Patent ID: 9564545
Date: 2017-02-07
CPC Classifications: H01L,H02S,Y02B,Y02E

Claim:
1. An assembly comprising: a photovoltaic sheathing element capable of being affixed on a building structure, the photovoltaic sheathing element including at least: a body portion having: a top side, a bottom side opposing the top side, a first side edge, a second side edge opposing the first side edge, the first side edge and the second side edge extending between and connecting the top side and the bottom side, and a receiving zone disposed on an underside of the body portion; a photovoltaic cell assembly, the photovoltaic cell assembly having one or more portions attached to the body portion; and at least a first connector assembly located in the first side edge and a second connector assembly disposed in the second side edge of the photovoltaic sheathing element and capable of directly or indirectly electrically connecting the photovoltaic cell assembly to one or more horizontally adjoining devices; wherein the body portion includes two or more top peripheral tabs that are a localized extensions of the top side of the body portion and the two or more top peripheral tabs are each capable of fitting under a bottom edge of one or more vertically adjoining devices; wherein the receiving zone includes two or more distinct grooves formed within a back surface of the underside of the body portion for receiving the two or more top peripheral tabs of the one or more vertically adjoining devices such that each of the two or more grooves receives a single one of the two or more top peripheral tabs.