Photovoltaic Connector With Segmented Housing And Resilient Contacts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing photovoltaic cell systems require laborious manual connection of flat conductors to cables, making maintenance and repairs difficult, especially since installations are typically unitary and prone to damage during servicing.
Innovation Solution
A connector arrangement featuring a flat conductor support member with upwardly extending bridge portions and a hollow sectional connector housing with bifurcated resilient contacts that remain engaged with the bent conductor ends, allowing for easy replacement of printed circuit boards and components without disturbing the connection to the photovoltaic panel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual connection of flat conductors to cables is used, then connection is achieved, but the process is laborious and requires specially trained experts
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is divided into multiple parts: a support member that remains on the photovoltaic panel, a housing that receives the support member, and a printed circuit board that can be independently replaced. This segmentation allows the electronic components to be serviced without disturbing the conductor connections, eliminating the need for manual reconnection and reducing maintenance time while maintaining reliable electrical contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The support member with bridge portions acts as an intermediary between the flat conductors and the printed circuit board. It provides a stable mounting structure that remains fixed on the photovoltaic panel while allowing the electronic components to be changed, thus decoupling the connection stability from the component replaceability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If unitary installation structure is used, then structural integrity is maintained, but maintenance and repairs become very difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The connector assembly is segmented into a permanent support member that maintains structural integrity on the photovoltaic panel and a removable housing containing the printed circuit board. This allows the electronic components to be accessed and replaced without disturbing the structural connection to the panel, enabling easy maintenance while preserving structural stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector design incorporates dynamic replaceability: the housing and printed circuit board can be removed and replaced, while the support member remains fixed. This dynamic aspect allows maintenance personnel to service the electronic components without affecting the structural integrity of the overall installation.
3Ease of repair
If contacts are disconnected during servicing, then component replacement is possible, but the connection to photovoltaic panel must be disturbed
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is segmented so that the support member with conductor connections remains fixed on the photovoltaic panel, while the housing and printed circuit board form a separate removable assembly. This allows component replacement without disturbing the conductor connections, simplifying the maintenance procedure and reducing the risk of connection errors.
Solution Approach 2:
The support member is pre-installed and secured to the photovoltaic panel before the housing and printed circuit board are attached. This preliminary action ensures that the conductor connections are established and protected beforehand, so that subsequent component replacement does not require disturbing these critical connections.
Data Source
AI summary
A connector arrangement connects the flat conductors that extend upwardly from a horizontal photovoltaic cell panel with the insulated conductors of a cable via the circuits of a printed circuit board, respectively. A flat conductor support member is adhesively secured to the upper surface of the horizontal photovoltaic cell panel and includes upwardly extending bridge portions having flat upper edges about which are reversely bent the upper free ends of the flat conductors. A hollow sectional connector housing includes a lower body section containing a bottom opening that receives the flat conductor support member when the lower body section is seated on the panel upper surface. Bifurcated resilient contacts mounted on the lower section have first portions that engage the bent flat conductor ends, respectively, and second portions that engage the circuits on a replaceable printed circuit board carried by the removable upper cover section of the housing.