System and method for laminating photovoltaic structures

Abstract

A method for forming a laminated photovoltaic structure includes providing a sheet of transparent material having light concentrating features, disposing adhesive material adjacent to the sheet of transparent material, disposing photovoltaic strips adjacent to the adhesive material, wherein the photovoltaic strips are positioned relative to the sheet of transparent material in response to exitant light characteristics of the light concentrating features, wherein photovoltaic strips are coupled via associated bus bars, wherein gap regions are located between bus bars of neighboring photovoltaic strips, disposing a rigid layer of material adjacent to the photovoltaic strips to form a composite photovoltaic structure; and thereafter laminating the composite photovoltaic structure to fill the gap regions with adhesive material and to form the laminated photovoltaic structure, wherein adhesive material adheres to the bus bars.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method for forming a laminated photovoltaic structure comprising:
 providing a sheet of transparent material;   disposing a first layer of adhesive material adjacent to the sheet of transparent material;   disposing a plurality of photovoltaic strips adjacent to the first layer of adhesive material, wherein the plurality of photovoltaic strips are positioned relative to the sheet of transparent material, wherein each of the plurality of photovoltaic strips are coupled via an associated plurality of bus bars, wherein a plurality of gap regions are located between bus bars between neighboring photovoltaic strips from the plurality of photovoltaic strips;   disposing a rigid layer of material adjacent to the plurality of photovoltaic strips to form a composite photovoltaic structure; and thereafter   laminating the composite photovoltaic structure to fill the plurality of gap regions with adhesive material and to form the laminated photovoltaic structure, wherein adhesive material adheres to the bus bars; and   isolating a pair of bus bars and maintaining a determined separation between the pair of bus bars using the adhesive material filling gap regions located between the pair of bus bars during the laminating.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein before laminating the composite photovoltaic structure, the method further comprises:
 disposing a second layer of adhesive material adjacent to the plurality of photovoltaic strips, wherein the second layer of adhesive material is located between the plurality of photovoltaic strips and the rigid layer of material. 
 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  wherein laminating the composite photovoltaic structure comprises:
 subjecting the composite photovoltaic structure to a compression pressure less than an atmospheric pressure or about an atmospheric pressure. 
 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the compression pressure is selected from a compression pressure from a range of pressures including: approximately 0.2 atmospheres to approximately 0.6 atmospheres. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21  wherein laminating the composite photovoltaic structure comprises:
 subjecting the composite photovoltaic structure to a first compression pressure-level for a first period of time; and 
 subjecting the composite photovoltaic structure to a second compression pressure level for a second period of time; 
 wherein the first compression pressure level is lower than the second compression pressure level. 
 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the first compression pressure level is selected from a group consisting of: approximately 25 kPA, and approximately ¼ Atmospheres. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the second compression pressure level is selected from a group consisting of approximately 50 kPA and approximately ½ Atmospheres. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25  wherein laminating the composite photovoltaic structure further comprises subjecting the composite photovoltaic structure to a temperature sufficient to melt the adhesive material. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the temperature is greater than approximately 120 degrees Centigrade. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the first layer of adhesive material is selected from a group consisting of an EVA, a PVB, a Surlyn, thermoset material, and thermoplastic material. 
     
     
         31 . A method for forming a photovoltaic module comprising:
 providing a sheet of transparent;   mounting the sheet of transparent material on a device;   disposing a first layer of adhesive material adjacent to the sheet of transparent material;   disposing the plurality of photovoltaic strips adjacent to the first layer of adhesive material, wherein the plurality of photovoltaic strips are positioned relative to the sheet of transparent material, wherein each of the plurality of photovoltaic   
       strips are coupled via an associated plurality of bus bars, wherein a plurality of gap regions are located between bus bars between neighboring photovoltaic strips from the plurality of photovoltaic strips;
 disposing a rigid layer of material adjacent to the plurality of photo voltaic strips to form a composite photovoltaic structure; and 
 laminating the composite photovoltaic structure to fill the plurality of gap regions with adhesive material and to form the laminated photovoltaic structure, wherein adhesive material adheres to the bus bars. 
 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein before laminating the composite photovoltaic structure, the method further comprises:
 disposing a second layer of adhesive material adjacent to the plurality of photovoltaic strips, wherein the second layer of adhesive material is located between the plurality of photovoltaic strips and the rigid layer of material and causing the adhesive material to become transparent during the laminating; and 
 isolating a pair of bus bars and maintaining a determined separation between the pair of bus bars using the adhesive material filling gap regions located between the pair of bus bars during the laminating. 
 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31  wherein laminating the composite photovoltaic structure comprises:
 subjecting the composite photovoltaic structure to a compression pressure less than an atmospheric pressure. 
 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33  wherein the compression pressure is selected from a compression pressure from a range of pressures including: approximately 0.2 atmospheres to approximately 0.6 atmospheres. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31  wherein laminating the composite photovoltaic structure comprises:
 subjecting the composite photovoltaic structure to a first compression pressure-level for a first period of time; and 
 subjecting the composite photovoltaic structure to a second compression pressure level for a second period of time; 
 wherein the first compression pressure level is lower than the second compression pressure level. 
 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35  wherein the first compression pressure level is selected from a group consisting of approximately 25 kPA, and approximately ¼ Atmospheres; and wherein the second compression pressure level is selected from a group consisting of approximately 50 kPA and approximately ½ Atmospheres. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35  wherein laminating the composite photovoltaic structure further comprises subjecting the composite photovoltaic structure to a temperature sufficient to melt the adhesive material; and wherein the temperature is greater than approximately 120 degrees Centigrade. 
     
     
         38 . A method for forming a photovoltaic module comprising:
 providing a sheet of transparent material;   disposing a first layer of adhesive material adjacent to the sheet of transparent material;   disposing a plurality of photovoltaic strips adjacent to the first layer of adhesive material, wherein the plurality of photovoltaic strips are positioned relative to the sheet of transparent material, wherein each of the plurality of photovoltaic strips are coupled via an associated   
       plurality of bus bars, wherein a plurality of gap regions are located between bus bars between neighboring photovoltaic strips from the plurality of photovoltaic strips;
 disposing a rigid layer of material adjacent to the plurality of photo voltaic strips to form a composite photo voltaic structure; 
 laminating the composite photovoltaic structure to fill the plurality of gap regions with adhesive material and to form the laminated photovoltaic structure, wherein adhesive material adheres to the bus bars; 
 causing the adhesive material to become transparent during the laminating; and 
 isolating a pair of bus bars and maintaining a determined separation between the pair of bus bars using the adhesive material filling gap regions located between the pair of bus bars during the laminating. 
 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38  further comprising providing a second layer of adhesive material between the plurality of photovoltaic strips and the rigid layer of material. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38  wherein the first layer of adhesive material is selected from a group consisting of an EVA, a PVB, a thermosets material, and thermoplastic material.