent to the lower lateral end of the first photovoltaic active region or the lower overlapping region (if applicable). Preferably, the first upper perforation and the first lower perforation are substantially aligned on the longitudinal axis X.

[0163] Preferably, the width of the perforation (i.e., the longest length measured in the XY plane) is on the order of the electrical connector diameter, as described below. Specifically, this width is less than 3 cm, more preferably less than 2 cm. In other words, the perforation cannot accommodate the electrical connector housing. Such a width further minimizes the negative impact that the perforation might have on the lamination of the photovoltaic active area alone on the outer panel, and further improves the watertightness of the sandwich panel.

[0164] For waterproofing purposes, the first upper perforation and the first lower perforation are preferably covered by at least one layer of the first photovoltaic active region. More preferably, the first upper perforation and the first lower perforation are covered by a front panel. Even more preferably, they are covered by the front panel, the encapsulation material layer, and possibly at least partially a back panel. Furthermore, the first upper perforation and the first lower perforation may be substantially below the layer capable of converting solar energy into electricity. "Substantially below" means that they may be below this layer, even if there is no PV cell directly above the perforation. The first upper perforation and the first lower perforation may also be substantially covered by the first photovoltaic active region. "Substantially covered" means that they are entirely below the photovoltaic active region, even if the perforation is not strictly covered by all layers of the photovoltaic active region.

[0165] Preferably, the inward end of the first upper electrical conductor is adjacent to the first upper through-hole. This inward end may also be substantially perpendicularly aligned with the first upper through-hole. Preferably, the inward end of the first lower electrical conductor is adjacent to the first lower through-hole. This inward end may also be substantially perpendicularly aligned with the first lower through-hole.

[0166] It is advantageous to have the first upper conductor pass through the first upper perforation and the first lower conductor pass through the first lower perforation. Since there are no junction boxes or other protrusions on the upper side of the outer panel, the steps of forming the insulating material in existing production facilities are not compromised. Furthermore, in the case of conductors in the form of conductive strips or conductors integrated into non-conductive loops, because they are thin, their ends are placed against the back of the outer panel during the lamination of the photovoltaic active area, without affecting the flatness of the outer panel. Therefore, the lamination of the photovoltaic active area can be performed efficiently and independently on the outer panel without modifying existing lamination equipment to accommodate portions protruding from the back surface of the outer panel. Moreover, in the case of conductors in the form of conductive strips, the connection of the conductive strip to the rest of the electrical circuit is not completed between the outer panel and the photovoltaic active area. Such a connection tends to be thick relative to the thickness of the photovoltaic active area and impairs the lamination of the latter.

[0167] refer to Figure 8 , Figure 9 and Figure 14For electrical safety reasons, and when the outer panel is made of a conductive material, the first upper conductor 25 and the corresponding first lower conductor 26 are preferably electrically insulated from the edges of the first upper perforation 27 and the corresponding first lower perforation 28 by non-conductive loops 29 inserted into the first upper perforation 27 and the corresponding first lower perforation 28, respectively. Firstly, the non-conductive loop may include an opening 30 for the power conductor to pass through. The size of this opening is adapted to the size of the conductor. The non-conductive loop may also include an upper portion 31 larger than the perforation. The non-conductive loop can thus rest on the outer panel. This upper portion may be thin enough to further avoid lamination problems in the photovoltaic active region. The non-conductive loop may also include a lower portion 32 narrower than the perforation and including a plurality of teeth 321. Because the lower portion is narrower than the perforation, the non-conductive loop can be easily positioned within the perforation. The serrated portion extends the surface distance between the opening 30 and the periphery of the loop, and thus extends the creepage distance between the electrical conductor and the outer plate. They are preferably concentric. Because the serrated portion is etched in the lower portion, the electrical conductor extending from the non-conductive loop on the back side of the outer plate is held at a safe surface distance from the conductive metal. The non-conductive loop may include another opening 30 adjacent to the first opening for a second electrical conductor to pass through.

[0168] Preferably, the thickness of the grommet is on the order of the thickness of the outer panel (0.5 mm to 1 mm). Specifically, the grommet is less than 2 mm thick, more preferably less than 1 mm thick. Preferably, the grommet does not protrude substantially below the surface of the back side of the outer panel, particularly below the surface of the back side of the central portion. Specifically, the grommet does not protrude more than 1 mm below the surface of the back side of the outer panel. In other words, the surface of the bottom portion of the grommet is substantially flush with the surface of the back side of the outer panel. Due to this design, the lamination of the photovoltaic active region can be performed efficiently and independently on the outer panel without modifying existing lamination equipment to accommodate the portion protruding from the surface of the back side of the outer panel. Furthermore, the grommet has no effect on the flatness of the outer panel.

[0169] Preferably, the width of the grommets (i.e., the longest length measured in the XY plane) is on the order of the diameter of the electrical connector, as described below. Specifically, this width is less than 3 cm, more preferably less than 2 cm. Such a width further improves the lamination quality of the photovoltaic active region on the outer panel.

[0170] Preferably, the first upper perforation 27 is not pierced by anything other than the first upper electrical conductor and the non-conductive loop (if any) and the second electrical conductor (if any). Preferably, the first lower perforation 28 is not pierced by anything other than the first lower electrical conductor and the non-conductive loop (if any) and the second electrical conductor (if any).

[0171] refer to Figure 7 , Figure 10 and Figure 15 The outer central portion 17 of the outer panel 4 may also include a bypass via 33. This allows a bypass diode 34 of the first photovoltaic active region to be added to the back of the outer panel. Since the bypass diodes are thicker than the first photovoltaic active region, directly inserting them into the first photovoltaic active region would often compromise its integrity. Due to the bypass via, conductive strips from the first photovoltaic active region can pass through the outer panel, connect to the bypass diodes, and then pass through the outer panel again.

[0172] These bypass perforations are preferably arranged regularly along the longitudinal direction of the first photovoltaic active area. They are preferably arranged as far away as possible from the edge of the front panel of the photovoltaic active area in the lateral direction to prevent water leakage.

[0173] Preferably, the width of the bypass perforation (i.e., the longest length measured in the XY plane) is on the order of the electrical connector diameter, as described below. Specifically, this width is less than 3 cm, more preferably less than 2 cm. In other words, the bypass perforation cannot receive the electrical connector housing. Such a width further minimizes the negative impact that the perforation might have on the lamination of the photovoltaic active area alone on the outer panel, and further improves the watertightness of the sandwich panel.

[0174] When the outer plate is made of a conductive material, the non-conductive cable loops 29 are preferably inserted into the bypass perforations to insulate the conductive strips from the bypass perforations. These cable loops have the same features as those described above, except that they include two openings: one for the conductive strips from the first photovoltaic active region and one for the conductive strips returning to the first photovoltaic active region.

[0175] according to Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 In one variant of the invention shown, the sandwich panel 1 includes a second photovoltaic active region 35 disposed on the outer central portion 17. The second photovoltaic active region 35 is disposed adjacent to the first photovoltaic active region 24. Preferably, the first photovoltaic active region and the second photovoltaic active region extend parallel to each other along a longitudinal axis. The outer panel may include a third longitudinal rib disposed between the first photovoltaic active region and the second photovoltaic active region.

[0176] Specifically, the first polarity of the second photovoltaic active region is disposed in the upper half of the second photovoltaic active region, more preferably adjacent to the upper lateral end of the second photovoltaic active region, below the upper overlap region 23 (if applicable). This first polarity is preferably opposite to the first polarity of the first photovoltaic active region. Specifically, the second polarity of the second photovoltaic active region is disposed in the lower half of the second photovoltaic active region, more preferably adjacent to the lower lateral end of the first photovoltaic active region or the lower overlap region 22 of the sandwich panel (if applicable). This second polarity preferably has a polarity opposite to the second polarity of the first photovoltaic active region. The second photovoltaic active region 35 is electrically connected to the second upper conductor 36 and the second lower conductor 37. Therefore, the outer central portion 17 may include a second upper through-hole 38 (through which the second upper conductor extends) and a second lower through-hole 39 (through which the second lower conductor extends). The features and variations detailed regarding the first photovoltaic active region and the corresponding features of the outer panel apply here. Alternatively, the second upper electrical conductor extends through the first upper perforation 27, and the second lower electrical conductor extends through the first lower perforation 28.

[0177] As mentioned above regarding the first photovoltaic active region 24, the first upper conductor 25 and the first lower conductor 26 pass through the outer plate 4. On the back side of the outer plate, the first upper conductor 25 is directly or indirectly electrically connected to the first upper cable 42, and the first lower conductor 26 is directly or indirectly electrically connected to the first lower cable 43. The manner of making the electrical connection is not limited. It can be accomplished by welding. The upper and lower cables are preferably insulated. The upper and lower cables may include a sleeve in at least one section.

[0178] For electrical safety reasons and to facilitate the integration of photovoltaic functionality into the sandwich panel, the first upper electrical conductor and the first lower electrical conductor are preferably insulated from the insulating material 2. Figure 9 , Figure 10 , Figure 14 and Figure 15 In the illustrated variant, the first upper electrical conductor is preferably connected to the first upper cable in the first upper junction box 40, and the first lower electrical conductor is preferably connected to the first lower cable in the first lower junction box 41. A junction box is an electrical enclosure in which electrical wiring connections are securely made. The first upper junction box 40 and the first lower junction box 41 are part of the back side of the outer panel. Both junction boxes preferably include a housing. The housing preferably includes a conductor opening or strip opening and a cable opening. In one variant, junction boxes 40, 41 include a non-conductive cable loop 29 as described above.

[0179] The first upper junction box 40 and the corresponding first lower junction box 41 are preferably configured to contact the back of the outer panel, and substantially vertically aligned with the first upper through hole 27 and the corresponding first lower through hole 28, so that there is no gap between the outer panel and the junction box. The junction box can be attached to the back of the outer panel, for example, by gluing.

[0180] Because of this configuration, the connections of the electrical conductors on the back of the outer panel do not compromise the integrity and quality of the first photovoltaic active area. Furthermore, these junction boxes can further improve the watertightness at the perforations.

[0181] The first upper cable 42 and the first lower cable 43 extend through the insulating material until they enter the cavity. The first upper cable 42 enters the upper cavity 44, and the first lower cable 43 enters the lower cavity 45.

[0182] The portion of the cable extending through the insulation may include a sleeve. In the sense of "extending through the insulation," it means that this portion of the cable, which may include a sleeve, is tightly surrounded by the insulation. This is a result of laying the cable after the insulation has been placed.

[0183] Between its cavity and its corresponding electrical conductor, or corresponding junction box (if applicable), each cable, possibly including a sleeve, is preferably substantially embedded in the insulation material. In other words, this portion of the cable is non-removable. This substantial embedding of the cable portion in the insulation material is a result of the insulation material being foamed around the cable, or of the cable being attached to the insulation material (e.g., by adhesive bonding when the insulation is laid). This substantial embedding facilitates the method used to manufacture the sandwich panel because it is not necessary to perform specific steps to isolate the cable portion from the insulation material before it is placed in place.

[0184] In each cavity, each cable is connected to an electrical connector. The first upper cable is connected to the first upper electrical connector 46, and the first lower cable is connected to the first lower electrical connector 47. The first upper electrical connector and the first lower electrical connector are corresponding male and female connectors. The first upper electrical connector can be a male connector and the first lower electrical connector can be a female connector, or vice versa.

[0185] These first electrical connectors allow electrical connections from the first photovoltaic active region to other photovoltaic active regions and / or to the power grid. Specifically, one polarity of the first photovoltaic active region can be connected to a polarity of the first photovoltaic active region of the second sandwich panel by directly or indirectly connecting the first upper electrical connector 46 of the first sandwich panel to the first lower electrical connector 47 of the second sandwich panel, the lower lateral side 8 of the insulating material of the second sandwich panel being positioned adjacent to the upper lateral side 7 of the first sandwich panel. Similarly, another polarity of the first photovoltaic active region can be connected to a polarity of the first photovoltaic active region of the third sandwich panel by directly or indirectly connecting the first lower electrical connector 47 of the first sandwich panel to the first upper electrical connector 46 of the third sandwich panel, the upper lateral side 7 of the insulating material of the third sandwich panel being positioned adjacent to the lower lateral side 8 of the first sandwich panel. Alternatively, the first upper electrical connector 46 or the first lower electrical connector 47 of the sandwich panel can be connected to the power grid. The function and characteristics of the cavities will be described in detail later.

[0186] refer to Figure 9 , Figure 10 , Figure 14 and Figure 15 According to the invention, a variant in which the sandwich panel 1 includes a second photovoltaic active region 35 disposed on the outer central portion 17, and the back side of the outer panel 4 includes a second upper cable 50 directly or indirectly electrically connected to a second upper conductor 36 and a second lower cable 51 directly or indirectly electrically connected to a second lower conductor 37. In the illustrated variant, the second upper cable 50 is connected to the second upper conductor 36 in a second upper junction box 48, and the second lower cable 51 is connected to the second lower conductor 37 in a second lower junction box 49. The features and variants detailed with respect to the first junction box apply here. Alternatively, the second upper cable 50 is connected to the second upper conductor 36 in a first upper junction box 40, and the second lower cable 51 is connected to the second lower conductor 37 in a first lower junction box 40.

[0187] Each second cable extends through the insulation material until it enters a cavity. The second upper cable enters the upper cavity 44, and the first upper cable 42 also enters the upper cavity. The second lower cable enters the lower cavity 45, and the first lower cable 43 also enters the lower cavity. Between its cavity and its corresponding electrical conductor, or corresponding junction box (if applicable), each second cable, possibly including a sleeve, is preferably substantially embedded in the insulation material. For this purpose, the cable is preferably insulated. In each cavity, each second cable is connected to an electrical connector. The second upper cable is connected to the second upper electrical connector 52, and the second lower cable is connected to the second lower electrical connector 53. The second upper electrical connector and the second lower electrical connector are corresponding male and female connectors. The second upper electrical connector may be a male connector and the second lower electrical connector may be a female connector, or vice versa.

[0188] These second electrical connectors allow electrical connections from the second photovoltaic active area to other photovoltaic active areas and / or to the power grid. Specifically, one polarity of the second photovoltaic active area can be connected to a polarity of the second photovoltaic active area of ​​the second sandwich panel by directly or indirectly connecting the second upper electrical connector 52 of the first sandwich panel to the second lower electrical connector 53 of the second sandwich panel, wherein the lower lateral side 8 of the insulating material of the second sandwich panel is positioned adjacent to the upper lateral side 7 of the first sandwich panel. Similarly, the other polarity of the second photovoltaic active area can be connected to a polarity of the second photovoltaic active area of ​​the third sandwich panel by directly or indirectly connecting the second lower electrical connector 53 of the first sandwich panel to the second upper electrical connector 52 of the third sandwich panel, wherein the upper lateral side 7 of the insulating material of the third sandwich panel is positioned adjacent to the lower lateral side 8 of the first sandwich panel. Alternatively, the second upper electrical connector 52 or the second lower electrical connector 53 of the sandwich panel can be connected to the power grid.

[0189] The first upper electrical connector 46 and the second upper electrical connector 52, both disposed in the upper cavity 44, are preferably corresponding male and female connectors. Similarly, the first lower electrical connector 47 and the second lower electrical connector 53, both disposed in the lower cavity 45, are preferably corresponding male and female connectors. Due to this configuration, each cavity accommodates both a male and a female connector. Therefore:

[0190] - Using the connector in the upper cavity, the first photovoltaic active region 24 can be connected to the first photovoltaic active region of the second sandwich panel. The lower lateral side 8 of the insulating material of the second sandwich panel is arranged adjacent to the upper lateral side 7 of the first sandwich panel, and the second photovoltaic active region 35 can be connected to the second photovoltaic active region of the second sandwich panel without mismatch.

[0191] - Using the connector in the lower cavity, the first photovoltaic active region 24 can be connected to the first photovoltaic active region of the third sandwich panel, wherein the upper lateral side 7 of the insulating material of the third sandwich panel is configured to be adjacent to the lower lateral side 8 of the first sandwich panel, and the second photovoltaic active region 35 can be connected to the second photovoltaic active region of the third sandwich panel without mismatch.

[0192] - Using the connector in the upper cavity, the first photovoltaic active area 24 can be connected to the second photovoltaic active area 35, so that the electrical circuit is looped, for example, at one end of the building envelope, particularly at the roof ridge.

[0193] - Using the connector in the lower cavity, the first photovoltaic active area 24 can be connected to the second photovoltaic active area 35, so that the electrical circuit is looped, for example at the other end of the building envelope, particularly at the roof gutter.

[0194] refer to Figures 3 to 5 and Figure 11 The sandwich panel 1 also includes an inner panel 3. It is a basically rectangular panel, including a first longitudinal inner edge 61, a second longitudinal inner edge 62, an upper transverse inner edge 63, and a lower transverse inner edge 64.

[0195] like Figure 5 As shown, the first longitudinal inner flange 65 extends along the first longitudinal inner edge 61, and the second longitudinal inner flange 66 extends along the second longitudinal inner edge 62. The first longitudinal inner flange 65 and the second longitudinal inner flange 66 are connected by an inner central portion 67.

[0196] The inner central portion 67 is shaped to allow access to the electrical connector along the inner panel, particularly ensuring that the electrical connector remains accessible from inside the building after the sandwich panel is assembled. For this reason, as Figure 5 , Figure 11 and Figure 21 As shown, it includes a longitudinal groove 85 extending from the upper transverse inner edge 63 of the inner plate to the lower transverse inner edge 64, i.e., from the upper transverse side to the lower transverse side of the insulating material. The longitudinal groove preferably has a trapezoidal shape, with a top central portion 86 and two lateral wings 87. This shape facilitates the forming of the inner plate.

[0197] The longitudinal groove is configured to be adjacent to the upper cavity 44 and the lower cavity 45. Therefore, electrical connectors can be connected via the longitudinal groove. This means they can be pulled out of their cavities through the longitudinal groove to connect to other cables, or they can be connected within their cavities to additional connecting cables passing through the longitudinal groove.

[0198] To facilitate the removal or connection of the electrical connector, the longitudinal groove preferably includes an upper opening 88 and a lower opening 89. The openings are preferably located on the lateral wings 87 of the longitudinal groove, which are closest to the longitudinal side of the insulating material. The upper opening is located in the upper half of the sandwich panel, and the lower opening is located in the lower half of the sandwich panel. Specifically, the upper opening is adjacent to the upper cavity, and the lower opening is adjacent to the lower cavity. According to a variation of the invention where the sandwich panel 1 includes a second photovoltaic active region 10 disposed on the outer central portion 17, the longitudinal groove may include two upper openings 88 and two lower openings 89.

[0199] The longitudinal groove is preferably sized to allow easy access to the electrical connector. In one variation, the height of the lateral wing 87 of the longitudinal groove (sectioned along the Z-axis) is greater than or equal to the diameter of the electrical connector 46, 47, 52, or 53. In another variation, the width of the top central portion 86 of the longitudinal groove (sectioned along the Y-axis) is greater than or equal to the diameter of the electrical connector 46, 47, 52, or 53.

[0200] Because the longitudinal groove 85 opens into the building interior, it can be used for laying cables, particularly a portion of a first upper cable 42 with a first upper electrical connector 46 and a portion of a first lower cable 43 with a first lower electrical connector 47, and, if applicable, a portion of a second upper cable 50 with a second upper electrical connector 52 and a portion of a second lower cable 51 with a second lower electrical connector 53. It can also be used for fixing equipment, such as lighting fixtures. It can also be enclosed with decorative covers and / or fireproof covers.

[0201] Specifically, the longitudinal groove is sized to allow for cable laying. More specifically, the height of the longitudinal groove (sectioned along the Z-axis) is greater than or equal to the diameter of electrical connectors 46, 47, 52, or 53. More specifically, the width of the longitudinal groove (sectioned along the Y-axis) is greater than or equal to the diameter of electrical connectors 46, 47, 52, or 53. Even more specifically, the width of the longitudinal groove is greater than or equal to twice the diameter of electrical connectors 46, 47, 52, or 53.

[0202] Specifically, the upper opening 88 and the lower opening 89 are sized to allow electrical connectors to pass through. More specifically, they are sized to allow a maximum of two electrical connectors to pass through, or a maximum of one electrical connector to pass through. Their length is preferably less than 6 cm, more preferably less than 3 cm. In other words, the upper and lower openings cannot receive the electrical connector housing. Such width facilitates the placement of insulating material, especially foaming, and improves the watertightness of the sandwich panel.

[0203] Outside the longitudinal groove, the inner central portion 67 lies substantially flat in the plane P. According to a variation of the invention, the inner central portion further includes longitudinal reinforcing ribs to increase the rigidity of the metal plate.

[0204] exist Figure 5 In the first embodiment of the inner plate shown, in a section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X, a first longitudinal inner flange 65 extends inward from the first longitudinal end 83 of the inner central portion 67 and forms an inner edge groove 68 along the first longitudinal side 5 of the insulating material. Preferably, the inner edge groove successively includes an inner upright portion 69 and a top portion 70, starting from the first longitudinal end of the inner central portion. The inner upright portion may extend substantially perpendicular to the inner central portion, i.e., perpendicular to plane P, or may be inclined toward the top portion. The latter may be parallel to plane P, or slightly inclined toward the inner central portion to facilitate interlocking of two adjacent plates.

[0205] Preferably, the first longitudinal inner flange 65 further includes a first inner reinforcing rib 71 extending from the inner edge groove 68, particularly from the top portion 70. According to a variation of the invention, the first inner reinforcing rib extends substantially perpendicular to the inner center portion along the first longitudinal side 5 of the insulating material. This improves the seal between the two plates.

[0206] like Figure 5 As shown, the first longitudinal inner flange 65 is located on the same longitudinal side of the insulating material as the first longitudinal rib of the outer plate, which protrudes from the longitudinal side of the insulating material. This facilitates the lateral assembly of two adjacent plates. More preferably, the first longitudinal inner edge 61 is substantially vertically aligned with the first longitudinal end of the outer central portion 17 of the outer plate 4. In other words, the inner edge notch 68 is provided below the outer central portion 17 of the outer plate 4.

[0207] The second longitudinal inner flange 66 extends from the second longitudinal end of the inner central portion 67, protruding from the second longitudinal side 6 of the insulating material and forming an inner tongue 73 that is substantially parallel to plane P and extends outward. Preferably, the inner tongue is U-shaped, including a lower branch 74 and an upper branch 75 connected by the U-shaped bend 76. More preferably, branches 74 and 75 are parallel. More preferably, the radius of the U-shaped bend is such that the space between the branches is filled with insulating material 2, which helps to reinforce the inner tongue. According to another variation, the radius of the U-shaped bend is such that the two branches contact each other.

[0208] Preferably, the second longitudinal inner flange 66 includes a second inner reinforcing rib 77 extending from the inner tongue 73, particularly from the upper branch 75. According to a variation of the invention, the second inner reinforcing rib extends substantially perpendicular to the inner central portion 67 along the second longitudinal side 6 of the insulating material. This improves the seal between the two plates. According to another variation of the invention, the second inner reinforcing rib 77 includes a second inner wing 90 extending inwardly into the insulating material 2 parallel to plane P. This helps to reinforce the first inner flange.

[0209] The inner edge slot 68 and the inner tongue 73 have shapes that allow them to interlock when a sandwich panel is assembled with a laterally adjacent sandwich panel. Preferably, their shapes are substantially complementary, and their dimensions are such that:

[0210] - The height of the inner edge groove (measured along the vertical axis Z) is greater than the height of the inner tongue.

[0211] - The width of the inner edge groove (measured along the transverse axis Y) is greater than or equal to the width of the inner tongue.

[0212] This interlocking of the inner edge grooves and inner tongues improves the resistance of the enclosure structure made of sandwich panels to wind suction.

[0213] In one variation of the inner plate, the shapes of the first longitudinal inner flange 65 and the second longitudinal inner flange 66 are reversed.

[0214] exist Figure 21 In the second embodiment of the inner panel shown, in a section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X, the first longitudinal inner flange 65 includes an inwardly extending mortise 110. In the example shown, the mortise is in the form of a U-bend that extends substantially parallel to plane P. In particular, the mortise includes two substantially parallel branches connected by a U-turn. More preferably, the two branches have substantially the same length. Other designs of the mortise are possible. It can in particular have a V-shape, in which the two branches converge toward the U-turn. It can also have an L-shape with branches and a base.

[0215] The first longitudinal inner flange 65 may include a first inner upright portion 69 extending between a first longitudinal end 83 of the inner central portion and an inner mortise. The first inner upright portion may extend substantially perpendicular to the inner central portion, i.e., perpendicular to plane P, or may be inclined toward the inner mortise.

[0216] Preferably, the first longitudinal inner flange 65 further includes a first inner reinforcing rib 71 extending from the inner tenon. According to a variation of the invention, the first inner reinforcing rib extends substantially perpendicular to the inner center portion and along the first longitudinal side 5 of the insulating material. This improves the seal between the two plates.

[0217] like Figure 21As shown, the inner mortise 110 is preferably located on the same longitudinal side of the insulating material as the outer mortise 102 of the outer panel. This facilitates the lateral assembly of two adjacent panels. More preferably, the inner mortise is substantially perpendicularly aligned with the outer mortise.

[0218] Consistent with the mortise, the second longitudinal inner flange 66 of the inner panel includes an outwardly extending tenon 111. The tenon and mortise have a shape that allows one longitudinal inner flange to overlap the other, i.e., the tenon and mortise interlock. In the example shown, the tenon protrudes from the second longitudinal side 6 of the insulation material. By "protrudes," it means that the second longitudinal inner flange 66 extends beyond the second longitudinal side 6 of the insulation material, specifically beyond the plane of the second longitudinal side.

[0219] In the example shown, the inner tenon 111 is in the form of a U-shaped bend, extending substantially parallel to the inner central portion 67. Specifically, the inner tenon comprises two substantially parallel branches connected by the U-shaped bend. More preferably, these two parallel branches have substantially the same length. Other designs of the inner tenon are possible. It can, in particular, have a V-shaped shape, where the two branches converge toward the U-shaped bend. It can also have an L-shaped shape with branches and a base.

[0220] The second longitudinal inner flange 66 may include a second inner upright portion 72, which extends between the second longitudinal end 84 of the inner central portion and the inner tenon. The second inner upright portion may extend substantially perpendicular to the inner central portion, i.e., perpendicular to plane P, or may be inclined toward the inner tenon, or may be inclined toward the inner central portion.

[0221] Preferably, the second longitudinal inner flange 66 includes a second inner reinforcing rib 77 extending from the inner tenon 111. According to a variation of the invention, the second inner reinforcing rib extends substantially perpendicular to the inner central portion 67 and along the second longitudinal side 6 of the insulating material. This improves the seal between the two plates.

[0222] The mortise 110 and tenon 111 have a shape that allows one longitudinal inner flange to overlap the other when one sandwich panel is assembled with a laterally adjacent sandwich panel, i.e., they interlock. Preferably, their shapes are substantially complementary, and their dimensions are such that:

[0223] - The height of the mortise (measured along the vertical axis Z) is greater than the height of the tenon.

[0224] - The width of the mortise (measured along the transverse axis Y) is greater than or equal to the width of the tenon.

[0225] This interlocking of the mortise and tenon improves the enclosure structure made of sandwich panels, especially its resistance to wind suction.

[0226] In one variation of the inner plate, the shapes of the first longitudinal inner flange 65 and the second longitudinal inner flange 66 are reversed.

[0227] As mentioned above regarding the electrical connector, the sandwich panel also includes an upper cavity 44 and a lower cavity 45. The term "cavity" refers to a hollow space within the insulating material. This hollow space is sized to accommodate a portion of the first electrical connector and a first cable, and possibly a portion of a second electrical connector and a second cable.

[0228] The cavity can be a substantially rectangular parallelepiped. It can extend in the longitudinal or transverse direction. The cavity preferably comprises a shell embedded in the insulating material. By "embedded," it means that the shell is securely fixed in and intricately connected to the insulating material. This embedding is the result of the insulating material being foamed around the shell, or the shell being attached to the insulating material (e.g., by adhesive bonding when the insulation is laid). The cavity can be entirely defined by the shell. Alternatively, it can be partially defined by the shell and partially by other components of the sandwich panel, such as edge strip 9, end cap 10, outer panel 4, and inner panel 3.

[0229] The material used for the housing is not limited. It can be, for example, plastic, foam, mineral wool, or wood fiber. In the case of an insulating material formed by the expansion of the reaction mixture, the material is preferably selected such that the cavity does not significantly shrink during the expansion of the reaction mixture.

[0230] Both cavities are disposed within the insulating material. For the purposes of this description, it means that any individual portion of the cavity, and specifically, that no individual portion of its housing extends beyond the boundaries of the insulating material. In particular, no individual portion of the cavity protrudes from the first longitudinal side 5 or the second longitudinal side 6, or the upper transverse side 7 or the lower transverse side 8 of the insulating material. With this configuration, the sandwich panel can be manufactured as a standard sandwich panel in existing production facilities.

[0231] refer to Figure 9 and Figure 14The upper cavity 44 includes a first upper electrical connector 46 and a portion of a first upper cable 42. Preferably, this portion of the first upper cable is long enough that the first upper electrical connector can be withdrawn from the upper cavity. More preferably, this portion of the first upper cable is folded within the upper cavity. This folding facilitates withdrawal. In a variation of the invention in which the sandwich panel 1 includes a second photovoltaic active region 35, the upper cavity 44 also includes a second upper electrical connector 52 and a portion of a second upper cable 50. This portion is preferably folded within the upper cavity. Correspondingly, the lower cavity 45 includes a first lower electrical connector 47 and a portion of a first lower cable 43. Preferably, this portion of the lower cable is long enough that the first lower electrical connector can be withdrawn from the lower cavity. More preferably, this portion of the first lower cable is folded within the lower cavity. In a variation of the invention in which the sandwich panel 1 includes a second photovoltaic active region 35, the lower cavity 45 further includes a second lower electrical connector 53 and a portion of a second lower cable 51. This portion is preferably folded within the lower cavity.

[0232] To facilitate the insertion of the upper or lower cable into the cavity, the cavity housing preferably includes an inlet for cable insertion. The housing may also include an outlet for accessing the electrical connector. Alternatively, the electrical connector can be accessed by cutting through the cavity housing.

[0233] The primary purpose of the two cavities is to prevent the electrical connectors in the photovoltaic active area from being trapped in the insulating material during the manufacturing process of the sandwich panel. The secondary purpose is to allow easy access to the electrical connectors after the sandwich panel is manufactured. Therefore, firstly, the upper cavity 44 is located in the upper half of the sandwich panel, and the lower cavity 45 is located in the lower half of the sandwich panel. This eliminates the risk of cable crossing when electrically connecting the photovoltaic active areas of adjacent panels. Secondly, the cavities are configured such that they are adjacent to the longitudinal groove 85 on one hand, and both on the other hand, both on the first longitudinal side 5 of the insulating material, or both on the second longitudinal side 6 of the insulating material. Specifically, one side of the cavity, more preferably one side of the housing, is positioned adjacent to the longitudinal groove, and the opposite side of the cavity, more preferably the opposite side of the housing, is positioned adjacent to either the first longitudinal side or the second longitudinal side of the insulating material.

[0234] Due to this cavity arrangement, the first upper electrical connector and correspondingly the first lower electrical connector can be accessed from the upper cavity and correspondingly from the lower cavity along one of the longitudinal sides of the insulating material. "Accessible" means that the electrical connectors within their cavities can be touched and manipulated by the operator. Therefore, and possibly after the cavities have been opened, the operator can connect the electrical connectors via the longitudinal grooves. Specifically, they can:

[0235] - The electrical connector is pulled out through the longitudinal groove, even if it and possibly a portion of its cable pass through the longitudinal groove, preferably through the upper opening 88 or the lower opening 89, so that the electrical connector can be later connected to other cables, and / or

[0236] - Pass the additional connecting cables through the longitudinal groove, preferably through the upper opening 88 or the lower opening 89, and connect them to the electrical connector in the cavity.

[0237] Therefore, cables and electrical connectors do not prevent adjacent sandwich panels from being assembled continuously.

[0238] As mentioned above, the upper cavity 44 and the lower cavity 45 are adjacent to the longitudinal groove. Preferably, each cavity is positioned less than 1 cm from the longitudinal groove, more preferably less than 0.5 cm. Preferably, the upper cavity is adjacent to the upper opening 88 in the longitudinal groove. Preferably, the lower cavity is adjacent to the lower opening 89 in the longitudinal groove. In particular, the housing of the cavity is positioned adjacent to the longitudinal groove. More particularly, the wall of the housing is positioned adjacent to the longitudinal groove. It may be a flat wall or include a wall for connecting an outlet of an electrical connector through the longitudinal groove. This wall may contact the longitudinal groove.

[0239] Preferably, the upper cavity is positioned along the longitudinal axis X of the sandwich panel between the first upper perforation 27 and the upper transverse side 7 of the insulating material. This position limits the cable length required to connect the photovoltaic active area.

[0240] Preferably, the lower cavity is positioned along the longitudinal axis X of the sandwich panel between the first lower perforation 28 and the lower transverse side 8 of the insulating material. This position limits the cable length required to connect the photovoltaic active area.

[0241] The upper cavity 44 may be open along the longitudinal sides 5, 6 of the insulating material, possibly through cuts in the insulating material and / or through cuts in the edge strip 9 and / or through cuts in the housing of the upper cavity. Accordingly, the longitudinal side of the insulating material may include an upper cut 91 extending from the upper cavity to the longitudinal side.

[0242] The lower cavity 45 may be open along the longitudinal sides 5, 6 of the insulating material, possibly through cuts in the insulating material and / or through cuts in the edge strip 9 and / or through cuts in the housing of the lower cavity. Accordingly, the longitudinal side of the insulating material may include a lower cut 92 extending from the lower cavity to the longitudinal side.

[0243] according to Figures 9 to 13In the first embodiment of the invention shown, the upper cavity 44 and the lower cavity 45 are configured to be adjacent to the second longitudinal side 6 of the insulating material. Preferably, each cavity is configured to be less than 1 cm from the second longitudinal side, more preferably less than 0.5 cm. In particular, the housing of each cavity is configured to be adjacent to the second longitudinal side. More particularly, the wall of the housing is configured to be adjacent to the second longitudinal side. It can be a flat wall or a wall including an outlet for accessing the electrical connector. This wall can be located in the plane of the second longitudinal side. In this case, the wall and the outlet for accessing the electrical connector (if applicable) do not contact the insulating material. Each cavity, in particular its housing, can be adjacent to the edge strip 9.

[0244] In this embodiment, when the sandwich panel is mounted on the building structure by overlapping the second longitudinal outer flange 16 of the adjacent panel with the first longitudinal outer flange 15 of the sandwich panel, the second longitudinal side of the insulating material remains accessible to the operator. Therefore, the operator can easily open the cavity, if it has not already been completed in the aforementioned steps, and access the connectors to connect them to the electrical connectors or power grid of the adjacent sandwich panels via longitudinal grooves.

[0245] according to Figures 14 to 17 In the second embodiment of the invention shown, the upper cavity 44 and the lower cavity 45 are configured to be adjacent to the first longitudinal side 5 of the insulating material. Preferably, each cavity is configured to be less than 1 cm from the first longitudinal side, more preferably less than 0.5 cm. In particular, the housing of each cavity is configured to be adjacent to the first longitudinal side. More particularly, the wall of the housing is configured to be adjacent to the first longitudinal side. It can be a flat wall or a wall including an outlet for accessing the electrical connector. This wall can be located in the plane of the first longitudinal side. In this case, the wall and the outlet for accessing the electrical connector (if applicable) do not contact the insulating material. Each cavity, in particular its housing, can be adjacent to the edge band 9.

[0246] In this embodiment, when the sandwich panel is mounted on the building structure by overlapping the second longitudinal outer flange 16 of the adjacent panel with the first longitudinal outer flange 15 of the sandwich panel, the first longitudinal side of the insulating material is no longer accessible to the operator. Nevertheless, the operator can easily open the cavity in the previous steps and pull out the electrical connector through the longitudinal groove and / or pass additional connecting cables through the longitudinal groove and connect them to the electrical connector in the cavity.

[0247] From a manufacturing process perspective, there are three main ways to produce sandwich panels.

[0248] The first method is an intermittent process, in which the inner and outer panels are first cut to size and shaped (or vice versa). In this first variation, they are then held in a mold at a given distance from each other, and the gaps between them are filled with a reaction mixture that expands to form an insulating material. In the second variation, one of the panels is placed in the mold and covered with the insulating material, preferably in the form of a plate, also called felt or sheet. A layer of adhesive is applied between the panel and the insulating plate, and another layer of adhesive is applied to the insulating material. A second panel is then placed on the insulating material, and the stack is pressed and heated to cure the adhesive.

[0249] The second approach is a continuous process, where the inner and outer layers are provided in roll form. The rolls are unrolled and the strips pass one over the other through a forming station, where they are formed. In the first variation, a reaction mixture is then applied to the inner surface of either the lower or upper strip, and both strips enter a dual-belt conveyor. The latter comprises two continuous conveyor belts aligned one over the other, running parallel to each other and capable of absorbing or applying a certain amount of pressure to maintain a gap between the two strips. The gap between the two belts is adjustable, allowing for adjustment of the sandwich panel thickness. In this dual-belt conveyor, the reaction mixture expands and fills the gap between the two strips to form an insulating material. Sidewalls prevent lateral escape of the foam. Different sandwich panel designs and operating modes require appropriate side seals in various cases. The sidewalls may take the form of accompanying side-sealing chains made of blocks. After the composite formed by the two strips and the insulating material leaves the dual-belt conveyor, the composite is cut to the desired length to obtain the sandwich panel. In the second variation, an adhesive layer is applied to the inner surface of the lower belt and an insulating material plate is provided. Another adhesive layer is applied to the insulating material or to the inner surface of the upper belt. In this dual-belt conveyor, the belts are pressed and the adhesive is cured. Other features of the first variation apply to the second variation.

[0250] The third method is a semi-continuous process. It differs from the continuous process in that only the inner layer is supplied in roll form and enters the twin-belt conveyor as a strip, preferably as the higher strip on the manufacturing line. The outer layer is in the form of a plate that has been sized and shaped (or vice versa) in a previous step. The outer plate is fed continuously and without gaps in the manufacturing line, preferably replacing the lower strip. Then, in this first variation, the reaction mixture is applied to the inner surface of the outer plate or the inner surface of the upper strip, and the inner strip and outer plate enter the twin-belt conveyor. In the conveyor, the reaction mixture reacts and expands to fill the gap between the inner strip and the outer plate, thus forming the insulation material. In this second variation, an adhesive layer is applied and an insulation material plate is placed on the outer plate, then the inner strip and outer plate enter the twin-belt conveyor, where they are pressed. At the conveyor outlet, the inner strip and the insulation material are cut according to the length of the outer plate to obtain a sandwich panel.

[0251] The manufacture of the sandwich panel according to the invention will be described with respect to the intermittent process and the semi-continuous process, but those skilled in the art can readily adapt other manufacturing methods of the sandwich panel to manufacture the sandwich panel according to the invention.

[0252] In the first stage, outer panel 4 was prepared.

[0253] In the first step, the outer panel is cut to a fixed length. Optionally, it is cut to a fixed length from a strip and then formed, or the strip is first formed on a forming line and then cut to a fixed length. The forming step includes forming a first longitudinal outer flange 15 and a second longitudinal outer flange 16.

[0254] In the second step, before, during, or after the first step, the first upper perforation 27 and the first lower perforation 28 are completed in the outer central portion 17. If applicable, the second upper perforation 38, the second lower perforation 39, and / or the bypass perforation 33 are also completed in the outer central portion. Optionally, a non-conductive cable loop is provided and may be attached to the upper and lower perforations.

[0255] In the third step, following the first and second steps, a first photovoltaic active region 24 is disposed on the outer central portion and preferably laminated. If applicable, a second photovoltaic active region 35 is also disposed on the outer central portion at the same time and preferably laminated. Specifically, disposing of the photovoltaic active region involves stacking these different components of the photovoltaic active region. Specifically, during this disposition step, a first upper conductor 25 is inserted into a first upper perforation and a first lower conductor 26 is inserted into a first lower perforation. More specifically, a non-conductive cable loop 29 is inserted into the first upper and lower perforations. If applicable, a second upper conductor 36 is inserted into a second upper perforation and a second lower conductor 37 is inserted into a second lower perforation. After the stack has been prepared, it is heated and pressed in a laminating apparatus, causing the thin film surrounding the solar cell to melt and embed the cell. At the end of this step, if the outer panel has not been pre-formed, it is formed.

[0256] When the photovoltaic active region is laminated onto the outer panel, the latter does not include any portion that protrudes substantially from the surface of the back side of the outer panel, particularly from the surface of the back side of the outer central portion. Specifically, no portion protrudes more than 2 mm below the surface of the back side of the outer panel, or more preferably more than 1 mm below the surface of the back side of the outer central portion. In other words, the surface of the back side of the outer central portion, or the surface of the back side of the outer panel, is substantially flat. Due to this design, the lamination of the photovoltaic active region can be performed efficiently and independently on the outer panel without modifying existing lamination equipment to accommodate portions protruding from the surface of the back side of the outer panel.

[0257] In the fourth step, following the third step, the outer panel is inverted, and its back is equipped with a first upper cable 42, a first upper electrical connector 46, a first lower cable 43, a first lower electrical connector 47, an upper cavity 44, and a lower cavity 45, as shown. Figure 10 and Figure 15 As illustrated. Optionally, it is also equipped with a first upper junction box 40 and a first lower junction box 41. If applicable, it is further equipped with a second upper cable 50, a second upper electrical connector 52, a second lower cable 51 and a second lower electrical connector 53 and / or a bypass diode 34, as shown. Figure 10 and Figure 15 As illustrated. Optionally, it is also equipped with a second upper junction box 48 and a second lower junction box 49. The junction boxes are preferably arranged substantially perpendicularly to the perforations. The electrical conductor is electrically connected to one end of a cable, possibly inside the junction box. The other end of the cable is inserted into the cavity and electrically connected to an electrical connector (or vice versa).

[0258] The upper cavity is located in the upper half of the outer panel, facing the back of the outer panel, and the lower cavity is located in the lower half of the outer panel, outside the lower overlap area (if applicable), facing the back of the outer panel.

[0259] The upper cavity is preferably attached directly or indirectly to the back of the outer panel, and the lower cavity is preferably attached directly or indirectly to the back of the outer panel. The upper and lower cavities, particularly their housings, can be directly attached (e.g., by gluing) to the back of the outer panel, or they can be attached to a gasket 82 or more gaskets, which themselves are attached to the back of the outer panel, such as... Figure 9 and Figure 14 As shown. Using a gasket, the position of the cavity along the vertical axis Z in the insulation material can be adjusted according to the thickness of the insulation material. In particular, the gasket thickness (cut along the vertical axis Z) can be adjusted so that the sum of the gasket thickness and the cavity thickness is equal to the thickness of the insulation material of the sandwich panel. The gasket also facilitates the placement of the upper and lower cavities on a lateral wing 20 of the second longitudinal rib 21 of the outer panel.

[0260] Alternatively, in a discontinuous process, the upper cavity and / or lower cavity may be attached to an edge strip 9 that is pre-, prior to, or simultaneously disposed along the second longitudinal outer edge 12 or adjacent to the first longitudinal outer flange 15. This facilitates the placement of the cavity along the edge strip during the laying of the insulation material.

[0261] According to the first variant, the upper cavity and the lower cavity are arranged along the second longitudinal outer edge 12. Thus, at the end of the manufacturing process, the cavity is adjacent to the second longitudinal side of the insulating material.

[0262] According to the second variation, the upper cavity and the lower cavity are positioned adjacent to the first longitudinal outer flange 15 or along the first longitudinal outer edge 11. Thus, at the end of the manufacturing process, the cavity is adjacent to the first longitudinal side of the insulating material.

[0263] In the second phase, following the first phase, the outer panels are provided.

[0264] In the third stage, before, simultaneously with, or after the second stage, an inner plate including a longitudinal groove 85 in the inner central portion 67 is provided. In a first variation corresponding to a discontinuous process, an inner plate cut and shaped to size is provided. In this case, the inner plate includes an upper transverse inner edge 63, a lower transverse inner edge 64, and an inner central portion 67, which includes a longitudinal groove 85 extending from the upper transverse inner edge to the lower transverse inner edge. In a second variation corresponding to a semi-continuous process, the inner plate is provided in the form of a strip, which is shaped such that it has a longitudinal groove 85 in the inner central portion 67.

[0265] In the fourth stage, after the second stage and before, simultaneously with, or after the third stage, the insulating material is placed in place. It can be applied to the back of the outer panel in the form of a reaction mixture or injected between the inner and outer panels, or placed in place as a plate-like form of insulating material 2 applied to the back of the outer panel. In the case of the reaction mixture, it expands to form insulating material 2. The outer panel is preferably inverted. In this case, if it has not already been inverted in the first stage, it is inverted before the insulating material is placed in place.

[0266] In the fifth stage, after the second stage, simultaneously with or after the third stage, and before, simultaneously with, or after the fourth stage, the inner plate is held at a given distance from the outer plate, such that the upper and lower cavities are adjacent to the longitudinal groove. The longitudinal groove is configured such that at the end of the manufacturing process, the upper and lower cavities are adjacent to the longitudinal groove and positioned between the longitudinal groove and the first or second longitudinal side of the insulating material. The distance between the inner and outer plates can be maintained in a mold, a press, or a dual-belt conveyor. The outer plate is preferably inverted. In this case, if it has not already been inverted in the first stage, it is inverted before the inner plate is installed. This given distance corresponds to a set thickness of the sandwich panel.

[0267] The fourth and fifth stages will be detailed below regarding discontinuous and semi-continuous processes. Generally, during these two stages, the insulating material is placed in place, and the inner plate is held at a given distance from the outer plate such that the upper and lower cavities are adjacent to the longitudinal grooves, or vice versa.

[0268] Regarding the continuous process, in a first variation, the outer plate and the inner plate are positioned in the mold at a given distance from each other. The outer plate is preferably inverted at the bottom of the mold, and the inner plate is positioned at the top of the mold. The distance between the inner and outer plates can be adjusted using shims. The mold maintains the distance between the inner and outer plates. An edge band 9 is preferably added between the inner and outer plates along the longitudinal side of the mold, unless the edge band has already been positioned along the second longitudinal outer edge in a previous step. In other words, the edge band is preferably positioned along the first and second longitudinal inner edges of the inner plate. An end cap is preferably positioned between the inner and outer plates along the transverse side of the mold. In other words, the end cap is preferably positioned between the inner and outer plates along the upper transverse inner edge 63 and the lower transverse inner edge 64 of the inner plate.

[0269] Then, a reaction mixture is injected into the mold between the inner plate and the outer plate. The reaction mixture reacts and expands to fill the gap between the inner plate and the outer plate, thus forming the insulating material. The expansion of the reaction mixture can be completed in a press or on a conveyor, possibly a dual-belt conveyor.

[0270] In a second variation of this intermittent process, the outer panel is inverted in the mold, and a plate-like form of insulating material 2 is placed on the outer panel. One layer of adhesive is applied between the outer panel and the insulating material plate-like form, and another layer of adhesive is applied to the insulating material. Edge bands 9 and end caps 10 can be added as described with respect to the first variation. The inner panel is then placed on the insulating material and held at a given distance from the outer panel. The stack is pressed and heated to cure the adhesive. This pressing and heating can be performed in a press or on a conveyor, possibly a dual-belt conveyor.

[0271] Regarding the semi-continuous process, the inner sheet enters the twin-belt conveyor as an inner strip, which is shaped such that its central portion 67 includes a longitudinal groove 85. This inner strip is the higher strip on the manufacturing line. The outer sheets are fed continuously and without gaps in the manufacturing line. They replace the second strip on the manufacturing line, i.e., the lower strip. Each outer sheet is therefore part of the continuous feed of the manufacturing line.

[0272] In a first variation of the semi-continuous process, the outer sheets are inverted, if not already in that position, and the reaction mixture is applied to their back sides or the back side of the inner strip. The inner strip and outer sheets enter the dual-belt conveyor, where the distance between them is maintained by the dual-belt conveyor. In the dual-belt conveyor, the reaction mixture reacts, expands, and fills the gap between the inner strip and the outer sheets to form the insulating material. The edge strip 9 is preferably positioned along the first longitudinal inner edge and the second longitudinal inner edge of the inner sheet, unless the edge strip has already been positioned in a previous step. The edge strip is preferably a roll unwound in the form of the strip entering the dual-belt conveyor.

[0273] In a second variation of the semi-continuous process, the outer plate is inverted, if not already in that position, and a plate-like form of insulating material 2 is placed on top of it. One layer of adhesive is applied between the outer plate and the insulating material plate, and another layer of adhesive is applied to the insulating material. The inner strip and outer plate then enter the dual-belt conveyor, where the distance between them is maintained by the conveyor. In the dual-belt conveyor, the stack is pressed and heated to cure the adhesive.

[0274] After the insulating material has been placed in place, the sandwich panel manufactured by this intermittent process can be removed from the mold. Regarding this semi-continuous process, at the conveyor exit, the inner strip and the insulating material are cut according to the length of the outer panel to obtain the sandwich panel.

[0275] After the sandwich panel has been manufactured, the upper cavity 44 can be opened to allow access to the first upper electrical connector 46 and the second upper electrical connector 52 (if applicable). Similarly, the lower cavity 45 can be opened to allow access to the first lower electrical connector 47 and the second lower electrical connector 53 (if applicable). This is in Figure 12 , Figure 13 , Figure 16 and Figure 17 As shown in the image.

[0276] The upper and lower cavities can be opened by cuts on the first or second longitudinal side of the insulating material. Depending on the nature and location of the cavity, the cuts can be made through different materials. The cuts can be made within the insulating material. If the cavity comprises a housing with a flat wall adjacent to the longitudinal side, the cuts are made within both the insulating material and the housing. If the flat wall of the housing is in the plane of the longitudinal side, there is no cut through the insulating material. If the wall of the housing in the plane of the longitudinal side already has an outlet for accessing the electrical connector, there is no cut through the housing. If the longitudinal side includes an edge strip, the cuts can be made within the edge strip. The cuts can be made using any suitable tool, such as a knife, saw, or chisel.

[0277] The upper and lower cavities can also be opened along the longitudinal groove by cuts in the longitudinal groove. Depending on the nature and location of the cavity, the cuts can be made through different materials. If the upper opening 88 and lower opening 89 were not completed in the longitudinal groove in a previous step, the cuts are made in the longitudinal groove. If the cavity comprises a housing with a flat wall adjacent to the inner plate, the cuts are made in the insulating material and the housing. If the flat wall of the housing contacts the longitudinal groove, there is no cut through the insulating material. If the wall of the housing contacting the longitudinal groove already has an outlet for accessing the electrical connector, there is no cut through the housing. The cuts can be made using any suitable tool, such as a drill bit, cutter, saw, or chisel.

[0278] The openings in the upper and lower cavities on the first or second longitudinal side of the insulation material and / or along the longitudinal grooves can be completed immediately after the sandwich panel is manufactured or later. To limit operations during the installation of the sandwich panel on the building structure and to better control the quality of the cuts, the latter is preferably completed on-site.

[0279] With the upper and lower cavities already opened along longitudinal grooves and in the first or second longitudinal side of the insulating material, a first upper electrical connector and a first lower electrical connector, as well as a second upper electrical connector and a second lower electrical connector (if applicable), can be provided for later connection to electrical connectors and / or electrical networks of adjacent sandwich panels. In a first variation, the electrical connector, and possibly a portion of its cable, passes through the longitudinal groove, preferably through the upper opening 88 or the lower opening 89. In another variation, an additional connecting cable passes through the longitudinal groove, preferably through the upper opening 88 or the lower opening 89, and connects to the electrical connector in the cavity.

[0280] The installation of this electrical connector can be completed immediately after the sandwich panel is manufactured or shortly thereafter. To limit operations during sandwich panel installation on the roof and for better quality control, this installation is preferably completed on-site. In this case, a portion of the first upper cable with the first upper electrical connector and a portion of the first lower cable with the first lower electrical connector, as well as a portion of the second upper cable with the second upper electrical connector and a portion of the second lower cable with the second lower electrical connector (if applicable), are preferably retained in the longitudinal groove. The electrical connectors and cable portions are preferably temporarily attached to the longitudinal groove, for example, using tape or clips.

[0281] After the sandwich panels have been manufactured, they can be transported to the construction site for use in assembling the building envelope onto the building structure. (Reference) Figures 18 to 20 The method for assembling the building envelope includes a first step in which a first sandwich panel 1a is fastened to the building structure. Specifically, it is fastened to a purlin 58. More specifically, the lower half of the first sandwich panel is fastened to a lower purlin. Specifically, the upper half of the first sandwich panel rests on a first upper purlin 58a. More specifically, the upper overlapping area 23 of the first sandwich panel rests on the first upper purlin.

[0282] In the second step, a second sandwich panel 1b is disposed on the building structure, adjacent to the first sandwich panel, such that the lower transverse side 8 of its insulation material abuts the upper transverse side 7 of the insulation material of the first sandwich panel. Specifically, its lower overlap area 22 covers the upper overlap area 23 of the first sandwich panel, if applicable. Specifically, the lower half of the second sandwich panel rests on the first upper purlin. Specifically, the upper half of the second sandwich panel rests on a second upper purlin 58b disposed above the first upper purlin. More specifically, the upper overlap area 23 of the second sandwich panel rests on the second upper purlin. The second sandwich panel is fastened to the building structure. Specifically, it is fastened to the first upper purlin. More specifically, the lower overlapping area of ​​the second sandwich panel is fastened to the first upper purlin simultaneously with the fastening of the upper overlapping area of ​​the first sandwich panel to the first upper purlin.

[0283] In the third step, the first upper electrical connector 46 of the first sandwich panel is connected to the first lower electrical connector 47 of the second sandwich panel. This step can be performed immediately after the second sandwich panel is tightened. It can also be performed after all sandwich panels in a row have been installed and tightened. Alternatively, it can be performed after all sandwich panels on the enclosure (or enclosure side) have been installed and tightened. Because the electrical connectors are accessible from inside the building, an electrician is not required to be present during the installation of the sandwich panels.

[0284] according to Figure 19 and Figure 20 In the first variant shown, the first upper electrical connector 46 and a portion of the first upper cable 42 of the first sandwich panel are inserted into the longitudinal groove 85 of the first sandwich panel, sliding over the purlin 58a, and the first upper electrical connector is connected to the first lower electrical connector 47 of the second sandwich panel. Alternatively, the first lower electrical connector 47 and a portion of the first lower cable 43 of the second sandwich panel are inserted into the longitudinal groove 85 of the second sandwich panel, sliding over the purlin 58a, and the first lower electrical connector is connected to the first upper electrical connector 46 of the first sandwich panel.

[0285] If applicable, the second upper electrical connector 52 of the first sandwich panel and the second lower electrical connector 53 of the second sandwich panel are similarly connected.

[0286] According to a second variation in which the electrical connector is connected to an additional connecting cable in the cavity, the first upper additional connecting cable connected to the first upper electrical connector 46 of the first sandwich panel is inserted into the longitudinal groove 85 of the first sandwich panel, slides over the purlin 58a, and the first upper additional connecting cable is connected directly or via the first lower additional connecting cable to the first lower electrical connector 47 of the second sandwich panel. Alternatively, the first lower additional connecting cable connected to the first lower electrical connector 47 of the second sandwich panel is inserted into the longitudinal groove 85 of the second sandwich panel, slides over the purlin 58a, and the first lower additional connecting cable is connected directly or via the first upper additional connecting cable to the first upper electrical connector 46 of the first sandwich panel.

[0287] If applicable, the second upper electrical connector 52 of the first sandwich panel and the second lower electrical connector 53 of the second sandwich panel are similarly connected.

Claims

1. A sandwich panel (1) for a building envelope, comprising an inner panel (3), an outer panel (4), and an insulating material (2) sandwiched between the inner panel and the outer panel, the insulating material having a first longitudinal side (5), a second longitudinal side (6), an upper transverse side (7), and a lower transverse side (8), the sandwich panel having an upper half and a lower half. The inner plate includes an inner central portion (67) with a longitudinal groove (85) extending from the upper transverse side of the insulating material to the lower transverse side. The outer panel includes: - First longitudinal outer flange (15). - The outer central portion (17) extending from the first longitudinal outer flange includes: o First upper perforation (27), first upper electrical conductor (25) passes through the first upper perforation, o First lower perforation (28), first lower electrical conductor (26) passes through the first lower perforation, - A first photovoltaic active region (24), which is disposed on the outer central portion and electrically connected to the first upper conductor and the first lower conductor. - A second longitudinal outer flange (16) extending from the outer central portion, wherein the first longitudinal outer flange and the second longitudinal outer flange have a shape that allows one to overlap the other. The back side of the outer panel includes: - A first upper cable (42) connects the first upper electrical conductor to a first upper electrical connector (46) disposed in the upper cavity (44). - A first lower cable (43) connects the first lower electrical conductor to a first lower electrical connector (47) disposed in the lower cavity (45), wherein the first lower electrical connector and the first upper electrical connector are corresponding male and female connectors. The upper cavity is disposed within the insulating material in the upper half of the sandwich panel, and the lower cavity is disposed within the insulating material in the lower half of the sandwich panel. The upper cavity and the lower cavity are adjacent to the longitudinal groove, and both are adjacent to the first longitudinal side of the insulating material or both are adjacent to the second longitudinal side of the insulating material, such that the first upper electrical connector and the corresponding first lower electrical connector can be accessed from the upper cavity and the corresponding lower cavity along one of the longitudinal sides of the insulating material, and can be connected through the longitudinal groove.

2. The sandwich panel according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal groove further includes an upper opening (88) adjacent to the upper cavity and a lower opening (89) adjacent to the lower cavity.

3. The sandwich panel according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein, The upper cavity (44) and the lower cavity (45) are open along the longitudinal side (6) of the insulating material.

4. The sandwich panel according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The upper cavity (44) and the lower cavity (45) are each freely embedded in the housing defined by the insulating material.

5. The sandwich panel according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The first photovoltaic active region (24) includes a layer capable of converting solar energy into electrical energy, wherein the first upper perforation (27) and the first lower perforation (28) are substantially located below the layer.

6. The sandwich panel according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The back of the outer panel also includes a first upper junction box (40) that connects the first upper electrical conductor (25) to the first upper cable (42); and a first lower junction box (41) that connects the first lower electrical conductor (26) to the first lower cable (43).

7. The sandwich panel according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The first upper cable (42) and the corresponding first lower cable (43) pass through the insulating material (2) until they enter the upper cavity (44) and the corresponding lower cavity (45).

8. The sandwich panel according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The first upper cable (42) and the corresponding first lower cable (43) are substantially embedded in the insulating material between the first upper conductor (25), the corresponding first lower conductor (26) and the upper cavity (44), and the corresponding lower cavity (45).

9. The sandwich panel according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: - The outer central portion (17) also includes: o Second upper perforation (38), second upper electrical conductor (36) passes through the second upper perforation, o Second lower perforation (39), second lower electrical conductor (37) passes through the second lower perforation, - The outer panel (4) further includes a second photovoltaic active region (35), which is disposed on the outer central portion and electrically connected to the second upper electrical conductor and the second lower electrical conductor. - The back of the outer panel also includes: o Second upper cable (50), which connects the second upper electrical conductor to the second upper electrical connector (52) disposed in the upper cavity (44). o Second lower cable (51), which connects the second lower electrical conductor to the second lower electrical connector (53) disposed in the lower cavity (45), the second lower electrical connector and the second upper electrical connector being a corresponding male connector and female connector.

10. The sandwich panel according to claim 9, wherein the first upper electrical connector (46) and the second upper electrical connector (52) are corresponding male and female connectors, and wherein the first lower electrical connector (47) and the second lower electrical connector (53) are corresponding male and female connectors.

11. A sandwich panel (1) for a building envelope, comprising an inner panel (3), an outer panel (4), and an insulating material (2) sandwiched between the inner panel and the outer panel, the insulating material having a first longitudinal side (5), a second longitudinal side (6), an upper transverse side (7), and a lower transverse side (8), the sandwich panel having an upper half and a lower half. The inner plate includes an inner central portion (67) with a longitudinal groove (85) extending from the upper transverse side of the insulating material to the lower transverse side. The outer panel includes: - First longitudinal outer flange (15); - The outer central portion (17) extending from the first longitudinal outer flange includes: o First upper perforation (27), first upper electrical conductor (25) passes through the first upper perforation, o First lower perforation (28), first lower electrical conductor (26) extends through the first lower perforation, - A first photovoltaic active region (24), which is disposed on the outer central portion and electrically connected to the first upper conductor and the first lower conductor. - A second longitudinal outer flange (16) extending from the outer central portion, wherein the first longitudinal outer flange and the second longitudinal outer flange have a shape that allows one to overlap the other. The back side of the outer panel includes: - A first upper cable (42) extends from the first upper electrical conductor, passes through at least one upper cavity (44) and an upper opening (88) in the longitudinal groove, and extends to a first upper electrical connector (46). - A first lower cable (43) extends from the first lower electrical conductor, passes through at least one lower cavity (45) and a lower opening (89) in the longitudinal groove, and extends to a first lower electrical connector (47), wherein the first lower electrical connector and the first upper electrical connector are corresponding male and female connectors. The upper cavity is disposed within the insulating material in the upper half of the sandwich panel, and the lower cavity is disposed within the insulating material in the lower half of the sandwich panel. The upper cavity and the lower cavity are adjacent to the longitudinal groove, and both are open along the first longitudinal side of the insulating material, or both are open along the second longitudinal side of the insulating material.

12. The sandwich panel according to claim 11, wherein, A portion of the first upper cable with the first upper electrical connector and a portion of the first lower cable with the first lower electrical connector are retained in the longitudinal groove.

13. A method for manufacturing a sandwich panel (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, comprising: - Provide an outer panel (4), the outer panel comprising: The outer central part (17) includes: The first upper perforation (27) is through which the first upper electrical conductor (25) passes. A first lower perforation (28) is formed through which a first lower electrical conductor (26) passes. o First photovoltaic active region (24), which is disposed on the outer central portion and electrically connected to the first upper electrical conductor and the first lower electrical conductor; The back side of the outer panel includes: A first upper cable (42) connects the first upper electrical conductor to a first upper electrical connector (46) disposed in the upper cavity (44). A first lower cable (43) connects the first lower electrical conductor to a first lower electrical connector (47) disposed in a lower cavity (45). The first lower electrical connector and the first upper electrical connector are corresponding male and female connectors. The upper cavity is located in the upper half of the outer panel, and the lower cavity is located in the lower half of the outer panel. - Provide an inner panel (3) including an inner central portion (67) including a longitudinal groove (85). - Place the insulation in place. - The inner plate is held at a given distance from the outer plate such that the upper cavity and the lower cavity are adjacent to the longitudinal groove.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein, The inner plate (3) is provided to be cut and shaped to a fixed size, such that it includes an upper transverse inner edge (63), a lower transverse inner edge (64), and the longitudinal groove (85) extends from the upper transverse inner edge to the lower transverse inner edge, wherein the outer plate (4) and the inner plate are disposed in a mold at a given distance from each other, and wherein a reaction mixture is injected into the mold between the inner plate and the outer plate, such that the reaction mixture reacts, expands to fill the gap between the inner plate and the outer plate and forms the insulating material (2).

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein, The inner plate (3) is provided in the form of an inner strip, which is shaped such that its inner central portion (67) includes the longitudinal groove (85), the inner strip enters a twin-belt conveyor of the manufacturing line, wherein the outer plate (4) is part of the continuous feed of the manufacturing line in the outer plate, and wherein a reaction mixture is applied to the back of the outer plate or the back of the inner strip, such that the reaction mixture reacts, expands in the twin-belt conveyor to fill the gap between the inner strip and the outer plate and forms the insulating material (2).

16. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 15, further comprising opening the upper cavity (44) to allow access to the first upper electrical connector (46) and opening the lower cavity (45) to allow access to the first lower electrical connector (47).

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising: After opening the upper cavity (44) and the lower cavity (45), the first upper electrical connector and the first lower electrical connector, and possibly a portion of their cables, pass through the longitudinal groove.

18. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 17, further comprising, prior to providing the outer panel (4), preparing the outer panel according to the following steps: - The outer panel is cut from strip to a fixed length. - The first upper perforation (27) and the first lower perforation (28) are completed in the outer central portion (17). - The first photovoltaic active region (24) is disposed on the outer central portion. - The back of the outer panel is equipped with the first upper cable (42), the first upper electrical connector (46), the first lower cable (43), the first lower electrical connector (47), the upper cavity (44), and the lower cavity (45).

19. A method for assembling a building envelope on a building structure, comprising: - (i) Provide a first sandwich panel and a second sandwich panel (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12. - (ii) Secure the first sandwich panel to the building structure. - (iii) The second sandwich panel is arranged such that the lower transverse side (8) of its insulation material is adjacent to the upper transverse side (7) of the insulation material of the first sandwich panel, and the second sandwich panel is fastened to the building structure. - (iv) Connect the first upper electrical connector (46) of the first sandwich panel to the first lower electrical connector (47) of the second sandwich panel.

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