US 11,728,451 B2
Flexible laminates for solar modules
Nathan Stoddard, Beaverton, OR (US); and Mukesh Dulani, Portland, OR (US)
Assigned to MAXEON SOLAR PTE. LTD., Singapore (SG)
Filed by Maxeon Solar Pte. Ltd., Singapore (SG)
Filed on Jun. 19, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/445,237.
Application 15/912,768 is a division of application No. 14/976,256, filed on Dec. 21, 2015, granted, now 10,355,152.
Application 16/445,237 is a continuation of application No. 15/912,768, filed on Mar. 6, 2018, granted, now 10,381,498.
Prior Publication US 2019/0305160 A1, Oct. 3, 2019
Int. Cl. H01L 31/048 (2014.01); H02S 20/00 (2014.01); H02S 20/23 (2014.01); H02S 40/36 (2014.01); H02S 40/32 (2014.01); H01L 31/05 (2014.01); H02S 30/00 (2014.01)
CPC H01L 31/048 (2013.01) [H01L 31/0508 (2013.01); H02S 20/00 (2013.01); H02S 20/23 (2014.12); H02S 30/00 (2013.01); H02S 40/32 (2014.12); H02S 40/36 (2014.12); Y02B 10/10 (2013.01); Y02E 10/50 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A solar module comprising:
a first cover layer;
a second cover layer;
an active layer including a plurality of solar cells disposed between the first cover layer and the second cover layer, wherein a first gap is defined between each of the plurality of solar cells;
a reinforcement on a first face of each of the plurality of solar cells, wherein the reinforcement includes a plurality of separate reinforcement layers attached to the first face of each of the plurality of solar cells, wherein a second gap is defined between edges of each of the plurality of separate reinforcement layers; and
a plurality of flexible connectors located between the first cover layer and the second cover layer, wherein the flexible connectors extend through the first gap between each of the plurality of solar cells to electrically connect the solar cells to one another,
wherein the plurality of separate reinforcement layers include reinforcement layers that each reinforce a subset of at least two solar cells of the plurality of solar cells, wherein one of the plurality of separate reinforcement layers corresponding to that subset bridges the first gap between the at least two solar cells.