Co-cured Composite Skin Integrating Solar Cells

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle skin constructions, such as those for UAVs, are thick, heavy, and limited in size and curvature due to the use of encapsulated solar cells sandwiched between ETFE or plastic layers, which leads to disparities in thermal expansion coefficients causing potential failure under temperature changes.

Innovation Solution

A composite skin is co-cured with an array of solar cells, using an electrically insulative material and a thin, self-adhering fluorinated polymer coating to create a lightweight, integrated structure that maintains thermal stability and flexibility in size and curvature.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If encapsulated solar cells are sandwiched between ETFE or plastic layers and bonded to composite skin, then solar cells are protected from environment, but the structure becomes thick and heavy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection from environmentVSAvoidweight of skin structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the solar cell array directly with the composite skin structure by co-curing, eliminating the need for separate encapsulation layers (ETFE or plastic). The solar cells are embedded within the composite material matrix, merging the protective function into the structural material itself, thereby reducing overall thickness and weight while maintaining environmental protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses composite materials where solar cells are integrated within the composite skin structure. The composite material serves dual functions: structural support and environmental protection for the solar cells. This eliminates the need for additional protective layers, reducing weight and thickness compared to traditional sandwich construction with ETFE or plastic encapsulation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Object-affected harmful factors

If encapsulated solar cells are bonded to composite skin after construction, then solar cells are protected, but the structure is limited in size and curvature

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection from environmentVSAvoidsize and curvature flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The solar cell array is integrated into the composite skin during the initial co-curing process, before the final structure is completed. This preliminary integration allows the solar cells to be incorporated into the mold as the composite material cures around them, enabling complex curvatures and large sizes that would be difficult or impossible to achieve with post-assembly bonding methods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

By merging the solar cell array integration with the composite skin manufacturing process itself, the invention achieves unlimited size and curvature adaptability. The solar cells become an integral part of the composite structure, allowing the entire assembly to be formed in large molds with various curvature requirements, unlike separate bonding approaches that are constrained by press dimensions and assembly complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If different materials with disparate thermal expansion coefficients are used, then solar cells are protected, but the structure may fail under temperature changes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection from environmentVSAvoidthermal stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent achieves thermal compatibility by using a composite material with thermal expansion properties matched to the solar cells. The composite material's coefficient of thermal expansion is designed to be similar to that of the solar cells, reducing thermal stress and preventing failure under temperature changes. This homogenization of thermal properties eliminates the reliability issues associated with disparate material expansion coefficients.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #33Homogeneity

4Object-affected harmful factors

If traditional encapsulation methods are used, then solar cells are protected, but the skin structure becomes thick

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection from environmentVSAvoidthickness of skin structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The protective function is merged into the composite skin structure itself through co-curing integration. The composite material serves as both the structural skin and the protective encapsulation, eliminating the need for separate thick protective layers. This integration dramatically reduces the overall thickness of the skin structure while maintaining environmental protection for the solar cells.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS10573772B2Composite vehicle skin co-cured with solar-cell array

Publication Date: 2020.02.25 SWIFT ENG INC

AI summary

A vehicle skin, such as a composite skin for a UAV wing or other vehicle component, is co-cured with an array of solar cells to form a thin, lightweight, integrated skin structure. In one embodiment, an upper surface of the solar-cell array may be substantially coplanar with an upper surface of the composite skin. A coating, such as a spray-on fluorinated polymer coating, is applied to the upper surface of the integrated skin structure to protect the solar cells from the environment or other potentially harmful elements.