Patents

Lightweight solar module Applicant The Boeing Company, USA

This relates to an improved solar cell module,

inexpensive and lightweight, as well as

improved manufacture. A solar cell module

comprises a substrate and a first solar cell

supported by the substrate, with the first solar

cell having a first top side and a first rear side.

A second solar cell is supported by the substrate

and has a second top side and a second rear

side, with the second solar cell being

operatively adjacent the first solar cell. A tab is

affixed to either the first or second top side and

operatively interfaces with a respective one of

the first or second rear side. A bonding element

is disposed between the substrate and first and

second rear sides. The bonding element

directly bonds (a) the substrate to one of the

first and second rear sides and (b) the substrate

to the tab. A first metal trace element is

disposed between the substrate and first and

second solar cells, with the metal trace

electrically connecting one of the first and

second top sides to one of the first and second

rear sides with a conducting element.

Patent number.6,313,396

Publication date: November 6, 2001

Inventors: Gregory S Glenn

Detection and removal system for

reducing cycle time of an injection

molding apparatus Applicant: Husky Injection Molding Systems,

Canada

An injection molding machine includes various

devices for reducing injection cycle time. A

molded article detection apparatus and method

are disclosed. The detection system and method

determines if an article, or a portion thereof,

remains on a machine core pin after the article

ejection cycle occurs, and if so, communicates

this to both the machine controller and the take-

out controller. This prevents the machine from

starting a new cycle, damaging the mold. By

communicating the extraction status to the take-

out and controller, if no portions remain,

injection cycle time is reduced. A variable

vacuum pressure apparatus is described allowing

early removal of molded articles from molds into

a take-out plate while the parts are still warm.

Patent number: 6,315,543

Publication date: November 13,200 1

Inventors: Manfred Lausenhammer, Arnold

Mai, FrankOster, Stephan Klang, Sven Mertes,

Witold Neter, Hai Luong, Tiemo Brand.

Textured solar battery cell Applicant: Sharp, Japan

This solar battery cell has textures formed to

improve output power on a textured region of a

light-receiving surface, as compared with a

conventional solar battery cell. The second aim

is to provide a solar battery cell with a texture

structure in which cracks and cleavages are not

easily generated. The textures formed in a

peripheral portion of the texture region is a

different size from the textures formed in an

inside portion.located inside where a surface

electrode is formed.

Patent number.6,313,397

Publication a!ute:November 6,200l

Inventors Hidetoshi Washio, Kunio Kamimura;

Tomoji Katsu

Combinatorial synthesis of novel

materials Applicant: Symyx Technologies, University of

California, USA

Despite activity in discovery and optimization of

materials, e.g. superconductors, zeolites,

magnetic, phosphors, nonlinear optical,

thermoelectric, high and low dielectrics, few

general principles have emerged that allow

predicting the composition, structure and

reaction pathways for the synthesis of such

compounds. This invention concerns the

preparation and use of a substrate having an

array of diverse materials in predehned regions

and simultaneously reacting the components to

form at least two materials. Materials which can

be prepared using the invention include,

covalent network solids, ionic solids and

molecular solids. Materials which can be

prepared include, inorganics, intermetallics,

alloys, ceramics, organics, organometallics,

non-biological organic polymers, composites

(inorganics, organics, or combinations). Once

prepared, materials can be screened for useful

electrical, thermal, mechanical, morphological,

optical, magnetic, chemical, or other properties.

The provides methods for the parallel synthesis

and analysis of novel materials having useful

properties.

Patent number 6,326,090

Publication ahe: December 4, 2001

Inventors: Peter G. Schultz, Xiaodong Xiang,

Isy Goldwasser.

Photovoltaic power generation roof Applicant: Canon, Japan

This solar panel roofing board and a general

roofing board are electrically connected directly

or indirectly via a clip or spring. A conductive

member is provided between the roofing boards

and a roof installation surface, and roofing

boards are connected to the conductive member.

Accordingly, potentials of the roof configuring

parts of a photovoltaic power generation roof

using a solar panel roofing board become the

same, making it easy to ground them as well as

to select a connection point to the ground. A

metal sheet roof provided for securing fire

resistance is used to achieve this.

Patent number: 6,323,478

Publications date: November 27, 2001

Inventors: Tatsuo Fujisaki, Satoru Shiomi,

Makoto Sasaoka, Hidehisa Makita, Shigenori

Itoyama

Portable solar-powered CD player

and electrical generator This invention is for portable power supply

systems, more specifically, a portable, self-

contained solar powered CD player and

electrical generator that utilizes a top-mounted

solar panel to collect energy and then converts

that into electrical energy to be stored in a

rechargeable battery or used to power accessory

components that are integrated into the unit

such as an AM/FM radio, lantern, or CD player.

A DC to AC inverter and an AC outlet are

included to allow for operation of an AC

powered device that is plugged into the unit.

Patent number: 6,326,764

Publication date: December 4,200l

Inventor: Clement Virtudes

Method of making I-III-VI

semiconductor materials for use in

photovoltaic cells Applicant: Lockheed Martin Carp, USA

A method for making layers of I-III-VI

semiconductor materials for use in photovoltaic

cells, is described, and particularly for making

Copper indium diselenide commonly referred to

as CIS and variations such as CIGS and CIGSS.

The method includes formation of a plurality of

precursor films of the elemental components

and at least one final heat treatment step in

which the final semiconductor material is

formed, with the precursor film for at least one

III component being deposited prior to any

precursor film including the I component.

Patent number: 6,323,417

Publication date: November 27, 2001

Inventors: Timothy J. Gillespie, Craig H.

Marshall, Bruce R. Lanning

Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd, Japan

Light concentrator photovoltaic module and system

This provide a light concentrator photovoltaic

module, in which a light receiving area of

a photovoltaic element is comparatively

small and which is capable of enhancing a

light collection efficiency and/or a light con-

centration ratio, and a method of manu-

facturing the module, and a light concentrator

Februaty 2002 Photovoltaics Bulletin 0