Machine for welding solar cell connections

Claim 1

A welding machine for welding a connection to a silvered surface of a silicon wafer solar cell comprising: a base; a welding mount rigidly secured to said base having an indexed upper surface for positioning the solar cell along a reference line serving as the index line; an electrical connection on said upper surface for energizing said solar cell at its silvered surface; holding means on said welding mount for holding said solar cell in place on said upper surface; at least one welding electrode over said upper surface; means to lower said welding electrode to make pressuring contact with said electrical connection and said solar cell; trigger pulse means to apply electric current pulses to said electrode cell and electrical connection means for a preselected time period and at preselected pressures; the upper surface of said welding mount being in an upper part of said mount which is fastened to the lower part of said mount by a spring means; an electromagnetic means to impart to the upper part of said welding mount on alternating movement on transverse to said reference line, said alternating transverse movement being of predetermined frequency and predetermined amplitude; said electromagnetic means comprising an electromagnet fastened to said base, positioned next to said welding mount and including a gap between said electromagnet and said mount; said spring means between the upper and lower parts of said mount below said silicon wafer responding to the vibrations imparted by said electromagnetic means through said gap; and, adjustable wafer holding means formed as flat springs with oval holes and fastening means attached thereto for holding said silicon wafer solar cell.