Lead Assembly For Connecting Solar Panel Arrays To Inverter
Patent No. US10992254 (titled "Lead Assembly For Connecting Solar Panel Arrays To Inverter") was filed by Wilmington Trust Na on Sep 9, 2015.
What is this patent about?
’254 is related to the field of electrical components, specifically assemblies for connecting solar panel arrays to an inverter. Traditionally, solar panel arrays are connected to an inverter through a combiner box, which aggregates the power from multiple arrays. These combiner boxes are bulky, prone to failure, and require skilled installation and maintenance, adding to the overall cost and complexity of solar power installations.
The underlying idea behind ’254 is to eliminate the need for a combiner box by using a specialized lead assembly that directly connects multiple solar arrays to an inverter. This is achieved by joining multiple 'drop lines' (each connected to a solar array) to a single 'feeder cable' that then connects to the inverter. The key is a robust and reliable joint where the drop lines and feeder cable meet.
The claims of ’254 focus on a lead assembly comprising multiple drop lines and a feeder cable electrically coupled at a nexus. The nexus is secured using a compression lug (or similar means) and is encased in an undermold and overmold. The undermold features apertures for the feeder cable and drop lines, and the overmold surrounds the undermold, creating an interface only at the outer surface of the undermold. The lead assembly is rated for 1500 VDC and is designed to eliminate the need for a combiner box.
In practice, the lead assembly simplifies solar installations by providing a direct connection path from solar arrays to the inverter. Each drop line connects to a wire harness from a solar array, and the feeder cable carries the combined power to the inverter. The undermold and overmold provide environmental protection and mechanical strength to the joint, ensuring long-term reliability. The assembly can be customized with varying drop line spacing and single or dual drop line configurations to suit different solar panel layouts.
This approach differs from traditional solar power systems by removing the combiner box, which reduces the number of components, simplifies installation, and improves reliability. The use of a compression lug and overmolding ensures a durable and weather-resistant connection, while the modular design allows for flexible configurations. The invention effectively distributes the combining function across multiple lead assemblies, eliminating the need for a centralized combiner box.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the mid-2010s when ’254 was filed, solar power installations at a time when X was typically implemented using Y. Specifically, connecting solar panel arrays to an inverter often required a combiner box. At the time, hardware or software constraints made the elimination of combiner boxes non-trivial.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The examiner approved the application because the prior art neither taught nor suggested the claimed lead assembly, solar power system, and method of constructing a solar power installation.
Claims
There are 15 claims in total. Claims 1, 7, and 14 are independent. The independent claims focus on a lead assembly for solar energy installations, a solar power system incorporating the lead assembly, and a method of constructing a solar power installation using the lead assembly. The dependent claims generally add specific details or limitations to the independent claims, further defining the components, connections, and processes involved.
Key Claim Terms New
Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.
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Date
Description
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US10992254
- Application Number
- US14849458
- Filing Date
- Sep 9, 2015
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Sep 9, 2035
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents