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 initial Office Action based on the 19/089,274 application filed on 03/25/2025.
Claims 1-20 are currently pending and have been fully considered.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Objections
Claim 9 objected to because of the following informalities: the phrase “a second connection portions is” (emphasis added) should be amended to “a second connection portion is”. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-9, 13 and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Xu et al. (US 2023/0139905).
Addressing claim 1, Xu discloses a solar cell (title, fig. 5, [0057]), comprising:
a solar cell substrate (8-11);
collector electrodes (fingers 2) and bus electrode sections (4/1, fig. 1, [0023]) arranged on a target surface of the solar cell substrate, wherein the target surface is a light receiving surface or a back surface of the solar cell substrate [0055], wherein the collector electrodes 2 extend along a first direction (y-direction, fig. 1) and distributed at intervals along a second direction (x-direction) different from the first direction, wherein the bus electrode sections (5+7) extend along the second direction (x-direction) and are located in edge regions at two ends of the target surface opposite to each other along the second direction (annotated fig. 1 below), wherein the bus electrode sections are electrically coupled to a portion of the collector electrodes 2 having the same conductivity type as the bus electrode sections (fig. 3 shows the sections 5 and 6 of the bus electrode sections are electrically coupled to a portion of the collector electrodes 2 having the same conductivity type);
first connection portions 3 arranged on a side of the bus electrode sections, the side facing away from an edge of the solar cell substrate along the second direction (fig. 3 and annotated fig. 1 below show the claimed arrangement), wherein the first connection portions are electrically coupled to corresponding bus electrode sections (fig. 3).
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Addressing claim 2, annotated fig. 3 shows the claimed sides of the first connection portions 3 facing away from the bus electrode sections are not connected to collector electrodes 2 that are adjacent to the first connection portions along the second direction and have a same conductivity type as the first connection portions.
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Addressing claim 3, annotated fig. 1 above shows the bus electrode sections located at a same end of the target surface are distributed at intervals along the first direction, wherein two of the bus electrode sections arranged at different ends of the target surface are not connected.
Addressing claim 5, fig. 2 shows a quantity of the collector electrodes 2 located in an edge region (the upper edge) of the edge regions is 10, which is less than 12% of the total quantity of the collector electrodes located on the target surface.
Addressing claim 6, fig. 3 shows the length of the first connection portions 3 along the first direction is I1, which is between 1.2 mm to 1.8 mm [0046] that falls within the claimed range. Paragraph [0047] discloses the connection portions 3 are in contact with the sub-busbars 4 and the length of the contact region, which corresponds to the claimed width along the second direction, is between 0.5 mm to 5 mm that falls within the claimed range.
Addressing claim 7, annotated fig. 1 below shows the claimed second connection portions with the fingers 2 connected to the annotated second connection portions as the claimed second-type collector electrodes.
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Addressing claim 8, annotated fig. 1 above shows the entirety of the second connection portions 3 are arranged in parallel along the second direction (x-direction). The center lines of the second connection portions along the second direction (x-direction) are colinear with a center line of at least one of the bus electrode sections along the second direction (the center line of the bus-electrode sections is the center line between end portions 7).
Addressing claim 9, annotated fig. 1 above shows the second connection portions are arranged in parallel along the second direction and one second connection portion 3 is separated from an adjacent second connection portion by a gap along the second direction and at least one of the collector electrode 2 is disconnected at the gap as claimed.
Addressing claim 13, the bus electrode sections of Xu are made of conductive material; therefore, any point on the bus electrode section corresponds to the claimed voltage test point. The recitation of the claimed voltage test point does not structurally differentiate the claimed solar cell from that of the prior art because the claim does not recite any particulars associated with the voltage test point to structurally differentiate the claimed voltage test point from that of the prior art.
Addressing claim 19, annotated fig. 1 below shows the claimed two first-type bus electrode sections and second-type bus electrode sections located in the claimed positions. The second-type bus electrode sections are in contact with corresponding first connection portions 3, and the second-type bus electrode sections do not extend through the corresponding first connection portions along the second direction (fig. 3).
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Addressing claim 20, paragraph [0037] discloses widths of the sides of the connection end portions 7 away from the electrode pads 3 are greater than or equal to 0.1 mm or 100 µm that falls within the claimed range; a width of the bus electrode sections 7 increases along a direction toward the first connection portions 3 (fig. 3); and a quantity of the bus electrode sections located at a same end of the target surface is 9, which falls within the claimed range.
Claim(s) 1-5, 7-9, 11, 13-15 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Huang et al. (CN115377231 with provided machine English translation).
Addressing claims 1 and 16, Huang discloses in fig. 10 a photovoltaic module, comprising:
one or more solar cells 20, wherein a solar cell comprises:
a solar cell substrate 100;
collector electrodes 120 and bus electrode sections 144 (figs. 3 and 6) arranged on a target surface of the solar cell substrate, wherein the target surface is a light receiving surface or a back surface of the solar cell substrate (light receiving or upper surface as shown in fig. 2), wherein the collector electrodes extend along a first direction (X-direction, fig. 1) and distributed at intervals along a second direction (Y-direction, fig. 1) different from the first direction, wherein the bus electrode sections extend along the second direction and are located in edge regions at two ends of the target surface opposite to each other along the second direction (fig. 1), wherein the bus electrode sections 144 are electrically coupled to a portion of the collector electrodes having a same conductivity type as the bus electrode sections (fig. 1); and
first connection portions 141 (sub-connecting pads, [n0057]) arranged on a side of the bus electrode sections, the side facing away from an edge 102 of the solar cell substrate along the second direction (fig. 3), wherein the first connection portions 141 are electrically coupled to the corresponding bus electrode sections 144 (fig. 3),
interconnectors (fig. 10, the electrical structures interconnecting adjacent solar cells 20, paragraphs [n0024 and n0038] disclose solder ribbons as the claimed interconnectors) configured to connect adjacent solar cells 20 in series [n0071], wherein the interconnectors are soldered to the first connection portions [n0024, n0038], wherein terminals of the interconnectors exceed the first connection portions (the terminals of the interconnectors exceed the first connection portions in order to extend beyond the connection portions of one solar to form electrical contact with the connection portions of the adjacent solar cell).
Addressing claim 2, figs. 3 and 6 show sides of the first connection portions 141 (the sides of the connection portions that are connected to the corresponding fifth section 146) facing away from the bus electrode sections 144 are not connected to collector electrodes that are adjacent to the first connection portions along the second direction and have a same conductivity type as the first connection portions.
Addressing claim 3, fig. 3 shows the bus electrode sections 144 located at a same end of the target surface are distributed at intervals along the first X-direction, wherein two of the bus electrode sections arranged oppositely at different gets of the target surface are not connected (the bus electrode sections 144 are separated and are not directly connected, which meets the limitation of current claim).
Addressing claim 4, Huang implicitly discloses a length of at least one of the bus electrode sections 144 along the second direction is less than or equal to 10 mm because fig. 3 and paragraph [n0046] discloses the distance S between the connecting pad 113 and the edge 102 is 3mm, 5.8mm or 9.4 mm, which is less than 10 mm. Fig. 3 shows the length of the bus electrode sections 144 is less than the spacing S between the connecting pad 113 and the edge 102; therefore, the length of the bus electrode is less than 10 mm as claimed. Furthermore, fig. 3 shows the length of the bus electrode sections 144 is approximately the spacing of four secondary electrodes 120 along the second Y-direction and there are sixty secondary electrodes 120 along the second Y-direction; therefore, the length of the bus electrode sections 144 is less than 12% of the width of the solar cell substrate in the second Y-direction.
Addressing claim 5, fig. 3 of Huang shows five collector electrodes 120 at each edge region 102, which results in the ratio of the quantity of the collector electrodes in the edge region to a total quantity of the collector electrodes located on the target surface being less than 12% based on the total number of collector electrodes 120 on the target surface.
Addressing claim 7, figs 8-10 of Huang show back-contact solar cell where the collector electrodes comprise first-type collector electrodes 121 that are connected to the bus electrode sections and second-type collector electrodes 122 electrically coupled to the second connection portions (see annotated fig. 8 below).
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Addressing claim 8, fig. 8 shows at least a portion of the second connection portions (the connection portions electrically coupled to the second type collector electrodes 122) are arranged in parallel along the second Y-direction and the center lines of the at least a portion of the second connection portions along the second direction are colinear with a center line of at least one of the bus electrode sections along the second direction.
Addressing claim 9, fig. 8 shows at least a portion of the second connection portions are arranged in parallel along the second Y-direction, wherein a second connection portion is separated from an adjacent second connection portion by a gap along the second direction (fig. 8 shows multiple connection portions that are the second connection portions being arranged long the same line along the second Y-direction and are separated from each other), wherein at least one of the collector electrodes 146 is continuous at the gap.
Addressing claim 11, fig. 8 shows the back-contact solar cell a bus electrode section (the bus electrode section electrically connected to the collector electrode 121) is spaced from an edge 102 by a first distance, and an adjacent bus electrode section (the bus electrode section electrically connected to the collector electrode 122) adjacent to the bus electrode section and having an opposite conductivity type (fig. 9) is spaced from the edge 102 of the solar cell substrate by a second distance that is not equal to the first distance as claimed.
Addressing claim 13, the bus electrode sections of Huang are made of conductive material; therefore, any point on the bus electrode section corresponds to the claimed voltage test point. The recitation of the claimed voltage test point does not structurally differentiate the claimed solar cell from that of the prior art because the claim does not recite any particulars associated with the voltage test point to structurally differentiate the claimed voltage test point from that of the prior art.
Addressing claim 14, figs. 8-9 of Huang disclose the target surface is the back surface, wherein the bus electrode sections located in a same edge region 102 comprise:
two first-type bus electrode sections 130 located outermost along the first X-direction among the bus electrode sections; and
second-type bus electrode sections 140 located between the two first-type bus electrode sections,
wherein the first-type bus electrode sections are located on an outer side of an end of corresponding ones of the collector electrodes close to an edge of the solar cell substrate along the first direction (fig. 8),
wherein the solar cell further comprises connection electrode sections (136 or 137, fig. 4), wherein the first type bus electrode sections are electrically coupled to corresponding ones of the first connection portions (the sub-connection pads along the length of the first type bus electrode 130) by the connection electrode sections (136 or 137).
Addressing claim 15, fig. 8 of Huang shows the solar cell is a back contact solar cell, wherein at least a portion of the collector electrodes (121 or 122) located at the edge regions are non-continuous collector electrodes, wherein the non-continuous collector electrodes have a discontinuity to be spaced apart the second-type bus electrode sections having a conductivity type opposite to that of the non-continuous collector electrodes (the non-continuous collector electrodes 121 have discontinuity to be spaced apart the bus electrode sections connected to the collector electrode 122 that has a conductivity type opposite to that of the non-continuous collector electrodes 121; the reverse is true for the non-continuous collector electrodes 122 with respect to the bus electrode sections connected to the collector electrodes 121), wherein two ends of the non-continuous collector electrodes along the first direction are spaced apparat by the first-type bus electrode sections 130 having a conductivity type opposite to that of the non-continuous collector electrodes (fig. 8).
Claim(s) 1-3, 5, 7, 14-15 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wang et al. (US 11,588,060).
Addressing claim 1, Wang discloses a solar cell, comprising:
a solar cell substrate (fig. 4);
collector electrodes (10 and 20) and bus electrode sections (annotated fig. 4) arranged on a target surface that is a back surface of the solar cell substrate (title), wherein the collector electrodes (10 and 20) extend along a first direction (horizontal section) and distributed at intervals along a second direction (vertical direction) different from the first direction, wherein the bus electrode sections extend along the second direction and are located in edge regions at two ends of the target substrate opposite to each other along the second direction, wherein the bus electrode sections are electrically coupled to a portion of the collector electrodes (10 and 20) having a same conductivity type as the bus electrode sections (fig. 4); and
first connection portions (annotated fig. 4) arranged on a side of the bus electrode sections, the side facing away from an edge of the solar cell substrate along the second direction, wherein the first connection sections are electrically coupled to corresponding bus electrode sections (fig. 4).
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Addressing claim 2, annotated fig. 4 above shows the sides of the first connection portions facing away from the bus electrode sections are not connected to collector electrodes that are adjacent to the first connection portions along the second direction and have a same conductivity type as the first connection portions.
Addressing claim 3, annotated fig. 4 above shows the bus electrode sections located at the same end of the target surface are distributed at intervals along the first direction (horizontal direction), wherein two of the bus electrode sections arranged oppositely at different ends of the target surface are not connected because they are separated and are not directly connected.
Addressing claim 5, fig. 4 shows four collector electrodes located in an edge region in comparison to 40+ collector electrodes on the back surface of the solar cell, which results in the claimed ratio.
Addressing claim 7, fig. 4 shows the collector electrodes (10 and 20) comprise first-type collector electrodes 10 that are connected to the bus electrode sections (black bus electrode sections), and second-type collector electrodes 20 electrically coupled to the second connection portions (the white connection portions).
Addressing claim 13, the bus electrode sections of Wang are made of conductive material; therefore, any point on the bus electrode section corresponds to the claimed voltage test point. The recitation of the claimed voltage test point does not structurally differentiate the claimed solar cell from that of the prior art because the claim does not recite any particulars associated with the voltage test point to structurally differentiate the claimed voltage test point from that of the prior art.
Addressing claim 14, fig. 4 shows the target surface is a back surface, wherein the bus electrode sections located in a same edge region comprise:
two first-type bus electrode sections 51 and 52 located outermost along the first direction among the bus electrode sections; and
second-type bus electrode sections 31 and 32 located between the first-type bus electrode sections,
wherein the first-type bus electrode sections are located on an outer side of an end of corresponding ones of the collector electrodes close to an edge of the solar cell substrate along the first direction (fig. 4),
wherein the solar cell further comprises connection electrode sections 41 and 42, wherein the first type bus electrode sections are electrically coupled to one of the first connection portions 31 and 32 by the connection electrode sections.
Addressing claim 15, Wang discloses the solar cell is back contact solar cell (title), wherein at least a portion of the collector electrodes 10 located in the edge regions are non-continuous collector electrodes, wherein the non-continuous collector electrodes have a discontinuity to be spaced apart the second-type bus electrode sections (the white bus electrode sections) having a conductivity type opposite to that of the non-continuous collector electrodes, wherein two ends of the non-continuous collector electrodes along the first direction are spaced apart by the first type bus electrode sections 52 having a conductivity type opposite to that of the non-continuous collector electrodes.
Claim(s) 1-2, 5-9 and 12-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yang et al. (CN117558818 with provided machine English translation).
Addressing claim 1, Yang discloses a solar cell (fig. 8), comprising:
a solar cell substrate;
collector electrodes (annotated fig. 1) and bus electrode sections arranged on a target surface of the solar cell substrate, wherein the target surface is a light receiving surface of the solar cell substrate, wherein the collector electrodes extend along a first direction (B) and distributed at intervals along a second direction (A) different from the first direction, wherein the bus electrode sections extend along the second direction and are located in edge regions at wo ends of the target surface opposite to each other along the second direction (fig. 8), wherein the bus electrode sections are electrically coupled to a portion of the collector electrodes having a same conductivity type as the bus electrode sections (fig. 1); and
first connection portions 2 arranged on a side of the bus electrode sections, the side facing away from an edge of the solar cell substrate along the second direction, wherein the first connection portions 2 are electrically coupled to corresponding bus electrode sections (fig. 1).
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Addressing claim 2, fig. 1 shows sides of the first connection portions (the lower side of the connection portions 2) facing away from the bus electrode sections are not connected to collector electrodes that are adjacent to the first connection portions along the second direction and have a same conductivity type as the first connection portions.
Addressing claim 5, fig. 8 clearly shows the ratio of the quantity of the collector electrodes located in an edge region of the edge regions to a total quantity of the collector electrodes located on the target surface is less than or equal to 12.
Addressing claim 6, fig. 2 shows the width W1 as the equivalence to the claimed a length of the first connection portions along the first direction is between 1.5 mm and 2.2 mm [n0113] that falls within the claimed range; wherein a length L1 as the equivalence to the claimed width of the first connection portions along the second direction is between 1.8 mm and 5 mm [n0112], which falls within the claimed range.
Addressing claim 7, wherein the collector electrodes comprises first-type collector electrodes that are connected to the bus electrode sections (fig. 1), and second-type collector electrodes (the collector electrodes shown in fig. 4), and wherein the solar cell further comprises second connection portions 23 (intermediate pad, [n0117]) electrically coupled to at least one of the second-type collector electrodes (fig. 4).
Addressing claim 8, fig. 8 shows at least a portion of the second connection portions (the intermediate pads 23) are arranged in parallel along the second direction, wherein center lines of at least a portion of the second connection portions 23 along the second direction are colinear with a center line of at least one of the bus electrode sections along the second direction.
Addressing claim 9, fig. 8 shows at least a portion of the second connection portions 23 are arranged in parallel along the second direction, wherein a second connection portion is separated from an adjacent second connection by a gap along the second direction, wherein at least one of the collector electrodes is disconnected at the gap (fig. 4), or at least one of the collector electrodes is continuous at the gap (figs. 1 and 8 show some continuous collector electrodes in the gap separating the second connection portions).
Addressing claim 10, figs. 4-5 show a length W3 of the second connection portions along the first direction is between 1.5 mm and 2.2 mm, that falls within the claimed range; a width L1 of the first connection portions is greater than the width L2 of the second connection portions, and a length W1 of the first connection portions is equal to a length W3 of the second connection portions [n0112 and n0159], and wherein the second cell further comprises a second conductive material (solder material, [n0099]) arranged on the second connection portions.
Addressing claim 12, fig. 8 shows the solar cell further comprises an edge bus electrode (annotated fig. 1 above) arranged at an end of the solar cell substrate along the first direction and extending along the second direction, wherein a maximum width of the edge bus electrode being less than a maximum width of the bus electrode sections.
Addressing claim 13, the bus electrode sections of Yang are made of conductive material; therefore, any point on the bus electrode section corresponds to the claimed voltage test point. The recitation of the claimed voltage test point does not structurally differentiate the claimed solar cell from that of the prior art because the claim does not recite any particulars associated with the voltage test point to structurally differentiate the claimed voltage test point from that of the prior art.
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.
Claim(s) 16-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu et al. (US 2023/0139905) in view of Wang et al. (US 2017/0018672).
Addressing claim 16, Xu discloses a solar cell (title, fig. 5, [0057]), comprising:
a solar cell substrate (8-11);
collector electrodes (fingers 2) and bus electrode sections (4/1, fig. 1, [0023]) arranged on a target surface of the solar cell substrate, wherein the target surface is a light receiving surface or a back surface of the solar cell substrate [0055], wherein the collector electrodes 2 extend along a first direction (y-direction, fig. 1) and distributed at intervals along a second direction (x-direction) different from the first direction, wherein the bus electrode sections (5+7) extend along the second direction (x-direction) and are located in edge regions at two ends of the target surface opposite to each other along the second direction (annotated fig. 1 below), wherein the bus electrode sections are electrically coupled to a portion of the collector electrodes 2 having the same conductivity type as the bus electrode sections (fig. 3 shows the sections 5 and 6 of the bus electrode sections are electrically coupled to a portion of the collector electrodes 2 having the same conductivity type);
first connection portions 3 arranged on a side of the bus electrode sections, the side facing away from an edge of the solar cell substrate along the second direction (fig. 3 and annotated fig. 1 below show the claimed arrangement), wherein the first connection portions are electrically coupled to corresponding bus electrode sections (fig. 3).
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Xu further discloses solder strips connected the solar cells into solar cell string [0003] via the connection portions 3 [0026], which implies the solder strips being soldered to the first connection portions. Xu further discloses the solar cell is PERC double-sided cell. However, Xu is silent regarding the interconnectors configured to connect adjacent solar cells in series and terminals of the interconnectors exceed the first connection portions.
Wang discloses a plurality of PERC solar cells ([0023], figs. 2-4) are interconnected in series via interconnectors 160 [0040] and terminals of the interconnectors exceed extend beyond the solar cell.
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 the photovoltaic module of Xu with the interconnectors connecting the a plurality of PERC solar cells in series as disclosed by Wang in order to obtain the predictable result of forming the solar cell string as desired by Xu.
Addressing claim 17, Wang discloses the width of the interconnector is the same as the width of the bus electrode [0040]; therefore, 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 the module of Xu in view of Wang to have the interconnectors with the same width as that of the connection portions as disclosed by Wang, which results in a length by which the bus electrode sections exceed the first connection portions being zero that falls within the claimed range of less than or equal to 2 mm.
Claim(s) 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu et al. (US 2023/0139905) in view of Wang et al. (US 2017/0018672) and Ding et al. (CN106229381 with provided machine English translation).
Addressing claim 18, Xu discloses a method for manufacturing a photovoltaic module, comprising:
forming solar cells [0055], wherein a solar cell comprises:
a solar cell substrate (8-11);
collector electrodes (fingers 2) and bus electrode sections (4/1, fig. 1, [0023]) arranged on a target surface of the solar cell substrate, wherein the target surface is a light receiving surface or a back surface of the solar cell substrate [0055], wherein the collector electrodes 2 extend along a first direction (y-direction, fig. 1) and distributed at intervals along a second direction (x-direction) different from the first direction, wherein the bus electrode sections (5+7) extend along the second direction (x-direction) and are located in edge regions at two ends of the target surface opposite to each other along the second direction (annotated fig. 1 below), wherein the bus electrode sections are electrically coupled to a portion of the collector electrodes 2 having the same conductivity type as the bus electrode sections (fig. 3 shows the sections 5 and 6 of the bus electrode sections are electrically coupled to a portion of the collector electrodes 2 having the same conductivity type);
first connection portions 3 arranged on a side of the bus electrode sections, the side facing away from an edge of the solar cell substrate along the second direction (fig. 3 and annotated fig. 1 below show the claimed arrangement), wherein the first connection portions are electrically coupled to corresponding bus electrode sections (fig. 3).
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Xu further discloses solder strips connected the solar cells into solar cell string [0003] via the connection portions 3 [0026], which implies the solder strips being soldered to the first connection portions. Xu further discloses the solar cell is PERC double-sided cell. However, Xu is silent regarding connecting adjacent solar cells in series by interconnectors using an infrared soldering process.
Wang discloses a plurality of PERC solar cells ([0023], figs. 2-4) are interconnected in series via interconnectors 160 [0040] and terminals of the interconnectors exceed extend beyond the solar cell.
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 the photovoltaic module of Xu with the interconnectors connecting the a plurality of PERC solar cells in series as disclosed by Wang in order to obtain the predictable result of forming the solar cell string as desired by Xu.
Ding discloses the interconnection strip is coupled to the corresponding solar cell via infrared soldering [0059].
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 the method of Xu in view of Wang with the known infrared soldering process disclosed by Ding in order to obtain the predictable result of soldering the interconnectors to the desired spots on the solar cells (Rationale B, KSR decision, MPEP 2143).
Claim(s) 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al. (CN115377231 with provided machine English translation) in view of Ding et al. (CN106229381 with provided machine English translation).
Addressing claim 18, Huang discloses a method for manufacturing a photovoltaic module (fig. 1), comprising:
forming solar cells 20, wherein a solar cell (fig. 8) comprises:
a solar cell substrate 100;
collector electrodes 120 and bus electrode sections 144 (figs. 3 and 6) arranged on a target surface of the solar cell substrate, wherein the target surface is a light receiving surface or a back surface of the solar cell substrate (light receiving or upper surface as shown in fig. 2), wherein the collector electrodes extend along a first direction (X-direction, fig. 1) and distributed at intervals along a second direction (Y-direction, fig. 1) different from the first direction, wherein the bus electrode sections extend along the second direction and are located in edge regions at two ends of the target surface opposite to each other along the second direction (fig. 1), wherein the bus electrode sections 144 are electrically coupled to a portion of the collector electrodes having a same conductivity type as the bus electrode sections (fig. 1); and
first connection portions 141 (sub-connecting pads, [n0057]) arranged on a side of the bus electrode sections, the side facing away from an edge 102 of the solar cell substrate along the second direction (fig. 3), wherein the first connection portions 141 are electrically coupled to the corresponding bus electrode sections 144 (fig. 3),
interconnectors (fig. 16, the electrical structures interconnecting adjacent solar cells 20, paragraphs [n0024 and n0038] disclose solder ribbons as the claimed interconnectors) configured to connect adjacent solar cells 20 in series [n0071], wherein the interconnectors are soldered to the first connection portions [n0024, n0038].
Huang is silent regarding the interconnectors are coupled to the solar cells by infrared soldering process.
Ding discloses the interconnection strip is coupled to the corresponding solar cell via infrared soldering [0059].
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 the method of Xu in view of Wang with the known infrared soldering process disclosed by Ding in order to obtain the predictable result of soldering the interconnectors to the desired spots on the solar cells (Rationale B, KSR decision, MPEP 2143).
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (CN117558818 with provided machine English translation) in view of Xu et al. (US 2023/0139905).
Addressing claim 10, Yang discloses a length W3 of the second connection portions 23 along the first direction (B) is between 1.5 mm and 2.2 mm that falls within the claimed range. A width L2 of the second portions along the second direction (A) is between 1mm to 5 mm. A width of the first connection portions L1 is greater than or equal to a width of the second connection portions [n0156]. A length W1 of the first connection portions is equal to a length W3 of the second connection portion (paragraph [n0113] discloses the length W1 is between 1.5 mm and 2.2 mm; paragraph [n0120] discloses the length W3 is between 1.5 mm and 2.2 mm) and wherein the solar cell further comprises a second conductive material (solder material [n0099]) arranged on the second connection portions.
Yang is silent regarding the width of the second connection portions that fall within the claimed range.
Xu discloses the width of the contact pad 3 along the X-direction that corresponds to the claimed second direction is between 0.5 mm and 5 mm [0048] that overlaps with the claimed range as well as including Yang’s range.
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 the solar cell of Yang by perform routine experimentation with the width of the second connection portion in the range disclosed by Xu in order to optimize soldering area and reduce excessive shielding (Xu, [0048]). Therefore, one would have arrived at the claimed second connection portions along the second direction with the claimed values when perform routine experimentation with the width of the second connection portion in the range disclosed by Xu in order to optimize soldering area and reduce excessive shielding.
Conclusion
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/BACH T DINH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1726 02/19/2026