Patent ID: 7781670

Claim:
A photovoltaic component, comprising: an encapsulation, comprising: a first electrically isolating portion; a second electrically isolating portion; a third electrically isolating portion; a first metal portion between the first and second electrically isolating portions; and a second metal portion between the first and second electrically isolating portions, a substrate, a bottom electrode, at least one functional layer, and a top electrode, wherein: the top electrode and the bottom electrode are between the substrate and the first electrically isolating portion of the encapsulation, the top electrode and the bottom electrode are between the substrate and the second electrically isolating portion of the encapsulation, the top electrode and the bottom electrode are between the substrate and the third electrically isolating portion of the encapsulation, the encapsulation is welded, adhesive-bonded and/or soldered to the substrate or a bottom layer of the photovoltaic component, the bottom electrode is electrically connected to the first metal portion, the top electrode is electrically connected to the second metal portion, the third electrically isolating portion electrically isolates the first metal portion from the second metal portion, the encapsulation encapsulates the first and second electrodes and the at least one functional layer; and the photovoltaic component is an organic photovoltaic component.