US 12,407,296 B2
Photovoltaic shingles with multi-module power electronics
Richard Perkins, San Jose, CA (US); Gabriela Bunea, San Jose, CA (US); Thierry Nguyen, San Francisco, CA (US); Lewis Abra, San Francisco, CA (US); Babak Farhangi, San Jose, CA (US); Hasib Amin, Parsippany, NJ (US); and Henry Pham, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to GAF Energy LLC, Parsippany, NJ (US)
Filed by GAF Energy LLC, Parsippany, NJ (US)
Filed on Nov. 15, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/949,344.
Application 18/949,344 is a continuation of application No. 18/584,881, filed on Feb. 22, 2024, granted, now 12,176,849.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/486,574, filed on Feb. 23, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2025/0080045 A1, Mar. 6, 2025
Int. Cl. H02S 40/36 (2014.01); E04D 1/30 (2006.01); H02S 20/25 (2014.01)
CPC H02S 40/36 (2014.12) [E04D 1/30 (2013.01); H02S 20/25 (2014.12); E04D 2001/308 (2013.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system, comprising:
a plurality of building integrated photovoltaic modules installed on a roof deck,
wherein the plurality of building integrated photovoltaic modules is arranged in an array on the roof deck,
wherein the plurality of building integrated photovoltaic modules includes a first building integrated photovoltaic module and a second building integrated photovoltaic module,
wherein the first building integrated photovoltaic module is vertically adjacent to the second building integrated photovoltaic module,
wherein each of the plurality of building integrated photovoltaic modules includes
a plurality of solar cells arranged in at least one row, and
a power electronics unit,
wherein the power electronics unit is adjacent to a first end of one of the at least one row of the plurality of solar cells,
wherein the power electronics unit is electrically connected to the plurality of solar cells,
wherein the power electronics unit of the first building integrated photovoltaic module is electrically connected to the power electronics unit of the second building integrated photovoltaic module,
wherein the power electronics unit includes a first terminal and a second terminal,
a first electrical connector electrically connected to the plurality of solar cells, and
a second electrical connector electrically connected to the plurality of solar cells,
wherein the first terminal of the power electronics unit of the first building integrated photovoltaic module is electrically connected to the second electrical connector of the first building integrated photovoltaic module, and wherein the first terminal of the power electronics unit of the second building integrated photovoltaic module is electrically connected to the second electrical connector of the second building integrated photovoltaic module.