Patent Publication Number: US-2013228212-A1

Title: Component for fastening wire in solar module and solar module using the same

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to China Application Serial Number 201210059044.2, filed Mar. 5, 2012, which is herein incorporated by to reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to a solar module. More particularly, the present invention relates to a component for fastening a wire in a solar module. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     In recent years, energy issues have been the focus of much attention. In order to solve the problems associated with using fuel sources to meet energy demands, a variety of alternative energy technologies have been developed. Because solar energy has many advantages, such as being non-polluting and unlimited, it is a popular choice to replace oil energy. Therefore, more and more solar panels are being disposed on homes, buildings, etc., particularly at locations where there is abundant sunshine. 
     In order to receive sunlight, solar modules are typically exposed to the environment, and this includes exposure to strong winds. Therefore, there is a need to firmly fasten the components of solar modules. 
     SUMMARY 
     An aspect of the invention provides a component for fastening a wire in a solar module. The component includes a fastener and an adhesive layer. The fastener includes substrate, two hooks disposed on the substrate, and two bases disposed on the substrate. A cavity is formed between each of the hooks and the substrate for receiving the wire, and each of the hooks has an opening. The bases are disposed corresponding to the openings. A surface of each of the bases facing away from the cavity is inclined relative to the substrate to form a guiding incline, and a surface of each of the bases facing the cavity is substantially vertical to the substrate to form a stopping surface. The adhesive layer is disposed on a surface of the substrate opposite to the hooks. 
     Each of the hooks further comprises a flange disposed at an area where the hook is connected to the substrate. An opening height of each of the openings is smaller than a diameter of the wire. The opening height of each of the openings is smaller than the diameter of the wire by 0.2 mm. A distance between the hooks is not smaller than three times the diameter of the wire. Each of the hooks comprises a handle portion, and the corresponding opening is defined by the handle portion and the guiding incline of the corresponding base. A sectional profile of each of the handle portions is V-shaped. The two hooks include a first hook and a second hook, the first hook is fastened on the substrate, and the second hook is slidably assembled to the substrate. The substrate comprises a slide rail, the slide rail comprises a plurality of slots, and the second hook comprises two protrusions for insertion into the slots. 
     Another aspect of the invention provides a solar module, which includes a frame; a top board, at least one solar cell, and a back board stacked in order and fastened in the frame; a junction box disposed on the back board; a wire connected to the junction box; and the component. The wire includes a first cable and a second cable, and the first cable and the second cable are respectively connected to a positive electrode and a negative electrode of the solar cell through the junction box. The first cable and the second cable are received in the cavities respectively. The solar module further includes an inverter disposed on the back board and connected to the junction box through the first cable and the second cable. 
     Each of the hooks further includes a flange disposed at an area where the hook is connected to the substrate. An opening height of each of the openings is smaller than a diameter of the wire. The opening height of each of the openings is smaller than the diameter of the wire by 0.2 mm. A distance between the hooks is not smaller than three times the diameter of the wire. Each of the hooks includes a handle portion, and the corresponding opening is defined by the handle portion and the guiding incline of the corresponding base. A sectional profile of each of the handle portions is V-shaped. The two hooks include a first hook and a second hooks, the first hook is fastened on the substrate, and the second hook is slidably assembled to the substrate. The substrate includes a slide rail, the slide rail includes a plurality of slots, and the second hook comprises two protrusions for insertion into the slots. 
     The exposed wire for connecting the junction box to the inverter in the solar module can be firmly fastened by the component provided by the invention. Therefore electric arcing that may result when the first and second cables of the wire cross over each other can be prevented. 
     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are by examples, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings, 
         FIG. 1A  is a side view of an embodiment of a solar module of the invention; 
         FIG. 1B  is a bottom view of the embodiment of the solar cell of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a component for fastening a wire in a solar module of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a component for fastening a wire in a solar module of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of a component for fastening a wire in a solar module of the invention; and 
         FIG. 5A  and  FIG. 5B  are perspective views showing different states of a second hook achieved by sliding the second hook relative to a substrate of the embodiment in  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts. 
       FIG. 1A  is a side view of an embodiment of a solar module of the invention.  FIG. 1B  is a bottom view of the embodiment of the solar cell of the invention. The solar module  100  includes a frame  110 , a top board  120 , at least one solar cell  130 , a back board  140 , and a junction box  150 . The top board  120 , the solar cell  130 , and the back board  140  are stacked in this order and fastened in the frame  110 . The solar cell  130  is sandwiched between the top board  120  and the back board  140 . The junction box  150  is disposed on the back board  140 . The solar cell  100  further includes a wire  160  and an inverter  170 . The wire  160  includes a first cable  162  and a second cable  164 . The first cable  162  and the second cable  164  are respectively connected to the positive electrode and the negative electrode of the solar cell  130  through the junction box  150 . The first cable  162  and the second cable  164  further connect the junction box  150  to the inverter  170 . The inverter  170  is utilized to convert DC current to AC current. 
     Since the first cable  162  and the second cable  164  are respectively connected to the positive electrode and the negative electrode of the solar cell  130  via the junction box  150 , the first cable  162  and the second cable  164  need to be fastened firmly to prevent electric arcing due to the first cable  162  and the second cable  164  crossing over each other. Electric arcing affects the stability of the solar module  100  and may result in damage to the wire  160  in some serious situations. Therefore the solar module  100  of the present invention further includes a component  200  for fastening the wire  160  in the solar module  100 . The detailed structure and features of the component  200  are disclosed in the following embodiments. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the component  200  for fastening a wire in a solar module of the invention. The component  200  includes a fastener  210  and an adhesive layer  250 . The fastener  210  includes a substrate  212 , two hooks  220  disposed on the substrate  210 , and two bases  240  disposed on the substrate  210 . With additional reference to  FIG. 1B , a cavity  222  is formed between each of the hooks  220  and the substrate  212  for receiving one of the two cables  162  or  164  of the wire  160 . Each of the hooks  220  has an opening  230  for allowing one of the two cables  162  or  164  of the wire  160  to enter the cavity  222 . More particularly, the first cable  162  and the second cable  164  may enter the cavities  222  via the openings  230  of the hooks  220  respectively, and the first cable  162  and the second cable  164  are fastened by the hooks  220 . 
     The bases  240  are disposed on the substrate  212  corresponding respectively to the openings  230 . Each of the bases  240  includes a guiding incline  242  and a stopping surface  244 , in which the guiding incline  242  is arranged facing away from the corresponding cavity  222 , and the stopping surface  244  is arranged facing the corresponding cavity  222 . Each of the hooks  220  has a handle portion  226 . Each of the openings  230  is defined between one of the handle portions  226  and the guiding incline  242  of the corresponding base  240 . The sectional profile of each of the handle portions  226  is V-shaped, so that the corresponding opening  230  formed between the handle portion  226  and the corresponding guiding incline  242  may have a V-shaped profile, in which the V-shaped profile has a wide end and a narrow end. By such design, one of the two cables  162  or  164  of the wire  160  (see  FIG. 1B ) can easily enter the cavity  222  via the opening  230 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , each of the stopping surfaces  244  is arranged vertically to the substrate  212  to prevent the wire from being removed from the cavity  222 , and each of the guiding inclines  242  is arranged at an incline relative to the substrate  212 . 
     Each of the hooks  220  further has a flange  224 . The flange  224  is disposed at an area where the hook  220  is connected to the substrate  212 . When one of the two cables  162  or  164  of the wire  160  (see  FIG. 1B ) enters the cavity  222 , the flange  224  can be in contact with the one of the two cables  162  or  164  to increase the contact area between the one of the two cables  162  or  164  and the fastener  210 , so that the one of the two cables  162  or  164  can be fastened in the cavity  222  firmly. 
     The adhesive layer  250  is disposed at the surface of the substrate  212  opposite to the hooks  220 . The adhesive layer  250  is utilized to adhere the fastener  210  on the back board  140  of the solar module  100  (see  FIGS. 1A and 1B ). The fastener  210  can be formed as a single piece. The fastener  210  is made of a flexible nonconductive material, such as plastic. 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a component for fastening a wire in a solar module of the invention. The dimensional relationships among the different elements of the component  200  are disclosed in this embodiment. 
     To simplify the description of this embodiment, the configuration corresponding to one of the hooks  220  and one of the bases  240  is described in the following, unless specifically stated otherwise (e.g., by stating “the two hooks  220 ”). Moreover, in the following description, “the wire  160 ” may be the first cable  162  or the second cable  164  shown in  FIG. 1B , unless referred to as “the two wires  160 ,” in which case “the two wires  160 ” represent the first and second cables  162 ,  164 . 
     The wire  160  has a diameter D. The cavity  222  has a height H, which is the distance from a top surface of the substrate  212  to the surface of the hook  220  facing the substrate  212 . The opening  230  has an opening height G, which is the shortest distance between the handle portion  226  and the base  240 . The distance between the two hooks  220  is represented by L, which can be a distance from a center of one of the cavities  222  to the center of the other cavity  222 , or a distance from one of the bases  240  to the other base  240 . 
     The height H of the cavity  222  is greater than the diameter D of the wire  160 . The height H of the cavity  222  can be greater than the diameter D of the wire but smaller than twice the diameter D of the wire. 
     The opening height G of the opening  230  is smaller than the diameter D of the wire  160 . The opening height G of the opening  230  can be smaller than the diameter D of the wire  160  by 0.2 mm for preventing the wire  160  from being removed from the opening  230 . 
     The distance L between the two hooks  220  can be greater than three times the diameter D of the wire  160  to provide sufficient space for receiving two of the wires  160  respectively in the hooks  220 , and enough space to allow the wires  160  to respectively enter the hooks  220 . 
       FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of a component for fastening a wire in a solar module of the invention. The component  300  includes a fastener  310  and an adhesive layer  350 . The fastener  310  includes a substrate  312  and two hooks  320 . The difference between this embodiment and the previous embodiments is that the hooks  320  in this embodiment include a first hook  320   a  and a second hook  320   b , in which the first hook  320   a  is fastened on the substrate  312 , and the second hook  320   b  is slidably assembled to the substrate  312 . 
     The substrate  312  includes a slide rail  314 . The slide rail  314  includes a plurality of slots  316 . The second hook  320   b  has two protrusions  322  for insertion into the slots  316 . The second hook  320   b  is movably disposed on the substrate  312  and is positioned by coupling the protrusions  322  to the slots  316 . The protrusions  322  are slid in the slide rail  314  and are coupled to two of the slots  316  to position the second hook  320   b . The sliding of the second hook  320   b  can be performed before or after the wire (not shown) is inserted into the cavity. Different states of the second hook  320   b  which are achieved by sliding the second hook  320   b  relative to the substrate  312  of this embodiment are shown in  FIG. 5A  and  FIG. 5B . 
     The exposed wire for connecting the junction box to the inverter in the solar module can be firmly fastened by the component provided by the invention. Therefore electric arcing that may result when the first and second cables of the wire cross over each other can be prevented. 
     Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the embodiments contained herein. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their to equivalents.