IP Verse

Lead Assembly For Connecting Solar Panel Arrays To Inverter

Patent No. US12015375 (titled "Lead Assembly For Connecting Solar Panel Arrays To Inverter") was filed by Shoals Technologies Group Llc on Jun 26, 2023.

What is this patent about?

’375 is related to the field of connecting solar panel arrays to inverters, specifically addressing the problem of bulky and unreliable combiner boxes. Traditional solar power systems require combiner boxes to consolidate the DC power from multiple solar panels before feeding it to an inverter. These combiner boxes are prone to damage, require maintenance, and add complexity to the installation process. The patent aims to eliminate the need for these combiner boxes, simplifying solar power installations and improving reliability.

The underlying idea behind ’375 is to create a lead assembly that directly connects multiple solar panel arrays to an inverter, bypassing the need for a combiner box. This is achieved by joining multiple 'drop lines' (each connected to a solar array) to a single 'feeder cable' that runs directly to the inverter. The key insight is to create a robust and environmentally sealed joint where these connections occur, ensuring long-term reliability and eliminating the need for a separate combiner unit.

The claims of ’375 focus on a lead assembly comprising a joint where a feeder cable and one or more drop lines are electrically coupled at a nexus. The joint includes a monolithic mold that encapsulates the nexus, providing environmental protection. The mold has pathways for the feeder cable and drop lines to extend through it. The drop lines are configured to receive power from solar panels, and the exposed wires of the drop lines and feeder cable are arranged in parallel at the nexus within the mold.

In practice, the lead assembly replaces the combiner box by directly connecting wire harnesses from solar arrays to a feeder cable. The connection point, or nexus, is crucial. The wires are joined using a compression lug , and then encapsulated in a multi-layer mold (undermold and overmold) to protect against environmental factors like moisture and temperature changes. This creates a durable, weather-resistant connection that can be buried underground if needed.

The invention differentiates itself from prior approaches by eliminating the combiner box altogether. Earlier solutions used wire harnesses to reduce the number of connections going into the combiner box, but the box itself was still required. ’375 removes this component, simplifying the system and improving reliability. The use of a molded joint, particularly with both an undermold and overmold, provides superior environmental protection compared to traditional connection methods, ensuring a longer lifespan for the solar power installation.

How does this patent fit in bigger picture?

Technical landscape at the time

In the mid-2010s when ’375 was filed, at a time when solar panel installations were rapidly expanding, systems commonly relied on combiner boxes to aggregate power from multiple solar arrays before connecting to an inverter. Hardware constraints made efficient and reliable connections between solar panels and inverters non-trivial, especially in large-scale solar farms.

Novelty and Inventive Step

The examiner approved the application because, after an examiner's amendment, the cited prior art (JP2015-198508A, JP2014-050227A, US Patent 3,852,516, US Patent 4,464,583, and US Patent 3,700,786) either individually or in combination, did not anticipate or render obvious the limitations of claims 1, 17, and 22. Therefore, the claims were considered clear of the prior art and allowable.

Claims

This patent contains 24 claims, with independent claims 1, 15, and 20. The independent claims are directed to lead assemblies for electrically coupling drop lines to a feeder cable, particularly in the context of solar panel power collection. The dependent claims generally elaborate on the specific features, configurations, and components of the lead assembly described in the independent claims.

Key Claim Terms New

Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.

Term (Source)Support for SpecificationInterpretation
Drop line
(Claim 1, Claim 15, Claim 20)		“Disclosed embodiments are directed to a lead assembly including at least one drop line joined to a feeder cable at a nexus. In use, the drop line is connected to solar arrays, and the feeder cable is connected to an inverter, or to a buss trunk jumper, which connects to the inverter. The terminal end of each drop line includes a drop line connector for fast and easy connection to the wire harness that interconnects the solar panels of a solar array. A lead assembly preferably includes one or two drop lines, depending on the particular configuration in a solar field.”A cable that is electrically coupled to a feeder cable at a nexus and extends through a drop line pathway in a mold structure. It is configured to receive electrical power from a plurality of solar panels.
Drop line pathway
(Claim 1, Claim 15, Claim 20)		“The terminal end of each drop line includes a drop line connector for fast and easy connection to the wire harness that interconnects the solar panels of a solar array. A lead assembly preferably includes one or two drop lines, depending on the particular configuration in a solar field. Referring to ”A channel within the mold structure through which a drop line extends.
Feeder cable
(Claim 1, Claim 15, Claim 20)		“Disclosed embodiments are directed to a lead assembly including at least one drop line joined to a feeder cable at a nexus. In use, the drop line is connected to solar arrays, and the feeder cable is connected to an inverter, or to a buss trunk jumper, which connects to the inverter. A lead assembly preferably includes a capping end piece at one end of the feeder cable, and a feeder cable connector at the other end. The feeder cable connector would plug into an inverter, buss trunk jumper, or possibly another feeder cable.”A cable that is electrically coupled to one or more drop lines at a nexus and extends through a feeder pathway in a mold structure. It is configured to connect to an inverter or buss trunk jumper.
Feeder pathway
(Claim 1, Claim 15, Claim 20)		“A lead assembly preferably includes a capping end piece at one end of the feeder cable, and a feeder cable connector at the other end. The feeder cable connector would plug into an inverter, buss trunk jumper, or possibly another feeder cable. Referring to ”A channel within the mold structure through which the feeder cable extends.
Nexus
(Claim 1, Claim 15, Claim 20)		“Disclosed embodiments are directed to a lead assembly including at least one drop line joined to a feeder cable at a nexus. The assembly is preferably undermolded and overmolded at the nexus. In use, the drop line is connected to solar arrays, and the feeder cable is connected to an inverter, or to a buss trunk jumper, which connects to the inverter. The terminal end of each drop line includes a drop line connector for fast and easy connection to the wire harness that interconnects the solar panels of a solar array.”The location where the feeder cable and one or more drop lines are electrically coupled together. It is encapsulated by a mold structure.

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US12015375

SHOALS TECHNOLOGIES GROUP LLC
Application Number
US18341655
Filing Date
Jun 26, 2023
Status
Granted
Expiry Date
Sep 9, 2035
External Links
Slate, USPTO, Google Patents