Horizontal electroplating apparatus for solar cell

Abstract

The present disclosure is applicable to the technical field of solar cell electroplating. Provided is a horizontal electroplating apparatus for a solar cell. In the horizontal electroplating apparatus, a plurality of electroplating tanks are arranged in sequence and at intervals in a horizontal direction, wherein each of the electroplating tanks comprises a first side wall and a second side wall facing away from each other in the horizontal direction. During an electroplating process, a solar cell is always in contact with at least one cathode structure. In the horizontal direction, the distance between the first side wall of an Mth electroplating tank and the first side wall of an (M+1)th electroplating tank is less than the length of the solar cell, and the distance between the first side wall of the Mth electroplating tank and the second side wall of the (M+1)th electroplating tank is greater than the length of the solar cell. In this way, the solar cell can be in contact with at least one cathode structure regardless of the state of the solar cell, thus realizing continuous electroplating. In addition, during the electroplating process, the number of electroplating tanks covered by the solar cell is less than two, which can improve the electroplating efficiency of a single electroplating zone, and also can reduce costs and failure rates.

Description

Horizontal electroplating equipment for solar cell

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] The present disclosure claims priority to the Chinese patent application No. 202410652028.7, filed on May 23, 2024, and entitled "Horizontal electroplating equipment for solar cell", the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of solar cell electroplating, and in particular to a horizontal electroplating equipment for solar cell. BACKGROUND

[0004] In the process of manufacturing solar cells, the metal electrodes of the solar cells can be manufactured by electroplating. In the electroplating process, horizontal electroplating, vertical electroplating, and slot electroplating can be used. Horizontal electroplating is more suitable for large-scale production.

[0005] In the related art, a plurality of electroplating tanks are provided in the horizontal electroplating equipment to electroplate the solar cells multiple times, so that the thickness of the metal electrodes of the solar cells can reach the desired performance. However, in the current horizontal electroplating equipment, the structure of the equipment is complex, and the cost and failure rate are high. SUMMARY

[0006] The present disclosure provides a horizontal electroplating equipment for solar cell, which has higher electroplating efficiency, simpler structure, and lower cost and failure rate.

[0007] The present disclosure is implemented in this way. The horizontal electroplating equipment for solar cell of the present disclosure comprises:

[0008] a plurality of electroplating tanks arranged at intervals in the horizontal direction, the electroplating tanks comprising first and second side walls arranged at intervals in the horizontal direction and facing away from each other;

[0009] a conveying device arranged in the electroplating tank, the conveying device being used to carry and transport the solar cells in the horizontal direction;

[0010] an anode structure arranged in the electroplating tank;

[0011] a plurality of cathode structures arranged outside the electroplating tank, the solar cells being in contact with at least one of the cathode structures during the electroplating process;

[0012] The distance between the first sidewall of the Mth plating tank and the first sidewall of the M+1th plating tank is less than the length of the solar cell, and the distance between the first sidewall of the Mth plating tank and the second sidewall of the M+1th plating tank is greater than the length of the solar cell, M being a positive integer.

[0013] In some embodiments, a plurality of the cathode structures and a plurality of the plating tanks are arranged alternately in sequence along a horizontal direction, and the distance between the Nth cathode structure and the N+1th cathode structure in the horizontal direction is less than the length of the solar cell, N being a positive integer.

[0014] In some embodiments, the distance between the sidewall of the first and second sidewalls closest to the cathode structure and the cathode structure is 1-20 mm.

[0015] In some embodiments, the cathode structure comprises a cathode roller, the cathode roller and the conveying device are located on the side of the solar cell facing the plating tank, the cathode roller is used to jointly carry the solar cell with the conveying device, the cathode roller is in electrical contact with the solar cell and connected to the negative pole of an external power source, and the distance between the axis of the Nth cathode roller and the N+1th cathode roller in the horizontal direction is less than the length of the solar cell.

[0016] In some embodiments, the diameter of the cathode roller is 30-40 mm.

[0017] In some embodiments, the distance between the support point of the conveying device closest to the cathode roller and the axis of the cathode roller in the horizontal direction is less than or equal to half of the length of the solar cell.

[0018] In some embodiments, the number of the plating tanks is greater than two, and part of the adjacent plating tanks in the horizontal plating device do not have the cathode structure.

[0019] In some embodiments, the anode structure comprises an anode plate, the anode plate is provided with a through groove, at least part of the conveying device passes through the through groove to contact the solar cell, so that the conveying device carries and transports the solar cell in the horizontal direction.

[0020] In some embodiments, the conveying device comprises a transmission shaft and a transmission wheel, the transmission shaft is rotatably mounted on the electroplating tank, the transmission wheel is arranged on the transmission shaft and located in the electroplating tank, the transmission wheel is in contact with the solar cell through the through slot, and the transmission wheel is rotatably located in the through slot, the transmission wheel is used to carry the solar cell, and the transmission shaft is used to drive the transmission wheel to rotate to convey the solar cell.

[0021] In some embodiments, in the vertical direction, the distance between the support point where the conveying device is in contact with the solar cell and the anode plate is less than or equal to 10 mm.

[0022] In some embodiments, in the vertical direction, the distance between the support point where the conveying device is in contact with the solar cell and the anode plate is greater than 5 mm and less than or equal to 10 mm.

[0023] In some embodiments, a plurality of transmission wheels are arranged on the transmission shaft, the plurality of transmission wheels are arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the transmission shaft, and each transmission wheel corresponds to a through slot.

[0024] In some embodiments, a plurality of transmission shafts are arranged in the electroplating tank, the plurality of transmission shafts are arranged at intervals in the horizontal direction, and the transmission wheels on at least two transmission shafts are staggered in the horizontal direction.

[0025] In the horizontal electroplating equipment according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, a plurality of electroplating tanks are arranged at intervals in the horizontal direction, each electroplating tank comprises a first side wall and a second side wall opposite to each other in the horizontal direction, and the solar cell is in contact with at least one cathode structure during the electroplating process. In the horizontal direction, the distance between the first side wall of the Mth electroplating tank and the first side wall of the (M+1)th electroplating tank is less than the length of the solar cell, and the distance between the first side wall of the Mth electroplating tank and the second side wall of the (M+1)th electroplating tank is greater than the length of the solar cell. In this way, on the one hand, during the electroplating process of the solar cell, the solar cell can be in contact with at least one cathode structure regardless of the state of the solar cell, thereby realizing continuous electroplating and improving the electroplating efficiency; on the other hand, since the distance between the first side wall of the Mth electroplating tank and the second side wall of the (M+1)th electroplating tank is greater than the length of the solar cell, the number of electroplating tanks covered by the solar cell during the electroplating process is less than 2, and the electroplating efficiency of a single plating area can be improved; and in this case, in the same length of the flow line, the number of electroplating tanks can be set to be smaller, the equipment structure can be simplified, and the cost and failure rate can be reduced.

[0026] Additional aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will be made apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0027] Fig. 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a horizontal electroplating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0028] Fig. 2 is a partial structural schematic diagram of a horizontal electroplating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] Fig. 3 is a structural schematic diagram of an anode structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of an assembly structure between an anode structure and a conveying device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0031] Fig. 5 is another schematic diagram of an assembly structure between an anode structure and a conveying device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0032] Fig. 6 is still another schematic diagram of an assembly structure between an anode structure and a conveying device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0033] Fig. 7 is a structural schematic diagram of a conveying device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Main element symbol explanation: horizontal electroplating apparatus 100, electroplating tank 10, first side wall 11, second side wall 12, conveying device 20, transmission shaft 21, transmission wheel 22, rotation shaft part 221, blade part 222, anode structure 30, through groove 31, through flow hole 32, cathode structure 40, cathode roller 41, electroplating liquid surge device 50;

[0035] Solar cell 200. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present disclosure clearer, the present disclosure will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present disclosure, and cannot be understood as a limitation of the present disclosure. In addition, it should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present disclosure and do not limit the present disclosure.

[0037] In the description of the present disclosure, it should be understood that the terms "horizontal", "vertical" and the like indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only used to facilitate the description of the present disclosure and simplify the description, and therefore cannot be understood as indicating or implying that the devices or elements referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation of the present disclosure.

[0038] In addition, the terms "first", "second", etc. are used herein only to describe different instances, and are not used to denote or imply relative importance or a number of indications of the technical features indicated. Thus, the technical features defined with "first", "second", etc. can explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the technical features. In the description of the present disclosure, the meaning of "a plurality of", "several" is two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited.

[0039] In the description of the present disclosure, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "mounting", "connection", "connecting" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, can be fixed connection, can also be detachable connection, or integrally connected; can be mechanical connection, can also be electrical connection or can communicate with each other; can be directly connected, can also be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, can be the communication or interaction relationship between two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present disclosure can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0040] In the present disclosure, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "on" or "under" of the first feature to the second feature can include that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are not in direct contact but are in contact through another feature between them. Moreover, "on", "above" and "above" of the first feature to the second feature includes that the first feature is directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or only indicates that the horizontal height of the first feature is higher than that of the second feature. "Below", "below" and "below" of the first feature to the second feature includes that the first feature is directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or only indicates that the horizontal height of the first feature is less than that of the second feature.

[0041] The following disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples for implementing different structures of the present disclosure. In order to simplify the disclosure of the present disclosure, the components and settings of specific examples are described below. Of course, they are only examples, and the purpose is not to limit the present disclosure. In addition, the present disclosure can repeatedly refer to numerals and / or reference letters in different examples. Such repetition is for the purpose of simplification and clarity, and does not itself indicate the relationship between the various embodiments and / or settings discussed. In addition, the present disclosure provides examples of various specific processes and materials, but those skilled in the art can realize the application of other processes and / or the use of other materials.

[0042] Please refer to FIG. 1, the embodiment of the present disclosure provides a horizontal electroplating equipment 100, which is used for electroplating on the area to be electroplated on the solar cell 200, for example, the horizontal electroplating equipment 100 can be used for electroplating on the seed layer on the grid line area of the solar cell 200 to form a metal grid line electrode.

[0043] The horizontal electroplating equipment 100 in the embodiments of the present disclosure can include a plurality of electroplating tanks 10, a plurality of conveying devices 20, a plurality of anode structures 30 and a plurality of cathode structures 40.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 1, the plurality of electroplating tanks 10 are arranged in a horizontal direction, and the electroplating tank 10 is used to hold an electroplating solution. The electroplating tank 10 includes a first side wall 11 and a second side wall 12 arranged in a horizontal direction and spaced apart from each other. The conveying device 20 is arranged in the electroplating tank 10, and the conveying device 20 is used to carry and convey the solar cell 200 so that the solar cell 200 passes above the electroplating tank 10. At least one conveying device 20 is arranged in each electroplating tank 10. It should be noted that in some embodiments, the electroplating solutions in the plurality of electroplating tanks 10 can be the same or different. When the electroplating solutions are the same, the thickness of the electroplating layer can reach the desired value by continuous electroplating. When the electroplating solutions are different, different electroplating layers can be sequentially plated on the to-be-electroplated region, for example, in one example, a copper layer can be first electroplated, and then a protective layer such as one or more of tin, nickel, silver, etc. can be electroplated, thereby effectively preventing oxidation of the copper layer.

[0045] The anode structure 30 is arranged in the electroplating tank 10, and the anode structure 30 is arranged in each electroplating tank 10. The cathode structure 40 is arranged outside the electroplating tank 10. During the electroplating process, the solar cell 200 is always in contact with at least one cathode structure 40.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 1, in the horizontal electroplating equipment 100, the distance D2 between the first side wall 11 of the Mth electroplating tank 10 and the first side wall 11 of the (M+1)th electroplating tank 10 is less than the length D1 of the solar cell, and the distance D3 between the first side wall 11 of the Mth electroplating tank 10 and the second side wall 12 of the (M+1)th electroplating tank 10 is greater than the length D1 of the solar cell, that is, D2 is less than D1, and D3 is greater than D1, and M is a positive integer.

[0047] It can be understood that in the horizontal electroplating equipment 100, the anode structure 30 is connected to the positive pole of an external power supply, and the cathode structure 40 is connected to the negative pole of the external power supply. During the electroplating process, the anode structure 30-electroplating solution-solar cell 200-to-be-electroplated part (for example, seed layer on the grid line region)-cathode structure 40 form a circuit loop, thereby electroplating the to-be-electroplated region of the solar cell 200.

[0048] It should be noted that, in the electroplating process, the non-electroplating area of the solar cell 200 is usually provided with a mask, only the electroplating area to be exposed from the mask, the cathode structure 40 in contact with the solar cell 200 can be that the cathode structure 40 is directly in electrical contact with the electroplating area to be electroplated, or the cathode structure 40 is in contact with the mask, and the cathode structure 40 forms electrical contact with the electroplating area to be electroplated through the electroplating solution attached to the solar cell 200, which is not limited in particular.

[0049] In the horizontal electroplating device 100 of the embodiment of the present disclosure, a plurality of electroplating tanks 10 are arranged in sequence in the horizontal direction, the electroplating tank 10 includes a first side wall 11 and a second side wall 12 opposite in the horizontal direction, and the solar cell 200 is in contact with at least one cathode structure 40 during the electroplating process. In the horizontal direction, the spacing D2 between the first side wall 11 of the Mth electroplating tank 10 and the first side wall 11 of the M+1th electroplating tank 10 is less than the length D1 of the solar cell, and the spacing D3 between the first side wall 11 of the Mth electroplating tank 10 and the second side wall 12 of the M+1th electroplating tank 10 is greater than the length of the solar cell 200. In this way, on the one hand, during the electroplating process of the solar cell 200, as the solar cell 200 travels, the solar cell 200 can be in contact with at least one cathode structure 40 regardless of its state, thereby achieving continuous electroplating and improving electroplating efficiency; on the other hand, since the spacing D3 between the first side wall 11 of the Mth electroplating tank 10 and the second side wall 12 of the M+1th electroplating tank is greater than the length D1 of the solar cell 200, the number of electroplating tanks 10 covered by the solar cell 200 during the electroplating process is less than 2, which can improve the electroplating efficiency of a single plating area; and in such a case, in the same length of the flow line, the number of electroplating tanks 10 can be set to be less, which can simplify the device structure, reduce the cost and failure rate.

[0050] Specifically, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 2 shows part of the structure of the horizontal electroplating device 100, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the anode structure 30 can be an anode plate, which can be arranged in parallel with the solar cell 200 in the vertical direction, the horizontal direction refers to the direction of the solar cell 200 in the electroplating process, that is, the conveying direction of the conveying device 20. The vertical direction is the direction perpendicular to the horizontal direction, which is the direction of gravity. As an example, in FIG. 2, the vertical direction is the height direction of the electroplating tank 10, that is, the direction perpendicular to the surface of the solar cell 200 towards the electroplating tank 10. The conveying device 20 can be provided with a conveying wheel assembly, which is not limited in particular, as long as it can carry and convey the solar cell 200. The anode structure 30 can be a titanium mesh, which is not limited in particular.

[0051] It can be understood that, in the process of electroplating, the electroplating solution fills the entire electroplating tank 10, the electroplating solution is adsorbed on the surface of the solar cell 200 facing the electroplating tank 10, so that the anode structure 30-electroplating solution-the part of the solar cell 200 to be electroplated (for example, the metal electrode)-the cathode structure 40 form a circuit loop.

[0052] It should be noted that, in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the solar cell 200 can be, for example, PERC solar cell, Topcon solar cell, heterojunction solar cell, and back contact solar cell, and the like, and the specific type is not limited here.

[0053] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the horizontal electroplating equipment 100 of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 of the electroplating tank 10 are two side walls opposite in the horizontal direction, and the first side wall 11, the second side wall 12, and the other two side walls and the bottom wall together enclose a cavity for containing the electroplating solution. In a plurality of electroplating tanks 10, the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 are alternately and spaced apart along the horizontal direction. The distance between the two adjacent first side walls 11 is less than the length of the solar cell 200 in the horizontal direction, and the distance between the first side wall 11 of the previous electroplating tank 10 and the second side wall 12 of the next electroplating tank 10 is greater than the length of the solar cell 200 in the horizontal direction. In this way, by reasonably setting the distance between the side walls of each electroplating tank, the solar cell 200 can correspond to more than one electroplating tank 10 but not cover two electroplating tanks 10 at the same time in the electroplating process, for example, taking 3 electroplating tanks as an example, in the electroplating process, the solar cell 200 covers the first electroplating tank 10 and covers part of the second electroplating tank 10, when the solar cell 200 travels to not cover the first electroplating tank 10, the solar cell 200 covers the second electroplating tank 10 and covers part of the third electroplating tank 10 at the same time. In this way, the electroplating area of a single electroplating tank 10 to the solar cell 200 is large, which can improve the electroplating efficiency of the individual plating area, and only a small number of electroplating tanks 10 are needed to make the thickness of the electroplating layer reach the desired value, thereby simplifying the equipment structure, reducing the cost and failure rate.

[0054] In some embodiments, in the horizontal direction, the ratio of the distance between the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 of the same electroplating tank 10 to the length of the solar cell 200 in the horizontal direction is greater than 0.5 and less than 1, for example, 0.6, 0.65, 0.7, 0.75, 0.8, 0.85, 0.9, 0.95, or any value between greater than 0.5 and less than 1.

[0055] Further, in such embodiments, the ratio is preferably 0.5-0.8. Specifically, the inventors have found in production practice that if the ratio of the distance between the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 of the same electroplating tank 10 to the length of the solar cell 200 in the horizontal direction is too small (less than 0.5), one cell will cover two electroplating tanks, the electroplating efficiency is low, and the equipment structure is relatively complex.

[0056] If the ratio of the distance between the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 of the same electroplating tank 10 to the length of the solar cell 200 in the horizontal direction is too large, during the transmission of the solar cell 200, the end of the solar cell 100 facing the conveying direction has a chance to hit against the second side wall 12 of the electroplating tank 10, which seriously affects the production efficiency. Specifically, taking FIG. 2 as an example, in FIG. 2, the solar cell 200 moves from left to right in the horizontal direction, and the solar cell 200 has oppositely arranged left and right ends. On the one hand, due to accidental factors in the production process, for example, temporary jamming of the transmission device, or non-uniform motion of the solar cell 200 for a short period of time, or accidental shaking of the machine, so that at the time when the accidental factor (for example, jamming of the transmission device) occurs, if the right end of a certain solar cell 200 is close to the second side wall 12 of the electroplating tank 10, at this time, due to the action of inertia and gravity, the right end of the solar cell 200 will be displaced in a diagonal downward direction. In such a case, if the ratio of the distance between the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 of the corresponding electroplating tank 10 to the length of the solar cell 200 in the horizontal direction is too large (greater than 0.8), for example, greater than 0.8 and less than 1, that is, less than 1 but very close to 1, it is easy to cause the aforementioned diagonal downward displacement to cause the right end of the solar cell 100 to hit against the second side wall 12 of the electroplating tank 10.

[0057] On the other hand, the solar cell 200 is adsorbed by the electroplating liquid, and due to the surface tension of the electroplating liquid, it will generate a downward adsorption force on the solar cell 200. Due to the existence of the adsorption force, if the ratio of the distance between the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 of the corresponding electroplating tank 10 to the length of the solar cell 200 in the horizontal direction is too large, the solar cell 200 is easy to be slightly bent or inclined downward under the action of the adsorption force, thereby causing the solar cell 200 to hit against the second side wall 12 of the electroplating tank 10.

[0058] And, if the ratio of the distance between the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 of the corresponding electroplating tank 10 and the length of the solar cell 200 in the horizontal direction is too large, it will also cause the length of the part extending from the second side wall 12 to be too small, which will cause the solar cell 200 to easily appear the phenomenon that the solar cell 200 cannot be in contact with the conveying device 20 in the next electroplating tank 10 when it is running, so that the solar cell 200 cannot continuously run.

[0059] Based on this, the inventor of the present disclosure found through research and verification that when the ratio of the distance between the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 of the same electroplating tank 10 and the length of the solar cell 200 in the horizontal direction is preferably set to 0.5-0.8, the electroplating efficiency can be improved while avoiding the situation that the end of the solar cell 100 facing the conveying direction is against the second side wall 12 of the electroplating tank 10, and the reliability of the continuous running of the solar cell 200 can also be ensured.

[0060] In some embodiments, in the horizontal direction, the ratio of the distance between the first side wall 11 of the previous electroplating tank 10 and the second side wall 12 of the next electroplating tank 10 and the length of the solar cell 200 in the horizontal direction is greater than 1 and less than 2, for example, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, or any value between greater than 1 and less than 2.

[0061] Further, in such embodiments, the ratio is preferably 1.2-1.6. Specifically, the inventor found in production practice that if the ratio of the distance between the first side wall 11 of the previous electroplating tank 10 and the second side wall 12 of the next electroplating tank 10 and the length of the solar cell 200 in the horizontal direction is too small (i.e., less than 1.2) in the adjacent two electroplating tanks 10, the solar cell 200 transmission process, the solar cell 200 cannot be in contact with the conveying device 20 in the next electroplating tank 10 when it is running, which will cause the phenomenon that the solar cell 200 cannot continuously run.

[0062] Meanwhile, if the ratio of the distance between the first side wall 11 of the former plating tank 10 and the second side wall 12 of the latter plating tank 10 to the length of the solar cell 200 in the horizontal direction is too large (i.e. greater than 1.6), as shown in the above, during the transmission of the solar cell 200, the solar cell 200 moves in the horizontal direction from left to right as shown in FIG. 1. The solar cell 200 has oppositely arranged left and right ends. Due to accidental factors in the production process, for example, temporary jamming of the transmission device, or non-uniform motion of the solar cell 200 for a short period of time, or accidental shaking of the machine, if the right end of a certain solar cell 200 is close to the second side wall 12 of the latter plating tank 10 at the time when the accidental factor (e.g. jamming of the transmission device) occurs, the right end of the solar cell 200 will tend to move in a diagonal downward direction due to the effects of inertia, gravity and the adsorption force generated by the plating solution.

[0063] In such a case, if the ratio of the distance between the first side wall 11 of the former plating tank 10 and the second side wall 12 of the latter plating tank 10 to the length of the solar cell 200 in the horizontal direction is too large (greater than 1.6), for example, greater than 1.6 and less than 2, i.e. less than 2 but very close to 2, it is easy to cause the aforementioned diagonal downward movement to cause the right end of the solar cell 100 to rest against the second side wall 12 of the latter plating tank 10.

[0064] Based on this, the inventor of the present disclosure found through research and verification that the ratio of the distance between the first side wall 11 of the former plating tank 10 and the second side wall 12 of the latter plating tank 10 to the length of the solar cell 200 in the horizontal direction is preferably designed to be 1.2-1.6, which can ensure the reliability of the continuous movement of the solar cell 200 while avoiding the situation where the end of the solar cell 100 facing the direction of transmission rests against the second side wall 12 of the latter plating tank 10.

[0065] Please refer to FIG. 1, in some embodiments, a plurality of cathode structures 40 and a plurality of plating tanks 10 can be arranged alternately in sequence along the horizontal direction, and the distance between the Nth cathode structure 40 and the N+1th cathode structure 40 in the horizontal direction is less than the length of the solar cell 200, N is a positive integer.

[0066] In some embodiments, one cathode structure 40 can be arranged between adjacent two plating tanks 10, one cathode structure 40 can be arranged before the first plating tank 10, and one cathode structure 40 can be arranged after the last plating tank 10 or no cathode structure can be arranged.

[0067] Therefore, no matter what state the solar cell 200 is in during the traveling process, the solar cell 200 can be in contact with at least one cathode structure 40, ensuring the reliability of the electroplating.

[0068] Of course, it can be understood that in some embodiments, there can also be a case where no cathode structure 40 is arranged between two electroplating tanks 10 in some electroplating tanks 10, that is, in some embodiments, the number of electroplating tanks 10 can be greater than two, and in the horizontal electroplating device 100, no cathode structure 40 is arranged between some adjacent electroplating tanks 10. For example, one cathode structure 40 can be arranged between the first electroplating tank 10 and the second electroplating tank 10, and no cathode structure 40 is arranged between the second electroplating tank 10 and the third electroplating tank 10, and one cathode structure 40 is arranged between the third electroplating tank 10 and the fourth electroplating tank 10, which is not limited here, as long as the solar cell 200 can always be in contact with at least one cathode structure 40 during the electroplating traveling process to form a circuit loop.

[0069] Further, it can be understood that in other embodiments, two cathode structures 40 or more than two cathode structures 40 can also be arranged between some electroplating tanks 10, which is not limited here, as long as it can meet the condition that the distance D2 between the first side wall 11 of the Mth electroplating tank 10 and the first side wall 11 of the M+1th electroplating tank 10 is less than the length D1 of the solar cell, and the distance D3 between the first side wall 11 of the Mth electroplating tank 10 and the second side wall 12 of the M+1th electroplating tank 10 is greater than the length D1 of the solar cell, and the solar cell 200 can always be in contact with at least one cathode structure 40 during the electroplating traveling process to form a circuit loop.

[0070] Further, in some embodiments, the distance between the side wall closest to the cathode structure 40 in the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 and the cathode structure 40 is 1mm-20mm.

[0071] In this way, it can be avoided that the cathode structure 40 is too close to the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12, causing the electroplating solution to overflow from the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 and sputter onto the cathode structure 40, resulting in the cathode structure 40 also being electroplated with an electroplating layer.

[0072] Specifically, in such embodiments, the distance between the cathode structure 40 and the side wall of the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 closest to the cathode structure 40 can be, for example, 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, 10 mm, 11 mm, 12 mm, 13 mm, 14 mm, 15 mm, 16 mm, 17 mm, 18 mm, 19 mm, 20 mm, or any value between 1 mm and 20 mm, without limitation in particular.

[0073] It can be understood that the two sides of the cathode structure 40 in the initial position only have the first side wall 11, in which case the above-mentioned distance refers to the distance between the cathode structure 40 and the first side wall 11. The two sides of the cathode structure 40 in the final position only have the first side wall 11, in which case the above-mentioned distance refers to the distance between the cathode structure 40 and the first side wall 11. The two sides of the cathode structure 40 between the two plating tanks 10 are the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12, respectively, in which case, if the distances between the two side walls and the cathode structure 40 are different, the above-mentioned distance refers to the distance between the side wall closest to the cathode structure 40 and the cathode structure 40, and if the distances between the two side walls and the cathode structure 40 are the same, the above-mentioned distance refers to the distance between the two side walls and the cathode structure 40.

[0074] Referring to FIGS. 1-3, in some embodiments, the anode structure 30 includes an anode plate having a through groove 31 formed therein, and at least a part of the conveying device 20 passes through the through groove 31 to contact the solar cell 200, so that the conveying device 20 carries and transports the solar cell 200 in the horizontal direction.

[0075] In this way, by forming the through groove 31 in the anode plate to allow the conveying device 20 to pass through to support and transport the solar cell 200, the anode plate can be arranged close to the solar cell 200, shortening the distance between the anode plate and the solar cell 200, so that the horizontal plating device 100 can support high-current plating, reduce current loss, improve plating efficiency, and also make the plating more uniform.

[0076] Further, as shown in FIG. 3, in some embodiments, a plurality of flow holes 32 can be formed in the anode structure 30, so that the anode structure 30 forms a mesh structure, i.e., the anode structure 30 is a mesh plate having a plurality of through grooves 31. In this way, the flow holes 32 can facilitate the flow of the plating solution, avoiding the blockage of the plating solution by the anode structure 30, so that the flow and circulation of the plating solution are improved.

[0077] In addition, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, in some embodiments, a plating liquid surge device 50, which can be a water jet device or the like, can be further arranged in the plating tank 10. The plating liquid surge device 50 can cause the plating liquid in the plating tank 10 to continuously surge and roll, so that the plating liquid can continuously contact the solar cell 200, thereby forming a stable circuit loop and improving the uniformity of plating.

[0078] Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, in some embodiments, in the vertical direction, the distance L1 between the support point at which the conveying device 20 contacts the solar cell 200 and the anode structure 30 is less than or equal to 10 mm.

[0079] In this way, the distance L1 between the anode structure 30 and the surface to be plated of the solar cell 200 can be prevented from being too large, thereby preventing the plating efficiency from being reduced.

[0080] Further, in such embodiments, in the vertical direction, the distance L1 between the support point at which the conveying device 20 contacts the solar cell 200 and the anode structure 30 is greater than 5 mm and less than or equal to 10 mm, i.e., 5 mm < L1 ≤ 10 mm.

[0081] It can be understood that, if the distance between the anode structure 30 and the surface to be plated of the solar cell 200 is too large, the resistance of the plating liquid in the formed circuit loop will increase, and the plating liquid will consume part of the current, thereby affecting the plating efficiency and the uniformity of plating. If the distance is too small, the circulation and flow of the plating liquid between the anode structure 30 and the solar cell to be plated will be poor, thereby affecting the uniformity of plating.

[0082] In such embodiments, by setting the distance L1 between the support point at which the conveying device 20 contacts the solar cell 200 and the anode structure 30 within the preferred range, the distance between the anode structure 30 and the surface to be plated of the solar cell 200 can be prevented from being too large, thereby preventing the plating efficiency from being reduced and the uniformity of plating from being poor. In addition, the distance between the anode structure 30 and the solar cell to be plated can be prevented from being too small, thereby preventing the circulation and flow of the plating liquid between the anode structure 30 and the solar cell to be plated from being poor and affecting the uniformity of plating, i.e., the uniformity of plating can be further improved.

[0083] Specifically, in such embodiments, the distance L1 between the support point at which the conveying device 20 contacts the solar cell 200 and the anode structure 30 can be, for example, 5.1 mm, 5.5 mm, 6 mm, 6.5 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 8.5 mm, 9 mm, 9.5 mm, 10 mm, or any value greater than 5 mm and less than or equal to 10 mm, which is not particularly limited herein.

[0084] Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, in some embodiments, the conveying device 20 can include a transmission shaft 21 and a transmission wheel 22. The transmission shaft 21 can be rotatably mounted on the electroplating tank 10, and the transmission wheel 22 is arranged on the transmission shaft 21 and located in the electroplating tank 10. The transmission wheel 22 is in contact with the solar cell 200 through the through groove 31 and can rotate in the through groove 31. The transmission shaft 21 is used to drive the transmission wheel 22 to rotate to convey the solar cell 200.

[0085] In this way, the transmission wheel 22 only needs to pass through the through groove 31 to support and convey the solar cell 200, and at the same time, the anode structure 30 can be arranged closer to the solar cell 200, and the anode structure 30 will not interfere with the rotation of the transmission wheel 22.

[0086] Specifically, in such embodiments, the transmission shaft 21 can be connected to a driving mechanism including a motor. The driving mechanism can include a motor and an intermediate transmission mechanism and the like. The driving mechanism can drive the transmission shaft 21 to rotate to drive the transmission wheel 22 to rotate in the through groove 31, thereby conveying the solar cell 200.

[0087] In such embodiments, the transmission wheel 22 can be separately mounted on the transmission shaft 21, that is, the transmission wheel 22 can be separately mounted on the transmission shaft 21. Of course, in other embodiments, the transmission wheel 22 and the transmission shaft 21 can be integrally formed, which is not limited here.

[0088] Further, referring to FIG. 4-FIG. 7, in some embodiments, a plurality of transmission wheels 22 can be arranged on the transmission shaft 21. The plurality of transmission wheels 22 are arranged in the axial direction of the transmission shaft 21, and each transmission wheel 22 corresponds to a through groove 31.

[0089] In this way, by arranging a plurality of transmission wheels 22 on the transmission shaft 21, the support points for the solar cell 200 can be increased, thereby improving the stability of conveying the solar cell 200. At the same time, by increasing the number of transmission wheels 22, a plurality of solar cells 200 can be conveyed at the same time.

[0090] Specifically, in such embodiments, the number of transmission wheels 22 on a single transmission shaft 21 can be selected according to the length of the solar cell 200 in the axial direction of the transmission shaft 21, which is not limited here. Generally, for a single transmission shaft 21, at least two transmission wheels 22 can be arranged below a single solar cell 200.

[0091] Referring to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, in some embodiments, a plurality of transmission shafts 21 are arranged in the electroplating tank 10, and the plurality of transmission shafts 21 are arranged in the horizontal direction.

[0092] Therefore, by arranging multiple spaced transmission shafts 21 in the horizontal direction, the solar cell 200 can be more stably supported and conveyed in the horizontal direction.

[0093] Specifically, in such embodiments, the number of transmission shafts 21 in the electroplating tank 10 can be selected according to the length of the solar cell 200 in the horizontal direction, and preferably at least two transmission shafts 21 are arranged below the solar cell 200.

[0094] Further, referring to FIGS. 3 and 7, in some embodiments, the transmission wheels 22 on at least two transmission shafts 21 are staggered in the horizontal direction.

[0095] Therefore, the area of the solar cell 200 that is in contact with the transmission wheels 22 during travel is not the same area, thereby avoiding the same area of the solar cell 200 being repeatedly contacted and rubbed by the transmission wheels 22, which can cause wheel marks or even damage on the solar cell 200.

[0096] It should be noted that, in this document, "the transmission wheels 22 are staggered in the horizontal direction" means that the two transmission wheels are not located on the same horizontal line in the horizontal direction. For example, in the case of two transmission shafts 21 in the electroplating tank 10, the transmission wheels 22 on one transmission shaft 21 are spaced apart along the axial direction of the transmission shaft 21, and the transmission wheels 22 on the other transmission shaft 21 are also spaced apart along the axial direction of the transmission shaft 21, but the transmission wheels 22 on the two transmission shafts 21 are staggered in the horizontal direction. Alternatively, the positions at which the transmission wheels 22 on the two transmission shafts 21 contact the solar cell 200 are not the same.

[0097] Referring to FIGS. 4 to 7, in some embodiments, the transmission wheel 22 includes a shaft portion 221 arranged on the transmission shaft 21 and at least one blade portion 222 arranged on the shaft portion 221, the blade portion 222 extending in the radial direction of the shaft portion 221, and the blade portion 222 passing through the through groove 31 to contact the solar cell 200 to support and convey the solar cell 200.

[0098] Therefore, the transmission wheel 22 contacts the solar cell 200 through the blade portion 222, and the contact area between the two is small, which can avoid the contact area being too large to affect the contact between the electroplating solution and the solar cell 200.

[0099] Specifically, in such embodiments, the blade portion 222 can be separately formed from the shaft portion 221 or integrally formed with the shaft portion 221, which is not specifically limited herein.

[0100] Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, in some embodiments, the cathode structure 40 can include cathode rollers 41, the cathode rollers 41 and the conveying device 20 are both located at the side of the solar cell 200 facing the electroplating tank 10, the cathode rollers 41 are used to jointly carry the solar cell 200 with the conveying device 20, the cathode rollers 41 are in contact with the solar cell 200 and connected with the negative pole of the external power supply. As shown in FIG. 1, in the horizontal direction, the spacing D4 between the axis centers of the Nth cathode roller 41 and the N+1th cathode roller 41 is less than the length D1 of the solar cell 200.

[0101] In this way, the cathode structure 40 is set as the cathode rollers 41, which can simultaneously serve as the cathode and jointly carry the solar cell 200 with the conveying device 20, realizing the multiplexing of functions. Meanwhile, the spacing D4 between the axis centers of the Nth cathode roller 41 and the N+1th cathode roller 41 being less than the length D1 of the solar cell 200 can make the solar cell 200 be able to contact at least one cathode roller 41 regardless of the state of the solar cell 200, thereby forming a circuit loop.

[0102] Specifically, in such embodiments, the cathode rollers 41 being in contact with the solar cell 200 can be that the cathode rollers 41 are directly in electrical contact with the electroplating area, or that the cathode rollers 41 are in contact with the mask, and the cathode rollers 41 form electrical contact with the electroplating area through the electroplating solution attached to the solar cell 200, which is not specifically limited here.

[0103] In some embodiments, the diameter of the cathode roller 41 can be 30mm-40mm. In this way, it can be avoided that the diameter of the cathode roller 41 is too large to cause the spacing between the adjacent two electroplating tanks 10 to be too large, thereby reducing the electroplating efficiency. Meanwhile, under the condition that the spacing between the adjacent electroplating tanks 10 is certain, setting the diameter of the cathode roller 41 within this range can avoid that the spacing between the cathode roller 41 and the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 is too small to cause the electroplating solution to splash onto the cathode roller 41, thereby causing the cathode roller 41 to also be electroplated with an electroplating layer.

[0104] In some embodiments, the cathode roller 41 can be relatively fixed with the electroplating tank 10, in which case the cathode roller 41 only serves as the cathode and carries the solar cell 200.

[0105] It can be understood that in such embodiments, the friction between the cathode roller 41 and the solar cell 200 can be controlled to avoid the cathode roller 41 scratching or even damaging the solar cell 200 during the running of the solar cell 200.

[0106] Of course, in some embodiments, in order to avoid causing serious scratches between the cathode roller 41 and the solar cell 200, the cathode roller 41 can also be arranged to be rotatable relative to the plating tank 10, so that the cathode roller 41 can rotate freely, and the friction between the cathode roller 41 and the solar cell 200 is rolling friction, and the friction therebetween is small.

[0107] Further, in some embodiments, the cathode roller 41 is rotatable relative to the plating tank 10 and is jointly conveyed with the conveying device 20 to convey the solar cell 200.

[0108] In this way, the cathode roller 41 can be connected to the driving mechanism of the horizontal plating apparatus 100 as the conveying device 20 is, and the cathode roller 41 can be rotated under the driving of the driving mechanism, so as to be conveyed together with the conveying device 20 in the horizontal direction to the solar cell 200, that is, the cathode roller 41 is arranged to realize the multiplexing of the cathode and the conveying function.

[0109] In some embodiments, in the horizontal direction, the distance L2 between the support point closest to the cathode roller 41 between the conveying device 20 and the solar cell 200 (that is, the axis of the transmission shaft 21 closest to the cathode roller 41) and the axis of the cathode roller 41 is less than or equal to one half of the length of the solar cell 200.

[0110] In this way, it can be avoided that the length of the part of the solar cell 200 between the support point where the conveying device 20 contacts the solar cell 200 and the axis of the cathode roller 41 is too long to cause the solar cell 200 to easily deform, and thus the solar cell 200 is prevented from contacting the top of the plating tank 10 located below the solar cell 200 to cause damage to the solar cell 200.

[0111] Specifically, it is not difficult to understand that if the distance L2 between the cathode roller 41 and the conveying device 20 and the support point closest to the cathode roller 41 of the solar cell 200 is large, then during the travel, the length of the solar cell 200 between the cathode roller 41 and the support point is large, and it is easy to bend downward, and in this case, the solar cell 200 is easy to contact the top of the slot of the plating tank 10 to cause damage to the solar cell 200, and controlling this distance to be less than or equal to one half of the length of the solar cell 200 can effectively avoid this problem.

[0112] Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, in some embodiments, in the vertical direction, the position of the support point where the conveying device 20 contacts the solar cell 200 is higher than the top of the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12.

[0113] Therefore, the solar cell 200 can be prevented from being scratched or even damaged due to the scratching between the solar cell 200 and the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12. Meanwhile, the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 are arranged at a lower position, so that the electroplating liquid can flow out from the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 under the action of the electroplating liquid surge device 50.

[0114] Further, in such an embodiment, in the vertical direction, the distance L3 between the support point where the conveying device 20 contacts the solar cell 200 and the top of the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 is 1mm-2mm.

[0115] Therefore, the distance between the highest liquid surface of the electroplating liquid and the solar cell 200 can be prevented from being too large to cause the electroplating liquid to fail to form a continuous and stable contact with the solar cell 200, and the distance between the solar cell 200 and the first side wall 11 or the second side wall 12 can be prevented from being too small to cause the solar cell 200 to be easily in contact with the first side wall 11 or the second side wall 12.

[0116] Specifically, in such an embodiment, in the vertical direction, the distance between the support point where the conveying device 20 contacts the solar cell 200 and the top of the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12 can be, for example, 1mm, 1.2mm, 1.4mm, 1.6mm, 1.8mm, 2mm or any value between 1-2mm, which is not specifically limited herein.

[0117] In the description of the present specification, the description of the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "an example", "a specific example", or "some examples" and the like means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present disclosure. In the present specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

[0118] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described, those of ordinary skill in the art can understand that various changes, modifications, replacements and variations can be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirits of the present disclosure, and the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A horizontal plating device for solar cell, comprising: a plurality of plating tanks arranged in horizontal direction, each of the plating tanks comprising a first sidewall and a second sidewall arranged in opposite direction in horizontal direction; a conveying device arranged in the plating tank, the conveying device being configured to carry and transport the solar cell in horizontal direction; an anode structure arranged in the plating tank; a plurality of cathode structures arranged outside the plating tank, the solar cell being in contact with at least one of the cathode structures during plating process; wherein the distance between the first sidewall of the Mth plating tank and the first sidewall of the (M+1)th plating tank is less than the length of the solar cell, and the distance between the first sidewall of the Mth plating tank and the second sidewall of the (M+1)th plating tank is greater than the length of the solar cell, M being a positive integer; wherein the distance between the Nth cathode structure and the (N+1)th cathode structure in horizontal direction is less than the length of the solar cell, N being a positive integer; wherein the distance between the sidewall of the first sidewall and the second sidewall closest to the cathode structure and the cathode structure is 1mm-20mm; wherein the cathode structure comprises a cathode roller, the cathode roller and the conveying device being arranged on the side of the solar cell facing the plating tank, the cathode roller being configured to carry the solar cell together with the conveying device, the cathode roller being in electrical contact with the solar cell and connected to the negative pole of an external power source, the distance between the axis of the Nth cathode roller and the (N+1)th cathode roller in horizontal direction being less than the length of the solar cell; wherein the diameter of the cathode roller is 30mm-40mm; wherein the distance between the support point of the conveying device closest to the cathode roller and the axis of the cathode roller in horizontal direction is less than or equal to half of the length of the solar cell; wherein the number of the plating tanks is greater than two, and some adjacent plating tanks in the horizontal plating device do not have the cathode structure; wherein the anode structure comprises an anode plate, the anode plate being provided with a through slot, at least a part of the conveying device passing through the through slot to contact the solar cell, so that the conveying device carries and transports the solar cell in horizontal direction; wherein the conveying device comprises a transmission shaft and a transmission wheel, the transmission shaft being rotatably mounted on the plating tank, the transmission wheel being arranged on the transmission shaft and located in the plating tank, the transmission wheel passing through the through slot to contact the solar cell, the transmission wheel being rotatably located in the through slot, the transmission wheel being configured to carry the solar cell, the transmission shaft being configured to drive the transmission wheel to rotate to transport the solar cell; wherein the distance between the support point of the conveying device contacting the solar cell and the anode plate in vertical direction is less than or equal to 10mm. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2. The horizontal plating apparatus for solar cells according to claim 1, wherein, ​ 3. The horizontal plating apparatus for solar cells according to claim 2, wherein, ​ 4. The horizontal plating apparatus for solar cells according to claim 2, wherein, ​ 5. The horizontal plating apparatus for solar cells according to claim 4, wherein, ​ 6. The horizontal plating apparatus for solar cells according to claim 4, wherein, ​ 7. The horizontal plating apparatus for solar cells according to claim 1, wherein, ​ 8. The horizontal plating apparatus for solar cells according to claim 1, wherein, ​ 9. The horizontal plating apparatus for solar cells of claim 8, wherein, ​ 10. The horizontal plating apparatus for solar cells as claimed in claim 8, wherein, ​ 11. The horizontal plating apparatus for solar cells as claimed in claim 10, wherein, In the vertical direction, the distance between the support point where the conveying device contacts the solar cell and the anode plate is greater than 5 mm and less than or equal to 10 mm.

12. The horizontal plating apparatus for solar cells as claimed in claim 9, wherein, A plurality of the transmission wheels are arranged on the transmission shaft, and the plurality of transmission wheels are arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the transmission shaft, and each transmission wheel corresponds to one through slot.

13. The horizontal plating apparatus for solar cells as claimed in claim 9, wherein, A plurality of the transmission shafts are arranged in the electroplating tank, and the plurality of transmission shafts are arranged at intervals along the horizontal direction, and the transmission wheels on at least two transmission shafts are staggered in the horizontal direction.

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