US 12,470,170 B2
Integrated cell and circuit interconnection
Natasha Hjerrild, Berkeley, CA (US); and David Kavulak, San Francisco, CA (US)
Assigned to GAF Energy LLC, Parsippany, NJ (US)
Filed by GAF Energy LLC, Parsippany, NJ (US)
Filed on Mar. 14, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/605,498.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/490,145, filed on Mar. 14, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0313701 A1, Sep. 19, 2024
Int. Cl. H02S 40/36 (2014.01); H02S 20/23 (2014.01); H10F 19/70 (2025.01); H10F 19/90 (2025.01)
CPC H02S 40/36 (2014.12) [H02S 20/23 (2014.12); H10F 19/70 (2025.01); H10F 19/906 (2025.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system, comprising:
a plurality of photovoltaic modules,
wherein at least one photovoltaic module of the plurality of photovoltaic modules comprises:
an electrical circuit;
a plurality of photovoltaic substrings comprising a plurality of photovoltaic cells; and
at least one cell interconnection component comprising:
conductive material;
a first extension portion; and
a second extension portion;
wherein the at least one cell interconnection component directly connects a negative terminal at a first end of a first photovoltaic cell of a first substring of the plurality of photovoltaic substrings to a positive terminal at a second end of a second photovoltaic cell of a second substring of the plurality of photovoltaic substrings to electrically connect the first and second photovoltaic cells, wherein, the at least one cell interconnection component is positioned such that the at least one cell interconnection component stacks the first and second photovoltaic cells with respect to each other and a portion of the first and second ends of the first and second photovoltaic cells overlap where the at least one interconnection component is connected;
wherein the first extension portion of the at least one cell interconnection component extends beyond a first edge of the first photovoltaic cell of the first substring, a second edge of the second photovoltaic cell of the second substring, or a combination thereof; and
wherein the first extension portion is connected via a first electrode to at least one other first extension portion of at least one other substring of the plurality of photovoltaic substrings to electrically connect the first substring, the second substring, and the at least one other substring to the electrical circuit, wherein the first electrode is positioned beyond the first edge of the first photovoltaic cell of the first substring, the second edge of the second photovoltaic cell of the second substring, or a combination thereof; and
wherein the second extension portion extends beyond a bottom edge of a last photovoltaic cell of the first substring and is connected via a second electrode to at least one other second extension portion of the at least one other substring.