Frameless Solar Module Carrier Spacer Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Frameless solar modules face challenges in maintaining a consistent minimum distance between reinforcing struts and substrates during assembly, leading to variability in adhesive bonds and increased mechanical stress due to thermal expansion differences between materials, which complicates reliable and cost-effective production.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating spacers within the adhesive layer that are harder than the uncured adhesive, allowing for a specified minimum distance to be maintained between the module carrier and substrate, and made of elastically deformable materials to absorb thermal expansion and reduce point loads, ensuring secure attachment and reduced wear on adhesive bonds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If spacers are introduced into the adhesive layer to maintain minimum distance, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces spacers as intermediary elements within the adhesive layer to maintain a predetermined minimum distance between the module carrier and substrate. These spacers act as mediators that physically enforce the required spacing during assembly, ensuring consistent adhesive bond quality without requiring complex external positioning mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacers are incorporated into the adhesive layer before the module carrier is attached to the substrate. This preliminary placement ensures that the minimum distance is predetermined and maintained from the outset of the assembly process, preventing variability in adhesive bond formation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If module carrier is made from different material than substrate, then adaptability is improved, but thermal expansion differences cause harmful effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the spacers elastically deformable at the specific location where thermal expansion stress occurs. This localized elastic property allows the spacers to absorb dimensional changes caused by differential thermal expansion between the module carrier and substrate, preventing stress concentration and bond failure while maintaining the benefits of using different materials for these components.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacers are designed with elastically deformable material properties that allow them to change their physical state in response to thermal expansion. As temperature varies, the spacers can elastically deform to accommodate the dimensional changes between the module carrier and substrate, maintaining the predetermined minimum distance while absorbing thermal stress.
3Manufacturing precision
If spacers are made harder than uncured adhesive, then manufacturing precision is improved, but reliability decreases due to point loads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent carefully selects the hardness parameter of the spacer material to fall within a specific range: harder than the uncured adhesive to maintain distance specification, but softer than or equal to the cured adhesive to prevent point load damage. This parameter optimization ensures both manufacturing precision and bond reliability are achieved simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacers are made of elastically deformable material that provides different mechanical responses at different stages: during assembly, they are hard enough to maintain the predetermined minimum distance against the soft uncured adhesive, but their elastic deformability allows them to yield slightly under load to distribute forces evenly, preventing point load concentration that could damage the bond.
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 allows for reliable, cost-effective, and secure attachment of module carriers to substrates, maintaining a specified minimum distance and reducing mechanical stress from thermal expansion, thereby enhancing the durability and efficiency of the bonding process.
Implementation Method 1
the adhesive layer containing one or more spacers, each of which is designed to separate the adhesive surface in a predeterminable manner from the substrate surface when the adhesive of the adhesive layer is not hardened
Implementation Method 2
made of elastically deformable materials to absorb thermal expansion and reduce point loads
Implementation Method 3
reducing mechanical stress from thermal expansion
Implementation Method 4
which is bonded to the substrate surface by an adhesive layer made of a hardened adhesive
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
The invention relates to a frameless solar module having a substrate and a cover layer between which a layer structure for forming solar cells is located. At least one module carrier for reinforcing and/or supporting mounting of the solar module is fastened to a substrate surface facing away from the layer structure, said module carrier having at least one adhesive surface which is adhered to the substrate surface by an adhesive layer made of a cured adhesive, wherein the adhesive layer comprises one or a plurality of spacers which are designed to keep the adhesive surface at a specifiable minimum distance from the substrate surface when the adhesive of the adhesive layer is not cured. The spacers have different dimensions for maintaining the distance between the adhesive surface of the module carrier and the substrate surface. The invention also relates to a method for producing a frameless solar module in which an adhesive layer made of a curable adhesive is applied to at least one adhesive surface of a module carrier and/or substrate surface, wherein one or a plurality of spacers are pneumatically blown into the adhesive layer by pressure surge.