Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Objections
Claims 1-3, and 6-23 are objected to because of the following informalities.
Regarding Claim 1, Applicant recites, “the surface of the cell comprises following substeps:”. This phrase is missing the word “the” after the word “following”, and before the word “substeps”. Appropriate correction is required.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the following must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Regarding Claim 13, “wherein the side circumferential surface of the soldering carrier is surrounded by the at least two bearing surfaces”. Figure 5 shows the side circumferential surface between but not surrounded by the bearing surfaces.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 7 & 16 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.
Regarding Claim 1, Applicant recites, “a side surface of the cell”, and “soldered on the side surface”. Its unclear if the second recitation of “the side surface” is referencing the side surface of the cell or a different side surface. Appropriate action is required.
Regarding Claim 7, Applicant recites, “a cell is attached to each of the at least two bearing surfaces”. Its unclear if this recitation of “a cell” is referring back to the cell already recited or if new distinct cells are being introduced. Appropriate action is required.
Regarding Claim 16, Applicant recites, “wherein one strip-shaped conductive connection member is used”. Its unclear if this is referring back to the “a strip-shaped conductive connection member” or if this is a new distinct element being introduced. Appropriate action is required.
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.
Claims 1, 3, and 6-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Willis (US 4,617,722 A) in view of Matsumoto et al. (US 2008/0141943 A1).
In view of Claim 1, Willis discloses a solar cell soldering method comprising a step of soldering a strip-shaped conductive connection member (Figs. 1-4, #105/#205) to a surface of a cell (Figs. 1-4, #20), wherein the step of soldering the strip-shaped conductive connection member to the surface of the cell comprises the following substeps:
providing on an outer surface of a soldering carrier (Figs. 1-4, #10) a bearing surface for attaching the cell (Figs.1-4, the outer surface of #10 corresponds to the bearing surface), an enabling the bearing surface to be an outwardly protruding cambered surface (Column 5, Lines 16-23), wherein a rotating shaft is provided on the soldering carrier (Fig. 1, #40/#45 the drive train is connected to the central point of the drum thus rotating the drum at its center point (Column 5, Lines 41-64); and
the outer surface of the soldering carrier comprises a side circumferential surface around the central rotating point (Fig. 1A, see surfaces around and between elements 15A-L that are exposed side circumferential parts of the soldering carrier);
attaching the cell to the bearing surface and allowing a side surface of the cell to face outwards to be an outer side surface of the cell, wherein the strip-shaped conductive connection member is configured to be soldered on the side surface (Figs. 1-4, #20A-L the top face that has the strip-shaped conductive connection members #105/#205 attached);
winding the strip-shaped conductive connection member along a circumferential direction of the side circumferential surface of the soldering carrier and pulling the strip-shaped conductive connection member tight to the cell on the side circumferential surface of the soldering carrier to tighten and attached the strip-shaped conductive connection member to the outer side surface of the cell (Fig. 1, #500 pulls the strip-shaped conductive connection member along the circumferential direction of side circumferential surface of the soldering carrier (surfaces around and between elements 15A-L that are exposed side circumferential parts of the soldering carrier); and
heating the strip-shaped conductive connection member such that the strip shaped conductive connection member is soldered on the cell (Fig. 1, #400 – Column 8, Lines 36-67).
Willis does not explicitly disclose that an axis of the bearing surface is parallel to or collinear with an axis of the rotating shaft but does disclose such stepping or indexing drive means are well known to those skilled in the art and the particular embodiment chosen is not critical to the present invention (Column 5, 41-64).
Matsumoto et al. discloses an axis of a bearing surface is parallel to or colinear with an axis of a rotating shaft (Fig. 2-3, #6 corresponds to the shaft which extends “in” to the polygonal drum – Paragraph 0067, 0123, 0172). Matsumoto et al. discloses that this configuration is a simple arrangement (Abstract) and allows easy maintenance work to be made on the drum type substrate holder (Paragraph 0069, 0071). Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to use a rotating shaft that has an axis of the rotating shaft that is colinear or parallel to the axis of the bearing surface (outside surface of the polygonal “soldering carrier”) for the advantages of utilizing a simple arrangement that would allow easy maintenance work be performed on the soldering carrier of Willis.
In view of Claim 3, Willis and Matsumoto et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 1. Matsumoto et al. was relied upon to disclose why it would be obvious that the axis of the rotating shaft is located directly in the center of the soldering carrier, thus modified Willis discloses that the axis of the rotating shaft is located on a centerline of the soldering carrier.
In view of Claim 6, Willis and Matsumoto et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 1. Willis discloses that the strip-shaped conductive connection member is wound along the circumferential direction of the side circumferential surface of the soldering carrier (Figs. 1-4, #105/#205 are wound along the side circumferential surface of the soldering carrier) and pulled tight to the cell on the side circumferential surface of the soldering carrier (Figs. 1-4, #500 the tautness of the other rotating drum pulls the strip-shaped conductive connection member taut against the outer circumferential surface of the soldering carrier), where the side circumferential surface of the soldering carrier is rotated around the axis of the rotating shaft (Matsumoto et al. was relied upon to disclose why the rotating shaft would be directly in the centerline of the soldering carrier).
In view of Claim 7, Willis and Matsumoto et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 1. Willis teaches at least two bearing surfaces are provided on the side circumferential surface of the soldering carrier (Figs. 1-4, #15A-L & Column 5, Lines 16-23), and an axis of each of the at least two bearing surfaces is parallel to or collinear with the axis of the rotating shaft (Matsumoto et al. was relied upon to disclose why the drum of Willis would have a rotating shaft directly in the center); a cell is attached to each of the at least two bearing surfaces and a side surface of the cell on which the strip-shaped conductive connection member is to be soldered is allowed to face outwards to be an outer side surface of the cell (Figs. 1-4, #20 & Column 5, Lines 16-23) the strip shaped conductive connection member is tightened and attached to the outer side surface of the cell by winding the strip-shaped conductive connection member along the circumferential direction of the side circumferential surface of the soldering carrier (Figs. 1-4, #105/#205 are stretched taught across the drum #10), and the strip-shaped conductive connection member is heated such that the strip-shaped conductive connection member is soldered on the cell (Fig. 1, #400 – Column 8, Lines 36-68).
In view of Claim 8, Willis and Matsumoto et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 7. Willis discloses that a plurality of bearing surfaces are provided on the side circumferential surface of the soldering carrier and the plurality of bearing surfaces are sequentially disposed along the circumferential direction of the side circumferential surface of the soldering carrier (Figs. 1-4, #15A-L & Column 5, Lines 16-23).
In view of Claim 9, Willis and Matsumoto et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 8. Willis discloses the plurality of bearing surfaces are uniformly distributed along the circumferential direction of the side circumferential surface of the soldering carrier (Figs. 1-4, #15A-L & Column 5, Lines 16-23).
In view of Claim 10, Willis and Matsumoto et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 7. Willis discloses a plurality of rows of bearing surfaces are provided on the side circumferential surface of the soldering carrier, the plurality of rows of bearing surfaces are sequentially disposed along the circumferential direction of the side circumferential surface of the soldering carrier, bearing surfaces in an identical row of the plurality of rows of bearing surfaces are sequentially disposed along an axial direction of the rotating shaft, and an axis of each bearing surface of the plurality of rows of bearing surfaces is parallel to or collinear with the axis of the rotating shaft (See Annotated Willis Fig. 1A, below).
Annotated Willis Fig. 1
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In view of Claim 11, Willis and Matsumoto et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 10. Willis teaches the plurality of rows of bearing surfaces are uniformly distributed along the circumferential direction of the side circumferential surface of the soldering carrier (See Annotated Willis Fig. 1A, above).
In view of Claim 12, Willis and Matsumoto et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 11. Willis teaches that the plurality of rows of bearing surfaces are uniformly distributed on the side circumferential surface of the soldering carrier (See Annotated Willis Fig. 1A, above).
In view of Claim 13, Willis and Matsumoto et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 7. Willis discloses that the side circumferential surface of the soldering carrier is surrounded by at least two bearing surfaces (See Annotated Willis Fig. 1A, below).
Annotated Willis Fig. 1A
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In view of Claim 14, Wilis and Matsumoto et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 13. Willis discloses that the side circumferential surface of the soldering carrier is coaxial with the rotating shaft (See Annotated Will Fig. 1A, above)
In view of Claim 15, Wilis and Matsumoto et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 7. Willis discloses that the side circumferential surface of the soldering carrier is a circumferential surface coaxial with the rotating shaft (See Annotated Will Fig. 1A, above).
In view of Claim 16, Willis and Matsumoto et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 1. Willis teaches that the one strip-shaped conductive connection member is used and wound along the circumferential direction of the side circumferential surface of the soldering carrier (Figs. 1-4, #105/#205) and pulled tight to the cell on the side circumferential surface of the soldering carrier (See Fig. 1, #20A, L, K, or J, these cells have the strip-shaped conductive connection members pulled tautly against them via the other drum 500).
In view of Claim 17, Willis and Matsumoto et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 1. Willis teaches that the strip-shaped conductive connection member is a solder wire or a solder ribbon (Fig. 1, #105/#205 – get dipped in the solder bath 400).
In view of Claim 18, Willis and Matsumoto et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 1. Willis teaches that the strip-shaped conductive connection member has a flat and straight bottom surface for soldering to the cell (Fig. 1A, #105/#205 & See Figs. 3-4, #105/#205), wherein the strip-shaped conductive connection member is tightened and attached to the outer side surface of the cell (Figs. 1-4, #105/#205 is pulled taut via other drum 500), the flat and straight bottom surface of the strip-shaped conductive connection member is allowed to face the outer side surface of the cell (Figs. 3-4, #105/#205).
In view of Claim 19, Willis and Matsumoto et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 1. Willis teaches that the strip-shaped conductive connection member is heated through direct heating (Fig. 1, #400 & Column 8, Lines 36-68).
In view of Claim 20, Willis and Matsumoto et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 19. Willis discloses that the soldering carrier is submerged in a solder bath, thus it is “heated” (Fig. 1, #400 and the drum rotates “through” it which raises its temperature). The cells on the bearing surface and the strip-shaped conductive connection member on the outer side surface of the cell would be “heated” by the raised temperature of the soldering carrier.
In view of Claim 21, Willis and Matsumoto et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 1. Willis teaches that the bearing surface is provided with a vacuum adsorption function and a vacuum adsorption is performed on the cell when the cell is attached to the bearing surface (Column 5, Lines 24-40).
In view of Claim 22, Willis and Matsumoto et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 1. Willis teaches that after the strip shaped conductive connection member is soldered on the cell, the strip-shaped conductive connection member is cut off to leave a small section of the strip-shaped conductive connection member on the cell and the small section of the strip-shaped conductive connection member is configured for a serial connection of the cell on which the small section of the strip-shaped conductive connection member is located and then the cell is removed from the bearing surface on the soldering carrier (Fig. 1, #600 can be incorporated into any of the earlier steps, and thus can be conducted on the same “drum” – Column 9, Lines 38-60 & Column 9, Lines 66-68 through Column 10, Lines 1-5).
In view of Claim 23, Willis and Matsumoto et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 22. Willis discloses the step of soldering the strip-shaped conductive connection member to the surface of the cell is performed on a front surface and a back surface of the cell individually to solder strip-shaped conductive connection members to the front surface and back surface of the cell (Figs. 3-4, #105/#205).
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Willis (US 4,617,722 A) in view of Matsumoto et al. (US 2008/0141943 A1) in view of Zhao (CN-106206807-A).
In view of Claim 2, Willis and Matsumoto et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 1. Willis discloses that the outer side surface of the cell is provided with a plurality of grid lines parallel to each other (Figs. 1A & 3-4, see grid lines orthogonal to the strip shaped conductive connection members 105/205); when the strip-shaped conductive connection member is tightened and attached to the outer side surface of the cell, the strip-shaped conductive connection member is correspondingly attached to the plurality of grid lines on the other side surface of the cell (Figs. 1-4, #105/205 are held taught by the rotating drums and pressed onto the top surface of the cells).
Willis does not disclose that the cell is attached to the bearing surface such that an extension direction of the plurality of grid lines on the outer surface of the cell is allowed to be perpendicular to the axis of the bearing surface.
Zhao discloses grid lines that are in an actual grid pattern composed of finger lines and bus lines (Figs. 1-2, #32A & #312A) that improve the efficiency of a solar cell battery (Summary of the invention). Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to adopt cell’s with the grid configuration of Zhao that are orthogonal to one another for the advantages of improving the efficiency of the solar cell (cell’s) of Willis.
This configuration meets the limitation, “that the cell is attached to the bearing surface such that an extension direction of the plurality of grid lines on the outer surface of the cell is allowed to be perpendicular to the axis of the bearing surface”, as either side of the “bearing surface” would be perpendicular to one of the grouping of grid lines.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Willis (US 4,617,722 A) in view of Matsumoto et al. (US 2008/0141943 A1) in view of Kwon (KR-101158021-B1).
In view of Claim 20, Willis and Matsumoto et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 19. Kwon discloses that before a solar cell is to be soldered it should be pass through a heater in an automatic soldering apparatus while an applied flux passes through the heater (Paragraph 0004). Kwon discloses that this type of flux injector configuration (which is absent in Willis) improves the solderability of a solar cell (Paragraph 0002). Accordingly, it would have been obvious to include a heater that the soldering carrier passes through (meeting the limitation “provided with a heated function”) for the advantage of improving the solderability of the cells of Willis.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL P MALLEY JR. whose telephone number is (571)270-1638. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-430pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jeffrey T Barton can be reached at 571-272-1307. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DANIEL P MALLEY JR./Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1726
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