Panel Equipped with a Photovoltaic Device

Abstract

A panel equipped with a photovoltaic device including an even number of columns of photovoltaic modules, the columns being aligned essentially parallel to a longitudinal edge of the panel. Each column includes an electrical pole on each extremity. The polarity of an electrical pole of one extremity being the inverse of that of the electrical pole of the other extremity and the poles of two adjacent columns being of inverse polarity. An assembly of panels, an electrical device connected to a converter including an assembly and a method for the electrical connection to a converter of the panels of the assembly is also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An assembly of panels interconnected with one another comprising:
 a plurality of panels, each panel including a substrate made of a formed metal sheet which defines a longitudinal dimension and a transverse dimension of the panel, the substrate having a top surface, a bottom surface, a first longitudinally extending edge, a second longitudinally extending edge, a first transversely extending edge and a second transversely extending edge;   each panel having an even number of columns on the top surface of the substrate, each column extending longitudinally along the top surface of the substrate and including a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end and having at least one photovoltaic module arranged on the substrate between the first longitudinal end and the second longitudinal end, the columns being aligned with the first and second longitudinally extending edges of the substrate, a single pair of electrical poles connected to each column, the single pair of electrical poles including a first electrical pole located on the first longitudinal end and a second electrical pole of inverse polarity located on the second longitudinal end, the first longitudinal end at the first transversely extending edge or longitudinally spaced apart from the first transversely extending edge, the second longitudinal end at the second transversely extending edge or longitudinally spaced apart from the second transversely extending edge, each electrical pole vertically extending from the top or bottom surface of the substrate, the pair of electrical poles of two adjacent columns being of inverse polarity,   each of the plurality of panels interconnected with another of the plurality of panels by marginal overlapping the first transversely extending edge of said each panel with the second transversely extending edge of said another panel so that said each panel marginally and longitudinally overlaps said another panel, the first electrical pole of each column of said each panel connected to the second electrical pole of a corresponding column of said another panel, thereby electrically connecting each column of said each panel to the corresponding column of said another panel.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of panels are arranged at an incline along a given slope on a roof, and wherein
 each panel marginally and transversely overlaps with at least one transversely adjacent panel to form rows of photovoltaic modules in the longitudinal direction;   on each panel, the first longitudinal end is upstream of the second longitudinal end along the slope;   at a bottom of the slope of the assembly, on one or more bottom-most panels of the plurality of panels, the second electrical pole of one column of said bottom-most panel is electrically connected to the second electrical pole of an adjacent column of said bottom-most panel,   and   at a ridge of the roof, on one or more top-most panels of the plurality of panels, the first electrical pole of a column of said top-most panel is electrically connected to a converter or to the first electrical pole of an adjacent column on a transversely overlapping top-most panel.   
     
     
         3 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the columns are essentially parallel with the longitudinal edge of the substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the photovoltaic module is a flexible ribbon glued to the substrate. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the photovoltaic module is deposited directly on the substrate by successive deposits of layers by vacuum deposition methods. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the columns of each said each panel are not electrically connected to one another. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the columns are of identical length and their extremities are aligned essentially parallel to a transversely extending edge of the substrate. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second electrical poles is a male connector with a polarity and the other of the first and second electrical poles is a female connector with an inverse polarity. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein on each column of each panel one of the electrical poles of each column is located at one of the transversely extending edges of the panel and the other of the electrical poles is longitudinally spaced apart from the other of the transversely extending edges of the panel. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein each column includes one photovoltaic module that extends along a majority of a length of the substrate. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein, on each column, one of the first and second electrical poles is a male connector and the other of the first and second electrical poles is a female. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the substrate made of a formed metal sheet defines an even number of longitudinally extending ribs, each rib having a corresponding one of the columns. 
     
     
         13 . A plurality of photovoltaic devices comprising:
 a plurality of panels, each panel including a substrate made of a formed metal sheet which defines an even number of longitudinally extending ribs, the substrate defining a longitudinal dimension and a transverse dimension of the panel, the substrate having a top surface, a bottom surface, a first longitudinally extending edge, a second longitudinally extending edge, a first transversely extending edge and a second transversely extending edge;   each panel including a column longitudinally arranged on the top surface of each longitudinally extending rib, each column including at least one photovoltaic module and a pair of electrical poles connected to each column, the pair including a first electrical pole located on a first longitudinal end of the column and a second electrical pole located at a second longitudinal end of the column, the first longitudinal end at the first transversely extending edge or longitudinally spaced apart from the first transversely extending edge, the second longitudinal end at the second transversely extending edge or longitudinally spaced apart from the second transversely extending edge, the second electrical pole having a polarity inverse to that of the first electrical pole, the pair of electrical poles of two adjacent columns being of inverse polarity, each electrical pole vertically extending from the top surface or the bottom surface of the substrate; and   each of the plurality of panels being interconnectable with another of the plurality of panels by marginal overlapping the first transversely extending edge of said each panel with the second transversely extending edge of said another panel, or vice versa, such that the first electrical pole of each column of said each panel is connected to the second electrical pole of a corresponding column of said another panel, thereby electrically connecting each column of said each panel to the corresponding column of said another panel.   
     
     
         14 . The devices according to  claim 13 , wherein the at least one photovoltaic module is a single photovoltaic module extending along a full length of the column. 
     
     
         15 . The devices according to  claim 13 , wherein the ribs include a central part and two lateral wings, the at least one photovoltaic module being arranged on the central part. 
     
     
         16 . The devices according to  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the columns includes a plurality of photovoltaic modules, the first pole being located at the first end of the column, the second pole being located at the second end of the column. 
     
     
         17 . The devices according to  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of photovoltaic modules are connected to each other via metallic ribbons or cables. 
     
     
         18 . The devices according to  claim 13 , wherein the first pole or second pole electrically connect to a pole on a further panel to electrically connect the columns to the further panel. 
     
     
         19 . The devices according to  claim 13 , wherein a longitudinal axis of the first or second pole extends vertically from to a surface of the rib. 
     
     
         20 . A plurality of photovoltaic devices comprising:
 a plurality of panels, each panel including a substrate made of a formed metal sheet which defines a longitudinal dimension and a transverse dimension of the panel, the substrate having a top surface, a bottom surface, a first longitudinally extending edge, a second longitudinally extending edge, a first transversely extending edge and a second transversely extending edge;   each panel having an even number of columns on the top surface of the substrate, each column extending longitudinally along the top surface of the panel and including a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end and having at least one photovoltaic module arranged on the substrate between the first longitudinal end and the second longitudinal end, the columns being aligned with the first and second longitudinally extending edges of the panel, a single pair of electrical poles connected to each column, the single pair of electrical poles including an electrical pole located on the first longitudinal end and a further electrical pole of inverse polarity located on the second longitudinal end, the first longitudinal end at the first transversely extending edge or longitudinally spaced apart from the first transversely extending edge, the second longitudinal end at the second transversely extending edge or spaced apart from the second transversely extending edge, each electrical pole vertically extending from-the top or bottom surface of the substrate, the pair of electrical poles of two adjacent columns being of inverse polarity;   each of the plurality of panels interconnectable with another of the plurality of panels by marginal overlapping the first transversely extending edge of said each panel with the second transversely extending edge of said another panel, or vice versa, such that the first electrical pole of each column of said each panel is connected to the second electrical pole of a corresponding column of said another panel, thereby electrically connecting each column of said each panel to the corresponding column of said another panel.