Patent US4878555A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4755231A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Flexible solar array cell and substrate therefor
Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corp
•
Filing: 1986-06-13
•
Granted: 1988-07-05
•
Expires: 2006-06-13
Abstract
Abstract A substrate structure for lightweight, flexible solar cell arrays, in which a plastic substrate is provided with a structure for discharging accumulations of electrons on its rear face and has appropriate heat emmissivity properties. In one embodiment, a Kapton substrate layer is coated with a grounded aluminum layer, which is suitably painted for emissivity. In another embodiment, a poorly conductive Kapton substrate layer, impregnated with carbon, is used to dissipate the charge, and to provide the appropriate emissivity. In a third embodiment, a grounded VDA layer is sandwiched between two Kapton layers.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard M. Kurland
- 👤 Ira L. Allard
- 👤 Rebecca C. Chaky
- 👤 George T. Inouye, deceased
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 13:35
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F77/00; H10F77/10; H10F77/16; H10F77/169; H10F77/1698; H10F77/80; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y10; Y10S; Y10S136/00; Y10S136/291; Y10S136/292
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
94 words
A flexible, lightweight solar array substrate structure, comprising: flexible plastic substrate means for supporting an array of interconnected solar cells on its front face; additional means formed integrally with the substrate, for providng a ground path for electric charge building up on the rear face of the substrate and for providing a suitable heat emissive surface at the rear face, the additional means including a groundable conductive layer formed on the rear face of the substrate means and a layer of paint applied to the conductive layer to provide the required heat emission properties.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
94 words
A flexible, lightweight solar array substrate structure, comprising: flexible plastic substrate means for supporting an array of interconnected solar cells on its front face; additional means formed integrally with the substrate, for providng a ground path for electric charge building up on the rear face of the substrate and for providing a suitable heat emissive surface at the rear face, the additional means including a groundable conductive layer formed on the rear face of the substrate means and a layer of paint applied to the conductive layer to provide the required heat emission properties.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
99 words
A flexible, lightweight solar array. comprising: an array of interconnected solar cells; flexible plastic substrate means supporting the array of solar cells on its front face; and additional means formed integrally with the substrate, for providing a ground path for electric charge building up on the rear face of the substrate and for providing a suitable heat emissive surface at the rear face, the additional means including an impregnation of conductive material within the substrate means, to provide the necessary path for accumulated electric charge and to provide the necessary color to the rear surface of the substrate means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
99 words
A flexible, lightweight solar array. comprising: an array of interconnected solar cells; flexible plastic substrate means supporting the array of solar cells on its front face; and additional means formed integrally with the substrate, for providing a ground path for electric charge building up on the rear face of the substrate and for providing a suitable heat emissive surface at the rear face, the additional means including an impregnation of conductive material within the substrate means, to provide the necessary path for accumulated electric charge and to provide the necessary color to the rear surface of the substrate means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
97 words
A flexible, lightweight solar array substrate structure, comprising: flexible plastic substrate means for supporting an array of interconnected solar cells on its front face; additional means formed integrally with the substrate, for providing a ground path for electric charge building up on the rear face of the substrate and for providng a suitable heat emissive surface at the rear face, the additional means including a groundable conductive layer formed on the rear face of the substrate means and a further substrate layer impregnated with a conductive material and positioned on the rear face of the conductive layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
97 words
A flexible, lightweight solar array substrate structure, comprising: flexible plastic substrate means for supporting an array of interconnected solar cells on its front face; additional means formed integrally with the substrate, for providing a ground path for electric charge building up on the rear face of the substrate and for providng a suitable heat emissive surface at the rear face, the additional means including a groundable conductive layer formed on the rear face of the substrate means and a further substrate layer impregnated with a conductive material and positioned on the rear face of the conductive layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
69 words
A lightweight, flexible solar array substrate structure, comprising: an insulating plastic substrate having a rear face, and a front face for supporting a plurality of solar cells; a groundable vapor-deposited layer of conductive material formed on the rear face of the substrate, to dissipate accumulations of electrical charge on the substrate; and a layer of thermal paint applied to the layer of conductive material to provide appropriate emissivity properties.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
69 words
A lightweight, flexible solar array substrate structure, comprising: an insulating plastic substrate having a rear face, and a front face for supporting a plurality of solar cells; a groundable vapor-deposited layer of conductive material formed on the rear face of the substrate, to dissipate accumulations of electrical charge on the substrate; and a layer of thermal paint applied to the layer of conductive material to provide appropriate emissivity properties.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
A structure as defined in claim 4, in which: the substrate is of Kapton; and the conductive layer is vapor-deposited aluminum (VDA).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
79 words
A lightweight, flexible solar array, comprising: a plurality of solar cells; a poorly conductive, flexible plastic substrate layer having a rear surface, and a front surface supporting the plurality of solar cells, the substrate being impregnated with particles of conductive material, to provide a resistivity sufficiently low to discharge electrons accumulated on the substrate, but sufficiently high to avoid short-circuiting the cells; and in which the substrate material is of a suitable color to provide the required emissivity properties.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
79 words
A lightweight, flexible solar array, comprising: a plurality of solar cells; a poorly conductive, flexible plastic substrate layer having a rear surface, and a front surface supporting the plurality of solar cells, the substrate being impregnated with particles of conductive material, to provide a resistivity sufficiently low to discharge electrons accumulated on the substrate, but sufficiently high to avoid short-circuiting the cells; and in which the substrate material is of a suitable color to provide the required emissivity properties.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
A structure as defined in claim 6, in which: the substrate is black, carbon-impregnated Kapton with approximately 37% carbon by weight.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
79 words
A lightweight, flexible solar array substrate structure, comprising: a first plastic substrate film having a rear face, and a front face for supporting an array of solar cells; a groundable metal layer vapor-deposited on the rear face of the first plastic substrate film; and a second plastic substrate film positioned over the layer of metal and impregnated with conductive particles to provide charge transfer to the grounded metal layer and to provide appropriate emissivity properties to the substrate structure.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
79 words
A lightweight, flexible solar array substrate structure, comprising: a first plastic substrate film having a rear face, and a front face for supporting an array of solar cells; a groundable metal layer vapor-deposited on the rear face of the first plastic substrate film; and a second plastic substrate film positioned over the layer of metal and impregnated with conductive particles to provide charge transfer to the grounded metal layer and to provide appropriate emissivity properties to the substrate structure.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
A structure as defined in claim 8, in which: the first substrate film is of Kapton; the metal layer is vapor-deposited aluminum (VDA); and the second substrate film is of Kapton impregnated with carbon.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-07-05 | 1992-01-04 | 1992-07-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-07-05 | 1996-01-04 | 1996-07-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-07-05 | 2000-01-04 | 2000-07-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |