Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US6344612?dq=5,867,764
Timestamp: 2017-06-26 10:01:29
Document Index: 789028452

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 106', 'art 204', 'art 204', 'art 204', 'art 204', 'art 204']

Patent US6344612 - Terminal box device, and a solar panel and terminal box device assembly - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsA terminal box device has a body unit and a cover unit. The cover unit has a cover member, terminal members and bypassing diodes. Cables lead into the cover member, and the cover member includes a filler which covers the end of the panel cables, part of the terminal members, and the bypassing diodes....http://www.google.com/patents/US6344612?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6344612 - Terminal box device, and a solar panel and terminal box device assemblyAdvanced Patent SearchTry the new Google Patents, with machine-classified Google Scholar results, and Japanese and South Korean patents.Publication numberUS6344612 B1Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 09/416,890Publication dateFeb 5, 2002Filing dateOct 13, 1999Priority dateOct 29, 1998Fee statusLapsedAlso published asCN1166008C, CN1253382A, DE69934471D1, DE69934471T2, EP0999601A1, EP0999601B1Publication number09416890, 416890, US 6344612 B1, US 6344612B1, US-B1-6344612, US6344612 B1, US6344612B1InventorsMasanori Kuwahara, Makoto HigashikozonoOriginal AssigneeSumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (12), Referenced by (109), Classifications (16), Legal Events (5) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetTerminal box device, and a solar panel and terminal box device assembly
US 6344612 B1Abstract
A terminal box device has a body unit and a cover unit. The cover unit has a cover member, terminal members and bypassing diodes. Cables lead into the cover member, and the cover member includes a filler which covers the end of the panel cables, part of the terminal members, and the bypassing diodes. The body unit has a casing including wiring holes, terminals, a waterproof seal installed on a groove formed along an upper surface of a peripheral wall of the casing, and waterproof walls surrounding each wiring hole. The terminal members and the terminals are electrically connected with each other by installing the cover unit on the body unit. The waterproof seal and the waterproof walls prevent water from penetrating into the body unit.
What is claimed is: 1. A terminal box device for a solar panel, comprising a body unit and a cover unit;
said body unit comprising: a casing, the casing defining a recess and having an attachment surface for attachment to the solar panel, wherein said attachment surface comprises a plurality of wiring holes formed in positions corresponding to the positions of respective terminals, a plurality of terminals for connection to photoelectric conversion elements of the solar panel, said terminals being fixedly accommodated in said casing, and a plurality of waterproof walls, each of said waterproof walls surrounding a respective one of said terminals and a respective one of said wiring holes, each of said waterproof walls having an upper surface which, when said cover unit is fastened in said location to the body unit, closely contacts a surface of a filler, whereby a watertight connection is made, said cover unit comprising: a cover member defining a chamber, a plurality of terminal members, said terminal members being fixedly accommodated in said chamber, a plurality of cables, said cables being connected with respective said terminal members and extending out of said cover member, a plurality of bypassing rectification elements, said bypassing rectification elements each being electrically connected to a respective pair of said terminal members, and the filler being in said chamber and covering said bypassing rectification elements, at least a part of each of said terminal members being exposed; said cover unit being removably fastenable in a location on said body unit in which said recess faces said chamber; and said terminal members and said terminals being arranged in corresponding respective positions, whereby, when said cover unit is fastened in said location on said body unit, said terminal members and said terminals are respectively electrically connected with each other. 2. A terminal box device according to claim 1, wherein a waterproof seal is provided on at least one of (i) a peripheral part of said casing encircling said recess and (ii) a peripheral part of said cover unit is fastened in said location to the body unit, said waterproof seal is interposed between said cover member and said body unit and constitutes a waterproof seal encircling said recess and said chamber.
each of said terminal members has a fixing portion fixed to an inner surface of said cover member and covered with said filler, and a connection portion projecting out of said filler; and each of said terminals has a fixing portion fixed to an inner part of said recess, and a connection portion projecting from said fixing portion, said connection portion of each terminal member being electrically connected to the connection portion of the respective said terminal when said cover unit is fastened in said location to the body unit. 4. A terminal box device for a solar panel, comprising a body unit and a cover unit;
said body unit comprising: a casing, the casing defining a recess and having an attachment surface for attachment to the solar panel and a plurality of terminals for connection to photoelectric conversion elements of the solar panel, said terminals being fixedly accommodated in said casing; said cover unit comprising: a cover member defining a chamber, a plurality of terminal members, said terminal members being fixedly accommodated in said chamber, each of said terminal members has a fixing portion fixed to an inner surface of said cover member and covered with a filler, and a connection portion projecting out of said filler; and each of said terminals has a fixing portion fixed to an inner part of said recess, and a connection portion projecting from said fixing portion, said connection portion of each terminal member being electrically connected to the connection portion of the respective said terminal when said cover unit is fastened in said location to the body unit, wherein the connection portion of each terminal includes erect portions and when said cover unit is fastened in said location to the body unit, the connection portion of each terminal member is received in a gap between said erect portions of said respective terminal, a plurality of cables, said cables being connected with respective said terminal members and extending out of said cover member, a plurality of bypassing rectification elements, said bypassing rectification elements each being electrically connected to a respective pair of said terminal members, and said filler being in said chamber and covering said bypassing rectification elements, at least a part of each of said terminal members being exposed; said cover unit being removably fastenable in a location on said body unit in which said recess faces said chamber; and said terminal members and said terminals being arranged in corresponding respective positions, whereby, when said cover unit is fastened in said location on said body unit, said terminal members and said terminals are respectively electrically connected with each other.
As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the terminal box 1 includes a terminal box body unit 6 and a plate-shaped cover 7 installed on the body unit 6. The body unit 6 is formed of a resin such as a plastics material. The body unit 6 includes a casing 8 having an upper surface (as viewed on FIG. 8) which defines an upwardly facing recess, and a bottom surface 16 which is rectangular. Four wiring holes 10 a, 10 b, 10 c, 10 d are arranged in a row on the bottom surface 16. Four terminals 11 a, 11 b, 11 c, and 11 d are arranged in a row at positions corresponding to the positions of the holes 11 a, 10 b, 10 c, 10 d. The terminals 11 a, 11 b, 11 c, 11 d are fixed to the casing 8 by respective screws 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d. Panel connection cables 5 a and 5 d are fixed to the terminals 11 a and 11 d, positioned at either end of the row of terminals 11 a-11 d, by respective screws 12 a and 12 d. The panel connection cables 5 a and 5 d lead out of the body unit 6 through two wiring holes 14 a and 14 d, respectively formed on a side surface 13 of the casing 8. Three bypass diodes 15 are soldered pairwise between the terminals 11 a-11 d, such that a respective bypass diode 15 is interposed between the terminals 11 a and 11 b, 11 b and 11 c, and 11 c and 11 d. The terminal box body unit 6 is installed on the solar panel 4 as follows. The rear surface 16 of the casing 8 of the terminal box body unit 6 is positioned against a rear surface 17 of the solar panel 4; the ends of two output leads 18 a and 18 d (connected with cells 3 of the solar panel 4) provided on the rear surface 17 of the solar panel 4 are introduced into the casing 8 through the respective wiring holes 10 a and 10 d. Then, the two output leads 18 a and 18 d are soldered to the terminals 11 a and 11 d. To make the body unit waterproof and moisture-proof, to promote heat release and to prevent moisture condensation, the casing 8 is filled with silicone 19 such that the silicone 19 covers the bypass diodes 15, the terminals 11 a-11 d, and the sides of one end of each of the cables 5 a and 5 d. Finally, the cover 7 is installed on the casing 8 to cover the recess in the casing 8.
As shown in FIG. 11, the panel connection cable 5 a of a terminal box 1 installed on a first solar panel 4 can be connected to the panel connection cable 5 d of a terminal box 1 installed on another solar panel. In this manner, it is possible to connect in series a plurality of solar panels 4 which are arranged in a row on a roof or the like.
As shown in FIG. 12, to extract electric power from the solar panels 4, the solar panels 4 may be electrically connected in series with one another to construct a photo-voltaic system 21; and the solar panels connected with one another in series are connected with an inverter or a connection box 20 to extract electric power as alternating current.
FIG. 2 is sectional view taken along a line II—II of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is sectional view taken along a line IV—IV of FIG. 3.
FIG. 1 is a bottom view showing the cover unit 100. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along a line II—II of FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is as seen from below on FIG. 2.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cover unit 100 has a cover member 101; four terminal members 102 a, 102 b, 102 c, 102 d (which may be plate-shaped, i.e. flat); three bypassing rectification elements 103 such as bypass diodes; two panel connection cables 104 a, 104 d, and a filler 105 such as silicone.
The four terminal members 102 a-102 d are fixed to the inner surface 113 of the upper part 106 of the cover member 101 with screws 114 a, 114 b, 114 c, 114 d, respectively. The bypassing rectification elements 103 are soldered to the terminal members 102 a-102 d such that each of the bypassing rectification elements 103 is interposed between two adjacent terminal members 102 a-102 d. Panel connection cables 104 a, 104 d are fixed to the terminal members 102 a, 102 d respectively, with the screws 114 a, 114 d respectively. The panel connection cables 104 a, 104 d extend outwardly from two respective cylindrical wiring holes 116 a, 116 d formed on the side wall 109 of the cover member 101. The diameter of each of the wiring holes 116 a, 116 d is large enough to allow the panel connection cables 104 a, 104 d to be inserted therethrough.
The terminal members 102 a-102 d are all formed of electrically conductive material. As shown in FIG. 6A, the terminal members 102 a-102 d have respective fixing portions 117 a, 117 b, 117 c, 117 d which are fixed to the inner surface 113 of the cover member 101 and to which the bypassing rectification elements 103 are soldered; and connection portions 118 a, 118 b, 118 c, 118 d integral with the fixing portions 117 a, 117 b, 117 c, 117 d and upstanding from an edge of each of the fixing portions 117 a, 117 b, 117 c, 117 d. As shown in FIG. 2, the filler 105 fills the chamber defined by the cover member 101 to cover the bypassing rectification elements 103; the respective end portions of the panel connection cables 104 a, 104 d; and the fixing portions 117 a, 117 b, 117 c, 117 d. A front end of each of the connection portions 118 a, 118 d projects out of the filler 105.
FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the body unit 200. FIG. 4 is sectional view taken along a line IV—IV of FIG. 3.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the body unit 200 has a casing 201; four terminals 202 a, 202 b, 202 c, 202 d; and a waterproof seal 203.
Four wiring holes 211 a, 211 b, 211 c, 211 d are formed on the bottom part 204 of the casing 201. The four terminals 202 a, 202 b, 202 c, 202 d are located at positions corresponding to the positions of the wiring holes 211 a, 211 b, 211 c, 211 d respectively, and fixed to the bottom part 204 with locking claws 212 a, 212 b, 212 c, 212 d respectively. Waterproof walls 213 a, 213 b, 213 c, 213 d integral with the bottom part 204 stand up from the bottom part 204 such that the waterproof walls 213 a, 213 b, 213 c, 213 d surround the respective terminals 202 a, 202 b, 202 c, 202 d and the respective wiring holes 211 a, 211 b, 211 c, 211 d. When the cover unit 100 is installed on the body unit 200, the upper surface of each of the waterproof walls 213 a-213 d closely contacts the lower surface 119 (see FIG. 2) of the filler 105, thus preventing water from penetrating into the gap between the lower surface 119 and the upper surfaces of the waterproof walls 213 a-213 d. The terminals 202 a-202 d are all formed of an electrically conductive material. The terminals 202 a-202 a have fixing portions 214 a, 214 b, 214 c, 214 d fixed to the bottom part 204 of the casing 201; and connection portions 215 a, 215 b, 215 c, 215 d integral with the respective fixing portions 214 a, 214 b, 214 c, 214 d and upstanding therefrom.
As shown in FIG. 6B, the connection portions 215 a, 215 b, 215 c, 215 d each have two respective erect portions 216 a, 216 b, 216 c, 216 d upstanding from the respective fixing portions 214 a, 214 b, 214 c, 214 d, with a predetermined gap provided between the two erect portions. As shown in FIG. 6C, when the cover unit 100 is installed on the body unit 200, each of the connection portions 215 a-215 d of the terminals is electrically connected with an end of the respective connection portion 118 a-118 d of the respective terminal member.
With the installing surface 217 of the body unit 200 facing the rear surface of 17 of the solar panel 4, each of the fixing portions 214 a, 214 b, 214 c, 214 d is connected with output leads 18 a, 18 b, 18 c, 18 d provided on the rear surface 17 of the solar panel 4. Each lead may be a wire covered with an insulating layer. The output leads 18 a, 18 b, 18 c, 18 d are introduced into the wiring holes 211 a, 211 b, 211 c, 211 d to connect them with the fixing portions 214 a, 214 b, 214 c, 214 d respectively. The end portions of the output leads 18 a, 18 b, 18 c, and 18 d may be flattened to facilitate this connection.
In the embodiment shown, the panel has four output leads 18 a, 18 b, 18 c and 18 d. However, the number of leads may be different in other embodiments of the invention, since different suppliers of solar panels include a different number of leads. The cover unit 100 and body unit 200 of this embodiment are suitable for use with solar panels having up to four leads, but if they are used in conjunction with a solar panel having fewer leads (e.g. only two leads), these leads may be attached to respective ones of the four fixing portions 214 a, 214 b, 214 c, 214 d. For example, if there are only two leads, they may be attached to fixing portions 214 a and 214 b respectively. Optionally, in this case the diodes between fixing portions 214 b and 214 c, and 214 c and 214 d may be shorted out.
A terminal box manufacturer manufactures the cover unit 100 and the body unit 200 and delivers them to a solar panel assembly manufacturer. The solar panel assembly manufacturer installs the body unit 200 on the solar panel 4; connects the output leads 18 a-18 d with the fixing portions 214 a-214 b of the terminals 202 a-202 d respectively; locks the second locking claws 210 into the first claw-receiving holes 112, and the first locking claws 110 into the second claw-receiving holes 208 by pressing the former against the latter. In this manner, the cover unit 100 is installed on the body unit 200. Consequently, the connection portions 118 a-118 d are connected with the connection portions 215 a-215 d, respectively; the upper surface of each of the waterproof walls 213 a-213 d contacts the lower surface 119 of the filler 105, thus sealing the walls 213 a-213 d to the filler 105 in a waterproof manner; and the wall 108 is pressed against the waterproof seal 203 to make the waterproof seal 203 seal the gap between the peripheral wall 107 and the peripheral wall 205.
When the terminal box manufacturer delivers the terminal box device to the solar panel assembly manufacturer, the chamber in the cover 100 is already filled with filler 105. Thus, unlike the conventional terminal box device shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the present invention eliminates the need for filling silicone into the casing 8 after connecting the output leads 18 a-18 d with the terminals 11 a-11 d respectively. That is, it is very easy to install the terminal box device on the solar panel 4 and thus reduce the manufacturing cost of the solar panel 4.
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