DETAILED ACTION
Email Communication
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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 .
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendment of 06/17/2026 does not place the Application in condition for allowance.
Claims 1-12 and 14-21 are currently pending. In response to Office Action mailed on 04/06/2026, Applicant has amended claim 1, cancelled claim 13, and added new claim 21. Claims 8-12 and 14-20 are withdrawn from consideration as being part of non-elected invention.
Status of the Rejections
Due to Applicant’s amendment of claim 1, all rejections from the Office Action mailed on 04/06/2026 are withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground of rejection is presented below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-6 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hikosaka et al. (US 2006/0219291 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Hikosaka discloses a solar panel (photovoltaic module 1, figures 1-3 and 8), comprising:
a frame (outer frame 20, figure 1 or 3) (see figure 1 or 3) ([0063]); a front plate (bottom portion of transparent sealing resin 14 that is below the solar cell 11, figure 2; or EVA sheet 14a as shown in figure 8) (see figure 2 or 8, [0063-0064], [0079]), a back plate (top portion of transparent sealing resin 14 that is above the solar cell 11, figure 2; or EVA sheet 14b as shown in figure 8) (see figure 2 or 8, [0063-0064] and [0079]); and a cell (solar cell 11) (figure 2 or 8, [0063] and [0079]),
wherein the front plate (bottom portion of transparent sealing resin 14), the frame (20) and the back plate ((top portion of transparent sealing resin 14 that is above the solar cell 11) are stacked in a stacking direction (see figure 1 or 3).
wherein the front plate (bottom portion of transparent sealing resin 14 that is below the solar cell 11, figure 2; or EVA sheet 14a as shown in figure 8) located at one of two opposite sides (bottom side) of the frame (20) in the stacking direction (see figure 2 or 8, [0063-0064], [0079]);
wherein the back plate (top portion of transparent sealing resin 14 that is above the solar cell 11, figure 2; or EVA sheet 14b as shown in figure 8) located on the other of the two opposite sides (top side) of the frame (20) in the stacking direction (see figure 2 or 8, [0063-0064] and [0079]); and
wherein the frame (outer frame 20, figure 1 or 3) having an accommodation opening (see figure 1 or 3) ([0063]), wherein the accommodation opening is enclosed by the front plate (14a), the back plate (14b), and the frame (20) to form an enclosed space (see figure 1 or 3), the cell (11) being disposed in the enclosed space (see figure 1 or 3).
Regarding claim 2, Hikosaka further discloses that the frame (20) is a rigid frame having the accommodation opening (frame made of sturdy material such as aluminum, [0063]); the cell (11) is a cell layer (solar cell 11) disposed at the accommodation opening (see figure 1 or 3); the front plate (14a) is a front plate layer (14a) located at a side (bottom side) of the cell layer (11); and the back plate (14b) is a back plate layer (14b) located at an opposite side (top side) of the cell layer (11) (see fig. 8).
Regarding claim 3, Hikosaka further discloses that the rigid frame is made of metal material such as aluminum ([0063]).
Regarding claim 4, Hikosaka further discloses that the rigid frame (20) has a thickness greater than or equal to a thickness of the cell layer (11) (see fig. 12 that shows frame 20 has higher depth or thickness).
Regarding claim 5, Hikosaka further discloses that a front film layer (light receiving side light transmitting insulating substrate 12) arranged on a side (bottom side) of the front plate layer (14a) away from the cell layer (11); and a back film layer (rear surface side light transmitting insulating substrate 13) arranged on a side (top side) of the back plate layer (14b) away from cell layer (11) (see fig. 2 or 8, [0063] and [0079])).
Regarding claim 6, Hikosaka further discloses that the cell layer comprises a plurality of double-sided crystalline silicon chips (11) (see figure 2 or 8, [0063] and [00633]); and each of the front plate layer (14a), the back plate layer (14b), the front film layer (12), and the back film layer (13) has a transparent structure (EVA sheets 14a and 14b and glass substrates 12 and 13 are transparent, [0113]).
Regarding claim 21, Hikosaka further discloses that the front and back plates are made of transparent flexible materials (EVA sheets 14A and 14B, fig. 8).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hikosaka as applied above, and further in view of Green et al. (US 2020/0403567 A1).
Regarding claim 7, Hikosaka further discloses each of the front film layer (12) and the back film layer (13) is made of glass ([0113]). However, Hikosaka does not disclose that each of the front film layer (12) and the back film layer (13) has a rough surface formed through high-temperature physical embossing, the rough surface serving as a light trapping structure and being capable of protecting an inner layer structure and assisting in limiting the cell layer (11).
Green discloses a photovoltaic panel (100, fig. 1-4) wherein front (106) and rear (108) substrates are made of glass and are macro-textured ([0044]) to have reduce reflection ([0041]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have macro-textured structure as taught Green on the top and bottom glass substrates of Hikosaka such that the reflection of incident light is reduced, as shown by Green.
Since each of the front film layer (12) and the back film layer (13) of Hikosaka as modified by Green has textured structure or rough surface as in the case of the instant application, it would serve as a light trapping structure and being capable of protecting an inner layer structure and assisting in limiting the cell layer, as in the case of the instant application.
The limitation to "high temperature physical embossing" is directed to formation of a product by a process, which does not further define the structure of the claimed device. "[E]ven though product-by-process claims are limited by and defined by the process, determination of patentability is based on the product itself. The patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production. If the product in the product-by-process claim is the same as or obvious from a product of the prior art, the claim is unpatentable even though the prior product was made by a different process." See MPEP §2113. See also In re Thorpe, 777 F.2d 695, 698,227 USPQ 964, 966 (Fed. Cir. 1985). There is no difference evident between the rough or textured surface of the instant claims and those taught by the prior art as described above.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 1-7 and 21 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection as necessitated by the amendments.
On page of Remarks, Applicant argues that the structure and design concept of Hikosaka is completely different than amended claim 1.
The Examiner respectfully disagrees. Hikosaka explicitly discloses the stacking direction as required by instant claim 1 (see fig. 8). It is further noted that although stacking direction as shown in figures of instant application, Hikosaka discloses the solar panel as required by instant claims.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
Correspondence/Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GOLAM MOWLA whose telephone number is (571)270-5268. The examiner can normally be reached on M-Th, 7am - 4pm.
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/GOLAM MOWLA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1721
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