DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Acknowledgement of preliminary amendment to specification and claims dated 05/31/2024.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
Domestic Benefit
Present application 18/715,527 filed 05/31/2024 is a National Stage entry of PCT/SG2022/050876 with international filing date of 12/01/2022.
Foreign Priority
Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f). Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents (i.e., application number 10202113353W filed in Singapore on 12/01/2021) have been received as of 05/31/2024 in this National Stage application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement submitted on 05/31/2024 was filed before first Office action. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following minor typographical informality: page 4, line 23 expressly mentions claim 12 that could benefit from some rephrasing for the purpose of clarity.
Appropriate correction is required.
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title or similar is suggested:
--LOW-TEMPERATURE TANDEM SOLAR MODULE FABRICATION--.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 3-6, 8 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by KR 20190098570 A to Lee et al. (“Lee”).
Regarding independent claim 1, Lee teaches a method for fabricating a solar module (see title), comprising:
providing, to a single processing tool (The Applicant’s recitation of a ‘single processing tool’ is noted. However, during patent examination claims are given the broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the specification. The term ‘tool’ is not structurally defined in the claim or uniquely limited in the specification to a single, undivided piece of machinery. Under its broadest reasonable interpretation, a ‘tool’ encompasses any integrated manufacturing apparatus, assembly system, or processing unit configured to execute the recited steps. Lee explicitly teaches of an integrated manufacturing sequence that inherently occurs with a single continuous automated line or processing tool housing. A component handling and alignment apparatus configured to execute the temporary fixation step S’200, which aligns the wiring members 142 directly to the busbars on both sides of the cells. An inline integrated heating and pressurizing apparatus with the exact same assembly sequence configured to execute the low temperature lamination step S’500 between 100-150°C. Because the delicate, freshly aligned tandem cells are highly sensitive to physical movement and misalignment before final curing, the steps of applying the ECA, temporarily fixing the alignment, and low-temperature heating must be executed sequentially within the same integrated manufacturing apparatus. Since Lee teaches of a unified, automated assembly line apparatus that performs each of these processing operations on the tandem cells, the prior art reference structurally meets the broad limitation of a 'single processing tool' as interpreted under the BRI):
a plurality of tandem solar cells (see Figure 12 and paragraphs 0034, 0040, 0122-0123);
electrically conductive adhesive (ECA) (see Figures 6-7 and Figure 12; paragraph 0088); and
a first protective assembly (see Figures 1-2 with Figure 12; 110/120 with encapsulant 130) ;
producing (as explained in below steps) an assembled lay-up of interconnected, partially cured cells by using the single processing tool to perform the steps of:
forming a string by aligning the cells (see string in paragraph 0093, step 300) and applying ECA to both sides of the cells (Explicit Process Mandate: Lee explicitly dictates a process step of "bonding a ribbon to both sides of each solar cell".
Dual-Sided Placement Mechanics: The text specifies that the Electrically Conductive Adhesive (ECA) is physically placed between each busbar electrode and the wiring ribbons.
Top Face Application: The ECA and the wiring members (142) are applied to the top face of the cell stack, bonding directly to the front transparent electrode layer (126).
Bottom Face Application: The exact same wiring members (142) and low-temperature alloy coatings are mirrored on the bottom face of the cell stack, bonding directly to the rear busbar electrodes (118).
Visual Confirmation (Figure 12): Figure 12 explicitly illustrates these identical wiring members (142) mechanically and electrically bonded to the outermost contact structures on both the top and bottom surfaces of the tandem cell
Prior-Art Confirmation: Lee’s background in paragraph 0005 discusses ribbons on both sides of the cell);
placing the string on the first protective assembly (110/120 with encapsulant 130); and
pre-curing the ECA at low temperature in a range from 80°C.-150°C. (see paragraph 0154: temperature range of 100-150°C is squarely within the claimed range therefore anticipating the claimed range);
forming one or more external connections 142 on the string;
applying a second protective assembly (see Figure 2 and explanation of Figure 12 in paragraph 0121. Specifically there is 120 with 132) to a second side of each cell, opposite first side; and
laminating (step S’500; paragraphs 0022, 0066, 0154; Figure 12) the lay-up to produce the solar module.
Regarding claim 3, Lee teaches in Figures 1-2 wherein providing the first protective assembly comprises providing one or both of a front layer 110 and an encapsulant 130/131.
Regarding claim 4, Lee teaches in paragraph 0049 wherein the front layer 110 is glass.
Regarding claim 5, Lee teaches in Figures 1-2 wherein providing one or both of a front layer 110 and an encapsulant 131/130 comprises providing both of the front layer 110 and the encapsulant 131/130.
Regarding claim 6, Lee teaches wherein applying ECA to both sides of each cell comprises applying ECA in a ribbon on each side of each cell (refer to claim 1 rejection supra and paragraph 0005).
Regarding claim 8, Lee teaches in Figures 1-2 wherein applying the second protective assembly 120+130/132 to a second side of each cell comprises applying one or both of an encapsulant 130/132 and a rear cover 120.
Regarding claim 10, Lee teaches wherein each cell of the plurality of cells is a tandem solar cell (see claim 1 rejection supra; paragraphs 0034, 0122).
Note on International Search Report
Office takes position that x reference US 2017/0077332 A1 does not use an electrically conductive adhesive and instead uses an insulating encapsulant that may contain some metal particles.
Office has similar opinion of the other x references in the search report.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 7 and 9 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.
Claim 2 contains allowable subject matter, because the closest art of record, singularly or in combination, fails to disclose or suggest, in combination with the other elements of claim 2, wherein the single processing tool comprises at least one ECA dispenser, and applying ECA to both sides of each cell comprises: applying ECA to the first side of each cell; automatically flipping the string using a flipper; and applying ECA to the second side of each cell opposite the first side.
Claim 7 contains allowable subject matter, because the closest art of record, singularly or in combination, fails to disclose or suggest, in combination with the other elements of claim 7, wherein the single processing tool comprises a line heater and pre-curing the ECA at low temperature comprises using the line heater to heat only the ribbon.
Claim 9 contains allowable subject matter, because the closest art of record, singularly or in combination, fails to disclose or suggest, in combination with the other elements of claim 9, wherein each cell is a full cell and providing the plurality of cells comprises cutting one or more the full cells into a plurality of cells of a required size, assembling the plurality of cells of the required size into strings and providing the strings to the single processing tool.
Claim 11 contains allowable subject matter, because the closest art of record, singularly or in combination, fails to disclose or suggest, in combination with the other elements of claim 11, a single processing tool for use in fabricating solar module, comprising: an electrically conductive adhesive (ECA) line comprising: at least one ECA printer for applying ECA to both sides of a string of cells; and an automatic cell flipper for flipping the cells after the at least one ECA printer has applied ECA to a first said side of the string, to facilitate application of ECA, by the at least one ECA printer, on a second said side of the string; and a lay-up line comprising: one or more robotic arms for depositing cut ribbons on a protective assembly in the lay-up line, and for transferring the string from the ECA line onto the ribbons and protective assembly; and a line heater for pre-curing the ECA, by heating the ribbons.
The prior art of Lee would not combine the references teaching the various features of independent claim 11 cited in the provided International Search Report to teach all the limitations of claim 11. Specifically, Office believes this would be impermissible hindsight.
Dependent claims 12-17 contains allowable subject matter, because they depend on the allowable subject matter of claim 11.
Conclusion
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20 June 2026
/John P. Dulka/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817
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