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 .
Summary
The Applicant’s arguments and claim amendments received on August 12, 2025 have been entered into the file. Currently, claims 1, 3-6, 13, and 15-18 are amended; and claims 2, 7, 14, and 19 are cancelled; resulting in claims 1, 3-6, 8-13, 15-18, and 20 pending for examination.
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.
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.
Claims 1, 3-4, 10-13, and 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Harris, et al. (US 2018/0190960 A1) in view of Ing, et al. (US 2021/0265669 A1).
Regarding claims 1, 3, 10, 13, and 15, Harris teaches an electrical system (100; energy module) comprising a battery pack (110; plurality of energy cells) and an interconnect assembly (120; flexible interconnect circuit) (¶ [0090], Ln. 1-3). The interconnect assembly (120; flexible interconnect circuit) includes a first conductive layer (121) and a second conductive layer (122) which are connected to the terminals of various cells of the battery pack (110; plurality of energy cells; batteries) to conduct current to and from the cells (¶ [0094], Ln. 1-14). An insulating layer (126) is disposed between the first and second conductive layers (electrical conductor laminated with an insulator) (¶ [0142], Ln. 13-15). The interconnect assembly (120; flexible interconnect circuit) also includes a plurality of tabs which connect the interconnect assembly to the positive and negative terminals of the cells (¶ [0084], Ln. 14-17) and are configured to function as fuses to protect the cell and/or battery pack as a whole (power pack fusing) (¶ [0085], Ln. 9-10). The fuses have a first current rating. Harris further teaches that the interconnect assembly (120; flexible interconnect circuit) includes a sensing layer (123) for communicating current, voltage, temperature, and other data with a communications connector (125) and the BMS (140; control and communication module) (¶ [0105], Ln. 12-23). Harris also teaches that the interconnect assembly (120; flexible interconnect circuit) is configured to provide tabs that connect to the individual terminals of the cells (single contacts to energy cell connections) (¶ [0004], Ln. 1-13).
Harris teaches that the electrical system (100; energy module) may be coupled to a load (190) via a power connector (135; power coupling module) that is configured to pass power from battery pack (110) to load (190) or vice versa (¶ [0091], Ln. 1-8).
Harris teaches that the electrical system (100; energy module) may be coupled to a battery management system (BMS) (140; control and communication module) which is in signal communication with the interconnect assembly (120; flexible interconnect circuit) to control behavior of the battery pack (110) (¶ [0093], Ln. 1-4).
Harris teaches that the electrical system (100; energy module) may be utilized in connection with an electric vehicle or item of mobile industrial equipment (support module) (¶ [0177], Ln. 1-5).
Harris does not expressly teach that the sensing layer includes sense line fusing.
Ing teaches an electrical interconnect device disposed between a battery management system and a number of battery cells in an electric vehicle energy storage system (¶ [0013], Ln. 1-6). Specifically, Ing teaches a battery module voltage sensing system (100) including a printed circuit (104; flexible interconnect circuit) which connects a battery module (108) to a battery management system (112), also referred to a cell monitor unit (CMU; control and communication module) (¶ [0022], Ln. 1-9; Fig. 1). The printed circuit (104) includes at least one insulation layer upon which a number of electrical traces are formed (¶ [0023], Ln. 1-4), referred to as the flex circuit (¶ [0024], Ln. 1-3). Ing additionally teaches that fuses are in electrical contact with the cells, with one fuse being provided for each cell (power pack fusing), and that other electrical components are included in the flex circuit, including additional fuses and a voltage monitor for each cell (sense line fusing connected to the power pack fuse and/or the energy cell terminal contacts). Ing teaches that the circuitry wiring for the flex circuit is connected to circuitry within the CMU (control and communications module), which monitors the system via the electrical connections for variables including temperature, voltage, and power usage. The CMU may balance cell usage by monitoring voltage and power usage using the circuit wiring of the flex circuit (¶ [0037], Ln. 1-21).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the interconnect assembly (120; flexible interconnect circuit) of Harris to include the additional fuses and voltage monitor for each cell as taught by Ing in order to allow the BMS (140; control and communication module) to monitor variables including temperature, voltage, and power usage. One would be motivated to make this modification in order to balance cell usage. In including the additional fuses and voltage monitor, the additional fuses would have a second current rating.
Regarding claims 4 and 16, Harris in view of Ing teaches all of the limitations of claims 1 and 13 above, and Harris further teaches that the interconnect plates may comprise a plurality of windows (through-holes) for connecting tabs to cells (¶ [0107], Ln. 30-35).
Regarding claim 11, Harris in view of Ing teaches all of the limitations of claim 1 above, and Harris further teaches that the term “battery cells” may be used to describe fuel cells (¶ [0088], Ln. 11-12).
Regarding claim 12, Harris in view of Ing teaches all of the limitations of claim 1 above. Harris does not expressly teach that the energy cells may be capacitors.
Ing teaches that the energy storage device is not limited to batteries and the connector may be used for capacitors (¶ [0021], Ln. 6-11).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the battery cells of Harris to include capacitors as taught by Ing. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that there are multiple types of energy storage devices, including batteries and capacitors, and an interconnect device could be used interchangeably for different types of energy storage devices.
Claims 5-6 and 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Harris, et al. (US 2018/0190960 A1) in view of Ing, et al. (US 2021/0265669 A1) as applied to claims 1 and 13 above, and further in view of Crowley, et al. (US 2022/0255194 A1).
Regarding claims 5-6 and 17-18, Harris in view of Ing teaches all of the limitations of claims 1 and 13, and Harris further teaches that the interconnect plates may comprise a plurality of windows (through-holes) for connecting tabs to cells (¶ [0107], Ln. 30-35). Harris in view of Ing does not expressly teach bolting or fastening the energy cell terminal contacts to the energy cell terminals with threaded connectors.
Crowley teaches an electronic assembly including an electronics board (flexible interconnect circuit) adapted to span between terminals of energy storage units (energy cells). The electronic board (flexible interconnect circuit) includes terminal coupling regions, which are the primary path of electrical current between the electronics board and the unit terminals, and at least one circuit region, which includes a first conductive layer and a second non-conductive layer (insulating layer) (¶ [0008], Ln. 1-12). The terminal coupling regions further comprise temperature and voltage sensors (sense line connections) (¶ [0029]-[0030]). To fasten the electronics assembly to one or more battery cell units, the terminal coupling region of the electronic board includes an aperture (through-hole) to allow pass-through of a fastener such as a bolt, nut, and/or washer (fastening with threaded connectors). Crowley teaches that the conductive fastener is able to carry current between the electronic assembly and the one or more battery cell units (¶ [0174], Ln. 1-9).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the interconnect assembly (120; flexible interconnect circuit) of Harris in view of Ing to include threaded fasteners such as bolts to connect the terminals of the cells to the interconnect assembly (120; flexible interconnect circuit) as taught by Crowley. One would be motivated to make this modification in order to connect the interconnect assembly (120; flexible interconnect circuit) to the battery pack and allow current to carry between the two.
Claims 8-9 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Harris, et al. (US 2018/0190960 A1) in view of Ing, et al. (US 2021/0265669 A1) as applied to claims 1 and 13 above, and further in view of Faltermeier, et al. (US 2021/0399386 A1).
Regarding claims 8-9 and 20, Harris in view of Ing teaches all of the limitations of claims 1 and 13 above and Harris further teaches that the interconnect assembly (120; flexible interconnect circuit) is configured to provide tabs that connect to the individual terminals of the cells (single contacts to energy cell connections) (¶ [0004], Ln. 1-13). Harris additionally teaches that the tabs are configured to function as fuses to protect the cell and/or battery pack as a whole (¶ [0085], Ln. 9-10). Harris in view of Ing does not expressly teach that each energy cell has a voltage tap.
The use of voltage taps is well known in the art as a way to specify voltage within a series of battery connections. Faltermeier teaches a cell connector for electric-conductively connecting round cells of a battery for a motor vehicle (¶ [0007], Ln. 1-3). Faltermeier teaches that in order to balance voltage, voltage taps are used on the cells connected in parallel so that it is not necessary to individually monitor each cell with regard to voltage (¶ [0049], Ln. 1-11).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the interconnect assembly (120; flexible interconnect circuit) of Harris in view of Ing to include voltage taps for each cell as taught by Faltermeier. In adding voltage taps to each cell, the cells would comprise a voltage tap as well as fusing from the tabs. One would be motivated to make this modification in order to monitor voltage as a whole, rather than at each cell individually.
Response to Arguments
Response-Claim Rejections 35 U.S.C. 112
The previous rejections of claims 3 and 15 as being indefinite for failing to set forth 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 are overcome by the Applicant’s amendments to claims 3 and 15 in the response filed August 12, 2025.
Response-Claim Rejections 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103
In light of the Applicant’s amendments to claim 1 in the response filed August 12, 2025, the previous rejections of claims 1, 4, 10-11, 13, and 16 under 35 U.S.C. 102 over Harris, et al. (US 2018/0190960 A1) are overcome, however, upon further consideration, the reference is applicable under 35 U.S.C. 103 and used in the rejections above in combination with Ing, et al. (US 2021/0265669 A1). Any arguments with respect to the reference still deemed valid will be addressed herein.
The Applicant argues, see pages 6-8 of the remarks filed August 12, 2025, that Ing does not expressly teach sense line fusing with a smaller amperage as part of the flex circuit and therefore, one would not be motivated to include fusing for the voltage sense lines with a different current rating than the fuses which protect the cell and/or battery pack as a whole (power pack fusing) in the interconnect assembly of Harris. This argument is not persuasive as it is not commensurate in scope with claim 1. Amended claim 1 requires the fusing between each cell to have a have a first current rating and the sense line fusing to have a second current rating, however, the claim language allows the first current rating to be the same as the second current rating.
In the case that the first current rating and the second current rating are required to be different, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the interconnect assembly of Harris to include additional fuses in the voltage sense lines with a smaller amperage than some or all of the other fuses in the interconnect assembly based on the teachings of Ing. Ing teaches that every voltage sense line can have a serviceable fuse (¶ [0036], Ln. 1-11), and that the serviceable connector may have a smaller amperage than some or all of the fuses in the flexible circuit, indicating that the printed circuit is configured to include fusing between cells with a different current rating than the fusing to the BMS. Ing teaches that fuse design may be advantageously adjusted based on different charging requirements, teaching that vehicles with slower charging requirements require less balancing and more voltage sensing and vehicles with faster charging requirements require more balancing and less voltage sensing, and that balancing can be done using the voltage sense lines (¶ [0055], Ln. 24-34).
The Applicant argues that because Ing teaches fuses with smaller amperage in connection with the serviceable connector, it would not be obvious to include fusing with smaller amperage in the interconnect assembly of Harris. This argument is not persuasive. Ing is used as a teaching reference to adjust the voltage sensing fuse design based on the balancing requirements of the application of the battery. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to include the additional fuses in the voltage sense lines having a different current rating than the power pack fusing based on different balancing requirements.
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.
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/SARAH J JACOBSON/Examiner, Art Unit 1785
/MARK RUTHKOSKY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1785