Patent ID: 11967661
Assignee: BAE SYSTEMS SPACE & MISSION SYSTEMS INC.
Field: Semiconductors (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H  Y | IPC H

Claim 0:
1. A solar cell array, comprising:
a structural panel;
a circuit board substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the circuit board substrate is located on a first side of the structural panel;
a plurality of solar cells disposed on a first surface side of the circuit board substrate, wherein a second surface side of the circuit board substrate faces the first side of the structural panel;
a first conductor structure disposed on or in the circuit board substrate, wherein the first conductor structure electrically connects the solar cells to one another in series to form a solar cell array, and wherein the first conductor structure includes conductive elements formed in or from a first conductive layer fixed to the first surface side of the circuit board substrate; and
a second conductor structure disposed on or in the circuit board substrate and closer to a second surface side of the circuit board substrate than the first conductor structure, wherein the second conductor structure includes conductive elements formed in or from a second conductive layer fixed to the second surface side of the circuit board substrate,
wherein the first conductor structure and the plurality of solar cells define a first current path,
wherein the second conductor structure defines a second current path,
wherein at least some of the conductive elements of the second conductor structure mirror portions of the first current path defined by the plurality of solar cells,
wherein a current through the at least some of the conductive elements of the second conductor structure that mirror portions of the first current path defined by the plurality of solar cells is equal to and in a direction opposite from a current through the portions of the first current path defined by the plurality of solar cells,
wherein other of the conductive elements of the second conductive structure mirror portions of the first current path defined by the conductive elements of the first conductor structure,
wherein a current through the other of the conductive elements of the second conductive structure that mirror portions of the first current path defined by the conductive elements of the first conductor structure is equal to and in a direction opposite from a current through the portions of the first current path defined by the conductive elements of the first conductive structure,
wherein at least a portion of the first current path is separated from the second current path by at least a thickness of at least a portion of the circuit board substrate,
wherein the first conductor structure includes at least a first conductive trace on the first surface of the circuit board substrate, and
wherein the second conductor structure includes a second conductive trace on an intermediate layer of the circuit board substrate.