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 .
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.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 07/02/2025 has been entered.
Status of Application
Claims 1-3, 5, 7-8, 10-13 are currently pending. Claims 4,6,9 are canceled. Claim 1 is currently amended.
Claim Objections
Claim 11 objected to because of the following informalities: claim 1 currently recites “… wherein the upper case includes in a front portion of the upper case an accommodation portion, which is curved…” Examiner suggests amending this to “… wherein the upper case includes an accommodation portion in a front portion of the upper case, which is curved…”. Appropriate correction is required.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 have been considered but are not found persuasive because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
Claim 1 is 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.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "… the module unit and the connector unit are installed at the front portion of the upper case" in lines 16-17 (last section of claim 1). There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Examiner suggests amending it to "… the module unit and the connector unit are installed at a front portion of the upper case"
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-3,5,7 and 10-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hara (US-20150243950-A1).
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 located or “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” is interpreted as “throughout” or “over the whole surface or extent of” according to Merriam-Webster; 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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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 11, Hara discloses the vehicle battery case apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper case (upper accommodation unit 4) includes an accommodation portion in a front portion of the upper case, which is curved upwards (i.e., partition protrusions 10a of upper accommodation unit 4; Fig 2; [0068]) so as to surround the module unit.
Regarding claim 12, Hara discloses the vehicle battery case apparatus of claim 11, 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 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.
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) in view of Kim (US20170025663A1).
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), in view of Yoshida (US20180065676A1).
Regarding claim 13, 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
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 2/17/2026