Patents by Inventor Akimichi MAEKAWA

Akimichi MAEKAWA has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10879410
    Abstract: A solar cell module includes: a solar cell; a conductive light-reflective film disposed on a back surface side of the solar cell, the conductive light-reflective film extending from an edge portion of the solar cell; an insulating member disposed between a back surface of the solar cell and the conductive light-reflective film; and a back-surface side encapsulant covering the solar cell and the conductive light-reflective film from the back surface side of the solar cell, wherein the insulating member is made of a material harder than a material of the back-surface side encapsulant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro Iwata, Tasuku Ishiguro, Haruhisa Hashimoto, Youhei Murakami, Akimichi Maekawa, Shingo Okamoto
  • Patent number: 10840402
    Abstract: A solar cell module includes: a first solar cell; a second solar cell disposed apart from the first solar cell with a space therebetween; a first light reflector disposed on an edge portion of the first solar cell, and overlapping the space; and a second light reflector disposed on an edge portion of the second solar cell, and overlapping the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Haruhisa Hashimoto, Hiroshi Kanno, Akimichi Maekawa
  • Patent number: 10784392
    Abstract: A solar cell module includes: a solar cell having a front surface and a back surface; a front surface side encapsulant disposed on a front surface side of the solar cell, the front surface side encapsulant including a transparent resin sheet; a light reflector protruding from an end portion of the solar cell, the light reflector including a light reflection layer that reflects incident light, and a substrate layer that is disposed on the light reflection layer on a light incident side; and an ultraviolet absorber disposed closer to the light incident side than the light reflection layer, the light incident side being a back surface side of the front surface side encapsulant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akimichi Maekawa, Youhei Murakami, Haruhisa Hashimoto, Junpei Irikawa
  • Patent number: 10629763
    Abstract: A solar cell module includes: two solar cells adjacent one another across a space; an elongated light reflector extending over the two solar cells; and a front protector covering front surfaces of the two solar cells and the light reflector. In a plan view of the two solar cells, each of the two solar cells has chamfered corners and a substantially octagonal shape with linear long sides and linear or non-linear short sides, connected alternately. The light reflector, in the plan view, protrudes in the longitudinal direction from an intersection between a first long side facing another long side across the space, among the long sides, and a first short side one end of which is connected to the first long side, among the short sides, to cause light reflected by the uneven structure of the light-reflective film to reach at least one of the two solar cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akimichi Maekawa, Junpei Irikawa, Tasuku Ishiguro
  • Patent number: 10566469
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a solar cell module includes: placing a light reflection member across a gap between adjacent two solar cells set on a work table; and attaching the light reflection member to respective ends of the adjacent two solar cells, by thermocompression-bonding respective overlap regions of the light reflection member with the adjacent two solar cells using a compression bonding head that includes: a first thermocompression bonding portion and a second thermocompression bonding portion each having a contact surface that comes into contact with the light reflection member; and a non-thermocompression bonding portion interposed between the first thermocompression bonding portion and the second thermocompression bonding portion and not thermocompression-bonding the light reflection member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Haruhisa Hashimoto, Youhei Murakami, Akimichi Maekawa
  • Patent number: 10454413
    Abstract: A solar cell module includes a first solar cell, a second solar cell disposed with a gap from the first solar cell, and a light reflection sheet bridging between the first solar cell and the second solar cell across the gap. The light reflection sheet is at least partially bent between the first and second solar cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akimichi Maekawa, Junpei Irikawa, Tasuku Ishiguro, Haruhisa Hashimoto, Hiroshi Kanno
  • Publication number: 20190288143
    Abstract: The solar battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention is provided with: multiple solar battery cells; a first protective member, a second protective member, a first wiring material for connecting adjacent solar cells; and a second wiring material for connecting strings, that have been obtained by connecting the multiple solar cells via the first wiring material, to each other. The first wiring material and/or the second wiring material has a conductive core material and a colored layer that covers a surface on the side of the core material that faces the first protective member. The colored layer absorbs at least 30% of visible light having a wavelength of 380-780 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Applicant: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeharu Taira, Naohiro Hitachi, Atsushi Saita, Yukihiro Yoshimine, Ryota Morikawa, Kenta Ishimura, Toshie Kunii, Kenji Tanaka, Akimichi Maekawa, Haruhisa Hashimoto, Junpei Irikawa
  • Publication number: 20190214517
    Abstract: A solar cell module includes: a solar cell having a front surface and a back surface; a front surface side encapsulant disposed on a front surface side of the solar cell, the front surface side encapsulant including a transparent resin sheet; a light reflector protruding from an end portion of the solar cell, the light reflector including a light reflection layer that reflects incident light, and a substrate layer that is disposed on the light reflection layer on a light incident side; and an ultraviolet absorber disposed closer to the light incident side than the light reflection layer, the light incident side being a back surface side of the front surface side encapsulant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Akimichi MAEKAWA, Youhei MURAKAMI, Haruhisa HASHIMOTO, Junpei IRIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20190148578
    Abstract: A solar cell module including: a solar cell; a first protection member provided on the light receiving surface side of the solar cell; a second protection member provided on the rear surface side of the solar cell; an encapsulant layer, including a first encapsulant layer disposed between the solar cell and the first protection member, and a second encapsulant layer disposed between the solar cell and the second protection member, which seals the solar cell; and a wavelength conversion substance, contained in at least the first encapsulant layer, which absorbs light having a specified wavelength, and converts the wavelength. The concentration of the wavelength conversion substance is higher in the first encapsulant layer than in the second encapsulant layer, and a resin constituting the second encapsulant layer has a smaller diffusion coefficient of the wavelength conversion substance than the diffusion coefficient of a resin constituting the first encapsulant layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MGMT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tasuku Ishiguro, Naoto Imada, Junpei Irikawa, Akimichi Maekawa
  • Patent number: 10224448
    Abstract: A solar cell module including: a solar cell; a first protection member provided on the light receiving surface side of the solar cell; a second protection member provided on the rear surface side of the solar cell; an encapsulant layer, including a first encapsulant layer disposed between the solar cell and the first protection member, and a second encapsulant layer disposed between the solar cell and the second protection member, which seals the solar cell; and a wavelength conversion substance, contained in at least the first encapsulant layer, which absorbs light having a specified wavelength, and converts the wavelength. The concentration of the wavelength conversion substance is higher in the first encapsulant layer than in the second encapsulant layer, and a resin constituting the second encapsulant layer has a smaller diffusion coefficient of the wavelength conversion substance than the diffusion coefficient of a resin constituting the first encapsulant layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tasuku Ishiguro, Naoto Imada, Junpei Irikawa, Akimichi Maekawa
  • Publication number: 20190035963
    Abstract: A solar cell module includes: two solar cells adjacent one another across a space; an elongated light reflector extending over the two solar cells; and a front protector covering front surfaces of the two solar cells and the light reflector. In a plan view of the two solar cells, each of the two solar cells has chamfered corners and a substantially octagonal shape with linear long sides and linear or non-linear short sides, connected alternately. The light reflector, in the plan view, protrudes in the longitudinal direction from an intersection between a first long side facing another long side across the space, among the long sides, and a first short side one end of which is connected to the first long side, among the short sides, to cause light reflected by the uneven structure of the light-reflective film to reach at least one of the two solar cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Akimichi MAEKAWA, Junpei IRIKAWA, Tasuku ISHIGURO
  • Publication number: 20180366606
    Abstract: A solar cell module includes: a solar cell; a light reflector above a surface of the solar cell or around the solar cell, the light reflector being elongated and including a light reflective film and an insulating component; a protective component that covers the surface of the solar cell; and an encapsulant between (i) the solar cell and the light reflector and (ii) the protective component. The light reflective film has an uneven structure in which a recessed portion and a protruding portion are repeated in a direction crossing a longitudinal direction of the light reflector, and a tangential direction of at least part of a ridge line of the protruding portion and the longitudinal direction intersect when the solar cell is seen in a plan view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: Youhei MURAKAMI, Akimichi MAEKAWA, Haruhisa HASHIMOTO, Hiroshi KANNO, Masahito YAMANA
  • Publication number: 20180331243
    Abstract: A solar cell module includes: a plurality of solar cells; a front surface encapsulant member which is disposed on a front surface side of the plurality of solar cells and includes a first polyolefin-based material; a back surface encapsulant member which is disposed on a back surface side of the plurality of solar cells and includes a second polyolefin-based material; an intermediate member which is disposed between the front surface encapsulant member and the back surface encapsulant member and includes a polymer material having either one of a higher polarity and a higher water absorbability than the first polyolefin-based material and the second polyolefin-based material; and a front surface protective member and a back surface protective member disposed to place the plurality of solar cells, the front surface encapsulant member, and the back surface encapsulant member between the front surface protective member and the back surface protective member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Applicant: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoto IMADA, Tasuku ISHIGURO, Akimichi MAEKAWA, Masahiro IWATA
  • Patent number: 10115852
    Abstract: A solar cell module includes: first and second solar cell strings each including solar cells arranged in an arrangement direction and electrically connected to one another; and a light diffusion sheet disposed between the first and second solar cell strings. The first and second solar cell strings are disposed adjacent to each other and parallel to each other along the arrangement direction. The light diffusion sheet is disposed such that both side edge portions of the light diffusion sheet overlap light-receiving surface sides of side edge portions of the first and second solar cell strings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akimichi Maekawa, Tasuku Ishiguro, Hiroshi Kanno, Takahiro Mishima
  • Patent number: 10074759
    Abstract: A solar cell module includes: a plurality of solar cells; a front surface encapsulant member which is disposed on a front surface side of the plurality of solar cells and includes a first polyolefin-based material; a back surface encapsulant member which is disposed on a back surface side of the plurality of solar cells and includes a second polyolefin-based material; an intermediate member which is disposed between the front surface encapsulant member and the back surface encapsulant member and includes a polymer material having either one of a higher polarity and a higher water absorbability than the first polyolefin-based material and the second polyolefin-based material; and a front surface protective member and a back surface protective member disposed to place the plurality of solar cells, the front surface encapsulant member, and the back surface encapsulant member between the front surface protective member and the back surface protective member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoto Imada, Tasuku Ishiguro, Akimichi Maekawa, Masahiro Iwata
  • Patent number: 9978891
    Abstract: A solar cell module includes: solar cells each having a first main surface and a second main surface; a front-side transparent protective member disposed on a first main surface-side of the solar cells; a front-side transparent encapsulant layer disposed between the front-side transparent protective member and the solar cells; a back-side protective member disposed on a second main surface-side of the solar cells; a back-side white encapsulant layer disposed between the back-side protective member and the solar cells; and a back-side transparent encapsulant layer disposed between the back-side white encapsulant layer and the solar cells, wherein a thickness of the back-side transparent encapsulant layer in a vicinity of an edge portion of the second main surface of the solar cells is less than a thickness of the back-side transparent encapsulant layer in a region between the solar cells that are neighboring to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akimichi Maekawa, Tasuku Ishiguro, Yukako Sakuragi, Atsushi Saita
  • Publication number: 20180013025
    Abstract: A solar cell module includes: a solar cell; a conductive light-reflective film disposed on a back surface side of the solar cell, the conductive light-reflective film extending from an edge portion of the solar cell; an insulating member disposed between a back surface of the solar cell and the conductive light-reflective film; and a back-surface side encapsulant covering the solar cell and the conductive light-reflective film from the back surface side of the solar cell, wherein the insulating member is made of a material harder than a material of the back-surface side encapsulant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Inventors: Masahiro IWATA, Tasuku ISHIGURO, Haruhisa HASHIMOTO, Youhei MURAKAMI, Akimichi MAEKAWA, Shingo OKAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20170373212
    Abstract: A solar cell module includes: a first solar cell; a second solar cell disposed apart from the first solar cell with a space therebetween; a first light reflector disposed on an edge portion of the first solar cell, and overlapping the space; and a second light reflector disposed on an edge portion of the second solar cell, and overlapping the space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventors: Haruhisa HASHIMOTO, Hiroshi KANNO, Akimichi MAEKAWA
  • Patent number: D817864
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akimichi Maekawa, Haruhisa Hashimoto, Youhei Murakami, Hiroshi Kanno
  • Patent number: D829164
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akimichi Maekawa, Haruhisa Hashimoto, Youhei Murakami, Hiroshi Kanno