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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 14 and 17 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 14, lines 1-2, " a first conductive layer " should read - - the first conductive layer - -
In claim 14, line 5, " a second conductive layer " should read - - the second conductive layer - -
In claim 17, lines 1-2, " the first connecting portions are encased with an insulating layer in a circumferential direction of the first connecting portions " should read - - the at least one first connecting portion is encased with an insulating layer in a circumferential direction of the at least one first connecting portion- -
In claim 17, lines 3-4, " the second connecting portions are encased with an insulating layer in a circumferential direction of the second connecting portions " should read - - the at least one second connecting portion is encased with an insulating layer in a circumferential direction of the at least one second connecting portion - -
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 12-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 12, line 1 recites the limitation “the first conductive base". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, examiner has interpreted this limitation as - - a first conductive base - - .
Claim 12, line 1 recites the limitation “the electrochromic layer". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, examiner has interpreted this limitation as - - an electrochromic layer - - .
Claim 12, line 2 recites the limitation “the second conductive base". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, examiner has interpreted this limitation as - - a second conductive base - -.
Claim 12, line 3 recites the limitation “the first conductive layer". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, examiner has interpreted this limitation as - - a first conductive layer - - .
Claim 12, lines 5-6 recites the limitation “the second conductive layer". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, examiner has interpreted this limitation as - - a second conductive layer - - .
Dependent claims 13-18 are rejected by virtue of their dependency.
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-5 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wang (US 2024/0210780).
Regarding claim 1, Wang teaches a conductive base structure (Fig. 2-13, [0029-0120]), comprising a base body (Fig. 9-12 and Fig. 2, [0099-0100, 0005, 0065-0069], at least one notch 163 extending through a multilayered stack of the electrochromic device 1 in a depth direction of the electrochromic device 1 is defined on an edge of the electrochromic device 1. The multilayered stack of the electrochromic device includes the first substrate 41, the first transparent conductive layer 10, the electrochromic functional layer 30, the second transparent conductive layer 20, and the second substrate 42), wherein the base body (Fig. 9-12 and Fig. 2, [0100, 0005, 0065-0069]) comprises a first conductive base (the base corresponding to 41 and 10 in Fig. 9-12, [0100, 0075]) and a second conductive base (the base corresponding to 42 and 20 in Fig. 9-12, [0100, 0075]) that are stacked (Fig. 9-12, [0100, 0075]), wherein the first conductive base (the base corresponding to 41 and 10 in Fig. 9-12, [0100, 0075]) and the second conductive base (the base corresponding to 42 and 20 in Fig. 9-12, [0100, 0075]) are each configured to connect to an external power (Fig. 2-8, [0103-0105]), at least one sidewall of the first conductive base (the base corresponding to 41 and 10 in Fig. 9-12, [0100, 0075]) in a circumferential direction of the first conductive base (the base corresponding to 41 and 10 in Fig. 9-12, [0100, 0075]) is provided with at least one first groove ([0068, 0099-0100, 0046-0049], Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9, the grooves corresponding to the grooves 13 and/or the portions of the notch 163 through 41 and 10 in Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9), at least one sidewall of the second conductive base (the base corresponding to 42 and 20 in Fig. 9-12, [0100, 0075]) in a circumferential direction of the second conductive base (the base corresponding to 42 and 20 in Fig. 9-12, [0100, 0075]) is provided with at least one second groove ([0068, 0099-0100, 0046-0049], Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9, the grooves corresponding to the grooves 23 and/or the portions of the notch 163 through 42 and 20 in Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9), and the first groove ([0068, 0099-0100, 0046-0049], Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9, the grooves corresponding to the grooves 13 and/or the portions of the notch 163 through 41 and 10 in Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9) and the second groove ([0068, 0099-0100, 0046-0049], Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9, the grooves corresponding to the grooves 23 and/or the portions of the notch 163 through 42 and 20 in Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9) are located on a same side of the base body (Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9, [0068, 0099-0100, 0046-0049]).
Regarding claims 2-5, Wang also teaches the following elements:
(Claim 2) a plurality of first grooves ([0068, 0099-0100, 0046-0049], Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9, the grooves corresponding to the grooves 13 and/or the portions of the notch 163 through 41 and 10 in Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9) and a plurality of second grooves ([0068, 0099-0100, 0046-0049], Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9, the grooves corresponding to the grooves 23 and/or the portions of the notch 163 through 42 and 20 in Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9) are provided (Fig. 3-4C), the plurality of first grooves ([0068, 0099-0100, 0046-0049], Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9, the grooves corresponding to the grooves 13 and/or the portions of the notch 163 through 41 and 10 in Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9) are spaced apart along the circumferential direction of the first conductive base (Fig. 3-4C), and the plurality of second grooves ([0068, 0099-0100, 0046-0049], Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9, the grooves corresponding to the grooves 23 and/or the portions of the notch 163 through 42 and 20 in Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9) are spaced apart along the circumferential direction of the second conductive base (Fig. 3-4C).
(Claim 3) clearances (Fig 4B, even the orthographic projections of 13 and 23 are not parallel to each other in Fig. 4B, there are clearances between the end portions of the orthographic projections of 13 and 23) are formed between orthographic projections of the first grooves ([0068, 0099-0100, 0046-0049], Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9, the grooves corresponding to the grooves 13 and/or the portions of the notch 163 through 41 and 10 in Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9) on a plane on which the second conductive base is located, and the second grooves ([0068, 0099-0100, 0046-0049], Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9, the grooves corresponding to the grooves 23 and/or the portions of the notch 163 through 42 and 20 in Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9), and clearances (Fig. 4B) are formed between orthographic projections of the second grooves ([0068, 0099-0100, 0046-0049], Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9, the grooves corresponding to the grooves 23 and/or the portions of the notch 163 through 42 and 20 in Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9) on a plane on which the first conductive base is located, and the first grooves ([0068, 0099-0100, 0046-0049], Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9, the grooves corresponding to the grooves 13 and/or the portions of the notch 163 through 41 and 10 in Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9).
(Claim 4) orthographic projections of the first grooves ([0068, 0099-0100, 0046-0049], Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9, the grooves corresponding to the grooves 13 and/or the portions of the notch 163 through 41 and 10 in Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9) on a plane on which the second conductive base is located partially overlap (Fig 4B) the second grooves ([0068, 0099-0100, 0046-0049], Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9, the grooves corresponding to the grooves 23 and/or the portions of the notch 163 through 42 and 20 in Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9), and orthographic projections of the second grooves ([0068, 0099-0100, 0046-0049], Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9, the grooves corresponding to the grooves 23 and/or the portions of the notch 163 through 42 and 20 in Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9) on a plane on which the first conductive base is located partially overlap (Fig 4B) the first grooves ([0068, 0099-0100, 0046-0049], Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9, the grooves corresponding to the grooves 13 and/or the portions of the notch 163 through 41 and 10 in Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9).
(Claim 5) An electrochromic device (Fig. 2-13, [0029-0120]), comprising an electrochromic layer (30 in Fig. 9 and 2) and the conductive base structure (Fig. 9-12 and Dif. 2-5), wherein the electrochromic layer is disposed between the first conductive base and the second conductive base (Fig. 9 and Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 12, Wang teaches an electrochromic device (Fig. 2-13, [0029-0120]), comprising a first conductive base (the base corresponding to 41 and 10 in Fig. 9-12, [0100, 0075]), an electrochromic layer (the electrochromic functional layer 30 in Fig. 2 and Fig. 9) and a second conductive base (the base corresponding to 42 and 20 in Fig. 9-12, [0100, 0075]) that are sequentially stacked (Fig. 9),
wherein the first conductive base (the base corresponding to 41 and 10 in Fig. 9-12, [0100, 0075]) comprises a first base layer (41 in Fig. 9) and a first conductive layer (10 in Fig. 9), and the first conductive layer (10 in Fig. 9) is disposed on one side of the first base layer (41 in Fig. 9) in proximity to the electrochromic layer (30 in Fig. 9): the second conductive base (the base corresponding to 42 and 20 in Fig. 9-12, [0100, 0075]) comprises a second base layer (42 in Fig. 9) and a second conductive layer (20 in Fig. 9), and the second conductive layer (20 in Fig. 9) is disposed on one side of the second base layer (42 in Fig. 9) in proximity to the electrochromic layer (30 in Fig. 9); at least one side (Fig. 4A-4C) of the electrochromic device in a circumferential direction of the electrochromic device (Fig. 4A-4C) is provided with both a first busbar (14 in Fig. 4A-4C) and a second busbar (24 in Fig. 4A-4C), the first busbar (14 in Fig. 4A-4C) is electrically connected to the first conductive layer (10 in Fig. 4A-4C and Fig. 9) by at least one first connecting portion (12 in Fig. 2 and Fig. 4A-4B), and the second busbar (24 in Fig. 4A-4C) is electrically connected to the second conductive layer (20 in Fig. 4A-4C and Fig. 9) by at least one second connecting portion (22 in Fig. 2 and Fig. 4A-4B); a clearance (Fig. 4A-4C) is formed between the first conductive base (the base corresponding to 41 and 10 in Fig. 9-12, [0100, 0075]) and an orthographic projection of the first busbar (14 in Fig. 4A-4C) on the plane on which the first conductive base is located (Fig. 4A-4C); and a clearance (Fig. 4A-4C) is formed between the second conductive base (the base corresponding to 42 and 20 in Fig. 9-12, [0100, 0075]) and an orthographic projection of the second busbar (24 in Fig. 4A-4C) on the plane on which the second conductive base is located (Fig. 4A-4C);
wherein an edge (Fig. 4A-4C) of the first conductive base (the base corresponding to 41 and 10 in Fig. 9-12, [0100, 0075]) is provided with a plurality of first grooves ([0068, 0099-0100, 0046-0049], Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9, the grooves corresponding to the grooves 13 and/or the portions of the notch 163 through 41 and 10 in Fig. 4A-4C and Fig. 9) that are spaced apart (Fig. 4A-4C), and an edge (Fig. 4A-4C) of the second conductive base (the base corresponding to 42 and 20 in Fig. 9-12, [0100, 0075]) is provided with a plurality of second grooves ([0068, 0099-0100, 0046-0049], Fig. 3-4C and Fig. 9, the grooves corresponding to the grooves 23 and/or the portions of the notch 163 through 42 and 20 in Fig. 4A-4C and Fig. 9) that are spaced apart (Fig. 4A-4C).
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 of this title, 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.
Claims 6 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang as applied to claims 5 and 12 above, and in view of Yang (CN109164660A).
Regarding claim 6, Wang does not teach the following elements.
Yang teaches the following elements (Fig. 3, Page 5 of English translation of CN109164660A):
(Claim 6) a sealant layer (900 in Fig. 3, Page 5, Paragraph 1) is provided along a circumferential direction of the electrochromic layer, and the sealant layer is configured to form a seal in the circumferential direction of the electrochromic layer (Fig. 3, Page 5, Paragraph 1).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to the artisan of ordinary skill to employ the above elements as taught by Yang for the system of Wang such that in the system of Wang,
(Claim 6) a sealant layer is provided along a circumferential direction of the electrochromic layer, and the sealant layer is configured to form a seal in the circumferential direction of the electrochromic layer.
The motivation is to realize the packaging of the electrochromic device, preventing changing effect affecting the electrochromic layer of the outside environment by frame glue (Yang, Page 5, Paragraph 1).
Regarding claim 13, Wang teaches orthographic projections (Fig. 4A-4C) of the first busbar (14 in Fig. 4A-4C) and the second busbar (24 in Fig. 4A-4C) on the plane on which the second conductive base (the base corresponding to 42 and 20 in Fig. 9-12, [0100, 0075]) is located. Wang does not explicitly point out that a clearance is formed between the orthographic projections of the first busbar and the second busbar on the plane on which the second conductive base is located.
Yang teaches that (Fig. 5) a clearance is formed between orthographic projections of a first busbar (the busbar corresponding to the wires connecting A and F, the wires connecting B and E, and/or the wires connecting C and D).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to the artisan of ordinary skill to employ the above elements as taught by Yang for the system of Wang such that in the system of Wang, a clearance is formed between the orthographic projections of the first busbar of the system of Wang, therefore, a clearance is formed between the orthographic projections of the first busbar and the second busbar on the plane on which the second conductive base is located. The motivation is to make the electrochromic device independent colour region change color or local region change color or a plurality of areas, so that the electrochromic device has colourful appearance (Yang, Page 5, Paragraph 4).
Claims 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang as applied to claim 12 above, and in view of de Jong (US 2019/0212601).
Regarding claims 16-17, Wang teaches that the first busbar (14 in Fig. 4A-4C) and the second busbar (24 in Fig. 4A-4C) are wires respectively connected the first conductive base (the base corresponding to 41 and 10 in Fig. 9-12, [0100, 0075]) and the second conductive base (the base corresponding to 42 and 20 in Fig. 9-12, [0100, 0075]) through the at least one first connecting portion (12 in Fig. 2 and Fig. 4A-4B) and the at least one second connecting portion (22 in Fig. 2 and Fig. 4A-4B) respectively. Wang does not teach the following elements.
de Jong teaches the following elements (Fig. 5, [0096-0105]):
(Claim 16) a first wire (the core wire of the insulated copper wire 801 in Fig. 5, [0105, 0148, 0155]) connected to a first conductive base (Fig. 5) is encased with an insulating layer ([0105, 0148, 0155], the insulated outer layer of the insulated copper wire 801 in Fig. 5) in a circumferential direction of the first wire (Fig. 5, [0105, 0148, 0155]), a second wire (the core wire of the insulated copper wire 802 in Fig. 5, [0105, 0148, 0155]) connected to a second conductive base (Fig. 5) is encased with an insulating layer ([0105, 0148, 0155], the insulated outer layer of the insulated copper wire 802 in Fig. 5) in a circumferential direction of second wire (Fig. 5, [0105, 0148, 0155]), and two ends of the first wire and two ends of the second wire are all conductive portions (Fig. 5, [0105, 0148, 0155], the two ends of the insulated copper wire 801 are inherently all conductive portions in order to couple the device to a driver circuit or power supply).
(Claim 17) at least one first connecting portion (501 in Fig. 5, [0102]) is encased with an insulating layer (701 in Fig. 5, [0103]) in a circumferential direction of the at least one first connecting portion (Fig. 5), and at least one second connecting portion (502 in Fig. 5, [0102]) is encased with an insulating layer (702 in Fig. 5, [0103]) in a circumferential direction of the at least one second connecting portion (Fig. 5).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to the artisan of ordinary skill to employ the above elements as taught by de Jong for the system of Wang such that in the system of Wang,
(Claim 17) the at least one first connecting portion is encased with an insulating layer in a circumferential direction of the at least one first connecting portion, and the at least one second connecting portion is encased with an insulating layer in a circumferential direction of the at least one second connecting portion.
The motivation is to environmentally seal/protect the cell, and couple device to a driver circuit or power supply (de Jong, [0103, 0105]).
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang as applied to claim 12 above, and further in view of Spanjers (US 2023/0103913).
Regarding claim 18, Wang does not teach the following elements.
Spanjers teaches the following elements (Fig. 1-2, Fig. 5, [0131-0134, 0055, 0057]):
(Claim 18) An electrochromic apparatus (Fig. 1-2, Fig. 5, [0131-0134, 0055, 0057]), comprising a first substrate layer (1 in Fig. 2, [0131-0132]), a first encapsulation layer (6 in Fig. 2, [0131-0132]), an electrochromic device (5 in Fig. 2, Fig. 5, [0055, 0057, 0131-0132]), a second encapsulation layer (7 in Fig. 2, [0131-0132]) and a second substrate layer (2 in Fig. 2, [0131-0132]) that are sequentially stacked (Fig. 2), wherein the first encapsulation layer and the second encapsulation layer cover the electrochromic device (Fig. 2).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to the artisan of ordinary skill to employ the above elements as taught by Spanjers for the system of Wang such that in the system of Wang,
(Claim 18) An electrochromic apparatus, comprising a first substrate layer, a first encapsulation layer, the electrochromic device, a second encapsulation layer and a second substrate layer that are sequentially stacked, wherein the first encapsulation layer and the second encapsulation layer cover the electrochromic device.
The motivation is to protect the electrochromic/functional device (Spanjers, [0132]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-11 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
None of the prior art of record discloses or suggests all the combination of a conductive base structure as set forth in claims 7-11.
Regarding claims 7-11, none of the prior art discloses or suggests a conductive base structure recited in claim 1, wherein “a plurality of first grooves and a plurality of second grooves are provided, the plurality of first grooves are spaced apart along the circumferential direction of the first conductive base, and the plurality of second grooves are spaced apart along the circumferential direction of the second conductive base; the first conductive base comprises a first conductive layer provided with a plurality of first conductive segments, and an orthographic projection of each of the plurality of first conductive segments on the plane on which the second conductive base is located is located in a corresponding one of the second grooves: the second conductive base comprises a second conductive layer provided with a plurality of second conductive segments, an orthographic projection of each of the plurality of second conductive segments on a plane on which the first conductive layer is located is located in a respective one of the first grooves, and clearances are formed between orthographic projections of the first conductive segments on a plane on which the second conductive layer is located, and the second conductive segments; and the first conductive segments and the second conductive segments are each configured to connect to an external power” in combination with the other required elements of the claim.
Claims 14-15 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding Claim 14-15, none of the prior art discloses or suggests an electrochromic device recited in claim 12, wherein “the first conductive base comprises the first conductive layer provided with a plurality of first conductive segments, and an orthographic projection of each of the plurality of first conductive segments on the plane on which the second conductive base is located is located in a corresponding one of the second grooves; the second conductive base comprises the second conductive layer provided with a plurality of second conductive segments, an orthographic projection of each of the plurality of second conductive segments on a plane on which the first conductive layer is located is located in a respective one of the first grooves, and clearances are formed between orthographic projections of the first conductive segments on a plane on which the second conductive layer is located, and the second conductive segments; and the first conductive segments and the second conductive segments are each configured to connect to an external power” in combination with the other required elements of the claim.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHAN LIU whose telephone number is (571)270-0383. The examiner can normally be reached on 9am-5pm EST M-F.
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/Shan Liu/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871