DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 07/08/2026 has been entered.
The status of the 07/08/2026 claims, is as follows: Claims 1, and 13 have been amended; Claims 22, 35, 47-58, and 64 have been withdrawn; Claims 3-5, 7-12, 14-16, 18-21, 23-34, 36-46, and 59-63 have been canceled; and Claims 1-2, 6, 13, 17, 22, 35, 47-58, and 64 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-2, and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Do Rosario (US 20210379968, hereinafter Rosario) in view of Parker (US 20210215990)
Regarding Claim 1, Rosario discloses a laminated glazing (composite pane as a windshield of a motor vehicle; fig. 1a) having an electrically connectable layer (functional element 5) (fig. 1b), comprising:
first and second glass substrates (first pane 1 and second pane 2 respectively; fig. 1b);
the electrically connectable layer (functional element 5) (para. 0118; fig. 1b) (it is noted the functional element 5 is configured to be connected to onboard electrical system via busbars 18, 19 and cables such that its optical properties can be adjusted);
interlayers (intermediate layer 3, fig. 1b), wherein the interlayers (intermediate layer 3) include a first interlayer (thermoplastic laminating film 6) provided between the first glass substrate (first pane 1) and the electrically connectable layer (functional element 5) (para. 0113; fig. 1b), a second interlayer (thermoplastic laminating film 7) provided between the second glass substrate (second pane 2) and the electrically connectable layer (functional element 5) (fig. 1b), and a third interlayer (thermoplastic frame film 8, fig. 1b) provided around an edge of the electrically connectable layer (functional element 5) (para. 0113); and
at least one connection wire (connection cables) is electrically connected to the electrically connectable layer (functional element 5) (“The surface electrodes 12, 13 can be connected to the onboard electrical system via busbars 18, 19 and connection cables (not shown)”, para. 0118; fig. 2b).
Rosario does not disclose the at least one connection wire having first and second connection ends and a main portion positioned between the first and second connection ends, wherein the first connection end of the connection wire is electrically connected to the electrically connectable layer, and wherein the main portion of the connection wire is positioned between the first interlayer and the third interlayer.
However, Parker discloses the at least one connection wire (wires 822, 823) having first and second connection ends (annotated figs. 8 and 2B) and a main portion (annotated fig. 8) positioned between the first and second connection ends, wherein the first connection end of the connection wire is electrically connected to the electrically connectable layer (electrochromic pane 805) (para. 0078 and 0046).
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the at least one connection wire of Rosario (i.e. cable) to have the first, the main portion, and the second ends such that the at least one connection wire is configured to be routed from the busbars 18, 19 of Rosario and terminate at the first connector 825 of Parker, which is removably connected an external wire assembly (i.e. wire assembly 830 of Parker), in order to apply known technique (i.e. routing the wire from the busbars to the intermediate connection point 825 to be connected to external power source) to a known device (i.e. laminated glazing) for the purpose of energizing the busbars. By terminating the cables at the first connector 825 of Parker located within the laminated glazing of Rosario advantageously, which is removably connected to the external wire assembly external to the laminated glazing, allows the wire assembly 830 of Parker to be detachably connected to the laminated glazing of Rosario, thereby aid in the fabrication and handling of the laminated glazing. If the wire assembly 830 becomes damaged, it can be easily detached from the laminated glazing and replaced without having to replace the entire assembly (para. 0085 of Parker).
The modification would result in the structure as shown in which the main portion of the connection wire (main portion of wires 822, 823 of Parker) is positioned within the interlayers (intermediate layer 3 of Rosario) (figs. 1b and 2a of Rosario) (it is noted the functional element 5; figs. 2a-2b of Rosario is positioned within the intermediate layer 3 of Rosario as shown in fig. 1b. Therefore, the cables/wires 822, 823 connected to the bus bars 18, 19 of intermediate layer 3 of Parker would also be positioned within the intermediate layer 3 of Rosario).
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Regarding the limitation “the main portion of the connection wire is positioned between the first interlayer and the third interlayer”, the modification discloses the main portion of the connection wire of Parker is positioned between the first interlayer (thermoplastic laminating film 6 of Rosario) and the third interlayer (thermoplastic frame film 8 of Rosario) because according to para. 0113 of Rosario, the layer 6 is bonded to the pane 1 and the layer 7 is bonded to pane 2. The frame film 8 is positioned therebetween, it is Examiner’s position that the frame film 8 is laid on top of the layer 7, thereafter the functional element 5 is inserted into the frame film 8, and finally the layer 6 and pane 1 is laid on top of the frame film 8.
The functional element 5 having the wire connections to the bus bars 18, 19 been made, is inserted into the cut-out of the frame film 8 that would result in the main portion of the wire connection to be positioned between the layer 6 and the frame film 8, as illustrated below.
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Regarding Claim 2, Rosario discloses the laminated glazing (composite pane), wherein the electrically connectable layer (functional element 5) comprises a switchable film (“sun visor is formed by a commercially available PDLC multilayer film as a functional element 5”, para. 0113 and it is noted the element 5 is switched by a capacitive switch, para. 0115).
Regarding Claim 6, Rosario discloses the laminated glazing (composite pane), wherein the switchable film (functional element 5) comprises a switchable layer core (active layer 11; fig. 2b) positioned between first and second electrode layers (electrodes 12, 13; fig. 2b) (para. 0118), wherein the first electrode layer (electrode 12) is coated on a first film substrate (film 14) (fig. 2b) and the second electrode (electrode 13) is coated on a second film substrate (film 15) (fig. 2b), and wherein the first electrode layer (electrode 12) comprises at least two segments (segments 17; fig. 2b) wherein the segments (segments 17) are electrically isolated from one another (“The separating lines 16 electrically isolate the segments 17 from one another.”, para. 0118) and are each electrically connected to separate connection wires (cables associated with busbars 18’s) via a busbar on each segment (two busbars 18 per segment 17) (“first surface electrode 12 has in each case two first busbars 18 per segment 17, i.e., a total of eight first busbars 18”, para. 0118), and wherein the second electrode layer (electrode 13) is electrically connected to another connection wire (cables associated with busbar 19) which is different from the connection wires electrically connected to the segments (it is noted the busbar 18’s are connected to the external power source via a set of cables and the busbar 19 is connected to the external power source via another set of cable), wherein the busbar (each busbar 18’s, 19) overlaps with the first connection end of at least one of the connection wires (first end of cables) (it is noted each busbar 18’s, 19 is electrically connected to the first connection end of the cables to be connected to the external power source).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the modification of Do Rosario (US 20210379968, hereinafter Rosario) and Parker (US 20210215990) as applied to claim 1, further in view of Nobori (US 5573690)
Regarding Claim 13, the modification discloses substantially all of the claimed features as set forth above, except wherein the first connection end of the connection wire has a looped shape or a zigzag shape.
However, Nobori discloses the first connection end of the connection wire (conductive wire 6 of resistance heating element 2) has a coiled shape (col. 14, 13 lines 10-34, 47-52 respectively; figs. 2, 3a-3b).
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the first connection end of the connection wire of Parker to have the coiled shape as taught by Nobori such that the first connection end of the connection wire would be coiled around the bus bars to yield strong electrical connection (col. 14, 13, lines 29-34, 47-52 respectively of Nobori).
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the modification of Do Rosario (US 20210379968, hereinafter Rosario) and Parker (US 20210215990) as applied to claim 1, further in view of Klein (US 20180176995)
Regarding Claim 17, the modification discloses substantially all of the claimed features as set forth above, except the first connection end is adhered to a busbar on the electrically connectable layer by an adhesive layer.
However, Klein discloses the first connection end (heating wires) is adhered to a busbar (busbars) by an adhesive layer (electrically conductive adhesive) (para. 0035).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the first connection end of Parker to be adhered to the busbar of Rosario on the electrically connectable layer (i.e. functional element 5; fig. 2a of Rosario) by the adhesive layer as taught by Klein, in order to secure the first connection to the busbar to ensure reliable and durable electrical connection between the first connection end and the busbar (para. 0084 of Klein).
Response to Argument
Applicant's arguments filed on 07/08/2026 have been fully considered but they are respectfully considered moot in view of new ground of rejection.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BONITA KHLOK whose telephone number is (571)270-7313. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F: 9:00am-6pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, IBRAHIME ABRAHAM can be reached on (571)270-5569. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BONITA KHLOK/Examiner, Art Unit 3761
/IBRAHIME A ABRAHAM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3761
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