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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 6/5/2026 has been entered.
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (US 2012/0262948) in view of Lu et al. (US 2011/0240100).
Regarding claim 1, Lee et al. discloses a photovoltaic module (figs. 1-5) comprising:
a photovoltaic string (see the array of solar cells 130 in figs. 1 and 3-4); and
a terminal box (see junction box 200, figs. 2, 4-6);
wherein the photovoltaic string comprises
a plurality of photovoltaic cells (130, figs. 1 and 3-4) connected in series with each other (see figs. 1-5, [0029]),
a plurality of photovoltaic cell connection units (see 2 adjacent columns of cells in annotated fig. 1 below) in each of which the plurality of photovoltaic cells (130) adjacent to each other in a first direction (or vertical direction) is connected in series to each other (see figs. 1-5, [0029]), and
one or more turn-back portion (145b and 145d, see annotated fig. 1 below, also see fig. 4) at which two of the plurality of photovoltaic cell connection units (or two adjacent columns of cells) are connected in series to each other (see figs. 1 and 4, and [0029] as Lee et al. teaches solar cells 130 are connected in series), wherein the two photovoltaic cell connection units (or two adjacent columns of cells) being adjacent to each other in a second direction (horizontal direction) orthogonal to the first direction (or vertical direction, see figs. 1-5); and
wherein the terminal box (see junction box 200, figs. 2, 4-6) comprising a plurality of bypass diodes (see bypass diodes Da, Db and Dc, figs. 1-6, [0032], [0041], [0045-0046], [0056-0058], [0068]);
wherein each of one or more turn-back portion (145b and 145d) is provided with an output wiring member (135b and 135c, see figs. 1-2, 4-6) such that one or more turn-back portions (145b and 145d) are provided with one or more output wiring members (135b and 135c, see figs. 1, 3 and 4);
wherein each of the plurality of photovoltaic cell connection units (or two adjacent columns of the cells 130) is connected in parallel with corresponding one of the bypass diodes (Da, Db, Dc; see annotated fig. 1 and fig. 4).
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Lee et al. shows the photovoltaic cells are arranged in two columns in each photovoltaic cell connection units.
Lee et al. does not show the photovoltaic cells being arranged in a column in the first direction in each photovoltaic connection units.
Lu et al. shows the photovoltaic cells (10) being arranged in a column in the first direction in each photovoltaic connection units (101, 102, 103…, see fig. 2).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the photovoltaic module of Lee et al. by rearranging the photovoltaic cells in a column in each photovoltaic connection units as taught by Lu et al., because such modification is a mere rearrangement of the system parts that would not modify the operation of the system, and would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made. See In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950).
Regarding claim 2, modified Lee et al. discloses a photovoltaic module as in claim 1 above, wherein Lee et al. teaches each of the plurality of photovoltaic cell connection units (or two adjacent columns of cells 130, see annotated fig. 1 above) comprises a bus bar (145b or 145d) to a starting end or terminating end of a corresponding one of the plurality of photovoltaic cell connection units such that the plurality of photovoltaic cell connection units comprises a plurality of bus bars (145b and 145d) including the bus bar (145b or 145d, see annotated fig. 1 above), and all of the plurality of bus bars (or 145b or 145d) are connected to the one or more output wiring members (135b and 135c, see annotated figs. 1-6)
Regarding claim 3, modified Lee et al. discloses a photovoltaic module as in claim 2 above, wherein Lee et al. teaches the terminal box (200) comprises a plurality of terminals (a, b, c, d) connected to the plurality of bypass diodes (Da, Db, Dc), and the output wiring member (135b or 135c) has an end thereof connected to the bus bar (145b or 145d) and has another end thereof connected, directly or via a connection cable, to corresponding one of the terminals (a, b, c, d; see figs. 1-6).
Regarding claim 4, modified Lee et al. discloses a photovoltaic module as in claim 1 above, wherein Lee et al. teaches the photovoltaic string comprises the plurality of photovoltaic cell connection units (or two adjacent columns of cells) in the first direction (or vertical direction, see figs. 1, 3-4).
Regarding claim 5, modified Lee et al. discloses a photovoltaic module as in claim 1 above, wherein Lee et al. shows the photovoltaic string (140) is sealed between a transparent substrate (see front substrate 160, fig. 3, [0026], [0040]) and a back surface protection member (see rear substrate 110, fig. 3, [0026] and [0036]), and the output wiring member (135b or 135c) is arranged between the plurality of photovoltaic cell connection units (or two adjacent columns of the cells) and the back surface protection member (see rear substrate 110, fig. 3) and is led out to the terminal box (200, see fig. 2).
Regarding claim 6, modified Lee et al. discloses a photovoltaic module as in claim 1 above, wherein Lee et al. teaches the photovoltaic string (140) is sealed between a transparent substrate (see front substrate 160, fig. 3, [0026], [0040] and a back surface protection member (see rear substrate 110, fig. 3, [0026] and [0036]), and the output wiring member (135b or 135c) penetrates the back surface protection member (110) via openings to the terminal box (200, fig. 2, [0032]) to be drawn out to an outside of the back surface protection member, and is connected to the terminal box via a connection cable (135d, 135c, 135b, 135a, see fig. 2, [0032]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-6 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant argues Lee does not teach arranging the photovoltaic cells in a column in each photovoltaic connection unit as claimed. However, Applicant’s arguments are moot in view of the new ground of rejection. See the rejection above.
Conclusion
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THANH-TRUC TRINH
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1726
/THANH TRUC TRINH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1726
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