US 12,015,375 B2
Lead assembly for connecting solar panel arrays to inverter
Dean Solon, Gallatin, TN (US)
Assigned to SHOALS TECHNOLOGIES GROUP, LLC, Portland, TN (US)
Filed by SHOALS TECHNOLOGIES GROUP, LLC, Portland, TN (US)
Filed on Jun. 26, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/341,655.
Application 18/341,655 is a continuation of application No. 17/301,609, filed on Apr. 8, 2021, granted, now 11,689,153, issued on Jun. 27, 2023.
Application 17/301,609 is a continuation of application No. 14/849,458, filed on Sep. 9, 2015, granted, now 10,992,254, issued on Apr. 27, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/047,773, filed on Sep. 9, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2023/0336118 A1, Oct. 19, 2023
Int. Cl. H02S 40/30 (2014.01); H01R 4/70 (2006.01); H01R 9/03 (2006.01)
CPC H02S 40/30 (2014.12) [H01R 4/70 (2013.01); H01R 9/03 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A lead assembly for electrically coupling one or more drop lines to a feeder cable, the lead assembly comprising:
a joint where a section of the feeder cable and a section of the one or more drop lines can be electrically coupled at a nexus, the joint including the section of the feeder cable and the section of the one or more drop lines; and
a monolithic mold that encapsulates the nexus, the monolithic mold further comprising:
a feeder pathway extending completely through the monolithic mold and configured to allow the feeder cable to extend completely through the monolithic mold; and
one or more drop line pathways that each extend at least partially through the monolithic mold, and each configured to allow one of the one or more drop lines to extend at least partially through the monolithic mold;
wherein:
each of the one or more drop lines are configured to be capable of receiving electrical power from a plurality of solar panels for combination at the nexus to the feeder cable;
one of the one or more drop lines includes a section of exposed wire at the nexus;
the feeder cable includes a section of exposed wire at the nexus; and
at least a portion of the section of exposed wire of the drop line is parallel to at least a portion of the section of exposed wire of the feeder cable; wherein the one or more drop line pathways and the feeder pathway extend parallel to one another within the nexus, and the monolithic mold has distinct openings at ends of the feeder pathway and one or more drop line pathways through which the one or more drop lines and the feeder cable exit the monolithic mold.