Patents by Inventor Lee Gorny
Lee Gorny 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).
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Patent number: 11855582Abstract: Photovoltaic module systems are provided. These systems can comprise multiple photovoltaic laminates connected with one or more mechanical coupling pairs that extend beyond perimeter edges of individual photovoltaic laminates. The mechanical coupling pairs can be connected to ends of support members positioned beneath the photovoltaic laminates. During assembly, an additional photovoltaic laminate may be added to connected photovoltaic laminates that are previously connected and lie along a shared plane of reference via pairs of mechanical couplings.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2022Date of Patent: December 26, 2023Assignee: MAXEON SOLAR PTE. LTD.Inventors: Lee Gorny, Gabriela Elena Bunea
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Patent number: 11431288Abstract: One embodiment is a photovoltaic (PV) module including a frame to receive a perimeter of a backside of a photovoltaic (PV) laminate. The cross rail assembly may include: a conductive frame to receive a perimeter of a backside of a photovoltaic (PV) laminate; one or more conductive cross rail members provide structural rigidity to the conductive frame; and one or more pairs of couplers coupled to the conductive frame, wherein: at least one coupler comprises a grounding coupler having a first keyed section to insert into an opening in the conductive frame and a second keyed section to mate with an end of a conductive cross rail member of the one or more conductive cross rail members to ground the conductive cross rail member to the frame; or at least one coupler of at least one of the one or more pairs includes a length to define a cabling channel.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2019Date of Patent: August 30, 2022Assignee: SunPower CorporationInventor: Lee Gorny
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Publication number: 20220271176Abstract: Local metallization of semiconductor substrates using a laser beam, and the resulting structures, e.g., micro-electronic devices, semiconductor substrates and/or solar cells, are described. For example, a solar cell includes a substrate and a plurality of semiconductor regions disposed in or above the substrate. A plurality of conductive contact structures is electrically connected to the plurality of semiconductor regions. Each conductive contact structure includes a locally deposited metal portion disposed in contact with a corresponding a semiconductor region.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2022Publication date: August 25, 2022Inventors: Pei Hsuan Lu, Benjamin I. Hsia, David Aaron R. Barkhouse, Lee Gorny
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Patent number: 11418145Abstract: A photovoltaic module having an external electrical connector is described. For example, the photovoltaic module may include a plug receptacle mounted on a module laminate, and a contact may extend from a photovoltaic cell within the module laminate into a plug channel of the plug receptacle. The plug receptacle may receive a mating electrical connector, e.g., an electrical plug, of off-panel electronics. Accordingly, the contact may be removably connected to the mating electrical connector, and the photovoltaic cell may be placed in electrical connection with the off-panel electronics.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2020Date of Patent: August 16, 2022Assignee: SunPower CorporationInventors: Gabriela Elena Bunea, Cuong Manh Ta, Lewis Abra, Lee Gorny
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Patent number: 11362220Abstract: Local metallization of semiconductor substrates using a laser beam, and the resulting structures, e.g., micro-electronic devices, semiconductor substrates and/or solar cells, are described. For example, a solar cell includes a substrate and a plurality of semiconductor regions disposed in or above the substrate. A plurality of conductive contact structures is electrically connected to the plurality of semiconductor regions. Each conductive contact structure includes a locally deposited metal portion disposed in contact with a corresponding a semiconductor region.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2019Date of Patent: June 14, 2022Assignee: SunPower CorporationInventors: Pei Hsuan Lu, Benjamin I. Hsia, David Aaron R. Barkhouse, Lee Gorny
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Publication number: 20220140777Abstract: Photovoltaic module systems are provided. These systems can comprise multiple photovoltaic laminates connected with one or more mechanical coupling pairs that extend beyond perimeter edges of individual photovoltaic laminates. The mechanical coupling pairs can be connected to ends of support members positioned beneath the photovoltaic laminates. During assembly, an additional photovoltaic laminate may be added to connected photovoltaic laminates that are previously connected and lie along a shared plane of reference via pairs of mechanical couplings.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 12, 2022Publication date: May 5, 2022Applicant: SunPower CorporationInventors: Lee Gorny, Gabriela Elena Bunea
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Patent number: 11239791Abstract: A photovoltaic (PV) module having bi-directional couplings is described. The bi-directional couplings include a first coupling mounted on a support frame under a first edge of the PV module and a second coupling mounted on the support frame under a second edge of the PV module. The PV module can be a keystone module and the bi-directional couplings of the keystone module can connect to respective couplings of several adjacent PV modules. The bi-directional couplings can form male-to-female connections with the respective couplings to quickly combine the PV modules into a PV module assembly. The PV module assembly includes the bi-directionally connected PV modules supporting each other in both an x-direction and a y-direction.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2020Date of Patent: February 1, 2022Assignee: SunPower CorporationInventors: Lee Gorny, Gabriela Elena Bunea
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Publication number: 20220014144Abstract: A photovoltaic panel having a photovoltaic module supported by a distributed support frame is described. The distributed support frame may include a support member extending over a back surface of the photovoltaic module. For example, one or more support members may extend laterally from a support hub mounted on the back surface. The distributed support frame may reduce a span length of the photovoltaic module between support locations, and thus, may reduce a likelihood that a module laminate will crack under a design load.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2021Publication date: January 13, 2022Applicant: SunPower CorporationInventors: Gabriela Elena Bunea, Lee Gorny, George Nadim Mseis
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Patent number: 11139776Abstract: A photovoltaic panel having a photovoltaic module supported by a distributed support frame is described. The distributed support frame may include a support member extending over a back surface of the photovoltaic module. For example, one or more support members may extend laterally from a support hub mounted on the back surface. The distributed support frame may reduce a span length of the photovoltaic module between support locations, and thus, may reduce a likelihood that a module laminate will crack under a design load.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2016Date of Patent: October 5, 2021Assignees: SunPower Corporation, Total Marketing ServicesInventors: Gabriela Elena Bunea, Lee Gorny, George Nadim Mseis
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Publication number: 20200373881Abstract: A photovoltaic (PV) module having bi-directional couplings is described. The bi-directional couplings include a first coupling mounted on a support frame under a first edge of the PV module and a second coupling mounted on the support frame under a second edge of the PV module. The PV module can be a keystone module and the bi-directional couplings of the keystone module can connect to respective couplings of several adjacent PV modules. The bi-directional couplings can form male-to-female connections with the respective couplings to quickly combine the PV modules into a PV module assembly. The PV module assembly includes the bi-directionally connected PV modules supporting each other in both an x-direction and a y-direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 4, 2020Publication date: November 26, 2020Inventors: Lee Gorny, Gabriela Elena Bunea
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Patent number: 10763780Abstract: A photovoltaic (PV) module having bi-directional couplings is described. The bi-directional couplings include a first coupling mounted on a support frame under a first edge of the PV module and a second coupling mounted on the support frame under a second edge of the PV module. The PV module can be a keystone module and the bi-directional couplings of the keystone module can connect to respective couplings of several adjacent PV modules. The bi-directional couplings can form male-to-female connections with the respective couplings to quickly combine the PV modules into a PV module assembly. The PV module assembly includes the bi-directionally connected PV modules supporting each other in both an x-direction and a y-direction.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2018Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: SunPower CorporationInventors: Lee Gorny, Gabriela Elena Bunea
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Publication number: 20200220495Abstract: A photovoltaic module having an external electrical connector is described. For example, the photovoltaic module may include a plug receptacle mounted on a module laminate, and a contact may extend from a photovoltaic cell within the module laminate into a plug channel of the plug receptacle. The plug receptacle may receive a mating electrical connector, e.g., an electrical plug, of off-panel electronics. Accordingly, the contact may be removably connected to the mating electrical connector, and the photovoltaic cell may be placed in electrical connection with the off-panel electronics.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2020Publication date: July 9, 2020Inventors: Gabriela Elena Bunea, Cuong Manh Ta, Lewis Abra, Lee Gorny
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Patent number: 10511258Abstract: Photovoltaic (PV) assemblies and electrical connections for interconnecting PV modules to form PV arrays are described herein. The PV assemblies can include angled connector terminals to electrically mate with power connector ports of the PV modules. A power connector port can face a corner of a PV module. The electrical connections of the PV assemblies can simplify cable management and facilitate flexibility in arrangement and interconnection of PV modules and PV arrays.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2017Date of Patent: December 17, 2019Assignee: SunPower CorporationInventors: Kyle Donald Feldmann, Lee Gorny, Matthew Deschambeault, Gary Alan Rossi, John Paul Kapla
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Publication number: 20190312545Abstract: One embodiment is a photovoltaic (PV) module including a frame to receive a perimeter of a backside of a photovoltaic (PV) laminate. The cross rail assembly may include: a conductive frame to receive a perimeter of a backside of a photovoltaic (PV) laminate; one or more conductive cross rail members provide structural rigidity to the conductive frame; and one or more pairs of couplers coupled to the conductive frame, wherein: at least one coupler comprises a grounding coupler having a first keyed section to insert into an opening in the conductive frame and a second keyed section to mate with an end of a conductive cross rail member of the one or more conductive cross rail members to ground the conductive cross rail member to the frame; or at least one coupler of at least one of the one or more pairs includes a length to define a cabling channel.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2019Publication date: October 10, 2019Inventor: Lee Gorny
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Publication number: 20190312156Abstract: Local metallization of semiconductor substrates using a laser beam, and the resulting structures, e.g., micro-electronic devices, semiconductor substrates and/or solar cells, are described. For example, a solar cell includes a substrate and a plurality of semiconductor regions disposed in or above the substrate. A plurality of conductive contact structures is electrically connected to the plurality of semiconductor regions. Each conductive contact structure includes a locally deposited metal portion disposed in contact with a corresponding a semiconductor region.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 5, 2019Publication date: October 10, 2019Inventors: Pei Hsuan Lu, Benjamin I. Hsia, David Aaron R. Barkhouse, Lee Gorny
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Publication number: 20180375463Abstract: A photovoltaic (PV) module having bi-directional couplings is described. The bi-directional couplings include a first coupling mounted on a support frame under a first edge of the PV module and a second coupling mounted on the support frame under a second edge of the PV module. The PV module can be a keystone module and the bi-directional couplings of the keystone module can connect to respective couplings of several adjacent PV modules. The bi-directional couplings can form male-to-female connections with the respective couplings to quickly combine the PV modules into a PV module assembly. The PV module assembly includes the bi-directionally connected PV modules supporting each other in both an x-direction and a y-direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 12, 2018Publication date: December 27, 2018Inventors: Lee Gorny, Gabriela Elena Bunea
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Publication number: 20180006599Abstract: A photovoltaic panel having a photovoltaic module supported by a distributed support frame is described. The distributed support frame may include a support member extending over a back surface of the photovoltaic module. For example, one or more support members may extend laterally from a support hub mounted on the back surface. The distributed support frame may reduce a span length of the photovoltaic module between support locations, and thus, may reduce a likelihood that a module laminate will crack under a design load.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2016Publication date: January 4, 2018Inventors: Gabriela Elena Bunea, Lee Gorny, George Nadim Mseis
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Publication number: 20180006602Abstract: A photovoltaic module having an external electrical connector is described. For example, the photovoltaic module may include a plug receptacle mounted on a module laminate, and a contact may extend from a photovoltaic cell within the module laminate into a plug channel of the plug receptacle. The plug receptacle may receive a mating electrical connector, e.g., an electrical plug, of off-panel electronics. Accordingly, the contact may be removably connected to the mating electrical connector, and the photovoltaic cell may be placed in electrical connection with the off-panel electronics.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2016Publication date: January 4, 2018Inventors: Gabriela Elena Bunea, Cuong Manh Ta, Lewis Abra, Lee Gorny
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Publication number: 20170366136Abstract: Photovoltaic (PV) assemblies and electrical connections for interconnecting PV modules to form PV arrays are described herein. The PV assemblies can include angled connector terminals to electrically mate with power connector ports of the PV modules. A power connector port can face a corner of a PV module. The electrical connections of the PV assemblies can simplify cable management and facilitate flexibility in arrangement and interconnection of PV modules and PV arrays.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2017Publication date: December 21, 2017Inventors: Kyle Donald Feldmann, Lee Gorny, Matthew Deschambeault, Gary Alan Rossi, John Paul Kapla
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Publication number: 20170163210Abstract: Various improved approaches to ensure proper alignment of a photovoltaic (PV) laminate with a frame and prevent PV module structural defects are described herein. PV laminate-constraining devices, or clips, can inhibit physical deformation of a PV laminate during manufacturing, shipping, and/or installation. PV laminate-constraining features and devices can direct adhesive regions into desired locations and/or inhibit displacement of adhesives during PV module manufacturing.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2015Publication date: June 8, 2017Inventor: Lee Gorny