Integrating Photovoltaic Devices into Molded Plastic Articles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for producing solar panels with integrated photovoltaic (PV) devices are labor-intensive, prone to errors, and lack efficiency, often requiring mechanical connections that are not resilient to shocks or forces, leading to potential damage and leakage issues.
Innovation Solution
The integration of PV devices into plastic articles through injection molding, blow molding, or rotational molding processes, where the PV device is embedded within the molding process, eliminating the need for subsequent mechanical connections and ensuring a secure, leak-proof, and automated manufacturing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional mechanical connection methods are used to attach PV devices to solar panels, then the assembly process is simple and straightforward, but the connection is not resilient to shocks or forces, leading to potential damage and leakage issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the PV device attachment process with the molding process itself. The PV devices are placed within the mold cavity before injection molding, and the molten plastic material encapsulates them during the molding process. This integration eliminates the need for separate mechanical attachment steps, creating a unified structure where the PV devices are permanently embedded within the solidified plastic article, providing shock and force resilience while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
2Productivity
If conventional assembly methods are used to attach PV devices, then the manufacturing process is easier to implement, but it is labor-intensive and prone to errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by placing the PV devices into the mold cavity before the molding process begins. This pre-positioning allows the PV devices to be automatically encapsulated during the injection molding process, eliminating the need for subsequent manual attachment operations. The process leverages the existing molding infrastructure to simultaneously produce the plastic article and secure the PV devices, thereby increasing productivity without complicating the manufacturing approach.
3Productivity
If PV devices are mechanically connected to solar panels, then the assembly can be done in separate steps, but it creates visible gaps and air-gaps that reduce PV energy generation efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the PV device attachment with the molding operation, eliminating visible gaps and air-gaps between the PV devices and the solar panel structure. The molten plastic material flows around and encapsulates the PV devices, creating a seamless, integrated structure upon solidification. This unified construction eliminates the need for separate attachment steps, thereby improving energy generation efficiency without incurring additional processing time.
4Reliability
If separate attachment processes are used for PV devices, then the manufacturing steps can be simplified, but it requires subsequent mechanical connections that are not resilient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the plastic material from solid to molten during the molding process, allowing it to flow around and encapsulate the PV devices. Upon cooling and solidification, the plastic forms a permanent, resilient connection that mechanically integrates the PV devices into the solar panel structure. This parameter change enables a single-step process that simultaneously achieves secure attachment and structural integration, eliminating the need for separate mechanical connection steps.
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 results in a monolithic, unified article with an embedded PV device that is more resilient to mechanical shocks, less prone to attachment mistakes, and maintains operational efficiency, while being securely integrated without visible gaps or air-gaps, ensuring effective PV energy generation.
Implementation Method 1
The photovoltaic (PV) effect is the creation of voltage and electric current in a material upon exposure to light. It is a physical and chemical phenomenon. The PV effect has been used in order to generate electricity from sunlight. For example, PV solar panels absorb sunlight or light energy or photons, and generate current electricity through the PV effect.
Data Source
AI summary
Injection molded, blow molded, and rotational molded articles that integrally incorporate an operable photovoltaic device, and method and system for producing such articles. A method includes: placing an operable photovoltaic device at an inner-side of a mold cavity of a mold; performing injection molding or reaction injection molding or blow molding or rotational molding, of raw plastic materials or raw polymeric materials; and forming a single or singular, monolithic, unified or uniform, molded article that integrally incorporates and fixedly holds and tightly secures, therein or thereon, the operable photovoltaic device, directly and securely and tightly via the solidified molded plastic or the solidified molded polymer that are adjacent to it.