Abstract:
A photovoltaic module comprising: (a) a photovoltaic laminate including: two or more electrically conducting elements extending through the photovoltaic laminate so that power is moved from one photovoltaic module towards another photovoltaic module or towards an inverter; and (b) one or more connectors connected to each of the two or more electrically conducting elements by a connection joint, each of the one or more connectors include: two or more opposing terminals that each are connected to and extend from one of the two or more electrically conducing elements; wherein a dielectric space is located between the two or more opposing terminals and the dielectric space blocks material used to form a connection joint from passing from a first terminal to a second terminal, the material from the connection joint cools before the material passes from one terminal to a second terminal, the material fails to travel from the first terminal to the second terminal, or a combination thereof.
Abstract:
The disclosure provides for a method including: a) forming a layered tubular member (12) by placing one or more outer layers (16) about an inner layer (14) and joining at one or more seams (56) along a length of the layered tubular member, wherein the one or more outer layers include a first resin impregnated therein; b) applying the first resin or a second resin at the one or more seams; c) creating one or more fillets (58) along the one or more seams with the first resin, the second resin, or an adhesive; and d) curing the first resin, the second resin, and the adhesive so that the layered tubular member, the first resin, the second resin, and the adhesive form a composite structure having a tubular shape.
Abstract:
An apparatus comprising: (a) a mandrel; (b) an internal guide spaced apart from the mandrel; (c) an external guide extending around all or a portion of the internal guide and being spaced apart from the mandrel; wherein a pipe extends between the internal guide and the external guide and then over the mandrel so that the mandrel changes one or more dimensions of the pipe.
Abstract:
An article useful as a forming and cutting tool for molding composite material and cutting non-planar edges of molded composite material. The article includes an upper and lower die. The upper die includes an upper pressure pad with an upper shearing edge and an upper mold with a cavity. The lower die includes a lower pressure pad and a lower mold with a core and a lower shearing edge. The upper die is adapted to come into contact with the lower die so that the upper pressure pad and upper mold apply pressure to the lower pressure pad and lower mold to form a composite material blank into a formed composite structure. The upper die is adapted to contact the lower die so that the upper shearing edge bypasses the lower shearing edge to form a non-planar cut in at least a portion of a formed composite.
Abstract:
An integrated frame comprising: (a) an integration portion that forms a cantilever connection with a stack of material, (b) a cover connected to and extending from the integration portion, and (c) a pair of extensions connected to and extending from the cover, wherein the cover extends over and protects a connector that is connected to and extending from the stack of material.
Abstract:
A photovoltaic module comprising: a base plate and a photovoltaic laminate that are connected together; wherein the photovoltaic module is configured to be directly connected to a roofing structure and provide roofing functions, and wherein the photovoltaic laminate is removable from the base plate without damaging the base plate and the base plate retains its roofing functions when the photovoltaic laminate is removed.
Abstract:
A composite prepreg kit is disclosed that comprises two layers of prepreg with an expandable pre-foam core therebetween, wherein the core optionally further comprises a fibrous material. Also disclosed are methods of manufacturing composite materials from the prepreg kits, and articles made from the prepreg kits.
Abstract:
An apparatus (2), system and method (100) for dispensing thermal energy storage materials, such as phase change materials (6) as a liquid to make encapsulated pack (60) of such thermal energy storage materials for various applications.
Abstract:
A photovoltaic assembly comprising: (a) at least two photovoltaic components that are adjacent to each other, each photovoltaic component comprising: (i) a partial connector channel in communication with a partial connector channel in an adjacent photovoltaic component and (ii) one or more connector receptors; (b) a connector located at least partially in the partial connector channel of the photovoltaic component and at least partially in the partial connector channel of the adjacent photovoltaic component so that the connector connects the photovoltaic component to the adjacent photovoltaic component, the connector comprising: a housing having: (1 ) a top housing and (2) a bottom housing, wherein the top housing and the bottom housing each include a first end and a second end; one or more flexible electrical conductors that extend from the first end to the second end; wherein the top housing and the bottom housing each include one or more mechanical flexing regions that allow the housing to mechanically flex.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to articles 2 and heat storage devices 80 for storage of thermal energy. The articles 2 include a metal base sheet 12 and a metal cover sheet 14, wherein the metal base sheet and the metal cover sheet are sealingly joined to form one or more sealed spaces 18, The articles 2 include a thermal energy storage material 16 that is contained within the sealed spaces 18. The sealed spaces preferably are substantially free of wafer or includes liquid water at a concentration of about 1 percent by volume or less at a temperature of about 25 °C, based on the total volume of the sealed spaces 18. The articles include one or more of the following features: a) the pressure 36 in a sealed space is about 700 Torr or less, when the temperature of the thermal energy storage material is about 25 °C; b) the metal cover- sheet 14 includes one or more stiffening features 34, wherein the stiffening features Include indents into the sealed space, protrusions out of the sealed space, or both, that are sufficient in size and number to reduce the maximum von Mises stress in the cover sheet during thermal cycling; c) the metal cover sheet 14 and/or the metal base sheet 12 includes one or more volume expansion features 62; or d) the metal cover sheet has a thickness, t c , and the metal base sheet has a thickness, t b , wherein t c is greater than t b ; so that the article is durable. For example, the article does not leak after thermal cycling between about 25 °C and about 240 °C, for 1,000 cycles.