Solar cell module and solar cell array

Abstract

It is an object to provide a solar cell module having a uniform configuration, presenting stable output characteristics, and having a size enabling easy wiring in arrangement and a solar cell array presenting stable output characteristics by employment of said solar cell modules. A solar cell module 10 has a solar cell panel 12 having a length of its longer edges of 900 to 1100 mm. The solar cell panel 12 is constituted by a number of unit solar cells 100 connected in series and has an open-circuit voltage of 100 to 180 volts. The unit solar cell 100 is of a strip-like shape with a length of its shorter edges of 7 to 12 mm and arranged in a longer-edge direction of the panel 12 so that its longer edges extend in a shorter-edge direction of the panel 12 and its shorter edges extend in the longer-edge direction of the panel 12.

1 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A solar cell module to constitute a solar cell array formed by electrically connecting in series a plurality of solar cell blocks formed by electrically connecting a plurality of the solar cell modules in parallel,
 the module arranged so that a eaves side of one of the modules are placed onto a ridge side of another of the modules on a inclined roof,   the module comprising a solar cell panel, the solar cell panel being formed in a substantially rectangular plane with longer edges and shorter edge, and being arranged so that the longer edges of the panel extend in a ridge direction of a house and the shorter edges of the panel extend in a direction perpendicular to the ridge direction of a house,   wherein the solar cell panel comprises a plurality of unit solar cells and is formed by electrically connecting the unit solar cells in series,   wherein the unit solar cells each are of a strip-like shape with longer edges and shorter edges, and are arranged in lines in a longer-edge direction of the panel so that the longer edges extend in a shorter-edge direction of the panel and the shorter edges extend in the longer-edge direction of the panel,   wherein the solar cell panel has one or more dividing lines extending in a longer-edge direction of the module and dividing an effective electricity-generating area of the unit solar cell,   at least one of the dividing lines eccentrically located toward a ridge side in a shorter-edge direction of the module, and   wherein a ridge side area of the unit solar cells formed by the dividing lines is smaller than a half of the largest area of the unit solar cells formed by the dividing lines.   
     
     
         13 . The solar cell module as defined in  claim 12 , the module having substantially the same size as or slightly larger than the panel,
 wherein the dividing line prevents deterioration or failure of the module caused by a hot spot phenomenon in a ridge side section of the module, the ridge side section being in shade due to at least one of the other modules.   
     
     
         14 . The solar cell module as defined in  claim 12 ,
 wherein the dividing line is eccentrically located toward the eaves side in the short-edge direction of the module, and the area of the unit solar cells formed by the dividing line and the edge of the unit solar cell in the eaves side is smaller than the area of the unit solar cells formed by the dividing line and the edge of the unit solar cell in the ridge side, and   wherein the area of the unit solar cells formed by the dividing line nearest the edge of the unit solar cell in the eaves side is smaller than a half of the largest area formed by any one of the dividing line, and any other of the dividing line or the edge of the unit solar cell in the ridge side, excluding an area having another of the dividing lines in the area.   
     
     
         15 . The solar cell module as defined in  claim 12 ,
 the module having longer edges and shorter edges with a total length of each of the longer edges of 920 to 1200 mm and a total length of each of the shorter edges of 240 to 700 mm,   wherein the solar cell panel is formed in a substantially rectangular plane with longer edges and shorter edges and having a length of the longer edges of 900 to 1200 mm and a length of the shorter edges of 230 to 650 mm, and being arranged so that the longer edges of the panel extend in a ridge direction of the house and the shorter edges of the panel extend in a direction perpendicular to the ridge direction of the house,   wherein the solar cell panel comprises a plurality of the unit solar cells and is formed by electrically connecting the unit solar cells in series so as to have an open-circuit voltage of 100 to 180 volts,   wherein the unit solar cells each are of a strip-like shape with longer edges and shorter edges, the shorter edges having a length of 7 to 12 mm, and are arranged in lines in the longer-edge direction of the panel so that the longer edges extend in the shorter-edge direction of the panel and the shorter edges extend in the longer-edge direction of the panel,   the module further comprising two positive conducting wires in electrical connection with a positive electrode of the solar cell panel and two negative conducting wires in electrical connection with a negative electrode of the solar cell panel,   wherein the two positive conducting wires and the two negative conducting wires each are pulled out from one of the longer edges of the module,   the module having a space for accommodating the two positive conducting wires and the two negative conducting wires of another panel in a back of the module, and   the module having an overlapping portion for overlapping a part of another module on its top face.   
     
     
         16 . The solar cell module as defined in  claim 12 ,
 wherein the unit solar cells each have the open-circuit voltage of 1.2 to 1.5 volt.   
     
     
         17 . The solar cell module as defined in  claim 12 ,
 wherein the overlapping portion is formed on a part except a top face of the solar cell panel.   
     
     
         18 . The solar cell module as defined in  claim 12 ,
 wherein the unit solar cells each are of a tandem type.   
     
     
         19 . The solar cell module as defined in  claim 12 ,
 wherein the solar cell panel has a short-circuit current of 9 to 15 mA/cm 2 .   
     
     
         20 . The solar cell module as defined in  claim 12 , having grooves through which a cable is inserted in the shorter-edge direction in the back of the module. 
     
     
         21 . The solar cell module as defined in  claim 12 ,
 wherein the solar cell module constitutes a solar cell as a whole and comprises two connectors and cables, the cables each having more than one conducting wire and pulled out from a center part of a longer edge of the module, the connectors being connected to the respective cables,   wherein the cable connected to the one connector is shorter than the cable connected to the other connector,   wherein, when the modules are arranged in a row, the cables have a length relationship in which the connectors connected to the short cables are unconnectable to each other because the cables are not long enough.   
     
     
         22 . A solar cell array being formed by serially connecting two solar cell blocks, the solar cell blocks each being formed by electrically connecting in parallel a plurality of the solar cell modules as defined in  claim 12 . 
     
     
         23 . The solar cell array as defined in  claim 22 ,
 wherein the solar cell blocks each are formed by electrically connecting twenty or more of the solar cell modules in parallel.   
     
     
         24 . A solar cell array being formed by electrically connecting in parallel a plurality of the solar cell modules as defined in  claim 12 .
 wherein the module further comprises:   two positive conducting wires in electrical connection with a positive electrode of the solar cell panel and two negative conducting wires in electrical connection with a negative electrode of the solar cell panel; and   a space for accommodating the two positive conducting wires and the two negative conducting wires of another panel in a back of the module,   wherein a plurality of the modules are arranged in a plane in a plurality of rows each consisting of the modules, and   wherein the positive conducting wire of one of adjacent modules and the negative conducting wire of the other of the adjacent modules are connected to each other with the connected conducting wires housed in the space of the module in an adjacent row.   
     
     
         25 . The solar cell array as defined in  claim 24 ,
 the one positive conducting wire and the one negative conducting wire of the module located at an end of one row and the one positive conducting wire and the one negative conducting wire of the module located at an end of its adjacent row being connected to each other and housed in the space of the module of the next row but one.   
     
     
         26 . A solar cell module to constitute a solar cell array formed by electrically connecting in series a plurality of solar cell blocks formed by electrically connecting a plurality of the solar cell modules in parallel,
 the module comprising a solar cell panel, the solar cell panel being formed in a substantially rectangular plane with longer edges and shorter edges and having a length of the longer edges of 900 to 1100 mm, and being arranged so that the longer edges of the panel extend in a ridge direction of a house and the shorter edges of the panel extend in a direction perpendicular to the ridge direction of the house,   wherein the solar cell panel comprises a plurality of unit solar cells and is formed by electrically connecting the cells in series so as to have an open-circuit voltage of 100 to 180 volts,   wherein the unit solar cells each are of a strip-like shape with longer edges and shorter edges, the shorter edges having a length of 7 to 12 mm, and are arranged in lines in a longer-edge direction of the panel so that the longer edges extend in a shorter-edge direction of the panel and the shorter edges extend in the longer-edge direction of the panel,   wherein the unit solar cells each have an effective electricity-generating area where electricity is generated upon reception of light,   wherein the solar cell panel has one or more dividing lines extending in a longer-edge direction of the module and dividing the effective electricity-generating area of the unit solar cell,   at least one of the dividing line at a position eccentrically located toward one of edges in a short-edge direction of the module.   
     
     
         27 . A solar cell panel being formed in a rectangle and electrically connecting a plurality of unit solar cells, the solar cell panel comprising first edges and second edges intersecting therewith,
 wherein the unit solar cells each are of a strip-like shape with longer edges and shorter edges, and are arranged so that the longer edges extend in a first-edge direction of the panel and the shorter edges extend in a second-edge direction of the panel,   wherein the module has one or more dividing lines, at least one of the dividing lines dividing an effective electricity-generating area of the unit cell and eccentrically located toward one of the second edges of the panel, and   wherein the most eccentrically located area of the unit solar cells formed by the dividing line is smaller than a half of the largest area formed by the dividing line.   
     
     
         28 . The solar cell panel as defined in  claim 27 ,
 wherein the unit solar cells each are of a strip-like shape with longer edges and shorter edges, the shorter edges having a length of 7 to 12 mm, and are arranged in lines in a longer-edge direction of the panel so that the longer edges extend in a shorter-edge direction of the panel and the shorter edges extend in the longer-edge direction of the panel.   
     
     
         29 . The solar cell panel as defined in  claim 27 ,
 the solar cell panel being arranged so that a eaves side of one of the modules are placed onto a ridge side of another of the modules on a inclined roof,   the solar cell panel being formed in a substantially rectangular plane, and being arranged so that the longer edges of the panel extend in a ridge direction of the house and the shorter edges of the panel extend in a direction perpendicular to the ridge direction of the house,   wherein the unit solar cells each are arranged in lines in a longer-edge direction of the panel so that the longer edges extend in a shorter-edge direction of the panel and the shorter edges extend in the longer-edge direction of the panel, and   wherein the dividing line prevents deterioration or failure of the module caused by a hot spot phenomenon in a ridge side portion of the module, the ridge side portion being in shade due to at least one of the other modules.   
     
     
         30 . The solar cell panel as defined in  claim 27 ,
 wherein the unit solar cells each are of a tandem type.   
     
     
         31 . The solar cell panel as defined in  claim 27 ,
 wherein the unit solar cells each have the open-circuit voltage of 1.2 to 1.5 volt, and   wherein the solar cell panel has a short-circuit current of 9 to 15 mA/cm 2 .