Horizontal electroplating equipment for solar cells

Abstract

The utility model is applicable to the technical field of solar cell electroplating, and provides horizontal electroplating equipment for solar cells, in the horizontal electroplating equipment, a plurality of electroplating baths are sequentially arranged at intervals in the horizontal direction, each electroplating bath comprises a first side wall and a second side wall which are opposite to each other in the horizontal direction, and in the electroplating process, the first side wall and the second side wall are separated from each other. The solar cell is always in contact with at least one cathode structure. In the horizontal direction, the distance between the first side wall of the Mth electroplating bath and the first side wall of the (M + 1) th electroplating bath is smaller than the length of the solar cell, and the distance between the first side wall of the Mth electroplating bath and the second side wall of the (M + 1) th electroplating bath is larger than the length of the solar cell. Therefore, the solar cell can be in contact with at least one cathode structure no matter which state the solar cell is in, and continuous electroplating is achieved. Besides, in the electroplating process, the number of the electroplating baths covered by the solar cells is less than 2, so that the electroplating efficiency of a single electroplating area can be improved, and the cost and the failure rate can be reduced at the same time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of electroplating of solar cells, and in particular to a horizontal electroplating device for solar cells. Background Art

[0002] In the process of manufacturing solar cells, electroplating is usually used to make the metal electrodes of solar cells. During electroplating, three methods can be used: horizontal electroplating, vertical electroplating, and insert electroplating. Horizontal electroplating is more suitable for large-scale production.

[0003] In the related art, in the horizontal electroplating equipment, several electroplating tanks are usually provided to electroplate the cell multiple times, so that the thickness of the metal electrode of the solar cell can reach the desired performance. However, in the current horizontal electroplating equipment, the equipment structure is complex, the cost and the failure rate are high. Utility Model Content

[0004] The present application provides a horizontal electroplating device for solar cell sheets, which has higher electroplating efficiency, simpler structure and equipment, and lower equipment cost and failure rate.

[0005] The present application is implemented in this way. The horizontal electroplating equipment for solar cells in the embodiment of the present application includes:

[0006] A plurality of electroplating tanks spaced apart in a horizontal direction, wherein the electroplating tanks include a first side wall and a second side wall spaced apart in a horizontal direction and facing each other;

[0007] A conveying device disposed in the electroplating tank, the conveying device being used to carry and transport the solar cell sheet in a horizontal direction;

[0008] an anode structure disposed in the electroplating tank;

[0009] A plurality of cathode structures disposed outside the electroplating tank, wherein during the electroplating process, the solar cell is always in contact with at least one of the cathode structures;

[0010] Among them, the distance between the first side wall of the Mth electroplating tank and the first side wall of the M+1th electroplating tank is smaller than the length of the solar cell, and the distance between the first side wall of the Mth electroplating tank and the second side wall of the M+1th electroplating tank is greater than the length of the solar cell, and M is a positive integer.

[0011] Furthermore, the cathode structures and the electroplating tanks are alternately arranged in the horizontal direction, and in the horizontal direction, the spacing between the Nth cathode structure and the N+1th cathode structure is less than the length of the solar cell, and N is a positive integer.

[0012] Furthermore, a distance between the cathode structure and the side wall closest to the cathode structure among the first side wall and the second side wall is 1 mm-20 mm.

[0013] Furthermore, the cathode structure includes a cathode roller, and the cathode roller and the conveying device are both located on the side of the solar cell facing the electroplating tank, and the cathode roller is used to carry the solar cell together with the conveying device, and the cathode roller is in electrical contact with the solar cell and connected to the negative pole of an external power supply, and in the horizontal direction, the distance between the axes of the Nth cathode roller and the N+1th cathode roller is less than the length of the solar cell.

[0014] Furthermore, the diameter of the cathode roller is 30 mm-40 mm.

[0015] Furthermore, in the horizontal direction, the distance between the supporting point between the conveying device and the solar cell closest to the cathode roller and the axis of the cathode roller is less than or equal to half the length of the solar cell.

[0016] Furthermore, the number of the electroplating tanks is greater than two, and in the horizontal electroplating equipment, the cathode structure is not provided between some adjacent electroplating tanks.

[0017] Furthermore, the anode structure includes an anode plate having a through groove formed thereon, and at least a portion of the conveying device passes through the through groove to contact the solar cell, so that the conveying device carries and transports the solar cell in a horizontal direction.

[0018] Furthermore, the conveying device includes a transmission shaft and a transmission wheel, the transmission shaft is rotatably mounted on the electroplating tank, the transmission wheel is arranged on the transmission shaft and is located in the electroplating tank, the transmission wheel passes through the through groove and contacts the solar cell and the transmission wheel can rotate in the through groove, the transmission wheel is used to carry the solar cell, and the transmission shaft is used to drive the transmission wheel to rotate to transport the solar cell.

[0019] Furthermore, in the vertical direction, the distance between the supporting point where the conveying device contacts the solar cell and the anode plate is less than or equal to 10 mm.

[0020] Furthermore, in the vertical direction, the distance between the supporting point where the conveying device contacts the solar cell and the anode plate is greater than 5 mm and less than or equal to 10 mm.

[0021] Furthermore, the transmission shaft is provided with a plurality of transmission wheels, the plurality of transmission wheels are arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the transmission shaft, and each of the transmission wheels corresponds to one of the through grooves.

[0022] Furthermore, a plurality of the transmission shafts are provided in the electroplating tank, the plurality of transmission shafts are arranged at intervals in the horizontal direction, and the transmission wheels on at least two of the transmission shafts are staggered with each other in the horizontal direction.

[0023] In the horizontal electroplating equipment of the embodiment of the present application, a plurality of electroplating tanks are arranged in sequence in the horizontal direction, and the electroplating tanks include a first side wall and a second side wall opposite to each other in the horizontal direction. During the electroplating process, the solar cell is always in contact with at least one cathode structure. In the horizontal direction, the spacing between the first side wall of the Mth electroplating tank and the first side wall of the M+1th electroplating tank is less than the length of the solar cell, and the spacing between the first side wall of the Mth electroplating tank and the second side wall of the M+1th electroplating tank is greater than the length of the solar cell. In this way, on the one hand, during the electroplating process of the solar cell, as the solar cell moves, the solar cell can contact with at least one cathode structure regardless of its state, thereby realizing continuous electroplating and improving the electroplating efficiency; on the other hand, since the spacing between the first side wall of the Mth electroplating tank and the second side wall of the M+1th electroplating tank is greater than the length of the solar cell, during the electroplating process, the number of electroplating tanks covered by the solar cell is less than 2, which can improve the electroplating efficiency of a single plating area; and, in this case, in an assembly line of the same length, the number of electroplating tanks can be set to be smaller, which can simplify the equipment structure and reduce costs and failure rates.

[0024] Additional aspects and advantages of the present application will be given in part in the description below, and in part will become apparent from the description below, or will be learned through the practice of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a horizontal electroplating device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] Figure 2 It is a partial structural schematic diagram of the horizontal electroplating equipment provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0027] Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of the anode structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure between the anode structure and the conveying device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] Figure 5is another schematic diagram of an assembly structure between an anode structure and a conveying device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Figure 6 is another schematic diagram of an assembly structure between the anode structure and the conveying device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the transmission device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0032] Description of main component symbols:

[0033] Horizontal electroplating equipment 100, electroplating tank 10, first side wall 11, second side wall 12, conveying device 20, transmission shaft 21, transmission wheel 22, rotating shaft portion 221, blade portion 222, anode structure 30, through slot 31, cathode structure 40, cathode roller 41, electroplating liquid surging device 50;

[0034] Solar cell 200 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present application more clearly understood, the present application is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present application, and should not be construed as limiting the present application. In addition, it should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application and are not used to limit the present application.

[0036] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "horizontal", "vertical", etc. indicating orientations or positional relationships are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0037] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of this application, "multiple" and "several" mean two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0038] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or mutual communication; it can be a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0039] In the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include that the first and second features are in direct contact, or may include that the first and second features are not in direct contact but are in contact through another feature between them. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" and "above" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" and "below" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0040] The disclosure below provides many different embodiments or examples to realize the different structures of the present application. In order to simplify the disclosure of the present application, the parts and settings of specific examples are described below. Of course, they are only examples, and the purpose is not to limit the present application. In addition, the present application can repeat reference numbers and / or reference letters in different examples, and this repetition is for the purpose of simplification and clarity, and does not indicate the relationship between the various embodiments and / or settings discussed in itself. In addition, the various specific processes and examples of materials provided by the present application, but those of ordinary skill in the art can be aware of the application of other processes and / or the use scenarios of other materials.

[0041] See also Figure 1 An embodiment of the present application provides a horizontal electroplating device 100, which is used to electroplate the area to be plated on the solar cell 200. For example, the horizontal electroplating device 100 can be used to electroplate the seed layer on the grid line area of ​​the solar cell 200 to form a metal grid line electrode.

[0042] The horizontal electroplating equipment 100 in the embodiment of the present application may include a plurality of electroplating tanks 10 , a plurality of conveying devices 20 , a plurality of anode structures 30 and a plurality of cathode structures 40 .

[0043] like Figure 1As shown, several electroplating tanks 10 are arranged at intervals in the horizontal direction. The electroplating tanks 10 are used to contain electroplating liquid. The electroplating tanks 10 include a first side wall 11 and a second side wall 12 arranged at intervals in the horizontal direction. The conveying device 20 is arranged in the electroplating tank 10. The conveying device 20 is used to carry and transport the solar cell 200 so that the solar cell 200 passes over the electroplating tank 10. At least one conveying device 20 is provided in each electroplating tank. It should be noted that in some embodiments, the electroplating liquids in several electroplating tanks 10 can be the same or different. When they are the same, the thickness of the electroplating layer can reach the desired value by continuous electroplating. When they are different, different electroplating layers can be plated on the area to be electroplated in sequence. For example, in one example, a copper layer can be electroplated first, and then a protective layer, such as one or more of tin, nickel, silver, etc., can be electroplated to effectively prevent oxidation of the copper layer.

[0044] The anode structure 30 is disposed in the electroplating tank 10 , and each electroplating tank 10 is provided with an anode structure 30 . The cathode structure 40 is disposed outside the electroplating tank 10 , and during the electroplating process, the solar cell 200 is always in contact with at least one cathode structure 40 .

[0045] like Figure 1 As shown, in the horizontal electroplating equipment 100, the distance D2 between the first side wall 11 of the Mth electroplating tank 10 and the first side wall 11 of the M+1th electroplating tank 10 is smaller than the length D1 of the solar cell, and the distance D3 between the first side wall 11 of the Mth electroplating tank 10 and the second side wall 12 of the M+1th electroplating tank 10 is larger than the length D1 of the solar cell, that is, D2 is smaller than D1, D3 is larger than D1, and M is a positive integer.

[0046] It can be understood that in the horizontal electroplating equipment 100, the anode structure 30 is connected to the positive pole of the external power supply, and the cathode structure 40 is connected to the negative pole of the external power supply. During the electroplating process, the anode structure 30-electroplating solution-the part to be plated in the solar cell 200 (such as the seed layer on the grid line area)-cathode structure 40 forms a circuit loop, thereby electroplating the area to be plated of the solar cell 200.

[0047] It should be noted that, during the electroplating process, a mask is usually provided in the non-electroplating area of ​​the solar cell 200, and only the area to be electroplated is exposed from the mask. The contact between the cathode structure 40 and the solar cell 200 can be that the cathode structure 40 directly electrically contacts the area to be electroplated, or that the cathode structure 40 contacts the mask, and the cathode structure 40 forms electrical contact with the area to be electroplated by adhering to the plating solution of the solar cell 200, and no specific limitation is made here.

[0048] In the horizontal electroplating equipment 100 of the embodiment of the present application, a plurality of electroplating tanks 10 are arranged in sequence in the horizontal direction, and the electroplating tanks 10 include a first side wall 11 and a second side wall 12 opposite to each other in the horizontal direction. During the electroplating process, the solar cell 200 is always in contact with at least one cathode structure 40. In the horizontal direction, the spacing D2 between the first side wall 11 of the Mth electroplating tank 10 and the first side wall 11 of the M+1th electroplating tank 10 is less than the length D1 of the solar cell, and the spacing D3 between the first side wall 11 of the Mth electroplating tank 10 and the second side wall 12 of the M+1th electroplating tank 10 is greater than the length of the solar cell 200. In this way, on the one hand, during the electroplating process of the solar cell 200, as the solar cell 200 moves, the solar cell 200 can contact with at least one cathode structure 40 regardless of its state, thereby realizing continuous electroplating and improving the electroplating efficiency; on the other hand, since the distance D3 between the first side wall 11 of the Mth electroplating tank 10 and the second side wall 12 of the M+1th electroplating tank is greater than the length D1 of the solar cell 200, during the electroplating process, the number of electroplating tanks 10 covered by the solar cell 200 is less than 2, which can improve the electroplating efficiency of a single plating area; and, in this case, in an assembly line of the same length, the number of electroplating tanks 10 can be set to be smaller, which can simplify the equipment structure and reduce costs and failure rates.

[0049] Specifically, in the embodiments of the present application, Figure 2 As shown, Figure 2 The part of the structure of the horizontal electroplating equipment 100 is shown. In the embodiment of the present application, the anode structure 30 may be an anode plate, which may be arranged parallel to the solar cell 200 in the vertical direction. The horizontal direction refers to the direction of travel of the solar cell 200 during the electroplating process, that is, the conveying direction of the conveyor 20. The vertical direction is a direction perpendicular to the horizontal direction and is the direction indicated by gravity. As an example, in Figure 2 In the figure, the vertical direction is the height direction of the electroplating tank 10, that is, the direction perpendicular to the surface of the solar cell 200 facing the electroplating tank 10. The conveying device 20 may be a conveying wheel assembly, which is not specifically limited here, as long as it can carry and transport the solar cell 200. The anode structure 30 may be a titanium mesh, which is not specifically limited here.

[0050] It can be understood that during the electroplating process, the plating solution fills the entire plating tank 10, and the plating solution is adsorbed on the surface of the solar cell 200 facing the plating tank 10, so that the anode structure 30-plating solution-the part to be electroplated in the solar cell 200 (such as the metal electrode)-cathode structure 40 forms a circuit loop.

[0051] It should be noted that, in the embodiments of the present application, the solar cell 200 may be a PERC solar cell, a Topcon solar cell, a heterojunction solar cell, a back contact solar cell, etc., and is not specifically limited here.

[0052] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in the horizontal electroplating equipment 100 of the embodiment of the present application, the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 of the electroplating tank 10 are two side walls opposite to each other in the horizontal direction of the electroplating tank 10, and the first side wall 11, the second side wall 12 and the side walls in the other two directions and the bottom wall together form a cavity for containing the electroplating solution. In some electroplating tanks 10, the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 are alternately arranged in sequence along the horizontal direction. The spacing between two adjacent first side walls 11 is smaller than the horizontal length of the solar cell 200, and the spacing between the first side wall 11 of the previous electroplating tank 10 and the second side wall 12 of the next electroplating tank 10 is larger than the horizontal length of the solar cell 200. In this way, by reasonably setting the spacing between the side walls of each electroplating tank, during the electroplating process, the solar cell 200 can correspond to at least one electroplating tank 10 but will not cover two electroplating tanks 10 at the same time. For example, taking three electroplating tanks as an example, during the electroplating process, the solar cell 200 covers the first electroplating tank 10 and partially covers the second electroplating tank 10. When the solar cell 200 moves to a position where it does not cover the first electroplating tank 10, the solar cell 200 covers the second electroplating tank 10 and partially covers the third electroplating tank 10 at the same time. In this way, a single electroplating tank 10 has a larger electroplating area for the solar cell 200, which can improve the electroplating efficiency of a single plating area. Only a smaller number of electroplating tanks 10 are needed to make the thickness of the electroplating layer reach the desired value, thereby simplifying the equipment structure and reducing costs and failure rates.

[0053] In some embodiments, in the horizontal direction, the ratio of the spacing between the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 of the same electroplating tank 10 to the length of the solar cell 200 in the horizontal direction is greater than 0.5 and less than 1, for example, 0.6, 0.65, 0.7, 0.75, 0.8, 0.85, 0.9, 0.95 or any value greater than 0.5 and less than 1.

[0054] Further, in such an embodiment, the ratio is preferably 0.5-0.8. Specifically, the inventors found in production practice that if the ratio of the spacing between the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 of the same electroplating tank 10 to the length of the solar cell 200 in the horizontal direction is too small (less than 0.5), one solar cell will cover two electroplating tanks, the electroplating efficiency is low, and the equipment structure is more complicated.

[0055] If the ratio of the distance between the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 of the same electroplating tank 10 to the length of the solar cell 200 in the horizontal direction is too large, during the transmission of the solar cell 200, the end of the solar cell 100 facing the transmission direction has a chance to abut against the second side wall 12 of the electroplating tank 10, seriously affecting the production efficiency. Figure 2 As an example, in Figure 2 In the embodiment, the solar cell 200 moves from left to right in the horizontal direction, and the solar cell 200 has a left end and a right end that are relatively arranged. On the one hand, due to accidental factors in the production process, such as a short jam of the transmission device, or a non-uniform movement of the solar cell 200 for a short period of time, or an unexpected shaking of the machine, when the accidental factor (such as the jam of the transmission device) occurs, if the right end of a solar cell 200 is close to the second side wall 12 of the electroplating tank 10, at this time, due to the effects of inertia and gravity, the right end of the solar cell 200 will be displaced in an oblique downward direction. In this case, if the ratio of the spacing between the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 of the corresponding electroplating tank 10 to the length of the solar cell 200 in the horizontal direction is too large (greater than 0.8), for example, greater than 0.8 and less than 1, that is, less than 1 but very close to 1, it is easy to cause the aforementioned oblique downward displacement to easily cause the right end of the solar cell 100 to abut against the second side wall 12 of the electroplating tank 10.

[0056] On the other hand, the solar cell 200 is adsorbed by the plating solution, and due to the surface tension of the plating solution, it will generate a downward adsorption force on the solar cell 200. Due to the existence of this adsorption force, if the ratio of the distance between the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 of the corresponding plating tank 10 to the horizontal length of the solar cell 200 is too large, the solar cell 200 is prone to bend or tilt slightly downward under the action of this adsorption force, thereby causing the solar cell 200 to rest against the second side wall 12 of the plating tank 10.

[0057] Furthermore, if the ratio of the spacing between the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 of the corresponding electroplating tank 10 to the horizontal length of the solar cell 200 is too large, it will also cause the length of the portion extending from the second side wall 12 to be too small, making it easy for the solar cell 200 to fail to contact the conveying device 20 in the next electroplating tank 10 while moving, resulting in the solar cell 200 being unable to move continuously.

[0058] Based on this, the inventors of the present application discovered after research and verification that when the ratio of the spacing between the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 of the same electroplating tank 10 to the length of the solar cell 200 in the horizontal direction is preferably set to 0.5-0.8, the electroplating efficiency can be improved while avoiding the situation where the end of the solar cell 100 facing the conveying direction abuts against the second side wall 12 of the electroplating tank 10, and the reliability of the continuous movement of the solar cell 200 can be ensured.

[0059] In some embodiments, in the horizontal direction, in two adjacent electroplating tanks 10, the ratio of the spacing between the first side wall 11 of the previous electroplating tank 10 and the second side wall 12 of the next electroplating tank 10 to the length of the solar cell 200 in the horizontal direction is greater than 1 and less than 2, for example, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, or any value greater than 1 and less than 2.

[0060] Further, in such an embodiment, the ratio is preferably 1.2-1.6. Specifically, the inventors found in production practice that if, in two adjacent electroplating tanks 10, the ratio of the spacing between the first side wall 11 of the previous electroplating tank 10 and the second side wall 12 of the next electroplating tank 10 to the length of the solar cell 200 in the horizontal direction is too small (i.e., less than 1.2), during the transmission of the solar cell 200, it is easy for the solar cell 200 to fail to contact the conveying device 20 in the next electroplating tank 10 while traveling, resulting in the solar cell 200 being unable to travel continuously.

[0061] At the same time, if the ratio of the distance between the first side wall 11 of the previous electroplating tank 10 and the second side wall 12 of the next electroplating tank 10 to the length of the solar cell 200 in the horizontal direction is too large (i.e., greater than 1.6), as described above, during the transmission of the solar cell 200, Figure 1 As shown, the solar cell 200 moves from left to right in the horizontal direction. The solar cell 200 has a left end and a right end that are relatively arranged. Due to accidental factors in the production process, such as a short-term jam of the transmission device, or a non-uniform movement of the solar cell 200 for a short period of time, or an unexpected shaking of the machine, when the accidental factor (such as the jam of the transmission device) occurs, if the right end of a solar cell 200 is close to the second side wall 12 of the next electroplating tank 10, at this time, due to the effects of inertia, gravity and the adsorption force generated by the electroplating solution, the right end of the solar cell 200 will easily produce a downward displacement in an oblique direction.

[0062] In such a case, if the ratio of the spacing between the first side wall 11 of the previous electroplating tank 10 and the second side wall 12 of the subsequent electroplating tank 10 to the horizontal length of the solar cell 200 is too large (greater than 1.6), for example, greater than 1.6 and less than 2, that is, less than 2 but very close to 2, it is easy to cause the aforementioned displacement in the oblique downward direction to cause the right end of the solar cell 100 to abut against the second side wall 12 of the subsequent electroplating tank 10.

[0063] Based on this, the inventors of the present application discovered after research and verification that when the ratio of the distance between the first side wall 11 of the previous electroplating tank 10 and the second side wall 12 of the subsequent electroplating tank 10 to the horizontal length of the solar cell 200 is preferably designed to be 1.2-1.6, it is possible to ensure the reliability of the continuous movement of the solar cell 200 while avoiding the situation where the end of the solar cell 100 facing the conveying direction abuts against the second side wall 12 of the subsequent electroplating tank 10.

[0064] See also Figure 1 In some embodiments, a plurality of cathode structures 40 and a plurality of electroplating tanks 10 may be alternately arranged in sequence along the horizontal direction, and in the horizontal direction, the spacing between the Nth cathode structure 40 and the N+1th cathode structure 40 is less than the length of the solar cell 200, and N is a positive integer.

[0065] In some embodiments, a cathode structure 40 may be disposed between two adjacent electroplating tanks 10 , a cathode structure 40 may be disposed before the initial electroplating tank 10 , and a cathode structure 40 may be disposed after the last electroplating tank 10 , or no cathode structure may be disposed.

[0066] In this way, no matter what state the solar cell 200 is in during the traveling process, the solar cell 200 can be in contact with at least one cathode structure 40, thereby ensuring the reliability of electroplating.

[0067] Of course, it is understandable that in some embodiments, among a number of electroplating tanks 10, there may be a situation where no cathode structure 40 is provided between two electroplating tanks 10, that is, in some embodiments, the number of electroplating tanks 10 may be greater than two, and in the horizontal electroplating device 100, there is no cathode structure 40 between some adjacent electroplating tanks 10. For example, a cathode structure 40 may be provided between the first electroplating tank 10 and the second electroplating tank 10, no cathode structure 40 is provided between the second electroplating tank 10 and the third electroplating tank 10, and another cathode structure 40 is provided between the third electroplating tank 10 and the fourth electroplating tank 10. There is no specific limitation here, as long as the solar cell 200 can always be in contact with at least one cathode structure 40 during the electroplating process to form a circuit loop.

[0068] Furthermore, it is understandable that in other embodiments, two cathode structures 40 or more than two cathode structures 40 may be arranged between some of the electroplating tanks 10. There is no specific limitation here. It is only necessary that the distance D2 between the first side wall 11 of the Mth electroplating tank 10 and the first side wall 11 of the M+1th electroplating tank 10 is less than the length D1 of the solar cell, and the distance D3 between the first side wall 11 of the Mth electroplating tank 10 and the second side wall 12 of the M+1th electroplating tank 10 is greater than the length D1 of the solar cell, and the solar cell 200 can always contact with at least one cathode structure 40 during the electroplating process to form a circuit loop.

[0069] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the spacing between the cathode structure 40 and the side wall closest to the cathode structure 40 among the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 is 1 mm-20 mm.

[0070] In this way, it can be avoided that the cathode structure 40 is too close to the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 so as to avoid the plating solution spilling from the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 and splashing onto the cathode structure 40 , thereby causing the cathode structure 40 to also be plated with a plating layer.

[0071] Specifically, in such an embodiment, the spacing between the side wall cathode structure 40 closest to the cathode structure 40 in the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 can be, for example, 1mm, 2mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 7mm, 8mm, 9mm, 10mm, 11mm, 12mm, 13mm, 14mm, 15mm, 16mm, 17mm, 18mm, 19mm, 20mm or any value between 1mm-20mm, and is not limited here.

[0072] It can be understood that the cathode structure 40 at the initial position has only the first side wall 11 on both sides. In this case, the above-mentioned spacing refers to the spacing between the cathode structure 40 and the first side wall 11. The cathode structure 40 at the final position has only the first side wall 11 on both sides. In this case, the above-mentioned spacing refers to the spacing between the cathode structure 40 and the first side wall 11. The cathode structure 40 between the two electroplating tanks 10 has the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 on both sides. In this case, if the spacing between the two side walls and the cathode structure 40 is different, the above-mentioned spacing refers to the distance between the side wall closest to the cathode structure 40 and the cathode structure 40. If the spacing between the two side walls and the cathode structure 40 is the same, the above-mentioned spacing refers to the distance between the two side walls and the cathode structure 40.

[0073] See also Figure 1-Figure 3In some embodiments, the anode structure 30 includes an anode plate having a through groove 31 formed thereon, and at least a portion of the conveying device 20 passes through the through groove 31 and contacts the solar cell 200, so that the conveying device 20 carries and transports the solar cell 200 in a horizontal direction.

[0074] In this way, by opening a through groove 31 on the anode plate to allow the conveying device 20 to pass through to support and transport the solar cell 200, the anode plate can be placed close to the solar cell 200, shortening the distance between the anode plate and the solar cell 200, so that the horizontal electroplating equipment 100 can support high current electroplating, reduce current loss, improve electroplating efficiency, and also make the electroplating more uniform.

[0075] Furthermore, if Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, a plurality of flow holes 32 may be provided on the anode structure 30, so that the anode structure 30 forms a mesh structure, that is, the anode structure 30 is a mesh plate formed with a plurality of through grooves 31. In this way, the provision of the flow holes 32 can facilitate the passage of the electroplating solution, and avoid the anode structure 30 blocking the electroplating solution, thereby causing poor circulation and circulation of the electroplating solution.

[0076] In addition, if Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, a plating liquid surging device 50 may be further provided in the plating tank 10. The plating liquid surging device 50 may be, for example, a device such as a water jet. The plating liquid surging device 50 may cause the plating liquid in the plating tank 10 to surge and roll continuously, so that the plating liquid may continuously come into contact with the solar cell 200, thereby forming a stable circuit loop and improving the uniformity of electroplating.

[0077] See also Figure 1 and Figure 2 In some embodiments, in the vertical direction, a distance L1 between a supporting point where the conveying device 20 contacts the solar cell 200 and the anode structure 30 is less than or equal to 10 mm.

[0078] In this way, it is possible to avoid the distance L1 between the anode structure 30 and the surface to be electroplated of the solar cell 200 being too large, thereby reducing the electroplating efficiency.

[0079] Further, in such an embodiment, in the vertical direction, the distance L1 between the supporting point where the conveying device 20 contacts the solar cell 200 and the anode structure 30 is greater than 5 mm and less than or equal to 10 mm, that is, 5 mm<L1≤10 mm.

[0080] It is not difficult to understand that if the distance between the anode structure 30 and the surface to be plated of the solar cell 200 is too large, the resistance of the plating solution will increase in the circuit loop formed, and the plating solution will lose part of the current, affecting the plating efficiency and the uniformity of the plating. If the distance is too small, the plating solution between the anode structure 30 and the cell to be plated will have poor circulation and circulation, affecting the uniformity of the plating.

[0081] In such an embodiment, the distance L1 between the support point where the conveying device 20 contacts the solar cell 200 and the anode structure 30 is set within this preferred range. This can avoid the reduction in electroplating efficiency and poor electroplating uniformity due to the distance between the anode structure 30 and the surface to be electroplated of the solar cell 200 being too large, and can also avoid the poor flow and circulation of the plating solution between the anode structure 30 and the solar cell 200 due to the distance being too small, which affects the uniformity of the electroplating. That is, it can further improve the uniformity of the electroplating.

[0082] Specifically, in such an embodiment, the distance L1 between the support point where the conveying device 20 contacts the solar cell 200 and the anode structure 30 may be, for example, 5.1 mm, 5.5 mm, 6 mm, 6.5 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 8.5 mm, 9 mm, 9.5 mm, 10 mm or any value greater than 5 mm and less than or equal to 10 mm, and is not specifically limited here.

[0083] See also Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 In some embodiments, the conveying device 20 may include a transmission shaft 21 and a transmission wheel 22. The transmission shaft 21 is rotatably mounted on the electroplating tank 10, the transmission wheel 22 is disposed on the transmission shaft 21 and is located in the electroplating tank 10, the transmission wheel 22 contacts the solar cell 200 through the through groove 31 and the transmission wheel 22 can rotate in the through groove 31, and the transmission shaft 21 is used to drive the transmission wheel 22 to rotate to transport the solar cell 200.

[0084] Thus, the solar cell 200 can be supported and transported by only passing the driving wheel 22 through the through slot 31 , and the anode structure 30 can be arranged closer to the solar cell 200 , without interfering with the rotation of the driving wheel 22 .

[0085] Specifically, in such an embodiment, the transmission shaft 21 can be connected to a driving mechanism including a motor, and the driving mechanism may include a motor and an intermediate transmission mechanism and other structures. The driving mechanism can drive the transmission shaft 21 to rotate, thereby driving the transmission wheel 22 to rotate in the through groove 31, and then transport the solar cell 200.

[0086] In such an embodiment, the transmission wheel 22 can be installed separately from the transmission shaft 21, that is, the transmission wheel 22 can be installed separately on the transmission shaft 21. Of course, in other embodiments, the transmission wheel 22 and the transmission shaft 21 can also be integrally formed, which is not specifically limited here.

[0087] For further information, see Figure 4-Figure 7 In some embodiments, a plurality of transmission wheels 22 may be provided on the transmission shaft 21 . The plurality of transmission wheels 22 are spaced apart along the axial direction of the transmission shaft 21 , and each transmission wheel 22 corresponds to a through slot 31 .

[0088] Thus, by arranging a plurality of transmission wheels 22 after the transmission, the supporting points for the solar cell 200 can be increased, thereby improving the stability of the transportation of the solar cell 200. At the same time, by increasing the arrangement of the transmission wheels 22, it is also possible to transport a plurality of solar cells 200 at the same time.

[0089] Specifically, in such an embodiment, the number of transmission wheels 22 on a single transmission shaft 21 can be selected according to the length of the solar cell 200 in the axial direction of the transmission shaft 21, and is not specifically limited here. Normally, for a single transmission shaft 21, at least two transmission wheels 22 can be arranged under a single solar cell 200.

[0090] See also Figure 6 and Figure 7 In some embodiments, a plurality of transmission shafts 21 are provided in the electroplating tank 10, and the plurality of transmission shafts 21 are arranged at intervals in the horizontal direction.

[0091] In this way, by arranging a plurality of transmission shafts 21 spaced apart in the horizontal direction, the solar cell sheet 200 can be supported and transported more stably in the horizontal direction.

[0092] Specifically, in such an embodiment, the number of transmission shafts 21 in the electroplating tank 10 can be selected according to the horizontal length of the solar cell 200 , and it is preferred that there are at least two transmission shafts 21 under the solar cell 200 .

[0093] For further information, see Figure 3 and Figure 7 In some embodiments, the transmission wheels 22 on at least two transmission shafts 21 are offset from each other in the horizontal direction.

[0094] In this way, the solar cell 200 can be prevented from being in contact with the driving wheel 22 in the same area during the movement, thereby preventing the same area of ​​the solar cell 200 from repeatedly contacting and rubbing with the driving wheel 22 and causing wheel marks or even damage on the solar cell 200.

[0095] It should be noted that, in this article, “the transmission wheels 22 are offset from each other in the horizontal direction” means that the two transmission wheels are not located on the same horizontal line in the horizontal direction. For example, taking the case where there are only two transmission shafts 21 in the electroplating tank 10, on one of the transmission shafts 21, the transmission wheels 22 on the transmission shaft 21 are arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the transmission shaft 21, and on the other transmission shaft 21, the transmission wheels 22 on the transmission shaft 21 are also arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the transmission shaft 21, but the transmission wheels 22 on this transmission shaft 21 are offset from the transmission wheels on the previous transmission shaft 21 in the horizontal direction. It is also possible that the positions where the transmission wheels 22 on the two transmission shafts 21 contact the solar cell 200 will not be the same.

[0096] See also Figures 4 to 7 In some embodiments, the transmission wheel 22 includes a shaft portion 221 disposed on the transmission shaft 21 and at least one blade portion 222 disposed on the shaft portion 221, the blade portion 222 extends along the radial direction of the shaft portion 221, and the blade portion 222 passes through the through groove 31 to contact the solar cell 200 to carry and transport the solar cell 200.

[0097] In this way, the driving wheel 22 contacts the solar cell 200 through the blade portion 222 , and the contact area between the two is small, which can avoid the contact area being too large to affect the contact between the plating solution and the solar electromagnetic sheet.

[0098] Specifically, in such an embodiment, the blade portion 222 can be formed separately from the shaft portion 221 or can be formed integrally with the shaft portion 221 , and the specific details are not limited here.

[0099] See also Figure 1 and Figure 2 In some embodiments, the cathode structure 40 may include a cathode roller 41. The cathode roller 41 and the conveyor 20 are both located on the side of the solar cell 200 facing the electroplating tank 10. The cathode roller 41 is used to carry the solar cell 200 together with the conveyor 20. The cathode roller 41 is in contact with the solar cell 200 and is connected to the negative pole of the external power supply. Figure 1 As shown, in the horizontal direction, the distance D4 between the axis centers of the Nth cathode roller 41 and the N+1th cathode roller 41 is smaller than the length D1 of the solar cell 200 .

[0100] In this way, the cathode structure 40 is configured as a cathode roller 41, which can act as a cathode and can also carry the solar cell 200 together with the conveying device 20 to achieve functional reuse. At the same time, the distance D4 between the axis of the Nth cathode roller 41 and the N+1th cathode roller 41 is smaller than the length D1 of the solar cell 200, so that the solar cell 200 can contact with at least one cathode roller 41 regardless of the state of the solar cell 200, thereby forming a circuit loop.

[0101] Specifically, in such an embodiment, the contact between the cathode roller 41 and the solar cell 200 can be that the cathode roller 41 directly makes electrical contact with the area to be electroplated, or the cathode roller 41 makes electrical contact with the mask, and the cathode roller 41 makes electrical contact with the area to be electroplated by the electroplating solution attached to the solar cell 200, and no specific limitation is made herein.

[0102] In some embodiments, the diameter of the cathode roller 41 may be 30 mm to 40 mm. In this way, it is possible to avoid the cathode roller 41 having an excessively large diameter, which may lead to an excessively large spacing between two adjacent electroplating tanks 10 and a reduction in electroplating efficiency. At the same time, when the spacing between adjacent electroplating tanks 10 is constant, setting the diameter of the cathode roller 41 within this range may prevent the spacing between the cathode roller 41 and the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 from being too small, which may cause the electroplating solution to splash onto the cathode roller 41 and cause the cathode roller 41 to be electroplated with an electroplating layer.

[0103] In some embodiments, the cathode roller 41 may be fixed relative to the electroplating tank 10 . In this case, the cathode roller 41 only serves as a cathode and supports the solar cell 200 .

[0104] It is easy to understand that in such an embodiment, the friction between the cathode roller 41 and the solar cell 200 can be controlled to prevent the cathode roller 41 from scratching or even damaging the solar cell 200 during the movement of the solar cell 200 .

[0105] Of course, in some embodiments, in order to avoid serious scratches between the cathode roller 41 and the solar cell 200, the cathode roller 41 can also be configured to be able to rotate relative to the electroplating tank 10, so that the cathode roller 41 can rotate freely, and there is rolling friction between the cathode roller 41 and the solar cell 200, and the friction between the two is relatively small.

[0106] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the cathode roller 41 can rotate relative to the electroplating tank 10 and transport the solar cell 200 together with the conveying device 20 .

[0107] In this way, the cathode roller 41 can be connected to the driving mechanism of the horizontal electroplating equipment 100 just like the conveying device 20. The cathode roller 41 can rotate under the drive of the driving mechanism, thereby conveying the solar cell 200 in the horizontal direction together with the conveying device 20. That is, the setting of the cathode roller 41 can realize the multiplexing of the cathode and conveying functions.

[0108] In some embodiments, in the horizontal direction, the distance L2 between the support point between the conveying device 20 and the solar cell 200 closest to the cathode roller 41 (that is, the axis of the transmission shaft 21 closest to the cathode roller 41) and the axis of the cathode roller 41 is less than or equal to half the length of the solar cell 200.

[0109] In this way, it is possible to avoid the solar cell 200 being too long between the supporting point where the conveying device 20 contacts the solar cell 200 and the axis of the cathode roller 41, thereby preventing the solar cell 200 from being easily deformed, thereby preventing the solar cell 200 from contacting the top of the electroplating tank 10 below the solar cell 200 and causing damage to the solar cell 200.

[0110] Specifically, it is not difficult to understand that if the distance L2 between the cathode roller 41 and the conveying device 20 and the supporting point of the solar cell 200 closest to the cathode roller 41 is large, then during the movement, the length of the solar cell 200 between the cathode roller 41 and the supporting point is large, and it is easy to bend and deform downward. In this case, the solar cell 200 is easy to contact the top of the notch of the electroplating tank 10 and cause damage to the solar cell 200. This problem can be effectively avoided by controlling this distance to be less than or equal to half the length of the solar cell 200.

[0111] See also Figure 1 and Figure 2 In some embodiments, in the vertical direction, the position of the supporting point where the conveying device 20 contacts the solar cell 200 is higher than the top of the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 .

[0112] In this way, it is possible to avoid scratches or even damage to the solar cell 200 caused by scratches between the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12; at the same time, the positions of the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 are set lower, so that the plating liquid can overflow from the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 under the action of the plating liquid surge device 50.

[0113] Further, in such an embodiment, in the vertical direction, a distance L3 between the supporting point where the conveying device 20 contacts the solar cell 200 and the top of the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 is 1 mm-2 mm.

[0114] In this way, it can be avoided that the distance between the two is too large, resulting in the distance between the highest liquid level of the plating solution and the solar cell 200 being too large, resulting in the plating solution being unable to form a continuous and stable contact with the solar cell 200; it can also be avoided that the distance between the two is too small, resulting in the solar cell 200 being easily and accidentally contacting the first side wall 11 or the second side wall 12.

[0115] Specifically, in such an embodiment, in the vertical direction, the distance between the support point where the conveying device 20 contacts the solar cell 200 and the top of the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 can be, for example, 1 mm, 1.2 mm, 1.4 mm, 1.6 mm, 1.8 mm, 2 mm or any value between 1-2 mm, and is not limited here.

[0116] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In this specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

[0117] Although the embodiments of the present application have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present application, and that the scope of the present application is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A horizontal electroplating device for solar cells, characterized in that: The horizontal electroplating equipment comprises: A plurality of electroplating tanks spaced apart in a horizontal direction, wherein the electroplating tanks include a first side wall and a second side wall spaced apart in a horizontal direction and facing each other; A conveying device disposed in the electroplating tank, the conveying device being used to carry and transport the solar cell sheet in a horizontal direction; an anode structure disposed in the electroplating tank; A plurality of cathode structures disposed outside the electroplating tank, wherein during the electroplating process, the solar cell is always in contact with at least one of the cathode structures; Among them, the distance between the first side wall of the Mth electroplating tank and the first side wall of the M+1th electroplating tank is smaller than the length of the solar cell, and the distance between the first side wall of the Mth electroplating tank and the second side wall of the M+1th electroplating tank is greater than the length of the solar cell, and M is a positive integer.

2. The horizontal electroplating equipment for solar cells according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cathode structures and the electroplating tanks are alternately arranged in the horizontal direction. In the horizontal direction, the spacing between the Nth cathode structure and the N+1th cathode structure is less than the length of the solar cell, and N is a positive integer.

3. The horizontal electroplating equipment for solar cells according to claim 2, characterized in that: The distance between the cathode structure and the side wall closest to the cathode structure among the first side wall and the second side wall is 1 mm-20 mm.

4. The horizontal electroplating equipment for solar cells according to claim 2, characterized in that: The cathode structure includes a cathode roller, and the cathode roller and the conveying device are both located on the side of the solar cell facing the electroplating tank, and the cathode roller is used to carry the solar cell together with the conveying device. The cathode roller is in electrical contact with the solar cell and connected to the negative pole of an external power supply, and in the horizontal direction, the distance between the axes of the Nth cathode roller and the N+1th cathode roller is less than the length of the solar cell.

5. The horizontal electroplating equipment for solar cells according to claim 4, characterized in that: The diameter of the cathode roller is 30mm-40mm.

6. The horizontal electroplating equipment for solar cells according to claim 4, characterized in that: In the horizontal direction, the distance between the supporting point between the conveying device and the solar cell closest to the cathode roller and the axis of the cathode roller is less than or equal to half the length of the solar cell.

7. The horizontal electroplating equipment for solar cells according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of the electroplating tanks is greater than two, and in the horizontal electroplating equipment, there is no cathode structure between some adjacent electroplating tanks.

8. The horizontal electroplating equipment for solar cells according to claim 1, characterized in that: The anode structure comprises an anode plate, on which a through groove is formed, and at least a portion of the conveying device passes through the through groove and contacts the solar cell, so that the conveying device carries and transports the solar cell in a horizontal direction.

9. The horizontal electroplating equipment for solar cells according to claim 8, characterized in that: The conveying device includes a transmission shaft and a transmission wheel, wherein the transmission shaft is rotatably mounted on the electroplating tank, the transmission wheel is arranged on the transmission shaft and is located in the electroplating tank, the transmission wheel passes through the through groove and contacts the solar cell and the transmission wheel can rotate in the through groove, the transmission wheel is used to carry the solar cell, and the transmission shaft is used to drive the transmission wheel to rotate so as to transport the solar cell.

10. The horizontal electroplating equipment for solar cells according to claim 8, characterized in that: In the vertical direction, the distance between the supporting point where the conveying device contacts the solar cell sheet and the anode plate is less than or equal to 10 mm.

11. The horizontal electroplating equipment for solar cells according to claim 10, characterized in that: In the vertical direction, the distance between the supporting point where the conveying device contacts the solar cell sheet and the anode plate is greater than 5 mm and less than or equal to 10 mm.

12. The horizontal electroplating equipment for solar cells according to claim 9, characterized in that: The transmission shaft is provided with a plurality of transmission wheels, which are arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the transmission shaft, and each transmission wheel corresponds to one through groove.

13. The horizontal electroplating equipment for solar cells according to claim 9, characterized in that: A plurality of transmission shafts are arranged in the electroplating tank, and the plurality of transmission shafts are arranged at intervals in the horizontal direction, and the transmission wheels on at least two of the transmission shafts are staggered with each other in the horizontal direction.

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