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 .
Status of Application
Claims 1, 3-13 are pending. Claim 2 is canceled. Claims 8-13 are new. Claims 1, 3, 8, 11-13 are currently amended.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 12/18/2025 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to amended claim(s) 1 have been considered but are not found persuasive. Applicant argues that Ohshiba does not disclose the newly added limitations.
In Pg 12, Applicant argues “Ohshiba does not expressly or inherently describe that the discharge flow path P1 (along the Y axis direction) is perpendicular to the Y axis direction (i.e., stacking direction of the energy storage devices 200).” Examiner respectfully disagrees.
In Figures 8 and 9, Ohshiba discloses wherein the discharge flow path P1 extends parallel to the stacking direction and perpendicular to the stacking direction (i.e., see the curved arrow indicating the gas flow, extending in Y and Z direction in Fig 9) so that the gas can discharge through discharge port 15 or discharge portion 900. Thus, Ohshiba appears to disclose the discharge flow path extending from the gas discharge duct in a first direction that is parallel to the upper surface and perpendicular to the stacking direction of the plurality of batteries, as claimed. Thus, the arguments are not found persuasive.
In pg 13, Applicant further argues Ohshiba does not expressly or inherently describe at least, for example, the features of "the plurality of batteries includes a plurality of sealing plates, the plurality of sealing plates forms an upper surface of the battery stack, and the plurality of sealing plates includes valves through which a gas is blown off a flow path defined by the duct plate and the cover plate, the flow path extending from the gas discharge duct in a first direction that is parallel to the upper surface and perpendicular to the stacking direction of the batteries and allowing leaking of the gas in the gas discharge duct to an outside of the battery module," as recited in amended independent claim 1.
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Ohshiba also discloses a plurality of sealing plates (i.e., container lid 220) forming an upper surface of the battery stack and including valves through which a gas is blown off a flow path (i.e., gas flowing through safety valve opening 311 and flowing in P1; Fig 8, 9) in a first direction that is parallel to the upper surface and perpendicular to the stacking direction of the batteries (i.e., the curved arrows indicating gas flow in Y and Z direction, which is parallel and perpendicular to the stacking direction of the batteries) and allowing leaking of the gas in the gas discharge duct to an outside of the battery module (i.e., gas discharging through discharge portion 900). Thus, the arguments are not persuasive. See rejections below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1 and 3,5-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2), as being anticipated by Ohshiba (US20150280189A1, previously cited).
Regarding claim 1, Ohshiba discloses a battery module (title) comprising:
a battery stack including a plurality of batteries (i.e., energy storage devices 200) that are stacked in a stacking direction (i.e., Y-direction; see Fig 5), wherein
the plurality of batteries includes a plurality of sealing plates (i.e., container lid 220),
the plurality of sealing plates forms an upper surface of the battery stack (see Fig 4), and
the plurality of sealing plates includes valves (i.e., safety valve 221) through which a gas is blown off;
a duct plate (i.e., path forming portion 300) configured to cover the upper surface (i.e., container lid 220) of the battery stack on which a plurality of the valves is disposed,
the duct plate (i.e., path forming portion 300) including a gas discharge duct that extends in the stacking direction of the plurality of batteries (i.e., discharge path P1 extending in Y-direction; see Fig 8), is connected to the valves of the plurality of batteries, and temporarily stores the gas blown off through the valves;
a cover plate (i.e., inner lid 500) placed on the duct plate; and
a flow path defined by the duct plate and the cover plate (i.e., see the arrow in Fig 8, 9),
the flow path extending from the gas discharge duct in a first direction that is parallel to the upper surface (i.e., parallel to the container lid 220, thus, Y or X-direction; Fig 8, 10) and perpendicular to the stacking direction of the plurality of batteries (see the curved arrow also extending in Z direction in Fig 8, 9) and allowing leaking of the gas in the gas discharge duct to an outside of the battery module (i.e., the flow path extends toward discharge portion 900 on the outer covering body 100; Fig 8), wherein
the flow path allows the leaking of the gas in the first direction (i.e., see Fig 8-10 showing the arrows discharging via discharge portion 900 in the Y direction or parallel to the upper surface)
the cover plate (i.e., inner lid 500), the duct plate (path forming portion 300), and the upper surface (container lid 220) of the battery stack are arranged in said order in a second direction that is perpendicular to the upper surface and also is perpendicular to the stacking direction (i.e., stacked in the said order in Z-direction, which is perpendicular to the upper surface and the stacking direction),
an end of the cover plate (i.e., inner lid 500) in the stacking direction (i.e., Y-direction) includes a first vertical wall extending in the second direction (see Fig 7, 8),
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an end of the duct plate in the stacking direction (i.e., Y-direction) includes a second vertical wall extending in the second direction (i.e., Z-direction; see the vertical wall in Annotated Fig 8 below),
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Ohshiba further discloses wherein a portion of the first vertical wall, a portion of the second vertical wall, and a portion of the gas discharge duct share the same surface in the stacking direction (i.e., the three portions are aligned; see Fig 10 below). Thus, Ohshiba anticipates wherein “a portion of the first vertical wall, a portion of the second vertical wall, and a portion of the gas discharge duct are arranged in a straight line in the stacking direction” as claimed.
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Ohshiba further discloses:
the duct plate includes one or more openings defined therein through which the valves are exposed to the gas discharge duct (see path forming portion 300 of Fig 3), and
the cover plate (i.e., inner lid 500) includes a solid horizontal wall extending in the stacking direction (see the horizontal wall of the inner lid 500 in Fig 8),
the solid horizontal wall facing the one or more openings of the duct plate in the second direction (i.e., the inner lid 500 covers the openings of the duct plate in Fig 8).
Regarding claim 3, Ohshiba discloses the battery module according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of batteries (energy storage device 200 in Fig 4) includes an exterior can (i.e., container 210 in Fig 4) having a major surface (i.e., the largest surface of the can as shown in Fig 4) thereof extending parallel to the second direction (i.e., Z-direction),
Instant Claim 3 further recites wherein “an end of the second vertical wall in the second direction is located inside a perimeter of the major surface of the exterior can when viewed in the stacking direction of the plurality of batteries.” Here, “inside a perimeter of the major surface” is interpreted as “located on a side of the major surface”, as supported by the second vertical wall portions covering at least a part of the major surface in Fig 4-6 of the instant application. Ohshiba discloses wherein an end of the second vertical wall is disposed on the major surface of the energy storage device 200 (see Fig 8). Thus, Ohshiba anticipates the claimed limitation of “an end of the second vertical wall in the second direction is located inside a perimeter of the major surface of the exterior can when viewed in the stacking direction of the plurality of batteries.”
Regarding claim 5, Ohshiba discloses the battery module according to claim 1, wherein the cover plate (inner lid 500) is fixed to the duct plate (flow path forming portion 300) via the outer covering body 100. While Ohshiba does not explicitly disclose wherein “the cover plate is deformable when the gas is blown off”, a person having ordinary skill in the art would envisage that since the cover plate is placed directly above the safety valve, it would deform when the gas is blown off.
Regarding claim 6, Ohshiba discloses the battery module according to claim 1, wherein the duct plate further includes a flow path outlet (i.e., discharge portion 900; see Fig 8) provided at an end of the flow path in the first direction (Y-direction in Fig 8), wherein the flow path outlet directly opens to the outside of the battery module (i.e., formed on the outer covering body 100; see Fig 8) so as to allow the leaking of the gas from the flow path to the outside of the battery module.
Regarding claim 7, Ohshiba discloses the battery module according to claim 1, wherein the valves of the plurality of batteries are directly connected to a common gas discharge duct being the gas discharge duct (i.e., discharge path P1; see Fig 8).
Regarding claim 8, Ohshiba discloses the battery module according to claim 1, wherein the duct plate (path forming portion 300) includes a planar portion extending parallel to the upper surface (i.e., the path forming portion 300 having a horizontal plane in Fig 8), the one or more openings (i.e., safety valve opening 311) is defined in the planar portion of the duct plate,
in the second direction (i.e., X-direction), a dimension of the one or more openings (i.e., the depth of the safety valve opening 311) is no more than a thickness of the planar portion (see Fig 8, 10).
Regarding claim 9, Ohshiba discloses the battery module according to claim 1, wherein the gas discharge duct (discharge path P1) is defined by a first wall portion and a pair of second wall portions,
the first wall portion and the pair of second wall portions respectively are elongated (note: interpreted as “extends”) in the stacking direction (i.e., Y-direction),
the pair of second wall portions is arranged in the first direction (i.e., Y-direction) with the one or more openings interposed therebetween,
the pair of second wall portions protrudes from the duct plate toward the cover plate in the second direction (i.e., the vertical walls of the pair of second wall extends in the direction of the cover plate to form horizontal walls) and forms both side surfaces of the gas discharge duct (i.e., safety valve opening 311 formed between the two horizontal walls).
Ohshiba further discloses wherein the horizontal walls of the inner lid 500 (i.e., the first wall of the instant claim) vertically extend in a gap formed between the first wall and the pair of second walls in Z-direction (see Fig 10). Thus, Ohshiba anticipates wherein “the first wall portion extends between the pair of second wall portions in the first direction”. The first wall further forms a top surface of the gas discharge duct (see Fig 8, 10).
Regarding claim 10, Ohshiba discloses the battery module according to claim 9,
wherein a duct opening is formed in at least one of the pair of second wall portions (i.e., between the pair of second wall portions; see Fig 10),
one end portion of the flow path in the first direction is connected to the duct opening, and another end portion of the flow path in the first direction is connected to a flow path outlet (i.e., discharge portion 900; See Fig 8 below) that directly opens to the outside of the battery module so as to allow the leaking of the gas from the flow path to the outside of the battery module (i.e., through the outer covering body 100).
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Regarding claim 11, Ohshiba discloses the battery module according to claim 10,
wherein the duct plate further includes the flow path outlet (discharge portion 900) provided at an end of the flow path in the first direction (See annotated Fig 8 above),
wherein the flow path outlet directly opens to the outside of the battery module so as to allow the leaking of the gas from the flow path to the outside of the battery module (i.e., discharge portion is formed on the outer covering body 100),
the gas discharge duct is configured to cause the gas blown off from the valves to first impinge on the first wall portion (i.e., the upper wall in Fig 8), and then to flow along the first wall portion into the flow path through the duct opening (see the arrows in Fig 8 that indicates direction of gas flow), and
the flow path (i.e., discharge path P1) is configured to cause the gas flowing therein to flow in the first direction (i.e., Y-direction; see Fig 8) and in the stacking direction (i.e., Y-direction), so as to leak from the flow path outlet (i.e., discharge portion 900) to the outside of the battery module (refer to the arrows in Fig 8).
Regarding claim 12, Ohshiba discloses the battery module according to claim 1 comprising terminals 230, 240, wherein the output terminals of the plurality of batteries are exposed and are not covered by the duct plate (see Fig 4, 5, 10; the portion of the duct plate not covering the terminal is considered exposure opening).
Ohshiba further discloses wherein the battery module further comprises bus bars (bus bar 630; [0072]) that electrically connect the output terminals of the plurality of batteries disposed adjacently to each other; the bus bars are placed adjacent to the terminal exposure openings of the duct plate [0100].
Regarding claim 13, Ohshiba discloses the battery module according to claim 1, wherein the first vertical wall and the second vertical wall are in direct contact with each other (See Fig 10 wherein the vertical walls of path forming portion 300 are in contact with the vertical walls of inner lid 500).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ohshiba (US20150280189A1), in view of Fujii (WO2013161655A1, IDS cited 09/14/2021, translation attached).
Regarding claim 4, Ohshiba discloses the battery module according to claim 1. However, Ohshiba does not disclose wherein the battery module further comprising a pair of end plates that sandwiches the battery stack in the stacking direction and the opposite direction to the stacking direction, wherein the first vertical wall is fixed to each of the end plates.
In this regard, Fujii also teaches a power supply device having a plurality of stacked battery cell 1, surface plate 8 having a plurality of connecting openings 6b and covers the battery cells, and a pair of endplates 3 “that sandwiches the battery stack in the stacking direction and the opposite direction to the stacking direction” as claimed (See Fig 5). Fujii further teaches wherein the surface plate 8 has a vertical wall (see Fig 2,5), wherein the vertical wall is fixed to the end plates via connection portions 5B and fitting recess 3B. Thus, it would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art to have modified Ohshiba to include a pair of endplates that sandwiches the battery stack wherein the first vertical wall is fixed to each of the end plates, as Fujii teaches that end plates can stably hold the battery stack from both ends ([0025] Fujii) having such configuration allows for having a specified distance between the battery stack and the end plates [0057 Fujii].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TAEYOUNG SON whose telephone number is (703)756-1427. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5pm.
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/T.S./Examiner, Art Unit 1751
/JONATHAN G LEONG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1751 9/22/2026
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