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 .
Detailed Action
This office action is in response to applicant’s communication filed on 06/20/25. Applicant elected claims 1-10, without traverse for examination. Claims 11-20 have been canceled. Claims 1-10 are pending in this application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed on 12/20/23 has been received and is being considered.
Claim Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. §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.
Claims 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103 as being unpatentable over Kutzer (US 20120279546 A1) and further in view of Tadashi (JP 2004200427 A).
Regarding claim 1, Kutzer discloses (abstract, par.2-3, 14-15, 20, 29, 36-37, 46, 76-78, 80-83, figs.1-4, 7-8) a method (par.2) for wiring photovoltaic cells (100, par.37) to a string of electrically interconnected photovoltaic cells (100), the method comprising the following steps:
arranging (fig.7, par.76, 80) next to each other in a first direction (longitudinal direction, see fig.7) a first, a second and a third photovoltaic cell (100) on a platform (transport belt, par.79), wherein the second photovoltaic cell (the second photovoltaic cell 100 from the left side of fig.7) is arranged between the first and the third photovoltaic cell (100) in a rotated orientation (see fig.7, par. 77-78: "rotating the photovoltaic cell 100 by 180° of one photovoltaic cell 100 with respect to an adjacent photovoltaic cell 100", see also the base (102) and emitter contacts (104) on the first and second photovoltaic cell in fig.7) with respect to the first and the third photovoltaic cell (100);
electrically interconnecting (par.80-81, fig.8) the first photovoltaic cell (100) and the second photovoltaic cell (100) on their respective back faces (rear side contact solar cells, see figs.1-2, par.3, 14-15,37,46) in series (par.36) by at least one elongated wiring element (see the first contact wire 302 from the top of fig. 4, 400 in fig.8, par.51, 83: "plurality of solar cell electrodes 400 is or are placed on to the rear side of the solar cells 100 in such a way that the individual electrically conductive solar cell connector elements 302 are placed on to the base contacts 102 or the emitter contacts 104") in the first direction (longitudinal direction) in a first lateral position;
electrically interconnecting (par.80-81, fig.8) the second photovoltaic cell (100) and the third photovoltaic cell (100) on their respective back faces (rear side contact solar cells, see figs.1-2, par.3, 14-15, 37, 46) in series (par.36) at least one elongated wiring element (see the second contact wire 302 from the top of fig.4, 400 in fig.8) in the first direction (longitudinal direction) in a second lateral position (comp. fig.3,par.83); wherein
the first and the second lateral positions are off-set with respect to each other perpendicular to the first direction (the lateral position of the first contact wire from the top of fig.4 and the lateral position of the second contact wire 3302 from the top of fig.4 are in offset in the direction perpendicular to the first direction).
However, Kutzer does not explicitly disclose wherein the at least one elongated wiring element is drawn by a depositing means in the first direction from a feeding means, the depositing means are thereby moving relative to the platform: and
f. wherein the at least one elongated wiring element is cut during depositing to a length of less than two photovoltaic cells in the first direction arranged next to each other in the first direction.
However, Tadashi is directed towards solar cells and at least at figs 21 and 22 disclose wherein the at least one elongated wiring element is drawn by a depositing means (see description of figs 21 and 22, gripper)1 in the first direction from a feeding means, the depositing means are thereby moving relative to the platform: and
f. wherein the at least one elongated wiring element is cut (see fig 21c disclosing a cut after grip and stretch) during depositing to a length of less than two photovoltaic cells in the first direction arranged next to each other in the first direction (see fig 21).
Kutzer and Tadashi are in the same or similar fields of endeavor. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at a time prior to the effective filing date of the present application to combine Kutzer and Tadashi. Kutzer and Tadashi may be combined by placing the electrical conduit lines in Kutzer as taught in Tadashi, in order to control the length of the conduit lines.2
Regarding claim 2, Kutzer discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises the steps:
a. arranging a first subsequent photovoltaic cell on the platform in the first direction next to a photovoltaic cell (see fig 7 disclosing arrangement)momentarily tailing the string and electrically interconnecting the first subsequent photovoltaic cell and the photovoltaic cell momentarily tailing the string on their respective back faces in series by at least one elongated wiring element in the first direction in the first lateral position (see electrical connection in para [0065]); and/or
b. arranging a second subsequent photovoltaic cell on the platform in the first direction next to a photovoltaic cell momentarily tailing the string and electrically interconnecting the second subsequent photovoltaic cell and the photovoltaic cell momentarily tailing the string on their respective back faces in series by at least one elongated wiring element in the first direction in the second lateral position.
Regarding claim 3, Kutzer and Tadashi disclose the method according to claim 1, wherein the first and/or the second subsequent photovoltaic cell are respectively arranged with a rotated orientation next to the photovoltaic cell momentarily tailing the string (see para [0078] disclosing rotation), such that at least one main conductor path of the first or the second subsequent photovoltaic cell is aligned in the first direction with a main conductor path of opposite polarity of the photovoltaic cell momentarily tailing the string (see fig 7, where conductor paths are aligned).
Regarding claim 4, Kutzer and Tadashi disclose the method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises depositing at least one elongated wiring element in the first direction in the first or in the second lateral position onto the platform (see fig 4, disclosing wiring ribbons).
Regarding claim 6, Kutzer and Tadashi disclose the method according to claim 5, wherein the method comprises:
a. gripping by at least one first gripper arranged in the first lateral position on a first gripper arm at least one elongated wiring element for depositing the at least one elongated wiring element in the first lateral position (see fig 6, disclosing top gripper); and
b. gripping by at least a second gripper arranged in the second lateral position on the first gripper arm or a separate second gripper arm at least one elongated wiring element for depositing the at least one elongated wiring element in the second lateral position(see fig 6, disclosing bottom gripper).
Regarding claim 7, Kutzer and Tadashi disclose the method according to claim 6, wherein the at least one first gripper acts as the at least one second gripper by switching between the first to the second lateral position (see fig 6, disclosing two grippers acting in conjunction with each other).
Regarding claim 9, Kutzer and Tadashi disclose the method according to claim 1, wherein only a first and a second photovoltaic cell are arranged on the platform (see fig 10 disclosing two PV cells)and the method comprising the steps of:
a. electrically contacting the first photovoltaic cell by at least one elongated wiring element in the first direction in the second lateral position (see elongated wiring over 202); and
b. electrically interconnecting the first photovoltaic cell and the second photovoltaic cell on their respective back faces in series by at least one elongated wiring element in the first direction in the first lateral position (see 200 connecting via 306).
Regarding claim 10, Kutzer and Tadashi disclose the method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the photovoltaic cells, in particular the first and/or the second and/or the third photovoltaic cell, comprises two separate half-cells which are arranged next to each other in the first direction (see para [0067] and [0096] disclosing different size cells). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at a time prior to the effective filing date of the present application to vary the sizes of solar cells, to specific applications/shapes, as such arrangements are design choices.
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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDWARD CHIN whose telephone number is (571)270-1827. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9AM-5PM.
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, Britt Hanley can be reached at (571) 270-3042. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EDWARD CHIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893
1 a bobbin cassette 113 containing the grid wire electrodes 12, and a step of gripping the tip end of the taken out grid wire electrodes 12 with a gripper 114 21B, the step of extracting the gripped grid wire electrode 12 from the first end 111 to the second end 112 of the photovoltaic element 11, and the plurality of extracted grid wire electrodes 12 shown in FIG. Is temporarily fixed to the vicinity of the second end 112 of the photovoltaic element 11 by the pressing spring 118, and the grid wire electrode 12 temporarily fixed by the cutter 119 shown in FIG. A cutting step and a heater plate shown in FIGS. 22D and 22E in which the cut grid wire electrode 12 is heated
2 Id.