JPH0546050U - Solar cell module - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To solve the poor aesthetics and the reduction in conversion efficiency due to the shield that occurs in conventional solar cells. [Structure] Among the collector electrodes for collecting photocarriers formed on the light incident surface (1a) of the solar cell (1), the main collector electrode (2), which is the main carrier passage, is defined by the periphery of the solar cell. (1b), the periphery (1b), by the shield (7) of the translucent substrate (4) arranged to face the solar cell (1), the arrangement that is not visible to the outside with the naked eye. It has a structure.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a solar cell module that converts light energy into electric energy.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 Since the solar cell is a photoelectric conversion element, how to effectively utilize the incident light is a problem. As measures to do so, it is necessary to extend the photosensitivity characteristics of the solar cell itself to a wide wavelength range, or to improve the structure in order to reduce the loss that occurs when carriers generated by light are extracted to the outside. Some have been given.

FIG. 3 is a structural diagram of a solar cell module including a solar cell that is devised in terms of the structure included in the latter of these measures. FIG. 7A is a plan view (perspective view) seen from the light incident side of the module, and FIG. In the figure, (1) is a solar cell made of single crystal silicon, polycrystalline silicon, etc., and (2) is screen-printed with a silver paste for collecting optical carriers provided on the light incident surface (1a) of the solar cell. The main collector electrode thus formed, and (3) is a sub-collector electrode branched from the main collector electrode.

These collector electrodes (2) and (3) have a collection loss of photocarriers, which is caused by the transparent conductive film (not shown) formed on the light incident surface (1a) of the solar cell, which usually has high resistance. An electrode for collecting optical carriers that is provided for reducing the width.A wide main collector electrode (2) made of a low-resistance material, which is generally the main passage of the carrier, and a narrow collector electrode electrically connected to it. It consists of a sub-collector electrode (3).

Generally, in a square solar cell, for example, the main collecting electrode (2) is arranged approximately one quarter of the length from one side, and the sub collecting electrode (3) is It is formed so as to extend in a branch shape from the main collector electrode (2). Incidentally, the typical value of the distance between the branch-shaped sub-collecting electrodes (2) is about 4 mm.

[0006] (4) is a transparent substrate made of glass or the like, which is arranged facing the solar cell (1), (5) is a protective film arranged on the back surface of the solar cell, and (6) is the solar cell ( Adhesive made of EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) or the like enclosed between 1), the transparent substrate (4), and the protective film (5), and (7) is the side of the transparent substrate (4). When viewed from above, it is a shield made of a coating material or the like for shielding the main collector electrode (2) so that it cannot be visually recognized.

Particularly, the translucent substrate (4) is arranged at a position where the light incident on the solar cell (1) is transmitted. Further, the shield (7) covers the main collecting electrode (2), but the sub collecting electrode (3) is hardly covered. This is usually large enough that the width of the main collecting electrode (2) is 1 to 2 mm and can be clearly recognized with the naked eye, whereas that of the sub collecting electrode (3) is 0.05 to 0.2 mm. Since it is extremely fine, the shield (7) is usually provided only on the main collector electrode (2).

Furthermore, in a normal solar cell, the peripheral edge in the range of about 0.05 to 0.5 mm from the edge of the solar cell is a region that does not exhibit the photoelectric conversion function of the solar cell. There is. This is a so-called dead area for preventing electrical short circuits on the front and back surfaces of the solar cell.

A solar cell provided with such a collector electrode is described in detail, for example, in JP-A-62-9682.

[0010]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, since the collecting electrodes (2) and (3) are formed almost at the center of the light incident surface (1a) that performs a photoelectric conversion function as the solar cell (1), the solar cell (1) faces the light incident side. In this case, even though the main electrode (2) cannot be recognized directly with the naked eye even if it is covered with the shield (7), it cannot be denied that the shield (7) impairs the aesthetics.

Furthermore, a metallic ribbon (not shown in FIG. 3) formed by applying solder plating to the surface of a copper foil used for connecting the solar cell to the outside is used as a main collector electrode (2). If it is adhered, the aesthetics will be further impaired.

Further, the shield (7) for the main collecting electrode (2) usually needs to be set larger than the width of the main collecting electrode by about 2 mm in order to sufficiently fulfill its function. That is, it is necessary to block light with a margin of about 1 mm left and right from the edge of the main collector electrode (2). Therefore, as long as such a shield (7) is used, the substantial light incident area of the solar cell will be greatly reduced, and the conversion efficiency will be reduced in terms of characteristics.

[0013]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 The solar cell module of the present invention is characterized by a wide main collector electrode made of a low resistance material for collecting light carriers on the light incident surface, and a width made of a low resistance material electrically connected to the main collector electrode. A solar cell module comprising a solar cell provided with a narrow sub-collector electrode, and a translucent substrate facing the solar cell on the light incident side of the solar cell, wherein the main collector electrode is the solar cell. And the sub-collection electrode extends from the main collection electrode toward the center of the solar cell, and the light-transmissive substrate is provided with a shield corresponding to the main collection electrode. In a solar cell in which a metallic ribbon is coated on the main collector electrode, the translucent substrate is provided with a shield corresponding to the metallic ribbon. Especially.

[0014]

[Action]

 According to the present invention, by providing a shield on a part of the transparent substrate, the main collector electrode or the metallic ribbon is invisible to the naked eye when facing from the transparent substrate side. Therefore, the aesthetic appearance of the solar cell module can be maintained.

Further, according to the present invention, since the position of the main collector electrode is located not at the center of the solar cell but at the peripheral edge of the solar cell, it is possible to reduce the incident area of light as in the conventional solar cell. The reduction in conversion efficiency is reduced.

[0016]

【Example】

 FIG. 1 is a structural view showing a plan view (perspective view) (a) and a sectional view (b) of the solar cell module according to the first embodiment of the present invention as seen from the light incident side. In the figure, the same materials as those in the conventional example (FIG. 3) are designated by the same reference numerals.

In the solar cell module of the present invention, the translucent substrate (4) is disposed on the light incident side of the solar cell (1), and the light is transmitted through the translucent substrate (4) to the solar cell (4). It is irradiated to 1). The main feature of this solar cell is that the main collector electrode (2) is placed on the peripheral edge (1b) of the solar cell (1) and the shield (7) is provided on the translucent substrate (4). It is shielded by.

The fact that the main collector electrode (2) is shielded by this shield (7) means that the solar cell (1) faces from the transparent substrate (4) side through the transparent substrate (4). If so, this means that the main collecting electrode (2) cannot be recognized by the naked eye.

Therefore, it is possible to avoid disposing the shield (7) such as the conventional solar cell almost at the center of the incident surface (1a) of the solar cell, and the appearance of the solar cell module is not spoiled.

This also means that the incident area loss due to the collecting electrode on the incident surface can be reduced at the same time.

In particular, according to the present invention, even if the shield body (7) is provided so as to cover the main collector electrode (2) sufficiently, the size of the shield body (7) is set to the size of each main collector electrode (2). ), It is about 1 mm toward the center of the incident surface (1a), and by making it larger from the end side of the main collecting electrode (2), it functions sufficiently. This means that the loss of the incident area can be reduced as compared with the conventional case where the shield has to be enlarged by 1 mm from each end of the main collector electrode.

In addition, since the main collector electrode is the peripheral edge of the solar cell, the dead area conventionally provided to prevent an electrical short circuit on the front and back of the solar cell is positively used as a light carrier extraction portion. This enables effective use of the solar cell surface.

Incidentally, the sub-collector electrode (3) of the solar cell (1) used in the present embodiment is located at the center of the light incident surface of the solar cell from the main collector electrode (2) existing in the peripheral edge (1b). It is formed so that many pieces extend.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. The same figure (a) is a plan view (perspective view) as seen from the light incident side, and the same figure (b) is a sectional view, which is the same as in the first embodiment, and the reference numerals are also the same. Are denoted by the same reference numerals.

A feature of this example as compared with the first example is that a metallic ribbon (8) made of copper or the like is deposited on the upper part of the main collector electrode (2). The metallic ribbon (8) serves as a lead wire for making electrical connection with another solar cell (not shown) arranged adjacent to the solar cell (1).

Even in such a case, by providing the shield (7) on a part of the transparent substrate (4), the metallic ribbon (8) can be seen from the transparent substrate (4) side. Since it cannot be visually recognized, it is possible to obtain the same effect as that of the first embodiment.

According to the present invention, by disposing the main collector electrode (2) on the peripheral edge (1b) of the solar cell, the collection of the photocarriers generated at the center of the incident surface of the solar cell is slightly suppressed. Although difficult, even if such a problem occurs, it can be easily solved by making the interval between the sub-collector electrodes (3) narrower than before.

[0028]

[Effect of the device]

 In the present invention, the shield provided on a part of the translucent substrate shields the main collector electrode or the metallic ribbon provided on the peripheral edge of the solar cell, and therefore has an aesthetic appearance as a solar cell module. Can be kept.

Further, since the main collector electrode is on the periphery of the solar cell, it is possible to reduce the loss of the incident area of the solar cell.

Further, in the conventional solar cell, the periphery of the solar cell is positively taken as a so-called dead area, which is provided to prevent electrical short circuit on the front and back sides of the solar cell, as a light carrier extraction portion. It also has the effect of being utilized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a structural view of a solar cell module according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a structural view of a solar cell module according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a structural diagram of a conventional solar cell module.

[Explanation of symbols]

(1) ... Solar cell (2) ... Main collector electrode (3) ... Sub collector electrode (4) ... Transparent substrate (7) ... Shield (8) ... Metallic ribbon (1b) ... Rim

Claims (2)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A wide main collecting electrode made of a low resistance material for collecting optical carriers on a light incident surface, and a narrow sub collecting electrode made of a low resistance material electrically connected to the main collecting electrode. In a solar cell module provided with a solar cell provided, a transparent substrate facing the solar cell on the light incident side of the solar cell, the main collector electrode is arranged at the periphery of the solar cell, The auxiliary collector electrode extends from the main collector electrode toward the center of the solar cell, and the transparent substrate is provided with a shield corresponding to the main collector electrode. Solar cell module. 2. A wide main collecting electrode made of a low resistance material for collecting optical carriers, in which a metallic ribbon is attached to a light incident surface, and a width made of a low resistance material electrically connected to the main collecting electrode. In a solar cell module including a solar cell provided with a narrow sub-collector electrode, and a translucent substrate facing the solar cell on the light incident side of the solar cell, the solar cell module is attached to the main collector electrode. The metallic ribbon is arranged on the periphery of the solar cell, the sub-collection electrode extends from the main collection electrode toward the center of the solar cell, and the metallic substrate is formed on the translucent substrate. A solar cell module having a shield corresponding to a ribbon.