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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 11/05/2025 has been entered.
Status of Claims
Claims 1, 4-10, 12-19 are currently pending.
Claim 1 has been amended.
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.
Claims 1, 4-10, 12-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2013/0302651) in view of Kitada et al. (JP 2004-071562, machine translation).
Regarding claim 1-2, Kim et al teaches a battery pack comprising:
an input port configured to receive state information about a plurality of battery cells arranged along a first direction [fig 2 para 57;
an output port coupled to a wiring board configured to collect the state information from the plurality of battery cells, the output port being configured to output the state information about the plurality of battery cells [fig 2 para 69-76 ; and
a connection portion between the input port and the output port [fig 2 para 69-76].
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Kim teaches the connection portion as set forth above, but Kim does not teach the connection having curved shape as claimed.
Kitada teaches a flexible conductive element that is provided with curved portions spaced apart from each other (Figures 1-7); a plurality of straight portions extending parallel to each other; and a plurality of curved portions, each curved portion connecting adjacent straight portions of the plurality of straight portions to each other (see annotated Fig. 7 below); and a first bridge (plurality of punching holes/perforations) connecting adjacent straight portions to each other (see annotated Fig 2 below) [0011, 0022] to effectively protect the conductive element from damage [0007-0008] and allow for greater lengths if required [0011].
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art when the invention was effectively filed to provide the connection portion extending in a curved shape comprising portions spaced apart from each other in a second direction crossing the first direction; a plurality of straight portions extending parallel to each other; a plurality of curved portions, each curved portion connecting adjacent straight portions of the plurality of straight portions to each other; and a first bridge connecting adjacent straight portions to each other in the battery pack of Kim because Kitada recognizes that such a configuration for a flexible conductive element provides for protection from damage and allow for greater lengths if required.
As for combination, the connection portion comprises:
a plurality of straight portions extending substantially parallel to each other in the first direction; and
a plurality of curved portions, a curved portion of the plurality of curved portions connecting adjacent straight portions of the plurality of straight portions to each other, and the curved portion extends further in the second direction than the adjacent straight portions ((see annotated Fig 1 above)
a distalmost portion of the curved portion in the second direction is further away from the wiring board than a distalmost edge of the adjacent straight portions in the second direction.
Also, modified Kim teaches a first bridge connecting the adjacent straight portions at a discrete location along the adjacent straight portions [see drawing below]
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Since modified Kim teaches the claimed structure, the recitation “the first bridge is configured to break in response to swelling of the plurality of battery cells beyond a threshold amount” is functional language which imparts intended use to the structural features of the product. Therefore, while the claim language has been considered with regard to structure, the intended use language it is not given patentable weight because it is directed to a process and not directed to the structural features of the product. While features of an apparatus may be recited either structurally or functionally, claims directed to an apparatus must be distinguished from the prior art in terms of structure rather than function. See MPEP 2111. A claim containing a “recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus” if the prior art apparatus teaches all the structural limitations of the claim. See MPEP 2113.
Regarding claim 4, modified Kim further the plurality of curved portions are provided on end portions of the plurality of straight portions in the first direction (see annotated Fig 1 above).
Regarding claim 5, modified Kim further teaches wherein each curved portion of the plurality of curved portions is curved to connect adjacent end portions of the adjacent straight portions (Fig 1) and detour along a path greater than a distance between the adjacent end portions of the adjacent straight portions (curved path being longer than a direct end to end distance).
Regarding claim 6, modified Kim further teaches wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, and a maximum distance in the path of the curved portion in the second direction (“P1” in figure) is greater than a maximum distance in the second direction between the adjacent end portions of the adjacent straight portions (“P2” in figure) connected by the curved portion (see annotated Fig 1 below). It is noted that the maximum distance (maximum span) P1 of the path of the curved portion second direction perpendicular to the first direction may be greater than the maximum distance (maximum span) P2 in the second direction between the end portions of the neighboring straight portions connected to each other via the curved portion.
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Regarding claim 7, modified Kim discloses the battery pack of claim 2, wherein the connection portion comprises: a conductive line (signal transmission line/conductive wires) through which the state information about the battery cells is transmitted [0076]; and an insulating film in which the conductive line is embedded (insulating substrate) [0076].
Regarding claim 8, modified Kim discloses the connection portion has a film shape extending on a main plane (flexible printed circuit board) [0076].
Regarding claim 9, modified Kim further teaches the plurality of curved portions provided on both ends of the connection portion in the first direction are configured to be deformed and lifted away from the main plane to face each other in response to swelling of the battery cells in the first direction (flexible such that the connection wire may be flexibly bent to allow relative positional movement between the circuit boards) [0078, Kitada].
Regarding claim 10, modified Kim discloses the bus patterns may be formed between coupling holes formed in the first circuit board to electrically connect the terminals [0066-0067] but is silent towards the curved portion of the plurality of curved portions extends in a curved shape surrounding a penetration hole through the sensing portion.
Kitada teaches a plurality of punching holes (penetration holes) provided in the region of the curved portion to provide separation for those regions [0027]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art when the invention was effectively filed to provide penetration holes in the sensing portion of Kim and Kitada because Kitada recognizes that such holes allow for separation between the regions forming the curved portion and would be placed where need to provided separation or to provides regions for electrical connection.
Regarding claim 12, modified Kim further teaches each curved portion extends in a curved shape surrounding an outer side of the penetration hole, and the connection portion further comprises a second bridge surrounding an inner side of the penetration hole (see annotated below).
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Regarding claim 13, modified Kim further teaches the first and second bridges are in an insulating film (insulating substrate 102 and insulating layer 105) of the connection portion [0027, Kitada].
Regarding claim 14, modified Kim discloses the battery pack with a conductive line (conductive wires) through which the state information about the battery cells is transmitted [0076, 0077] but is silent towards a dummy pattern isolated from and adjacent to the conductive line.
Kitada teaches a reinforcing portion (dummy pattern; 13, 113) is provided in regions adjacent to where the conductive patterns are more densely provided in order to prevent the occurrence of cracks from the manufacturing state [0023, 0024, 0027]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art when the invention was effectively filed to provide a reinforcing portion adjacent to where the conductive pattern is more densely packed as recognized by Kim and Kitada because Kitada recognizes these reinforcing portions prevent the occurrence of cracks.
Regarding claim 15, modified Kim further teaches wherein the dummy pattern is inside the conductive line along a path of a curved portion of the plurality of curved portions (Figs 2, 4, 6 and 7).
Regarding claim 16, modified Kim is silent towards wherein the curved portion extends in a curved shape surrounding a penetration hole formed through the sensing portion, and the dummy pattern is between the penetration hole and the conductive line.
Kitada teaches the reinforcing portion is provided in regions where the conductive patterns are more densely provided in order to prevent the occurrence of cracks from the manufacturing state [0024]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art when the invention was effectively filed to provide a reinforcing portion in any regions where the conductive pattern is more densely packed including regions provided with penetration holes limiting the amount of space available for the conductive pattern as recognized by Kim and Kitada because Kitada recognizes these reinforcing portions prevent the occurrence of cracks. Furthermore, the courts have held that mere duplication of parts has no patentable significance unless a new and unexpected result is produced. In re Harza, 274 F.2d 669, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960) MPEP 2144.04
Regarding claim 17, modified Kim further teaches wherein the dummy pattern has a smaller width than a width of the conductive line (Figures 2, 4, 6, and 7).
Regarding claim 18, modified Kim further teaches wherein the conductive line and the dummy pattern comprise a same conductive material [0008] and are covered with a same insulating film, and wherein the same insulating film covers both end portions of the dummy pattern [0008, 0009, 0027, Kitada].
Regarding claim 19, modified Kim discloses the battery pack of claim 1, wherein the input port of the sensing portion is connected to a bus bar (bus pattern, 181b) through which adjacent battery cells of the plurality of battery cells are electrically coupled to each other [0066-0067, 0084-0086, Kitada].
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 11/05/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The applicant argues in substance:
the portion of the conductor element 1 that the Examiner equates with the claimed "first bridge" is not at a discrete location along the length of the straight segments. Instead, it appears to extend along the entire length of the straight segments
The examiner respectfully disagrees. The first bridge is the point that connected two straight segments, not extending along the entire length of the straight segments [see drawing above].
Kitada fails to disclose that the portion of the conductor element 1 that the Examiner equates with the claimed "first bridge" is configured to break in response to battery swelling,
The examiner respectfully disagrees. Since modified Kim teaches the claimed structure, it is considered that the first bridge has that function as set forth above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to UYEN M TRAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7602. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-6pm.
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/UYEN M TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1726