Laminating machine

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a laminating machine, the laminating machine comprising a machine body, a laminating member, and a protective member. The machine body comprises a first wall and a second wall that are opposite to each other and spaced apart from each other. The laminating member is made of an elastic material; the laminating member is disposed between the first wall and the second wall, and forms a first cavity and a second cavity, which are independent of each other, with the first wall and the second wall, respectively, the first cavity being used for accommodating a photovoltaic cell assembly. The protective member is disposed in the first cavity, and is located between the laminating member and the photovoltaic cell assembly, the hardness of the protective member being greater than the hardness of the laminating member. The protective member comprises a laminating surface facing away from the laminating member, and a protective surface. The laminating surface overlaps with the photovoltaic cell assembly in a direction perpendicular to the first wall, and the protective surface is arranged along a circumferential direction of the laminating surface. When the photovoltaic cell assembly is carried on the first wall, and the laminating member abuts against the protective member, the laminating surface abuts against the photovoltaic cell assembly.

Description

Laminator

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This disclosure is based on and claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411582269.5, filed on November 7, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This invention relates to the field of solar photovoltaic module lamination technology, and more particularly to a laminator. Background Technology

[0004] The laminator is a core piece of equipment in the photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturing process. Its main function is to press multiple stacked components of a PV module into a finished product through vacuum hot pressing. The structure of the laminator and its operation during the lamination process have a significant impact on the quality of the final PV module. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This disclosure provides a laminator, including a body, a laminating component, and a protective component. The body includes a first wall and a second wall that are opposite to and spaced apart from each other. The laminating component is made of an elastic material and is disposed between the first wall and the second wall, forming an independent first cavity and a second cavity with the first wall and the second wall, respectively. The first cavity is used to accommodate a photovoltaic cell module. The protective component is disposed in the first cavity and located between the laminating component and the photovoltaic cell module. The hardness of the protective component is greater than that of the laminating component. The protective component includes a laminating surface facing away from the laminating component and a protective surface. In a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first wall, the laminating surface coincides with the photovoltaic cell module, and the protective surface is disposed circumferentially along the laminating surface. When the photovoltaic cell module is supported by the first wall and the laminating component abuts against the protective component, the laminating surface abuts against the photovoltaic cell module.

[0006] In the technical solution of the present disclosure embodiment, since the laminate is disposed between the first wall and the second wall, and forms an independent first cavity and a second cavity with the first wall and the second wall respectively, and the laminate is made of elastic material, the laminate can be made to bulge into the first cavity or the second cavity by changing the air pressure in the first cavity and the second cavity, thereby completing the lamination.

[0007] During lamination, the air pressure in the second chamber is increased, causing the laminate to bulge out of the first chamber and abut against the protective component. At this point, the laminated surface of the laminate will contact the photovoltaic module to achieve lamination. Since the overall hardness of the protective component is greater than that of the laminate, the overall deformation resistance of the protective component is also higher. Therefore, under the contact of the laminate, the portion of the protective component within the protective surface area will not deform or will deform only slightly. As a result, the angle between the protective surface and the laminated surface will be smaller, or even zero. Thus, during the lamination process, the pressure on the corners of the photovoltaic module (i.e., the junction of the laminated surface and the protective surface) will not be too great, ensuring uniform stress across the entire photovoltaic module and improving the quality of the finished laminated photovoltaic module.

[0008] In some embodiments of this disclosure, when the laminate abuts against the protective member, the protective surface and the laminated surface are located in the same plane.

[0009] In some embodiments of this disclosure, when the laminate abuts against the protective member, the protective surface is bent relative to the laminate in a direction approaching the first wall. In a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first wall, the protective surface is located on the side of the plane of the laminate that is close to the first wall, and the angle between the protective surface and the laminate is A, where 0° < A ≤ 6°.

[0010] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the laminator further includes a support member disposed in the first cavity and arranged circumferentially along the lamination surface. In a direction perpendicular to the first wall, the size of the support member is less than or equal to the size between the lamination surface and the first wall, and the support member is supported between the protective surface and the first wall.

[0011] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the protective surface extends circumferentially around the laminated surface.

[0012] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the thickness of the protective member is uniform in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the first wall.

[0013] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the laminator further includes a first heating element for heating the laminate, and a protective element made of a thermally conductive material.

[0014] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the laminator further includes a first pressure strip disposed on a first wall. The first pressure strip is arranged around the first wall in the extension direction of the first wall to form a first groove with the first wall. The laminate is supported on the first pressure strip and covers the opening of the first groove to form a first cavity with the first groove. The protective member is connected to the first pressure strip to limit the displacement of the protective member in the plane of the first wall.

[0015] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the laminator further includes a connector disposed between the first pressure strip and the protective member, with a first end of the connector connected to the protective member and a second end of the connector detachably connected to the first pressure strip.

[0016] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the first pressure strip has a connecting channel and a disassembly groove, the first end of the connecting channel is in communication with the first cavity, and the second end of the connecting channel is located on the inner wall surface of the disassembly groove;

[0017] The connector includes a connecting part and a snap-fit ​​part. The connecting part passes through the connecting channel and its first end is connected to the protective part. The snap-fit ​​part snaps into the disassembly groove and its second end is detachably connected to the snap-fit ​​part.

[0018] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the opening of the disassembly groove is located on the side of the first pressure strip away from the first wall, and the laminate covers the opening of the disassembly groove.

[0019] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the first end of the connecting channel is located on the circumferential inner wall surface of the first pressure strip.

[0020] In some embodiments of this disclosure, there are multiple protective components, which are arranged sequentially along a first direction. The two ends of the protective components in the second direction are respectively connected to the first pressure strip. The first direction and the second direction intersect and are both parallel to the plane where the first wall is located.

[0021] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the laminator further includes a second pressure strip connected to a second wall. The second pressure strip is arranged around the second wall in the extension direction of the second wall to form a second groove with the second wall. The laminator is clamped between the first pressure strip and the second pressure strip and covers the opening of the second groove to form a second cavity with the second groove. The first pressure strip, the laminator, and the second pressure strip are connected.

[0022] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the laminator further includes a seal disposed along the circumferential direction of the first pressure strip, a seal disposed between the first pressure strip and the first wall, and / or a seal disposed between the first pressure strip and the laminator. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the specific embodiments of this disclosure or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a laminator provided in the related art;

[0025] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a laminator in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0026] Figure 3 is another cross-sectional schematic diagram of a laminator in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0027] Figure 4 is another cross-sectional schematic diagram of a laminator in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0028] Figure 5 is another cross-sectional schematic diagram of the laminator in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0029] Figure 6 is another cross-sectional schematic diagram of a laminator in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0030] Figure 7 is another cross-sectional schematic diagram of a laminator in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0031] Figure 8 is a magnified view of part B in Figure 5;

[0032] Figure 9 is a top view of a laminator in some embodiments of this disclosure.

[0033] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 01-Laminator; 1-Main body; k-Lamination chamber; k1-First sub-chamber; k2-Second sub-chamber; 11-First wall; 12-Second wall; a-First cavity; b-Second cavity; 2-Rubber sheet; 3-Laminated component; 4-Protective component; c-Lamination surface; d-Protective surface; 5-First pressure strip; 51-Connecting channel; 52-Disassembly groove; 6-Sealing component; 7-Connecting component; 71-Connecting part; 72-Snap-fit ​​part; 8-Second pressure strip; X-First direction; Y-Second direction; 9-Supporting component; 02-Photovoltaic cell module. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The embodiments of the technical solutions disclosed herein will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical solutions disclosed herein and are therefore intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0035] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs; the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this disclosure; the terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims and foregoing description of the drawings of this disclosure are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0036] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, technical terms such as "first," "second," and "third" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number, specific order, or primary or secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0037] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this disclosure. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0038] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0039] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, the technical terms "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "circumferential," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this disclosure and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, operated, or used in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0040] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, technical terms such as "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0041] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the technical term "contact" should be interpreted broadly, and can be direct contact, contact through an intermediate medium layer, contact between two contacting parties with substantially no interaction force, or contact between two contacting parties with interaction force.

[0042] The following is a detailed description of this disclosure.

[0043] With the development of the photovoltaic industry, the demand for both the quantity and quality of photovoltaic cell modules is increasing. Therefore, the photovoltaic equipment used to produce photovoltaic cell modules also needs to keep pace with the times to meet production needs.

[0044] The laminator is a core piece of equipment in the photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturing process. Its main function is to press multiple stacked components of a PV module into a finished product through vacuum hot pressing. The structure of the laminator and its operation during the lamination process have a significant impact on the quality of the final PV module.

[0045] In a single-glass photovoltaic (PV) module, the multiple stacked components sequentially include a tempered glass panel, individual solar cells, and a backsheet. Hot melt adhesive is used between the tempered glass panel and the individual solar cells, and between the individual solar cells and the backsheet. During lamination, the combined effects of pressure and temperature bond the tempered glass panel, individual solar cells, and backsheet together.

[0046] For double-glass photovoltaic modules, the multiple stacked components include tempered glass panels, individual solar cells, and tempered glass panels again, with hot melt adhesive between each tempered glass panel and each individual solar cell. During lamination, the combined pressure and temperature cause the tempered glass panels, individual solar cells, and tempered glass panels to bond together.

[0047] In related technologies, as shown in Figure 1, a laminator 01 generally includes a body 1 and a lamination chamber k disposed inside the body 1. The lamination chamber k is a high-temperature environment. A rubber plate 2 is disposed inside the lamination chamber k, which is used to divide the lamination chamber k into an independent first sub-chamber k1 and a second sub-chamber k2. The photovoltaic cell module 02 is disposed in the first sub-chamber k1, and the air pressure in the second sub-chamber k2 is increased, so that the rubber plate 2 protrudes into the first sub-chamber k1 to fit against the upper surface of the photovoltaic cell module 02, thereby laminating the photovoltaic cell module 02.

[0048] The above lamination scheme can meet the lamination requirements and ensure lamination quality for single-glass photovoltaic module 02. However, double-glass photovoltaic module 02 is thicker than single-glass photovoltaic module 02. Therefore, during lamination, the rubber sheet 2 will undergo greater deformation at the corners of photovoltaic module 02 (point M as shown in Figure 1). This results in greater pressure at the corners of photovoltaic module 02, leading not only to uneven stress across the entire photovoltaic module 02, resulting in uneven overall thickness, but also to the formation of air bubbles between the tempered glass sheet and the individual solar cells, causing the tempered glass sheet to warp. Both of these problems will affect the lamination quality of photovoltaic module 02.

[0049] Based on this, as shown in Figure 2, this disclosure provides a laminator 01, which includes a body 1, a laminating component 3, and a protective component 4. The body 1 includes a first wall 11 and a second wall 12 that are opposite to and spaced apart. The laminating component 3 is made of an elastic material and is disposed between the first wall 11 and the second wall 12, forming an independent first cavity a and a second cavity b with the first wall 11 and the second wall 12, respectively. The first cavity a is used to accommodate a photovoltaic cell module 02. The protective component 4 is disposed in the first cavity a and is located between the laminating component 3 and the photovoltaic cell module 02. The hardness of the protective component 4 is greater than that of the laminating component 3. The protective component 4 includes a laminating surface c facing away from the laminating component 3 and a protective surface d. In a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first wall 11, the laminating surface c coincides with the photovoltaic cell module 02, and the protective surface d is disposed circumferentially along the laminating surface c. When the photovoltaic cell module 02 is supported by the first wall 11 and the laminating component 3 abuts against the protective component 4, the laminating surface c abuts against the photovoltaic cell module 02.

[0050] It is understandable that "laminated component 3 abutting against protective component 4" means that laminated component 3 abuts against the surface of protective component 4 on the side facing away from the first wall 11. "Direction perpendicular to the plane of the first wall 11" means the direction perpendicular to the plane of the surface of the first wall 11 used to support the photovoltaic cell module 02.

[0051] In addition, in order to achieve lamination of the photovoltaic cell module 02, it is necessary to ensure that the photovoltaic cell module 02 meets a certain lamination temperature during the lamination process so that the hot melt adhesive inside the photovoltaic cell module 02 melts. For example, the hot melt adhesive can be ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA).

[0052] In addition, it can be understood that the protective surface d is arranged circumferentially along the laminated surface c, which means that a portion of the protective components 4 within the range of the protective surface d are arranged circumferentially along the range of the laminated surface c.

[0053] In some examples, the elastic material used to make the laminate 3 may include rubber or polyurethane, wherein the rubber may be natural rubber or synthetic rubber. There are no strict limitations on the elastic material, as long as it can undergo elastic deformation and does not cause excessive damage to the photovoltaic module 02 after contact with it.

[0054] In some examples, the laminate 3 is a sheet structure with uniform thickness. The thickness direction of the sheet structure is consistent with the arrangement direction of the first wall 11 and the second wall 12. This ensures that the overall structural strength of the laminate 3 is uniform and facilitates the elastic deformation of the laminate 3.

[0055] In some examples, the protective element 4 is a plate-like structure, and the thickness direction of the plate-like structure is consistent with the arrangement direction of the first wall 11 and the second wall 12.

[0056] In some examples, the material of the protective component 4 may include composite materials or metal materials. For example, the composite material may be fiber-reinforced composite material or layered reinforced composite material, and the metal material may be steel or alloy, as long as the hardness of the protective component 4 is higher than that of the laminate 3.

[0057] In some examples, the protective component 4 needs to be able to withstand a pressure of 10 tons per square meter or more. For example, the protective component 4 can withstand pressures of 10 tons per square meter, 15 tons per square meter, 20 tons per square meter, 25 tons per square meter, or 30 tons per square meter, etc.

[0058] In some examples, the laminator 01 also includes an inflation and pressurization assembly, which communicates with the second chamber b to increase the air pressure within the second chamber b. With this configuration, when laminating the photovoltaic cell module 02, the inflation and pressurization assembly first inflates the second chamber b to increase the air pressure within it, making the air pressure in the second chamber b higher than that in the first chamber a. Simultaneously, the laminating member 3 protrudes into the first chamber a, thus adhering to the protective member 4. The protective member 4 also adheres to the surface of the photovoltaic cell module 02 facing away from the first wall 11. Since the photovoltaic cell module 02 is supported by the first wall 11, it is pressed between the first wall 11 and the protective member 4. This also ensures that the photovoltaic cell module 02 is at a certain lamination temperature, thereby achieving the lamination of the photovoltaic cell module 02.

[0059] For example, the inflation and pressurization assembly may include a high-pressure inflation pump and a control valve. The inflation port of the high-pressure inflation pump is connected to the second chamber b through the control valve. The control valve enables the high-pressure inflation pump to be connected to or disconnected from the second chamber b, thereby achieving inflation and pressurization when connected and stopping pressurization when disconnected.

[0060] With the above configuration, since the laminate 3 is disposed between the first wall 11 and the second wall 12, and forms independent first cavity a and second cavity b with the first wall 11 and the second wall 12 respectively, and the laminate 3 is made of elastic material, the laminate 3 can be made to bulge into the first cavity a or the second cavity b by changing the air pressure in the first cavity a and the second cavity b, thereby completing the lamination.

[0061] During lamination, the air pressure in the second cavity b is increased, causing the laminate 3 to bulge out of the first cavity a and abut against the protective component 4. At this time, the lamination surface c on the laminate 3 will abut against the photovoltaic module 02 to achieve lamination. Since the overall hardness of the protective component 4 is greater than that of the laminate 3, the overall deformation resistance of the protective component 4 is higher than that of the laminate 3. Therefore, under the abutment of the laminate 3, the part of the protective component 4 within the range of the protective surface d will not deform or the degree of deformation will be small. Thus, the included angle between the protective surface d and the lamination surface c will be small, or even zero. In this way, during the lamination process, the pressure on the corner position of the photovoltaic module 02 (that is, the junction of the lamination surface c and the protective surface d) will not be too large, which can ensure that the photovoltaic module 02 is subjected to uniform force on the entire surface, thereby improving the quality of the finished photovoltaic module 02 after lamination.

[0062] In addition, it is understood that the photovoltaic cell module 02 in this disclosure, whether it is a single-glass photovoltaic cell module 02 or a double-glass photovoltaic cell module 02, can achieve the effect of reducing the pressure at the corners of the photovoltaic cell module 02 and can improve the quality of the finished photovoltaic cell module 02.

[0063] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG2, when the laminate 3 abuts against the protective member 4, the protective surface d and the laminate surface c are located in the same plane.

[0064] In the first example, as shown in Figure 2, when the laminate 3 does not abut against the protective member 4, the protective surface d and the laminate surface c are located in the same plane. Since the protective surface d and the laminate surface c are also located in the same plane when the laminate 3 abuts against the protective member 4, it can be concluded that the protective member 4 does not deform before and after being subjected to pressure from the laminate 3. This proves that the protective member 4 itself has high hardness and strong resistance to deformation.

[0065] In the second example, as shown in Figure 3, when the laminate 3 does not abut against the protective member 4, the protective surface d can also be in a state of being raised towards the second wall 12 relative to the laminate surface c. After the laminate 3 abuts against the protective member 4, as shown in Figure 4, after the laminate 3 applies pressure to the protective member 4, part of the protective member 4 within the range of the protective surface d bends towards the first wall 11, and finally makes the protective surface d and the laminate surface c lie in the same plane. With this setting, compared with the protective member 4 in the first example, the protective member 4 in the second example is slightly weaker in hardness, but it can still meet the requirements.

[0066] With the above settings, since the laminated surface c and the protective surface d are located in the same plane after the laminated component 3 abuts against the protective component 4, the corners of the photovoltaic cell module 02 will not be subjected to pressure from the inclined protective surface d. This ensures that the entire photovoltaic cell module 02 is subjected to uniform force, and the quality of the laminated photovoltaic cell module 02 is better.

[0067] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG5, when the laminate 3 abuts against the protective member 4, the protective surface d bends toward the first wall 11 relative to the laminate surface c. In the direction perpendicular to the plane of the first wall 11, the protective surface d is located on the side of the plane of the laminate surface c that is close to the first wall 11, and the angle between the protective surface d and the laminate surface c is A, where 0°<A≤6°.

[0068] As can be understood, as shown in Figure 5, A refers to the angle between the baseline L and the protective surface d.

[0069] In the case where the laminate 3 does not abut against the protective member 4, in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the first wall 11, the protective surface d can be located on the side of the plane of the laminate c closest to the first wall 11, or the protective surface d can be located on the side of the plane of the laminate c away from the first wall 11, or the protective surface d can be located in the same plane as the laminate c. As long as the angle of downward bending of the portion of the protective member 4 within the range of the protective surface d is not too large after the laminate 3 abuts against the protective member 4, the force exerted by the protective surface d on the corners of the photovoltaic cell module 02 can be controlled within a suitable range, thereby ensuring the lamination uniformity of the photovoltaic cell module 02.

[0070] In some examples, 0°<A≤2°, 1°<A≤4°, 4°<A≤6°, or 1°<A≤6°, etc. The specific hardness of the protective component 4 can be selected according to the needs to control the angle of A.

[0071] In addition, A can be equal to 1°, 2°, 3°, 5° or 6°, etc., and can be selected according to the needs.

[0072] With the above settings, after the laminate 3 abuts against the protective component 4, a portion of the protective component 4 within the range of the protective surface d will bend downward at a certain angle relative to a portion of the protective component 4 within the range of the laminate surface c, and ultimately the angle A between the protective surface d and the laminate surface c will be controlled within a suitable range, thereby avoiding excessive pressure on the edges of the photovoltaic cell module 02 by the protective surface d, so as to ensure the quality of the finished photovoltaic cell module 02 after lamination.

[0073] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the laminator 01 further includes a support member 9, which is disposed in the first cavity a and arranged circumferentially along the lamination surface c. In the direction perpendicular to the first wall 11, the size of the support member 9 is less than or equal to the size between the lamination surface c and the first wall 11, and the support member 9 is supported between the protective surface d and the first wall 11.

[0074] It is understandable that the support member 9 is supported between the protective surface d and the first wall 11, meaning that one end of the support member 9 abuts against the protective surface d and the other end abuts against the first wall 11.

[0075] The support member 9 can be connected to the first wall 11, or it can be connected to the protective member 4.

[0076] In some examples, as shown in Figure 6, when the laminate 3 abuts against the protective member 4 and the protective surface d and the laminate surface c are located in the same plane, the size of the support member 9 in the direction perpendicular to the first wall 11 is equal to the size between the laminate surface c and the first wall 11. In this way, the support member 9 can provide support for part of the protective member 4 within the range of the protective surface d, so as to avoid fatigue stress in part of the protective member 4 within the range of the protective surface d under the pressure of the laminate 3, thereby extending the service life of the protective member 4.

[0077] Understandably, in this case, the dimensions of the support member 9 in the direction perpendicular to the first wall 11 are determined based on the dimensions of the photovoltaic cell module 02.

[0078] For example, in the direction perpendicular to the first wall 11, the size of the protective member 4 can be between 2mm and 6mm. For example, the size of the protective member 4 can be 2mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm or 6mm, etc.

[0079] In some examples, as shown in Figure 7, when the angle between the protective surface d and the laminated surface c is A, where 0° < A ≤ 6°, the size of the support member 9 in the direction perpendicular to the first wall 11 can be smaller than the size between the laminated surface 3 and the first wall 11, as long as the laminated surface c abuts against the photovoltaic cell module 02 and the support member 9 is supported between the first wall 11 and the protective surface d. Alternatively, the support member 9 can also include an inclined surface opposite to the protective surface d, which matches the inclination angle of the protective surface d and abuts against it. Thus, the size of the support member 9 varies in the direction perpendicular to the first wall 11, as long as the maximum size of the support member 9 is less than or equal to the size between the laminated surface c and the first wall 11. This arrangement better ensures the support effect of the support member 11 on the portion of the protective component 4 within the area of ​​the protective surface d, thereby reducing the bending degree of the protective component 4 and extending its service life.

[0080] With the above configuration, the support member 9 can be supported between the protective surface d and the first wall 11, thereby providing support for part of the protective member 4 within the range of the protective surface d, so as to avoid fatigue stress or excessive bending of part of the protective member 4 within the range of the protective surface d, thereby extending the service life of the protective member 4.

[0081] In some embodiments, the protective surface d extends circumferentially around the laminated surface c.

[0082] In other words, part of the protective element 4 within the range of the protective surface d extends around the range of the protective element 4 within the range of the laminated surface c.

[0083] With the above settings, along the circumference of the laminated surface c, the protective components 4 within the range of the protective surface d can all support the laminated components 3, thereby ensuring that the edges and corners of the photovoltaic cell module 02 are not subjected to excessive pressure, so as to achieve the best quality of the laminated photovoltaic cell module 02.

[0084] Based on this, in some embodiments, the support 9 extends circumferentially around the laminated surface c.

[0085] In other words, the support member 9 can extend around a portion of the protective member 4 within the area of ​​the laminated surface c. With the above arrangement, along the circumference of the laminated surface c, the support member 9 can support a portion of the protective member 4 corresponding to the protective surface d around the circumference, thereby reducing fatigue stress or excessive bending of the portion of the protective member 4 corresponding to the protective surface d around the circumference, and thus extending the service life of the protective member 4.

[0086] Of course, in other embodiments, the protective surface d may also include multiple sub-surfaces along the circumference of the laminated surface c, with the multiple sub-surfaces evenly spaced or arranged sequentially adjacent to each other. With this arrangement, the protective members 4 within the range of the protective surface d can also provide support for the laminated member 3, thereby preventing the edges of the photovoltaic cell module 02 from being subjected to excessive pressure.

[0087] Based on this, the support member 9 can extend around the circumference of the laminated surface c, or the support member 9 can include multiple support bodies corresponding to the sub-surface. The multiple support bodies and multiple sub-surfaces are arranged in a corresponding manner, and the support bodies are supported between the corresponding sub-surfaces and the first wall 11, thereby using multiple support bodies to provide support for the protective parts 4 corresponding to multiple sub-surfaces, thereby extending the service life of the protective parts 4.

[0088] In some embodiments, the thickness of the protective member 4 is uniform in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the first wall 11. This makes the protective member 4 more regular in shape, which not only facilitates the precise processing and manufacturing of the protective member 4, but also avoids stress concentration in the protective member 4 after being subjected to pressure from the laminate 3, reducing the risk of fatigue failure of the protective member 4 and improving the reliability of the protective member 4.

[0089] Of course, in other embodiments, the thickness of the protective member 4 may also be uneven in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the first wall 11.

[0090] In some embodiments, the laminator 01 further includes a first heating element for heating the laminate 3, and the protective element 4 is made of a thermally conductive material.

[0091] It is understandable that laminate 3 is made of a material with good thermal conductivity, such as rubber.

[0092] The first heating element can be an electric heating element.

[0093] In addition, the first heating element can be set in the second cavity b, which makes it easier to heat the laminate 3 and ensure the heating effect and performance.

[0094] With the above settings, during lamination, the first heating element heats the laminate 3. After the laminate 3 comes into contact with the protective element 4, the heat on the laminate 3 is conducted to the protective element 4 because the protective element 4 is made of a thermally conductive material. Since the protective element 4 comes into contact with one side surface of the photovoltaic cell module 02, the heat on the protective element 4 can be conducted to the photovoltaic cell module 02, thereby achieving the hot melt adhesive in the photovoltaic cell module 02 to ensure the normal lamination process.

[0095] The above heating method only heats the surface of the photovoltaic cell module 02 facing the protective member 4. To ensure uniform heating, in some embodiments, the first wall 11 is a structure with good thermal conductivity, such as an aluminum plate. A second heating element, such as an electric heating element, is provided on the first wall 11. The second heating element heats the first wall 11, thereby heating the surface of the photovoltaic cell module 02 facing away from the protective member 4. In this way, with the cooperation of the first and second heating elements, double-sided heating of the photovoltaic cell module 02 can be achieved, thereby ensuring heating effect and efficiency, and ensuring lamination efficiency and quality.

[0096] The second heating element can be built inside the first wall 11, or it can be set on the side of the first wall 11 away from the protective element 4.

[0097] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG5, the laminator 01 further includes a first pressure strip 5, which is disposed on the first wall 11. In the extension direction of the first wall 11, the first pressure strip 5 is arranged around the first wall 11 to form a first groove. The laminator 3 is supported on the first pressure strip 5 and covers the opening of the first groove to form a first cavity a with the first groove. The protective member 4 is connected to the first pressure strip 5 to limit the displacement of the protective member 4 in the plane of the first wall 11.

[0098] It is understandable that the first pressure strip 5 surrounds the first wall 11 in the extension direction to form the first groove with the first wall 11, meaning that the first wall 11 serves as the bottom of the first groove and the first pressure strip 5 serves as the peripheral wall of the first groove.

[0099] In some examples, the first pressure strip 5 can be made of thermal insulation material, which can further reduce heat loss in the first cavity a and improve the efficiency and effect of lamination.

[0100] In some examples, the shape of the first pressure strip 5 can be a regular shape such as a square, a circle, or a triangle, or it can be an irregular shape, in the arrangement direction of the first wall 11 and the second wall 12.

[0101] With the above configuration, the first pressure strip 5 can bear the load of the laminate 3, so that there is a space (first groove) between the laminate 3 and the first wall 11, thereby enabling the laminate 3, the first pressure strip 5, and the first wall 11 to form the first cavity a, which facilitates the formation of the first cavity a.

[0102] In addition, since the first pressure strip 5 is located on the first wall 11, the protective member 4 can be connected to the first pressure strip 5 to facilitate the connection of the protective member 4 to the first cavity a, thereby ensuring the stability of the protective member 4 in the plane direction of the first wall 11 during lamination and ensuring that the protective member 4 plays a stable protective role.

[0103] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG8, the laminator 01 further includes a seal 6, which is disposed along the circumferential direction of the first pressure strip 5, and the seal 6 is disposed between the first pressure strip 5 and the first wall 11, and / or the seal 6 is disposed between the first pressure strip 5 and the laminator 3.

[0104] In some examples, the seal 6 can be a sealing ring, or, along the circumferential direction of the first pressure strip 5, the seal 6 can also include multiple sealing segments, which are arranged sequentially at intervals or adjacent to each other.

[0105] In addition, the sealing element 6 can be disposed in the sealing groove, which can be opened on the first wall 11 and / or the first pressure strip 5. The sealing groove is disposed along the circumferential direction of the first pressure strip 5, so as to ensure the stability of the sealing element 6.

[0106] With the above configuration, when a sealing element 6 is provided between the first pressure strip 5 and the first wall 11, the sealing performance between the first pressure strip 5 and the first wall 11 can be guaranteed, thereby ensuring the sealing performance of the first cavity a and the stability of the lamination. And / or, when a sealing element 6 is provided between the first pressure strip 5 and the laminating component 3, the sealing performance between the first pressure strip 5 and the laminating component 3 can be guaranteed, thereby ensuring the sealing performance of the first cavity a and the stability of the lamination.

[0107] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG5, the laminator 01 further includes a connector 7, which is disposed between the first pressure strip 5 and the protective member 4. The first end of the connector 7 is connected to the protective member 4, and the second end of the connector 7 is detachably connected to the first pressure strip 5.

[0108] Understandably, during lamination, if the position of the protective component 4 shifts, the connector 7 must be configured to accommodate the movement of the protective component 4 to ensure proper lamination. For example, the connector 7 can be an elastic element, such as a spring or a rubber column.

[0109] The second end of the connector 7 can be detachably connected to the first pressure strip 5 via a threaded connection or a snap-fit ​​connection, etc. The specific connection can be selected according to the needs.

[0110] In some examples, when laminating only one photovoltaic cell module 02 at a time, the number of connectors 7 can be set to multiple, with multiple connectors 7 arranged along the circumferential direction of the first pressure strip 5 to connect the circumference of the protective member 4.

[0111] For example, there are two connectors 7. In the plane of the first wall 11, the two connectors 7 are respectively set on opposite sides of the protective member 4. This not only ensures the stability of the connection of the protective member 4, but also minimizes the number of connectors 7 and reduces the cost of components.

[0112] Of course, the number of connectors 7 can also be one, as long as it can be guaranteed.

[0113] With the above configuration, the protective component 4 can be stably connected to the first pressure strip 5 via the connector 7. During lamination, the positional stability of the protective component 4 within the plane of the first wall 11 can be ensured, thus guaranteeing the normal lamination process. Furthermore, since the second end of the connector 7 is detachably connected to the first pressure strip 5, it facilitates the disassembly and replacement of the protective component 4. Because the detachability occurs at the second end of both the first pressure strip 5 and the connector 7, frequent disassembly and reassembly of the connector 7 and the protective component 4 can be avoided, thereby reducing the risk of damage to the protective component 4 and extending its service life.

[0114] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG8, the first pressure strip 5 has a connecting channel 51 and a disassembly groove 52. The first end of the connecting channel 51 communicates with the first cavity a, and the second end of the connecting channel 51 is located on the inner wall surface of the disassembly groove 52. The connector 7 includes a connecting part 71 and a snap-fit ​​part 72. The connecting part 71 passes through the connecting channel 51, and the first end of the connecting part 71 is connected to the protective member 4. The snap-fit ​​part 72 snaps into the disassembly groove 52, and the second end of the connecting part 71 is detachably connected to the snap-fit ​​part 72.

[0115] The snap-fit ​​part 72 may include a snap-fit ​​block, which abuts against the peripheral wall of the disassembly groove 52 to achieve snap-fit.

[0116] In addition, the first end of the connecting part 71 can be fixedly connected to the protective member 4. The second end of the connecting part 71 and the snap-fit ​​part 72 can be detachably connected by snap-fit ​​or screw connection.

[0117] With the above configuration, the protective component 4 is detachably connected to the first pressure strip 5 via the connecting part 71 and the snap-fit ​​part 72. The connecting part 71 acts as a connecting intermediary, while the snap-fit ​​part 72 acts as a snap-fit. In practice, the connecting part 71 can be first connected to the protective component 4 (in this case, the connecting part 71 can be directly used as part of the protective component 4), then the connecting part 71 is inserted into the connecting channel 51. Next, the second end of the connecting part 71 is pulled out of the slot 52 and then connected to the snap-fit ​​part 72. After connecting the second end of the connecting part 71 to the snap-fit ​​part 72, the snap-fit ​​part 72 is then snapped into the slot 52, thus installing the protective component 4. For disassembly, the snap-fit ​​part 72 is first pulled out of the slot 52, and then the snap-fit ​​part 72 is separated from the second end of the connecting part 71 to disassemble the protective component 4. This snap-fit ​​structure facilitates the installation and disassembly of the protective component 4 and provides protection for it.

[0118] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG8, the opening of the disassembly groove 52 is located on the side of the first pressure strip 5 facing away from the first wall 11, and the laminate 3 covers the opening of the disassembly groove 52. Since the laminate 3 covers the opening of the disassembly groove 52, the sealing between the connecting channel 51, the disassembly groove 52 and the outside of the first cavity a can be guaranteed, thereby preventing the first cavity a from communicating with the outside of the first cavity a through the connecting channel 51 and the disassembly groove 52, so as to ensure the sealing of the inside of the first cavity a and the stability of the lamination.

[0119] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG8, the first end of the connecting channel 51 is located on the circumferential inner wall surface of the first pressure strip 5. This arrangement facilitates communication between the first end of the connecting channel 51 and the first cavity a, and also facilitates the connection of the first end of the connecting part 71 to the protective member 4 in the first cavity a through the first end of the connecting channel 51, thus facilitating actual installation operations.

[0120] Of course, in other embodiments, the first end of the connecting channel 51 may also be located on the surface of the first pressure strip 5 facing the first wall 11. In this case, the first end of the connecting channel 51 needs to avoid the first wall 11 to ensure that the first end of the connecting channel 51 is connected to the first cavity a.

[0121] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG8, the laminator 01 further includes a second pressure strip 8, which is connected to the second wall 12. The second pressure strip 8 is arranged around the second wall 12 in the extension direction of the second wall 12 to form a second groove. The laminator 3 is sandwiched between the first pressure strip 5 and the second pressure strip 8, and covers the opening of the second groove to form a second cavity b. The first pressure strip 5, the laminator 3, and the second pressure strip 8 are connected.

[0122] In some examples, the second pressure strip 8 can be an integral structure with the second wall 12. This allows the second wall 12 and the second pressure strip 8 to be manufactured in one go, which facilitates the processing of both the second wall 12 and the second pressure strip 8.

[0123] With the above configuration, the second pressure strip 8 allows for a space (second groove) between the laminate 3 and the second wall 12, enabling the laminate 3 to form the second cavity b together with the second pressure strip 8 and the second wall 12, thus facilitating the formation of the second cavity b. Furthermore, since the first pressure strip 5, the laminate 3, and the second pressure strip 8 are connected, and the first pressure strip 5 is connected to the protective member 4, the protective member 4, the second pressure strip 8, the laminate 3, the first pressure strip 5, and the second wall 12 are all connected. When it is necessary to open the first cavity a, only the second wall 12 needs to be moved to separate the first pressure strip 5 from the first wall 11, exposing the portion of the first wall 11 used to support the photovoltaic cell module 02. This facilitates placing the photovoltaic cell module 02 to be laminated into the first cavity a, or facilitating the removal of the photovoltaic cell module 02 from the first cavity a after lamination.

[0124] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG9, there are multiple protective members 4, which are arranged sequentially along the first direction X. The two ends of the protective members 4 on the opposite side in the second direction Y are respectively connected to the first pressure strip 5. The first direction X and the second direction Y intersect and are both parallel to the plane where the first wall 11 is located.

[0125] The number of protective components 4 can be two, three, four, five, six, or seven, etc. The specific number can be selected according to the needs.

[0126] Furthermore, the angle between the first direction X and the second direction Y can be 45°, 60°, 80°, or 90°, etc. The specific angle can be selected according to requirements. For ease of illustration, this application uses the example of the first direction X being perpendicular to the second direction Y.

[0127] In some examples, one protective element 4 corresponds to one photovoltaic cell module 02, thus ensuring the effectiveness of lamination and protection.

[0128] Of course, in other examples, one protective element 4 can also correspond to multiple photovoltaic cell modules 02, and multiple photovoltaic cell modules 02 can be protected by one protective element 4 at the same time.

[0129] In some examples, when connecting the protective element 4 and the first pressure strip 5 using the connector 7, in the second direction Y, the connector 7 is located between the protective element 4 and the first pressure strip 5. In this way, the setting of the connector 7 will not affect the setting of multiple protective elements 4, which is convenient for actual spatial layout.

[0130] With the above configuration, multiple protective components 4 are provided in the first cavity a, which can be used to protect multiple photovoltaic cell modules 02. This allows multiple photovoltaic cell modules 02 to be laminated at one time, thereby improving the efficiency of lamination and protection.

[0131] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this disclosure and do not limit the patent scope of this disclosure. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made using the content of this disclosure and its drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A laminator, wherein, include: The body (1) includes a first wall (11) and a second wall (12) that are opposite to each other and spaced apart; The laminate (3) is made of an elastic material and is disposed between the first wall (11) and the second wall (12), and forms an independent first cavity (a) and a second cavity (b) with the first wall (11) and the second wall (12) respectively. The first cavity (a) is used to accommodate the photovoltaic cell module (02). A protective component (4) is disposed in the first cavity (a) and located between the laminate (3) and the photovoltaic cell module (02). The hardness of the protective component (4) is greater than that of the laminate (3). The protective component (4) includes a laminated surface (c) and a protective surface (d) that are opposite to the laminated component (3). In a direction perpendicular to the first wall (11), the laminated surface (c) coincides with the photovoltaic cell module (02). The protective surface (d) is arranged circumferentially along the laminated surface (c). When the photovoltaic cell module (02) is supported on the first wall (11) and the laminated component (3) abuts against the protective component (4), the laminated surface (c) abuts against the photovoltaic cell module (02).

2. The laminator according to claim 1, wherein, When the laminate (3) abuts against the protective member (4), the protective surface (d) and the laminated surface (c) are located in the same plane.

3. The laminator according to claim 1, wherein, When the laminate (3) abuts against the protective member (4), the protective surface (d) bends toward the first wall (11) relative to the laminated surface (c). In the direction perpendicular to the first wall (11), the protective surface (d) is located on the side of the plane where the laminated surface (c) is located, which is close to the first wall (11), and the angle between the protective surface (d) and the laminated surface (c) is A, where 0° < A ≤ 6°.

4. The laminator according to claim 2 or 3, wherein, The laminator (01) further includes a support member (9), which is disposed in the first cavity (a) and arranged circumferentially along the lamination surface (c). In the direction perpendicular to the first wall (11), the size of the support member (9) is less than or equal to the size between the lamination surface (c) and the first wall (11). The support member (9) is supported between the protective surface (d) and the first wall (11).

5. The laminator according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein, The protective surface (d) extends circumferentially around the laminated surface (c).

6. The laminator according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein, The thickness of the protective member (4) is uniform in the direction perpendicular to the first wall (11).

7. The laminator according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein, The laminator (01) further includes a first heating element for heating the laminate (3), and the protective element (4) is made of a thermally conductive material.

8. The laminator according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein, The laminator (01) further includes a first pressure strip (5), which is disposed on the first wall (11). In the extension direction of the first wall (11), the first pressure strip (5) is arranged around the first wall (11) to form a first groove. The laminator (3) is supported on the first pressure strip (5) and covers the opening of the first groove to form the first cavity (a) with the first groove. The protective member (4) is connected to the first pressure strip (5) to limit the displacement of the protective member (4) in the plane of the first wall (11).

9. The laminator according to claim 8, wherein, The laminator (01) further includes a connector (7), which is disposed between the first pressure strip (5) and the protective member (4). The first end of the connector (7) is connected to the protective member (4), and the second end of the connector (7) is detachably connected to the first pressure strip (5).

10. The laminator according to claim 9, wherein, The first pressure strip (5) has a connecting channel (51) and a disassembly groove (52). The first end of the connecting channel (51) is connected to the first cavity (a), and the second end of the connecting channel (51) is located on the inner wall surface of the disassembly groove (52). The connector (7) includes a connecting part (71) and a snap-fit ​​part (72). The connecting part (71) passes through the connecting channel (51), and the first end of the connecting part (71) is connected to the protective member (4). The snap-fit ​​part (72) is snapped into the disassembly groove (52), and the second end of the connecting part (71) is detachably connected to the snap-fit ​​part (72).

11. The laminator according to claim 10, wherein, The groove of the disassembly groove (52) is located on the side of the first pressure strip (5) away from the first wall (11), and the laminate (3) covers the groove of the disassembly groove (52).

12. The laminator according to claim 10 or 11, wherein, The first end of the connecting channel (51) is located on the circumferential inner wall surface of the first pressure strip (5).

13. The laminator according to any one of claims 8-12, wherein, The number of protective components (4) is multiple, and the multiple protective components (4) are arranged sequentially along the first direction (X). The two ends of the protective components (4) on the second direction (Y) are respectively connected to the first pressure strip (5). The first direction (X) and the second direction (Y) intersect and are both parallel to the plane where the first wall (11) is located.

14. The laminator according to any one of claims 8-13, wherein, The laminator (01) further includes a second pressure strip (8), which is connected to the second wall (12). In the extension direction of the second wall (12), the second pressure strip (8) is arranged around the second wall (12) to form a second groove. The laminator (3) is sandwiched between the first pressure strip (5) and the second pressure strip (8) and covers the opening of the second groove to form a second cavity (b) with the second groove. The first pressure strip (5), the laminator (3), and the second pressure strip (8) are connected.

15. The laminator according to any one of claims 8-14, wherein, The laminator (01) further includes a seal (6) arranged along the circumferential direction of the first pressure strip (5), the seal (6) being disposed between the first pressure strip (5) and the first wall (11), and / or, the seal (6) being disposed between the first pressure strip (5) and the laminator (3).

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