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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed November 6, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Here, based on further consideration of the previously cited prior art, and the submitted language of the amended claims, it is found that the amended claims are still read upon by the previously cited prior art.
Here, the applicant’s amendment has required that the batteries have electrode terminals in the left in a left and right direction, and that first ones of the secondary batteries have terminals on a left side, and second ones of the secondary batteries have terminals on a right side. Here, this structure can be satisfied by Yasui, based on a mapping of the battery block groups 300 as the assemblies as claimed. This results in structure where blocks 200 of batteries are facing left and right, as depicted in Yasui’s figure 8, with further detail shown in figure 2.
Additionally, the applicant’s amendment requires that the screen wall has a shifted shape such that a first portion of the screen wall between the first ones of the can-type secondary batteries of the first and second cell assemblies is shifted to the left side relative to a second portion of the screen wall between the second ones of the can-type secondary batteries of the first and second assemblies. Where the assemblies are cell block groups 300, which are made up of cell blocks 200, each cell block is surrounded by a corrugated screen wall, as discussed below, made obvious by Choi. Accordingly, where the left-right structure of the first and second ones of the cells in the cell assemblies is shown in figure 8, the corrugated screen wall satisfies the requirement of the claim, having the required shifted shape, while having the required left-right relationship, consistent with the left-right structure of the battery cells.
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.
Claim(s) 1-7 and 14-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yasui (US 20120261206 A1) in view of Choi (US 10230082 B2).
Regarding Claim 1, Yasui is an analogous art to the instant application, disclosing structure which comprises a battery pack (Abstract, “A battery block”) comprising at least two cell assemblies including a left cell assembly and a right cell assembly adjacent to the left cell assembly (Paragraph 0039, “The battery module 300 includes an even number of battery blocks 200”), as depicted in Yasui’s figure 8, which depicts a plurality of adjacent cell groups 300, where each group can be considered to be a single cell assembly, and where the vehicle body 60 comprises a cell group 300 on the left, which is a left assembly, and a cell assembly on the right side which is a right assembly, respectively including a plurality of can-type secondary batteries (Abstract, “The battery block for vehicle use which includes an accommodation section accommodating a plurality of cells serving as secondary batteries,”; Paragraph 0027, “The battery of the present embodiment may be a cylindrical battery,”) which are arranged in a front and rear direction as depicted in Yasui’s figure 2, and in a laid down form so that electrode terminals thereof are located in a left and right direction, as depicted in Yasui’s figure 8 which depicts a plurality of assembly groups 300, each of which contain multiple left assemblies and right assemblies, having electrode terminals located in left directions and right directions.
Additionally, Yasui discloses structure which comprises a pack housing including an outer wall configured to define an inner space for accommodating the left and right cell assemblies of the at least two cell assemblies (Paragraph 0039, “the case 40 ,”), as well as a screen wall between the accommodated at least two assemblies, here Yasui’s container 20 (Paragraph 0034, “cells 100 are accommodated in a container 20 .”), which surrounds individual pairs of their blocks 200, as depicted in Yasui’s figure 4, which shows structure where the screen wall surrounds a pair of blocks 200 along the left-right direction, thereby making them a single battery assembly, and in Yasui’s figure 2, which shows that the screen wall entirely surrounds and separates assemblies, thereby preventing said assemblies from directly facing each other.
Additionally, Yasui discloses structure wherein the screen wall has a recessed portion so that at least a part of the screen wall is spaced apart from an end of a respective one of the can-type secondary battery, here the gas passage 32, depicted in Yasui’s figures 2 and 4 (Paragraph 0036, “The opening portions 8 a of the cells 100 are in communication with the exhaust passage 32 via openings 30 a formed in the flat plate 30”). Here, the recessed portion is spaced apart by a predetermined distance to reduce propagation of flame or gas toward other can-type secondary batteries when flame or gas is discharged from some of the plurality of can-type secondary batteries (Paragraph 0036, “in which the plurality of cells 100 are accommodated and an exhaust passage 32 through which gas released from the opening portion 8a of the cell 100 passes and is released outside the container 20. The opening portions 8a of the cells 100 are in communication with the exhaust passage 32 via openings 30a formed in the flat plate 30.”).
Additionally, Yasui discloses structure wherein the plurality of can-type secondary batteries are arranged so that first ones of the can-type secondary batteries of each of the left and right cell assembly have a positive electrode located at a left side, and second ones of the can-type secondary batteries of the left and right cell assembly have a positive electrode terminal located at a right side, as depicted in Yasui’s figure 8, where a cell group 300, which is comprises pairs of horizontally adjacent battery blocks 200, comprising a pair of opposite-facing units depicted in detail in Yasui’s figure 2, thereby resulting in structure where a battery assembly has one side which is a battery block which comprises a set of secondary batteries that have a positive terminals located on the left side, and a second side which is a second battery block which comprises a set of secondary batteries which have positive terminals located on a right side.
Additionally, Yasui discloses structure wherein the first one of the can-type secondary batteries of the left assembly is adjacent to the first one of the can-type secondary batteries of the right cell assembly in the left-right direction, based on the positioning of the cell groups 300 that are a cell assembly, as depicted in Yasui’s figure 8. Here, the batteries are adjacent as a result of the left and right assemblies 300 being co-located on the vehicle body 60, as the claim does not provide a specific definition of adjacent, for example, limiting the components that can be between the assemblies while still being adjacent.
Additionally, Yasui discloses structure wherein the first ones of the screen wall is therebetween, where the screen wall 20 surrounds each battery block as depicted in Yasui’s figure 2, thereby being between any two first batteries of a first assembly and a second assembly. Additionally, Yasui discloses structure, as shown in their figure 8 wherein the second ones of the can-type secondary batteries of the first cell assembly are adjacent, in the left and right direction to the second ones of the can-type secondary batteries of the second cell assembly with the screen wall therebetween, where screen wall 20 surrounds each battery block as depicted in Yasui’s figure 2.
Additionally, in regards to the limitation of the instant claim which requires structure wherein the screen wall has a shifted shape such that a first portion of the screen wall between the first one of the can-type batteries of the left and right cell assemblies is shifted to the left side relative to a second portion of the screen wall between the second ones of the can-type batteries of the left and right cell assemblies, Yasui fails to disclose said structure. Therefore, we look to Choi, which is an analogous art to the instant application, disclosing a battery unit which comprises members which absorb surface pressure and expansion to increase durability (Abstract, “Disclosed is a battery unit providing predetermined surface pressure to battery cells and absorbing expansion of the battery cells, thereby increasing durability.”).
Here, Choi discloses the use of corrugated plates positioned adjacent to their battery cells (Column 6 lines 57-59, “The automobile battery unit 50 further includes a corrugated plate 340 inserted between the first battery cell 100a and the second battery cell 100b”) where the corrugated plates are configured to deform an absorb pressure when pressure is applied to them (Column 7 lines 5-7, “The corrugated plate 340 further deforms and absorbs pressure from each of the first and second battery cells”). Here, where Choi further discloses that their corrugated plates act to absorb pressure applied to the corrugated parts and increase durability (Column 6 line 39, “and absorbs expansion of the battery cells 100, thereby increasing durability.”). Accordingly, where the invention of Yasui is directed towards absorbing impact to the battery module (Paragraph 0013, “The battery module of the present invention absorbs impact”) it would be obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art to apply the corrugated structure of Choi to the screen walls 20 of Yasui.
Here, a corrugated sheet has portions which are respectively shifted to a right side and other portions which are respectively shifted to a left side, relative to a center-line of the corrugated sheet, shown in the cross-sectional view presented in Choi’s figure 4, for their deformable panel/corrugated plate 300/340. Accordingly, this would result in structure wherein the screen wall has a shifted shape, the corrugation depicted in Choi’s figure 3 comprising structure such that when applied to the screen wall, it would result in structure wherein a first portion of the screen wall between the first ones of the can-type secondary batteries and second cell assemblies is shifted to the left side relative to a second portion of the screen wall between the second ones of the can-type secondary batteries of the left and right cell assemblies.
Additionally, Yasui in light of Choi further depicts structure where the recessed portion, here Yasui’s gas passage 32, as discussed above, is located between the screen wall 20 and a proximal end of the first ones of the can-type secondary batteries of the left cell assembly, where the screen wall comprises the corrugated shifted first portions, and the recessed portion is disposed between the screen wall and the nearest proximal ends of the can-type secondary batteries.
Regarding Claim 2, Yasui and Choi make obvious the invention of Claim 1. Additionally, Yasui discloses structure wherein the electrode terminals include a positive electrode terminal (Paragraph 0030, “Moreover, the valve plate 14 is connected to a terminal plate 8 also serving as a positive electrode terminal”) and a negative electrode terminal (Paragraph 0029, “the bottom also serving as a negative electrode terminal.”), where the proximal end of the first ones of the can-type secondary batteries of the left cell assembly corresponds to a positive electrode terminal (Paragraph 0030, “Moreover, the valve plate 14 is connected to a terminal plate 8 also serving as a positive electrode terminal.”).
Additionally, Yasui discloses structure wherein the positive terminal of each of the plurality of the can-type secondary batteries has a gas vent portion (Paragraph 0030, “The filter 12 is connected to an inner cap 13 , and a raised section of the inner cap 13 is joined to a metal valve plate 14 . Moreover, the valve plate 14 is connected to a terminal plate 8 also serving as a positive electrode terminal. The terminal plate 8 , the valve plate 14 , the inner cap 13 , and the filter 12 together seal an opening of the cell case 7 via a gasket 11 .”), where the gas vent portion is configured to discharge gas inside the respective can-type secondary battery to an outside of the respective can-type secondary battery when an internal pressure of the can-type secondary battery is greater than a predetermined level (Paragraph 0031, “When the pressure in the cell 100 further increases, the valve body 14 ruptures. Thus, gas generated in the cell 100 is released outside via a through hole 12a of the filter 12, a through hole 13a of the inner cap 13, the ruptured part of the valve body 14, and an opening portion 8a of the terminal plate 8.”).
Regarding Claim 3, Yasui and Choi make obvious the invention of Claim 2. Additionally, Yasui discloses structure wherein a discharge rib protruding in an inner direction is disposed at an inner surface of the outer wall of the pack housing, here Yasui’s gutter-like member 21, as depicted in Yasui’s figure 4 (Paragraph 0037, “the gutter-like member 21 is placed above the opening portions 8 a, and the opening portions 8 a are covered with the gutter-like member 21.”), positioned such that the outer wall has a space to be separated from the can-type secondary battery by a predetermined distance where said distance is the thickness of the gutter-like member.
Regarding Claim 4, Yasui and Choi make obvious the invention of Claim 2. Additionally, Yasui discloses structure wherein the pack housing has a gas discharge hole defined in the outer wall thereof to discharge an internal gas to the outside of the pack housing (Paragraph 0042, “An exit 44 of the gas release duct 42 is arranged in a position which is safe for gas release”), and where the recessed portion has a moving hole defined in a part thereof, where the moving hole is depicted in Yasui’s figure 2 as their outlet 22 (Paragraph 0037, “Gas released through the opening portion 8a of the cell 100 is released to the exhaust passage 32 via the opening 30a formed in the flat plate 30, flows through the exhaust passage 32, and is released from an outlet 22 provided to the container 20 to the outside of the container 20.”), where the gas discharged through the gas vent portion moves toward the gas discharge hole therethrough, as depicted in Yasui’s figure 3.
Regarding Claim 5, Yasui and Choi make obvious the invention of Claim 4. Additionally, Yasui discloses structure wherein the recessed portion has a guide rib which is a gutter-like member (Paragraph 0037, “the gutter-like member 21 is placed above the opening portions 8 a, and the opening portions 8 a are covered with the gutter-like member 21.”), where the gutter like member lines the opposite face of the exhaust passage from the battery gas vents as depicted in Yasui’s figure 4, and acts as a gutter to guide the gas in the direction of the moving hole (Paragraph 0037, “as released through the opening portion 8a of the cell 100 is released to the exhaust passage 32 via the opening 30 a formed in the flat plate 30 , flows through the exhaust passage 32 , and is released from an outlet 22 provided to the container 20 to the outside of the container 20 .”).
Regarding Claim 6, Yasui and Choi make obvious the invention of Claim 2. Additionally, Yasui discloses structure where some of the plurality of can-type secondary batteries are arranged in an upper and lower direction, as depicted in Yasui’s figure 4, which depicts stacking of the can-type batteries. Additionally, Yasui’s figure 4 depicts structure where the screen wall has a step portion in a region thereof, here the portion of the screen wall 20 which extends up along the upper and lower direction, facing the batteries stacked in that direction. Accordingly, the portion of the screen wall 20 which extends upwards along the upper and lower direction which is the step portion, has a greater height in the upper and lower direction than the portion of the screen wall 20 which is located along the lower face of the batteries.
Regarding Claim 7, Yasui and Choi make obvious the invention of Claim 6. Additionally, Yasui discloses structure wherein the screen wall includes a screen rib, here the gutter-like member 21 (Paragraph 0037, “the gutter-like member 21 is placed above the opening portions 8 a, and the opening portions 8 a are covered with the gutter-like member 21.”), which is located at a middle height of the plurality of can-type secondary batteries stacked in the upper and lower direction, as depicted in Yasui’s figure 4.
Here, the gutter-like member 21 is configured to protrude in the left and right direction to prevent the gas discharged from the gas vent portions from moving in the upper and lower direction, as is further depicted in Yasui’s figure 4, which depicts structure where the gutter-like member has protrusions extending towards the batteries, thereby extending in the left and right direction, which obstruct the gas discharged from the gas vents from moving in the upper and lower direction, thereby preventing said movement. Additionally, the gutter-like member is provided to linearly extend in the front and rear direction, as depicted in Yasui’s figure 2.
Regarding Claim 14, Yasui and Choi make obvious structure which comprises at least one of the battery packs of Claim 1 (Paragraph 0027, “Note that the battery used in the battery block of the present embodiment may be a battery which can also be used alone as a power supply of portable electronic devices”).
Regarding Claim 15, Yasui and Choi make obvious structure which comprises a vehicle comprising at least one battery pack according to claim 1 (Abstract, “A battery block for vehicle use”).
Regarding Claim 16, Yasui and Choi make obvious the invention of Claim 4. Additionally, Yasui further discloses structure wherein a second recessed portion is between the second portion of the screen wall and a positive terminal of the second ones of the can-type secondary batteries of the second cell assembly.
Here, the portions of the recessed portion 32 beside the first portion of the corrugated screen wall are defined as being the first recessed portion, and the portions beside the second portion of the corrugated screen wall are defined as being the second recessed portion, as the shape of the corrugation provides additional volume to the portions beside the first screen wall portion, thereby representing differing structure. Here, these second recessed portions are disposed between the screen wall 20’s second portions, and the positive terminal of the second ones of the can-type secondary batteries of the second cell assembly, as depicted in Yasui’s figures 2 and 3, which depict the placement of the cells, screen wall, and recessed portions, as well as the cell blocks 200 which make up the cell assembly 300.
Additionally, the moving hole 22 (identified as such above), connects the recessed portion and the second recessed portion through the screen wall, connecting the region which comprises the recessed portions with a region on the exterior of the screen wall, as depicted in Yasui’s figure 2.
Regarding Claim 17, modified Yasui makes obvious the invention of Claim 1. Additionally, Yasui discloses structure wherein the first ones of the can-type secondary batteries of the left cell assembly are adjacent to the second ones of the can-type secondary batteries of the left cell assembly, in the front rear direction, as depicted in Yasui’s figure 8. Here, the battery cells of the cell blocks 200 are adjacent, with the first ones being located on the left side, and the second ones being located on the right side. This means that for each of the batteries of the first ones, the batteries of the second ones are either to the front or to the rear, other than one that is directly to the side. Here, where this means that a majority of the batteries are diagonally adjacent, in a front and rear direction, the general group can therefore be characterized as being adjacent in the front and rear direction, as is required by the instant claim.
Additionally, the same structure is present for the right cell assembly, where the first ones of the can-type secondary batteries of the right cell assembly are adjacent to the second ones of the can-type secondary batteries of the right cell assembly in the front and rear direction.
Claim(s) 8-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yasui (US 20120261206 A1) in view of Choi (US 10230082 B2) as applied to Claim 2 above, in further view of Masuki (US 20180358766 A1).
Regarding Claim 8, Yasui and Choi make obvious the invention of Claim 2. Additionally, Yasui discloses structure where the battery modules are used to power electronic devices (Paragraph 0027, “Note that the battery used in the battery block of the present embodiment may be a battery which can also be used alone as a power supply of portable electronic devices such as lap top computers (hereinafter, batteries used in a battery block are referred to as “cells”).”). Accordingly, the battery pack must inherently comprise structure where the battery pack comprises an electrical input/output electric wire electrically connected to the plurality of can-type secondary batteries.
However, Yasui fails to disclose structure wherein the outer wall of the pack housing includes an accommodation groove recessed in an inner direction to accommodate a part of the electric wire therein and formed to linearly extend along the outer wall. Accordingly, we look to Masuki, which is an analogous art to the instant application, disclosing a busbar module which comprises a cable and accommodation portion (Abstract, “The clamp base part is provided on a structure in which a cable and/or an electric wire is routed and formed such that the cable and/or the electric wire is placed thereon.”). Here, Masuki discloses structure which comprises an electric wire accommodation groove portion (Paragraph 0036, “ In approximately the center of the clamp base part 36, a cable placement portion 42”), which is a portion recessed in an inner direction, as depicted in Masuki’s figure 4
Here, where Masuki discloses structure wherein the cable is a high voltage cable (paragraph 0027, “a high voltage cable 25”) which interconnects between the battery assembly of Masuki and external devices (Paragraph 0029, “The cable 25 is a well-known electric wire sheathed in cloth, and has the flexibility that is the ability to be resilient but bent. In the present embodiment, the cable 25 is routed along a short-end flank portion 29 (one flank portion) of the resin plate 27.”). Accordingly, where a battery array for a vehicle like the one of Yasui requires high voltage current, and where connection of the cable would need to extend from the surface of the battery to components of the vehicle which are external to the battery, it would therefore be obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art to position that cable structure of Masuki on an external surface of the battery module of Yasui, thereby producing structure wherein the outer wall of the pack housing includes Masuki’s accommodation groove recessed in an inner direction to accommodate a part of the electric wire therein, thereby reading upon and making obvious the instant limitation.
Additionally, Masuki discloses structure which comprises a cable support wall 43 which takes the form of a cable-fixing rib (Paragraph 0036, “and a cable support wall 43 are formed to the upper-right side (in a portion that is one step raised from the electric wire accommodation groove portion 41) of the electric wire accommodation groove portion 41.”), further depicting a plurality of said ribs being present at each cable retention position in Masuki’s figure 9, where the ribs are positioned to protrude in an upper direction at an inner surface of the accommodation groove and are spaced apart by a predetermined distance. Accordingly, it would be obvious to make use of the structure of the support wall so as to protect the cable from external forces and impacts, as well as reducing the movement of the cable, thereby reading upon and making obvious the limitation of the instant claim.
Regarding Claim 9, Yasui, Choi, and Masuki make obvious the invention of Claim 8. Additionally, though Masuki is silent in regards to disclosing structure which specifically comprises a first fixing rib configured to protrude upward at an inner lower surface of the accommodation groove, and a second fixing rib configured to protrude downward at an inner upper surface of the accommodation groove, their disclosure of the fixing rib’s function being to protect the covered wire and prevent its movement within the groove (Paragraph 0036, “The cable support wall 43 is a position regulation portion for not causing the cable 25 to move rightward. The cable support wall 43 is formed such that the cable support wall 43 has the same function as a groove flank surface of the electric wire accommodation groove portion 41.”) and to prevent rightward movement, it would therefore be obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art to make use of structure which comprises a respective first lower and second upper fixing rib, so as to protect the wire from both sides of the groove, thereby fully making use of the disclosed protection benefits, accordingly preventing both rightward and leftward movement, thereby reading upon and making obvious the limitations of the instant claim.
Claim(s) 10-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yasui (US 20120261206 A1) in view of Choi (US 10230082 B2) as applied to Claim 2 above, in further view of Cho (US 20170179542 A1).
Regarding Claim 10, Yasui and Choi make obvious the invention of Claim 2. Additionally, Yasui discloses structure further comprising a module case configured to have an empty space formed therein so that the plurality of can-type secondary batteries are accommodated therein. However, Yasui is silent in regards to structure where their battery pack comprises a bus bar electrically connected to the plurality of can-type secondary batteries, as well as failing to disclose a battery management unit having a printed circuit board configured to control charging and discharging of the plurality of can-type secondary batteries and a sensing wire configured to electrically connect the bus bar and the battery management unit. Accordingly, we look to Cho, which is an analogous art to the instant application, disclosing structure which comprises a battery module comprising a battery management system which controls the operation of the battery module (Abstract, “a battery management system (BMS) mounted in the step part of the battery cell stack for controlling the operation of the battery module, and voltage sensing wires arranged on the battery cell stack, each of the voltage sensing wires having one end connected to a corresponding one of voltage sensing terminals formed on portions of the terminal plates and the other end connected to the BMS.”).
Here, Cho discloses structure which comprises a terminal plate which electrically connects electrode terminals of battery cells to each other and is accordingly a busbar (Abstract, “terminal plates for electrically connecting electrode terminals of the battery cells to each other”), as well as a battery management unit (Abstract, “battery management system (BMS) mounted in the step part of the battery cell stack for controlling the operation of the battery module,”) which comprises a printed circuit board, as evidenced by Cho’s disclosure of structure where the BMS board connects to an external LED board (Paragraph 0056, “Power cables 153 and 154 are connected to the BMS 140 so as to supply power to the BMS 140. A BMS lead 155 is connected to the BMS 140 so as to charge the BMS 140. In addition, an LED board connection line 156 is connected to the BMS 140. The LED board connection line 156 is connected to an external LED board so as to show information, such as a charging state.”), such that the BMS must comprise a circuit board which analyzes and translates information to the LED board to be displayed.
Additionally, Cho discloses that their battery management unit is configured to control the charging and discharging of the plurality of can-type secondary batteries (Paragraph 0051, “a battery management system (BMS) 140 for controlling the operation of the battery module”), and which further comprises a sensing wire configured to electrically connect the bus bar and BMS unit (Paragraph 0051, “a battery management system (BMS) 140 for controlling the operation of the battery module”).
Here, through Cho’s disclosure that the BMS unit allows for control over the operation of their battery module, and that the bus bar and sensing wire act to connect the battery cells to the BMS unit, and that the BMS unit protects battery cells from overcharge, over-discharge, and overcurrent (Paragraph 0007, “or a battery management system (BMS), for protecting battery cells from overcharge, overdischarge, or overcurrent.”), it would therefore be obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art to apply the busbar, BMS unit, and sensing wire structure of Cho to the invention of Yasui, thereby reading upon and making obvious the limitations of the instant Claim.
Regarding Claim 11, Yasui, Choi, and Cho make obvious the invention of Claim 10. Additionally, where the sensing wire of Cho is applied to the invention of Yasui, where the sensing wire is attached to busbar plates which are attached to electrode terminals, as discussed above, and where the terminal of Yasui is positioned facing the upper walls of the module case, as depicted in Yasui’s figure 4, it would be obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art to insert and dispose the sensing wire in the groove on the outside of Yasui’s gutter-like member 21, where it would be able to extend along the length of the battery assembly while being protected by flame and gas discharge from the vents of the can-type secondary batteries, where the overall structure of the module case encompasses the case 20 and the structures surrounding the battery within.
Regarding Claim 12, Yasui, Choi, and Cho make obvious the invention of Claim 11. Additionally, Cho discloses structure which comprises a plurality of fixing protrusions formed to protrude toward the sensing wires as depicted by Cho in their figure 4, where the voltage-sensing wires 150 are contained by the wire-fixing ribs 161 (Paragraph 0063, “The voltage sensing terminals 131 are connected to the wires 150 by soldering.”; Paragraph 0066, “the ribs 161 and 162 include first ribs 161, each of which is configured to have a bar shape, and second ribs 162, each of which is configured to have a fitting structure.”) which in extending over the sensing wires thereby protrude towards them.
Additionally, Cho discloses that their fixing ribs provide aesthetic benefits, as well as reducing cost increase that would result from using adhesive fixing components, as well as simplifying and making uniform manufacturing processes which fix the voltage sensing wires (Paragraph 0018, “That is, in the battery module including the wire-fixing ribs according to the present invention, the voltage sensing wires are fixed without using an adhesive or an adhesive tape, thereby providing an aesthetically pleasing appearance to the battery module, preventing the increase of cost due to the use of the adhesive or the adhesive tape, and improving tact time through the simple and uniform manufacturing process of pushing the voltage sensing wires from above to fix the voltage sensing wires.”). Accordingly, it would be obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art to apply the wire-fixing ribs of Cho to the combination of Yasui and Cho, so as to fix the voltage-sensing wires. Additionally, where the voltage-sensing wires are inserted and disposed in an embedding groove, it would further be obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art to form the wire-fixing ribs inside the embedding groove, so as to facilitate the wire-fixing rib’s ability to fix said wires, where the fixing requires adjacency, as depicted by Cho in their figure 4, where the voltage-sensing wires 150 are contained by the wire-fixing ribs 161 (Paragraph 0063, “The voltage sensing terminals 131 are connected to the wires 150 by soldering.”; Paragraph 0066, “the ribs 161 and 162 include first ribs 161, each of which is configured to have a bar shape, and second ribs 162, each of which is configured to have a fitting structure.”).
Regarding Claim 13, Yasui, Choi, and Cho make obvious the invention of Claim 12. Additionally, where Cho discloses that their wire fixing ribs protrude from the inside ends of the module covers in the direction of which their module covers are coupled together (Paragraph 0029, “The first ribs may protrude from the inside ends of the module covers in the direction in which the module covers are coupled to each other.”), and where the groove of Yasui, as discussed above as being depicted in Yasui’s figure 4, comprises structure where the edges of the gutter-like member 21 contact the surrounding wall at two points. Where Cho discloses that the fixing ribs protrude from inside ends of the contact points, it would therefore be obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art to apply the fixing ribs to the contact points between the gutter-like member and the surrounding case material, thereby resulting in structure wherein the fixing protrusions positioned on either side are formed to protrude towards each other so that the sensing wire is interposed between the plurality of fixing protrusions.
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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/J.W.E./Examiner, Art Unit 1725
/BASIA A RIDLEY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1725