Solar battery module

Abstract

Provided is a solar battery module in which a bypass diode is internally shielded, wherein the bypass diode is shielded in plan view, thereby yielding exceptional appearance quality. A solar battery module (10) in which a plurality of solar battery cells (11) and a bypass diode (14) for bypassing a current flowing to the solar battery cells (11) are sealed by a sealing material (16) between a translucent substrate (12) and a reverse-surface protective member (17), wherein a shielding part (13) for shielding the bypass diode (14) in plan view is provided between the translucent substrate (12) and the bypass diode (14).

Description

Solar cell module

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a solar cell module.

[0002] In many solar cell modules, a bypass diode is provided to bypass a group of solar cells electrically connected in series. Hereinafter, in the present disclosure, a group of solar cells bypassed by one bypass diode is referred to as a "solar cell connection unit".

[0003] By electrically connecting a bypass diode in parallel to each solar cell connection unit, even if some abnormality occurs in a certain solar cell connection unit, it is possible to allow current to flow without passing through that solar cell connection unit.

[0004] Generally, a bypass diode is provided inside a terminal box attached to the back surface of a solar cell module. In contrast, in Patent Document 1, it is proposed to enclose the bypass diode inside the solar cell module instead of providing the bypass diode inside the terminal box.

[0005] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-149986

[0006] According to a configuration in which a bypass diode is electrically connected in parallel to each solar cell connection unit, when a part of a certain solar cell connection unit is covered by shadow (i.e., when so-called partial shadow occurs), by allowing current to flow without passing through that solar cell connection unit, it is possible to prevent the power generation efficiency of the entire solar cell module from decreasing as much as possible.

[0007] However, in a general solar cell module, since a solar cell connection unit is composed of 10 to 20 solar cells, even when one solar cell in a certain solar cell connection unit is covered by shadow, all the solar cells (i.e., 10 to 20 solar cells) constituting that solar cell connection unit are bypassed, resulting in power generation loss for that amount.

[0008] To further reduce power generation losses due to partial shading, it is effective to reduce the number of solar cells that make up a solar cell connection unit; in other words, it is effective to increase the number of bypass diodes used per solar cell module.

[0009] If the number of bypass diodes is increased by placing them inside the terminal box, a large number of terminal boxes will be required for each solar cell module. However, since terminal boxes are expensive components within the solar cell module, this has a significant impact on costs. In addition, the amount of wiring required to connect the solar cells and terminal boxes will increase, and the reduction in power generation due to wiring resistance will become significant.

[0010] Therefore, instead of placing the bypass diode inside the terminal box, it is conceivable to enclose it within the solar cell module itself. In other words, it is conceivable to have a configuration in which not only the solar cells but also the bypass diode are sealed with an encapsulating material between the translucent substrate and the back surface protective member of the solar cell module.

[0011] However, with this configuration, when the solar cell module is viewed from the translucent substrate side, the enclosed bypass diodes become visible. When components other than the solar cells are visible, they stand out, which detracts from the aesthetic quality (visual appeal) of the solar cell module.

[0012] This disclosure has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a solar cell module with excellent appearance quality by shielding the bypass diode in a plan view, in a solar cell module that contains a bypass diode.

[0013] To solve the above problems, we provide the following solar cell module.

[0014] The solar cell module of this disclosure is a solar cell module in which a plurality of solar cells and bypass diodes that divert the current flowing through the solar cells are sealed with a sealing material between a light-transmitting substrate and a back surface protective member, characterized in that a shielding portion that shields the bypass diodes in a plan view is provided between the light-transmitting substrate and the bypass diodes.

[0015] In the solar cell module described above, the shielding portion may be provided at a position in contact with the surface of the light-transmitting substrate that faces the bypass diode.

[0016] Furthermore, in the above-described solar cell module, a sheet-like member may be provided between the light-transmitting substrate and the bypass diode as the shielding portion.

[0017] Furthermore, in the above-described solar cell module, the shielding portion may be a painted portion where the surface of the light-transmitting substrate facing the bypass diode is painted.

[0018] Furthermore, in the above-described solar cell module, a wiring member is connected to the bypass diode, and the shielding portion may extend to a position that shields the wiring member in a plan view.

[0019] Furthermore, in the solar cell module described above, the bypass diode may be provided with a molded portion that encloses the diode, and the shielding portion may extend to a position that shields the vicinity of the molded portion in a plan view.

[0020] Furthermore, the solar cell module includes a plurality of solar cell strings in which a plurality of adjacent solar cells are connected in series along a first direction, the plurality of solar cell strings are arranged adjacent to each other along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the bypass diodes are arranged to bypass the current flowing through one or more solar cells, and the number of solar cells bypassed by each bypass diode may be less than or equal to the number of solar cells included in each solar cell string.

[0021] The solar cell module of this disclosure offers excellent advantages, such as avoiding damage to the external quality caused by the enclosed bypass diode.

[0022] Figure 1 is a schematic plan view showing the general configuration of the solar cell modules according to the first and second embodiments, with the shielding portion removed. Figure 2 is a plan view with the shielding portion added. Figure 3 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view showing the general configuration of the solar cell module according to the first embodiment along line A-A in Figures 1 and 2. Figure 4 is a plan view of the bypass diode. Figure 5 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view showing the general configuration of the solar cell module according to the second embodiment along line A-A in Figures 1 and 2. Figure 6 is a schematic plan view showing the general configuration of the solar cell module according to the third embodiment, with the shielding portion and the wiring member on which the bypass diode is provided removed. Figure 7 is a plan view with the shielding portion and the wiring member on which the bypass diode is provided added. Figure 7 is a schematic plan view showing the general configuration of the solar cell module according to the fourth embodiment, with the shielding portion and the wiring member on which the bypass diode is provided removed. Figure 8 is a plan view with the shielding portion and the wiring member on which the bypass diode is provided added.

[0023] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Figures 1, 2, and 6-9 are plan views showing the schematic configuration of a solar cell module 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, and all of them show the light-receiving surface. That is, the plan view referred to in the present disclosure is a view of the solar cell module 10 from the light-receiving surface side.

[0024] In this disclosure, the surface of the solar cell module 10 that is primarily exposed to sunlight is described as the light-receiving surface, and the opposite surface is described as the back surface. When using the expressions "up" or "down" to describe direction, unless otherwise specified, the light-receiving surface side is referred to as "up" and the back surface side as "down." In each embodiment, components common to all are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions of them are not repeated.

[0025] In this disclosure, "the shielding portion shields the object in a plan view" means that when the solar cell module 10 is viewed from the light-receiving surface side in a plan view, at least a part of the shielding portion is located in a position that overlaps with the entire object. In other words, it means that the shielding portion exists at least directly above the entire object.

[0026] Figure 1 shows the solar cell module 10 with the shielding portion 13 removed, allowing the solar cells 11, bypass diodes 14, and wiring members 15 to be viewed transparently through the light-transmitting substrate 12. Figure 2 shows the solar cell module 10 with the shielding portion 13 removed. Figures 6 and 8 show the solar cell module 10 with the shielding portion 13 and busbars 154 and 156 removed, allowing the solar cells 11 and some wiring members 15 to be viewed transparently through the light-transmitting substrate 12. Figures 7 and 9 show the solar cell module 10 with the shielding portion 13 and busbars 154 and 156 removed, respectively.

[0027] Note that in Figures 1, 2, and 6-9, the sealing material 16, back surface protective member 17, connecting member for electrically connecting multiple solar cells 11, and connecting member for electrically connecting the solar cells 11 and wiring member 15 of the solar cell module 10 are omitted from the illustration.

[0028] [First Embodiment] Figure 1 is a schematic plan view showing the general configuration of the solar cell module 10 according to the first and second embodiments, with the shielding portion 13 removed, and Figure 2 is a plan view with the shielding portion added to Figure 1.

[0029] Furthermore, Figure 3 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view showing the general configuration of the solar cell module according to the first embodiment along the line A-A in Figures 1 and 2. The solar cell module 10 has a structure in which a plurality of solar cells 11 arranged in a matrix are sealed with a sealing material 16 between a light-receiving surface substrate 12 and a back surface protective member 17 on the back surface side.

[0030] The light-transmitting substrate 12 can be any material that has the property of transmitting light, for example, a glass substrate can be used. The back surface protective member 17 can be any material that can protect the back side of the sealing material 16, for example, a weather-resistant film (back sheet) such as PET or a glass substrate can be used. The sealing material 16 is made of a resin material or the like that has the property of transmitting light.

[0031] As shown in Figure 1, the solar cell module 10 includes a plurality of solar cell strings 11S in which a plurality of adjacent solar cells 11 are connected in series by a connecting member (not shown) along a first direction (the Y direction in Figures 1 and 2), and the plurality of solar cell strings 11S are arranged adjacent to each other along a second direction (the X direction in Figures 1 and 2) that is perpendicular to the first direction.

[0032] Furthermore, the solar cell module 10 includes wiring members 15 that electrically connect adjacent solar cell strings 11S to each other. Both ends of the solar cell strings 11S and the busbars 15 are electrically connected by connecting members (not shown). In this example, the wiring members 15 include a busbar 151 equipped with a bypass diode 14 on the current path and a busbar 152 not equipped with a bypass diode 14.

[0033] The ends of adjacent solar cell strings 11S in the first direction (the ends in the Y2 direction in Figure 1) are connected to each other by a busbar 152. The solar cell connection unit U according to the first and second embodiments consists of two rows of solar cell strings 11S connected to each other by this busbar 152 (see Figure 1). The bypass diode 14 is provided on the busbar 151 so that it can bypass the solar cell connection unit 11U.

[0034] The arrow E1 in Figure 1 indicates the current path in the solar cell module 10 according to the first and second embodiments. As described above, the two rows of solar cell strings 11S constituting the solar cell connection unit U are connected to each other by busbars 152, so when the solar cell module 10 generates power, current normally flows along the current path E1 shown in Figure 1.

[0035] Conversely, if partial shading occurs in the solar cell connection unit U, or if any abnormality occurs, current flows to the bypass diode 14 without passing through the solar cell connection unit U. In other words, the bypass diode 14 functions as a bypass for the solar cell connection unit U.

[0036] In this embodiment, the solar cell module 10 is provided with a shielding portion 13 that shields the bypass diode 14 in a plan view, as shown in Figure 2. If the bypass diode 14 is not shielded, that part will be noticeable in the appearance of the solar cell module 10. However, by providing the shielding portion 13 in this way, it is possible to maintain the appearance quality of the solar cell module 10.

[0037] The shielding portion 13 only needs to be positioned at least directly above the bypass diode 14, but as shown in Figure 2, in this embodiment it extends to a wider area, which will be explained later.

[0038] As shown in Figure 3, the shielding portion 13, the bypass diode 14, and the wiring member 15 are sealed with a sealing material 16 between the light-receiving surface side translucent substrate 12 and the back surface protective member 17 on the back side. The shielding portion 13 is located above the bypass diode 14 (towards the Z1 direction in Figure 3). In other words, when the solar cell module 10 is viewed from above (i.e., when the light-receiving substrate 12 is viewed in the Z2 direction in Figure 3), the bypass diode 14 is located below the shielding portion 13 (towards the Z2 direction in Figure 3). Thus, the shielding portion 13 shields the bypass diode 14.

[0039] As shown in Figure 3, in this embodiment, the following are arranged from the back surface protective member 17 side: sealing material 16, bypass diode 14 and wiring member 15, sealing material 16, shielding portion 13, sealing material 16, and light-transmitting substrate 12. Therefore, both sides of the shielding portion 13 are in contact with the sealing material 16. In this case, the material constituting the shielding portion 13 can be a sheet-like member such as a resin film. From the viewpoint of making this sheet-like member inconspicuous and maintaining the appearance quality of the solar cell module 10, it is preferable that the sheet-like member is the same color as or a similar color to the back sheet which serves as the back surface protective member 17. Note that a similar color means a color adjacent to the target color in the Munsell color circle.

[0040] Incidentally, when the bypass diode 14 functions as a bypass and current flows through it, it may generate heat exceeding 100°C depending on the external environment of the solar cell module 10. If exposed to such high temperatures for a long period of time, the encapsulant 16 surrounding the bypass diode 14 may yellow. Although this yellowing itself has little effect on the power generation performance of the solar cell module 10, it does impair the appearance quality of the solar cell module 10. From the viewpoint of making the yellowing of the encapsulant 16 less noticeable and maintaining the appearance quality of the solar cell module 10, it is preferable that the sheet-like member be black or a dark color close to black.

[0041] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1-3, the shielding portion 13 extends not only to shield the bypass diode 14 in a plan view, but also to a position that shields the wiring member 15 (busbar 151 in this example). Since the wiring member 15 is made of a metal such as copper, it conducts heat easily, and yellowing may occur in the sealing material 16 located around the wiring member 15. However, with this configuration, the yellowing can be made less noticeable (or shielded). Specifically, the sealing material 16 located below the shielding portion 13 is shielded even if it yellows, and the sealing material 16 located above the shielding portion 13 is not noticeable even if it yellows.

[0042] In addition, in the present embodiment, the shielding portion 13 has a structure in which the shielding portion that shields the bypass diode 14 and the shielding portion that shields the wiring member 15 are integrated. This structure is advantageous from the viewpoints of ease of manufacture and appearance quality. However, it may also have a structure in which they are separately configured. For example, the sheet-like member that shields the bypass diode 14 and the sheet-like member that shields the wiring member 15 may be made of different materials.

[0043] Also, as shown in FIG. 2, regarding the bus bar 152 which is a wiring member 15 where the bypass diode 14 is not provided, since the appearance quality of the solar cell module 10 can be maintained in a shielded state in a plan view, in the present embodiment, a shielding portion 13a that shields this bus bar 152 in a plan view is provided.

[0044] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the bypass diode 14. The bypass diode 14 includes a molded portion 141 (diode chip) that seals the diode, and a pair of lead portions 142 that extend from the diode to the outside of the molded portion 141. The material for sealing the diode is a resin material in this example, but it may be sealed with a material other than resin. For example, it may be sealed with a ceramic material. By connecting the lead portion 142 to the wiring member 15 (in this example, the bus bar 151 as shown in FIG. 3), a bypass of the solar cell connection unit U is formed. When functioning as a bypass and current flows, the molded portion 141 in which the diode is encapsulated mainly generates heat.

[0045] Therefore, in the present embodiment, the shielding portion 13 extends to a position that shields the vicinity of the molded portion 141 in a plan view. In other words, not only is the shielding portion 13 provided directly above the molded portion 141, but also the shielding portion 13 is provided directly above the sealing material 16 located around the molded portion 141. As such a configuration, specifically, a configuration in which the shielding portion 13 is provided up to a region extending 2 mm or more from the periphery of the molded portion 141 in a plan view can be exemplified.

[0046] According to this configuration, even if the sealing material 16, which is likely to be affected by the heat from the mold part 141 and is likely to yellow, yellows, it can be made unnoticeable (or in a shielded state). Specifically, the sealing material 16 located below the shielding part 13 is shielded even if it yellows, and the sealing material 16 located above the shielding part 13 is not noticeable even if it yellows.

[0047] 〔Second Embodiment〕FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view schematically showing the schematic configuration of the solar cell module 10 according to the second embodiment along the line A-A in FIGS. 1 and 2. In the solar cell module 10 according to the present embodiment, it can have the same configuration as the first embodiment except as described below.

[0048] In the present embodiment, it is different from the first embodiment in that the shielding part 13 is provided at a position contacting the surface of the translucent substrate 12 facing the bypass diode 14 (the surface on the Z2 direction side in FIG. 5).

[0049] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, it is a configuration in which, from the back surface protection member 17 side, the sealing material 16, the bypass diode 14, the wiring member 15, the sealing material 16, the shielding part 13, and the translucent substrate 12 are arranged in this order. In the present embodiment, the sealing material 16 is located below the shielding part 13 (on the Z2 direction side in FIG. 5).

[0050] According to this configuration, since all of the sealing materials 16 at the position of the shielding part 13 are shielded when the solar cell module 10 is viewed in plan, they are difficult to visually recognize even if they yellow. From this perspective, the configuration according to the present embodiment is more preferable than the configuration according to the first embodiment.

[0051] The shielding part 13 may be composed of a sheet-like member such as a resin film as in the first embodiment. However, in the present embodiment, instead of that, as the shielding part 13, a coating part obtained by coating the surface of the translucent substrate 12 facing the bypass diode 14 can be provided.

[0052] From the viewpoint of making the painted portion or sheet-like member less conspicuous and maintaining the appearance quality of the solar cell module 10, it is preferable that the painted portion or sheet-like member be the same color as or similar to the back sheet which serves as the back surface protective member 17.

[0053] [Third and Fourth Embodiments] In the third and fourth embodiments, we will describe examples in which the number of solar cells 11 constituting the solar cell connection unit 11U is reduced compared to the first embodiment.

[0054] Specifically, in the first embodiment, the solar cell connection unit 11U is composed of two rows of solar cell strings 11S, while in the third embodiment, an example is described in which the solar cell connection unit 11U is composed of one row of solar cell strings 11S, and in the fourth embodiment, an example is described in which the solar cell connection unit 11U is composed of two solar cells 11.

[0055] As in the third and fourth embodiments, by using a configuration with a small number of solar cells 11 constituting the solar cell connection unit 11U, power generation loss due to partial shading can be reduced. On the other hand, the number of bypass diodes 14 used in the solar cell module 10 will increase, but in all embodiments of this disclosure, the bypass diodes 14 are enclosed in the solar cell module 10 rather than being provided inside the terminal box. Therefore, even if the number of bypass diodes 14 increases, the number of terminal boxes, which have a significant impact on cost, does not increase.

[0056] As the number of bypass diodes used in a solar cell module increases, the problem of the external quality of the solar cell module becoming more pronounced. However, in the solar cell module 10 according to the third and fourth embodiments, a shielding portion 13 is provided that shields the bypass diode 14 in a plan view, making it possible to maintain external quality. The third and fourth embodiments will be described below, respectively.

[0057] -Third Embodiment- Figure 6 is a schematic plan view showing the general configuration of the solar cell module 10 according to the third embodiment, excluding the shielding portion 13 and the busbar 154 (busbar on which the bypass diode 14 is provided), and Figure 7 is a plan view with the shielding portion 13 and the busbar 154 added to Figure 6.

[0058] In the solar cell module 10 according to this embodiment, the configuration can be the same as that of the first or second embodiment, except as described below. That is, in this embodiment, the shielding portion 13 may be provided in a position where both sides are in contact with the sealing material 16, as in the first embodiment (see Figure 3), or it may be provided in a position in contact with the surface of the light-transmitting substrate 12 facing the bypass diode 14, as in the second embodiment (see Figure 5).

[0059] In the first embodiment shown in Figure 1, the solar cell connection unit 11U is composed of two rows of solar cell strings 11S, whereas in this embodiment, the solar cell connection unit 11U is composed of one row of solar cell strings 11S.

[0060] Specifically, as shown in Figure 6, busbars 153 are arranged at both ends of the solar cell string 11S in a direction perpendicular to the solar cell string 11S (the X direction in Figure 6), and the ends of the solar cell string 11S and the busbars 153 are electrically connected by connecting members (not shown). Since two adjacent rows of solar cell strings 11S are connected to each other by the busbars 153, when the solar cell module 10 generates power, current normally flows along the current path E2 shown by the arrow in Figure 6.

[0061] As shown in Figure 7, a busbar 154 is arranged parallel to each row of solar cell strings 11S, and a bypass diode 14 is provided at one end of the busbar 154. Since the busbar 154, which includes the bypass diode 14, is connected to a pair of busbars 153 located at both ends of a row of solar cell strings 11S, current can flow through the bypass diode 14 and the busbar 154, bypassing the row of solar cell strings 11S. Note that the busbar 154 is located on the back side of the solar cell 11, so it is difficult to see when viewing the solar cell module 10 from above. In addition, an insulating material (insulating film in this example) is placed between the solar cell 11 and the busbar 154 located on the back side of the solar cell to prevent them from being electrically connected.

[0062] In this embodiment, the shielding portion 13 only needs to be positioned at least directly above the bypass diode 14, similar to the first embodiment. However, in the example shown in Figure 7, it extends to a wider area. Specifically, the shielding portion 13 extends to a position that shields the busbar 153 in a plan view, and integrally shields multiple bypass diodes 14 and multiple busbars 153.

[0063] Because the shielding portion 13 is provided in this embodiment, even though more bypass diodes 14 are used in this embodiment than in the first embodiment, it is possible to maintain the same level of external quality as in the conventional configuration in which the bypass diodes are placed inside the terminal box.

[0064] -Fourth Embodiment- Figure 8 is a schematic plan view showing the general configuration of the solar cell module 10 according to the fourth embodiment, excluding the shielding portion 13 and the bus bar 156 (bus bar on which the bypass diode 14 is provided), and Figure 9 is a plan view with the shielding portion 13 and the bus bar 156 added to Figure 8.

[0065] In the solar cell module 10 according to this embodiment, the configuration can be the same as that of the first or second embodiment, except as described below. That is, in this embodiment, the shielding portion 13 may be provided in a position where both sides are in contact with the sealing material 16, as in the first embodiment (see Figure 3), or it may be provided in a position in contact with the surface of the light-transmitting substrate 12 facing the bypass diode 14, as in the second embodiment (see Figure 5).

[0066] In the first embodiment shown in Figure 1, the solar cell connection unit 11U is composed of two rows of solar cell strings 11S, whereas in this embodiment, the solar cell connection unit 11U is composed of two solar cells 11.

[0067] Specifically, as shown in Figure 8, busbars 155 are positioned at both ends of a solar cell string 11S, which is composed of four solar cells 11, in a direction perpendicular to the solar cell string 11S (the X direction in Figure 8). The ends of the solar cell string 11S and the busbars 155 are electrically connected by connecting members (not shown). Since two adjacent rows of solar cell strings 11S are connected to each other by the busbars 155, when the solar cell module 10 generates power, current normally flows along the current path E3 indicated by the arrow in Figure 8.

[0068] As shown in Figure 9, a busbar 156 is arranged parallel to each row of solar cell strings 11S, and bypass diodes 14 are provided at both ends of the busbar 156. A pair of busbars 155 located at both ends of a row of solar cell strings 11S are connected by a busbar 156 including these bypass diodes 14. Since the busbar 156 is located on the back side of the solar cell 11, it is difficult to see when viewing the solar cell module 10 from above. In addition, an insulating material (not shown, an insulating film in this example) is placed between the solar cell 11 and the busbar 156 located on the back side to prevent electrical connection between them.

[0069] Furthermore, a busbar 157 is positioned in a direction perpendicular to the solar cell string 11S (the X direction in Figures 8 and 9) at a location that divides the four solar cells 11 constituting the solar cell string 11S into two pairs. This busbar 157 is connected to busbar 156 at a position where they intersect in a plan view. In addition, the busbar 157 is also connected to an unshown connecting member that connects the four solar cells 11 constituting the solar cell string 11S in series at a position where it intersects in a plan view (i.e., at the position where the four solar cells 11 are divided into two pairs). Therefore, current can be bypassed by flowing through the bypass diode 14, busbar 156, and busbar 157, thereby bypassing two solar cells 11.

[0070] In this embodiment, the shielding portion 13 only needs to be positioned at least directly above the bypass diode 14, similar to the first embodiment. However, in the example shown in Figure 9, it extends to a wider area. Specifically, the shielding portion 13 extends to a position that shields the busbar 155 in a plan view, and integrally shields multiple bypass diodes 14 and multiple busbars 155.

[0071] Because the shielding portion 13 is provided in this embodiment, even though more bypass diodes 14 are used in this embodiment than in the first embodiment, it is possible to maintain the same level of external quality as in the conventional configuration in which the bypass diodes are placed inside the terminal box.

[0072] Furthermore, regarding the busbar 157, which is a wiring member 15 that does not have a bypass diode 14, shielding it in a plan view helps maintain the appearance quality of the solar cell module 10. Therefore, in the example shown in Figure 9, a shielding portion 13b is provided to shield the busbar 157 in a plan view.

[0073] The third and fourth embodiments described above are examples of embodiments in which the number of solar cells 11 bypassed by each bypass diode 14 is changed. In other words, by using these modified embodiments, the number of solar cells 11 bypassed by each bypass diode 14 can be arbitrarily selected from one.

[0074] Specifically, the solar cell module 10 according to the third and fourth embodiments described above includes a plurality of solar cell strings 11S in which a plurality of adjacent solar cells 11 are connected in series along a first direction (the Y direction in Figures 6-9), and the plurality of solar cell strings 11S are arranged adjacent to each other along a second direction (the X direction in Figures 6-9) that is perpendicular to the first direction. The bypass diodes 14 are arranged to bypass the current flowing through one or more solar cells 11, and the number of solar cells 11 bypassed by each bypass diode 14 is less than or equal to the number of solar cells 11 included in each solar cell string 11S.

[0075] More specifically, the third embodiment has a configuration in which the number of solar cells 11 bypassed by each "bypass diode 14" is equal to the number of solar cells 11 included in each "solar cell string 11S", and the fourth embodiment has a configuration in which the number of solar cells 11 bypassed by each "bypass diode 14" (2 in the example of Figures 8 and 9) is less than the number of solar cells 11 included in each "solar cell string 11S" (4 in the example of Figures 8 and 9). In such a configuration, by providing the shielding portion 13 at the position shown in Figures 7 and 9, it is possible to make the bypass diode 14 difficult to see in a plan view.

[0076] [Suitable Uses] As described in the first and second embodiments, the solar cell module of this disclosure is suitable for use in environments where it is easily visible to people, as it avoids the deterioration of appearance quality caused by the enclosed bypass diode.

[0077] Furthermore, as described in the third and fourth embodiments, the solar cell module of this disclosure is suitable for use in environments susceptible to shading because it can reduce the impact of partial shading on power generation by reducing the number of solar cells constituting the solar cell connection unit (i.e., the number of solar cells bypassed by each bypass diode).

[0078] Therefore, greater effectiveness can be obtained by using these solar modules in mobile applications (e.g., automotive solar modules), which are more susceptible to shading and easily visible to people, rather than in stationary solar modules, which are less affected by shading.

[0079] The embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and are not intended to be restrictive. Therefore, the technical scope of this disclosure is not construed solely by the embodiments described above, but is defined by the claims. This includes all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0080] 10 Solar cell module 11 Solar cell 11S Solar cell string 11U Solar cell connection unit 12 Light-transmitting substrate 13 Shielding section 14 Bypass diode 141 Molded section 142 Lead section 15 Wiring components 151-157 Busbars 16 Encapsulating material 17 Back surface protective component

Claims

1. A solar cell module comprising multiple solar cells and bypass diodes that divert current flowing through the solar cells, sealed between a light-transmitting substrate and a back-surface protective member with a sealing material, characterized in that a shielding portion that shields the bypass diodes in a plan view is provided between the light-transmitting substrate and the bypass diodes.

2. A solar cell module according to claim 1, characterized in that the shielding portion is provided at a position in contact with the surface of the light-transmitting substrate facing the bypass diode.

3. A solar cell module according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that a sheet-like member is provided between the light-transmitting substrate and the bypass diode as the shielding portion.

4. A solar cell module according to claim 2, characterized in that the shielding portion is provided with a painted portion on the surface of the light-transmitting substrate facing the bypass diode.

5. A solar cell module according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a wiring member is connected to the bypass diode, and the shielding portion extends to a position that shields the wiring member in a plan view.

6. A solar cell module according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the bypass diode comprises a molded portion that encloses the diode, and the shielding portion extends to a position that shields the vicinity of the molded portion in a plan view.

7. A solar cell module according to claim 1 or claim 2, comprising a plurality of solar cell strings in which a plurality of adjacent solar cells are connected in series along a first direction, wherein the plurality of solar cell strings are arranged adjacent to each other along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the bypass diodes are arranged to bypass the current flowing through one or more solar cells, and the number of solar cells bypassed by each bypass diode is less than or equal to the number of solar cells included in each solar cell string.

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