| CPC H02S 30/10 (2014.12) [F16B 5/0012 (2013.01); H02S 40/36 (2014.12)] | 21 Claims |
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1. A photovoltaic panel comprising:
a plurality of interchangeable modules that are mechanically and electrically interconnected;
wherein each module comprises:
electrically conductive ribbons having a first end and a second end;
a solar cell panel with recesses that each receive the first end of one of the electrically conductive ribbons, the solar cell panel having a face extending between peripheral edges, a cell length, and a cell width;
a frame receiving the solar cell panel, the frame comprising:
a front portion defining a central aperture through which the face of the solar cell panel is exposed;
a back portion attached to the front portion;
a groove defined in the front portion and back portion, the groove extending into the front portion and the back portion from the central aperture and open to the central aperture, the groove having a groove length at least 10 millimeters longer than the cell length and a groove width at least 10 millimeters longer than the cell width, the solar cell panel received in the groove, the groove sized to accommodate thermal expansion of the solar cell panel within the frame;
wherein the front portion and the back portion of the frame together define electrical connection points, each electrical connection point having a void receiving the second end of one of the electrically conductive ribbons of the solar cell panel which are disposed in the electrical connection points, the electrical connection points including two positive electrical connection points and two negative electrical connection points;
wherein the frame has male mechanical connectors and female mechanical connectors positioned such that the male mechanical connectors on one module are engageable with the female mechanical connectors of an adjacent module, the two positive electrical connection points collocated with the male mechanical connectors and the two negative electrical connection points collocated with the female mechanical connectors;
wherein the male mechanical connectors of each module are positioned on a first edge and a second edge of the module, and the female mechanical connectors positioned on a third edge of the module opposite the first edge and on a fourth edge of the module opposite the second edge;
wherein the male mechanical connectors extend along the entire first edge and the entire second edge of the module, and wherein the female mechanical connectors extend along the entire third edge and the entire fourth edge; and
wherein the male mechanical connectors and the female mechanical connectors are arranged in a continuous square wave pattern along the respective edges of the frame.
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