METHOD FOR CONNECTING A FLEXIBLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE TO AN ELECTRICAL WIRE

Abstract

A method is for connecting a flexible organic electronic device to an electrical wire, the method includes: providing a flexible electronic device, providing an electrical wire, providing a contact including at least one conductor comprising a contact face, the contact face defining a contact surface, incision of the encapsulating barrier film defining an incision surface, the incision surface having a maximum dimension and a minimum dimension, the maximum dimension of the incision surface being smaller than the maximum dimension of the contact surface, and assembling the conductor and the conductive strip through the incision to ensure an electronic conduction between the conductor and the electrode.

Claims

1. A method for connecting a flexible organic electronic device to an electrical wire, the method comprising: providing a flexible electronic device, the device comprising: a flexible module comprising an electrode, a conductive strip deposited on the electrode, and an encapsulating barrier film encapsulating the module, providing an electrical wire, providing a contact including at least one conductor comprising a contact face, the contact face defining a contact surface, the contact surface having a maximum dimension and a minimum dimension, incision of the encapsulating barrier film defining an incision surface (S.sub.incision), the incision surface having a maximum dimension and a minimum dimension, the maximum dimension of the incision surface being smaller than the maximum dimension of the contact surface, and assembling the conductor and the conductive strip through the incision to ensure an electronic conduction between the conductor and the electrode.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises coating at least part of the contact face with a metal element solidifying under heat to perform welding, and the assembling is implemented by using the contact face .

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ratio between the maximum dimension of the incision surface and the minimum dimension of the contact surface is comprised between 0.9 and 1.2.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the ratio between the maximum dimension of the incision surface and the minimum dimension of the contact surface is less than 1.0.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ratio between the minimum dimension of the incision surface and the minimum dimension of the contact surface is less than 1.0.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ratio between the minimum dimension of the incision surface and the maximum dimension (dmax.sub.contact) of the contact surface is less than 0.25.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the conductor includes an insertion blade supporting the contact face, the insertion blade having a thickness, the ratio between the minimum dimension of the incision surface and the thickness of the insertion blade is comprised between 0.9 and 1.2.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the ratio between the minimum dimension of the incision surface and the thickness of the insertion blade is less than 1.0.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the conductor includes an insertion blade supporting the contact face and a support blade, the angle between the support blade and the insertion blade being greater than or equal to 80.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein each conductor is made from a conductive material.

11. A flexible organic electronic device, comprising: a flexible module comprising an electrode, a conductive strip deposited on the electrode, an encapsulating barrier film encapsulating the module, the encapsulating barrier film including an incision defining an incision surface, the incision surface having a maximum dimension and a minimum dimension, an electrical wire, a contact including at least one conductor comprising a contact face, the contact face defining a contact surface, the contact surface having a maximum dimension and a minimum dimension, the maximum dimension of the incision surface being smaller than the maximum dimension of the contact surface, the conductor being assembled to the conductive strip through the incision to ensure an electronic conduction between the conductor and the electrode.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the device is a photovoltaic device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] Other features and advantages of the invention will appear upon reading the following description of embodiments of the invention, provided as an example only and in reference to the drawings, which are:

[0048] FIG. 1, a sectional view of an organic photovoltaic module,

[0049] FIG. 2, a diagram of an example organic photovoltaic device,

[0050] FIG. 3, a diagram of part of the organic photovoltaic device of FIG. 2, the part making it possible in particular to define an incision surface and a contact surface,

[0051] FIG. 4, a diagram illustrating the incision surface relative to the contact surface according to a first example,

[0052] FIG. 5, a diagram illustrating the incision surface relative to the contact surface according to a second example, and

[0053] FIG. 6, a diagram illustrating the incision surface relative to the contact surface according to a third example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0054] A photovoltaic device of the organic type is shown in FIG. 2, part of the photovoltaic device being detailed in FIG. 3.

[0055] A photovoltaic device is a device able to convert solar energy into electrical energy.

[0056] A photovoltaic device is qualified as organic when the active material of the photovoltaic device is organic. A material is considered to be organic when the semiconductor comprises at least one bond that is part of the group made up of covalent bonds between a carbon atom and a hydrogen atom, the covalent bonds between a carbon atom and a nitrogen atom, or bonds between a carbon atom and an oxygen atom.

[0057] The photovoltaic device is a flexible electronic device.

[0058] The photovoltaic device 10 shown in FIG. 2 assumes the form of a sheet 11 including several aligned strips 12, 14, 16. It does not appear necessary to provide a more precise description of FIG. 2, the invention being more specifically illustrated by FIG. 3, outlined below.

[0059] The photovoltaic device includes a flexible module, a conductive strip 1, an encapsulating barrier film, an electrical wire 2 and a contact member 3.

[0060] The flexible module includes an electrode.

[0061] The conductive strip 1 is deposited on the electrode.

[0062] The encapsulating barrier film encapsulates the module.

[0063] The barrier film is most often glued with self-adhesive glues (PSA type) or by UV rays.

[0064] Alternatively, the encapsulating film has no glue.

[0065] The encapsulating barrier film includes an incision.

[0066] The incision defines an incision surface S.sub.incision.

[0067] The incision surface S.sub.incision has a maximum dimension dmax.sub.incision and a minimum dimension dmin.sub.incision.

[0068] The electrical wire 2 is intended to conduct electricity.

[0069] The contact member 3 includes at least one conductive element 30.

[0070] According to the example of FIG. 2, the contact element 321 has a parallelepiped shape.

[0071] The conductive element 30 is assembled to the conductive strip 1 through the incision to ensure electronic conduction between the conductive element 30 and the electrode.

[0072] Preferably, each conductive element 30 is made from a conductive material.

[0073] The conductive element 30 comprises a contact face 321.

[0074] The contact face 321 defines a contact surface S.sub.contact.

[0075] In the case at hand, the shape of the contact surface S.sub.contact is rectangular.

[0076] The contact surface S.sub.contact has a maximum dimension dmax.sub.contact and a minimum dimension dmin.sub.contact.

[0077] In the illustrated case, the maximum dimension dmax.sub.contact corresponds to the length of the contact surface S.sub.contact and the minimum dimension dmin.sub.contact corresponds to the width of the contact surface S.sub.contact.

[0078] The maximum dimension dmax.sub.incision of the incision surface S.sub.incision is strictly smaller than the maximum dimension dmax.sub.contact of the contact surface S.sub.contact.

[0079] Such a photovoltaic device is obtained by implementing a method for connecting a flexible electronic device to an electrical wire, this method being described below.

[0080] The method comprises a first step for providing a flexible electronic device.

[0081] The device includes the flexible module, the conductive strip and the encapsulating barrier film.

[0082] The method next includes a second step for providing the electrical wire 2.

[0083] The method then includes a third step for providing the contact member 3.

[0084] The method next includes an incision step of the encapsulating barrier film, the incision defining an incision surface S.sub.incision

[0085] The incision step is carried out such that the maximum dimension dmax.sub.on of the incision surface S.sub.incision is strictly smaller than the maximum dimension dmax.sub.contact of the contact surface S.sub.contact.

[0086] FIGS. 4 to 6 show different embodiments to carry out the incision step. The different possible embodiments are shown diagrammatically in top view below. The rectangle in solid lines shows the contact surface, while the dotted line shows the incision surface.

[0087] According to a first embodiment, the ratio between the minimum dimension dmin.sub.incision of the incision surface S.sub.incision and the minimum dimension dmin.sub.contact of the contact surface S.sub.contact is strictly less than 1.0.

[0088] More specifically, the incision surface S.sub.incision is strictly included in the contact surface S.sub.contact.

[0089] In this embodiment, two sides of the incision are lifted to insert the contact member 30.

[0090] According to a second embodiment, the ratio between the minimum dimension dmin.sub.incision of the incision surface S.sub.incision and the maximum dimension dmax.sub.contact of the contact surface S.sub.contact is strictly less than 0.25.

[0091] Furthermore, according to the second embodiment, the ratio between the maximum dimension dmax.sub.incision of the incision surface S.sub.incision and the minimum dimension dmin.sub.contact of the contact surface S.sub.contact is comprised between 0.9 and 1.2.

[0092] In this embodiment, the contact member 30 is inserted in the incision.

[0093] According to a third embodiment, the ratio between the minimum dimension dmin.sub.incision of the incision surface S.sub.incision and the maximum dimension dmax.sub.contact of the contact surface S.sub.contact is strictly less than 0.25.

[0094] Furthermore, the ratio between the minimum dimension dmin of the incision surface S.sub.incision and the minimum dimension dmin.sub.contact of the contact surface S.sub.contact is strictly less than 1.0.

[0095] Moreover, the ratio between the maximum dimension dmax of the incision surface S.sub.incision and the minimum dimension dmin.sub.contact of the contact surface S.sub.contact is strictly less than 1.0.

[0096] In this embodiment, the contact member 30 is inserted in the incision.

[0097] The method also includes a step for assembling the conductive element 30 and the conductive strip 1 through the incision to ensure electronic conduction between the conductive element 30 and the electrode.

[0098] According to one embodiment, the method includes a step for coating at least part of the contact face 321 of a metal element solidifying under heat to perform welding.

[0099] In such an embodiment, the assembly step is carried out by heating the contact face 321.

[0100] The obtained device has a better performance due to the quality of the obtained assembly.

[0101] Indeed, the proposed method minimizes the exposure of the active layers to the intrusion of air and moisture.

[0102] Furthermore, the method simplifies the steps of regaining contact with a wired connection and allowing the automation of these steps.

[0103] Additionally, the method ensures high contact reliability.

[0104] Moreover, the method contributes to the stability of the light energy conversion performance.

[0105] The method also improves the lifetime of the modules.

[0106] The method also makes it possible to have light and compact connector technology preserving the characteristics of lightness and mechanical flexibility of the modules.

[0107] To improve these effects, it is also proposed that the conductive element 30 includes an insertion blade 320 supporting the contact face 321, the insertion blade having a thickness e.sub.insertion, the ratio between the minimum dimension dmin.sub.incision of the incision surface S.sub.incision and the thickness e.sub.insertion of the insertion blade 320 is comprised between 0.9 and 1.2.

[0108] Preferably, the ratio between the minimum dimension dmin.sub.incision of the incision surface S.sub.incision and the thickness e.sub.insertion of the insertion blade 320 is strictly less than 1.0.

[0109] Moreover, the method is simplified when the conductive element 30 includes an insertion blade 320 supporting the contact face 321 and a support blade 310, the angle between the support blade 310 and the insertion blade 320 being greater than or equal to 80.

[0110] Such a method applies by extension to any type of flexible electronic device. In particular, this method is relevant for the entire scope of application of organic electronics (for example, OLEDs or photodetectors).