Pressureless Solar Panel Bonding Using Tacking Pads for Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional solar panel construction methods require expensive and customized fixtures for aligning subassemblies during adhesive curing, leading to increased manufacturing costs, labor, and time-consuming adhesive cleanup, with the need for compressive pressure to maintain alignment.
Innovation Solution
The use of tacking pads to adhere and align solar panel subassemblies, eliminating the need for compressive pressure and fixtures by maintaining fixed alignment during adhesive curing, with the adhesive providing the primary adhesion force and tacking pads contributing a secondary force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If compressive pressure and fixtures are used to maintain alignment during adhesive curing, then alignment precision is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses disposable tacking pads instead of expensive, complex, and reusable fixtures. The tacking pads are simple, low-cost components that provide sufficient alignment during the curing process and are then discarded, eliminating the need for costly fixture design, manufacturing, and maintenance while achieving the required alignment precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the complex fixture system from the manufacturing process entirely. By using simple tacking pads that are applied directly to the workpiece, the invention eliminates the separate alignment fixture component, simplifying the overall manufacturing system while maintaining alignment accuracy.
2Manufacturing precision
If compressive pressure is applied during adhesive curing, then bond line thickness control is improved, but manufacturing time and process complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The tacking pads are applied in advance to the workpiece surfaces before adhesive dispensing. These pads pre-establish the correct bond line thickness and alignment positions, allowing the adhesive to cure without requiring subsequent compressive pressure application or adjustment, thereby reducing overall manufacturing time and process complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The disposable tacking pads provide temporary but precise thickness control during the curing process. Once the adhesive cures and achieves full strength, the tacking pads are removed, having served their purpose of establishing the correct bond line thickness without requiring prolonged compressive pressure or complex control systems.
3Strength
If adhesive is dispensed in large amounts to ensure full coverage, then adhesion strength is improved, but cleanup time and material waste increase
Solution Approach 1:
The tacking pads are strategically positioned at specific locations on the workpiece where they provide localized adhesion and alignment. This concentrated approach ensures sufficient overall bond strength without requiring excessive adhesive across the entire surface, thereby reducing squeeze-out and minimizing cleanup time while maintaining adequate adhesion strength at critical locations.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of applying adhesive uniformly across the entire surface, the process uses partial adhesive application combined with tacking pads at key locations. This partial action approach provides sufficient bonding strength for the application while significantly reducing the total amount of adhesive that would otherwise squeeze out and require cleanup.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method simplifies solar panel construction, reduces tooling and labor costs, decreases curing time from days to hours, and eliminates the need for adhesive squeeze-out cleanup, resulting in faster production and lower manufacturing expenses.
Implementation Method 1
an adhesive layer positioned between the first solar panel subassembly and the second solar panel subassembly, and adhered to the first surface of the first solar panel subassembly and the second surface of the second solar panel subassembly with a second adhesive force that is greater than the first adhesive force
Implementation Method 2
at least one tacking pad positioned between the first solar panel subassembly and the second solar panel subassembly, and adhered to a first surface of the first solar panel subassembly and a second surface of the second solar panel subassembly with a first adhesive force
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A method for forming a solar panel (400) can include attaching one or more tacking pads (130) to one or both of a first surface (102) of a first solar panel subassembly (100) and a second surface (112) of a second solar panel subassembly (110). The method further includes dispensing an adhesive (140) onto at least one of the first and second surfaces. The first and second surfaces are placed in contact with the one or more tacking pads, thereby tacking the first and second solar panel subassemblies together, during which the first and second surfaces contact the adhesive, thereby decreasing a thickness and increasing a surface area of the adhesive. Subsequently, the adhesive is cured. The tacking pad(s) maintain fixed alignment of the solar panel subassemblies during curing of the adhesive, and establish a bond line of the adhesive.