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, 5, 7-8, 10, 12-13 are currently pending. Claims 4, 6, 9, 11 are canceled. Claim 1 is currently amended.
Priority
Should applicant desire to obtain the benefit of foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d) prior to declaration of an interference, a certified English translation of the foreign application must be submitted in reply to this action. 37 CFR 41.154(b) and 41.202(e).
Failure to provide a certified translation may result in no benefit being accorded for the non-English application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to amended claim(s) 1 have been considered but are not found persuasive. Applicant appears to argue that Hara fails to teach or suggest the newly added limitations.
Regarding the newly added limitation “wherein the upper case includes an accommodation portion in the front portion, the accommodation portion protruding upward and defining an inner space for accommodating the module unit”, Hara discloses wherein the upper case (upper accommodation unit 4) comprises an accommodation portion defining an inner space for accommodating the module unit (i.e., the space formed between junction box 35 and plug sensor box 34 in Fig 3 for accommodating a plurality of module 3) that protrudes upward (i.e., “opened upward” [0040]).
Regarding the limitation “wherein the bus bar unit passes through a front surface of the accommodation portion facing forward and is electrically connected to a front portion of the module unit within the inner space”, Hara discloses wherein the bus bar 42 crosses the front surface of the accommodation portion (see the annotated Fig below) and is electrically connected to a front portion of the module unit within the inner space [0082].
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Regarding the limitation “wherein the mounting unit is disposed below the accommodation portion so as to support the module unit”, Hara discloses partition protrusions 10a disposed below the accommodation portion so as to support a plurality of module 3.
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) 1-3,5,7,10, and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hara (US-20150243950-A1, previously cited).
Regarding claim 1, Hara discloses a vehicle battery case apparatus (“onboard battery”; see Fig 1), comprising:
a lower case (lower accommodation unit 5 in Fig 2,3) provided with a high-voltage battery (i.e., a plurality of modules 3) and an electric unit (control components 39 provided above lower accommodation unit 5);
an upper case (upper accommodation unit 4 in Fig 2,3) coupled to an upper portion of the lower case (e.g., lower side walls 13);
a module unit (battery modules 3 in upper accommodation unit 4 in Fig 2,3) into which the electric unit (control components 39) is built and which is mounted in a front portion of the lower case (see Fig 3 where battery modules 3 are mounted over the lower front wall 11 of the lower accommodation unit 5)
a connector unit (junction box 35) electrically connected to the electric unit (control components 39) by being installed in the module unit (battery module 3) through the upper case (note: “through the upper case” is interpreted as “over the whole surface or extent of the upper case”; i.e., the junction box 35 comprising control components 39 is electrically connected to the battery module 3 via connection bus bar 42 and vertical bus bar 33) in a state in which the upper case is mounted on the lower case to cover the module unit (i.e., wall 12, 13 of the lower case 5 covers or “extends over a surface” of the battery module 3 of the upper case);
wherein the module unit (battery modules 3 in upper accommodation unit 4) is mounted above the lower case (lower accommodation unit 5 in Fig 2,3) via a mounting unit (i.e., mounted in space between partition protrusions 10 a) so as to be provided above a high-voltage battery (a plurality of battery modules 3 in the lower accommodation unit 5);
wherein the module unit (battery module 3 in accommodation unit 4) and the connector unit (junction box 35 in Fig 2,3) are connected to each other via a bus bar unit (connection bus bar 42 [0082])
wherein the bus bar unit (connection busbar 42) is exposed to an outside of the upper case through the upper case in a front portion of the module unit (i.e., bus bar 42 exposed in an open/upper surface of the upper case 4; see annotated Fig 3 below)
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wherein the module unit is disposed to be spaced apart rearwards from a front end of the lower case (see battery modules 3 in accommodation unit 4 extending further rearwards than the front end of the lower case) such that the connector unit (junction box 35 in Fig 2,3) is positioned behind the front end of the lower case and does not protrude further forward than the lower case (see annotated Fig 3 below)
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wherein the module unit (battery unit 3 in accommodation unit 4) and the connector unit (junction box 35 in Fig 2,3) are installed at a front portion of the upper case and are located above both the lower case and the high voltage battery (i.e., a plurality of battery modules 3 in the lower accommodation unit 5; see annotated Fig 3 below)
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wherein the upper case (upper accommodation unit 4 in Fig 2,3) includes an accommodation portion in the front portion (i.e., space formed between an inner surface of plug sensor box 34 and an inner surface of junction box 35, where modules 3 are accommodated; Fig 3), the accommodation portion protruding upward (note: protruding interpreted as projecting; the accommodation portion extends from inner partition wall 10 towards flat lid 6, thus protrudes upward; “accommodation unit 4 that is opened upward” [0040]) and defining an inner space for accommodating the module unit [0040]
wherein the bus bar unit (connection busbar 42) passes through (note: interpreted as going across) a front surface of the accommodation portion facing forward and is electrically connected to a front portion of the module unit within the inner space ([0082]; Fig 2,3),
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wherein the mounting unit (i.e., partition protrusions 10a below the accommodation portion; [0050, 0068]) is disposed below the accommodation portion so as to support the module unit.
Regarding claim 2, Hara discloses the vehicle battery case apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electric unit (control components 39) is a relay [0079] such as a positive relay and a negative relay connected with a positive electrode power supply line and a negative electrode power supply line [0080], which resembles “a power relay assembly” as claimed.
Regarding claim 3, Hara discloses the vehicle battery case apparatus of claim 1, wherein the module unit (battery module 3 in accommodation unit 4 in Fig 2,3) is disposed at a center of the front portion of the lower case
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Regarding claim 5, Hara discloses the vehicle battery case apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mounting unit includes a panel portion (inner partition wall 10) configured to allow the module unit to be seated thereon and leg portions (partition protrusions 10 a) extending from opposite side ends of the panel unit toward the lower case (see Fig 2 [0068]).
Regarding claim 7, Hara discloses the vehicle battery case apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bus bar unit includes a mounting portion (i.e., end portions of the busbar that are inserted into the insertion holes 25a) configured to allow the connector unit (junction box 35 in Fig 2,3) to be inserted into the bus bar unit and to be electrically connected to the module unit (see Fig 3, 6; [0082]), and a rib portion extending on a circumferential surface of the mounting portion so as to come into contact with an inner surface of the upper case (i.e., bus bar extending between the inserted portions along the upper rear wall 8).
Regarding claim 10, Hara discloses the vehicle battery case apparatus of claim 1, wherein the module unit (battery module 3 in Fig 2,3) includes:
a lower cover (bottom wall 14) fixedly mounted on the lower case so as to define a mounting space in the lower case, in which the electric unit (control components 39 in junction box 35) is seated, and connected to the connector unit (junction box 35) at a front side of the connector unit, and
an upper cover (inner partition wall 10) mounted on an upper portion of the lower cover (i.e., lower side walls 13) so as to close the mounting space (see Fig 2,3) and provided with a pad unit on a top surface of the upper cover so as to absorb a shock applied to the upper case (flat lid 6; [0040]).
Regarding claim 12, Hara discloses the vehicle battery case apparatus of claim 1, wherein a vehicle body (i.e., trunk 200 in Fig 1, 9) is provided above the upper case (upper accommodation unit 4) and includes a portion formed in a protruding shape to match the accommodation portion of the upper case (see disposition depression 301 in Fig 1, 9 [0041]).
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.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hara (US20150243950A1, previously cited) in view of Kim (US20170025663A1, previously cited).
Regarding claim 8, Hara discloses the vehicle battery case apparatus of claim 7. Hara does not disclose “wherein the bus bar unit further includes a sealing unit provided to match the rib portion and to be mounted on the rib portion in an outer surface of the upper case to come into contact with the outer surface of the upper case” as claimed.
In this regard, Kim teaches a busbar assembly comprising a mounting portion and a rib portion (see Fig 4 of Kim), wherein a sealing portion (e.g., sealing ring, rubber ring, simple coating with a sealing material [0072-0073 Kim]) is provided between coupling surfaces of the rib portion and a battery case [0027 Kim] to seal a gap between the surfaces [0029 Kim]. Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art to have added a sealing unit that matches the rib portion (i.e., the extending portion of the busbar) and mounted on the rib portion such that it is in contact with the outer surface the upper case as claimed, with a reasonable expectation to seal the gap between the two surfaces [0027 Kim].
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hara (US20150243950A1, previously cited), in view of Yoshida (US20180065676A1, previously cited).
Regarding claim 13, Hara discloses the vehicle battery case apparatus of claim 12. However, Hara does not disclose “wherein the portion formed in the vehicle body to match the accommodation portion of the upper case is shaped through a hot stamping method”. In this regard, Yoshida teaches a vehicle body structure wherein a reinforcing panel is formed into a predetermined complicated shape by forming a curved shape or an uneven shape in the high-tensile steel plate by hot-stamp molding [0076 Yoshida]. As such, a person having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to use the hot-stamp molding method of Yoshida to form the protruding shape such that the vehicle body matches the accommodation portion of the upper case, with a reasonable expectation of success.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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 8/4/2026
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