JP3194057U - Solar cell module - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a solar cell module that can easily connect a current collecting line and a connection cable in the module even after the solar cell module is installed on an object to be installed. A solar cell module comprising at least a photoelectric conversion layer and a collecting wire for taking out electricity converted by the photoelectric conversion layer to the outside, wherein the collecting wire is electrically connected to a connection cable terminal. The cable terminal is covered with a terminal cover 18 fixed to the solar cell module, and is fixed to the solar cell module via the terminal cover adhesive layer or the fitting structure, so that the connection cable terminal presses the current collector, Electrically connected. [Selection] Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to a solar cell module, and more particularly to a collector wire for extracting electricity from a solar cell and a solar cell module characterized by a connection structure of the electric extraction cable.

  Solar cells are attracting attention as a clean energy source, and various studies are being conducted. Crystalline solar cells are used as high-power solar cells such as mega solar, while thin-film solar cells such as amorphous silicon solar cells and organic thin-film solar cells also exist. Thin-film solar cells are lightweight, thin, flexible, and inexpensive to manufacture. Therefore, thin-film solar cells are attached to building windows or to interiors such as curtains in addition to power supply.

  In a solar cell, usually, electricity converted by a photoelectric conversion layer is collected by a collecting wire, connected to an external cable in a terminal cover called a junction box, and electricity is taken out (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The terminal cover is generally installed on the back side (non-light-receiving surface side) of the solar cell.

JP 2004-235189 A

Since the terminal cover that covers the electrical extraction structure has a structure in which the current collector and the cable terminal are electrically connected, the terminal cover becomes bulky to some extent. On the other hand, a thin film solar cell module is a flexible film-like solar cell module, and is stuck on a window or interior. When the inventors tried to install a flexible film-like solar cell module, the installation work was sometimes hindered by the presence of the terminal cover. In other words, the design is important when installing solar cell modules in windows, interiors, etc., and the presence of the terminal cover may be an obstacle in the work for neat and clean installation.
The present invention solves such problems, and provides a solar cell module in which a terminal cover can be easily installed even after the solar cell module is installed on an object to be installed.

  As a result of studies to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors fixed a terminal cover that covers the terminal of the connection cable to the solar cell module, so that the terminal of the connection cable presses the current collector and collects the connection cable terminal and the current collector. By adopting a structure in which the electric wires are electrically connected, it has been conceived that even after the solar cell module is installed on the object to be installed, it is possible to easily connect the collector wire of the solar cell module and the connection cable.

The present invention is a solar cell module comprising at least a photoelectric conversion layer and a current collecting line for taking out electricity converted by the photoelectric conversion layer, and the current collecting line is electrically connected to a connection cable terminal,
The connection cable terminal is covered with a terminal cover fixed to the solar cell module;
By fixing the terminal cover and the solar cell module, the connection cable terminal presses the current collection line, and the connection cable terminal and the current collection line are electrically connected.

  Moreover, the aspect in which the said connection cable terminal and the said current collection line are connected within a solar cell module is preferable, and the said connection cable terminal and the said current collection line are connected outside a solar cell module, and the solar cell module of the said current collection line An embodiment in which at least a part of the outside portions is coated with an insulating resin is preferable.

The terminal cover and the solar cell module are preferably fixed by an adhesive layer, and the terminal cover and the solar cell module are preferably fixed by a fitting structure.
Moreover, it is preferable that it is a thin film solar cell module, and it is preferable that it is an organic thin film solar cell.

  According to the solar cell module of the present invention, it is possible to provide a solar cell module that can easily connect the current collecting line and the connection cable in the module even after the solar cell module is installed on the object to be installed. In particular, since the current collector and the connection cable are conventionally connected in the terminal cover by a sandwiching structure, a screw structure, etc., there is a certain amount of work for the connection. However, by adopting the structure of the present invention, connection is possible simply by fixing the terminal cover to the solar cell module, and connection becomes extremely easy. Moreover, according to the solar cell module of the present invention, it is not necessary to use solder for the connection between the collector line and the connection cable, and a solder-free solar cell module can be provided.

In 1st and 2nd embodiment of this invention, it is the schematic diagram which looked at the solar cell module before fixing a terminal cover from the upper surface. It is a schematic diagram which shows the cross-sectional structure of AA 'of FIG. It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram explaining the 1st Embodiment of this invention. (A) shows a state before the solar cell module and the terminal cover are fixed, and (b) shows a state where the solar cell module and the terminal cover are fixed. It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram explaining the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. (A) shows a state before the solar cell module and the terminal cover are fixed, and (b) shows a state where the solar cell module and the terminal cover are fixed. In the 3rd and 4th embodiment of this invention, it is the schematic diagram which looked at the solar cell module before fixing a terminal cover from the upper surface. It is a schematic diagram which shows the cross-sectional structure of AA 'of FIG. It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram explaining the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. (A) shows a state before the solar cell module and the terminal cover are fixed, and (b) shows a state where the solar cell module and the terminal cover are fixed. It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram explaining the 4th Embodiment of this invention. (A) shows a state before the solar cell module and the terminal cover are fixed, and (b) shows a state where the solar cell module and the terminal cover are fixed.

The solar cell module of the present invention is a solar cell module comprising at least a photoelectric conversion layer and a current collecting wire for taking out the electricity converted by the photoelectric conversion layer, and the current collecting wire is electrically connected to a connection cable terminal, The connection cable terminal is covered with a terminal cover fixed to the solar cell module.
The present invention is preferably a thin film solar cell module and more preferably an organic thin film solar cell because it can be suitably applied to the installation of a thin film solar cell module that can also be installed in windows and interiors.

<Photoelectric conversion layer>
The photoelectric conversion layer is a layer that converts incident sunlight into electricity. The photoelectric conversion layer should just be what can convert light energy into electrical energy.

  Examples of the photoelectric conversion layer include thin film single crystal silicon, thin film polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, microcrystalline silicon, spherical silicon, an inorganic semiconductor material, an organic dye material, and an organic semiconductor material. In the present invention, it is preferably an amorphous silicon layer, an organic dye material, or an organic semiconductor material that has flexibility and can be installed in windows, interiors, etc., and in particular, an organic semiconductor using an organic semiconductor material A layer is preferred.

  When an organic semiconductor (including a p-type semiconductor and an n-type semiconductor) is employed as the photoelectric conversion layer, the p-type semiconductor that can constitute the organic semiconductor includes tetrabenzoporphyrin, tetrabenzocopper porphyrin, tetrabenzozinc porphyrin, and the like. And a phthalocyanine compound such as phthalocyanine, copper phthalocyanine, and zinc phthalocyanine; a polyacene such as tetracene and pentacene; an oligothiophene such as sexithiophene and a derivative containing these compounds as a skeleton. Furthermore, examples of the p-type semiconductor that can form the organic semiconductor include polymers such as polythiophene including poly (3-alkylthiophene), polyfluorene, polyphenylene vinylene, polytriallylamine, polyacetylene, polyaniline, and polypyrrole.

  Examples of n-type semiconductors that can form organic semiconductors include fullerenes (C60, C70, C76); octaaporphyrins; perfluoro compounds of the above p-type semiconductors; naphthalenetetracarboxylic acid anhydrides, naphthalenetetracarboxylic acid diimides, Examples thereof include aromatic carboxylic acid anhydrides such as perylenetetracarboxylic acid anhydride and perylenetetracarboxylic acid diimide and imide compounds thereof; and derivatives containing these compounds as a skeleton.

  Specific examples of the configuration of the organic semiconductor include a bulk heterojunction type having a layer (i layer) in which a p-type semiconductor and an n-type semiconductor are phase-separated in the layer, and a layer (p layer) including a p-type semiconductor and an n-type, respectively. A stacked type (hetero pn junction type) in which layers (n layers) including a semiconductor are stacked, a Schottky type, and a combination thereof can be given.

  The thickness of the photoelectric conversion layer is preferably 50 nm or more, and more preferably 200 nm or more. Moreover, it is preferable that it is 3 micrometers or less, and it is more preferable that it is 1 micrometer or less.

<Collector>
The current collector is a conducting wire that is connected to the electrode of the photoelectric conversion layer and takes out the electricity converted by the photoelectric conversion layer. At least one end of the current collector is connected to the connection cable terminal.
As a material for the current collector, metals, alloys, and the like are often used, and among them, it is preferable to use copper, aluminum, silver, gold, nickel, or the like having a low resistivity. Among these, copper and aluminum are particularly preferable because they are inexpensive. In order to prevent rust, the current collector may be plated with tin, silver or the like, the surface may be coated with resin, or a film may be laminated. As the shape of the current collecting wire, there are a rectangular wire, foil, flat plate, and wire shape, but for reasons such as securing a bonding area, it is preferable to use a flat wire, foil, or flat plate shape.
“Foil” refers to a material having a thickness of less than 100 μm, and “plate” refers to a material having a thickness of 100 μm or more. Further, the “flat wire” refers to a wire whose cross section is rolled to make the cross section into a quadrangle.

The thickness of the current collector is preferably 5 μm or more, more preferably 10 μm or more. Further, it is preferably 2 mm or less, more preferably 1 mm or less, and particularly preferably 300 μm or less. If the thickness is thinner than the above range, the resistance value of the current collector increases, and the generated power cannot be taken out efficiently. Further, if the thickness is larger than the above range, there is a risk that the solar cell module will increase in weight and the flexibility will decrease, the surface of the module will easily become uneven, and the production cost will increase. is there.
The width of the current collector is preferably 0.5 mm or more, more preferably 1 mm or more, and particularly preferably 2 mm or more. Moreover, it is preferable that the width | variety of a current collection line is 50 mm or less, More preferably, it is 20 mm or less, Most preferably, it is 10 mm or less. If the width of the current collecting line is narrower than the above range, the resistance value of the current collecting line increases, and the generated power cannot be efficiently taken out. In addition, the mechanical strength of the current collector decreases, which may cause breakage and the like. Moreover, when the width | variety of a current collection line is wider than the said range, the aperture ratio in the whole module will reduce, and there exists a possibility of leading to the fall of the power generation amount of a module.

One end of the current collector is connected to the photoelectric conversion layer, and the connection portion with the photoelectric conversion layer is usually present in the sealing structure of the solar cell module, but the other end is connected to the connection cable terminal for solar cells. It is exposed outside the module. If the current collecting line is exposed at the time of construction, there is a possibility of breakage. Therefore, the exposed portion may be covered with an insulating resin.
The type of the insulating resin is not particularly limited, a known one can be used, and the coating method is not particularly limited. In addition, when the connection part with a connection cable terminal is covered with insulating resin among the current collection lines, it is necessary to peel off the connection part at the time of connection.

  In a solar cell module, in order to protect the connection part of a collector wire and a connection cable terminal, a terminal cover is provided. As the terminal cover, a commonly used one can be used, and it may be a box shape or simply a covering member or a patch tape. The terminal cover may be sealed with an insulating resin.

<Surface protective layer>
The surface protective layer is a layer for imparting mechanical strength, weather resistance, scratch resistance, chemical resistance, gas barrier properties and the like to the solar cell module. The surface protective layer is preferably one that does not interfere with light absorption of the photoelectric conversion layer, that is, one that transmits light having a wavelength that can be efficiently converted into electric energy by the photoelectric conversion layer. For example, the solar transmittance is 80%. It is preferable that it is above, and it is more preferable that it is 85% or more.

Moreover, since a solar cell module is heated by sunlight, it is preferable that a surface protective layer has heat resistance. Therefore, the melting point of the constituent material of the surface protective layer is preferably 100 ° C. or higher, and more preferably 120 ° C. or higher.
The melting point of the constituent material of the surface protective layer is preferably 320 ° C. or lower, and more preferably 300 ° C. or lower.

The constituent material of the surface protective layer can be selected from various viewpoints. For example, polyethylene resin, polypropylene resin, cyclic polyolefin resin, AS (acrylonitrile-styrene) resin, ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) resin, polyvinyl chloride resin Polyester resin such as fluorine resin, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, phenol resin, polyacrylic resin, (hydrogenated) epoxy resin, polyamide resin such as various nylons, polyimide resin, polyamide-imide resin, polyurethane resin, cellulose Resin, silicon resin, polycarbonate resin, etc. can be used as the constituent material of the surface protective layer. In addition, when importance is attached to weather resistance, it is preferable to use a fluorine-based resin such as ETFE as a constituent material of the surface protective layer.
The surface protective layer may be composed of two or more materials. Moreover, it may be a single layer or a laminate comprising two or more layers.

  The thickness of the surface protective layer is not particularly defined, but the mechanical strength tends to increase by increasing the thickness, and the flexibility tends to increase by decreasing the thickness. Therefore, the thickness of the surface protective layer is usually 10 μm or more, preferably 15 μm or more, more preferably 20 μm or more, and usually 200 μm or less, preferably 180 μm or less, more preferably 150 μm or less.

<Back side protective layer>
The solar cell module has a back surface protective layer. The back surface protective layer is a layer having a weather resistance and impact resistance function.
The solar cell module according to the present embodiment preferably has flexibility, and the back protective layer is preferably a resin sheet.
Resin sheets include ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (ETFE), perfluoroalkoxy fluororesin (PFA), tetrafluoroethylene / hexafluoropropylene copolymer (FEP), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE). , Polycarbonate (PC), polyimide (PI), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyamide (PA), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) Polyolefin elastomers, polyester elastomers, etc. are preferable as polyvinyl chloride resin (PVC) and thermoplastic elastomer (TPO), and ETFE, PC, PVC, TPO are particularly preferred because of their good mechanical properties and light resistance. PMMA is desirable.

The thickness of the back surface protective layer is usually 10 μm or more, preferably 50 μm or more, and usually 5 mm or less, preferably 3 mm or less, from the viewpoint of imparting lightness and flexibility.
The back surface protective layer may be a laminate in order to impart the required performance.
In addition, a module substrate can be provided separately from the back surface protective layer. As the module substrate, a substrate including a metal layer or a steel plate may be used. However, when flexibility is required, a resin substrate such as polycarbonate can be used.

<Encapsulant layer>
The sealing material layer is a layer provided in the solar cell module for the purpose of sealing the photoelectric conversion layer and the like.
The sealing material layer also contributes to improvements in mechanical strength, weather resistance, gas barrier properties, and the like. Further, since the sealing material layer is located on the light receiving surface side, it is preferable that the sealing material layer transmit visible light and has high heat resistance. It is also possible to add other optical functions or mechanical functions to the sealing material layer. Examples of the optical function that can be added to the sealing material layer include a light confinement function and a wavelength conversion function, and examples of the mechanical function include a cushion function.

  The material for the sealing material layer should be selected in consideration of the above matters. Specific examples of the material of the sealing material layer include ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) resin, polyolefin resin, AS (acrylonitrile-styrene) resin, ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) resin, polyvinyl chloride resin. , Fluorinated resins, polyester resins such as polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene naphthalate, phenolic resins, polyacrylic resins, polymethacrylic resins, chloroprene resins, (hydrogenated) epoxy resins, polyamide resins such as various nylons, polyimide resins , Polyamide-imide resin, polyurethane resin, cellulose resin, silicon resin, polycarbonate resin and the like.

Among them, an ethylene copolymer resin is preferable, and more preferable is an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) resin or a polyolefin resin (copolymer of ethylene and other olefins) ( Propylene / ethylene / α-olefin copolymer, ethylene / α-olefin copolymer, etc.).

  The thickness of the sealing material layer is usually 30 μm or more, preferably 120 μm or more, more preferably 150 μm or more, and further preferably 300 μm or more. Moreover, it is 800 micrometers or less normally, it is preferable that it is 700 micrometers or less, and it is more preferable that it is 600 micrometers or less. In addition, the said range means the thickness of each sealing material layer, when multiple sealing material layers exist.

<Other layers>
The solar cell module can be provided with other layers as required. Examples include an insulating layer, a buffer layer, a reinforcing layer, a gas barrier layer, an ultraviolet cut layer, and the like.

<Method for manufacturing solar cell module>
The manufacturing method of the solar cell module may use a known method, but includes, for example, a surface protective layer, a sealing material layer, a photoelectric conversion layer, a sealing material layer, and a back surface protective layer, and a collector wire is connected to the photoelectric conversion layer. The solar cell module can be obtained by placing the multilayer sheet in a vacuum lamination apparatus, heating it after evacuation, and cooling it after a predetermined time.

The said hot press conditions are not specifically limited, It can implement on the conditions performed normally.
It is preferably performed under vacuum conditions, and the degree of vacuum is usually 30 Pa or more, preferably 50 Pa or more, more preferably 80 Pa or more. On the other hand, the upper limit is usually 150 Pa or less, preferably 120 Pa or less, more preferably 100 Pa or less. By setting it as the said range, since generation | occurrence | production of a bubble can be suppressed in each layer in a module and productivity is also improved, it is preferable.

  The vacuum time is usually 1 minute or longer, preferably 2 minutes or longer, more preferably 3 minutes or longer. On the other hand, the upper limit is usually 30 minutes or less, preferably 20 minutes or less, more preferably 10 minutes or less. Setting the vacuum time in the above range is preferable because the appearance of the solar cell module after hot pressing is improved and the generation of bubbles in each layer in the module can be suppressed.

  The press condition of the hot press is usually a pressure of 50 kPa or more, preferably 70 kPa or more, more preferably 90 kPa or more. On the other hand, the upper limit value is preferably 101 kPa or less. By setting it as the pressurization conditions of the said range, since moderate adhesiveness can be acquired, without damaging a solar cell module, it is preferable also from a durable viewpoint.

  The holding time of the pressure is usually 1 minute or longer, preferably 3 minutes or longer, more preferably 5 minutes or longer. On the other hand, the upper limit is usually 30 minutes or less, preferably 20 minutes or less, more preferably 15 minutes or less. By setting it as the said holding time, the function which protects the electric power generating element of a sealing layer can fully be exhibited, and sufficient adhesive strength can be obtained.

  The temperature condition of the hot press is usually 120 ° C. or higher, preferably 130 ° C. or higher, more preferably 140 ° C. or higher. On the other hand, the upper limit is usually 180 ° C. or lower, preferably 160 ° C. or lower, more preferably 150 ° C. or lower. By setting the temperature range, sufficient adhesive strength can be obtained.

  Moreover, the heating time of the said temperature is 10 minutes or more normally, Preferably it is 12 minutes or more, More preferably, it is 15 minutes or more. On the other hand, the upper limit is 60 minutes or less, preferably 45 minutes or less, more preferably 30 minutes or less. By setting it as the said heating time, since durability of a sealing material is bridge | crosslinked moderately and it can have moderate softness | flexibility, it is preferable.

  Hereinafter, the solar cell module of the present invention will be described more specifically with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the contents described below, and can be arbitrarily modified and implemented without departing from the scope of the present invention. Is possible. In addition, the drawings used for the description all schematically show the solar cell module according to the present invention or its constituent members, and are partially emphasized, enlarged, reduced, omitted or the like for deepening understanding. In some cases, it does not accurately represent the scale or shape of each component. Furthermore, the various numerical values used in the description with reference to the drawings are only examples, and can be variously changed as necessary.

FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of a solar cell module according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention.
In the solar cell module shown in FIG. 1, an organic semiconductor cell 14 in which a plurality of organic semiconductor cells are monolithically connected is used as a photoelectric conversion layer. It is the manufactured organic thin film solar cell module 10.
Since the current collecting wire 15 is laminated while being connected to the organic semiconductor cell 14, it is covered with a sealing material layer or a surface protective layer immediately after lamination. On the other hand, the end of the collector line 15 is electrically connected to a terminal of a connection cable (not shown). In order to connect to the connection cable, it is necessary to expose the current collector 15, and an exposed portion 16 is provided at one end of the current collector.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line AA ′ of FIG.
In the organic thin-film solar cell module 10 shown in FIG. 2, sunlight 1 enters from the lower side in the figure, and from the incident surface of sunlight, the surface protective layer 11, the sealing material layer 12, the organic semiconductor cell 14, and the current collector 15. The sealing material layer 12 and the back surface protective layer 13 are laminated in this order. And the exposed part 16 is provided so that the edge part of the current collection line 15 may be exposed.
The exposed portion 16 only needs to be provided so that the end of the current collector 15 can be connected to the terminal of the connection cable, and the shape thereof is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a circular shape, an elliptical shape, a rectangular shape, and a polygonal shape. Further, the size of the exposed portion is not particularly limited as long as it is large enough to be connected to the terminal of the connection cable. The method of providing the exposed portion 16 is not particularly limited, and the back surface protective layer and the sealing material layer in the necessary region portion may be removed using a cutter or the like.

Next, electrical connection between the organic thin-film solar cell module 10 and the connection cable 17 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described.
FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining the first embodiment of the present invention. (A) is the state before the organic thin film solar cell module 10 and the terminal cover 18 are fixed, (b) shows the state where the organic thin film solar cell module 10 and the terminal cover 18 are fixed.

The connection cable 17 includes a connection cable terminal 17 b at the tip, and the connection cable terminal 17 b is protected by a terminal cover 18.
The connection cable terminal 17b has an elastic force from the top to the bottom in the figure when the bending part of the terminal is elastically deformed when stress is generated from the bottom to the top in the figure with respect to the tip of the connection cable terminal 17b. It is a structure that produces.
Therefore, by fixing the terminal cover 18 and the organic thin-film solar cell 10 with the fixing portion 19 indicated by a chain line in the figure, the connection cable terminal 17b in which the elastic force is generated presses the current collector 15 in the direction of the arrow in the figure. Then, the connection cable terminal 17b and the collecting wire 15 are electrically connected.

The connection cable terminal 17b is preferably made of a generally conductive material, and preferably has a material and thickness that are easily elastically deformed.
Moreover, the method of fixing the terminal cover 18 and the organic thin film solar cell 10 may be provided with an adhesive layer such as a double-sided tape on the fixing portion 19 or may be fixed separately using a fixing jig or the like. From the viewpoint of design and handling, it is preferable to fix the adhesive layer.
The connection cable terminal 17b can achieve electrical connection by pressing the collector line 15; however, in order to make the connection stronger, the conductive adhesive is provided between the connection cable terminal 17b and the collector line 15. A layer may be provided.
Note that only one end of the collector line 15 may be electrically connected to the connection cable terminal 17b, or both ends may be electrically connected to the connection cable terminal 17b.

  On the other hand, FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining a second embodiment of the present invention. (A) is the state before the organic thin film solar cell module 20 and the terminal cover 28 are fixed, (b) shows the state where the organic thin film solar cell module 20 and the terminal cover 28 are fixed.

The connection cable 27 includes a connection cable terminal 27 b at its tip, and the connection cable terminal 27 b is protected by a terminal cover 28.
The connection cable terminal 27b is electrically connected by contacting the current collecting wire 25 at the tip portion. The length of the portion of the terminal cable terminal 27b exposed from the terminal cover 28 is the length of the exposed portion 26. It is slightly longer than the distance between the fixing member 29 and the collector line 25. Therefore, by fixing the terminal cover 28 and the organic thin-film solar cell 20 with the fixing member 29, the connection cable terminal 27 b presses the current collection line 25 in the direction of the arrow in the figure, and the connection cable terminal 27 b and the current collection line 25. Are electrically connected.

The material of the connection cable terminal 27b is not particularly limited as long as it is a conductive material.
Further, the tip of the terminal cover 28 has a concavo-convex structure, while the fixing member 29 is also provided with a concavo-convex structure, and both are fixed by a fitting structure composed of these concavo-convex structures. In the case of the structure shown in the figure, the terminal cover 28 and the fixing member 29 are made of, for example, silicon resin.
The connection cable terminal 27b presses the current collector 25 to achieve electrical connection. However, in order to make the connection stronger, a conductive adhesive is provided between the connection cable terminal 27b and the current collector 25. A layer may be provided.

As is apparent from FIGS. 3B and 4B, the first and second embodiments of the present invention described above have the connection cable terminal and the collector line connected within the solar cell module. . The inside of the solar cell module means the outermost surface and the outermost layer forming the solar cell module, for example, between the surface protective layer and the back surface protective layer.
Thus, it is preferable because the collector of the solar cell module and the connection cable terminal are connected to improve the design of the solar cell module, and the positioning of the module and the terminal is simplified and the workability is improved.

FIG. 5 is a schematic top view of solar cell modules according to the third and fourth embodiments of the present invention.
As in the solar cell module shown in FIG. 1, the solar cell module 30 shown in FIG. 5 uses an organic semiconductor cell 34 in which a plurality of organic semiconductor cells are monolithically connected as a photoelectric conversion layer.
Since the current collecting wire 35 is laminated while being connected to the organic semiconductor cell 34, it is covered with a sealing material layer or a surface protective layer. On the other hand, the end of the current collecting wire 35 is electrically connected to a terminal of a connection cable (not shown). Since it is necessary to take out the current collecting wire 35 from the laminated solar cell module for connection with the connection cable terminal, a current collecting wire extraction portion 36 is provided at one end of the current collecting wire.

FIG. 6 shows a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line AA ′ of FIG.
In the organic thin-film solar cell module 30 shown in FIG. 6, sunlight 1 enters from the lower side in the figure, and from the incident surface of sunlight, the surface protective layer 31, the sealing material layer 32, the organic semiconductor cell 34, and the collector wire 35. The sealing material layer 32 and the back surface protective layer 33 are laminated in this order. And the edge part of the current collection line 35 is taken out from the solar cell module from the current collection line extraction part 36. FIG. The collecting wire 35 taken out from the solar cell module is provided with a covering portion 35b made of an insulating resin. Covering the exposed portion of the current collector outside the solar cell module with an insulating resin can reduce the damage of the current collector during construction.

  The collector line extraction part 36 should just be able to take out the collector line 35, and the shape is not specifically limited, either. Usually, it is slit-shaped, but it may be elliptical or rectangular. Further, the size of the current collector outlet 36 is not particularly limited, but in order to reduce the exposure of the organic semiconductor cell to the atmosphere as much as possible, the current collector outlet 36 is preferably smaller. The method of providing the current collector outlet 36 is not particularly limited, and a cutter or the like may be used to cut the back surface protective layer and the sealing material layer in the necessary region.

Next, electrical connection between the organic thin film solar cell module 30 and the connection cable 37 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 will be described.
FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram for explaining a third embodiment of the present invention. (A) is the state before the organic thin film solar cell module 30 and the terminal cover 38 are fixed, (b) shows the state where the organic thin film solar cell module 30 and the terminal cover 38 are fixed.

The connection cable 37 includes a connection cable terminal 37b at the tip, and the connection cable terminal 37b is protected by a terminal cover 38.
The connection cable terminal 37b has an elastic force from the top to the bottom in the figure when the bent portion of the terminal is elastically deformed when stress is generated from the bottom to the top in the figure with respect to the tip of the connection cable terminal 37b. It is a structure that produces.
Therefore, by fixing the terminal cover 38 and the organic thin film solar cell 30 with the fixing portion 39, the connection cable terminal 37b in which the elastic force is generated presses the current collecting wire 35 in the direction of the arrow in the drawing, and the connection cable terminal 37b and the collector line 35 are electrically connected.

The connection cable terminal 37b is usually formed of a conductive material, and preferably has a material and a thickness that are easily elastically deformed.
The terminal cover 38 and the organic thin film solar cell 30 may be fixed by, for example, providing a fixing layer 39 with an adhesive layer such as a double-sided tape, or by using a fixing jig or the like. From the viewpoint of design and handling, it is preferable to fix the adhesive layer.
The connection cable terminal 37b presses the current collecting wire 35 to achieve electrical connection. However, in order to make the connection stronger, the conductive adhesive is provided between the connection cable terminal 37b and the current collecting wire 35. A layer may be provided.
Note that only one end of the current collecting wire 35 may be electrically connected to the connection cable terminal 37b, or both ends may be electrically connected to the connection cable terminal 37b.

  On the other hand, FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram for explaining a fourth embodiment of the present invention. (A) is the state before the organic thin film solar cell module 40 and the terminal cover 48 are fixed, (b) shows the state where the organic thin film solar cell module 40 and the terminal cover 48 are fixed.

The connection cable 47 includes a connection cable terminal 47 b at the tip, and the connection cable terminal 47 b is protected by a terminal cover 48.
The connecting cable terminal 47b is electrically connected by contacting the current collecting wire 45 at the tip portion thereof, but the length of the portion of the terminal cable terminal 47b exposed from the terminal cover 48 is the length of the fixed portion 49. It is slightly longer than the length of the upper part and the collector wire 45. Therefore, by fixing the terminal cover 48 and the organic thin-film solar cell 40 with the fixing member 49, the connection cable terminal 47 b presses the current collection line 45 in the direction of the arrow in the figure, and the connection cable terminal 47 b and the current collection line 45. Are electrically connected.

The material of the connection cable terminal 47b is not particularly limited as long as it is a conductive material.
Further, the tip of the terminal cover 48 has a concavo-convex structure, while the fixing member 49 is also provided with a concavo-convex structure, and both are fixed by a fitting structure composed of these concavo-convex structures. In the case of the structure shown in the figure, the terminal cover 48 and the fixing member 49 are made of, for example, silicon resin.
The connection cable terminal 47b presses the current collector 45 to achieve electrical connection. However, in order to make the connection stronger, a conductive adhesive is provided between the connection cable terminal 47b and the current collector 45. A layer may be provided.

In the third and fourth embodiments of the present invention described above, the connection cable terminal and the collector line are connected outside the solar cell module, as is apparent from FIGS. 7B and 8B. . The term “outside of the solar cell module” means the outermost layer and the outermost layer forming the solar cell module, for example, the outer side of the front surface protective layer and the rear surface protective layer. In addition, when the current collector and the connection cable terminal are connected outside the solar cell module, at least a part of the current collector existing outside the solar cell module is covered with an insulating resin. This is preferable from the viewpoint of reducing breakage of the electric wire.
Thus, it is preferable because the waterproof treatment of the connection cable terminal can be simplified by connecting the collector line and the connection cable terminal outside the solar cell module.

  According to the solar cell module of the present invention, even after the solar cell module is installed on the object to be installed, the current collecting line and the connection cable in the module can be easily connected. Moreover, according to the solar cell module of the present invention, it is not necessary to use solder for connection between the current collecting line and the connection cable, and a solder-free solar cell module is obtained.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Sunlight 10, 20, 30, 40 Organic thin-film solar cell module 11, 21, 31, 41 Surface protective layer 12, 22, 32, 42 Sealing material layer 13, 23, 33, 43 Back surface protective layer 14, 24, 34, 44 Organic semiconductor cells 15, 25, 35, 45 Current collecting wires 35b, 45b Resin-coated current collecting wires 16, 26 Exposed portion 36 Current collecting wire outlets 17, 27, 37, 47 Connection cables 17b, 27b, 37b, 47b Connection cables Terminals 18, 28, 38, 48 Terminal covers 19, 39 Fixing parts 29, 49 Fixing members

Claims (6)

A solar cell module comprising at least a photoelectric conversion layer and a current collecting line that takes out the electricity converted by the photoelectric conversion layer, and the current collecting line is electrically connected to a connection cable terminal,
The connection cable terminal is covered with a terminal cover fixed to the solar cell module;
A solar cell module in which the connection cable terminal is pressed against the current collection line by fixing the terminal cover and the solar cell module, and the connection cable terminal and the current collection line are electrically connected.   The solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein the connection cable terminal and the collector line are connected within the solar cell module. The connection cable terminal and the collector line are connected outside the solar cell module,
2. The solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the portion of the power collection line existing outside the solar cell module is covered with an insulating resin.   The solar cell module according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the terminal cover and the solar cell module are fixed by an adhesive layer.   The solar cell module according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the terminal cover and the solar cell module are fixed by a fitting structure.   The solar cell module according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which is a thin-film solar cell module.