Solar Cell Wiring Member Protruding Ends

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional solar cell module manufacturing methods face issues with defects such as breakage, chipping, and microcracks due to locally applied excessive pressure at burrs or deformed parts of wiring members, leading to reduced fabrication yield and reliability.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves providing a space between the solar cell and the protruding portion of the wiring member, using a conductive bonding layer for electrical connection, and ensuring the wiring member extends beyond the bonding layer to disperse pressure, thereby preventing defects during bonding and sealing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If wiring members are cut from continuum to predetermined length, then they can be sequentially bonded to solar cells, but burrs and deformations are formed at cut portions causing local pressure concentration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewiring member preparationVSAvoidwiring member surface quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by providing protruding portions at the ends of wiring members before bonding. These protruding portions extend beyond the bonding layer and prevent burrs and deformations from contacting the solar cell surface during the bonding process, thereby eliminating local pressure concentration that would otherwise occur at cut portions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The bonding layer serves as an intermediary element between the wiring member and solar cell. By controlling the bonding layer thickness and configuration, the patent ensures that burrs and deformations are isolated from direct contact with the solar cell, while still maintaining effective electrical and mechanical connection through the bonding layer

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Strength

If pressure is applied during bonding of wiring members to solar cells, then bonding strength is achieved, but local pressure concentration at burrs causes solar cell defects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebonding strengthVSAvoidsolar cell integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating protruding portions at specific locations (ends of wiring members) that extend beyond the bonding layer. This localized structural modification ensures that pressure is distributed over a larger area during bonding, preventing concentration at burr locations while maintaining strong bonding at the interface between the wiring member and solar cell

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Stability of the object's composition

If pressure is applied during sealing of solar cells, then sealing is achieved, but local pressure at wiring member burrs causes solar cell breakage and cracks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing integrityVSAvoidsolar cell structural integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The protruding portions are provided in advance before the sealing process. During sealing, these protruding portions extend beyond the bonding layer and prevent burrs and deformations from contacting the solar cell surface, thereby eliminating local pressure concentration that would otherwise cause breakage or cracks when sealing pressure is applied

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Ease of manufacture

If conventional wiring members with burrs are used, then manufacturing is simplified, but fabrication yield decreases due to solar cell defects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewiring member processingVSAvoidfabrication yield

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent effectively treats the burrs and deformations as disposable or irrelevant elements by extending the wiring member ends beyond the bonding layer. This allows the use of conventionally cut wiring members with burrs without compromising solar cell quality, thereby maintaining ease of manufacture while improving fabrication yield by preventing defect-related rejections

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

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 approach enhances the fabrication yield and reliability of solar cell modules by preventing defects like breakage, chipping, and microcracks, ensuring uniform pressure application and improved bonding strength.

Implementation Method 1

pressure applied when the wiring member 2 and the solar cell 3 are bonded will locally increase near a burr or a deformed part of the wiring member 2

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure application: Pressure Increase

Data Source

PatentEP2086022B1Solar cell module and method of manufacturing the same

Publication Date: 2016.06.15 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD

Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~3B
Figure 4A~4B

AI summary

A wiring member is arranged to have a protruding portion extending beyond a bonding layer at its end in the extending direction.