DESCRIPTION] [Invention Title]

SOLAR CELL MODULES AND THE MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF [Technical Field]

<i> The present invention relates to a solar cell module and its manufacturing method which can produce electric power using a solar energy, and in particular to a solar cell module and its manufacturing method which are implemented in such a manner that (1) a packing sheet such as a sheet and a hologram sheet with a photo, an image and a letter is attached to a back surface of a solar cell, and a tape is attached to both sides of a ribbon electrically interconnecting solar cells for thereby making a structure exposed through a back surface look nice, and (2) a screen with a letter, an image, a design, a pattern, a log or something is printed on an inner surface or an outer surface of a double-bonded glass for thereby making a structure exposed through a back surface look nice, and (3) a decoration part is formed on an inner surface or an outer surface of a glass by spraying diamond powders on an inner surface of a double bonded glass using a compressor and a nozzle for thereby etching and forming a letter, an image, a pattern and a logo on an inner surface or an outer surface of a glass. [Background Art]

<2> Generally, a solar cell module is basically configured to produce a solar energy using a plurality of solar cells.

<3> A BIPV(Bui lding Integrated Photovoltaics System) solar cell module is manufactured by laminating an EVA film on a front and back surface of a solar cell between low iron content tempered glasses.

<4> As shown in Figure 1, a conventional solar cell module 100 is manufactured by arranging a plurality of solar cells 110 formed of poly crystals between tempered glass substrates 120a and 120b and by bonding the same using an EVA film 130.

<5> As shown in Figure 2A, the above conventional solar cell module 100 has a blue color or a black color in its front surface with its back surface

being of a gray color as shown in Figure 2B.

<6> In the above conventional solar cell module 100, two electrode lines 132a each having a width of 3 through 5mm are screen-printed on a back surface of a solar cell 110 using a silver paste Ag, and it is dried on a roll conveyor having an infrared ray lamp (IR lamp). In this case, the color of the electrode line 132b is a bright gray color.

<7> The solar cell 110 is manufactured by depositing a N-layer on a P-type wafer or by depositing a P-layer on a N-type wafer. When the P-type is used, a back surface of each solar cell 110 has a plus(+) pole, and a front surface of the same has a minus(-) pole. When the solar cell module 100 is manufactured using the solar cells 110, each solar cell 110 is connected in series and parallel.

<8> At this time, an interconnector ribbon 140 is used for interconnecting the solar cells 110. The interconnector ribbon 140 is made of Sn+Pb+Ag, Sn+Ag and Sn+Ag+Cu. In case of a serial connection, a silver paste electrode line 132a of a minus(-) pole having a width of 1 through 3mm formed on a front surface of the solar cell 110 is connected with a silver paste electrode line 132b of a plus(+) pole having a width of 3 through 5mm formed on a back surface of another solar cell through an interconnector ribbon 140.

<9> The interconnector ribbon 140 used for interconnecting the solar cells 110 has a width of 1.5 through 3mm and a thickness of 0.01 through 0.2mm. The connection method of the same might be classified into an indirect connection method using an IR lamp, a halogen lamp and a hot air method and a direct connection method using a soldering iron.

<io> The EVA film 130 disposed between the glass substrates 120a and 120b of the solar cell module 100 starts melting at 8OC and becomes clean and transparent at 150C for thereby bonding the solar cells 110 and the glass substrate while preventing moisture and air inputs from the outside toward the solar cell 110 as well as preventing corrosion and shorts of the silver electrode lines 132a and 132b of the solar cell 110 and the ribbon 140. <ii> The EVA film 130 is melted between the double bonded glass substrates

120a and 120b of the solar cell module 100 in the courses of a laminating process using a laminator(not shown) and becomes clean and transparent. At this time, the portions except for the solar cells 110 and the interconnector ribbon 140 look transparent.

<i2> The conventional BIPV solar cell module 100 is manufacturing using a single crystal or poly crystal solar cell 110. It is disposed between the double bonded glass substrates 120a and 120b of a building depending on a manufacture type of the solar cell 110, so it can look from the inner and outer sides of the building.

<13> The solar cell module 100 installed in a building has a certain color in its front surface which is determined in the courses of forming electrodes by means of a PECVD and APCVD(not shown) and of depositing a reflection prevention film by means of a screen printing method. It generally has a blue or black color in its front surface, but a back surface field of a solar cell module 100 has a gray color since it is deposited by means of a vacuum deposition equipment(not shown) using aluminum Al so as to form an electrode.

<14> In the conventional solar cell module 100, a few numbers or a few tens of numbers of solar cells 100 are interconnected in the interiors of the glass substrates 120a and 120b using an interconnector ribbon 140. In this case, the interconnector ribbons 140 remain bent and curved, not in a uniform and straight shape. When the solar cell module 100 is laminated and finished in the above state, the interconnector ribbons 140 used for interconnecting the solar cells 110 in the glass substrates 120a and 120b are bent and nonuniform.

<15> The color of the interconnector ribbon 140 in the conventional solar cell module 100 has a silver color. When the BIPV solar cell module 100 is manufactured, the interconnector ribbon 140 has silver colors in its front and back surfaces.

<16> In the conventional solar cell module 100, since its back surface has a gray color, and the interconnector ribbon 140 has a silver color, the silver color of the interconnector ribbon 140 is exposed to the outside through the

front surface glass substrates 120a and 120b in the front surface of the solar cell module 100 when manufacturing the double bonded solar cell module 100, and the gray color and the silver color are shown to the outside on its back surface. In addition, the lines of the interconnector ribbons 140 look bent and curved. When the conventional solar cell module 100 is attached in a city building instead glass, the building attached by means of the conventional solar cell module 100 might look worse.

<i7> In the conventional solar cell module, since the back surface of the solar cells is directly exposed to the outside, in particular when the conventional solar cell module is used instead glass in a building, the back surface of the solar cells is directly exposed toward the inner side of the building, so the inner atmosphere of the building might feel cold and unclear and dark. [Disclosure] [Technical Problem]

<18> Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a solar cell module and its manufacturing method which overcome the problems encountered in a conventional solar cell module.

<19> It is another object of the present invention to provide a solar cell module and its manufacturing method which can make an outer appearance of a building look better by improving an outer appearance of an interconnector ribbon which is used to interconnect the solar cells installed in the interior of a glass substrate.

<20> It is further another object of the present invention to provide a solar cell module and its manufacturing method which can make it possible to significantly enhance an outer appearance of an inner side of a building by screen-printing or etching a letter, an image, a design, a pattern, a logo or something on an inner surface or an outer surface of a glass of a back side in a double bonded glass structure. [Technical Solution]

<2i> To achieve the above objects, in a solar cell module which produces

electric power using a solar energy, there is provided a solar cell module which comprises a plurality of solar cells for converting a solar energy into an electric energy; a plurality of interconnector ribbons for electrically connecting the solar cells; a front surface glass substrate and a back surface substrate for disposing the solar cells and the interconnector ribbons between the front and back surface glass substrates; an EVA film for attaching the solar cells and the interconnector ribbons to the glass substrate in an inner side of the front and back surface glass substrates; and a decoration part which is formed of a letter, an image, a design, a pattern or a logo and is formed on an inner surface or an outer surface of the back surface glass substrate.

<22> The decoration part is printed by means of a screen printing method or an etching process.

<23> The etching process is performed by spraying diamond powders on a glass substrate using a compressor which discharges air at an air pressure of 80 through 120psi .

<24> To achieve the above objects, in a method for manufacturing a solar cell module which produces electric power using a solar energy, there is provided a method for manufacturing a solar cell module which comprises a step for preparing a plurality of solar cells which convert a solar energy into an electric energy; a step for connecting the solar cells by means of a plurality of interconnector ribbons! a step for preparing a front surface glass substrate and a back surface glass substrate and forming a decoration part such as a letter, an image, a design, a pattern and a logo on an inner surface or an outer surface of the back surface glass substrate; and a step for disposing the solar cells, the interconnector ribbons and an EVA film between the front surface glass substrate and the back surface glass substrate and performing a lamination.

<25> To achieve the above objects, in a solar cell module which produces electric power using a solar energy, there is provided a solar cell module which comprises a plurality of solar cells for converting a solar energy into

an electric energy; a plurality of interconnector ribbons for electrically connecting the solar cells! a packing member which is attached to the solar cells or interconnector ribbons, respectively! front and back surface glass substrates for disposing the solar cells, the interconnector ribbons and the packing member between the front and back surface glass substrates; and an EVA film for attaching the solar cells, the interconnector ribbons and the packing member to the glass substrate in an inner side of the front and back surface glass substrates. [Advantageous Effects]

<26> The solar cell module and its manufacturing method according to the present invention have the following outstanding effects.

<27> First, a sheet type packing member is attached to a back surface of a solar cell disposed in the interior of a glass substrate, and a color tape type packing member is attached to both sides of an interconnector ribbon which interconnects solar cells, so the packing member can prevent a direct exposure of a solar cell and an interconnector ribbon which might be conventionally exposed through a glass substrate. So, it is possible to make an outer appearance look nice by improving an outer structure of a solar cell module.

<28> Second, a decoration part formed of a letter, an image, a design, a pattern and a logo is formed on an inner surface or an outer surface of a back surface glass substrate by a screening printing method or an etching method for thereby enhancing a decoration effect, and a solar cell module can be used as an indoor interior material. [Description of Drawings]

<29> Figure 1 is a disassembled cross sectional perspective view illustrating a conventional solar cell.

<30> Figure 2 is a view illustrating a conventional solar cell module, of which a) is a front view, and b) is a rear view.

<3i> Figure 3 is a disassembled perspective view illustrating a structure that a tape type packing member is attached to both front and back surfaces

of an interconnector ribbon according to the present invention.

<32> Figure 4 is a view illustrating a state that a tape type packing member is attached to both front and back surfaces of an interconnector ribbon according to the present invention, of which a) is a front view, and b) is a rear view.

<33> Figure 5 is a disassembled cross sectional perspective view illustrating a solar cell module according to the present invention.

<34> Figure 6 is a view illustrating a solar cell module that a sheet type packing member is attached to a back surface of a solar cell according to the present invention, of which a) is a front view, and b) is a rear view.

<35> Figures 7A and 7B are views illustrating a solar cell module that a decoration part is formed in an inner surface or an outer surface of a back surface glass substrate according to the present invention.

<36> Figure 8 is a cross sectional view illustrating a solar cell module of Figure 7A. [Best Mode]

<37> In a solar cell module which produces electric power using a solar energy, there is provided a solar cell module which comprises a plurality of solar cells for converting a solar energy into an electric energy; a plurality of interconnector ribbons for electrically connecting the solar cells; a front surface glass substrate and a back surface substrate for disposing the solar cells and the interconnector ribbons between the front and back surface glass substrates; an EVA film for attaching the solar cells and the interconnector ribbons to the glass substrate in an inner side of the front and back surface glass substrates; and a decoration part which is formed of a letter, an image, a design, a pattern or a logo and is formed on an inner surface or an outer surface of the back surface glass substrate. [Mode for Invention]

<38> The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<39> The solar cell module 1 according to the present invention is

configured to produce electric power using a solar energy, which might be attached to a building or a certain structure or might be used with the helps of a standCnot shown).

<40> For example, a solar cell module might be attached to a glass structure of a building unless a glass is installed for thereby producing electric power. It might be installed at a bus stop or a road for producing electric power without connecting an electric cable to a conventional power cable. With the helps of the solar cell module, various road information might be transmitted to the outside.

<4i> As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the solar cell module 1 according to the present invention is formed of a plurality of solar cells 10 for converting a solar energy into an electric energy.

<42> The solar cell 10 is formed in a single crystal structure or a poly crystal structure. A plurality of interconnector ribbons 40 are used for electrically connecting the solar cells 10.

<43> The interconnector ribbon 40 is made of Sn+Pb+Ag, Sn+Ag and Sn+Ag+Cu and connects the neighboring solar cells 10 in series or parallel.

<44> The present invention comprises a packing member 50 which is attached to the front and back surfaces of the interconnector ribbon 40. The packing member 50 is formed of a color tape. The packing member 50 is an insulation tape and has a color matching with the color of the front surface glass substrate 20a. The tape is insulated and has a color and is attached to both sides of the interconnector ribbon 40 as shown in Figure 3.

<45> The tapeCArt Work Tape) has a width W wider than the width w of the interconnector ribbon 40 and is attached to both sides. Namely, When the width w of the interconnector 40 is 1.8mm, the tape of the packing member 50 has a width of 2mm. The tape has a certain color which might be well matched with the colors of the glass substrates 20a and 20b which will be described later.

<46> For example, the packing member 50 might be a tape having a blur color or a black color. So, the black color or blue color tape might be attached to

a front surface and a back surface of the solar cell module 1. Other different colors might be used.

<47> The present invention comprises front and back surface glass substrates 20b between which the solar cells 10, a plurality of interconnector ribbons 40 and the packing member 50 are disposed. The glass substrates 20a and 20b are formed of a tempered glass. The solar cells 10, the interconnector ribbons 40 and the packing member 50 are disposed between the front and back surface glass substrates 20b.

<48> As shown in Figures 4A, 4B, the solar cell module 1 according to the present invention is characterized in that the color tape of the packing member 50 is attached to the front and back surfaces of the interconnector ribbon 40, so the uniform and straight interconnector ribbons are shown from the outside in a stripe shape as compared to the conventional solar cell in which the silver color interconnector ribbon 40 is directly exposed. So, the front and back surfaces of the solar cell module 1 can look nice from the outside.

<49> Since the solar cell module 1 according to the present invention make the interconnector ribbon 40 uniform and straight by attaching to both sides of the interconnector ribbon 40 using the tape type packing member 50, so the back surface of the solar cell module 1, which faces the inner side of a building, can look nice.

<50> The present invention comprises a packing sheet in which the packing member 50 is attached to a back surface of the solar cell 10 in the same sizes. The sheet type packing member 50 is formed of one selected from a photo, an image, a sheet with letters, a hologram sheet and a mirror effect reflection sheet and is attached to each solar cell 10 using an EVA film 30.

<5i> The sheet type packing member 50 is attached to a back surface of each solar cell 10 in the interior of the solar cell module 1 in the same sizes. Each packing member 50 is selected from a photo, an image, a sheet with letters, a hologram sheet, and a mirror effect reflection sheet or is formed of a combination of the above elements.

<52> The solar cell module 1 according to the present invention might be used instead of a conventional glass window by inputting a solar cell module 1 into an aluminum structure for attaching to a building. In this case, the front surface of the solar cell module 1 seen from the outside of a building should be oriented toward a sun so as to produce electric power using sunshine. The back surface of the solar cell module 1 is installed facing an inner side of the building, so the back surface of the same is installed toward an office or a room of a building. The people in the building cannot see a front surface of the solar cell module 1, but can see a back surface of the solar cell module 1.

<53> In this case, the solar cell module 1 according to the present invention can be used instead of a building window by attaching a sheet type packing member 50 of other designs to a back surface of the solar cell 10 in the same size as the size of the solar cell 10. So, the solar cell module 1 according to the present invention can look nice from the inner side of the building.

<54> At this time, the back surface of the conventional solar cell module 1 looks gray, so its outer appearance is simple in color. However, the solar cell module 1 according to the present invention is implemented by attaching a packing member 50 formed of an image, a sheet with letters, a hologram sheet or a mirror effect reflection sheet to a back surface of the solar cell 10 before the solar cell 10 is laminated to the glass substrates 20a and 20b using an EVA film 30. It is laminated between the glass substrates 20a and 20b using an EVA film 30.

<55> Figure 5 is a cross sectional view of the solar cell module 1 according to the present invention. As shown therein, a lamination process is performed by arranging one sheet of the EVA film 30 and a plurality of packing sheets on the back surfaces of the solar cells 10.

<56> In this case, the EVA film 30 is heated and allows each sheet type packing member 50 to be attached on a surface of each solar cell 10. The attached solar cell 10 and packing member 50 are disposed between the front

surface glass substrate 20a and the back surface glass substrate 20b of the solar cell module 1 and are laminated using another EVA film 30.

<57> Figure 6A shows a structure that the solar cell module 1 is processed by attaching a sheet type packing member 50, which is of partially different designs, to a back surface of each solar cell 10, and Figure 6B is a view illustrating an outer appearance of a back surface when the packing member 50 formed of a hologram sheet is wholly attached to a back surface of each solar cell 10.

<58> In this case, it is possible to make a back surface of the solar cell module 1 look nice and beautiful when it is processed with a packing member 50 of an image, a photo or a hologram sheet as compared to the conventional solar cell module 1.

<59> The solar cell module 1 according to the present invention can make an outer appearance nice by improving an outer appearance of the interconnector ribbons 40 which are used for interconnecting the solar cells 10 engaged in the interiors of the glass substrates 20a and 20b.

<60> Figures 7A and 7B are views illustrating a solar cell module that a decoration part is formed in an inner surface or an outer surface of a back surface glass substrate according to the present invention. Figure 8 is a cross sectional view illustrating a solar cell module of Figure 7A.

<6i> As shown in Figures 7A, 7B and 8, a decoration part such as a letter, an image, a design, a pattern and a logo is formed on an inner surface or an outer surface of a back surface glass substrate of a solar cell module according to the present invention. The decoration part might be printed by a screen printing method or might be formed by an etching method. In particular, the etching process is to spray diamond powders on a glass substrate using a compressor which discharges air at a certain air pressure. Preferably, the air pressure of the compressor is 80 through 120psi. When the air pressure is less than 80psi, the etching process is not properly performed. When it exceeds 120psi, since the air pressure is too high, the pattern etched by means of diamond powders is not precise, which decreases a

decoration effect .

<62> The manufacturing method of the solar cell module 1 according to the present invention will be described as follows.

<63> A plurality of solar cells 10 used for converting solar energy into electric energy are prepared. The solar cells 10 are interconnected using a plurality of interconnector ribbons 40. The above processes are performed in a known method.

<64> The solar cells 10 or the interconnector ribbons 40 are attached to the packing member 50. In the step for attaching the packing member 50, a color insulation tape might be attached to both sides of the interconnector ribbon 40. In this case, the tape has the same color as the color of the front surface glass substrate. For example, the tape might have a blue color or a black color. The tape type packing member 50 has a width larger than the width of the interconnector ribbon 40 and is attached to a corresponding interconnector ribbon 40, so the interconnector ribbon 4On can be precisely packed without being exposed to the outside.

<65> In the step for attaching the packing member 50, the sheets of the same sizes might be attached to a back surface of the solar cell 10. In this case, the packing members 50 might be attached with the helps of the EVA film 30. In this case, the sheet type packing member 50 is formed of one among a photo, an image, a sheet with letters, a hologram sheet and a mirror effect reflection sheet. As shown in Figure 5, it is possible to attach a plurality of sheets to the solar cell 10 using one EVA film 30. In this case, it is possible to easily attach a plurality of sheet type packing members 50 to a plurality of solar cells 10, respectively.

<66> Next to the step for attaching the packing members 50, there is a step for attaching the solar cells 10, a plurality of interconnector ribbons 40 and the packing member 50 between the glass substrates 20a and 20b using an EVA film 30.

«J7> In this case, the EVA film 30 disposed between the glass substrates 20a and 20b is heated and melted clean and transparent for thereby bonding the

solar cells 10, the interconnector ribbon 40 and the packing member 50 between the glass substrates 20a and 20b, so it is possible to effectively prevent the moistures and air from being inputted from the outside to the solar cells 10.

<68> The solar cell module 10 having a packing member between the double bonded glasses according to the present invention makes a back surface of the solar cells 10 disposed in the interiors of the glass substrates 20a and 20b and an outer appearance of the interconnector ribbon 40 used for connecting the solar cells 10 look better, so that an outer appearance exposed to the outside through the glass substrates 20a and 20b can be made better.

<69> According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is further a step for forming a decoration part such as a letter, an image, a design, a pattern and a logo on an inner surface or an outer surface of the back surface glass substrate 20b.

<70> The decoration part might be printed by means of a screen printing method or an etching method. When the decoration part is formed by means of a screen printing method, various patterns might be screen-printed on an inner surface or an outer surface of a back surface glass substrate, a front surface substrate, an EVA film, a plurality of solar cells, an EVA film and a back surface glass substrate of which one side is screen-printed are sequentially attacked, and bonded by a laminator.

<7i> The etching process is to spray diamond powders on a glass substrate using a compressor which discharges air at a certain air pressure for thereby etching the same. Preferably, the air pressure of the compressor is 80 through 120psi. When the air pressure is less than 80psi, the etching process is not properly performed. When it exceeds 120psi, since the air pressure is too high, the pattern etched by means of diamond powders is not precise, which decreases a decoration effect.

<72> Therefore, when forming a decoration part by means of an etching process, one side surface of a back surface glass substrate is etched for thereby forming various patterns, and a front surface glass substrate, an EVA

film, a plurality of solar cells, an EVA film and an etched back surface glass substrate are sequentially stacked and are bonded by means of a laminator . [Industrial Applicability]

<73> The solar cell module and its manufacturing method according to the present invention have the following outstanding effects.

<74> First, a sheet type packing member is attached to a back surface of a solar cell disposed in the interior of a glass substrate, and a color tape type packing member is attached to both sides of an interconnector ribbon which interconnects solar cells, so the packing member can prevent a direct exposure of a solar cell and an interconnector ribbon which might be conventionally exposed through a glass substrate. So, it is possible to make an outer appearance look nice by improving an outer structure of a solar cell module.

<75> Second, a decoration part formed of a letter, an image, a design, a pattern and a logo is formed on an inner surface or an outer surface of a back surface glass substrate by a screening printing method or an etching method for thereby enhancing a decoration effect, and a solar cell module can be used as an indoor interior material.

<76> As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described examples are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the meets and bounds of the claims, or equivalences of such meets and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.