AU714712B3 - Panel connector arrangement - Google Patents

Description

I I

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION PETTY PATENT Invention Title: PANEL CONNECTOR ARRANGEMENT Name of Applicant: UTILUX PTY LIMITED The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: Utilux Ref: Junction Box for Flat Solar Panel 2 PANEL CONNECTOR ARRANGEMENT The present invention relates to a panel connector arrangement, and, particularly, but not exclusively, to a panel connector arrangement for use with solar panels.

In the electrical generating industry, it is known to provide solar panels for the generation of electricity for domestic and industrial use. Solar panels usually comprise a series of photovoltaic (solar) cells arranged as a panel (usually a substantially flat panel) to be mounted on a building to receive sunlight and generate electricity. The photovoltaic cells are usually connected in series. This is usually done by connector modules in the form of junction boxes which are mounted on the back of the solar panels. Connector modules usually comprise a housing mounting electromechanical connector arrangements for conductively connecting cabling to panel conductors exiting the photovoltaic cells. The cabling is used to connect adjacent connector modules together so that adjacent photovoltaic cells are connected together. The panel conductors which are provided exiting the photovoltaic cells may be crimped to a male or female connector member plug/socket) mounted in the connector module housing. A cooperating plug may be mounted to the connecting cabling.

This arrangement is subject to a number of problems.

The photovoltaic cells of solar panels are connected in series on installation. To do this, the panel conductors which are already installed on the solar panels need to first of all be mechanically connected to the male or female connector member. This usually requires crimping, which can be a difficult operation, particularly in the confined spaces where the installation engineer would usually operate in a roof cavity. Further, the connecting cabling which interconnects the flat panel connector modules must be connected to corresponding J:\Speci\300-399\300-349\32587.doc 3 male/female connector members and, on installation, the male and female connector members are joined so that the cabling is connected to the panel conductors exiting the photovoltaic cells. The most convenient way to connect the cables to the cabling is to pre-cut the cables to the required length before installation and fit the appropriate male or female connectors to the ends of the cables. A problem with this is that when it comes to installation the connecting cabling may not be of ideal length. Indeed, to ensure that there is sufficient cabling there is usually an overestimate made as to the amount of cabling required, which results in a waste of cable and increase in expense.

This crimping and connecting operation can take a great deal of time and can be awkward to implement, particularly in the confined spaces available to the installation engineer, which generally means it takes quite a long time to install the arrangements, resulting in an increase in labour costs.

Another problem is with the conventional electro-mechanical connector, such as a plug-socket connector, the portion of the connector external to the box must be environmentally sealed. This increases complexity.

A housing is usually required for the connector module in order to protect the connection from the environment.

It is desirable that the housing be as shallow and flat as possible, as there is only limited space available for mounting the connector modules. A problem with the presently available modules is that the housing must at least be deep enough to mount the electro-mechanical connectors, and this depth is usually quite significant.

The present invention provides a panel connector, comprising a housing including a base arranged to mount to a panel and walls upstanding from the base and defining an enclosure, the base further defining an opening through which a panel conductor extending from the panel may be J:\Speci\300-399\300-349\32587.doc

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4 received so that the panel conductor extends within the enclosure, and an insulation displacement device mounted within the enclosure for receiving a cable conductor for conductive connection to the panel conductor, the insulation displacement device being arranged to displace insulation from and make conductive connection with the cable conductor.

Preferably, first and second insulation displacement devices are provided, the first insulation displacement device being arranged to receive the insulated panel conductor which is mounted to the panel to displace the insulation therefrom and electrically connect to a conductive element wire running within the insulation), and the second insulation displacement device being arranged to receive the insulated cable and displace the insulation therefrom and connect to a cable conductive element wire running within the cable insulation).

The first and second insulation displacement devices are conductively connected, so that, consequently, the panel conductor and cable conductor are conductively connected, whereby electric current may flow.

The insulation displacement device preferably comprises a pair of projecting portions defining a slot, edges of the slot being shaped to penetrate the insulation layer when a cable is forced into the slot, similar to standard insulation displacement devices.

Preferably, the panel mounts photovoltaic cells, and the panel conductors mounted to the panel are arranged to receive electric current generated by the photovoltaic cells.

Although the use of insulation displacement devices (IDD) is known in the telecommunications industry, it is not known for use in connecting-currenf carrying conductors for carrying electrical power, in the electrical generating and supply industry. It is traditional in J:\Speci\300-399\300-349\3258 7 .doc 5 electrical power generating and supply applications to use more conventional plug and socket type connectors for connecting conductors to each other. The use of IDD to connector solar panel conductors is not known.

Preferably, the housing comprises a shallow box-like structure having a base mounting the IDD and a lid arranged to fit to the base and cover it to environmentally seal the cable conductor/panel conductor connections.

Preferably, a sealing gel is provided to fill the housing and seal the connection from the environment.

Again, use of a sealing gel is something which is known for use in the telecommunications industry, but not in the electrical power industry.

In a preferred embodiment, the sealing gel is mounted within a separate lid. On assembly, the cable and flat panel conductors are first of all connected by way of the IDD and then the lid containing the gel is placed over the base. When the lid and the base are brought together the gel is forced into the space containing the IDD and connected conductors and seals the connection.

A panel may be substantially flat, as is usual with solar panels, or maybe other than flat, curved, such as the curve of a care windscreen.

The connector of the present invention has the advantage that the housing can be made nearly as shallow as the width of the connecting cable. It does not have to be deep enough to mount plug/socket type connectors, as in the prior art arrangements. The housing can therefore fit into a very narrow space.

Another advantage of the connector of the present invention is in assembly of the connectors to panel conductors on, for example, solar panels. Because IDD's are employed, cables which are series connecting panel conductors do not need to be pre-cut to a required length 1 and mounted to plugs/socket type connectors before J:\Speci\300-399\300-349\3258 7 .doc 6 installation. Nor do the panel conductors need to be crimped to plug/socket type connectors. An installation engineer can cut the cables to the appropriate length on site from, for example, a drum of raw cable. Installation is easy, merely requiring inserting the cables into the IDD. Similarly for the panel conductors. No crimping is necessary, panel conductors are merely electrically connected by inserting into the appropriate IDD. This results in simplicity, ease of assembly and a consequent reduction in labour costs.

Features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment thereof, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, in disassembled form; Figure 2 is a further perspective view of the electrical connector of figure 1; Figure 3 is a detail of part of figure 1; Figure 4 is a further detail corresponding to the detail of figure 3, but illustrating positioning of a cable conductor; Figure 5 shows the detail of figure 3 with the cable conductor positioned within the receiving insulation displacement device, and Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing solar panels series connected by electrical connectors in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

Referring to the figures, an electrical connector 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention comprises a housing 2 mounting insulation displacement devices 3, 4. Each insulation displacement device 3, 4 is arranged to receive panel conductors 5, 6, in receiving slots 7, 8. The insulation displacement devices (IDD's) J:\Speci\300-399\300-349\32587.doc -7 are conductive, preferably being of metal, and the receiving slots 7, 8 have sharpened edges so that when the panel conductors 5, 6 are inserted in the slots 7, 8, the sides of the slots cut into the insulation of the panel conductors 5, 6 and contact a conductive element (not shown) within the insulation.

The housing 2 mounts second IDDs 9, 10 which are conductively connected to the first IDD 3, 4 and which may be integral therewith. The second TDDs 9, 10 are arranged to receive cable conductors 40 (Figures 4,5 and 6) for conductive connection to the panel conductors 5, 6. The cable connectors also have insulation and a conducting element 41 within the insulation. Receiving slots 11, 12 in the IDD 9, 10 are arranged to receive the cable conductors 40 and cut into the insulation to contact the conductive element 41. In this way, the panel conductors 6 can be connected to the cable conductors The illustrated embodiment is particularly suitable for use with connecting photovoltaic cells in a solar panel. Solar panels usually comprise a plurality of photovoltaic cells. Each photovoltaic cell may have a pair of panel conductors mounted thereto. In order to obtain electric power from the photovoltaic cells it is necessary to connect the panel conductors to a further conductor (usually a cable conductor) in order to carry electric current. Further, it is also usual to connect together the plurality of photovoltaic cells in a panel in series. This is done by series connecting the panel conductors via the cables, as illustrated schematically in Figure 6.

With the embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of electrical connectors in accordance with the described embodiment would usually be used for a single solar panel, the connectors being used to connect adjacent photovoltaic cells via cable conductors (Figure 6).

Describing the illustrated embodiment in more detail, J: \Speci\300-399\300-349\32587 .doc 8 the housing 2 of the electrical connector has walls 14, 16, 17 upstanding from a base 18. Mounts 19, 20 are provided mounting the IDD 3, 4, 9, 10. In addition the mounts 19, 20 mount respective cable strain relief members 21, 22 for relieving strain on the cable conductors 4D.

Other than the mounts 19, 20, the walls 14, 15, 16, 17 and base 18 define a space 23. In operation, the base 18 is placed on the back of the solar panel where the panel conductors 5, 6 issue and is adhered to the back of the solar panel by way of the back of the base 18.

The IDD 3, 4, as well as including receiving slots 7, 8 for the panel conductors 5, 6, include further receiving slots 24, 25, available for the receipt of further panel conductors should they be present. It will be appreciated that any number of receiving slots and IDD could be provided in the electrical connector, depending upon requirements.

Yet further receiving slots 26, 27 are arranged to connect to a diode 28, which is employed with solar panels to prevent reverse current flowing back into the photovoltaic cells.

In operation, the panel conductors 5 and 6 are conductively connected to the IDD 3 and 4, as illustrated.

The cable conductors 40 are then placed in the mouth of the respective IDD slots 11 and 12, and a hinged closure member 28, 29, which is hinged to the mount 19, 20 by a "living", plastics hinge) are closed towards the slot 11 forcing the cable conductor 40 into the slot to make conductive connection with the conductive element 41 of the cable conductor 40 and the conductive element of the panel conductor 5, 6 (see Figure 5, wherein the closure member 28 is shown in the closed position). The strain relief members 21, 22 receive the cable conductors in a strain relief slot 30, 31, without cutting into the cable insulation, and provide strain relief in operation.

J:\Speci\300-399\300-349\32587.doc 9 The electrical connector 1 also comprises a lid 32 which, in operation, closes over the walls 14, 15, 16, 17 of the housing 2. Upstanding tabs 33, 34, 35, 36 are provided and are received in corresponding slots 37, 38, 39 (a further slot is not shown in the drawings) in an interface fit so that the lid 32 does not become removed from the housing 2 in operation. A further slot 40, 41 is provided for receiving the cable conductors. Further slots 51 are provided for receiving the cable conductors The further slots 50, 51 are shaped so as to fit closely over the cable conductors 40 to facilitate environmental sealing with a gel.

The lid 32 is provided with a sealing gel 42 such as the type used in the telecommunications industry to seal cables. The sealing gel is forced into the recesses within the housing 2 connected to the solar panel and surrounds and insulates all the components of the electrical connector, thus reducing environmental degradation of the connections.

As an alternative to using a sealing gel 42, environmental sealing could be provided by the use of a gasket in the lid of the box and corresponding gasket and slot in the housing. The gasket would provide the sealing and no sealing gel would be required.

It will be appreciated that the electrical connector of the present invention may be used with other flat panel arrangements which require conductive connection, and is not limited for use with photovoltaic cells and solar panels. For example, the electrical connectors could be used with a flat glass panel plasma display or a curved windscreen of a car. Any application which requires connection of conductors issuing from a panel or body is suited for the electrical connector arrangement of the present invention.

J: \Speci\300-399\300-349\32587 .doc 10 It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

J: \Speci\300-399\300-349\32587 .doc

Claims (2)

1. 2. A solar panel connector in accordance with claim i, including conductive members incorporating receiving slots for receiving diode leads of a diode, the conductive members and insulation displacement device being arranged to connect the diodes to the cable conductor.
2. 3. A solar panel connector in accordance with claim 1 or claim 2, the housing further including a lid for sealing the enclosure, a sealing gel being provided within the lid so that when the lid is closed the enclosure is sealed and insulated. Dated this 29t day of September, 1999 UTILUX PTY LIMITED by their Patent Attorney GRIFFITH HACK J:\Speci\300-399\300-349\ 3 2587 .doc