Panel, panel manufacturing method, solar cell module, printing apparatus, and printing method

{
  "publication_number": "US9905708B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Panel, panel manufacturing method, solar cell module, printing apparatus, and printing method",
  "abstract": "A panel of the present invention includes a substrate, an electrode provided on the substrate, and a transparent conductive layer provided on the substrate along a side of the electrode. The electrode includes a contact region in contact with the transparent conductive layer and a non-contact region out of contact with the transparent conductive layer. Preferably, a part of the electrode is exposed through the transparent conductive layer. Preferably, the conductive layer is separated into one side and the other side of the electrode extending a predetermined direction.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A solar panel, comprising: a substrate having a flat surface; an electrode provided on the flat surface of the substrate and an entire bottom surface of the electrode being in contact with the flat surface of the substrate; and a transparent conductive layer provided on the flat surface of the substrate along a side of the electrode and being in contact with the substrate, wherein the electrode includes a top and a plurality of sides including a first side and a second side, the transparent conductive layer includes a part in direct physical contact with the first side and a part in direct physical contact with the second side, the top of the electrode includes a contact portion in direct physical contact with the transparent conductive layer and a non-contact portion which does not directly physically contact with the transparent conductive layer, the transparent conductive layer is separated into a plurality of transparent conductive portions, one of the transparent conductive portions being located on the first side of the electrode, another of the transparent conductive portions being located on the second side of the electrode, the electrode includes a first electrode portion extending in a predetermined direction and a second electrode portion arranged at a different location from the first electrode portion and extending in parallel to the first electrode portion, the transparent conductive layer includes a first transparent conductive portion arranged along a side of the first electrode portion at a side of the second electrode portion and a second transparent conductive portion arranged along a side of the second electrode portion at a side of the first electrode portion, and the first transparent conductive portion and the second transparent conductive portion are separate from each other with a region of the substrate exposed between the first portion and the second portion.",
    "2. The solar panel of claim 1, wherein a part of the electrode is exposed through the transparent conductive layer.",
    "3. The solar panel of claim 1, wherein the electrode has a height from an obverse surface of the substrate, which is lower than the transparent conductive layer.",
    "4. The solar panel of claim 1, wherein the electrode has a layered structure.",
    "5. The solar panel of claim 4, wherein the layered structure includes: a first conductive layer containing a first conductive material; and a second conductive layer containing a second conductive material different from the first conductive material.",
    "6. A solar cell module, comprising a plurality of solar panels, each of the solar panels being a solar panel according to claim 1.",
    "7. The solar panel of claim 1, wherein the electrode further includes a bottom, and the transparent conductive layer is out of contact with the bottom of the electrode.",
    "8. The solar panel of claim 1, wherein the electrode includes a plurality of electrode portions parallel to one another, the plurality of electrode portions include the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion, and the second electrode portion is closest to the first electrode portion among the plurality of electrode portions.",
    "9. The solar panel of claim 1, wherein the electrode includes a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer on the first conductive layer.",
    "10. The solar panel of claim 9, wherein the second conductive layer has a width equal to that of the first conductive layer.",
    "11. The solar panel of claim 9, wherein the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer each have a rectangular shape in cross section."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to panels, panel manufacturing methods, solar cell modules, printing apparatuses, and printing methods.\n\nSolar panels can convert solar energy, which is clean and supplied inexhaustibly, to electric energy directly and is therefore expected as a new energy source. At the present time, a mainstream solar panel employs a silicon substrate, on the obverse surface of which a collector electrode is provided. It has been known that a transparent conductive layer is provided on the collector electrode to cover the collector electrode, thereby enhancing light extraction efficiency.\n\nHowever, simple formation of the transparent conductive layer to cover the electrode may lead to an increase in cost.\n\nThe present invention has been made in view of the foregoing and has its object of providing a panel, a panel manufacturing method, a solar cell module, a printing apparatus, and a printing method, which can save on the cost.\n\nA panel according to the present invention includes: a substrate; an electrode provide on the substrate; and a transparent conductive layer provided on the substrate along a side of the electrode. The electrode includes a contact region in contact with the transparent conductive layer and a non-contact region out of contact with the transparent conductive layer.\n\nAccording to the panel of the present invention, the electrode includes not only the contact region in contact with the transparent conductive layer but also the non-contact region out of contact with the transparent conductive layer.",
  "cpc": [
    "H10F 77/211",
    "B05C 1/0813",
    "B05C 1/0817",
    "B41F 13/008",
    "B41F 17/24",
    "B41F 9/063",
    "B41J 2202/04",
    "H01L 31/022425",
    "H01L 31/022466",
    "H01L 31/1884",
    "H05K 1/0289",
    "H05K 1/092",
    "H05K 2201/0108",
    "H05K 2201/0338",
    "H05K 2203/1476",
    "H05K 2203/1545",
    "H05K 3/1241",
    "H05K 3/4007",
    "H10F 19/00",
    "H10F 71/138",
    "H10F 77/215",
    "H10F 77/244",
    "Y02E 10/50"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "H01L 31/0224",
    "H01L 31/18",
    "B41F 13/008",
    "B41F 17/24",
    "B41F 9/06",
    "H05K 3/12"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Koji Sakamoto"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2013-06-06",
  "publication_date": "2018-02-27",
  "grant_date": "2018-02-27",
  "priority_date": "2010-12-06",
  "application_number": "US-201313911974-A",
  "family_id": "46207118",
  "cited_by_count": 1,
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}