Patent Publication Number: US-2012031471-A1

Title: Solar panel module

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/371,749, filed Aug. 9, 2010, which is herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates to a solar panel module. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Extensive research effort is presently being expended to develop mass production capabilities for photovoltaic cells generating electrical energy from incident solar radiation. As used herein, a photovoltaic or solar panel refers to an array of photovoltaic cells, which may comprise silicon materials or polycrystalline thin films in a common glass substrate and connected in series or parallel configurations. The resulting solar panels are fragile and should desirably be provided with a frame or other support in an overall power producing network. 
     Since the solar panels are most mounted on a roof surface of a building, some solar panels may be designed to be stronger to endure violent weather conditions in some areas. In some areas, such as southeastern coasts of China, violent winds occur in summer days, i.e. a typhoon. There is a need for improving the solar panel module to meet such weather conditions when the solar panel module is used in these areas. 
     SUMMARY 
     It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a stronger solar panel module to endure violent external forces. 
     In accordance with the foregoing and other objectives of the present invention, a solar panel module includes a solar panel, a generally rectangular frame, a pair of bridge members and a beam. The solar panel has a light-receiving surface and a back surface on two opposite sides thereof. The generally rectangular frame are attached to all edges of the solar panel. The pair of bridge members are secured to a pair of parallel edges of the generally rectangular frame on the back surface of the solar panel. The beam is interconnected between the pair of bridge members, wherein each bridge member has a wider width than a width of the beam. 
     In an embodiment disclosed herein, the width of each bridge member is at least three times wider than the width of the beam. 
     In another embodiment disclosed herein, a bonding tape is disposed between the beam and the back surface. 
     In another embodiment disclosed herein, a bonding tape is disposed between each bridge member and the back surface. 
     In another embodiment disclosed herein, a bolt is used to fasten an end portion of the beam to each bridge member. 
     In another embodiment disclosed herein, the pair of parallel edges are a longer pair of parallel edges of the generally rectangular frame. 
     In another embodiment disclosed herein, the beam is perpendicular to the pair of parallel edges of the generally rectangular frame. 
     In another embodiment disclosed herein, a junction box is disposed on the back surface of the solar panel, and there is a gap between said junction box and said beam. 
     In accordance with the foregoing and other objectives of the present invention, a solar panel module includes a solar panel, a generally rectangular frame, multiple pairs of bridge members and multiple beams. The solar panel has a light-receiving surface and a back surface on two opposite sides thereof. The generally rectangular frame is attached to all edges of the solar panel. Multiple pairs of bridge members are secured to a pair of parallel edges of the generally rectangular frame on the back surface of the solar panel. Each of multiple beams is interconnected between the corresponding pair of bridge members, wherein each bridge member has a wider width, which is at least three times wider than a width of the beam. 
     In an embodiment disclosed herein, a bonding tape is disposed between each beam and the back surface. 
     In another embodiment disclosed herein, a bonding tape is disposed between each bridge member and the back surface. 
     In another embodiment disclosed herein, a bolt is used to fasten an end portion of the beam to each bridge member. 
     In another embodiment disclosed herein, the pair of parallel edges are a longer pair of parallel edges of the generally rectangular frame. 
     In another embodiment disclosed herein, the beam is perpendicular to the pair of parallel edges of the generally rectangular frame. 
     In another embodiment disclosed herein, a junction box is disposed on the back surface of the solar panel, and there is a gap between said junction box and said beam. 
     Thus, an improved solar panel module is equipped with strength-enhancing members attached to a bottom side thereof so as to enhance its capability against violent external forces. 
     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. 1  illustrates a bottom view of a solar panel module according to one preferred embodiment of this invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded view of strength-enhancing members attached to a bottom side of the solar panel module as illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an enlarged view of two major components of the strength-enhancing members according to one preferred embodiment of this invention; and 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a cross-sectional view along the cross-sectional line  4 - 4 ′ in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred 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. 1  illustrates a bottom view of a solar panel module according to one preferred embodiment of this invention. In order to make a stronger solar panel module  100 , strength-enhancing members are installed on a back surface  101   b  of a solar panel  101 . A set of strength-enhancing member at least includes a pair of bridge members  107  and a beam  105  interconnected between the pair of bridge members  107 . Multiple sets of strength-enhancing members can be installed on the back surface  101   b  of a solar panel, e.g. three sets of strength-enhancing members as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , to enhance its ability to against violent external forces, such as violent winds. Because a junction box  112  is also installed on the back surface  101   b  of a solar panel  101 , the strength-enhancing member should be installed without interfering the junction box  112  and its output power cables. To be specific, there is a gap between the junction box  112  and the strength-enhancing member, i.e. the beam  105 . 
     In order to uniformly distribute stresses that the frame  103  applies upon the solar panel  101 , each bridge member  107  is made with a wider width D than a width d of each beam  105 . Preferably, the width D of each bridge member  107  is at least three times wider than the width d of each beam  105  to prevent a damaging stress upon the fragile solar panel. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded view of strength-enhancing members attached to a bottom side of the solar panel module as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . In this embodiment, the strength-enhancing members are fastened to a frame  103 , i.e. a generally rectangular frame, by means of bolts. In an alternate embodiment, the strength-enhancing members can be fastened to the frame  103  by other methods, such as welding. The frame  103  surrounds and secures all edges of the solar panel  101 . 
     Each pair of bridge members  107  are fastened to a pair of parallel edges  103   a  of the frame  103 , e.g. a longer pair of parallel edges, by means of bolts. Each bridge member  107  is fastened to each corresponding edge  103   a  by using a bolt  107   b  inserted through a through hole  104   a  and screwed into a threaded hole  107   c.  An end portion of each beam  105  is fastened to each pair of bridge members  107  by using a bolt  105   a  inserted through a through hole  105   b  and screwed into a threaded hole  107   f.    
     In this embodiment, the beam  105  is a beam with a C-shaped cross-section. In an alternate embodiment, the beam can be equipped with other types of cross-sections, e.g. an I-shaped cross-section (not illustrated in the drawings). 
     In order to enhance an effective support for the solar panel  101 , each bridge members  107  and each beam  105  are in contact with the back surface  101   b  of the solar panel  101 . In this embodiment, a bonding tape  108  is used to attach the bridge member  107  to the back surface  101   b  of the solar panel  101  while a bonding tape  106  is used to attach the beam  105  to the back surface  101   b  of the solar panel  101 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an enlarged view of two major components of the strength enhancing members according to one preferred embodiment of this invention. The bridge member  107  basically includes a main portion  107   a  and a pair of wings  107   e  extending from the main portion  107   a.  The pair of wings  107   e  are made thinner to be lighter (compared with the main portion  107   a ) to expand a width of the bridge member  107 . The beam  105  (with C-shaped cross-section) are installed to house three surfaces of the main portion  107   a  (i.e., a top and two side surfaces) and fastened to the main portion  107   a  by means of bolts, e.g. using two bolts inserted through two through holes  105   b  and screwed into two threaded holes  107   f,  respectively. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a cross-sectional view along the cross-sectional line  4 - 4 ′ in  FIG. 1 . This cross-sectional view illustrates assembly details of the solar panel module. In particular, the bridge member  107  is fastened to the frame  103  by means of the bolt  107   b  while the beam  105  is fastened to the bridge member  107  by means of the bolts  105   a.  In addition, the bonding tape  108  is arranged between the bridge member  107  and the back surface  101   b  of the solar panel  101  while the bonding tape  106  is arranged between the beam  105  and the back surface  101   b  of the solar panel  101 . The solar panel  101  has a light-receiving surface  101  a and the back surface  101   b  on its two opposite sides. The light-receiving surface  101   a  is to collect solar radiation. 
     According to above-discussed embodiments, an improved solar panel module is equipped with strength-enhancing members (e.g. a bridge member and a beam) attached to a bottom side thereof so as to enhance its capability against violent external forces. 
     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 equivalents.