Abstract:
A machine is provided for combining thin flexible solar film panels with a metal sheet to serve as a roof panel for a building. The machine has reels for holding rolls of metal and solar film. The solar film panel has an adhesive with a backing for protecting the adhesive. Means are provided for unrolling both the metal and solar film and for removing the backing from the solar film panel. A mechanical brake device is provided for parting the solar film panel from the adhesive film at the desired length which is sometimes shorter than the length of the metal sheets. A recoiler is provided for removing the backing from the solar film panel. Pressure rollers are provided for pressing the solar film panel to the metal so that the adhesive binds the film panels to the metal. The rollformer component cuts the metal into sheets and configures the metal into the desired structure for the roofing panel.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application having Ser. No. 61/045,454 filed Apr. 16, 2008, which is entirely incorporated hereby by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This present invention discloses a machine and method for adhering flexible photovoltaic film panels onto metal supplied from a roll for forming a combination solar and roof panel. The photovoltaic film panels and the metal to which it is adhered are supplied on rolls which are fed from reels into a rollformer with a special attachment to produce the roofing panel with the photovoltaic film panels. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Photovoltaic devices provide reliable sources of electrical energy. Thin film photovoltaic devices are particularly advantageous since they are relatively low in cost, flexible, and capable of being manufactured in relatively large sizes by continuous deposition processes. Such thin film devices can be encapsulated in transparent, durable, flexible polymeric bodies, and are ideally suited for building mounted installations. 
         [0004]    These thin photovoltaic film panels can be applied to roofs by adhering the film panels directly to the roof. An adhesive can be placed on the bottom of the film panel to which a backing material is attached. The backing material can be removed and the film panel placed on the roof so that the adhesive will adhere the film to the roof. This photovoltaic film panels can be applied to the roof in areas where the roof receives sufficient sunlight. 
         [0005]    The electricity of the photovoltaic film panels is transmitted to contact terminals which typically extend from one end of the photovoltaic area of the panel, and may be connected to a junction box or other connector device for transmitting to supply power to the building or into the electricity grid that supplies a city or an area. 
         [0006]    The thin photovoltaic film can be placed on a roll or reel and supplied to a roof by unrolling the film and removing the backing and pressing the adhering film to the roof. This manual process is a very labor intensive procedure and sometimes resulted in the photovoltaic film not being properly adhered to the roof. Roofs are subjected to high winds and other weather conditions that may damage or remove the photovoltaic material. 
         [0007]    A machine and method are needed for applying the photovoltaic film panels to roofs to save labor costs and to improve reliability of the adhesion of the film panels to the roof. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a schematic drawing of a rollformer with decoiler for unwinding coils of metal and solar panels and laminating the metal and solar panels together and feeding into the rollformer for producing a structure of the desired configuration. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a schematic drawing of a notching device for punching holes in the metal coming off of the unwinding coil as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is the cross-section of one type of metal roofing panel with a solar panel attached. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    The present invention relates to a process by which a solar film panel with an adhesive on the bottom and a backing protecting the adhesive is combined with metal to produce a combination sheet of a solar panel and a metal roofing material. This combination solar film panel and metal can used for roof panels, wall panels and ground mount solar panels. 
         [0012]    As shown in  FIG. 1 . a rollformer with decoiler and laminator  10  has a rollformer  12  section with a decoiler and laminator  14  section which has a decoiler  20  for the solar panels for holding a coil of solar panels  22 . The decoiler and laminator  14  has frame  24 , with a decoiler reel  16  for metal which holds a metal coil  18 . The metal  26  is threaded past idler roller  36  and between a top pressure roller  32  and a bottom pressure roller  34 . A spray system and wiper  30  may used to clean the metal  26  for processing. 
         [0013]    A means is needed for removing the backing  46  from the solar panels. A recoiler with a motor  40  may be used to remove the backing  46  from the solar panels so that the adhesive can adhere the solar panel to the metal. 
         [0014]    The solar panels with adhesive applied can be disconnected from the solar coil  22  by using a brake, such as a mechanical brake  42 , attached to the solar decoiler  20  holding the solar coil  22 . This brake  42  will apply tension at the proper time to allow the previously perforated adhesive backing  46  to part or break free from the adhesive. The length of the solar panel may be less than that of the metal sheet to which it is applied. 
         [0015]    The metal and solar films are pressed together by pressure rolls  32 ,  34  so the adhesive binds them together. Then the metal and solar film are run through a rollformer  12  to form the edge profiles for the metal sheet  26  and any holes or other features that are needed. This rollformer is made by Schlebach-Maschinen GmbH, Friedewald, Germany. Other rollformers may be used. This type of machine is often taken to the customer&#39;s house or building and the coil of steel is then unrolled and cut and bent into architectural sheets of different lengths and configuration. The machine can also be used in a factory environment. The roof, soffit, nail strip and other configurations and metal can be formed by the machine shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0016]    The following is a list of parts for the machine of this invention: 
       Parts List 
       [0000]    
       
         
           
               10 . Rollformer with decoiler and laminator 
               12 . Rollformer 
               14 . Decoiler and laminator 
               16 . Decoiler reel for metal 
               18 . Metal coil 
               20 . Decoiler for solar panels held together by a backing 
               22 . Coil of solar panels 
               24 . Frame for Decoiler and laminator 
               26 . Metal 
               28 . Solar panels with backing 
               30 . Spray system and wiper 
               32 . Top pressure roller 
               34 . Bottom pressure roller 
               36 . Idler rollers 
               38 . Side guides for aligning solar panels 
               40 . Recoiler with motor 
               42 . Brake for holding solar coil stationary. 
               44 . Cross Adjust Handwheel 
               46 . Backing for solar panels 
               47 . Laminated metal and solar panels 
               48 . Rollformer side guides for aligning metal and solar panels 
               50 . Metal cutter 
               52 . Rolling dies 
               53 . Drive rollers 
               54 . Machine exit 
               56 . Rollformer control 
               60 . Notching device 
               62 . Hydraulic cylinders 
               64 . Metal punches 
               72 . Forming rollers 
               80 . Solar panel 
               82 . Photovoltaic section of panel 
               84 . Electrical contacts. 
               90 . Cross section of panel 
               92 . Solar panel 
               94 . Metal panel 
               96 . Female edge 
               98 . Male edge 
           
         
       
     
         [0055]    The rollformer  12  in  FIG. 1  may have a notching device  60  as shown in more detail in  FIG. 2  for making notches in the steel after it is rolled off of the metal decoiler reel  16 . The rollformer  10  can be placed on a trailer for transporting to the installation site. After being notched the steel is transported into the rollformer  12  where it is configured and cut into sheets. This notching device  60  can be used to notch the steel that will become the rollformed flanges of the panels, or could also be used to notch an access hole in the panel to allow access to bottom mounted electrical contacts that could be used in some building applications. 
         [0056]    Nearly any metal that has sufficient flexibility and thinness can be formed on the rollformer  10 . Among these metals are copper, zinc, stainless steel, galvanized steel, pre-painted steel, gavalume, and aluminum. These metals are placed on the decoiler reel  16  so that they can be unrolled freely. 
         [0057]    The solar panels in a coil  22  can be placed on a similar decoiler  20  which can be unrolled freely. Any type of photovoltaic film panels of sufficient flexibility can be used with this invention. This solar film panels  80  may have an adhesive on the bottom to which a backing  46  is applied. This backing  46  is removed from the solar film panels by recoiler with a motor  40 . The solar coil  22  can be adjusted laterally or perpendicular to decoiling (processing) direction with the cross adjust hand-wheel  44  to provide accurate alignment of the solar panels  28  to the metal  26 , and to accommodate the various panel widths and seam configurations. 
         [0058]    One type of film that can be combined with metal on the rollformer  10  is a thin film that has an amorphous silicon solar cell design. The amorphous silicon is desirable because it can be made into a very thin material. Many other types of thin film can be utilized. Other technologies such as CIGS, CdTE or other aSi technologies could be used provided they are packaged in such a manner to perform in the roofing environment. An adhesive can be placed on the back of the panel with a backing  46 . It can be adhered to metal with the same type of machine  10  described herein. 
         [0059]    A specific thin photovoltaic film panel is solar laminate PVL-Series manufactured by Unisolar Ovinic LLC. Model PVL-136 has the amorphous silicon solar cells encased in a laminate of ethylene tetrafluoroethylene polymer (ETFE). An adhesive such as HelioBond PVA 600BT, which is a thermal butyl adhesive tape, can be used for adhering the photovoltaic film panels to a surface such as a roof. This photovoltaic film can be as thin as 4 mm. The solar panels as shown in  FIG. 3  have photovoltaic section  82  and may have low profile electrical contacts soldered in place, or flat wires attached so as to not disturb the laminating process. Low profile electrical junction boxes may be attached to the solar panel prior to installation on the structure. These boxes may use flat wire to fold and crimp the connection, or be of a simple male/female spade connector with a potted protective cover. 
         [0060]    Any type of photovoltaic film panel which can be rolled into a coil and can be used to form the combination of a photovoltaic film panel and a metal panel. 
         [0061]    Prior to entering the rollformer  12 , the metal  26  is pulled off of metal coil  18  and the solar film panels  27  are pulled off of solar film coil  22  by drive  53  rollers. The metal and the photovoltaic film panel travel from right to left as shown in  FIG. 1 . In this figure the solar film panels  28  are located above the metal  26 , but it should be realized that the solar film panels  28  could be placed behind or in front of the metal coil  18  or any other convenient location. 
         [0062]    In respect to  FIG. 1 , the operator loads a solar panel coil  22  and closes the hinges on the tension brake  42  and the bearing assemblies (not shown). The operator manually positions the solar panel  28  relative to the pressure rollers  32 ,  34  using the cross adjust handwheel  44 . The operator also sets side guides  38  located just prior to the pressure rollers  32 ,  34 . 
         [0063]    The operator then loads an empty core onto the cantilevered release liner take-up shaft or recoiler with a motor  40  and attaches the leader film to the core of the recoiler. The operator then threads the solar panel through the machine, under the machine encoder (not shown), and winds the leader film up to position the edge of the solar panel at the peel plate adjacent pressure rollers. 
         [0064]    The pressure rollers  32 ,  34  are in the open position. The metal is threaded through the rollers and into the rollformer  12 . When a solar panel is needed, the operator activates the pressure rollers and a pre-set amount of solar panel indexes into rollers  32 ,  34 . The bottom roller  34  then moves up, bringing the metal sheet  26  to the laminating position. 
         [0065]    The drive rollers  53  of the rollformer  12  then pulls the metal and solar panel through the pressure rollers  32 ,  34  for the length of the solar panel, e.g. 18 feet. When the length of solar panel has been fully applied, the brake  42  on the decoiler  20  actuates stopping the coil  22  and allowing the solar panel  80  to separate from the coil  22  at the glue gap between solar panels  80 . While the solar panel  80  is being applied, the recoiler  40  shaft is winding up the solar panel backing  46 . For positioning a solar panel  80  on the leading edge of the metal, a motor (not shown) is mounted adjacent the pressure rollers  32 ,  34  to reverse the metal  26  from the rollformer  12  after it has been sheared. 
         [0066]    The rollformer  12  has a pair of guides  48  to make sure that the laminated metal and solar panels  47  are properly aligned in entering into the rollformer  12 . 
         [0067]    The rollformer  12  has a metal cutter  50  to cut the metal prior to the lamination of the metal and the photovoltaic film panels being processed. This metal cutter  50  may be independent of cutting or separating the solar panel backing  46 . It may be necessary to cut the backing for the solar panels  46  independently of the metal  26 . The solar panels may be of a length shorter than the length of the metal. Having a perforated backing  46 , and brake  42  on the solar coil decoiler  20  and a metal cutter  50  will allow the independent cutting of the two components. There typically would be a gap on the metal where there is no solar film panel so that the metal can be cut easily. It will be necessary for the metal cutter  50  to be programmed so that it does not cut the solar panel. 
         [0068]    The metal cutter  50  can be a rotary shear which is two independent sets of rolling knives. It may have a lower wheel and an upper wheel that act as a pair of rotary scissors or rotary shears and cut the metal traversing from one side of the sheet to the other. The metal cutter  50  could also be a guillotine shear which would move straight down. The metal cutter could also be a flat bottom blade with just one wheel cutting across it. A pair of rotary wheels may be preferred. 
         [0069]    The combination of the metal and the solar film panel enter the rollformer  12  which consists of a series of rolling dies  52  that will form the metal flanges into the various configurations; it could be a snap lock, mechanical lock, or nail strip panel of varying heights. There are multiple pairs of rolling dies  52  on each side of the rollformer  12  arranged in cassettes for rapid profile changeover. These cassettes mount on each side of the frame of the rollformer  12 . These rollformer  10  have drive rollers  53  to help form the profile on each side of the sheet and to move the sheet through the rollformer  10 . One of the cassettes forms a male side of the sheet with forming rollers  52  and the other forms the female side so the metal panels can be fitted together. 
         [0070]    After rollforming the combination of the metal and the photovoltaic film panels, the combination will exit the rollformer  12  at exit  54 . This will be a strip of metal with a solar panel firmly attached which can be used to form a roof for a building. 
         [0071]    The rollformer with decoiler and laminator  10  preferably have a single control  56 . controlling both operations. 
         [0072]      FIG. 1  shows the photovoltaic film panels in a coil form. However, this film panel could be provided in sheet form using some type of stacking device so that sheets of photovoltaic film panels could be dropped on to the metal coming from a metal coil with any backing on the adhesive removed and then going through the pressure rolls  32 ,  34 . Under these circumstances, it would not be necessary to cut the sheets of photovoltaic film. 
         [0073]      FIG. 3  illustrates a cross section  90  of a photovoltaic film panel  92  on a metal panel  94 . This panel has a female edge  96  and a male edge  98 . This combination of photovoltaic film panel and metal panel has electrical contacts  84  to distribute the electricity generated by the solar cells. 
         [0074]    It is possible to use the process and machine of this invention with in-plant rollformers as it is preferred to use on-site rollformers. 
         [0075]    Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present invention will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims.