Wire network for interconnecting photovoltaic cells

Abstract

Provided are novel interconnect wire network assemblies and methods of fabricating thereof. An assembly may include conductive portions/individual wires that, in certain embodiments, are substantially parallel to each other. The assembly also includes two or more carrier films (i.e., the front side and back side films) attached to opposite sides of the wires. The films are typically attached along the wire ends. The films are made from electrically insulating materials and at least the front side film is substantially transparent. The front side film is used to attach the wires to a photovoltaic surface of one cell, while the back side film is used for attachment to a substrate surface of another cell. These attachments electrically interconnect the two cells in series. In certain embodiments, one or both carrier films extend beyond two end wires and form insulated portions that allow much closer arrangements of the cells in a module.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of fabricating an interconnect wire network assembly comprising:
 unwinding multiple individual wires from corresponding multiple wire rolls;   extending the multiple individual wires along an unwinding direction substantially parallel to each other at a predetermined distance from each other, wherein the multiple individual wires form a first surface and a second surface, with the first surface and the second surface spaced apart by a cross-sectional dimension of the multiple individual wires;   applying a first carrier film onto the first surface of the multiple individual wires; and   applying a second carrier film onto the second surface of the multiple individual wires.   
     
     
         2 . The method of fabricating an interconnect wire network assembly of claim  16 , wherein the first carrier film and the second carrier film are applied substantially perpendicular to the unwinding direction. 
     
     
         3 . The method of fabricating an interconnect wire network assembly of claim  16 , further comprising:
 forming a roll of interconnect wire network subassemblies;   unwinding the roll of interconnect wire network subassemblies; and   cutting the multiple individual wires substantially perpendicular to the multiple individual wires to form the interconnect wire network assembly.   
     
     
         4 . The method of fabricating an interconnect wire network assembly of claim  16 , further comprising cutting the multiple individual wires substantially perpendicular to the multiple individual wires to form the interconnect wire network assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The method of fabricating an interconnect wire network assembly of claim  19 , wherein cutting the multiple individual wires comprises cutting the first carrier film or the second carrier film. 
     
     
         6 . The method of fabricating an interconnect wire network assembly of claim  16 , wherein applying the first carrier film comprises passing an electric current through a portion of the multiple individual wires that is in contact with the first carrier film in order to heat this portion.