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 Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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 1-7, 9, 11, 12 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP H09153631 A (FUJI ELECTRIC CO LTD IDS 9/9/24)
Regarding claims 1 and 15, Fuji discloses (feature F1) a manufacturing method for manufacturing a photovoltaic element, comprising
placing a first encapsulation layer (EVA film 2) on a first support plate (fluororesin coating film 3, also referred to as the support base or the releasable supporting substrate) to protect photovoltaic cells (see par. 0011, figs. 1A, 1B, 2),
forming an active layer comprising the photovoltaic cells (solar cell submodule 1 made of solar cell elements) connected to electrical conductors (main wiring members 5) (see pars. 0011, 0012, figs. 1B-1D,
placing a second encapsulation layer (EVA film 2) on top of the active layer to protect the photovoltaic cells (solar cell submodule 1 made of solar cell elements) (see par. 0012, fig. 1E), and
placing a second support plate (fluororesin coating film 3) on top of the second encapsulation layer (EVA film 2) to form a photovoltaic structure such that the first and second encapsulation layers form a continuous encapsulation between the first and second support plates to protect the active layer (see par. 0012, fig. 1E),
wherein the manufacturing method further comprises removing at least one support plate (fluororesin coating film 3) comprising removable material from the encapsulation ("the double-sided releasable fluororesin coating film 3 is peeled off", see par. 0013, figs. 1F, 2) such that an outer surface of the flexible photovoltaic element (flexible solar cell 10) used in a manufacture of a non-planar photovoltaic module is formed by an outer surface of the encapsulation exposed by the at least partially removed support plate (see par. 0013, figs. 1E, 1F, 2).
Fuji does not explicitly disclose using the flexible photovoltaic element in a manufacture of a non-planar photovoltaic module. However, it is implicit that it is one of the reasons behind making the photovoltaic element flexible, since traditional planar photovoltaic modules do not require flexible elements. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use a flexible photovoltaic element in a manufacture of a non-planar photovoltaic module as a matter of “obvious to try” because choosing from a finite number of identified, predictable solutions, with a reasonable expectation of success is not inventive KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395-97 (2007) (MPEP 2143 I.E).
Regarding claim 2, Fuji teaches the step of removing both the first and second support plates comprised of the removable material from the encapsulation such that the outer surface of the photovoltaic element is formed by the outer surface of the encapsulation exposed by the removed support plates. As shown in FIG. 2, the double-sided releasable fluororesin coating film 3 is peeled off after passing through the roll 19", see par. 0013, figs. 1E, 1F, 2).
Regarding claim 3, Fuji teaches the step heating the photovoltaic structure after the attachment of the second support plate for finishing the photovoltaic structure prior to a mechanical removal of each support plate intended to be removed. The photovoltaic structure is heated in the heating chamber 18, and the fluororesin coating films 3 are removed after exiting the heating chamber 18 and passing through the roll 19, see pars. 0012, 0013, fig. 2).
Regarding claim 4, Fuji teaches that the removable material is made of fluorine-based plastic. At least the surface of the support base used for the purpose of fixing and supporting the insulating sealing material, which is removed in a subsequent process, should have a releasability. Therefore, fluororesin films such as polyvinyl fluoride (PVF), tetrafluoroethylene / perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer (PFA), fluororesin coating, silicone resin coating, polyethylene and polyolefins with SIOx surface film formation Use film or metal foil", see par. 0009).
Regarding claim 5, Fuji teaches that the step fluorine-based plastic comprises polytetrafluoroethylene or ethylenetetrafluoroethylene ("fluororesin films such as tetrafluoroethylene / perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer (PFA)" see par. 0009).
Regarding claim 6, Fuji teaches the step of forming a removable film comprised of a removable material between each support plate to be removed and the encapsulation layer facing the support plate to be removed, for the removal of the respective support plate 6 ("At least the surface of the support base used for the purpose of fixing and supporting the insulating sealing material, which is removed in a subsequent process, should have a releasability" (see par. 0009), i.e. the fluororesin coating film 3 may be just the surface layer of the support plate (i.e. "the support base"/"the releasable supporting substrate" of D1) and therefore it is understood that such a surface layer corresponds to the subject matter of claim 6).
Regarding claim 7, Fuji teaches that the removable support plate is accomplished by removing a removable film of the removable support plate from the outer surface of the encapsulation (see pars. 0009, 0012, 0013, figs. 1E, 1F, 2).
Regarding claim 9, Fuji teaches that the removable film comprises a removable material coated on an inner surface of each removable support plate facing the encapsulation layer (see claim 6 above).
Regarding claim 11, Fuji teaches that the removable support plate is formed of a removable material ("At least the surface of the support base used for the purpose of fixing and supporting the insulating sealing material, which is removed in a subsequent process, should have a releasability" (see par. 0009). Based on the expression "at least", it is understood that the support plate may be formed solely of fluororesin coating film 3).
Regarding claim 12, Fuji teaches that a shape of a surface of the removable material facing the encapsulation determines a shape of an outer surface of the photovoltaic element (it is inevitable that the shape of the surface of the removable material (i.e. fluororesin coating film 3) facing the encapsulation (i.e. EVA film 2) determines a shape of an outer surface of the photovoltaic element, because the encapsulation layer is applied on the removable material layer, see figs. 1A-2).
Claims 13 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP H09153631 A (FUJI ELECTRIC CO LTD) in view of US 2015311371 A1 (Krishnamoorthy Sudarshan IDS 9/9/24)
Regarding claims 13 and 14, Fuji represents the closest prior art for claims 13/14. The difference between the technical features of the invention defined in claim 13 and the closest prior art is that claims 13/14 propose placing a third encapsulation layer between a conductive layer and a layer comprising photovoltaic cells. The third encapsulation layer comprises electrical connections between said surrounding layers. In Fuji, the technical effect obtained by the difference between the invention defined in claims 13/14 and the prior art disclosed in Fuji is that the components of the photovoltaic element are better encapsulated and protected. The objective technical problem to be solved by the invention according to claims 13/14 is therefore how to improve the encapsulation of the photovoltaic element manufactured by the manufacturing method. The solution defined in claims 13/14 is, in view of the prior art disclosed in Fuji, obvious to a person skilled in the art when taking into account that inserting an additional layer between the conductive layer and the layer comprising the photovoltaic cells, as such, is known from document Krishnamoorthy (see pars. 0037-0039, 0041, 0048, figs. 2, 8). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art to placing a third encapsulation layer between a conductive layer and a layer comprising photovoltaic cells as disclosed by Krishnamoorthy to make the components of the photovoltaic element better encapsulated and protected.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8 and 10 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 claim
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LEONARDO ANDUJAR whose telephone number is (571)272-1912. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Thursday 10 AM to 8 PM.
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, Patricia L Engle can be reached at (571)272-6660. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Leonardo Andujar/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3991 CRU
/LEONARDO ANDUJAR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3991
Prosecution Insights