Patent ID: 11876145
Assignee: APTERA MOTORS CORP.
Field: Surface technology, coating (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC H  B  Y | IPC B  H

Claim 7:
8. A solar panel plant having a plurality of manufacturing stations comprising:
at a preparation station, providing a preformed substrate oriented so that the convex surface faces upwardly;
at a first encapsulant station, disposing a first encapsulant proximate said convex surface of said preformed substrate, so that said first encapsulant at least partially conforms to said convex surface thereof;
at a solar cell array station, disposing a solar cell array proximate said first encapsulant, said solar cell array being manufactured by steps comprising:
at an auto-string station, coupling an interconnect between two adjacent solar cells to form a row comprising a plurality of solar cells;
at a bar station, coupling a Z-bar interconnect between two adjacent solar cells, each adjacent solar cell being formed within an adjacent row of solar cells, to form said solar cell array comprising at least two rows, wherein said coupling said Z-bar interconnect between said two adjacent solar cells and said coupling said interconnect between said two adjacent solar cells face upwardly, and coupling a termination bar to said solar cell at both ends of said solar cell array;
at a flip table station, flipping said array of solar cells so that said coupling said Z-bar interconnect between said two adjacent solar cells, and said coupling said interconnect between said two adjacent solar cells, face downwardly; and
at a pick-flat, placed-curved station, picking said solar cell array, and placing said solar cell array proximate said first encapsulant so that said solar cells of said solar cell array at least partially conform to said first encapsulant;

at a termination opening cutting station, cutting at least one termination opening through said preformed substrate;
at a termination routing station, routing said each of said termination bars of said solar cell array through said at least one terminal opening, such that said termination bars remain electrically decoupled;
at a second encapsulant station, disposing a second encapsulant proximate said solar cell array, so that said second encapsulant at least partially conforms to said solar cell array;
at a superstrate station, disposing a preformed superstrate proximate said second encapsulant, wherein said preformed substrate and said preformed superstrate form a complementary shape when arranged in an assembled configuration, thereby forming a lamination stack;
at a laminator station, laminating said lamination stack in a laminator to produce a solar panel;
at an edge trimming station, trimming at least one edge of said solar panel;
at a junction box feed and solder station, feeding said termination bars of said solar cell array through a junction box and soldering said termination bars to said junction box; and
at a junction box potting station, potting said junction box to form a laminated solar panel product.