DETAILED ACTION
Summary
This Office Action is in response to the Amendments to the Claims and Remarks filed February 11, 2026.
In view of the Amendments to the Claims and Remarks filed February 11, 2026, the objections to claims 1 and 19 previously presented in the Office Action sent November 24, 2025 have been withdrawn.
In view of the Amendments to the Claims and Remarks filed February 11, 2026, the rejections of claims 1-5, 10-17, 19, and 20 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) previously presented in the Office Action sent November 24, 2025 have been withdrawn.
In view of the Amendments to the Claims and Remarks filed February 11, 2026, the rejections of claims 1-5, 10-17, 19, and 20 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 35 U.S.C. 103 previously presented in the Office Action sent November 24, 2025 have been modified.
Claims 1-20 are currently pending while claims 6-9 and 18 have been withdrawn from consideration.
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) 1-3, 5, 10-17, 19, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao et al. (CN 218677159 U included in Applicant submitted IDS filed April 1, 2025) in view of Jang et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2016/0005905 A1).
With regard to claim 1, Zhao et al. discloses a solar cell, comprising:
a solar cell body, wherein the solar cell body has at least one target surface (see solar cell body/top segment 13 depicted in Fig. 6 as having at least one target surface at top 4),
the at least one target surface is at least one of a first surface or a second surface opposite to the first surface (see Fig. 6 depicting cited at least one target surface, at top 4, is a first surface);
a plurality of fingers arranged along a second direction on the at least one target surface (such as a plurality of fingers 2/3 arranged along a second vertical direction on the cited at least one target surface at top 4, Fig. 6), wherein
the plurality of fingers each extends along a first direction perpendicular to the second direction (as depicted in Fig. 6, the cited plurality of fingers 2/3 each extends along a first horizontal direction perpendicular to the cited second vertical direction); and
a plurality of first interconnection structures arranged in an array along the first direction and the second direction on the at least one target surface (as depicted in Fig. 6, a plurality of first interconnection structures 12 arranged in an array along the cited first horizontal direction and the cited second vertical direction on the cited at least one target surface at top 4), wherein
each of the plurality of first interconnection structures is electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of fingers (as depicted in Fig. 6, each of the cited plurality of first interconnection structures 12 is electrically connected to at least one of the cited plurality of fingers 12), wherein
first interconnection structures arranged along the second direction comprise regions that are collinear with a same connection line of a plurality of connection lines arranged along the first direction (as depicted in Fig. 6, first interconnection structures 12 arranged along the cited second vertical direction comprise regions that are collinear with a same connection line 6 of a plurality of connection lines arranged along the cited first horizontal direction), wherein
a quantity of connection lines intersecting with a vector line segment having an inclination angle of 45 degrees is greater than a quantity of first interconnection structures intersecting with the vector line segment (as depicted in Fig. 6 and annotated Fig. 6 below, a quantity of connection lines 6 intersecting with a vector line segment having an inclination angle of 45 degrees is greater than a quantity of first interconnection structures 12 intersecting with the vector line segment).
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Zhao et al. does not specify a thickness for the cited solar cell body or specify a thickness for the cited first interconnection structure.
However, Jang et al. discloses a solar cell (see Title and Abstract) and teaches a thickness for a solar cell body directly affects thermal deformation and can conventionally be equal to 250 µm (see [0099] teaching equal or less than 250 µm).
Jang et al. teaches a conventional thickness for interconnection structures can be 2 µm (see [0138] teaching 1 µm to 20 µm which implicitly teaches 2 µm).
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 thickness of the solar cell body in the solar cell of Zhao et al. to include a thickness of 250 µm, as suggested by Jang et al., because Jang et al. teaches a thickness of 250 µm as a conventional thickness for a solar cell body and because it would have led to optimizing thermal deformation of the solar cell body.
It would have also been obvious at the time of the invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have modified the thickness of the cited first interconnection structures in the solar cell of Zhao et al. to include a thickness such as 2 µm, as suggested by Jang et al., because Jang et al. teaches a thickness of 2 µm as a conventional thickness for interconnection structures and because it would have led to optimizing the material cost of the first interconnection structures.
Zhao et al., as modified by Jang et al. above, teaches the claimed “wherein a ratio between a thickness of the solar cell body and a thickness of a first interconnection structure of the plurality of first interconnection structures is greater than or equal to 0.005 and less than or equal to 0.1” as the cited thickness of the solar cell body, 250 µm, and the cited thickness of the first interconnection structures, 2 µm, provides for a ratio of 0.008 which is within the claimed range.
With regard to claim 2, independent claim 1 is obvious over Zhao et al. in view of Jang et al. under 35 U.S.C. 103 as discussed above.
Zhao et al. does not specify a cross-sectional area of the solar cell body or specify a cross-sectional area of the first interconnection structures.
However, Jang et al. discloses a solar cell (see Title and Abstract) and teaches a cross-sectional area of the solar cell body can be 18.75 mm2 (see [0099] teaching a length of the solar cell body can be 180 mm or less which implicitly teaches a length of 75 mm; recall [0099] cited to teach a thickness of 250 µm which would provide for a cross-sectional area of 18.75 mm2 at the cited length of 78 mm).
Jang et al. teaches a cross-sectional area of the interconnection structures can be 0.058 mm2 (see [0031] teaching a length of the interconnection structures can be less than 30 mm which implicitly teaches a length of 29 mm; recall [0138] cited to teach a thickness of 2 µm which would provide for a cross-sectional area of 0.058 mm2 at the cited length of 29 mm).
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 cross-sectional area of the solar cell body in the solar cell of Zhao et al., as modified above, to include a cross-sectional area such as 18.75 mm2, as suggested by Jang et al., because Jang et al. teaches 18.75 mm2 as a conventional cross-sectional area for a solar cell body and because it would have provided for optimizing the light receiving area of the solar cell.
It would have also been obvious at the time of the invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have modified the cross-sectional area of the first interconnection structures in the solar cell of Zhao et al., as modified above, to include a cross-sectional area such as 0.058 mm2, as suggested by Jang et al., because Jang et al. teaches 0.058 mm2 as a conventional cross-sectional area for interconnection structures and because it would have provided for optimizing the material cost of the first interconnection structures.
Zhao et al., as modified above, teaches the claimed “a ratio between a cross-sectional area of the solar cell body and a cross-sectional area of the first interconnection structure is greater than or equal to 0.0003 and less than or equal to 0.02” as the cited cross-sectional area of the solar cell body, 18.75 mm2, and the cited cross-sectional area of the first interconnection structures, 0.058 mm2, provides for a ratio of 0.003 which is within the claimed range.
With regard to claim 3, independent claim 1 is obvious over Zhao et al. in view of Jang et al. under 35 U.S.C. 103 as discussed above. Zhao et al. discloses wherein
a quantity of first interconnection structures intersecting with a target line segment is less than one half of a quantity of connection lines located on the at least one target surface, and wherein the target line segment connects a midpoint of a first edge along a first direction of the at least one target surface and a vertex-angle endpoint corresponding a second edge of the at least one target surface opposite to the first edge, the first edge is longer than the second edge (as depicted in Fig. 6 and annotated Fig. 6 above, a quantity of first interconnection structures 12 intersecting with a target line segment is less than one half of a quantity of connection lines 6 located on the cited at least one target surface at top 4, and wherein the target line segment connects a midpoint of a first bottom edge along a first direction of the at least one target surface and a vertex-angle endpoint corresponding a second edge of the at least one target surface opposite to the first edge, the first edge is longer than the second edge).
With regard to claim 5, dependent claim 3 is obvious over Zhao et al. in view of Jang et al. under 35 U.S.C. 103 as discussed above. Zhao et al. discloses wherein
a distance between a geometric center of one the plurality of first interconnection structures intersecting with the target line segment or the vector line segment and a median line of the solar cell along the second direction is greater than a distance between the geometric center of one of the plurality of first interconnection structures intersecting with the target line segment or the vector line segment and an edge of the solar cell along the second direction (as depicted in Fig. 6 and annotated Fig. 6’ below, a vertical distance between a geometric center of one the plurality of first interconnection structures 12 intersecting with the target line segment and a median line of the solar cell along the second direction is greater than a horizontal distance between the geometric center of one of the plurality of first interconnection structures 12 intersecting with the target line segment and a right edge of the solar cell along the second direction).
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With regard to claim 10, independent claim 1 is obvious over Zhao et al. in view of Jang et al. under 35 U.S.C. 103 as discussed above. Zhao et al. discloses further comprising:
a plurality of busbars corresponding to connection lines arranged on a target surface along the first direction (as depicted in Fig. 6 and Fig. 8, a plurality of busbars 15 corresponding to connection lines 6 arranged on a target surface along the first horizontal direction), wherein
each of the plurality of busbars extends along the second direction and is electrically connected to (1) a respective one of a plurality of fingers having a same polarity as the plurality of busbars, and (2) at least one of the plurality of first interconnection structures (as depicted in Fig. 8, each of the cited plurality of busbars 15 extends along the second vertical direction and is electrically connected to a respective one of a plurality of fingers 2/3 having a same polarity as the plurality of busbars 15, and at least one of the cited plurality of first interconnection structures 12).
With regard to claim 11, dependent claim 10 is obvious over Zhao et al. in view of Jang et al. under 35 U.S.C. 103 as discussed above. Zhao et al. discloses wherein
the plurality of busbars are connection electrodes (15, Fig. 8), wherein
at least one of the connection electrodes is in contact with the plurality of first interconnection structures (as depicted in Fig. 8, at least one of the cited connection electrodes 15 is in contact with the cited plurality of first interconnection structures 12), wherein
first interconnection structures in contact with a same connection electrode are distributed along the second direction (as depicted in Fig. 8, first interconnection structures 12 in contact with a same connection electrode 15 are distributed along the second vertical direction), and wherein
a distance between two adjacent connection electrodes along the first direction is different from a distance between geometric centers of two adjacent first interconnection structures in contact with the same connection electrode (as depicted in Fig. 8, a horizontal distance between two adjacent connection electrodes 15 along the first horizontal direction is different from a vertical distance between geometric centers of two adjacent first interconnection structures 12 in contact with the same connection electrode 15).
With regard to claim 12, Zhao et al. discloses a solar cell, comprising:
a solar cell body, wherein the solar cell body has at least one target surface (see solar cell body 1 depicted in Fig. 5 as having at least one target surface),
the at least one target surface is at least one of a first surface or a second surface opposite to the first surface (see Fig. 5 depicting cited at least one target surface is a first surface);
a plurality of fingers arranged along a second direction on the at least one target surface (such as a plurality of fingers 2/3 arranged along a second vertical direction on the cited at least one target surface, Fig. 5), wherein
the plurality of fingers each extends along a first direction perpendicular to the second direction (as depicted in Fig. 5, the cited plurality of fingers 2/3 each extends along a first horizontal direction perpendicular to the cited second vertical direction); and
a plurality of first interconnection structures arranged in an array along the first direction and the second direction on the at least one target surface (as depicted in Fig. 5, a plurality of first interconnection structures 12 arranged in an array along the cited first horizontal direction and the cited second vertical direction on the cited at least one target surface), wherein
each of the plurality of first interconnection structures is electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of fingers (as depicted in Fig. 5, each of the cited plurality of first interconnection structures 12 is electrically connected to at least one of the cited plurality of fingers 12), wherein
first interconnection structures arranged along the second direction comprise regions that are collinear with a same connection line of a plurality of connection lines arranged along the first direction (as depicted in Fig. 5, first interconnection structures 12 arranged along the cited second vertical direction comprise regions that are collinear with a same connection line 6 of a plurality of connection lines arranged along the cited first horizontal direction), wherein
a quantity of connection lines intersecting with a vector line segment having an inclination angle substantially equals to 45 degrees is greater than a quantity of first interconnection structures intersecting with the vector line segment (as depicted in Fig. 5 and annotated Fig. 5 below, a quantity of connection lines 6 intersecting with a vector line segment having an inclination angle substantially equals to 45 degrees is greater than a quantity of first interconnection structures 12 intersecting with the vector line segment), wherein
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a quantity of connection lines on the at least one target surface is greater than a quantity of the first interconnection structures intersecting with a target line segment, and wherein the target line segment is a diagonal line of the at least one target surface and intersects with each of the plurality of connection lines (as depicted in Fig. 5, a quantity of connection lines 6 on the at least one target surface is greater than a quantity of the first interconnection structures 12 intersecting with a target line segment, and wherein the target line segment is a diagonal line of the at least one target surface and intersects with each of the plurality of connection lines 6).
Zhao et al. does not specify a thickness for the cited solar cell body or specify a thickness for the cited first interconnection structure.
However, Jang et al. discloses a solar cell (see Title and Abstract) and teaches a thickness for a solar cell body directly affects thermal deformation and can conventionally be equal to 250 µm (see [0099] teaching equal or less than 250 µm).
Jang et al. teaches a conventional thickness for interconnection structures can be 2 µm (see [0138] teaching 1 µm to 20 µm which implicitly teaches 2 µm).
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 thickness of the solar cell body in the solar cell of Zhao et al. to include a thickness of 250 µm, as suggested by Jang et al., because Jang et al. teaches a thickness of 250 µm as a conventional thickness for a solar cell body and because it would have led to optimizing thermal deformation of the solar cell body.
It would have also been obvious at the time of the invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have modified the thickness of the cited first interconnection structures in the solar cell of Zhao et al. to include a thickness such as 2 µm, as suggested by Jang et al., because Jang et al. teaches a thickness of 2 µm as a conventional thickness for interconnection structures and because it would have led to optimizing the material cost of the first interconnection structures.
Zhao et al., as modified by Jang et al. above, teaches the claimed “wherein a ratio between a thickness of the solar cell body and a thickness of a first interconnection structure of the plurality of first interconnection structures is greater than or equal to 0.005 and less than or equal to 0.1” as the cited thickness of the solar cell body, 250 µm, and the cited thickness of the first interconnection structures, 2 µm, provides for a ratio of 0.008 which is within the claimed range.
With regard to claim 13, dependent claim 12 is obvious over Zhao et al. in view of Jang et al. under 35 U.S.C. 103 as discussed above. Zhao et al. discloses further comprising:
at least two sliced cell units distributed along the second direction (as depicted in Fig. 5, at least two sliced cell units 4 distributed along the second vertical direction); and
a cutting channel provided between two adjacent sliced cell units of the at least two sliced cell units (as depicted in Fig. 5, a cutting channel 5 provided between two adjacent sliced cell units 4 of the at least two sliced cell units), wherein
in the two adjacent sliced cell units, wherein fingers with opposite polarities are symmetrically arranged relative to the cutting channel, or first interconnection structures with opposite polarities are symmetrically arranged relative to the cutting channel (as depicted in Fig. 5, in the two adjacent sliced cell units 4, wherein fingers 2/3 with opposite polarities are symmetrically arranged relative to the cutting channel 5 and first interconnection structures 12 with opposite polarities are symmetrically arranged relative to the cutting channel 5); and wherein the solar cell further comprises:
a plurality of busbars corresponding to connection lines arranged on a target surface the first direction (as depicted in Fig. 8, a plurality of busbars 15 corresponding to connection lines 6 arranged on a target surface the first horizontal direction); wherein
each of the plurality of busbars extends along the second direction and is electrically connected to (1) a respective one of a plurality of fingers having a same polarity as the plurality of busbars, and (2) at least one of the plurality of first interconnection structures (as depicted in Fig. 8, each of the cited plurality of busbars 15 extends along the second vertical direction and is electrically connected to a respective one of a plurality of fingers 2/3 having a same polarity as the plurality of busbars 15, and at least one of the cited plurality of first interconnection structures 12), wherein
the busbars with opposite polarities in the two adjacent sliced cell units are symmetrically arranged relative to the cutting channel (as depicted in Fig. 8, busbars 15 with opposite polarities in the two adjacent sliced cell units 4 are symmetrically arranged relative to the cutting channel 5).
With regard to claim 14, dependent claim 12 is obvious over Zhao et al. in view of Jang et al. under 35 U.S.C. 103 as discussed above. Zhao et al. discloses further comprising:
M sliced cell units distributed along the second direction, wherein M is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1 (as depicted in Fig. 5, 2 sliced units 4 distributed along the second vertical direction); and
geometric centers of two first interconnection structures located at an edge along the second direction in a same sliced cell unit are symmetrically arranged relative to a median line of the same sliced cell unit along the second direction (as depicted in Fig. 5, geometric centers of two first interconnection structures 12 located at an edge along the second vertical direction in a same sliced cell unit 4 are symmetrically arranged relative to a median line of the same sliced cell unit 4 along the second vertical direction).
With regard to claim 15, dependent claim 13 is obvious over Zhao et al. in view of Jang et al. under 35 U.S.C. 103 as discussed above. Zhao et al. discloses wherein
the plurality of fingers comprise a plurality of first fingers and a plurality of second fingers with opposite polarities (as depicted in Fig. 5, the cited plurality of fingers comprise a plurality of first fingers 2 and a plurality of second fingers 3 with opposite polarities),
the plurality of first fingers and the plurality of second fingers are alternately distributed along the second direction (as depicted in Fig. 5, the plurality of first fingers 2 and the plurality of second fingers 3 are alternately distributed along the second vertical direction), and wherein
the plurality of busbars comprise a plurality of first busbars and a plurality of second busbars with opposite polarities (as depicted in Fig. 8, the plurality of busbars comprise a plurality of first busbars 15 and a plurality of second busbars 15 with opposite polarities),
the plurality of first busbars and the plurality of second busbars are alternately distributed along the first direction (as depicted in Fig. 8, the plurality of first busbars 15 and the plurality of second busbars 15 are alternately distributed along the first horizontal direction),
the plurality of busbars and the plurality of fingers that have opposite polarities are mutually isolated (as depicted in Fig. 8, the plurality of busbars 15 and the plurality of fingers 2/3 that have opposite polarities are mutually isolated via insulating material 14).
With regard to claim 16, dependent claim 15 is obvious over Zhao et al. in view of Jang et al. under 35 U.S.C. 103 as discussed above. Zhao et al. disclose wherein
when two busbars located on an outer side along the first direction have opposite polarities, in the plurality of first interconnection structures intersecting with the target line segment, at least two of the plurality of first interconnection structures have a same distance to a median line of the at least one target surface along the second direction and have a same polarity (as depicted in Fig. 5, Fig. 8, and annotated Fig. 5’ below, when two lateral most busbars 15 located on an outer side along the first horizontal direction have opposite polarities, in the plurality of first interconnection structures 12 intersecting with the cited target line segment, at least two of the plurality of first interconnection structures have a same vertical distance to a median line at 5 of the at least one target surface along the second vertical direction and have a same polarity).
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With regard to claim 17, dependent claim 15 is obvious over Zhao et al. in view of Jang et al. under 35 U.S.C. 103 as discussed above. Zhao et al. discloses wherein
when the solar cell comprises two sliced cell units distributed along the second direction, quantities of the first interconnection structures intersecting with the target line segment corresponding to the two sliced cell units are equal to each other, two busbars have opposite polarities when (1) locate on an outer side along the first direction in a same sliced cell unit and (2) arranged opposite to each other on the outer side along the first direction and belong to different sliced cell units (as depicted in Fig. 5, Fig. 8, and annotated Fig. 5’ above, when the solar cell comprises two sliced cell units 4 distributed along the second vertical direction, quantities of the first interconnection structures 12 intersecting with the target line segment corresponding to the two sliced cell units 4 are equal to each other, two busbars 15 have opposite polarities when locate on an outer side along the first horizontal direction in a same sliced cell unit and arranged opposite to each other on the outer side along the first horizontal direction and belong to different sliced cell units).
With regard to claim 19, Zhao et al. discloses a photovoltaic module, wherein the photovoltaic module comprises
a plurality of solar cells (a plurality of solar cells 4 depicted in Fig. 5 and 8) and
a plurality of intra-string interconnection members each connecting two adjacent solar cells of the plurality of solar cells in series (as depicted in Fig. 8, a plurality of intra-string interconnection members 15 each connecting two adjacent solar cells 4 of the plurality of solar cells in series), wherein: each of the plurality of solar cells comprises:
a solar cell body having at least one target surface, wherein the at least one target surface is at least one of a first surface or a second surface opposite to the first surface (see solar cell body 1 depicted in Fig. 5 as having at least one target surface);
a plurality of fingers arranged along a second direction on the at least one target surface (as depicted in Fig. 5, a plurality of fingers 2/3 arranged along a second vertical direction on the at least one target surface), wherein
the plurality of fingers each extends along a first direction perpendicular to the second direction (as depicted in Fig. 5, the plurality of fingers 2/3 each extends along a first horizontal direction perpendicular to the second direction) ; and
a plurality of first interconnection structures arranged in an array along the first direction and the second direction on the at least one target surface (as depicted in Fig. 5, a plurality of first interconnection structures 12 arranged in an array along the cited first horizontal direction and the cited second vertical direction on the cited at least one target surface), wherein
each of the plurality of first interconnection structures is electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of fingers (as depicted in Fig. 5, each of the cited plurality of first interconnection structures 12 is electrically connected to at least one of the cited plurality of fingers 12), wherein
first interconnection structures arranged along the second direction comprise regions that are collinear with a same connection line of a plurality of connection lines arranged along the first direction (as depicted in Fig. 5, first interconnection structures 12 arranged along the cited second vertical direction comprise regions that are collinear with a same connection line 6 of a plurality of connection lines arranged along the cited first horizontal direction), wherein
a quantity of connection lines intersecting with a vector line segment having an inclination angle of 45 degrees is greater than a quantity of first interconnection structures intersecting with the vector line segment (as depicted in Fig. 5 and annotated Fig. 5 below, a quantity of connection lines 6 intersecting with a vector line segment having an inclination angle of 45 degrees is greater than a quantity of first interconnection structures 12 intersecting with the vector line segment), wherein
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Zhao et al. does not specify a thickness for the cited solar cell body or specify a thickness for the cited first interconnection structure.
However, Jang et al. discloses a solar cell (see Title and Abstract) and teaches a thickness for a solar cell body directly affects thermal deformation and can conventionally be equal to 250 µm (see [0099] teaching equal or less than 250 µm).
Jang et al. teaches a conventional thickness for interconnection structures can be 2 µm (see [0138] teaching 1 µm to 20 µm which implicitly teaches 2 µm).
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 thickness of the solar cell body in the solar cell of Zhao et al. to include a thickness of 250 µm, as suggested by Jang et al., because Jang et al. teaches a thickness of 250 µm as a conventional thickness for a solar cell body and because it would have led to optimizing thermal deformation of the solar cell body.
It would have also been obvious at the time of the invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have modified the thickness of the cited first interconnection structures in the solar cell of Zhao et al. to include a thickness such as 2 µm, as suggested by Jang et al., because Jang et al. teaches a thickness of 2 µm as a conventional thickness for interconnection structures and because it would have led to optimizing the material cost of the first interconnection structures.
Zhao et al., as modified by Jang et al. above, teaches the claimed “wherein a ratio between a thickness of the solar cell body and a thickness of a first interconnection structure of the plurality of first interconnection structures is greater than or equal to 0.005 and less than or equal to 0.1” as the cited thickness of the solar cell body, 250 µm, and the cited thickness of the first interconnection structures, 2 µm, provides for a ratio of 0.008 which is within the claimed range.
With regard to claim 20, independent claim 19 is obvious over Zhao et al. in view of Jang et al. under 35 U.S.C. 103 as discussed above. Zhao et al. discloses wherein
quantity of the first interconnection structures intersecting with the at least one target vector line segment located on the target surface corresponding to at least two solar cells in a same photovoltaic module are equal (as depicted in Fig. 5, quantity of the first interconnection structures 12 intersecting with the vector line segment located on the at least one target surface corresponding to at least two solar cells 4 in a same photovoltaic module are equal).
Claim(s) 1, 3, and 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Deng et al. (CN 211828804 U included in Applicant submitted IDS filed April 1, 2025) in view of Jang et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2016/0005905 A1).
With regard to claim 1, Deng et al. discloses a solar cell, comprising:
a solar cell body, wherein the solar cell body has at least one target surface (as depicted in Fig. 1, a solar cell body having at least one target surface top 101),
the at least one target surface is at least one of a first surface or a second surface opposite to the first surface (as depicted in Fig. 1, the at least one target surface, top 101, is at least one of a first surface or a second surface opposite to the first surface);
a plurality of fingers arranged along a second direction on the at least one target surface (as depicted in Fig. 1, a plurality of fingers 23 arranged along a second vertical direction on the at least one target surface, top 101), wherein
the plurality of fingers each extends along a first direction perpendicular to the second direction (as depicted in Fig. 1, the plurality of fingers 23 each extends along a first horizontal direction perpendicular to the second vertical direction); and
a plurality of first interconnection structures arranged in an array along the first direction and the second direction on the at least one target surface (as depicted in Fig. 1, a plurality of first interconnection structures 212a arranged in an array along the first horizontal direction and the second vertical direction on the at least one target surface, top 101), wherein
each of the plurality of first interconnection structures is electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of fingers (as depicted in Fig. 1, each of the plurality of first interconnection structures 212a is electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of fingers 23), wherein
first interconnection structures arranged along the second direction comprise regions that are collinear with a same connection line of a plurality of connection lines arranged along the first direction (as depicted in Fig. 1, first interconnection structures 212a arranged along the second vertical direction comprise regions that are collinear with a same connection line 21 of a plurality of connection lines arranged along the first horizontal direction), wherein
a quantity of connection lines intersecting with a vector line segment having an inclination angle of 45 degrees is greater than a quantity of first interconnection structures intersecting with the vector line segment (as depicted in Fig. 1 and annotated Fig. 1 below, a quantity of connection lines 21 intersecting with a vector line segment having an inclination angle of 45 degrees is greater than a quantity of first interconnection structures 212a intersecting with the vector line segment).
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Deng et al. does not specify a thickness for the cited solar cell body or specify a thickness for the cited first interconnection structure.
However, Jang et al. discloses a solar cell (see Title and Abstract) and teaches a thickness for a solar cell body directly affects thermal deformation and can conventionally be equal to 250 µm (see [0099] teaching equal or less than 250 µm).
Jang et al. teaches a conventional thickness for interconnection structures can be 2 µm (see [0138] teaching 1 µm to 20 µm which implicitly teaches 2 µm).
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 thickness of the solar cell body in the solar cell of Deng et al. to include a thickness of 250 µm, as suggested by Jang et al., because Jang et al. teaches a thickness of 250 µm as a conventional thickness for a solar cell body and because it would have led to optimizing thermal deformation of the solar cell body.
It would have also been obvious at the time of the invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have modified the thickness of the cited first interconnection structures in the solar cell of Deng et al. to include a thickness such as 2 µm, as suggested by Jang et al., because Jang et al. teaches a thickness of 2 µm as a conventional thickness for interconnection structures and because it would have led to optimizing the material cost of the first interconnection structures.
Deng et al., as modified by Jang et al. above, teaches the claimed “wherein a ratio between a thickness of the solar cell body and a thickness of a first interconnection structure of the plurality of first interconnection structures is greater than or equal to 0.005 and less than or equal to 0.1” as the cited thickness of the solar cell body, 250 µm, and the cited thickness of the first interconnection structures, 2 µm, provides for a ratio of 0.008 which is within the claimed range.
With regard to claims 3 and 4, independent claim 1 is obvious over Deng et al. in view of Jang et al. under 35 U.S.C. 103 as discussed above. Deng et al. discloses wherein
a quantity of first interconnection structures intersecting with a target line segment is less than one half of a quantity of connection lines located on the at least one target surface, and wherein the target line segment connects a midpoint of a first edge along a first direction of the at least one target surface and a vertex-angle endpoint corresponding a second edge of the at least one target surface opposite to the first edge, the first edge is longer than the second edge (as depicted in Fig. 1 and annotated Fig. 1 above, a quantity of first interconnection structures 212a intersecting with a target line segment is less than one half of a quantity of connection lines 21 located on the at least one target surface, at top 101, and wherein the target line segment connects a midpoint of a first bottom edge along a first horizontal direction of the cited at least one target surface, at top 101, and a vertex-angle endpoint corresponding a second edge of the cited at least one target surface opposite to the first edge, the first edge is longer than the second edge), wherein
the quantity of first interconnection structures intersecting with the target line segment is 0 (as depicted in Fig. 1 and annotated Fig. 1 above, the quantity of first interconnection structures 212a intersecting with the target line segment is 0).
Conclusion
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/DUSTIN Q DAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1721 March 6, 2026