Sandwich panels and building envelopes

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sandwich panel (19) comprising a photovoltaic active area (24) disposed on an outer sheet (4) with its upper and lower electrical connectors disposed in upper and lower cavities (44, 45), respectively, wherein the upper cavity is disposed in the insulation (2) of the upper half of the sandwich panel adjacent to either the insulation or the second longitudinal side of the inner sheet, whereby the upper electrical connector can be accessed from the upper cavity, and the lower cavity is disposed in the insulation of the lower half of the sandwich panel adjacent to either the insulation or the second longitudinal side of the inner sheet, whereby the first lower electrical connector can be accessed from the lower cavity.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to sandwich panels intended for the construction of building envelopes, more particularly, but not exclusively, for the construction of roofs, walls, facades and cladding of buildings. In particular, the present invention relates to building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) sandwich panels. [Background technology]

[0002] Roof coverings are known to be made of sandwich panels comprising an inner sheet, an outer sheet and an insulating material sandwiched between the inner and outer sheets, both sheets usually being made of metal and the insulating material usually being polyurethane (PUR) foam, polyisocyanurate (PIR) foam or mineral wool.

[0003] According to WO 2012 / 120489, as shown in Figure 8 of this patent, it is known to laminate different layers of photovoltaic collector units together onto a sandwich panel by pressure applied by rolls and heat supplied by a temperature chamber. During this process, the film surrounding the solar cells melts, embedding the solar cells in the collector units. However, the temperatures reached during the lamination of the photovoltaic collector units onto the sandwich panel can damage the insulation of the sandwich panel and impair the adhesion between the insulation and the metal sheet.

[0004] Meanwhile, improvements in the way the photovoltaic functionality is integrated into the sandwich panel do not impair the manufacturing process of the sandwich panel in existing production facilities, and do not impair other functions of the sandwich panel. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2012 / 120489 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] It is therefore an object of the present invention to ameliorate the problems of the prior art by providing a building-integrated photovoltaic sandwich panel with improved photovoltaic integration without substantially changing the process for manufacturing the sandwich panel. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To this end, a first subject of the invention consists of a sandwich panel for building envelopes, comprising an inner sheet, an outer sheet and an insulating material sandwiched between the inner and outer sheets, the insulating material having a first longitudinal side, a second longitudinal side, an upper short side and a lower short side, the sandwich panel having an upper half and a lower half, The outer sheet is a first longitudinal outer flange including a first longitudinal rib projecting from a first longitudinal side of the insulation; an outer central portion extending from the first longitudinal rib, a first upper bore through which a first upper electrical conductor passes; a first lower bore through which a first lower electrical conductor passes; an outer central portion including: a first photovoltaic active region disposed in the outer central portion and electrically connected to the first upper electrical conductor and the first lower electrical conductor; a second longitudinal outer flange extending from the outer central portion and including a second longitudinal rib, the first longitudinal rib and the second longitudinal rib having a shape that allows the first longitudinal rib to overlap the second longitudinal rib; Equipped with The back of the outer sheet is a first upper cable connecting a first upper electrical conductor to a first upper electrical connector disposed within the upper cavity; a first lower cable connecting a first lower electrical conductor to a first lower electrical connector disposed within the lower cavity, the first lower electrical connector and the first upper electrical connector being corresponding male and female connectors; Equipped with an upper cavity disposed within the insulation of the upper half of the sandwich panel and adjacent either the second longitudinal side or the inner sheet of the insulation, whereby the first upper electrical connector can be accessed from the upper cavity; The lower cavity is disposed within the insulation of the lower half of the sandwich panel and adjacent to either the second longitudinal side or the inner sheet of the insulation, such that the first lower electrical connector can be accessed from the lower cavity.

[0008] The first subject of the invention may also have the optional features listed below, considered individually or in combination:

[0009] the outer sheet further comprises an upper, lateral outer edge adjacent to the upper overlap region; the outer sheet further comprises a lower lateral outer edge extending beyond the lower lateral side of the insulation 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; The electrical conductor is a conductive ribbon, the first photovoltaic active region covers the first upper perforation and the first lower perforation; the first upper junction box connects the first upper conductive ribbon to a first upper cable extending from the first upper junction box to a first upper electrical connector disposed within the upper cavity; the first lower junction box connects the first lower electrical conductor to a first lower cable extending from the first lower junction box to a first lower electrical connector disposed within the lower cavity; the upper cavity is open along a second longitudinal side of the insulation and / or along an upper lateral side of the insulation and / or along the inner sheet; the lower cavity is open along a second longitudinal side of the insulation and / or along a lower lateral side of the insulation and / or along the inner sheet; the upper cavity is open along the second longitudinal side of the insulation through a cut in the insulation and / or a cut in the edge band covering the second longitudinal side and / or a cut in the wall of the upper cavity; the second longitudinal side of the insulation includes an upper notch extending from the upper cavity to the upper shorter side of the insulation; The upper cavity is open along the inner sheet through an upper hole in the inner sheet, the inner sheet has an upper groove extending from the upper cavity to the upper short side of the insulation; the lower cavity is open along a second longitudinal side of the insulation through a cut in the insulation and / or through a cut in an edge band covering the second longitudinal side and / or through a cut in a wall of the lower cavity; the second longitudinal side of the insulation includes a lower notch extending from the lower cavity to the lower shorter side of the insulation; The lower cavity is open along the inner sheet through the lower hole in the inner sheet, the inner sheet includes a lower groove extending from the lower cavity to a lower short side of the insulation; each of the upper and lower cavities being defined by a casing embedded in an insulating material; The casing is made of foam material, the casing having an inlet for inserting a cable and an outlet for accessing the first upper electrical connector or the first lower electrical connector; the upper and lower cavities each have a wall in the plane of the second longitudinal side of the insulation; The upper and lower cavities are in contact with the inner seat; the upper cavity contains a portion of the first upper cable, and the lower cavity contains a portion of the first lower cable; a portion of the first upper cable is folded within the upper cavity, and a portion of the first lower cable is folded within the lower cavity; The inner sheet is an inner central portion that lies substantially within plane P; a first longitudinal inner flange extending inwardly from the first longitudinal end of the inner central portion and forming an inner peripheral rabbet in the insulation along a first longitudinal side thereof; a second longitudinal inner flange extending from the second longitudinal end of the inner central portion by projecting from the second longitudinal side of the insulation to form an inner tongue extending parallel to the plane P and outwardly, the inner edge rabbet and the inner tongue having shapes that allow them to interlock with each other; The outer center is a second upper bore through which a second upper electrical conductor passes; a second lower bore through which a second lower electrical conductor passes; Equipped with the outer sheet further includes a second photovoltaic active region disposed in the outer central portion and electrically connected to the second upper electrical conductor and the second lower electrical conductor; a second photovoltaic active region covering the second upper perforation and the second lower perforation; The back of the outer sheet is a second upper cable connecting the second upper electrical conductor to a second upper electrical connector disposed within the upper cavity; a second lower cable connecting the second lower electrical conductor to a second lower electrical connector disposed within the lower cavity, the second lower electrical connector and the second upper electrical connector being corresponding male and female connectors; Equipped with the second upper junction box connects the second upper conductive ribbon to a second upper cable extending from the second upper junction box to a second upper electrical connector disposed within the upper cavity; the second lower junction box connects the second lower electrical conductor to a second lower cable extending from the second lower junction box to a second lower electrical connector disposed within the lower cavity; the first photovoltaic active region and the second photovoltaic active region extend longitudinally parallel to one another; 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; a non-conductive grommet inserted into the first upper drilling; a non-conductive grommet inserted into the first lower drilling; The non-conductive grommet has an opening for passing an electrical conductor, an upper portion larger than the perforation, a lower portion narrower than the perforation, and a plurality of serrated portions (jagged edges), The outer central portion of the outer sheet further comprises bypass perforations.

[0010] A second subject of the invention consists of a sandwich panel for building envelopes, comprising an inner sheet, an outer sheet and an insulating material sandwiched between the inner and outer sheets, the insulating material having a first longitudinal side, a second longitudinal side, an upper short side and a lower short side, the sandwich panel having an upper half and a lower half, The outer sheet is a first longitudinal outer flange including a first longitudinal rib projecting from a first longitudinal side of the insulation; an outer central portion extending from the first longitudinal rib, a first upper bore through which a first upper electrical conductor passes; a first lower bore through which a first lower electrical conductor passes; an outer central portion including: a first photovoltaic active region disposed in the outer central portion and electrically connected to the first upper electrical conductor and the first lower electrical conductor; a second longitudinal outer flange extending from the outer central portion and including a second longitudinal rib, the first longitudinal rib and the second longitudinal rib having a shape that allows the first longitudinal rib to overlap the second longitudinal rib; Equipped with The back of the outer sheet is a first upper cable extending from the first upper electrical conductor through the at least one upper cavity and either the cut in the second longitudinal side of the insulation or the upper hole in the inner sheet to the first upper electrical connector; a first lower cable extending from the first lower electrical conductor through at least the lower cavity and either the cut in the second longitudinal side of the insulation or the lower hole in the inner sheet to a first lower electrical connector, wherein the first lower electrical connector and the first upper electrical connector are corresponding male and female connectors; Equipped with the upper cavity is disposed within the insulation of the upper half of the sandwich panel adjacent either the insulation or the second longitudinal side of the inner sheet; The lower cavity is disposed within the insulation of the lower half of the sandwich panel adjacent either the second longitudinal side or the inner sheet of insulation.

[0011] The second subject of the invention may also have the optional features listed below, considered individually or in combination:

[0012] the outer sheet further comprises an upper, lateral outer edge adjacent to the upper overlap region; The outer sheet further comprises a lower short outer edge that extends beyond the lower short side of the insulation 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.

[0013] A third subject of the invention consists of a method for manufacturing a sandwich panel according to the invention, said method comprising the steps of: Providing an outer sheet, the outer sheet being a first upper bore through which a first upper electrical conductor passes; a first lower bore through which a first lower electrical conductor passes; an outer central portion, a first photovoltaic active region disposed on the outer central portion and the first lower perforation and electrically connected to the first upper electrical conductor and the first lower electrical conductor; a first upper cable connecting the first upper electrical conductor to a first upper electrical connector disposed within the upper cavity; and a first lower cable connecting the first lower electrical conductor to a first lower electrical connector disposed within the lower cavity, the first lower electrical connector and the first upper electrical connector being corresponding male and female connectors; a back side of the outer sheet, an upper cavity disposed in the upper half of the outer sheet; and a lower cavity disposed in the lower half of the outer sheet outside the lower overlap region; providing an outer sheet comprising: Putting insulation in place; maintaining the inner sheet at a given distance from the outer sheet; Includes:

[0014] The third subject of the invention may also have the optional features listed below, considered individually or in combination:

[0015] the upper cavity is attached to the backside of the outer sheet in the upper half of the outer sheet; the lower cavity is attached to the back side of the outer sheet outside the lower overlap region in the lower half of the outer sheet; an inner sheet is provided and positioned a given distance from the outer sheet; Between the inner and outer sheets, insulating material is filled. The inner sheet is provided by cutting and molding to a predetermined size, the outer sheet and the inner sheet are placed in a mold at a predetermined distance from each other, and a reactive mixture is injected into the mold between the inner sheet and the outer sheet, whereby the reactive mixture reacts and expands to fill the gap between the inner sheet and the outer sheet and form an insulating material; the inner sheet is provided in the form of a coil and enters the double belt conveyor of the production line as an inner strip, the outer sheet is a part of the outer sheet continuously fed on the production line, and the reactive mixture is applied to the back side of the outer sheet or the back side of the inner strip, whereby the reactive mixture reacts and expands in the double belt conveyor to fill the gap between the inner strip and the outer sheet and form an insulating material; the upper and lower cavities are disposed along a second outer longitudinal edge of the outer sheet; The upper cavity and / or the lower cavity are disposed on at least one shim; after filling the space with insulating material, 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; Before providing the outer sheet, the following should be considered: The outer sheets are cut to length from the strip, a first upper perforation and a first lower perforation are provided in the outer central portion; a first photovoltaic active region disposed at the outer central portion; A first upper junction box, a first upper cable, a first upper electrical connector, a first lower junction box, a first lower cable, a first lower electrical connector, an upper cavity, and a lower cavity are provided on the back side of the outer sheet; and further comprising providing an outer sheet according to the the outer sheet is formed after lamination of the first photovoltaic active area; A first photovoltaic active region is laminated to the outer central portion.

[0016] A fourth subject of the invention consists of a process for assembling a building envelope on a building structure, said process comprising: (i) providing first and second sandwich panels according to the present invention; (ii) fastening the first sandwich panel to a building structure; (iii) placing a second sandwich panel such that its lower overlap region covers the upper overlap region of the first sandwich panel, and fastening the second sandwich panel to the building structure; (iv) connecting the first upper electrical connector of the first sandwich panel to the first lower electrical connector of the second sandwich panel; Includes:

[0017] As will be apparent, the present invention is based on utilizing conventional, semi-continuous, or discontinuous methods for manufacturing sandwich panels, with the laying of insulation being one of the last steps, if not the final step. These conventional methods remain substantially unchanged, allowing both standard and BIPV sandwich panels to be manufactured on the same existing lines or presses. Therefore, the photovoltaic active areas are only placed on the outer sheets before the outer sheets are provided for sandwich panel production. In particular, the electrical conductors connected to the photovoltaic active areas penetrate the outer sheets before lamination to avoid compromising the flatness of the laminate. Furthermore, since there are no protruding portions above the outer sheets, except for the photovoltaic active areas themselves, the laying of insulation is not hindered in existing production facilities. Furthermore, sandwich panels are pre-wired before the insulation is placed in place, ensuring that the cables required to electrically connect adjacent panels fit within the boundaries of the sandwich panel. In particular, the cables required to electrically connect adjacent panels are secured within cavities embedded in the insulation, which can later be opened to access and, in some cases, pull out the cables to connect the panels. Additionally, because the sandwich panel is pre-wired before the insulation is placed in place, the sandwich panel does not contain holes that penetrate the outer sheet, the insulation, and the inner sheet simultaneously. This improves the waterproofing of the sandwich panel. Similarly, the sandwich panel does not contain holes in the inner sheet that can accept / insert an electrical connector housing from the outer surface of the inner sheet. Similarly, the cavities are not open along the outer sheet, i.e., they are closed along the outer sheet.

[0018] Other features and advantages of the present invention will be explained in more detail in the following description.

[0019] The following description is provided purely for illustrative purposes and is not intended to be limiting in any way, and the invention will be better understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a sandwich panel according to the present invention; FIG. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view of a sandwich panel according to the present invention; FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is a perspective view of a sandwich panel according to the present invention; FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view of a sandwich panel according to the present invention; FIG. [Figure 5] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a sandwich panel according to the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 is a perspective view of a sandwich panel according to the present invention; FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a view of the upper side of the outer sheet of a sandwich panel according to the invention. [Figure 8] 1 is a diagram of a grommet of a sandwich panel according to the present invention; FIG. [Figure 9] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a sandwich panel according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a view of the reverse side of the outer sheet of the sandwich panel according to the first embodiment of FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the lower part of the sandwich panel according to the first embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the top of a sandwich panel according to a first embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a sandwich panel according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a view of the back side of the outer sheet of the sandwich panel according to the second embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the lower part of a sandwich panel according to a second embodiment. [Figure 16]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the top of a sandwich panel according to a second embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the assembly of four sandwich panels on a building structure according to the invention. [Figure 18] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the assembly of two sandwich panels according to a first embodiment. [Figure 19] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of two sandwich panels according to the first embodiment assembled on a building structure. [Figure 20] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the assembly of two sandwich panels according to a first variant of the second embodiment. [Figure 21] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of two sandwich panels according to a first variant of the second embodiment assembled on a building structure. [Figure 22] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the assembly of two sandwich panels according to a second variant of the second embodiment. [Figure 23] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of two sandwich panels according to a second variant of the second embodiment assembled on a building structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] It should be noted that the terms "inwards" and "outwards" as used in this application refer to the location and orientation of the various components of the panel relative to the location of the insulation. Thus, if an element extends inwards, it extends toward the insulation. Similarly, if an element extends outwards, it extends away from the insulation.

[0022] It should also be noted that for ease of explanation, the panels will be described relative to their normal position on the roof of a building. Accordingly, the terms "inner" and "outer" used in this application refer to this normal position. Thus, the outer sheet faces the exterior of the building, and the inner sheet faces the interior of the building. Thus, the inner flange refers to the flange of the inner sheet, and the outer flange refers to the flange of the outer sheet. Similarly, spatially relative terms such as "above," "below," etc., used in this application refer to the location and orientation of the various components of the sandwich panel when it is placed on the roof. Thus, "below" does not mean "underneath."

[0023] Throughout the text, the photovoltaic active region is -Solar energy can be converted into electricity, - Protected from the outside by a thermal barrier, It is understood to mean a stack of several layers comprising a layer.

[0024] Such laminates typically include an insulating foil called a backsheet, a first layer of encapsulation material, solar cells connected via ribbons and busbars, a second layer of encapsulation material, and a transparent insulating foil called a frontsheet. Solar cells typically consist of several layers, including a substrate, a back electrode, a p-n junction (which converts solar energy into electricity), and a front electrode. Solar cells can be wafer-based crystalline silicon cells or thin-film cells. Solar cells can be grouped into modules. Photovoltaic active regions can include bypass diodes, typically located every 18 to 24 cells, to prevent the destructive effects of hotspot heating when a cell or module is shaded or fails. Each photovoltaic active region has a first and second polarity for connection to other photovoltaic active regions or to the power grid. Preferably, each photovoltaic active region does not have more than one pair of first and second polarities. When two or more photovoltaic active regions are positioned adjacent to each other, these regions can have their own backsheet and frontsheet, or can share a single backsheet and / or a single frontsheet.

[0025] Throughout the text, a sheet is understood to mean an element having a flat shape, i.e., its thickness is small compared to its other dimensions. Generally speaking, its thickness is 500 to 4000 times less than its width. The sheet may be made of a single material or a composite assembly. In the latter case, the sheet is a laminate of several layers of the same or different materials. The material in question may be, inter alia, a metallic material or a polymer. Non-limiting examples of metallic materials include steel, aluminum, copper, and zinc. The sheet is preferably a metal sheet. This sheet is preferably made of pre-galvanized and pre-coated steel to protect it from corrosion. The inner sheet and the outer sheet are examples of sheets.

[0026] In the context of the present invention, the sheet is preferably pre-formed using any known forming method, including, but not limited to, bending, forming, stamping, and molding. In particular, the U-shaped curved portion described below is an element of the panel whose manufacturing process is not limited to bending.

[0027] This formation results in, among other things, the formation of ribs, stiffeners, or grooves on the surface of the sheet. Throughout this text, ribs are understood to mean protrusions formed on the surface of the sheet. Ribs can have, for example, a trapezoidal shape, or a rectangular, corrugated, sinusoidal, or even omega shape. Ribs include an upper central portion and two lateral wings. Stiffeners are ribs of limited height, generally 10 to 30 times lower than ribs. Ribs or stiffeners are generally arranged parallel to the longitudinal edges of the sheet, particularly to increase the stiffness of the sheet, and are defined as longitudinal ribs or longitudinal stiffeners. Throughout this text, grooves are understood to mean recesses formed on the surface of the panel. Grooves can have a shape similar to that of ribs.

[0028] 1 to 4, a sandwich panel 1 according to the present invention initially comprises an insulating material 2 sandwiched between an inner sheet 3 and an outer sheet 4. The insulating material is defined by a first longitudinal side 5, a second longitudinal side 6, an upper lateral side 7, and a lower lateral side 8. The inner sheet is arranged substantially flat in a plane P.

[0029] The insulation 2 can be any material that provides some thermal insulation to the sandwich panel 1. The insulation can be, by way of non-limiting example, polyurethane foam, polyisocyanurate foam, phenolic foam, mineral wool, wood wool, and mixtures thereof. Preferably, the insulation is a foam insulation.

[0030] Some of the sides of the insulation, particularly the longitudinal sides, can be covered with edge bands 9 that extend along the given sides. The edge bands, among other things, prevent the insulating foam from expanding outwardly of the sandwich panel during manufacturing and prevent the foam from contaminating the equipment. The edge bands can be made of foamed plastic, plastic film, kraft paper, or cardboard, as non-limiting examples.

[0031] Some of the sides, particularly the shorter sides, can be covered with caps 10 that substantially close the gap between the inner sheet 3 and the outer sheet 4. Such caps are typically used in discontinuous manufacturing processes to prevent the insulating foam from expanding to the outside of the sandwich panel during manufacturing. The caps can be made of foamed plastic, plastic film, kraft paper, or cardboard, as non-limiting examples.

[0032] 2, 4, and 5, the outer sheet 2 is a rectangular-shaped sheet including a first outer longitudinal edge 11, a second outer longitudinal edge 12, an upper outer lateral edge 13, and a lower outer lateral edge 14. A first outer longitudinal flange 15 extends along the first outer longitudinal edge 11, and a second outer longitudinal flange 16 extends along the second outer longitudinal edge 12. The first outer longitudinal flange 15 and the second outer longitudinal flange 16 are connected by an outer central portion 17, which lies substantially flat in a plane parallel to the plane P.

[0033] The sandwich panels are designed so that the first longitudinal outer flange 15 of a first sandwich panel can overlap the second longitudinal outer flange 16 of a laterally adjacent second sandwich panel, and so that the second longitudinal outer flange of the first sandwich panel can overlap the first longitudinal outer flange of a laterally adjacent third sandwich panel.

[0034] Thus, as shown in Figures 1-4, the first longitudinal outer flange 15 of the outer sheet includes a first longitudinal rib 18, as defined above, that protrudes from the first longitudinal side 5 of the insulation. By "protruding," we mean that the first longitudinal outer flange extends beyond the first longitudinal side of the insulation, particularly beyond the plane of the first longitudinal side. In the illustrated example, the first longitudinal rib 18 has a trapezoidal shape with an upper central portion 19 and two lateral wings 20. Because the first longitudinal rib 18 protrudes from the insulation, its underside is not covered by the insulation. Therefore, the first longitudinal rib 18 can overlap the second longitudinal outer flange 16 of a laterally adjacent sandwich panel without creating a discontinuity in the insulation.

[0035] Thus, the second longitudinal outer flange 16 of the outer sheet is provided with a second longitudinal rib 21, and the first longitudinal rib 18 and the second longitudinal rib 21 have 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 an upper central portion 19 and two lateral wings 20, which have substantially the same shape as the first longitudinal rib 18. This provides efficient waterproofing. The underside of the second longitudinal rib is preferably completely covered with insulating material, which further improves the thermal insulation of the assembly.

[0036] Similarly, the sandwich panels are preferably designed so that the bottom of a first sandwich panel can partially overlap the top of a second sandwich panel that is located lower along the slope of the roof, and so that the top of a first sandwich panel can partially overlap the bottom of a third sandwich panel that is located higher along the slope of the roof.

[0037] As a result, the lower short-term outer edge 14 of the outer sheet preferably extends beyond the lower short-term side 8 of the insulation. The corresponding protrusion, i.e., the portion of the outer sheet extending from the lower short-term outer edge 14 of the outer sheet to the lower short-term side 8 of the insulation, is defined as the lower overlap region 22. Because its underside is not covered with insulation, the lower overlap region of one sandwich panel can cover the upper portion of the adjacent sandwich panel below. The upper portion of the sandwich panel that can be covered by the lower overlap region is defined as the upper overlap region 23. This region is bounded by the upper short-term outer edge 13, and its height (measured parallel to the longitudinal edge of the outer sheet) is, in fact, substantially the same as the distance between the lower short-term outer edge 14 of the outer sheet and the lower short-term side 8 of the insulation (i.e., the height of the lower overlap region), since the sandwich panel is assembled without discontinuities in the insulation. The height of the upper and lower overlap areas is generally in the range of 150 to 500 mm, depending in particular on the roof pitch.

[0038] The lower overlap region 22 and the upper overlap region 23 have a shape that allows the lower overlap region to overlap the upper overlap region. This means that the lower overlap region 22 and the upper overlap region 23 do not include any shaped areas that would prevent overlap, except for the portions of the first longitudinal ribs 18 and the second longitudinal ribs 21 that are present in the upper and lower overlap regions. Such areas may be, for example, grooves in the lower overlap region that do not coincide with grooves in the upper overlap region. Preferably, the lower overlap region 22 and the upper overlap region 23 are flat, except for the portions of the first longitudinal ribs 18 and the second longitudinal ribs 21 that are present in the upper and lower overlap regions.

[0039] The sandwich panel is divided into an upper half and a lower half. The upper half starts from the upper short side 7 of the insulation (corresponding to the upper short outer edge 13 of the outer sheet) and extends to half the length of the outer sheet (the length is measured parallel to the longitudinal edge of the outer sheet). The upper half of the sandwich panel therefore corresponds to the upper half of the outer sheet. The lower half starts from the lower short outer edge 14 of the outer sheet and extends to half the length of the outer sheet. The lower half of the sandwich panel therefore corresponds to the lower half of the outer sheet.

[0040] 1 and 2, the sandwich panel 1 is a building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) sandwich panel. The sandwich panel 1 therefore comprises a first photovoltaic active area 24 as defined above arranged on its outer central portion 17, with components for electrically connecting the first photovoltaic active area to other sandwich panels or to the power grid being integrated within the thickness of the sandwich panel.

[0041] In particular, the first photovoltaic active area 24 is constructed directly on the outer central part of the outer sheet before the sandwich panel is manufactured. In particular, the first photovoltaic active area 24 is laminated to the outer central part of the outer sheet. This strongly improves the waterproofness of the sandwich panel.

[0042] The first photovoltaic active region 24 is preferably dimensioned so that, on the one hand, it is not partially covered by the adjacent sandwich panel when the panel is assembled, and, on the other hand, its active area is maximized. Thus, the upper short edge of the first photovoltaic active region is located below the upper overlap region 23, preferably as close as possible to the upper overlap region, and the lower short edge of the first photovoltaic active region is located in the lower overlap region 22, preferably as close as possible to the lower short outer edge 14 of the outer sheet. Similarly, in a variant of the invention in which only one photovoltaic active region is present, the first longitudinal edge of the first photovoltaic active region is located as close as possible to the first longitudinal rib, and the second longitudinal edge of the first photovoltaic active region is located as close as possible to the second longitudinal rib. The first polarity of the first photovoltaic active region is preferably located below the upper overlap region, in the upper half of the first photovoltaic active region, more preferably adjacent to the upper short edge. The second polarity of the first photovoltaic active region is preferably located on the bottom half of the first photovoltaic active region, more preferably adjacent to the bottom overlap region 22 of the sandwich panel.

[0043] The first photovoltaic active region 24 is electrically connected to a first upper electrical conductor 25 and a 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. Because the first photovoltaic active region 24 is on the upper side of the outer sheet and the electrical connections are within the thickness of the sandwich panel, the first upper and first lower electrical conductors penetrate the outer sheet. In the variation shown in Figure 6, the first upper electrical conductor 25 and the first lower electrical conductor 26 are conductive ribbons, also known as conductive bus bars. They are part of the first photovoltaic active region. They are preferably directly connected to the PV cells in the first photovoltaic active region. They both extend on the surface of the outer sheet and then penetrate the outer sheet. In another variation (not shown), the first upper electrical conductor 25 and the first lower electrical conductor 26 are intermediate electrical conductors connected to the conductive ribbons in the first photovoltaic active region. The first upper electrical conductor 25 and the first lower electrical conductor 26 can be specifically embedded in non-conductive grommets 29 described below. In that case, the conductive ribbon of the first photovoltaic active region can extend over the surface of the outer sheet and can be connected to the first upper electrical conductor 25 and the first lower electrical conductor 26 that penetrate the outer sheet.

[0044] 7, the outer central portion 17 includes a first upper perforation 27 through which the first upper electrical conductor passes and a first lower perforation 28 through which the first lower electrical conductor passes. The locations of the first upper and lower perforations may depend, inter alia, on the locations of the first and second polarities of the photovoltaic active areas and the locations of the electrical connections in the thickness of the sandwich panel. Generally speaking, the first upper perforation is preferably located in the upper half of the sandwich panel, and the first lower perforation is preferably located in the lower half of the sandwich panel, outside the lower overlap region 22. Since the first photovoltaic active region 24 preferably has its first polarity adjacent to its upper short edge below (i.e., adjacent to) the upper overlap region 23 and its second polarity adjacent to the lower overlap region, the first upper perforation 27 is preferably located below (i.e., adjacent to) the upper overlap region and the first lower perforation 28 is preferably located adjacent to the lower overlap region. Preferably, the first upper perforation and the first lower perforation are substantially aligned in the longitudinal axis X.

[0045] Preferably, the width of the perforations (i.e., their longest length measured in the XY plane) is comparable to the diameter of the electrical connector, as described below. In particular, the width is less than 3 cm, more preferably less than 2 cm. In other words, the perforations cannot accommodate electrical connector housings. Such a width further minimizes the adverse effects that the holes may have on laminating the photovoltaic active areas to the outer sheets only, further improving the waterproofing of the sandwich panel.

[0046] For waterproofing reasons, the first upper perforations and the first lower perforations are preferably covered by at least one layer of the first photovoltaic active region. More preferably, the first upper perforations and the first lower perforations are covered by the front sheet. Even more preferably, these perforations are covered by the front sheet, the layer of sealing material, and possibly at least partially by the back sheet. The first upper perforations and the first lower perforations can be located substantially below the layer capable of converting solar energy into electricity. By "substantially below," we mean that the perforations can be located below this layer even if there are no PV cells directly above them. The first upper perforations and the first lower perforations can also be substantially covered by the first photovoltaic active region. By "substantially covered," we mean that the perforations are entirely below the photovoltaic active region, even if they are not strictly covered by all layers of the photovoltaic active region.

[0047] Preferably, an inner end of the first upper electrical conductor is adjacent to the first upper perforation, and this inner end can also be substantially aligned with the first upper perforation. Preferably, an inner end of the first lower electrical conductor is adjacent to the first lower perforation, and this inner end can also be substantially aligned with the first lower perforation.

[0048] Advantageously, the first upper electrical conductor passes through the first upper perforation, and the first lower electrical conductor passes through the first lower perforation. Because there are no junction boxes or other protrusions on the upper side of the outer sheet, the process of forming the insulation in existing production equipment is not compromised. Furthermore, in the case of electrical conductors in the form of conductive ribbons or electrical conductors integrated into non-conductive grommets, their thin edges that contact the backside of the outer sheet during lamination of the photovoltaic active area do not affect the flatness of the outer sheet. This allows efficient lamination of the photovoltaic active area only on the outer sheet without modifying existing lamination equipment to accommodate components that protrude from the backside surface of the outer sheet. Furthermore, in the case of electrical conductors in the form of conductive ribbons, no connection of the conductive ribbons to the rest of the electrical circuit is made between the outer sheet and the photovoltaic active area. Such connections tend to be thick compared to the thickness of the photovoltaic active area, which could compromise lamination of the photovoltaic active area.

[0049] Referring to Figures 8, 9, and 13, for electrical safety reasons and if the outer sheet is made of a conductive material, the first upper electrical conductor 25 and the first lower electrical conductor 26 are preferably electrically insulated from the edges of the first upper perforation 27 and the first lower perforation 28, respectively, by non-conductive grommets 29 inserted into the first upper perforation and the first lower perforation, respectively. First, the non-conductive grommet can have an opening 30 for passing the electrical conductor. The size of the opening is adapted to the size of the electrical conductor. The non-conductive grommet can further have an upper portion 31 that is larger than the perforation. Thus, the non-conductive grommet can be placed on the outer sheet. The upper portion can be sufficiently thin, further avoiding stacking problems with the photovoltaic active region. The non-conductive grommet can further have a lower portion 32 that is narrower than the perforation and includes a plurality of serrations 321. Because the lower portion is narrower than the perforation, the non-conductive grommet can be easily placed within the perforation. The serrations increase the surface distance between the opening 30 and the outer edge of the grommet, thus increasing the creepage distance between the electrical conductor and the outer sheet. They are preferably concentric. The serrations on the bottom ensure that the electrical conductor emerging from the non-conductive grommet on the back side of the outer sheet is kept a safe surface distance from conductive metal. The non-conductive grommet can have another opening 30 adjacent to the first opening for passing a second electrical conductor.

[0050] Preferably, the grommet has a thickness comparable to that of the outer sheet (0.5 to 1 mm). In particular, the grommet has a thickness of less than 2 mm, more preferably less than 1 mm. Preferably, the grommet does not substantially protrude below the rear surface of the outer sheet, particularly the rear surface of the outer central portion. In particular, the grommet does not protrude below the rear surface of the outer sheet by more than 1 mm. In other words, the bottom surface of the grommet is substantially flush with the rear surface of the outer sheet. Thanks to this design, lamination of the photovoltaic active region can be efficiently performed on the outer sheet alone, without modifying existing lamination equipment to accommodate components protruding from the rear surface of the outer sheet. Furthermore, the grommet does not affect the flatness of the outer sheet.

[0051] Preferably, the width of the grommet (i.e., its longest length measured in the XY plane) is comparable to the diameter of the electrical connector, as described below. In particular, the width is less than 3 cm, more preferably less than 2 cm. Such a width further improves the quality of lamination of the photovoltaic active area on the outer sheet.

[0052] Preferably, nothing other than the first upper electrical conductor, and if present, the non-conductive grommet, and if present, the second electrical conductor passes through first upper perforation 27. Preferably, nothing other than the first lower electrical conductor, and if present, the non-conductive grommet, and if present, the second electrical conductor passes through first lower perforation 28.

[0053] 7, 10 and 14, the outer central portion 17 of the outer sheet 4 can further comprise bypass perforations 33. The latter allow for the addition of bypass diodes 34 of the first photovoltaic active region on the back side of the outer sheet. Because the bypass diodes are thicker than the layer of the first photovoltaic active region, inserting the bypass diodes directly into the first photovoltaic active region would tend to compromise the integrity of the first photovoltaic active region. Thanks to the bypass perforations, the conductive ribbons from the first photovoltaic active region can pass through the outer sheet, connect to the bypass diodes, and then pass through the outer sheet again.

[0054] The bypass perforations are preferably regularly arranged along the longitudinal direction of the first photovoltaic active area, and are preferably arranged as far as possible from the edge of the front sheet of the photovoltaic active area in the transverse direction to prevent water leakage.

[0055] Preferably, the width of the bypass perforations (i.e., their longest length measured in the XY plane) is comparable to the diameter of the electrical connector, as described below. In particular, the width is less than 3 cm, more preferably less than 2 cm. In other words, the bypass perforations cannot accommodate electrical connector housings. Such a width further minimizes any adverse effects that the holes may have on laminating the photovoltaic active areas to the outer sheets only, further improving the waterproofing of the sandwich panel.

[0056] If the outer sheet is made of a conductive material, non-conductive grommets 29 are preferably inserted into the bypass perforations to insulate the conductive ribbons from the bypass perforations. These grommets have the same characteristics as those described above, except that they comprise two openings: one for the conductive ribbon coming from the first photovoltaic active area and one for the conductive ribbon returning to the first photovoltaic active area.

[0057] According to one variant of the invention, shown in Figures 1, 2, 6 and 7, the sandwich panel 1 comprises a second photovoltaic active area 35 arranged on the outer central portion 17. The second photovoltaic active area 35 is arranged laterally to the first photovoltaic active area 24. Preferably, the first and second photovoltaic active areas extend with longitudinal axes parallel to each other. The outer sheet may include a third longitudinal rib arranged between the first and second photovoltaic active areas.

[0058] In particular, 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 short edge of the second photovoltaic active region below the upper overlap region 23. This first polarity is preferably opposite to the first polarity of the first photovoltaic active region. In particular, 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 overlap region 22 of the sandwich panel. This second polarity is preferably opposite to the second polarity of the first photovoltaic active region. The second photovoltaic active region 35 is electrically connected to a second upper electrical conductor 36 and a second lower electrical conductor 37. Consequently, the outer central portion 17 comprises a second upper perforation 38 through which the second upper electrical conductor passes and a second lower perforation 39 through which the second lower electrical conductor passes. The features and variations detailed with respect to the corresponding features of the first photovoltaic active region and outer sheet apply here. Alternatively, the second upper electrical conductor passes through the first upper perforations 27 and the second lower electrical conductor passes through the first lower perforations 28.

[0059] As described above with respect to the first photovoltaic active area 24, the first upper electrical conductor 25 and the first lower electrical conductor 26 pass through the outer sheet 4. On the back side of the outer sheet, the first upper electrical conductor 25 is connected to the first upper cable 42, and the first lower electrical conductor 26 is connected to the first lower cable 43. The method of electrical connection is not limited; this can be done by welding. The upper and lower cables are preferably insulated. The upper and lower cables can be provided with sleeves on at least a portion thereof.

[0060] For electrical safety reasons and to facilitate the integration of photovoltaic functionality in the sandwich panel, the first upper electrical conductor and the first lower electrical conductor are preferably insulated from the insulating material 2. In the variants shown in Figures 9, 10, 13, and 14, the first upper electrical conductor is preferably connected to a first upper cable in a first upper junction box 40, and the first lower electrical conductor is preferably connected to a first lower cable in a first lower junction box 41. The junction boxes are electrical enclosures in which the 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 sheet 4. Both junction boxes preferably have a casing. The casing preferably has conductor or ribbon openings and cable openings. In a variant, the junction boxes 40, 41 are equipped with non-conductive grommets 29, as described above.

[0061] The first upper junction box 40 and the first lower junction box 41 are each preferably positioned in contact with the backside of the outer sheet and substantially flush with the first upper perforations 27 and the first lower perforations 28, respectively, such that there is no gap between the outer sheet and the junction boxes. The junction boxes can be attached to the backside of the outer sheet by, for example, gluing.

[0062] Thanks to this configuration, the connection of the electrical conductors on the back side of the outer sheet does not jeopardize the integrity and quality of the first photovoltaic active area. In addition, the junction box can further improve waterproofing at the level of the perforations.

[0063] The first upper cable 42 and the first lower cable 43 pass through the insulation until they enter the cavities. The first upper cable 42 enters the upper cavity 44 and the first lower cable 43 enters the lower cavity 45.

[0064] The portion of the cable that penetrates the insulation may be provided with a sleeve. "Penetrating the insulation" means that the cable, possibly including the sleeve, is closely surrounded by the insulation. This is the result of the insulation being laid after the cable has been placed.

[0065] Between its cavity and its respective electrical conductor, or, if applicable, its respective junction box, each cable, including the sleeve as the case may be, is preferably substantially embedded in the insulating material. In other words, this portion of the cable is not removable. This substantial embedding of this portion of the cable in the insulating material can be the result of foaming the insulating material around the cable or the result of attaching the cable to the insulating material, for example, by gluing. This substantial embedding facilitates the process for manufacturing the sandwich panel, since no special steps need to be performed before the insulating material is put in place to isolate this portion of the cable from the insulating material.

[0066] 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.

[0067] These first electrical connectors allow the first photovoltaic active area to be electrically connected to other photovoltaic active areas and / or to the power grid. Specifically, one polarity of the first photovoltaic active area can be connected to one polarity of the first photovoltaic active area of ​​a second sandwich panel located adjacently and higher along the roof slope by directly or indirectly connecting the first upper electrical connector 46 of the sandwich panel to the first lower electrical connector 47 of the second sandwich panel. Similarly, the other polarity of the first photovoltaic active area can be connected to one polarity of the first photovoltaic active area of ​​a third sandwich panel located adjacently and lower along the roof slope by directly or indirectly connecting the first lower electrical connector 47 of the sandwich panel to the first upper electrical connector 46 of the third 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 role and characteristics of the cavities will be described in detail later.

[0068] 9, 10, 13, and 14, according to a variant of the invention in which the sandwich panel 1 comprises a second photovoltaic active area 35 arranged in the outer central portion 17, the rear side of the outer sheet 4 comprises a second upper cable 50 connected to the second upper electrical conductor 36 and a second lower cable 51 connected to the second lower electrical conductor 37. In the variant shown, the second upper cable 50 is connected to the second upper electrical conductor 36 in the second upper junction box 48, and the second lower cable 51 is connected to the second lower electrical conductor 37 in the second lower junction box 49. The features and variants detailed in relation to the first junction box apply here. Alternatively, the second upper cable 50 is connected to the second upper electrical conductor 36 in the first upper junction box 40, and the second lower cable 51 is connected to the second lower electrical conductor 37 in the first lower junction box 40.

[0069] Each second cable passes through the insulation until it enters a cavity. The second upper cable enters the upper cavity 44, which also houses the first upper cable 42. The second lower cable enters the lower cavity 45, which also houses the first lower cable 43. Between its cavity and its respective electrical conductor, or, if applicable, its respective junction box, each second cable is preferably substantially embedded in the insulation. The cables are preferably insulated for this purpose. 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 can be a male connector and the second lower electrical connector can be a female connector, or vice versa.

[0070] These second electrical connectors allow the second photovoltaic active area to be electrically connected to other photovoltaic active areas and / or to the power grid. Specifically, one polarity of the second photovoltaic active area can be connected to one polarity of the second photovoltaic active area of ​​a second sandwich panel located adjacently and higher along the roof slope by directly or indirectly connecting the second upper electrical connector 52 of the sandwich panel to the second lower electrical connector 53 of the second sandwich panel. Similarly, the other polarity of the second photovoltaic active area can be connected to one polarity of the second photovoltaic active area of ​​a third sandwich panel located adjacently and lower along the roof slope by directly or indirectly connecting the second lower electrical connector 53 of the sandwich panel to the second upper electrical connector 52 of the third 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.

[0071] First upper electrical connector 46 and second upper electrical connector 52, both disposed within upper cavity 44, are preferably corresponding male and female connectors. Similarly, first lower electrical connector 47 and second lower electrical connector 53, both disposed within lower cavity 45, are preferably corresponding male and female connectors. By virtue of this configuration, each cavity contains a male connector and a female connector. As a result, Using connectors in the upper cavity, the first photovoltaic active area 24 can be connected to the first photovoltaic active area of ​​a second sandwich panel located adjacently and higher along the roof slope, while the second photovoltaic active area 35 can be connected to the second photovoltaic active area of ​​the second sandwich panel without misalignment; Using connectors in the lower cavity, the first photovoltaic active area 24 can be connected to the first photovoltaic active area of ​​a third sandwich panel located adjacently and lower along the roof slope, while the second photovoltaic active area 35 can be connected to the second photovoltaic active area of ​​the third sandwich panel without misalignment; A connector in the top cavity can be used to connect the first photovoltaic active area 24 to the second photovoltaic active area 35, so that an electrical circuit is looped, for example at the roof ridge, A connector in the lower cavity can be used to connect the first photovoltaic active area 24 to the second photovoltaic active area 35 so that an electrical circuit is looped, for example, in a roof gutter.

[0072] As described above with respect to the electrical connectors, the sandwich panel further comprises an upper cavity 44 and a lower cavity 45. By "cavity" is meant a hollow space within the insulation that is sized to accommodate a first electrical connector and a portion of a first cable, and possibly a second electrical connector and a portion of a second cable.

[0073] The cavity may be substantially rectangular parallelepiped. It may extend longitudinally or transversely. The cavity preferably comprises a casing embedded in the insulating material. "Embedded" means that the casing is firmly fixed within the insulating material and intricately connected to it. This embedding may be the result of foaming the insulating material around the casing or of attaching the casing to the insulating material, for example, by gluing. The cavity may be completely defined by the casing. Alternatively, the cavity may be defined partly by the casing and partly by other components of the sandwich panel, such as the edge band 9, the cap 10, the outer sheet 4, the inner sheet 3, etc.

[0074] The material used for the casing is not limited. This material can be, for example, plastic, foam material, mineral wool, or wood wool. In the case of an insulating material formed by the expansion of the reaction mixture, it is preferable that the material be selected so that the cavity does not shrink significantly during the expansion of the reaction mixture.

[0075] Both cavities are arranged within the insulating material. This expression means that no part of the cavity, and in particular no part of its casing, is outside the boundary of the insulating material. In particular, no part of the cavity protrudes from either the first longitudinal side 5 or the second longitudinal side 6, or the upper lateral side 7 or the lower lateral side 8 of the insulating material. This configuration allows the sandwich panel to be manufactured as a standard sandwich panel in existing production facilities.

[0076] 9 and 13, the upper cavity 44 comprises a first upper electrical connector 46 and a portion of the first upper cable 42. Preferably, this portion of the first upper cable is long enough to allow the first upper electrical connector to be pulled out of the upper cavity. More preferably, this portion of the first upper cable is folded within the upper cavity. This folding facilitates extraction. In a variant of the invention in which the sandwich panel 1 comprises a second photovoltaic active area 35, the upper cavity 44 further comprises a second upper electrical connector 52 and a portion of the second upper cable 50. This portion is preferably folded within the upper cavity. Respectively, the lower cavity 45 comprises a first lower electrical connector 47 and a portion of the first lower cable 43. Preferably, this portion of the first lower cable is long enough to allow the first lower electrical connector to be pulled out of the lower cavity. More preferably, this portion of the first lower cable is folded within the lower cavity. In a variant of the invention in which the sandwich panel 1 comprises a second photovoltaic active area 35, the lower cavity 45 further comprises a second lower electrical connector 53 and part of a second lower cable 51, which part is preferably folded within the lower cavity.

[0077] To facilitate insertion of the upper or lower cable into the cavity, the cavity casing preferably includes an inlet for cable insertion. The casing may also include an outlet for accessing the electrical connector. Alternatively, the electrical connector can be accessed by cutting the cavity casing.

[0078] The main purpose of both cavities is, firstly, to prevent the electrical connectors of the photovoltaic active areas from being trapped in the insulation during the manufacturing process of the sandwich panel, and secondly, to allow easy access to the electrical connectors during assembly of the sandwich panel, in particular during the electrical connection of the photovoltaic active areas of adjacent panels. Thus, 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 (and therefore outside the lower overlap area 22). In this way, there is no risk of cables crossing when the photovoltaic active areas of adjacent panels are electrically connected. Secondly, the cavities are located adjacent to one side of the insulation or adjacent to the inner sheet, so that the cavities optionally allowing access to the electrical connector after being opened; If the portion of the cable present in the cavity is long enough, it allows the connector to be withdrawn from the cavity.

[0079] According to the first embodiment of the present invention shown in Figures 9, 10, and 12, the upper cavity 44 is positioned adjacent to the second longitudinal side 6 of the insulation. In this way, when the sandwich panel is placed on the roof by overlapping the second longitudinal rib 21 of the adjacent panel with the first longitudinal rib 18 of the sandwich panel, the second longitudinal side of the insulation remains accessible to workers. Therefore, if the cavity has not been opened in a previous step, workers can easily open the cavity to access the connectors and connect them to the electrical connectors of the adjacent sandwich panel along the roof slope or to the power grid. In particular, the casing of the upper cavity is positioned adjacent to the second longitudinal side. More specifically, the wall of the casing is positioned adjacent to the second longitudinal side. This wall can be a flat wall or a wall including an access for the electrical connector. This wall can be in the plane of the second longitudinal side. In that case, this wall, and, if applicable, the access for the electrical connector, are not in contact with the insulation. The upper cavity, and in particular its casing, can be adjacent to the edgeband 9. Preferably, the upper cavity is located along the longitudinal axis X of the sandwich panel, between the first upper perforation and the upper short side 7 of the insulation. This location limits the length of the cables required to connect the photovoltaic active areas. More preferably, the upper cavity is adjacent to the upper short side 7 of the insulation. This further limits the length of the cables running between the sandwich panels and facilitates connection between the panels.

[0080] In this embodiment, when the electrical connector with a portion of the cable is pulled out of the top cavity or when additional cables are connected to the electrical connector, the cable should not interfere with the assembly of adjacent sandwich panels. As a result, there are various ways to open the top cavity and / or access the electrical connector from the top cavity and route the cable through.

[0081] In a variation of the first embodiment shown in Figure 12, the upper cavity adjacent the second longitudinal side 6 is open along the second longitudinal side 6 of the insulation, possibly through cuts in the insulation and / or through cuts in the edge band 9 and / or through cuts in the casing of the upper cavity. The second longitudinal side of the insulation therefore comprises an upper cutout 54 extending from the upper cavity to the upper short side, so that the cable can pass through the upper cutout.

[0082] In another variation of the first embodiment, in which the upper cavity is adjacent to the second longitudinal side 6 and the upper short side 7 of the insulation, the upper cavity is open along this upper short side, possibly through a cut in the insulation and / or through a cut in the cap 10 and / or through a cut in the casing of the upper cavity. In that case, the electrical connector can be brought out of the upper cavity and connected to an electrical connector of an adjacent sandwich panel placed above along the roof slope, and then brought into the upper cavity when the two sandwich panels are placed adjacent to each other. Alternatively, if the upper cavity is open along both the upper short side and the second longitudinal side, the two panels can be placed adjacent to each other and then connected while the electrical connector remains in the upper cavity.

[0083] In another variation of the first embodiment, the upper cavity adjacent to the second longitudinal side 6 is open along the inner sheet 3, for example, by providing an upper hole in the inner sheet, possibly through a cut in the insulation and / or through a cut in the casing of the upper cavity. In this variation, the electrical connectors are accessible from the second longitudinal side and can be accessed from the inside and / or the side of the building. The electrical connectors do not prevent the sandwich panels from being assembled adjacently, and can be connected from the inside and / or the side of the building. This variation is made easier if, in addition to being adjacent to the second longitudinal side, the upper cavity is adjacent to the inner sheet.

[0084] According to the first embodiment of the present invention shown in Figures 9 to 11, the lower cavity 45, like the upper cavity 44, is arranged adjacent to the second longitudinal side 6 of the insulation. In this way, when the sandwich panel is placed on the roof by overlapping the second longitudinal rib 21 of the adjacent panel with the first longitudinal rib 18 of the sandwich panel, the second longitudinal side of the insulation remains accessible to workers. Therefore, if the cavity has not been opened in a previous step, workers can easily open it to access the connectors and connect them to the electrical connectors of the adjacent sandwich panel along the roof slope or to the power grid. In particular, the casing of the lower cavity is arranged adjacent to the second longitudinal side. More specifically, the wall of the casing is arranged adjacent to the second longitudinal side. This wall can be a flat wall or a wall including an outlet for accessing the electrical connector. This wall can be in the plane of the second longitudinal side. In that case, this wall, and, if applicable, the outlet for accessing the electrical connector, are not in contact with the insulation. The lower cavity, and in particular its casing, can adjoin the edge band 9. Preferably, the lower cavity is located along the longitudinal axis X of the sandwich panel, between the first lower perforation 28 and the lower short side 8 of the insulation. This position limits the length of the cables required to connect the photovoltaic active areas. More preferably, the lower cavity is adjacent to the lower short side 8 of the insulation. This further limits the length of the cables running between the sandwich panels and facilitates connection between the panels.

[0085] In this embodiment, when the electrical connector with a portion of the cable is pulled out of the lower cavity or when additional cables are connected to the electrical connector, the cable should not interfere with the assembly of adjacent sandwich panels. Thus, there are various ways to open the lower cavity and / or access the electrical connector from the lower cavity and run the cable.

[0086] In a variation of the first embodiment shown in Figure 11, the lower cavity adjacent the second longitudinal side 6 is open along the second longitudinal side 6 of the insulation, possibly through cuts in the insulation and / or through cuts in the edge band 9 and / or through cuts in the casing of the lower cavity. The second longitudinal side of the insulation therefore comprises a lower cutout 56 extending from the lower cavity to the lower short side, thereby allowing the cable to pass through the lower cutout.

[0087] In another variation of the first embodiment, in which the lower cavity is adjacent to the second longitudinal side 6 and the lower short side 8 of the insulation, the lower cavity is open along this lower short side, possibly through a cut in the insulation and / or through a cut in the cap 10 and / or through a cut in the casing of the lower cavity. In that case, the electrical connector of a sandwich panel placed on the roof can be pulled out of the lower cavity and connected to an electrical connector of an adjacent sandwich panel placed lower along the roof slope, and then pulled into the lower cavity when the two sandwich panels are placed adjacent to each other. Alternatively, if the lower cavity is open along both the lower short side and the second longitudinal side, the two panels can be placed adjacent to each other and then connected while the electrical connector remains in the lower cavity.

[0088] In another variation of the first embodiment, the lower cavity adjacent to the second longitudinal side 6 is open along the inner sheet 3, for example, by providing a lower hole in the inner sheet, possibly through a cut in the insulation and / or through a cut in the casing of the upper cavity. In this variation, the electrical connectors are accessible from the second longitudinal side and can be accessed from the inside and / or the side of the building. The electrical connectors do not interfere with the adjacent assembly of the sandwich panels and can be connected from the inside of the building. This variation is made easier if the lower cavity is adjacent to the inner sheet in addition to being adjacent to the second longitudinal side.

[0089] According to a second embodiment of the present invention, shown in Figures 13, 14, and 16, the upper cavity 44 is positioned adjacent to the inner sheet 3, specifically adjacent to the back side of the inner sheet. In this way, when the sandwich panel is placed on the roof, cables can be accessed from the inner sheet, and electrical connections can be made from the interior of the building. In particular, the casing of the upper cavity is positioned adjacent to the inner sheet. More specifically, the casing wall is positioned adjacent to the inner sheet. This wall can be a flat wall or a wall including an outlet for accessing the electrical connector. This wall can be in contact with the inner sheet. Preferably, the upper cavity is positioned along the longitudinal axis X of the sandwich panel between the first upper junction box 40 and the upper short side 7 of the insulation. This position limits the length of the cables required to connect the photovoltaic active areas. More preferably, the upper cavity is positioned in the upper overlap region 23. This further limits the length of the cables extending between the sandwich panels, facilitating connections between the panels. Alternatively, the upper cavity can be positioned adjacent to or aligned with the first and / or second upper junction boxes. According to a variant of the invention, the junction box is located inside the upper cavity, for example, by being integrated into the upper cavity casing. The junction box and upper cavity can be installed at once, facilitating the installation of electrical components behind the outer sheet. The first and / or second upper cables and the first and / or second upper electrical connectors can even be pre-installed in the upper cavity before the upper cavity is placed behind the outer sheet.

[0090] In this embodiment, when the electrical connector with a portion of the cable is pulled out of the upper cavity, or when additional cables are connected to the electrical connector, the cable should not interfere with the sandwich panel being placed on the building structure, particularly on Purlin 58. As a result, there are various ways to open the upper cavity and / or access the electrical connector from the upper cavity and pass the cable through.

[0091] In one variation of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 16, the upper cavity 44 adjacent to the inner sheet 3 is open along the inner sheet 3, for example, by providing an upper hole 55 in the inner sheet, possibly through a cut in the insulation and / or through a cut in the casing of the upper cavity. In this variation, electrical connectors can be accessed from the interior of the building. Because the upper overlap area 23 is located on the perlin, the upper cavity, and therefore the upper hole in the inner sheet, is preferably located away from the area intended for contact with the perlin. More preferably, it is located below the area intended for contact with the perlin. Alternatively or additionally, the inner sheet can be provided with an upper groove 59 extending from the upper cavity to the upper short side, so that cables can run in the upper groove between the perlin and the inner sheet of the sandwich panel.

[0092] In another variation of the second embodiment, in which the upper cavity adjoins the inner sheet 3 and the upper short side 7 of the insulation, the upper cavity is open along this upper short side, possibly through a cut in the insulation and / or a cut in the cap 10 and / or a cut in the casing of the upper cavity. In that case, an electrical connector can be brought out of the upper cavity and connected to an electrical connector of a sandwich panel that is placed adjacently above along the roof slope and that is brought into the upper cavity when the two sandwich panels are placed adjacent to each other.

[0093] According to a second embodiment of the present invention, shown in Figures 13 to 15, the lower cavity 45, like the upper cavity 44, is positioned adjacent to the inner sheet 3, specifically behind the inner sheet. In this way, when the sandwich panel is placed on the roof, cables can be accessed from the inner sheet, and electrical connections can be made from the interior of the building. In particular, the casing of the lower cavity is positioned adjacent to the inner sheet. More specifically, the casing wall is positioned adjacent to the inner sheet. This wall can be a flat wall or a wall including an outlet for accessing the electrical connector. This wall can be in contact with the inner sheet. Preferably, the lower cavity is positioned along the longitudinal axis X of the sandwich panel between the first lower junction box 41 and the lower short side 8 of the insulation. This position limits the length of the cables required to connect the photovoltaic active areas. More preferably, the lower cavity is positioned adjacent to the lower overlap region 22. This further limits the length of the cables extending between the sandwich panels, facilitating connections between the panels. The lower cavity can be positioned adjacent to or even aligned with the first and / or second lower junction boxes. According to a variant of the invention, the junction box is located inside the lower cavity, for example by being integrated into the lower cavity casing. The junction box and upper cavity can be installed at once, facilitating the installation of electrical components behind the outer sheet. The first and / or second lower cables and the first and / or second lower electrical connectors can even be pre-installed in the lower cavity before the lower cavity is positioned behind the outer sheet.

[0094] In this embodiment, when the electrical connector with a portion of the cable is pulled out of the lower cavity, or when additional cables are connected to the electrical connector, the cables should not interfere with the sandwich panel being placed on the building structure, particularly on the perlin 58. Thus, there are various ways to open the lower cavity and / or access the electrical connector from the lower cavity, as well as to run the cables.

[0095] In one variation of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 15, the lower cavity 45 adjacent to the inner sheet 3 is open along the inner sheet 3, for example, by providing a lower hole 57 in the inner sheet, possibly through a cut in the insulation and / or through a cut in the casing of the upper cavity. In this variation, electrical connectors can be accessed from the inside of the building. Since the lower short side 8 of the insulation is preferably located on the perlin, the lower cavity, and therefore the lower hole in the inner sheet, is preferably located away from the area intended to contact the perlin. More preferably, the lower cavity is located above the area intended to contact the perlin. Alternatively or additionally, the inner sheet can be provided with a lower groove 60 extending from the lower cavity to the lower short side, so that cables can be routed through the lower groove between the perlin and the inner sheet of the sandwich panel.

[0096] In another variation of the second embodiment, in which the lower cavity adjoins the inner sheet 3 and the lower short side 8 of the insulation, the lower cavity is open along this lower short side, possibly through a cut in the insulation and / or through a cut in the cap 10 and / or through a cut in the casing of the lower cavity. In that case, an electrical connector from a sandwich panel placed on the roof can be brought out of the lower cavity and connected to an electrical connector of an adjacent sandwich panel placed lower along the roof slope, and can be brought into the lower cavity when the two sandwich panels are placed adjacent to each other.

[0097] 3-5, the sandwich panel 1 further comprises an inner sheet 3. This inner sheet is a substantially rectangular sheet including a first inner longitudinal edge 61, a second inner longitudinal edge 62, an upper inner lateral edge 63, and a lower inner lateral edge 64. This inner sheet is a substantially flat rectangle the size of the insulation. Nevertheless, the inner sheet may be specially shaped along its edges to particularly facilitate interlocking of two adjacent panels and / or to increase rigidity.

[0098] According to a preferred variant of the inner sheet, a first longitudinal inner flange 65 runs along the first inner longitudinal edge 61 and a second longitudinal inner flange 66 runs along the second inner longitudinal edge 62. The first and second inner longitudinal flanges 65, 66 are connected by an inner central portion 67, which is arranged substantially flat in the plane P. According to a variant of the invention, the inner central portion comprises longitudinal reinforcements to increase the rigidity of the metal sheet.

[0099] As shown in FIG. 5 , in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X, a first longitudinal inner flange 65 extends inward from a first longitudinal end of the inner central portion 67 to form an inner edge rabbet 68 in the insulation along the first longitudinal side 5 of the insulation. The inner edge rabbet extends parallel to and inward from the plane P. Preferably, starting from the first longitudinal end of the inner central portion, the inner edge rabbet comprises, in sequence, an inner riser 69 and an apex 70. The inner riser can extend substantially perpendicular to the inner central portion, i.e., perpendicular to the plane P, or can be inclined toward the apex. This apex can be parallel to the plane P or can be slightly inclined toward the inner central portion to facilitate interlocking of two adjacent panels.

[0100] Preferably, the first longitudinal inner flange 65 further comprises a first inner stiffener 71 extending from the inner edge rabbet 68, in particular from the top 70. According to one variant of the invention, the first inner stiffener extends substantially perpendicular to the inner central portion along the first longitudinal side 5 of the insulation, thereby improving the seal between the two panels.

[0101] The first longitudinal inner flange 65 is on the same longitudinal side of the insulation as the first longitudinal rib of the outer sheet that protrudes from the longitudinal side of the insulation, as shown in Figure 5. This facilitates lateral assembly of two adjacent panels. More preferably, the first longitudinal inner edge 61 is substantially aligned with the first longitudinal end 83 of the outer central portion 17 of the outer sheet 4. In other words, the inner edge rabbet 68 is located below the outer central portion 17 of the outer sheet 4.

[0102] A second longitudinal inner flange 66 extends from the second longitudinal end of the inner central portion 67 by projecting from the second longitudinal side surface 6 of the insulation to form an inner tongue 73 extending substantially parallel to and outward from the plane P. Preferably, the inner tongue is in the form of a U-shaped bend comprising a lower branch 74 and an upper branch 75 connected by a U-turn 76. More preferably, the branches 74 and 75 are parallel. More preferably, the radius of the U-turn is such that the space between the branches is filled with insulation 2, which helps to reinforce the inner tongue. According to another variant, the radius of the U-turn is such that the two branches touch each other.

[0103] Preferably, the second longitudinal inner flange 66 comprises a second inner stiffener 77 extending from the inner tongue 73, in particular from the upper branch 75. According to a variant of the invention, the second inner stiffener 77 extends substantially perpendicular to the inner central part 67 along the second longitudinal side 6 of the insulation. This improves the sealing between the two panels. According to a variant of the invention, the second inner stiffener 77 comprises a second inner wing 90 extending parallel to the plane P and inwardly into the insulation 2. This serves to stiffen the first inner flange.

[0104] The inner edge rabbet 68 and inner tongue 73 have shapes that allow them to interlock when one sandwich panel is assembled with a laterally adjacent sandwich panel. Preferably, their shapes are substantially complementary and their dimensions are: The height of the inner edge rabbet (measured along the vertical axis Z) is greater than the height of the inner tongue, The width of the inner edge rabbet (measured along the transverse axis Y) is equal to or greater than the width of the inner tongue.

[0105] This interlocking of the inner edge rabbet and the inner tongue improves the resistance of the sandwich panel skin to wind suction.

[0106] In a variation of the inner sheet, the shapes of the first longitudinal inner flange 65 and the second longitudinal inner flange 66 are inverted.

[0107] From the perspective of the manufacturing process, there are three main ways to manufacture sandwich panels:

[0108] The first method is a discontinuous process in which the inner and outer sheets are first cut to size and molded (or vice versa). In this first variant, the sheets are then held in a mold at a given distance from each other, and the gap between them is filled with a reactive mixture, which expands to form the insulation. In the second variant, one of the sheets is placed in a mold and covered with insulation, preferably in the form of a slab, also known as a batt or lamella. A layer of adhesive is applied between the sheet and the slab of insulation, and another layer of adhesive is applied on the insulation. A second sheet is then placed on the insulation, and the laminate is subjected to pressure and heat to cure the adhesive.

[0109] The second method is a continuous process in which the inner and outer facings are provided in coil form. The coil is unwound, and the strips pass through a profiling station, one above the other, where they are shaped. In the first variant, the reactive mixture is then applied to the inner surface of the lower or upper strip, and the two strips enter a double-belt conveyor. The double-belt conveyor has two continuous conveyor belts, aligned one above the other, that run parallel to each other and can absorb or apply a certain amount of pressure to maintain the gap between the two strips. The gap between the two belts is adjustable, allowing the thickness of the panel to be adjusted. On the double-belt conveyor, the reactive mixture expands, filling the gap between the two strips and forming the insulation. Side walls prevent the foam from leaking laterally. Different panel designs and operating modes require appropriate side seals in each case. The side walls may be in the form of an accompanying side seal chain made of blocks. After the composite formed from the two strips and insulation leaves the double-belt conveyor, it is cut to the desired length to obtain the sandwich panel. In the second variant, a layer of adhesive is applied to the inner surface of the lower strip, and a slab of insulation is placed on it. Another layer of adhesive is applied to the inner surface of the insulation or upper strip. On a double-belt conveyor, the strip is pressed and the adhesive is cured. The other features of the first variant apply to the second variant.

[0110] The third method is a semi-continuous process. This process differs from the continuous process in that only the inner facing material is supplied in coil form and enters the double-belt conveyor as a strip, in this case the inner strip, preferably as the top strip on the production line. The outer facing material is in the form of a sheet that has been cut to size and formed in a previous process (or vice versa). The outer sheet is preferably supplied continuously on the production line without gaps, replacing the bottom strip. In the first variant, a reactive mixture is then applied to the inner surface of the outer sheet or the inner surface of the top strip, and the inner and outer sheets enter the double-belt conveyor. On the conveyor, the reactive mixture reacts and expands, filling the gap between the inner and outer sheets and forming the insulation. In the second variant, a layer of adhesive is applied, a slab of insulation is placed on the outer sheet, and then the inner and outer sheets enter the double-belt conveyor, where they are pressed together. At the exit of the conveyor, the inner strip and insulation are cut to the length of the outer sheet to obtain a sandwich panel.

[0111] Although the manufacture of sandwich panels according to the present invention has been described in relation to discontinuous and semi-continuous processes, those skilled in the art can readily adapt other manufacturing methods for sandwich panels to produce sandwich panels according to the present invention.

[0112] In the first step, the outer sheet 4 is prepared.

[0113] In the first step, the outer sheet is cut to length. Optionally, the outer sheet is cut to length from a strip and then shaped, or the strip is first shaped on a profiling line and then cut to length. The shaping step includes the formation of the first longitudinal rib 18 and the second longitudinal rib 21.

[0114] In a second step, prior to, concurrent with, or subsequent to the first step, first upper and lower perforations 27, 28 are made in outer central portion 17. If applicable, second upper and lower perforations 38, 39 and / or bypass perforations 33 are also made in outer central portion. Optionally, non-conductive grommets are placed in and possibly attached to the upper and lower perforations.

[0115] In the third step, after the first and second steps, the first photovoltaic active region 24 is positioned and preferably laminated on the outer central portion. If applicable, the second photovoltaic active region 35 is simultaneously positioned and preferably laminated on the outer central portion. Positioning the photovoltaic active region involves laminating the different components of the photovoltaic active region. During the positioning step, the first upper electrical conductor 25 is inserted into the first upper perforation, and the first lower electrical conductor 26 is inserted into the first lower perforation. More specifically, non-conductive grommets 29 are inserted into the first upper and lower perforations. If applicable, the second upper electrical conductor 36 is inserted into the second upper perforation, and the second lower electrical conductor 37 is inserted into the second lower perforation. Once the laminate is prepared, it is heated and pressurized in a lamination device to melt the film surrounding the solar cells, embedding them. At the end of this step, if the outer sheet has not been previously formed, it is formed.

[0116] When the photovoltaic active area is laminated onto the outer sheet, the outer sheet does not include any portion that substantially protrudes beyond the rear surface of the outer sheet, particularly beyond the rear surface of the outer central section. In particular, no portion protrudes more than 2 mm below the rear surface of the outer sheet, or more preferably more than 1 mm below the rear surface of the outer central section. In other words, the rear surface of the outer central section, i.e., the rear surface of the outer sheet, is substantially flat. Thanks to this design, lamination of the photovoltaic active area can be efficiently performed on just the outer sheet, without modifying existing lamination equipment to accommodate components that protrude beyond the rear surface of the outer sheet.

[0117] In a fourth step, after the third step, the outer sheet is turned upside down, and its back side is provided 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 in FIGS. 10 and 14. Optionally, the back side is also provided with a first upper junction box 40 and a first lower junction box 41. If applicable, the back side is further provided 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 in FIGS. 10 and 14. Optionally, the back side is also provided with a second upper junction box 48 and a second lower junction box 49. The junction boxes are preferably substantially aligned with the perforations. An electrical conductor, sometimes inside a junction box, is electrically connected to one end of a cable, the other end of which is inserted into a cavity and electrically connected to an electrical connector (or vice versa).

[0118] The upper cavity is located in the upper half of the outer sheet and faces the back side of the outer sheet, and the lower cavity is located in the lower half of the outer sheet outside the lower overlap region and faces the back side of the outer sheet.

[0119] The upper cavity is preferably attached directly or indirectly to the back side of the outer sheet, and the lower cavity is preferably attached directly or indirectly to the back side of the outer sheet.

[0120] According to the first variant, the upper and lower cavities are arranged along the second outer longitudinal edge 12. Thus, at the end of the manufacturing process, the cavities are adjacent to the second longitudinal side of the insulation. The upper and lower cavities, particularly their casings, can be oriented for attachment to the backside of the outer sheet, for example by gluing, or, as shown in Figures 9 and 13, can be attached to one or more shims 82 attached to the backside of the outer sheet. Using the shims, the position of the cavities within the insulation along the vertical axis Z can be adjusted depending on the insulation thickness. The shims can also facilitate the positioning of the upper and lower cavities on one lateral wing 20 of the second longitudinal rib 21 of the outer sheet. As an alternative to attachment to the backside of the outer sheet, in a discontinuous process, the upper and / or lower cavities can be attached to the edge band 9 along the second outer longitudinal edge 12, either beforehand or simultaneously. This facilitates positioning of the cavity along the edgeband during installation of the insulation.

[0121] According to a second variant, the upper and lower cavities are arranged on the back side of the outer sheet. In this way, at the end of the manufacturing process, the cavities are adjacent to the inner sheet. To do this, the upper and lower cavities are preferably arranged on shims 82. The shim thickness (along the vertical axis Z) is adjusted so that the sum of the shim thickness and the cavity thickness is equal to the thickness of the insulation of the sandwich panel. Alternatively, the cavities, having the thickness of the insulation, are arranged directly on the outer sheet and attached to it.

[0122] In a second stage, an outer sheet is provided after the first stage.

[0123] In the third stage, the inner sheet is provided before, simultaneously with, or after the second stage. In a first variant, corresponding to a discontinuous process, the inner sheet is provided cut to size and optionally shaped. In a second variant, corresponding to a semi-continuous process, the inner sheet is provided in the form of a strip, optionally shaped.

[0124] In the fourth stage, after the second stage, before the third stage, simultaneously with the third stage, or after the third stage, the insulation is placed in place. This can be in the form of a reactive mixture applied to the backside of the outer sheet, a reactive mixture injected between the inner and outer sheets, or a slab of insulation 2 applied to the backside of the outer sheet. In the case of a reactive mixture, it expands to form insulation 2. The outer sheet is preferably placed upside down. In that case, if the outer sheet was not already placed upside down in the first stage, it is placed upside down before the insulation is placed in place.

[0125] 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 sheet is maintained at a predetermined distance from the outer sheet. Specifically, the inner sheet is positioned so that, at the end of the manufacturing process, the upper and lower cavities are both adjacent to the second longitudinal side of the insulation material or both adjacent to the inner sheet. The distance between the inner and outer sheets can be maintained in a mold, press, or double-belt conveyor. The outer sheet is preferably positioned upside down. In this case, if the outer sheet was not already positioned upside down in the first stage, it is positioned upside down before the inner sheet is positioned. The predetermined distance corresponds to the set thickness of the sandwich panel.

[0126] The fourth and fifth stages are detailed below for the discontinuous and semi-continuous processes. Overall, during these two stages, the insulation is in place and the inner sheet is maintained a given distance from the outer sheet, or vice versa.

[0127] In a first variant of the discontinuous process, the outer and inner sheets are placed in the mold at a given distance from each other. The outer sheet is preferably placed upside down at the bottom of the mold, and the inner sheet is placed at the top of the mold. The distance between the inner and outer sheets can be adjusted using shims. The mold maintains the distance between the inner and outer sheets. Edge bands 9 are preferably added along the longitudinal sides of the mold between the inner and outer sheets, unless edge bands have already been placed along the second longitudinal outer edge in a previous step. In other words, the edge bands are preferably placed along the first and second longitudinal inner edges of the inner sheet. Caps are preferably placed along the transverse sides of the mold between the inner and outer sheets. In other words, the caps are preferably placed along the upper transverse inner edge 63 and lower transverse inner edge 64 of the inner sheet between the inner and outer sheets.

[0128] The reaction mixture is then injected into the mold between the inner and outer sheets. The reaction mixture reacts and expands, filling the gap between the inner and outer sheets and forming the insulation. The expansion of the reaction mixture can be achieved using a press or a conveyor, sometimes a double-belt conveyor.

[0129] In a second variation of the discontinuous process, the outer sheet is placed upside down in a mold and a slab of insulation 2 is placed on top of it. A layer of adhesive is applied between the outer sheet and the slab of insulation, and another layer of adhesive is applied on top of the insulation. Edge bands 9 and caps 10 can be added as described for the first variation. The inner sheet is then placed on top of the insulation and maintained a given distance from the outer sheet. The laminate is pressed and heated to cure the adhesive. Pressing and heating can be done using a press or a conveyor, sometimes a double-belt conveyor.

[0130] For a semi-continuous process, the inner sheets enter the double belt conveyor as possibly formed inner strips. The inner strips are the top strips on the production line. The outer sheets are continuously fed into the production line without gaps. These outer sheets replace the second or bottom strips on the production line. Each outer sheet is therefore part of the continuous feed of the production line.

[0131] In a first variant of the semi-continuous process, if the outer sheet is not already in place, it is placed upside down and the reactive mixture is applied to the backside of the outer sheet or the backside of the inner strip. The inner strip and outer sheet enter a double-belt conveyor, which maintains the distance between them. On the double-belt conveyor, the reactive mixture reacts, expands, and fills the gap between the inner strip and outer sheet to form insulation. Edge bands 9 are preferably placed along the first and second inner longitudinal edges of the inner sheet, unless edge bands have already been placed in a previous step. The edge bands are preferably coiled in the form of strips that enter the double-belt conveyor.

[0132] In a second variation of the semi-continuous process, the outer sheet is placed upside down if it is not already in place, and a slab of insulation 2 is placed on top of it. A layer of adhesive is applied between the outer sheet and the slab of insulation, and another layer of adhesive is applied on top of the insulation. The inner strip and outer sheet then enter a double belt conveyor, which maintains the distance between them. On the double belt conveyor, pressure and heat are applied to the laminate to cure the adhesive.

[0133] Once the insulation has formed, the sandwich panel produced by the discontinuous process can be removed from the mould. In the semi-continuous process, at the exit of the conveyor, the inner strip and insulation are cut according to the length of the outer sheets to obtain the sandwich panel.

[0134] Once the sandwich panel is fabricated, the top cavity 44 is opened to provide access to the first top electrical connector 46 and, if applicable, the second top electrical connector 52. Similarly, the bottom cavity 45 is opened to provide access to the first bottom electrical connector 47 and, if applicable, the second bottom electrical connector 53. This is shown in Figures 11, 12, 15 and 16.

[0135] According to the first variant, in which the upper and lower cavities are arranged adjacent to the second longitudinal side of the insulation, each cavity can be opened by cutting a slit in the second longitudinal side. Depending on the nature and location of the cavity, the cut can be made through different materials. If the cavity includes a casing with a flat wall adjacent to the second longitudinal side, the cut is made in the insulation and in the casing. If the flat wall of the casing is in the plane of the second longitudinal side, no cut is made through the insulation. If the wall of the casing in the plane of the second longitudinal side already has an outlet for accessing the electrical connector, no cut is made through the casing. If the longitudinal side is covered by an edge band, the cut is made through the edge band. The cut can be made using any suitable tool, such as a cutter, saw, or chisel.

[0136] According to the second variant, in which the upper and lower cavities are arranged adjacent to the inner sheet, each cavity can be opened by a cut in the inner sheet. In variants in which the inner sheet includes an upper groove 59 and / or a lower groove 60, the cut is preferably made adjacent to or within the groove. Depending on the nature and location of the cavity, the cut can be made through different materials. If the cavity includes a casing with a flat wall adjacent to the inner sheet, the cut is made through the inner sheet, the insulation, and the casing. If the flat wall of the casing contacts the inner sheet, no cut is made through the insulation. If the wall of the casing contacting the inner sheet already has an exit for accessing the electrical connector, no cut is made through the casing. The cut can be made with any suitable tool, such as a drill.

[0137] The opening of the upper and lower cavities can be carried out immediately after the sandwich panel is manufactured, or at a later time. To limit the work during installation of the sandwich panel on the roof and to better control the quality of the cut, the cut is preferably carried out at the manufacturing site.

[0138] 11 and 12, according to a variant in which the upper and lower cavities are located adjacent to the second longitudinal side of the insulation, once the sandwich panel is manufactured, an upper cutout 54 and / or a lower cutout 56 can be formed in the second longitudinal side of the insulation. This is preferably done simultaneously with cutting the openings for the upper and lower cavities. The cutouts can be made using any suitable tool, such as a cutter, chisel, groover, etc.

[0139] Once the sandwich panels are manufactured, they can be shipped to a building site for assembly of the building envelope on the building structure. Referring to Figures 17, 18, and 20, the process for assembling the building envelope includes a first step of fastening a first sandwich panel 1a to the building structure. Specifically, the first sandwich panel is fastened to a perlin 58. More specifically, the lower half of the first sandwich panel is fastened to the lower perlin. More specifically, the upper half of the first sandwich panel rests on a first upper perlin 58a. More specifically, the upper overlap region 23 of the first sandwich panel rests on the first upper perlin.

[0140] In a second step, a second sandwich panel 1b is placed on the building structure adjacent to the first sandwich panel along the building slope, with its lower overlap region 22 covering the upper overlap region 23 of the first sandwich panel. Specifically, the lower half of the second sandwich panel rests on the first upper pearlin. Specifically, the upper half of the second sandwich panel rests on the second upper pearlin 58b, which is positioned higher than the first upper pearlin. More specifically, the upper overlap region 23 of the second sandwich panel rests on the second upper pearlin. The second sandwich panel is then fixed to the building structure. Specifically, the second sandwich panel is fixed to the first upper pearlin. More specifically, the lower overlap region of the second sandwich panel is fixed to the first upper pearlin simultaneously with the fixation of the upper overlap region of the first sandwich panel to the first upper pearlin.

[0141] The third step involves connecting the first upper electrical connector 46 of the first sandwich panel to the first lower electrical connector 47 of the second sandwich panel. This step can be performed immediately after the second sandwich panel is secured. This step can also be performed once all sandwich panels in one row are in place and secured. If the upper and lower cavities are adjacent to the inner sheet, this step can also be performed once all sandwich panels on the roof (or roof side) are in place and secured. In this latter case, an electrician does not need to be present on the roof during the installation of the sandwich panels.

[0142] According to the first variant, the first upper electrical connector 46 of the first sandwich panel is pulled out from the upper cavity 44. If the upper cavity has not been opened in the previous step, it is opened first. The first lower electrical connector 47 of the second sandwich panel is also pulled out from the lower cavity. If the lower cavity has not been opened in the previous step, it is opened first. When the upper and lower cavities are adjacent to the second longitudinal edge, the first upper electrical connector 46 and a portion of the first upper cable 42 of the first sandwich panel are preferably inserted into the upper notch 54 of the first sandwich panel, and the first lower electrical connector and a portion of the first lower cable 43 of the second sandwich panel are preferably inserted into the lower notch 56 of the second sandwich panel, as shown in Figures 18 and 19. When the upper and lower cavities are adjacent to the inner sheet, the first upper electrical connector and a portion of the first upper cable of the first sandwich panel can be routed around a portion of the purlin, and the first lower electrical connector and a portion of the first lower cable of the second sandwich panel can be routed around the remaining portion of the purlin, as shown in Figures 20 and 21. Alternatively, the first upper electrical connector and a portion of the first upper cable can be inserted into an upper groove 59 in the inner sheet of the first sandwich panel, and / or the first lower electrical connector and / or a portion of the first lower cable of the second sandwich panel can be inserted into a lower groove 60 in the inner sheet of the second sandwich panel, as shown in Figures 22 and 23.

[0143] 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.

[0144] According to the second variant, the first upper electrical connector of the first sandwich panel is left in the upper cavity (opened in the previous step), and the first lower electrical connector of the second sandwich panel is left in the lower cavity (opened in the previous step). The first upper electrical connector of the first sandwich panel is then connected to the first lower electrical connector of the second sandwich panel with the help of an additional connecting cable. If the upper and lower cavities are adjacent to the second longitudinal edge, the connecting cable is preferably inserted into the upper notch 54 of the first sandwich panel and the lower notch 56 of the second sandwich panel. If the upper and lower cavities are adjacent to the inner sheet, the connecting cable can be routed around the perlin. Alternatively, the connecting cable is inserted into the upper groove 59 of the inner sheet of the first sandwich panel and the lower groove 60 of the inner sheet of the second sandwich panel. 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 sheet (3), an outer sheet (4), and an insulating material (2) sandwiched between the inner and outer sheets, the insulating material having a first longitudinal side (5), a second longitudinal side (6), an upper short side (7), and a lower short side (8), the sandwich panel having an upper half and a lower half; The outer sheet is a first longitudinal outer flange (15) including a first longitudinal rib (18) projecting from a first longitudinal side of the insulation; an outer central portion (17) extending from the first longitudinal rib, a first upper bore (27) through which a first upper electrical conductor (25) passes; a first lower bore (28) through which a first lower electrical conductor (26) passes; an outer central portion (17) including: a first photovoltaic active region (24) disposed in the outer central portion and electrically connected to the first upper electrical conductor and the first lower electrical conductor; a second longitudinal outer flange (16) extending from the outer central portion and comprising a second longitudinal rib (21), the first longitudinal rib and the second longitudinal rib having a shape that allows the first longitudinal rib to overlap the second longitudinal rib; Equipped with The back of the outer sheet is a first upper cable (42) connecting a first upper electrical conductor to a first upper electrical connector (46) disposed within the upper cavity (44); a first lower cable (43) connecting a first lower electrical conductor to a first lower electrical connector (47) disposed within the lower cavity (45), the first lower electrical connector and the first upper electrical connector being corresponding male and female connectors; Equipped with an upper cavity disposed within the insulation of the upper half of the sandwich panel and adjacent either the second longitudinal side or the inner sheet of the insulation, whereby the first upper electrical connector can be accessed from the upper cavity; a lower cavity disposed within the insulation of the lower half of the sandwich panel and adjacent either the second longitudinal side or the inner sheet of the insulation, whereby the first lower electrical connector can be accessed from the lower cavity; Sandwich panel.

2. 2. A sandwich panel according to claim 1, wherein the upper cavity (44) is open along the second longitudinal side (6) of the insulation and / or along the upper short side (7) of the insulation and / or along the inner sheet (3).

3. 3. A sandwich panel according to claim 1, wherein the lower cavity (45) is open along the second longitudinal side (6) of the insulation and / or along the lower lateral side (8) of the insulation and / or along the inner sheet (3).

4. 2. A sandwich panel according to claim 1, wherein the upper cavity (44) is open along the second longitudinal side (6) of the insulation through cuts in the insulation and / or through cuts in the edge band (9) covering the second longitudinal side (6) and / or through cuts in the wall of the upper cavity.

5. 2. A sandwich panel according to claim 1, wherein the upper cavity (44) opens along the inner sheet (3) through an upper hole (55) in the inner sheet.

6. 2. A sandwich panel according to claim 1, wherein the lower cavity (45) is open along the second longitudinal side (6) of the insulation through cuts in the insulation and / or through cuts in the edge band (9) covering the second longitudinal side (6) and / or through cuts in the wall of the lower cavity.

7. 2. A sandwich panel according to claim 1, wherein the lower cavity (45) opens along the inner sheet (3) through a lower hole (57) in the inner sheet.

8. 8. A sandwich panel according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein each of the upper cavity (44) and the lower cavity (45) is defined by a casing embedded in insulating material.

9. The outer central portion (17) a second upper bore (38) through which a second upper electrical conductor (36) passes; a second lower bore (39) through which a second lower electrical conductor (37) passes; further comprising the outer sheet (4) further comprises a second photovoltaic active area (35) located at the outer central portion and electrically connected to the second upper electrical conductor and the second lower electrical conductor; The back of the outer sheet is a second upper cable (50) connecting the second upper electrical conductor to a second upper electrical connector (52) disposed within the upper cavity (44); a second lower cable (51) connecting the second lower electrical conductor to a second lower electrical connector (53) disposed within the lower cavity (45), the second lower electrical connector and the second upper electrical connector being corresponding male and female connectors; Further provided with A sandwich panel according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. 10. The sandwich panel of claim 9, wherein the first upper electrical connector (46) and the second upper electrical connector (52) are corresponding male and female connectors, and 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 sheet (3), an outer sheet (4), and an insulating material (2) sandwiched between the inner and outer sheets, the insulating material having a first longitudinal side (5), a second longitudinal side (6), an upper short side (7), and a lower short side (8), the sandwich panel having an upper half and a lower half; The outer sheet is a first longitudinal outer flange (15) including a first longitudinal rib (18) projecting from a first longitudinal side of the insulation; an outer central portion (17) extending from the first longitudinal rib, a first upper bore (27) through which a first upper electrical conductor (25) passes; a first lower bore (28) through which a first lower electrical conductor (26) passes; an outer central portion including: a first photovoltaic active region (24) disposed in the outer central portion and electrically connected to the first upper electrical conductor and the first lower electrical conductor; a second longitudinal outer flange (16) extending from the outer central portion and comprising a second longitudinal rib (21), the first longitudinal rib and the second longitudinal rib having a shape that allows the first longitudinal rib to overlap the second longitudinal rib; Equipped with The back of the outer sheet is a first upper cable (42) extending from the first upper electrical conductor through at least the upper cavity (44) and either the cut in the second longitudinal side (6) of the insulation or the upper hole (55) in the inner sheet to a first upper electrical connector (46); a first lower cable (43) extending from the first lower electrical conductor through at least the lower cavity (45) and either the cut in the second longitudinal side (6) of the insulation or the lower hole (57) in the inner sheet 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; Equipped with the upper cavity is disposed within the insulation of the upper half of the sandwich panel adjacent either the second longitudinal side or the inner sheet of insulation; the lower cavity is disposed within the insulation of the lower half of the sandwich panel adjacent either the second longitudinal side or the inner sheet of insulation; Sandwich panel (1).

12. A method for manufacturing a sandwich panel (1), comprising: For providing an outer sheet (4), the outer sheet comprises: a first upper bore (27) through which a first upper electrical conductor (25) passes; a first lower bore (28) through which a first lower electrical conductor (26) passes; an outer central portion (17) including a first photovoltaic active region (24) disposed in the outer central portion and electrically connected to the first upper electrical conductor and the first lower electrical conductor; a first upper cable (42) connecting a first upper electrical conductor to a first upper electrical connector (46) disposed within the upper cavity (44); a first lower cable (43) connecting a first lower electrical conductor to a first lower electrical connector (47) disposed within the lower cavity (45), the first lower electrical connector and the first upper electrical connector being corresponding male and female connectors; a back side of the outer sheet, an upper cavity disposed in the upper half of the outer sheet; a lower cavity disposed in the lower half of the outer sheet outside the lower overlap region; and Preparing an inner sheet (3); Putting insulation in place; maintaining the inner sheet at a given distance from the outer sheet; A method for manufacturing a sandwich panel (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, comprising:

13. 13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the inner sheet (3) is provided cut to a predetermined size and shape, the outer sheet (4) and the inner sheet are placed in a mold at a given distance from each other, and a reactive mixture is injected into the mold between the inner and outer sheets, so that the reactive mixture reacts and expands to fill the gap between the inner and outer sheets and form the insulating material (2).

14. 13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the inner sheet (3) is provided in the form of an inner strip which enters a double belt conveyor of a production line, the outer sheet (4) is part of a continuous supply of outer sheets in the production line, and the reactive mixture is applied to the back side of the outer sheet or the back side of the inner strip, whereby the reactive mixture reacts and expands in the double belt conveyor, filling the gap between the inner strip and the outer sheet and forming the insulation material (2).

15. 15. The method of any one of claims 12 to 14, further comprising, after filling the space with insulating material, opening the upper cavity (44) to provide access to the first upper electrical connector (46) and opening the lower cavity (45) to provide access to the first lower electrical connector (47).

16. Before providing the outer sheet (4), the following steps are carried out: The outer sheet is cut to length from the strip; a first upper perforation (27) and a first lower perforation (28) are provided in the outer central portion (17); a first photovoltaic active region (24) disposed at the outer central portion; 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) are provided on the back side of the outer sheet.

16. The method of any one of claims 12 to 15, further comprising providing an outer sheet according to the steps.

17. 1. A method for assembling a building envelope on a building structure, comprising: (i) providing a first and second sandwich panel (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the outer sheet of the first sandwich panel further comprises an upper lateral outer edge (13) adjacent to an upper overlap region (23), and the outer sheet of the second sandwich panel further comprises a lower lateral outer edge (14) extending beyond the lower lateral side of the insulation to form a lower overlap region (22), the upper overlap region and the lower overlap region having shapes that allow the lower overlap region to overlap the upper overlap region; (ii) fastening the first sandwich panel to a building structure; (iii) placing a second sandwich panel so that its lower overlap region (22) covers the upper overlap region (23) of the first sandwich panel, and fixing the second sandwich panel to the building structure; (iv) connecting the first upper electrical connector (46) of the first sandwich panel to the first lower electrical connector (47) of the second sandwich panel; A method comprising:

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