US2018076348A1PendingUtilityA1

Rework and repair of components in a solar cell array

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Assignee: BOEING COPriority: Sep 14, 2016Filed: Jul 6, 2017Published: Mar 15, 2018
Est. expirySep 14, 2036(~10.1 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Eric M. Rehder
H10P 14/3202H02S 40/34Y02E10/544Y02E10/50H01L 31/05H10F 77/955H10F 77/935H10F 77/211H10F 77/169H10F 77/148H10F 77/147H10F 77/00H10F 19/908H10F 19/904H10F 19/902H10F 19/90H10F 19/80H10F 19/75H10F 19/70H10F 19/50H10F 10/142H10F 19/00Y02P70/50
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Claims

Abstract

A substrate for solar cells is configured such that an area of the substrate remains exposed when at least one solar cell having at least one cropped corner that defines a corner region is attached to the substrate, one or more electrical connections for the solar cell are made in the corner region resulting from the cropped corner of the solar cell, and at least one of the electrical connections, connecting a first interconnect in a first location, is repaired by connecting a second interconnect in a second location in the at least one of the electrical connections different from the first location.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A structure, comprising:
 a substrate for solar cells, wherein the substrate is configured such that:   an area of the substrate remains exposed when at least one solar cell having at least one cropped corner that defines a corner region is attached to the substrate;   one or more electrical connections for the solar cell are made in the corner region resulting from the cropped corner of the solar cell; and   at least one of the electrical connections, connecting a first interconnect in a first location, is repaired by connecting a second interconnect in a second location in the at least one of the electrical connections different from the first location.   
     
     
         2 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the second location is adjacent the first location. 
     
     
         3 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein an area of the at least one of the electrical connections is large enough to encompass both the first and second locations. 
     
     
         4 . The structure of  claim 3 , wherein the area of the at least one of the electrical connections is large enough for electrical current to flow around the first location. 
     
     
         5 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first interconnect in the first location is removed. 
     
     
         6 . The structure of  claim 5 , wherein a joint remains when the first interconnect is removed. 
     
     
         7 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the area of the substrate that remains exposed includes one or more corner conductors. 
     
     
         8 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the electrical connections is repaired by forming a third interconnect in a third location in the at least one of the electrical connections different from the first location. 
     
     
         9 . A method, comprising:
 repairing a substrate for solar cells, wherein the substrate is configured such that:   an area of the substrate remains exposed when at least one solar cell having at least one cropped corner that defines a corner region is attached to the substrate;   one or more electrical connections for the solar cell are made in the corner region resulting from the cropped corner of the solar cell; and   at least one of the electrical connections, connecting a first interconnect in a first location, is repaired by connecting a second interconnect in a second location in the at least one of the electrical connections different from the first location.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the second location is adjacent the first location. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein an area of the at least one of the electrical connections is large enough to encompass both the first and second locations. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the area of the at least one of the electrical connections is large enough for electrical current to flow around the first location. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first interconnect in the first location is removed. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein a joint remains when the first interconnect is removed. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the area of the substrate that remains exposed includes one or more corner conductors. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one of the electrical connections is repaired by forming a third interconnect in a third location in the at least one of the electrical connections different from the first location. 
     
     
         17 . A solar cell panel, comprising:
 a solar cell array comprised of at least one solar cell having at least one cropped corner that defines a corner region and a substrate for the solar cell, wherein the substrate is configured such that:   an area of the substrate remains exposed when at least one solar cell having at least one cropped corner that defines a corner region is attached to the substrate;   one or more electrical connections for the solar cell are made in the corner region resulting from the cropped corner of the solar cell; and   at least one of the electrical connections, connecting a first interconnect in a first location, is repaired by connecting a second interconnect in a second location in the at least one of the electrical connections different from the first location.   
     
     
         18 . The solar cell panel of  claim 17 , wherein the second location is adjacent the first location. 
     
     
         19 . The solar cell panel of  claim 17 , wherein an area of the at least one of the electrical connections is large enough to encompass both the first and second locations. 
     
     
         20 . The solar cell panel of  claim 19 , wherein the area of the at least one of the electrical connections is large enough for electrical current to flow around the first location. 
     
     
         21 . The solar cell panel of  claim 17 , wherein the first interconnect in the first location is removed. 
     
     
         22 . The solar cell panel of  claim 21 , wherein a joint remains when the first interconnect is removed. 
     
     
         23 . The solar cell panel of  claim 17 , wherein the area of the substrate that remains exposed includes one or more corner conductors. 
     
     
         24 . The solar cell panel of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one of the electrical connections is repaired by forming a third interconnect in a third location in the at least one of the electrical connections different from the first location.

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