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 .
Summary
This is the response to the Amendment/Request for reconsideration filed on 05/01/2026.
Claims 1-20 remain pending in the application with claims 7-20 are withdrawn from consideration.
Double Patenting
Claims 1-6 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-13 of U.S. Patent No. 12,166,139 in view of Eisenberg et al. (DE102008040).
Regarding claim 1, claims 1-2 of Pat. No. ‘139 recite the structural limitations of the claimed first solar cell including the interconnect that electrically connects the contact pad of the first solar cell and an insulating material positioned between the interconnect and the wrap-around metal finger, the insulating material configured to prevent a short between the interconnect and the wrap-around metal finger.
Claim 1 of Pat No. ‘139 does not recite the PV string with a second solar cell that is connected to the first solar cell via the interconnect.
Eisenberg discloses back contact solar cell similarly to the solar cell of claim 1 of Pat. No. ‘139; wherein, one solar cell is connected to an adjacent solar cell via the interconnect 20 with the insulating material positioned between the interconnect and the wrap-around metal finger and the insulating material is configured to prevent a short between the interconnect and the wrap-around metal finger.
At the time of the effective filing date of the invention, one with ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to modify claims 1-2 of Pat. No. ‘139 with the second solar cell to form the PV string as disclosed by Eisenberg in order to increase the amount of power generated by the PV with the additional solar cells.
Regarding claims 2-6, the limitations of claims 2-6 would have been obvious based on the limitations of claims 3-13 of Pat No. ‘139 and the teaching of Eisenberg.
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.
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.
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/BACH T DINH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1726 05/15/2026
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