Abstract:
The present disclosure relates generally to a method to break and assemble solar cells to make solar panel. The present disclosure provides a method to produce solar pieces from solar cell, as well as assemble them together. The present disclosure device is unique when compared with other known devices and solutions because the present disclosure provides a high speed method to break scribed cells into pieces. A method of forming a string of solar cells includes providing a scribe line on a solar cell and placing a first ribbon on the solar cell. The method then includes placing the solar cell on a supporter and then breaking the solar cell into a plurality of solar cell pieces. The method then has the step of placing a second ribbon on the solar cell pieces and soldering the first and second ribbons and the solar cell pieces and then assembling the solar cell pieces into a string of solar cells.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The instant patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/276,386 to Luo et al. filed on Sep. 12, 2009, and which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/276,387 to Luo et al., which has common inventors and filed on Sep. 12, 2009, and which is also herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present disclosure relates generally to a method to break and assemble solar cells to make solar panel from a number of solar cell pieces. 
         [0004]    2. Background of the Invention 
         [0005]    Standard industrial solar cells are square or pseudo-square. A solar cell is cut into smaller pieces for some applications. These may include a high voltage solar panel, or a low concentration solar panel. A plurality of pieces are electrically connected together to form solar panel. These include manufacturing steps including soldering ribbon connectors to a plurality of cells. As solar cell is very fragile and expensive, the process of breaking and assembling is challenging. 
         [0006]    It would be desirable to have a method to break solar cell into pieces at a high throughput. It would be desirable to have method to break solar cell into pieces at a high yield. It would be desirable to have method to make simple and cheap equipment to produce solar pieces. Furthermore, it would be desirable to have method to assemble solar cell pieces at a high throughput. Still further, it would be desirable to have method to assemble solar cell pieces at a high yield 
         [0007]    Still further, it would be desirable to have method to make simple and cheap manufacturing equipment to assemble a number of solar pieces. Therefore, there currently exists a need in the industry for manufacturing devices and associated manufacturing methods to break solar cell into pieces or component parts. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present disclosure advantageously fills the aforementioned deficiencies by providing a method to produce solar pieces from a solar cell, as well as assemble the solar pieces together. The present disclosure device is unique when compared with other known devices and solutions because the present disclosure provides: a high speed method to break the scribed cells into pieces. The present disclosure uses a supporter to introduce a trench beneath the scribe lines, which helps to break the solar cell. The present disclosure also uses a pusher or a roller to beak the solar cell. The present disclosure also uses pushing and rolling forces around the scribe lines to break the solar cell. The solar cell also uses a supporter with a pattern. The present disclosure provides that the cell piece drops into a location by gravity after breaking. Then an insulator is applied between ribbons to form an assembled solar cell. 
         [0009]    According to a first aspect there is provided a method of forming a string of solar cells comprising providing a scribe line on a solar cell and placing a first ribbon on the solar cell. The method then includes placing the solar cell on a supporter and then breaking the solar cell into a plurality of solar cell pieces. The method then has the step of placing a second ribbon on the solar cell pieces and soldering the first and second ribbons and the solar cell pieces and then assembling the solar cell pieces into a string of solar cells. 
         [0010]    According to another aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a method of forming a string of solar cells comprising providing a scribe line on a solar cell and placing the solar cell on a supporter having a gap. The method then breaks the solar cell into a plurality of solar cell pieces by aligning the scribe line with the gap and then soldering a first and a second ribbons and the solar cell pieces. The method then assembles the solar cell pieces into a string of solar cells. 
         [0011]    According to yet another aspect there is provided a method of forming a string of solar cells comprising providing a scribe line on a solar cell and placing the solar cell on a supporter comprising a first member and a plurality of protruding second members extending from the first member. The method then breaks the solar cell into a plurality of solar cell pieces using the protruding members and the scribe line or using a gap formed between at least two protruding members and the scribe line. The method then places at least one ribbon on the solar cell pieces and then solders the at least one ribbon and the solar cell pieces and then assembles the solar cell pieces into a string of solar cells. 
         [0012]    According to another aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a supporter. The supporter is for breaking a solar cell at a high throughput. The supporter comprises a first supporter member and a plurality of protruding second members extending from the first member. The solar cell comprises a scribe line. The scribe line is placed on the second members and broken into a plurality of solar cell pieces using the protruding members and the scribe line or broken using a gap formed between at least two protruding members and the scribe line. 
         [0013]    According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a method of forming a string of solar cells comprising breaking a solar cell comprising a body with a scribe line. The solar cell is placed on a plurality of protruding members and the solar cell being broken into a plurality of solar cell pieces with the breaking of the solar cell using the protruding members and the scribe line or breaking the solar cell comprising the body with the scribe line with the breaking being accomplished by placing the scribe line on a gap formed between at least two protruding members and using the gap formed between at least two protruding members and the scribe line. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0014]    The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout different views. The drawings are not meant to limit the invention to particular mechanisms for carrying out the invention in practice, but rather, the drawings are illustrative of certain ways of performing the invention. Others will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  shows a flow chart of an embodiment of the present disclosure to break a solar cell and form an assembly cell. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2A  shows a top view of solar cell with scribe lines on the backside with the scribe lines being accomplished by a saw, a laser, a water jet, etc. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2B  shows a simplified cross section of a solar cell with the scribe lines on the backside. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3A  shows the simplified side view of a sample of supporter that has trenches, which are parallel to the scribe lines and spaced by the same width as the cell pieces between the scribe lines. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3B  shows a simplified side view of a supporter with back ribbons that are patterned and that are placed on a top side with the locations of the back ribbons matching bus bars on the solar cells. 
           [0020]      FIG. 3C  shows the simplified side view of placing a scribe lined solar cell on the supporter and the bottom ribbons with the scribe lines facing down toward the supporter where the scribe lines are on the top of trenches and the bus bars of solar cell align with the bottom ribbons. 
           [0021]      FIG. 3D  shows the simplified side view of an embodiment of using a pusher to break the solar cell with the pusher having multiple roller bars being aligned with scribe lines and spaced the same with the pusher being pushed on the cell and moved left and right to have roller bars to roll around scribe lines to break the cell. 
           [0022]      FIG. 3E  shows the simplified side view of another embodiment of using a roller to break the solar cell with the roller having a roller bar being aligned with scribe lines and with the roller being rolled from one edge of the cell to the other edge and generally perpendicular to the scribe lines. 
           [0023]      FIG. 3F  shows the simplified side view of an embodiment with broken solar cell with the supporter being designed so that cell piece drop in to the trench after break and the cell pieces align in parallel and touch the ribbon. 
           [0024]      FIG. 3G  shows the simplified side view of introducing insulator onto the bottom ribbon between the cell pieces. 
           [0025]      FIG. 3H  shows the simplified side view of introducing top ribbons on to cell pieces and being aligned with the bus bars of solar cell pieces. 
           [0026]      FIG. 4  shows a flow chart of another embodiment of the present disclosure to break a solar cell and form an assembly cell. 
           [0027]      FIG. 5A  shows the simplified side view of a supporter and a scribe cell on top with the supporter is designed to have small trenches and a flat support located beneath the cell piece and wherein the distance between the trenches is the same as that of scribe lines. 
           [0028]      FIG. 5B  shows the simplified side view of an embodiment of using a pusher to break the solar cell and after breaking, the cell becomes cell pieces sitting on top of the supporter. 
           [0029]      FIG. 5C  shows the simplified side view of using vacuum cups to pick up cell pieces. 
           [0030]      FIG. 5D  shows the simplified side view of placing cell pieces onto bottom ribbons. 
           [0031]      FIG. 5E  shows the simplified side view of introducing insulator onto the bottom ribbon between cell pieces. 
           [0032]      FIG. 5F  shows the simplified side view of introducing top ribbons on to cell pieces aligned with the bus bars of solar cell pieces and the cell pieces and ribbons are soldered together. 
           [0033]      FIG. 6A  shows a flow chart of another embodiment of the present disclosure to introduce the insulator between ribbons after the soldering of solar cell and ribbons. 
           [0034]      FIG. 6B  shows the simplified side view of introducing insulator into space between the ribbons and cell pieces by spraying liquid insulator, which is then cured. 
           [0035]      FIG. 7  shows the simplified side view of soldering an assembly cells into a string. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0036]    The present disclosure is directed to a method to separate a solar cell into solar cell pieces and assemble the pieces into a component. The present disclosure includes devices to break solar cell and devices to form an assembly, which includes, but not limited to following devices: a) scriber or a device to cut scribe lines into the solar cell, b) a supporter to support the solar cell and to separate the solar cell into pieces, c) a bus bar pattern maker, and d) a pusher or roller, The present disclosure includes a process to break solar cell and to form an assembly, which includes following processes, but not limited to: a) a process to scribe the solar cell, such as saw dicing, and laser dicing. The scribe is normally from the back of the cell and is a cut located partially through the cell. The process also has the steps of a) a process to make a supporter with a trench pattern matches the scribe lines, b) a process to make a supporter with a trench that matches the width of the cell unit, c) a process to move a scribed cell onto a supporter and with scribe line facing a trench in the supporter and d) a process to align the cell to the supporter so that the scribe is aligned to the trench in the supporter, and e) a process make a ribbon patterned to match the holder and f) a process to break the solar cell into the pieces. The process also has steps g) a process to place cell pieces into ribbons, h) a process to assemble solar cell unit with the ribbons, i) a process to introduce an insulator between the top and the bottom ribbons and j) a process to solder the cell and the ribbons together. 
         [0037]    Examples related to the present disclosure are shown. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, to one having ordinary skill in the art, it will be apparent that the specific detail need not be employed to practice the present disclosure. Well known methods related to the implementation are not described in detail in order to obscuring the present disclosure. 
         [0038]      FIG. 1  shows a flow chart of an embodiment of the present disclosure to break solar cell and form assembly generally shown as reference numeral  100  and steps  105  to  123 . The method starts at step  105  and then the solar cell is scribed from the back side of the cell at step  107 . This may be scribed perpendicular to the bus bars. The bottom ribbons are placed on a supporter at step  109 . The placement is made with a location matching the bus bar on the cell. The scribed cell is placed on top of bottom ribbons (step  110 ) and the scribed cell or cell with the scribe lines is then placed on a supporter with the scribe lines facing the supporter. By using force around the scribe lines, then the cell is broken at step  111  and the cell pieces drop into the trenches of the supporter at step  113 . An insulator is then placed on the bottom ribbon between the cell pieces at step  115 . Top ribbons are placed on the top at step  117 , aligning to the front bus bar of the solar cell. Then cell pieces and the ribbons are soldered together to form an assembly cell (steps  119  and  121 ) and then the method  100  ends at step  100 . Some steps  105 - 123  may be performed in a different order or simultaneously and the method  100  is not limited to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 2A  shows a top view of a solar cell  200  with a number of scribe lines  203  on the backside. The scribe lines  203  can be accomplished by various methods. These may be accomplished by saw, laser, water jet, etc. or any method known in the art. A solar cell  200  is scribed on the backside  201 , and preferably made perpendicularly to the backside bus bar  202 . The scribe line  203  is partially made through the solar cell  200 .  FIG. 2B  shows a simplified cross section of a scribed solar cell  200  shown in  FIG. 2A . 
         [0040]      FIG. 3A  shows the simplified side view of a sample supporter  301  for supporting the solar cell  200 . The supporter  301  is for breaking a solar cell at a high throughput. The supporter  301  includes two parts or a first supporter member and a plurality of protruding second members extending from the first member. The protruding second members are a number of triangular shaped steps that form trenches  300 . The solar cell  200  having a scribe line  203  is placed on the second members and broken into a plurality of solar cell pieces using the protruding members and the scribe line  203  or broken using a gap formed between at least two protruding members and the scribe line  203 . 
         [0041]    The supporter  301  has a number of trenches  300 , which are parallel to the scribe lines  203  and which are spaced the same as the scribe lines  203  on a solar cell  200  in a complementary fashion.  FIG. 3B  shows the simplified side view of a supporter  300  and the back ribbons  302  being patterned and placed on top of the supporter  300 . A back ribbon  302  is patterned to match with the trenches  300  of the supporter  301 . The number of the back ribbons  302  are placed on the top of the supporter  301 . The number of the back ribbons  302  match the location of the bottom bus bar  202  of the solar cell  200 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 3C  shows the simplified side view of placing a scribed or cut solar cell  303  on the supporter  301  and a view of the bottom ribbons  302 . A scribe solar cell  303  is moved onto a top of the bottom ribbons  302  and the supporter  301 . The configuration has the scribe lines  306  facing downward in a position located generally toward the supporter  301 . The front side  304  of the solar cell  303  faces upwardly. The scribe lines  306  are on the top of the trenches  300 . The backside bus bars  202  of the solar cell generally align with the bottom ribbons  302 . 
         [0043]      FIG. 3D  shows the simplified side view of an embodiment of using a pusher with roll bars  308  to break the solar cell  303 . The pusher has multiple roller bars  308  being aligned with scribe lines  306 . The roller bars  308  impart a downward force on the solar cell  302  and then are moved generally left and right around the scribe lines  306  to break the cell  303  into cell pieces  305  as shown by reference arrow A. 
         [0044]      FIG. 3E  shows the simplified side view of another embodiment of using a roller  308  to break the solar cell  303 . The roller  308  has one roller bar  308 ′ aligned with scribe lines  306 . The roller bar  308 ′ is rolled from one edge of the solar cell  302  to the other edge of the solar cell  302  and is forced perpendicularly to the scribe lines  306  thus breaking cell  302  into the cell pieces  305  in an even manner. This can make the method of manufacturing the solar cell pieces having a faster throughput. 
         [0045]      FIG. 3F  shows the simplified side view of an embodiment with the broken solar cell  302  broken into the cell pieces  305  in an even manner. For this embodiment, the supporter  301  is designed so that the cell piece  305  drop in to the trench  300  after breaking the solar cell  303  into the cell pieces  305  in an even manner. The cell pieces  305  are aligned in parallel and sit in the trench  300  on the top of the bottom ribbons  302 . 
         [0046]      FIG. 3G  shows the simplified side view of introducing an insulator  307  onto the bottom ribbon  302  and between the cell pieces  305 . As an embodiment, a liquid insulator  307  is sprayed by nozzles  307 . The liquid insulator  307  is sprayed on to bottom bus bar  302  between the cell pieces  305  and then the liquid insulator  307  is dried or cured into a solid. The insulator  307  can be polymer materials, such as silicone, EVA or any other insulator known in the art. The drying or curing can be done by varying of process, such as heat, UV, IR or any other curing method known in the art. The drying or curing can be done after spraying, or during the soldering of the ribbons  302 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 3H  shows the simplified side view of introducing a number of top ribbons  308  on to the cell pieces  305  being aligned with bus bars of the solar cell pieces. The top ribbons  308  are placed on top of cell pieces  305  and are aligned with the front bus bar of the cell pieces  305 . The insulator  307  insulates a bottom ribbon  302  and a top ribbon  308 . The cell pieces  305  and the bottom ribbon  302  and the top ribbon  308  are then all soldered together by various methods or means, such as hot bar soldering, infrared soldering, laser soldering or any soldering method known in the art. 
         [0048]      FIG. 4  shows a flow chart of another embodiment of the present disclosure to break solar cell and form an assembly generally shown as reference numeral  101 . The method  101  starts at step  102  and passes to step  104 . The solar cell is then scribed from the back side of the solar cell and generally perpendicular to the bus bars at step  104 . The scribe cell is then placed on top of a supporter with the scribe lines facing the supporter (step  106 ). By using force around the scribe lines, the cell is then broken and cell pieces stay on top of supporter (step  108 ). The cell pieces are taken and placed onto the bottom ribbons on the soldering holder (step  110 - 112 ). An insulator is placed on the bottom ribbon between the cell pieces (step  114 ). Top ribbons are placed on the top side (step  116 ) and are aligned to the front bus bar of the solar cell. Then cell pieces and the ribbons are soldered together to form an assembly (steps  118 - 120 ). Some steps  105 - 123  may be performed in a different order or simultaneously and the method  100  is not limited to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0049]      FIG. 5A  shows the simplified side view of a supporter  501  having a scribe cell  502  on a top side thereof. A scribe cell  502  is then placed on the supporter  501  with a scribe line  504  facing the supporter on the trench  500 . The supporter  501  has flat top, which is disposed underneath the cell piece  503 . The supporter  501  is for breaking a solar cell at a high throughput. The supporter  501  includes two parts or a first supporter member and a plurality of protruding second members extending from the first member. The protruding second members are a number of triangular shaped steps that form trenches  500 . The solar cell having a scribe line is placed on the second members and broken into a plurality of solar cell pieces using a gap or trench  500  formed between at least two protruding members and the scribe line. 
         [0050]      FIG. 5B  shows the simplified side view of an embodiment of using a pusher having roller bars  505  to break the solar cell. The pusher has multiple roller bars  505  being generally aligned with the scribe lines  504 . The roller bars  505  impart a force on the cell  502 . When the force is supplied to the roller bars  505  and when the roller bars  505  are moved left and right around the scribe lines  504  break the cell  502  into the cell pieces  503 . 
         [0051]      FIG. 5C  shows the simplified side view of an embodiment of the moving of the cell pieces  503 . For this example, a vacuum cup  506  holds a cell piece  503  from a top side and the vacuum cup  506  then grasps the cell piece  503  upwardly.  FIG. 5D  shows a simplified side view of placing the cell pieces  503  on a top and on a bottom of the ribbons. After picking up the cell pieces  503 , the vacuum cups  506  move to separate cell pieces  503  from each other to leave a gap  507 . Then vacuum cups  506  then place the cell pieces  503  onto the bottom ribbons  508 . The bottom ribbons  508  are then placed to align with backside bus bar  507  of the cell pieces  503 . 
         [0052]      FIG. 5E  shows the simplified side view of introducing an insulator  509  onto the bottom ribbon and generally between the cell pieces  503 . As an embodiment, a liquid insulator  509  is sprayed by a number of nozzles  510  on to bottom bus bar  507 . This is sprayed between the cell pieces  503  and then dried or cured into a solid. The insulator  509  can be a polymer material, such as silicone, EVA or any other insulator known in the art. The drying or curing can be done by various processes including heat, ultraviolet, infrared, or any other drying or curing method known in the art. The drying or curing can be done substantially immediately after spraying, or the drying or curing can be done during the soldering of the ribbons  507 . 
         [0053]      FIG. 5F  shows the simplified side view of introducing a number of top ribbons  511  on to cell pieces  503  that are aligned with the bus bars of the solar cell pieces  503 . Top ribbons  511  are placed on a top of the cell pieces  503  and are aligned with the front bus bar of the cell pieces  503 . The insulator  509  then insulates a bottom ribbon  507  and a top ribbon  511 . The cell pieces  503  and the bottom ribbons  507  and the top ribbons  511  are then soldered together by various soldering methods including, such as hot bar, infrared, laser or any method known in the art. 
         [0054]    The insulator is introduced before the placement of a top bus bar. As another option, the insulator can be introduced after the placement of a top bus bar and even the soldering of bus bar.  FIG. 6A  shows a flow chart of another embodiment of the present disclosure to introduce an insulator after the soldering of the bus bar. The method  600 ′ commences at step  601 ′ and passes to step  602 ′ where soldering occurs. The liquid insulator is dispensed into the space between the ribbons and the cell pieces (step  604 ′). The insulator is the solidified at step  606 ′ and then the assembly is made at step  608 ′ and the method  600 ′ ends at step  610 ′. 
         [0055]      FIG. 6B  shows a simplified side view of introducing an insulator  609  into a gap between a number of ribbons  611  and a number of cell pieces  603 . After soldering, an assembly  601  is formed. The assembly  601  comprises cell pieces  603 , a top ribbon  611 , and a bottom ribbon  607 . Liquid insulator  609  sprayed by nozzles  610  into the gaps  608 . The gaps  608  are located between the cell pieces  603 , the top ribbon  611  and the bottom ribbon  607 . The insulator  609  can be any polymer material including silicone, EVA or any other insulator materials. The drying or curing can be done by varying of process including heat, ultraviolet, infrared, or any other drying or curing method known in the art. 
         [0056]    The assembled cells can be connected into a string in a series to make a solar panel as shown. One option is to manufacture the top and the bottom ribbon to jut, stick or protrude out on the assembly end. Then, the method performs the soldering of the “ribbon to cell” and the “ribbon to ribbon” simultaneously. 
         [0057]      FIG. 7  shows a simplified side view of the cells into a string  700 . The extension of the top ribbon  702  of one assembly cell  701  overlaps with the extension of the bottom ribbon  704  of an adjacent assembly cell  703 . The soldering can be performed so that “ribbon to cell” and the “ribbon to ribbon” soldering is performed substantially simultaneously. By repeating the process on multiple cells, a string of solar cells  700  is formed. 
         [0058]    Generally, in operation, the computer system operable with that method shown can be accomplished in a computerized fashion and can be controlled by an operating system. Typical examples of operating systems are MS-DOS, Windows 95, 98, 2000, XP, Vista and Windows 7 from Microsoft Corporation, or Solaris and SunOS from Sun Microsystems, Inc., UNIX based operating systems, LINUX based operating systems, or the Apple OSX from Apple Corporation. As the computer system operates, input such as input search data, database record data, programs and commands, received from users or other processing systems, are stored on storage device. Certain commands cause the processor to retrieve and execute the stored programs. The programs executing on the processor may obtain more data from the same or a different input device, such as a network connection. The programs may also access data in a database for example, and commands and other input data may cause the processor to index, search and perform other operations on the database in relation to other input data. Data may be generated which is sent to the output device for display to the user or for transmission to another computer system or device. Typical examples of the computer system are personal computers and workstations, hand-held computers, dedicated computers designed for a specific purpose, and large main frame computers suited for use many users. The present disclosure is not limited to being implemented on any specific type of computer system or data processing device. 
         [0059]    It is noted that the present disclosure may also be implemented in hardware or circuitry which embodies the logic and processing disclosed herein, or alternatively, the present disclosure may be implemented in software in the form of a computer program stored on a computer readable medium such as a storage device. In the later case, the present disclosure in the form of computer program logic and executable instructions is read and executed by the processor and instructs the computer system to perform the functionality disclosed as the disclosure herein. If the present disclosure is embodied as a computer program, the computer program logic is not limited to being implemented in any specific programming language. For example, commonly used programming languages such as C, C++, JAVA as well as others may be used to implement the logic and functionality of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the subject matter of the present disclosure is not limited to currently existing computer processing devices or programming languages, but rather, is meant to be able to be implemented in many different types of environments in both hardware and software. 
         [0060]    Furthermore, combinations of embodiments of the disclosure may be divided into specific functions and implemented on different individual computer processing devices and systems which may be interconnected to communicate and interact with each other. Dividing up the functionality of the disclosure between several different computers is meant to be covered within the scope of the disclosure. 
         [0061]    While this disclosure has been particularly shown and described with references to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that is made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the following claims.