Patents by Inventor Yafu LIN

Yafu LIN 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: 11165387
    Abstract: Cyclical testing of electrically conductive bonding (ECB) is provided. Cyclical testing comprises high current flows using multiples of max operating currents and monitoring sensors with periods of no current to accelerate testing of electrical connections employing ECBs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventors: Yafu Lin, Ryan Reagan, Itai Suez, Katherine Han, Hai-Yue Han
  • Patent number: 11139403
    Abstract: A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells arranged in an overlapping shingled manner and conductively bonded to each other in their overlapping regions to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventors: Yafu Lin, Benjamin Francois
  • Publication number: 20210296520
    Abstract: A solar module includes at least one first solar cell and at least one second solar cell, each including: a substrate including a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type and a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type; a first metallization pattern providing electrical contact to the first semiconductor region of the first conductivity type; and a second metallization pattern providing electrical contact to the second semiconductor region of the second conductivity type; and an electrically conductive adhesive material disposed between at least a portion of the first metallization pattern of the first solar cell and the second metallization pattern of the second solar cell, wherein the electrically conductive adhesive material has a glass transition temperature (Tg) greater than 70° C. and an elastic modulus less than 3500 MPa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Applicant: SUNPOWER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ruihua LI, Yafu LIN
  • Publication number: 20210281215
    Abstract: Cyclical testing of electrically conductive bonding (ECB) is provided. Cyclical testing comprises high current flows using multiples of max operating currents and monitoring sensors with periods of no current to accelerate testing of electrical connections employing ECBs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Applicant: SunPower Corporation
    Inventors: Yafu Lin, Ryan Reagan, Itai Suez, Katherine Han, Hai-Yue Han
  • Patent number: 11038072
    Abstract: A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells conductively bonded to each other in a shingled manner to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module, reduce series resistance, and increase module efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventors: Ratson Morad, Gilad Almogy, Itai Suez, Jean Hummel, Nathan Beckett, Yafu Lin, John Gannon, Michael J. Starkey, Robert Stuart, Tamir Lance, Dan Maydan
  • Publication number: 20210143290
    Abstract: A solar module includes at least one first solar cell and at least one second solar cell, each solar cell including a top side and bottom side, a bus bar, and a plurality of wires, disposed on the top side, extending from and electrically connected to the bus bar. The first solar cell overlaps a region of the second solar cell to electrically connect to the second solar cell and to form a shingled arrangement, and in the second solar cell, the plurality of wires connect to the bus bar outside of the region in which the first solar cell overlaps the second solar cell. A method of manufacturing a solar module includes shingling solar cells using ECA to make a hybrid dense solar cell string that includes at least two hybrid dense solar cells in a shingled arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Applicant: SUNPOWER CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yafu LIN
  • Patent number: 10861999
    Abstract: A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells conductively bonded to each other in a shingled manner to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module, reduce series resistance, and increase module efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventors: Ratson Morad, Gilad Almogy, Itai Suez, Jean Hummel, Nathan Beckett, Yafu Lin, John Gannon, Michael J. Starkey, Robert Stuart, Tamir Lance, Dan Maydan
  • Publication number: 20190393361
    Abstract: A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells arranged in an overlapping shingled manner and conductively bonded to each other in their overlapping regions to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: Yafu LIN, Benjamin FRANCOIS
  • Patent number: 10510907
    Abstract: A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells arranged in an overlapping shingled manner and conductively bonded to each other in their overlapping regions to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: SUNPOWER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yafu Lin, Benjamin Francois
  • Publication number: 20190319144
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating solar cells having junctions retracted from cleaved edges, and the resulting solar cells, are described. In an example, a solar cell includes a substrate having a light-receiving surface, a back surface, and sidewalls. An emitter region is in the substrate at the light-receiving surface of the substrate. The emitter region has sidewalls laterally retracted from the sidewalls of the substrate. A passivation layer is on the sidewalls of the emitter region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Inventors: Yafu Lin, David Jacob
  • Publication number: 20190081198
    Abstract: A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells conductively bonded to each other in a shingled manner to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module, reduce series resistance, and increase module efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Inventors: Ratson MORAD, Gilad ALMOGY, Itai SUEZ, Jean HUMMEL, Nathan BECKETT, Yafu LIN, John GANNON, Michael J. STARKEY, Robert STUART, Tamir LANCE, Dan MAYDAN
  • Publication number: 20190051789
    Abstract: A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells conductively bonded to each other in a shingled manner to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module, reduce series resistance, and increase module efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Inventors: Ratson MORAD, Gilad ALMOGY, Itai SUEZ, Jean HUMMEL, Nathan BECKETT, Yafu LIN, John GANNON, Michael J. STARKEY, Robert STUART, Tamir LANCE, Dan MAYDAN
  • Publication number: 20180323333
    Abstract: A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells conductively bonded to each other in a shingled manner to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module, reduce series resistance, and increase module efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventors: Ratson MORAD, Gilad ALMOGY, Itai SUEZ, Jean HUMMEL, Nathan BECKETT, Yafu LIN, John GANNON, Michael J. STARKEY, Robert STUART, Tamir LANCE, Dan MAYDAN
  • Patent number: 10090430
    Abstract: A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells conductively bonded to each other in a shingled manner to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module, reduce series resistance, and increase module efficiency. The front surface metallization patterns on the solar cells may be configured to enable single step stencil printing, which is facilitated by the overlapping configuration of the solar cells in the super cells. A solar photovoltaic system may comprise two or more such high voltage solar cell modules electrically connected in parallel with each other and to an inverter. Solar cell cleaving tools and solar cell cleaving methods apply a vacuum between bottom surfaces of a solar cell wafer and a curved supporting surface to flex the solar cell wafer against the curved supporting surface and thereby cleave the solar cell wafer along one or more previously prepared scribe lines to provide a plurality of solar cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventors: Ratson Morad, Gilad Almogy, Itai Suez, Jean Hummel, Nathan Beckett, Yafu Lin, John Gannon, Michael J. Starkey, Robert Stuart, Tamir Lance, Dan Maydan
  • Patent number: 9947820
    Abstract: A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells arranged in a shingled manner to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module, reduce series resistance, and increase module efficiency. Each super cell comprises a plurality of rectangular or substantially rectangular silicon solar cells arranged in line with long sides of adjacent silicon solar cells overlapping and conductively bonded directly to each other to electrically connect the silicon solar cells in series. A super cell may comprise a hidden tap contact pad located on a back surface of a solar cell located at an intermediate position along the super cell. In some variations the overlapping sides of adjacent silicon soar cells in a super cell are flexibly bonded to each other, and a flexible electrical interconnect is rigidly bonded to one of the solar cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventors: Ratson Morad, Gilad Almogy, Itai Suez, Jean Hummel, Nathan Beckett, Yafu Lin, Dan Maydan, John Gannon
  • Patent number: 9882077
    Abstract: A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells arranged in a shingled manner to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module, reduce series resistance, and increase module efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventors: Ratson Morad, Gilad Almogy, Itai Suez, Jean Hummel, Nathan Beckett, Yafu Lin, Dan Maydan, John Gannon
  • Patent number: 9876132
    Abstract: A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells arranged in a shingled manner to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module, reduce series resistance, and increase module efficiency. In some variations a solar module comprises a white backing sheet on which rows of super cells are arranged, and the white backing sheet comprises darkened stripes having locations and widths corresponding to gaps between the rows of super cells such that white portions of the backing sheet are not visible through the gaps between the rows of super cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventors: Ratson Morad, Gilad Almogy, Itai Suez, Jean Hummel, Nathan Beckett, Yafu Lin, Dan Maydan, John Gannon
  • Patent number: 9780253
    Abstract: A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells arranged in a shingled manner to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module, reduce series resistance, and increase module efficiency. The solar cell module may comprise for example a series connected string of N greater than or equal to 25 rectangular or substantially rectangular solar cells having on average a breakdown voltage greater than about 10 volts, with the solar cells grouped into one or more super cells each of which comprises two or more of the solar cells arranged in line with long sides of adjacent solar cells overlapping and conductively bonded to each other, and with no single solar cell or group of <N solar cells in the string of solar cells individually electrically connected in parallel with a bypass diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventors: Ratson Morad, Gilad Almogy, Itai Suez, Jean Hummel, Nathan Beckett, Yafu Lin, Dan Maydan, John Gannon
  • Publication number: 20170243986
    Abstract: A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells arranged in an overlapping shingled manner and conductively bonded to each other in their overlapping regions to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Inventors: Yafu LIN, Benjamin FRANCOIS
  • Patent number: D899351
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: SUNPOWER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yafu Lin, Richard Perkins, Jianfang Si