--Substitute Specification, clean version--
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`FABRIC STRUCTURE COMPRISING FLEXIBLE SOLAR CELLS
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`TECHNICAL FIELD
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`[0001]
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`The invention relates to a fabric structure comprising flexible solar cells, to a
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`process for the production thereof, and to devices containing the fabric structure.
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`BACKGROUND
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`[0002]
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`[0003]
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`It has already been proposed to combinesolar cells with fabric materials.
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`DE 10 2010 026 221 A1 describes a known folding roof arrangement of a motor
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`vehicle having a top which has several top segments which are foldable on one another in
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`an open position of the top and flexibly designed, and into which top segmentsat least
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`one, flexibly-designed solar module is integrated. The solar module is disposed between
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`an outer UV-transparentlayer(e.g., casting resin, PUR, EVA, PVB, ...) and an inner,
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`flexibly-designed layer(film, knitted fabric, woven fabric, etc.).
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`[0004]
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`EP 1 082 502 B1 discloses an awning with a frame and a movable awning
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`covering which can be pulled out and removed. The awning covering hasflexible solar
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`modules on the upper side. The solar modules are applied as strips to the awning covering
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`(fabric, etc.) and sealed via a coat of protective paint (coating). The frame contains a
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`roller body onto which the awning covering can be rolled up. At least one storage cellis
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`connected to the solar modules and mountedin the roller. It stores the electrical energy
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`generated by the solar modules. The awning can be operated with the energy stored in the
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`storage cell.
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`[0005]
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`EP 3 097 591 A1 relates to a highly efficient, flexible photovoltaic sheet obtained
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`by combining a very flexible, ultra-thin photovoltaic film with a very thin, prismatic,
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`anti-reflection film that absorbs the energy of the solar radiation and corrects the angle of
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`the solar rays.
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`Attorney Docket No. 4557.3530001
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`-2-
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`SUMMARYOF INVENTION
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`[0006]
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`Against this background, the object of the invention according to the present
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`disclosure is to provide a fabric structure, containing a solar cell, which combines high
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`deformability and robustness against environmental influences with high energy
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`efficiency, to a process for the production thereof, and to devices containing the fabric
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`structure.
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`[0007]
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`The object of the invention is achieved by a fabric structure having one or more of
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`the features of the embodiments described herein, a process having one or more ofthe
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`features of the embodiments described herein, and devices having one or more features of
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`the embodiments described herein. Additional developments of the invention emerge
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`from the the description and the figure.
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`[0008]
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`The subject matter according to one embodimentof the inventionis a fabric
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`structure having a woven polyester fabric on which a layer of butyl rubberis disposed. A
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`layer of polyacrylonitrile is attached to the butyl rubber layer, and at least one, flexible,
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`thin-film solar cell element is located on the polyacrylonitrile layer, the electrical
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`connecting lines of the at least one solar cell element extending between the
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`polyacrylonitrile layer and the butyl rubber layer. The combination of polyester fabric,
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`butyl rubber, and polyacrylonitrile provides a dense composite. Thus, the solarcell is not
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`susceptible to corrosion or short-circuiting. Butyl rubber and polyacrylonitrile yield a
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`composite which is dense andin particularflexible.
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`[0009]
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`In one embodiment, the layer thickness of the entire composite is from 1 mm to 5
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`mm. In one embodiment, the flexible, thin-film solar cell element has a layer thickness of
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`0.1 mm to 0.5 mm. In one embodiment, the thickness of the other layers is from 0.1 mm
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`to 0.5 mm.
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`[0010]
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`In one embodiment, the ends of the electrical connecting lines are coupled to an
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`integrated connection plug. The plug can be integrated via the carrier layers (PAN, butyl
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`rubber, and PES fabric) or via the entire composite, including solarcells.
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`[0011]
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`In one embodiment, the at least one, flexible, thin-film solar cell elementis
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`attached to the layer of polyacrylonitrile by means of an adhesivelayeror a printing
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`paste.
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`Attorney Docket No. 4557.3530001
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`-3-
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`[0012]
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`In a further embodiment, a transparent protective layer is attached to the at least
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`one, flexible, thin-film solar cell element. In one embodiment, the transparent protective
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`layer comprises a transparent protective film. In one embodiment, the transparent
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`protective film is a polyolefin film or a film of another transparent plastic material. In
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`another embodiment, the transparent protective layer consists of a transparent and
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`flexible casting resin.
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`[0013]
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`In one embodiment, the at least one, flexible, thin-film solar cell elementis a
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`highly efficient, flexible photovoltaic film having at least one photovoltaic layer. In one
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`embodiment, the photovoltaic layer consists of plate-form or layer photovoltaic cells. In
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`one embodiment, the photovoltaic cells are thin-film cells made of amorphoussilicon. In
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`another embodiment, the photovoltaic cells are cells of the copper, indium, gallium,
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`selenium mixture type (CIGS), the cadmium telluride type (CdTe), or the cadmium
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`selenide type (CdS), the printable or non-printable organic type (OPV), or the “dye-
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`sensitized solar cell” type (DSSC, DSC). In one embodiment, the photovoltaic layeris
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`encapsulated between two, flexible polymerfilms. In one embodiment, the polymerfilms
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`are copolymers of ethylene acrylic acid (EAA) or ethylene methyl acrylate (EMA).
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`[0014]
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`The invention according to some embodimentsalso relates to a process for
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`producing the fabric structure according to the invention. In the process, a layer of butyl
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`rubberis first applied to a polyester fabric. Electrical connecting lines for connecting at
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`least one, thin-film solar cell element are laid on the layer of butyl rubber. A layer of
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`polyacrylonitrile is applied over the electrical connecting lines in such a way that the ends
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`of the electrical connecting lines extend through the layer of polyacrylonitrile. At least
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`one, thin-film solar cell element is then attached to the layer of polyacrylonitrile and
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`connectedto the electrical connecting lines. In another embodimentofthe process, the
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`other end ofthe electrical connecting lines is connected to a connection plug. In one
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`embodimentof the process, the flexible, thin-film solar cell element is attached to the
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`layer of polyacrylonitrile by means of an adhesive layeror a printing paste. In a further
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`embodimentof the process, a transparent protective layer is attached to the flexible, thin-
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`film solar cell element. In one embodiment, the transparent protective layeris a
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`transparent protective film. In another embodiment, the transparent protective layer is
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`produced by applying a transparent andflexible casting resin. Additionally or
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`Attorney Docket No. 4557.3530001
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`-4-
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`alternatively, the at least one, thin-film solar cell element can be sewnto the composite of
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`polyacral nitrile, butyl rubber, and polyester fabric with threads made of polyester in the
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`outer edge of the composite. As a result, the fabric structure is somewhat even more
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`stable and even less prone to delamination.
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`[0015]
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`The invention according to some embodimentsalso relates to devices which
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`comprise or are manufactured from the fabric structure according to one or more
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`embodiments of the invention. This includes a convertible top comprising the fabric
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`structure according to the invention, a carport covering comprising the fabric structure
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`according to the invention, a sun shade comprising the fabric structure according to the
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`invention, or a boat sail comprising the fabric structure according to the invention.
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`[0016]
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`The advantagesof the solution according to embodiments of the invention include
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`that the fabric structure can withstand very high degrees of deformation without direct
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`damage, exhibits waterproofness or resistance to environmental influences, and has a
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`high energy efficiency (currently, a power of about 120 W/m?is possible).
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`[0017]
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`Further advantages and embodiments of the invention emerge from the
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`description and the accompanying drawing.
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`[0018]
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`It is understood that the aforementioned features and thosestill to be explained
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`below can be used not only in the respectively specified combination, but also in other
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`combinations or alone, without departing from the scope of the present invention.
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE
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`[0019]
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`The invention is schematically illustrated in the drawing on the basis of one
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`embodiment and described further with reference to the drawing. In the figure:
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`[0020]
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`Fig. 1 shows an embodimentof the fabric structure according to the invention.
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
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`[0021]
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`Fig. 1 shows an embodimentof the fabric structure 10 according to the invention.
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`A layer 12 of butyl rubberis disposed on a polyester fabric 11, to which layer a layer 13
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`madeof polyacrylonitrile is attached. At least one, flexible, thin-film solar cell element
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`14, the electrical connecting lines 15 of which extend between the polyacrylonitrile layer
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`Attorney Docket No. 4557.3530001
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`-5-
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`13 and the butyl rubber layer 12, is located on the layer 13 of polyacrylonitrile. The
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`electrical connecting lines 15 are connected at one end to the thin-film solar cell element
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`14, and at the other end to a connection plug 18. Theflexible, thin-film solar cell element
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`14 is attached to the layer 13 of polyacrylonitrile by means of an adhesive layer 16 or a
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`printing paste 16. In the embodiment shown,a transparent protective layer 17, e.g., a
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`transparent protective film, is attached to the flexible, thin-film solar cell element 14. In
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`another embodiment, the transparent protective layer 17 consists of a transparent and
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`flexible casting resin.
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`Attorney Docket No. 4557.3530001
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`-6-
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`List of reference numerals
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`10
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`11
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`12
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`13
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`14
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`15
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`16
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`17
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`18
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`Fabric structure
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`Polyester fabric
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`Butyl rubber layer
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`Polyacrylonitrile layer
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`Thin-film solar cell element
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`Connecting lines
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`Adhesivelayer/ layer of printing paste
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`Transparent protective layer
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`Connection plug
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`20396830. 1
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`Attorney Docket No. 4557.3530001
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