DETAILED ACTION
Summary
This is the initial Office Action based on the Photovoltaic Module filed December 20, 2024.
Claims 1-20 are currently pending.
Claim Objections
Claim 10 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 10 recites, “an bracket” on line 9. Appropriate correction is required.
Amending “an bracket” to “a bracket” would overcome the objection.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 3-7, 12-15, 16, 19, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the other end of the first supporting portion" on line 7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Dependent claims are rejected for dependency.
Amending “the other end of the first supporting portion” to “another end of the first supporting portion” would overcome the rejections.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the other end of the second supporting portion" on line 7-8. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Dependent claims are rejected for dependency.
Amending “the other end of the second supporting portion” to “another end of the second supporting portion” would overcome the rejections.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the third groove" on line 3-4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Dependent claims are rejected for dependency.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the first connecting component" on line 10-11. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Dependent claims are rejected for dependency.
Claim 16 recites the limitation "the second connecting component" on line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 19 recites the limitation "the second groove" on line 5-6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Dependent claim is rejected for dependency.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 1 and 3-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Shakir et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2021/0159850 A1).
With regard to claim 1, Shakir et al. discloses a photovoltaic module, comprising
a laminated assembly (101, Fig. 1A-B) and
a frame, wherein the frame comprises a clamping frame (such as depicted detailed in Fig. 1A-B, a frame comprising a clamping fame 108/308),
the clamping frame is sleeved on an edge of the laminated assembly (as exemplified in Fig. 1B, the clamping frame 108/308 is sleeved on a left edge of the cited laminated assembly 101), the clamping frame comprises
a first clamping portion (as detailed in Fig. 3A and annotated Fig. 3A below, the clamping frame 308 comprises a first clamping portion),
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Annotated Fig. 3A
the first clamping portion is disposed on a side of the laminated assembly away from sunlight (as depicted in Fig. 1A-B and annotated Fig. 3A above, the cited first clamping portion is disposed on a bottom side of the cited laminated assembly 101 away from sunlight), the first clamping portion comprises
a first surface and a second surface (as depicted in Fig. 3A and annotated Fig. 3A above, a first top surface and a second top surface of the cited first clamping portion), wherein
along a thickness direction of the laminated assembly, the first surface and the second surface of the first clamping portion are both disposed on a side of the first clamping portion towards the laminated assembly (as depicted in Fig. 1A and annotated Fig. 3A above, along a vertical thickness direction of the cited laminated assembly 101, the cited first surface and the cited second surface of the cited first clamping portion are both disposed on a top side of the cited first clamping portion towards the cited laminated assembly 101),
the first surface and the second surface of the first clamping portion are both inclined and extend away from the laminated assembly (as depicted in Fig. 1A and annotated Fig. 3A above, the cited first surface and the cited second surface of the cited first clamping portion are both inclined and extend away from the bottom surface of the cited laminated assembly 101), and
the second surface of the first clamping portion is located on a side of the first
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surface of the first clamping portion away from the edge of the laminated assembly (as depicted in Fig. 1A and annotated Fig. 3A above, the cited second surface of the cited first clamping portion is located on a right side of the cited first surface of the cited first clamping portion away from the left edge of the cited laminated assembly 101); and
an angle α1 is defined between an inclined direction of the first surface of the first clamping portion and the thickness direction of the laminated assembly (as depicted in Fig. 1A and annotated Fig. 3A above, an angle α1 is defined between an inclined direction of the cited first surface of the cited first clamping portion and the vertical thickness direction of the cited laminated assembly 101),
an angle α2 is defined between an inclined direction of the second surface of the first clamping portion and the thickness direction of the laminated assembly (as depicted in Fig. 1A and annotated Fig. 3A above, an angle α2 is defined between an inclined direction of the cited second surface of the cited first clamping portion and the vertical thickness direction of the cited laminated assembly 101), and
the angle α1 between the inclined direction of the first surface of the first clamping portion and the thickness direction of the laminated assembly is less than the angle α2 between the inclined direction of the second surface of the first clamping portion and the thickness direction of the laminated assembly (as depicted in Fig. 1A and annotated Fig. 3A above, the cited angle α1 between the inclined direction of the cited first surface of the cited first clamping portion and the vertical thickness direction of the cited laminated assembly 101 is less than the cited angle α2 between the inclined direction of the cited second surface of the cited first clamping portion and the vertical thickness direction of the cited laminated assembly 101).
With regard to claim 3, Shakir et al. discloses wherein the frame further comprises
a first supporting portion, a second supporting portion and a third supporting portion (as depicted in Fig. 3A and annotated Fig. 3A above, a first vertical supporting portion, a second vertical supporting portion, and a third horizontal supporting portion),
the first supporting portion and the second supporting portion are disposed opposite to each other along a first direction (as depicted in Fig. 3A and annotated Fig. 3A above, the cited first supporting portion and the cited second supporting portion are disposed opposite to each other along a first horizontal direction),
the third supporting portion and the first clamping portion are disposed opposite to each other along the thickness direction of the laminated assembly (as depicted in Fig. 1A and annotated Fig. 3A above, the cited third supporting portion and the cited first clamping portion are disposed opposite to each other along the vertical thickness direction of the cited laminated assembly 101);
one end of the first supporting portion and one end of the second supporting portion are each connected to the first clamping portion (as depicted in Fig. 3A and annotated Fig. 3A above, one top end of the cited first supporting portion and one top end of the cited second supporting portion are each connected to the cited first clamping portion),
the other end of the first supporting portion and the other end of the second supporting portion are each connected to the third supporting portion (as depicted in Fig. 3A and annotated Fig. 3A above, the other bottom end of the cited first supporting portion and the other bottom end of the cited second supporting portion are each connected to the cited third supporting portion); and
the third supporting portion is configured to be fixedly connected to a roof (as depicted in annotated Fig. 3A above and Fig. 7B, and described in [0055] the cited third supporting potion is configured to be fixedly connected to a support structure or roof).
With regard to claim 4, Shakir et al. discloses wherein the frame further comprises
a second clamping portion and a third clamping portion (as depicted in Fig. 1A and annotated Fig. 3A’ below, a second clamping portion and a third clamping portion),
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Annotated Fig. 3A’
the third clamping portion and the first clamping portion are disposed opposite to each other along the thickness direction of the laminated assembly (as depicted in Fig. 1A and annotated Fig. 3A’ above, the cited third clamping portion and the cited first clamping portion are disposed opposite to each other along the vertical thickness direction of the cited laminated assembly 101),
the third clamping portion is disposed on a side of the laminated assembly towards the sunlight (as depicted in Fig. 1A and annotated Fig. 3A’ above, the cited third clamping portion is disposed on a top side of the cited laminated assembly 101 towards the sunlight),
two ends of the second clamping portion are connected to the first clamping portion and the third clamping portion respectively along the thickness direction of the laminated assembly (as depicted in Fig. 1A and annotated Fig. 3A’ above, the bottom and top ends of the cited second clamping portion are connected to the cited first clamping portion and the cited third clamping portion respectively along the vertical thickness direction of the cited laminated assembly 101); and
a distance between the second clamping portion and the first supporting portion along the first direction is greater than 0 (as depicted in Fig. 1A and annotated Fig. 3A’ above, a horizontal distance between the cited second clamping portion and the cited first supporting portion along the cited first horizontal direction is greater than 0).
With regard to claim 5, Shakir et al. discloses wherein
a first groove is defined by a top of the third clamping portion being bent towards the first clamping portion and the first clamping portion surrounding (as depicted in Fig. 3A and annotated Fig. 3A’ above, a first groove is defined by a top of the cited third clamping portion being bent towards the cited first clamping portion and the cited first clamping portion surrounding),
an orthographic projection of an end of the top of the third clamping portion towards the first clamping portion located on a surface of the first clamping portion overlaps with a connection point defined between the first supporting portion and the first clamping portion (as depicted in Fig. 3A and annotated Fig. 3A’ above, an orthographic projection of an end of the top of the cited third clamping portion towards the cited first clamping portion located on a top surface of the cited first clamping portion overlaps with a connection point defined between the cited first supporting portion and the cited first clamping portion).
With regard to claim 6, Shakir et al. discloses wherein the frame further comprises
an extending portion disposed on the first supporting portion (see, for example, the frame 408 detailed in Fig. 4A as comprising an extending portion 482 disposed on the cited first supporting portion),
the extending portion is disposed on a side of the first supporting portion away from the second supporting portion along the first direction (as depicted in Fig. 4A and annotated Fig. 3A above, the cited extending portion 482 is disposed on a left side of the cited first supporting portion away from the cited second supporting portion along the cited first horizontal direction);
the number of the extending portion is one, or a plurality of extending portions are arranged at intervals along the thickness direction of the laminated assembly (as depicted in Fig. 4A, the number of the cited extending portion 482 is one).
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.
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.
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shakir et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2021/0159850 A1).
With regard to claim 2, independent claim 1 is anticipated by Shakir et al. under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as discussed above.
Shakir et al. does not disclose wherein the angle α1 between the inclined direction of the first surface of the first clamping portion and the thickness direction of the laminated assembly satisfies following relationship: 90° < α1 ≤ 100° and/or the angle α2 between the inclined direction of the first surface of the first clamping portion and the thickness direction of the laminated assembly and the angle α1 between the inclined direction of the second surface of the first clamping portion and the thickness direction of the laminated assembly satisfy following relationship: 10° ≤ α2 - α1 ≤ 20°.
However, the angle α1 and/or the angle α1 is a result effective variable and Shakir et al. teaches the angle directly affects the reduction of edge loading concentrations on the PV laminate to inhibit breakage of the PV laminate (see [0032]).
Thus, at the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have optimized the angle α1 and/or the angle α1 in the photovoltaic module of Shakir et al. and arrive at the claimed ranges through routine experimentation (see MPEP 2144.05); especially since it would have led to optimizing the reduction of edge loading concentrations on the PV laminate to inhibit breakage of the PV laminate.
Claim(s) 7 and 10-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shakir et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2021/0159850 A1) in view of Gong et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2022/0103117 A1).
With regard to claim 7, dependent claim 3 is anticipated by Shakir et al. under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as discussed above. Shakir et al. discloses wherein
the first clamping portion, the first supporting portion, the third supporting portion and the second supporting portion are surrounded to define a cavity (as depicted in Fig. 3A and annotated Fig. 3A above, the cited first clamping portion, the cited first supporting portion, the cited third supporting portion and the cited second supporting portion are surrounded to define a cavity).
Shakir et al. does not disclose the cavity is provided with a reinforcing frame; and the number of the reinforcing frame is at least two, two adjacent reinforcing frames are connected to each other to be V-shaped or X-shaped.
However, Gong et al. discloses a photovoltaic module (see Title and Abstract) and teaches a frame (see Fig. 9) wherein a first clamping portion 1, a first supporting portion 7, a third supporting portion 2, and a second supporting portion 3 are surrounded to define a cavity 20 (see Fig. 9).
Gong et al. teaches the cavity 20 is provided with a reinforcing frame 20B, and the number of the reinforcing frame is at least two, two adjacent reinforcing frames 20B1/20B2 are connected to each other to be X-shaped (see Fig. 9).
Gong et al. teaches the inclusion of the reinforcing frame further strengthens the frame to prevent deformation under external force (see [0112]).
Thus, at the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have modified the cavity in the frame of Shakir et al. to include the reinforcing frame suggested by Gong et al. because it would further strengthen the frame to prevent deformation under external force.
With regard to claim 10, dependent claim 7 is obvious over Shakir et al. in view of Gong et al. under 35 U.S.C. 103 as discussed above. Shakir et al. discloses further comprising
a photovoltaic-module mounting structure (such as detailed in Fig. 7B, a photovoltaic-module mounting structure 700/710/715/717), wherein
the photovoltaic-module mounting structure comprises a fixing assembly (see Fig. 7B detailing the cited photovoltaic-module mounting structure comprising a fixing assembly 700/710/715/717);
the clamping frame is provided a first groove configured to accommodate the laminated assembly (as depicted in Fig. 1A and annotated Fig. 7B below, the clamp frame 108/708 is provided a first groove configured to accommodate the laminate assembly 101);
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Annotated Fig. 7B
an outer surface wall of the cavity is provided with a snapping portion (as depicted in Fig. 7B and annotated Fig. 7B above, a left outer surface wall of the cited cavity is provided with a snapping portion which includes first and second snapping components),
the snapping portion and the cavity are sequentially arranged along an opening direction of the first groove (as depicted in Fig. 7B and annotated Fig. 7B above, the cited snapping portion and the cited cavity are sequentially arranged along a horizontal opening direction of the cited first groove);
the fixing assembly comprises an inserting portion connected to the snapping portion (as depicted in Fig. 7B, annotated Fig. 7B above, and annotated Fig. 7B’ below, the cited fixing assembly comprises an inserting portion connected to the cited snapping portion),
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Annotated Fig. 7B’
the fixing assembly further comprises a connecting portion and a fixing portion (as depicted in Fig. 7B and annotated Fig. 7B’ above, the cited fixing assembly further comprises a connecting portion and a fixing portion 700),
the inserting portion is connected to the fixing portion via the connecting portion (as depicted in Fig. 7B and annotated Fig. 7B’ above, the cited inserting portion is connected to the cited fixing portion 700 via the cited connecting portion), and
the fixing portion is configured to fix an bracket (as depicted in Fig. 7B and annotated Fig. 7B’ above and described in [0055], the cited fixing portion 700 is configured/designed to fix a bracket because it is designed to fix to a support structure on a roof).
With regard to claim 11, dependent claim 10 is obvious over Shakir et al. in view of Gong et al. under 35 U.S.C. 103 as discussed above. Shakir et al. discloses wherein
the snapping portion comprises a first snapping component and a second snapping component opposite to each other (as depicted in Fig. 7B and annotated Fig. 7B above, the cited snapping portion comprises a first snapping component and a second snapping component opposite to each other),
the first snapping component is disposed on a side of the second snapping component towards the first groove (as depicted in Fig. 7B and annotated Fig. 7B above, the cited first snapping component is disposed on a side of the cited second snapping component towards the cited first groove); and
the inserting portion comprises a snapping block (as depicted in Fig. 7B and annotated Fig. 7B’ above, the cited inserting portion comprises a snapping block),
the snapping block is snapped between the first snapping component and the second snapping component (as depicted in Fig. 7B and annotated Fig. 7B’ above, the cited snapping block is snapped between the cited first snapping component and the cited second snapping component).
With regard to claim 12, dependent claim 11 is obvious over Shakir et al. in view of Gong et al. under 35 U.S.C. 103 as discussed above. Shakir et al. discloses wherein
the first snapping component is provided with a second groove (as depicted in Fig. 7B and annotated Fig. 7B above, the cited first snapping component is provided with a second groove),
a side of the second groove towards the first groove is recessed (as depicted in Fig. 7B and annotated Fig. 7B above, a top side of the second groove towards the first groove is recessed),
the second snapping component is provided with a third clamping portion (as depicted in Fig. 7B and annotated Fig. 7B above, the cited second snapping component is provided with a third clamping portion/third groove),
a side of the third groove away from the first groove is recessed (as depicted in Fig. 7B and annotated Fig. 7B above, a bottom side of the third groove away from the cited first groove is recessed),
the second groove and the third groove are symmetrically arranged (as depicted in Fig. 7B and annotated Fig. 7B above, the cited second groove and the cited third groove are symmetrically arranged);
two ends of the snapping block are snapped with the second groove and the third groove, respectively (as depicted in Fig. 7B and annotated Fig. 7B above, two top and bottom ends of the cited snapping block are snapped with the cited second groove and the cited third groove, respectively); and/or the snapping block is provided with a first hole, the first hole penetrates through the snapping block along the opening direction of the first groove; an outer sidewall of the cavity is provided with a second hole corresponding to the first hole, the second hole penetrates through the outer sidewall of the cavity along the opening direction of the first groove, the snapping block is connected to the outer sidewall of the cavity via the first connecting component.
With regard to claim 13, dependent claim 12 is obvious over Shakir et al. in view of Gong et al. under 35 U.S.C. 103 as discussed above. Shakir et al. discloses wherein
the connecting portion is disposed on a side of the snapping block away from the first groove (as depicted in Fig. 7B, annotated Fig. 7B above, and annotated Fig. 7B’ above, the cited connecting portion is disposed on a left side of the cited snapping block away from the cited first groove),
a section of the connecting portion along a direction from a side of the clamping frame towards the cavity is in an inverted-L shape (as depicted in Fig. 7B and annotated Fig. 7B’ above, a section of the cited connecting portion along a direction from a side of the cited clamping frame towards the cited cavity is in an inverted-L shape).
With regard to claim 14, dependent claim 13 is obvious over Shakir et al. in view of Gong et al. under 35 U.S.C. 103 as discussed above. Shakir et al. discloses wherein
the connecting portion comprises a transverse plate and a vertical plate (as depicted in Fig. 7B and annotated Fig. 7B’’ below, the cited connecting portion comprises a transverse plate and a vertical plate),
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the vertical plate is connected to the transverse plate, an inverted-L structure is defined between the transverse plate and the vertical plate (as depicted in Fig. 7B and annotated Fig. 7B’’ above, the cited vertical plate is connected to the cited transverse plate, an inverted-L structure is defined between the cited transverse plate and the cited vertical plate),
the transverse plate is connected to a side of the snapping block away from the cavity (as depicted in Fig. 7B and annotated Fig. 7B’’ above, the cited transverse plate is connected to a left side of the cited snapping block away from the cited cavity),
the vertical plate is connected to an end of the fixing portion (as depicted in Fig. 7B and annotated Fig. 7B’’ above, the cited vertical plate is connected to an end of the cited fixing portion), and
the fixing portion extends toward or away from a bottom wall of the cavity (as depicted in Fig. 7B and annotated Fig. 7B’’ above, the fixing portion extends away from a bottom wall of the cited cavity).
With regard to claim 15, dependent claim 13 is obvious over Shakir et al. in view of Gong et al. under 35 U.S.C. 103 as discussed above. Shakir et al. discloses wherein
an orthographic projection of the connecting portion, an orthographic projection of the snapping block and an orthographic projection of the laminated assembly along a direction from the clamping frame towards the cavity all overlaps with an orthographic projection of the fixing portion; and/or an orthographic projection of the inserting portion, an orthographic projection of the connecting portion and an orthographic projection of the laminated assembly along a direction from the clamping frame towards the cavity all does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the fixing portion (as depicted in Fig. 1A, annotated Fig. 7B above, annotated Fig. 7B’ above, an orthographic projection of the cited connecting portion, an orthographic projection of the cited snapping block and an orthographic projection of the cited laminated assembly 101 along a direction from the cited clamping frame towards the cited cavity all overlaps with an orthographic projection of the cited fixing portion; and/or an orthographic projection of the cited inserting portion, an orthographic projection of the cited connecting portion and an orthographic projection of the cited laminated assembly 101 along a direction from the cited clamping frame towards the cited cavity all does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the cited fixing portion).
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shakir et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2021/0159850 A1) in view of Suganuma et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2012/0118382 A1).
With regard to claim 8, independent claim 1 is anticipated by Shakir et al. under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as discussed above.
Shakir et al. does not disclose further comprising a junction box.
However, Suganuma et al. discloses a photovoltaic module (see Title and Abstract) and teaches combining a laminated assembly with a junction box (7, Fig. 2), wherein the junction box 7 is disposed on a side of the laminated assembly where a shorter side of the laminated assembly is located (see Fig. 2); and the junction box is an integrated junction box, the integrated junction box is connected to a positive pole and a negative pole of the laminated assembly (see Fig. 2).
Suganuma et al. teaches the junction box is used to draw out direct current power generated by the photovoltaic cells (see [0028]).
Thus, at the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have combined the laminated assembly of Shakir et al. with the junction box, as suggested by Suganuma et al., because the combination of elements known in the prior art is a matter of obviousness (see MPEP 2143 A) and because it would have provided for drawing out direct current power generated by the photovoltaic cells.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shakir et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2021/0159850 A1) in view of Chen et al. (CN 113452321 A) and Li et al. (CN 113489452 A).
With regard to claim 9, independent claim 1 is anticipated by Shakir et al. under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as discussed above.
Shakir et al. does not disclose further comprising a junction box and an inverter.
However, Chen et al. discloses a photovoltaic module (see Title and Abstract) and teaches a the back of the photovoltaic component a junction box and inverter can be fixed (see Abstract). Chen et al. teaches the junction box 1 and inverter 2 having portions which are arranged along a first horizontal direction on the back of the photovoltaic component (see Abstract and Fig. 3)
Chen et al. teaches the combination of the junction box and inverter with the photovoltaic component increases generating efficiency of the assembly (see Abstract).
Thus, at the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have combined the laminated assembly of Shakir et al. with the junction box and inverter, as suggested by Chen et al., because the combination of elements known in the prior art is a matter of obviousness (see MPEP 2143 A) and because it would have provided increased generating efficiency of the assembly.
Shakir et al., as modified above, does not disclose wherein distance between the inverter and an edge of the photovoltaic module in the first and second direction satisfy the claimed ranges.
However, the distances between the edges of the photovoltaic module and the inverter is a result effective variable. Li et al. discloses a photovoltaic module (see Title and Abstract) and teaches the location of the junction box on the photovoltaic module directly affects the length of the connecting cables and thus the cost of the photovoltaic module (see [0003]).
Thus, at the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have optimized the distance between the junction box and edges of the photovoltaic module of Shakir et al., as modified above, and arrive at the claimed ranges for L1 and L2 through routine experimentation (see MPEP 2144.05); especially since it would have led to optimizing the length of the connecting cables and thus the cost of the photovoltaic module since the cited inverter of modified Shakir et al. is positioned with the cited junction box.
Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shakir et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2021/0159850 A1) in view of Gong et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2022/0103117 A1), and in further view of Jiang (WO 2023104098 A1).
With regard to claim 16, dependent claim 10 is obvious over Shakir et al. in view of Gong et al. under 35 U.S.C. 103 as discussed above.
Shakir et al. does not disclose wherein the fixing portion comprises a fixing block provided with a hole.
However, Jiang discloses a photovoltaic module (see Title and Abstract) and teaches wherein a fixing portion comprises a fixing block (middle portion of 200 , Fig. 6B), the fixing block is provided with a third hole, the third hole penetrates through the cited fixing block along a vertical direction from a clamping frame to a first clamping portion (see Fig. 6B); and the cited fixing block is connected to a bracket via a second connecting component 211 (see Fig. 6B).
Jiang teaches the design of the fixing portion allows fixing a frame to the bracket 400 (see Fig. 6B).
Thus, at the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill to have modified the fixing portion in the photovoltaic module of Shakir et al. to include the fixing portion design of Jiang because it would have allowed for fixing the frame to a bracket.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 17 and 18 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.
Conclusion
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/DUSTIN Q DAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1721 December 19, 2025