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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 06/25/2025 has been entered.
Status of Application
Claims 1-4, 6-14, 16-20 are currently pending and amended. Claims 5, 15 are cancelled.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 have been considered but are 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 8 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 8 recites the limitation "the side edge of the nut plate" in the last section. However, claim 1 and claim 8 do not recite any side edge of the nut plate. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
For examining purposes, Examiner interprets “the side edge of the nut plate” as “a side edge of the nut plate”.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(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) 1-4,6-14 and 16-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Matsumura (US20190221818A1).
Regarding claim 1, Matsumura discloses an apparatus (connection module 20 in Fig 10), comprising:
a busbar (bus bars 21 in Fig 10,11) comprising a body (plate-shaped portions 22; see Fig 11) and a tab region (protrusion portions 23, 23a; see Fig 11) extending at an angle (i.e., same angle as the body) from the body,
the tab region defining one or more openings (i.e., through holes 23B in Fig 11); and
a nut plate (sheet members 25 comprising “hold portions 26” and “extension and contraction portions 28”; Fig 6 [0053]) configured to couple with the tab region of the busbar (protrusion portions 23, 23a; see Fig 11) (see Fig 10)
one or more openings in the nut plate (hold holes 27 of the upper sheet member 25 in Fig 6,10) to align with the one or more openings of the tab region (upper through holes 23B in Fig 10,11) [0068],
the nut plate having a planar shape wherein the nut plate extends along a single plane (see Fig 7 wherein the hold portions 26 extend along a surface of bus bars 21),
at least a portion of a face of the nut plate coupled with a planar face of the tab region of the busbar (see Fig 7 wherein a surface of hold portions 26 is in contact with or “coupled” with the protrusion portions 23 of the bus bars 21 [0053]),
the one or more openings in the nut plate (hold holes 27 of the upper sheet member 25 in Fig 10) and the one or more openings of the tab region (i.e., through holes 23B in Fig 10,11) configured to receive a fastener (i.e., rivets 31) to secure an external element to the apparatus
the nut plate irreversibly coupled with the tab region of the busbar by at least two connection points on the tab region (i.e., via rivets 31 penetrating through the through holes 23A and hold holes 27; [0053]; see Fig 10),
the at least two connection points comprising a first connection point (i.e., the left through hole 23A in Fig 11) and a second connection point (i.e., the right through hole 23A in Fig 11) separate on the tab region from the one or more openings in the nut plate (hold holes 27 of the upper sheet member 25 in Fig 10) and the one or more openings of the tab region (through holes 23B in Fig 10,11),
the first connection point and the second connection point disposed adjacent to a side edge of the tab region (see two rivets 31 disposed adjacent to side edges of the tab region in the annotated Fig 9 below).
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Regarding claim 2, Matsumura discloses the apparatus of claim 1, comprising:
the face of the nut plate configured to be flush with the planar face of the tab region (see Fig 7 wherein an upper surface of hold portions 26 is in direct contact with a lower surface of protrusion portions 23);
the at least two connection points comprising a rivet (rivets 23; [0057]).
Regarding claim 3, Matsumura discloses the apparatus of claim 1, comprising:
the first connection point (i.e., left rivet 31 in Fig 10 below) disposed on a first side of a centerline of the nut plate and the second connection point (i.e., right rivet 31 in Fig 10 below) disposed on a second side of the centerline of the nut plate,
the first connection point and the second connection point disposed a distance away from the centerline.
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Regarding claim 4, Matsumura discloses the apparatus of claim 1, comprising:
the at least two connection points to include an irreversible connection (i.e., rivets 31)
Examiner notes that the claimed limitation “to prevent a misalignment between the one or more openings in the nut plate and the one or more openings of the busbar” is intended use limitation that does not impart additional structure. Since Matsumura discloses wherein the at least two connection points include rivets 31 to fix the busbar and the nut plate [0047], the limitation is considered met (MPEP 2112.01, I-II).
Regarding claim 6, Matsumura discloses the apparatus of claim 1, comprising:
the nut plate (hold portions 26 of sheet members 25) irreversibly coupled with the tab region of the busbar (bus bars 21 in Fig 9, 10) by the at least two connection points (i.e., via rivets 31 in Fig 10);
the first connection point (i.e., left rivet 31) of the at least two connection points disposed on a side of a first centerline and the second connection point (i.e., right rivet 31) of the at least two connection points disposed on the side of the first centerline (see annotated Fig 10 below)
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the first and second connection points disposed a first distance away from the first centerline; and
the first connection point (i.e., left rivet 31) disposed on a first side (i.e., left side) of a second centerline and the second connection point (i.e., right rivet 31) disposed on a second side (i.e., right side) of the second centerline, the first and second connection points disposed a second distance away from the second centerline (see annotated Fig 10 below)
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Regarding claim 7, Matsumura discloses the apparatus of claim 1, comprising: a portion of a perimeter of the tab region of the busbar aligns with a portion of a perimeter of the nut plate (see Fig 9, 10).
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Regarding claim 8, Matsumura discloses the apparatus of claim 1, comprising:
a first lateral edge of the nut plate aligns with a first lateral edge of the tab region and a second lateral edge of the nut plate aligns with a second lateral edge of the tab region (see annotated Fig 9 below);
the side edge of the tab region being the first lateral edge of the tab region or the second lateral edge of the tab region (see rejection for claim 1)
a side edge of the nut plate being one of the first lateral edge of the nut plate or the second lateral edge of the nut plate (see first lateral edge and second lateral edge of nut plate in the annotated Fig 9 below).
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Regarding claim 9, Matsumura discloses a battery module assembly (Fig 1, 2), comprising:
a module (power storage module M1; Fig 1,2);
a busbar (bus bars 21; Fig 2,10) configured to couple with the module,
a busbar (bus bars 21 in Fig 10,11) comprising a body (plate-shaped portions 22; see Fig 11) and a tab region (protrusion portions 23, 23a; see Fig 11) extending at an angle (i.e., same angle as the body) from the body,
the tab region defining one or more openings (i.e., through holes 23B in Fig 11); and
a nut plate (sheet member 25 comprising “hold portions 26” and “extension and contraction portions 28”; see Figs 9,10) configured to couple with the tab region of the busbar (i.e., via rivets 31; Fig 10)
one or more openings in the nut plate (hold holes of the upper sheet member 25 in Fig 10) to align (note: interpreted as forming a straight line per Cambridge Dictionary) with the one or more openings of the tab region (upper through holes 23B in Fig 10,11),
the nut plate having a planar shape wherein the nut plate extends along a single plane (see Fig 7, 10),
the one or more openings in the nut plate (hold holes of the upper sheet member 25 in Fig 10) and the one or more openings of the tab region (i.e., through holes 23B in Fig 10,11) configured to receive a fastener (i.e., rivets 31) to secure an external element to the apparatus
at least a portion of a face of the nut plate coupled with a face of the tab region of the busbar (see Fig 7 wherein a surface of hold portions 26 is in contact with or “coupled” with the protrusion portions 23 of the bus bars 21 [0053]),
the nut plate irreversibly coupled with the tab region of the busbar by at least two connection points on the tab region (i.e., via rivets 31 penetrating through the through holes 23A and hold holes 27; [0053]; see Fig 10)
the at least two connection points comprising a first connection point (i.e., the left through hole 23A in Fig 11) and a second connection point (i.e., the right through hole 23A in Fig 11) separate on the tab region from the one or more openings in the nut plate (hold holes of the upper sheet member 25 in Fig 10) and the one or more openings of the tab region (through holes 23B in Fig 10,11), and disposed adjacent a side edge of the tab region (see two rivets 31 disposed adjacent to side edges of the tab region in the annotated Fig 9 below).
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Regarding claim 10, Matsumura discloses the battery module assembly of claim 9, comprising: a first submodule (i.e., a pair of power storage elements 11 between two separators 16; see the annotated Fig 1 below) and a second submodule (adjacent pair of power storage elements 11; see the annotated Fig 1 below), wherein the first submodule is disposed above the second submodule (i.e., in X-direction, see Fig 1,2). Since the first submodule and the second submodule are adjacent to each other and share a surface, a person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize that “the second submodule supports the first submodule” as claimed.
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Regarding claim 11, Matsumura discloses the battery module assembly of claim 9, comprising:
a first submodule and a second submodule (see Fig 1 below; a pair of power storage elements 11 between a pair of separators 16);
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a plurality of busbars (i.e., connection modules 20A, 20B each comprising bus bars 21; Fig 10) including a first busbar and a second busbar; and
a plurality of nut plates (i.e., connection modules 20A, 20B each comprising sheet member 25A, 25B; Fig 10) including a first nut plate and a second nut plate,
the first nut plate and the second nut plate comprising a planar shape (see Fig 10);
the first busbar and the first nut plate to form a first busbar assembly (see first connection module 20A in Fig 10),
the first busbar assembly (i.e., bus bar 21 of first connection module 20A in Fig 10) to couple with the first submodule (see Fig 1,2); and
the second busbar (i.e., bus bar 21 of the second connection module 20B in Fig 10) and the second nut plate (sheet member 25 of the second connection module 20B in Fig 10) to form a second busbar assembly,
the second busbar assembly to couple with the second submodule (see Fig 1,2).
Regarding claim 12, Matsumura discloses the battery module assembly of claim 9, comprising:
the face of the nut plate configured to be flush with the planar face of the tab region (see Fig 7 wherein an upper surface of hold portions 26 is in direct contact or “flush” with a lower surface of protrusion portions 23);
the at least two connection points comprising a rivet (rivets 23; [0057]).
Regarding claim 13, Matsumura discloses the battery module assembly of claim 9, comprising:
the first connection point (i.e., left rivet 31 in Fig 10 below) disposed on a first side of a centerline of the nut plate and the second connection point (i.e., right rivet 31 in Fig 10 below) disposed on a second side of the longitudinal centerline of the nut plate,
the first connection point and the second connection point disposed a distance away from the centerline.
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Regarding claim 14, Matsumura discloses the battery module assembly of claim 9, comprising:
the nut plate coupled with the tab region of the busbar by at least one connection point (i.e., via rivets 31 penetrating through the through holes 23A and hold holes 27; see Fig 10),
the at least two connection points to include an irreversible connection (i.e., rivets 31)
Examiner notes that the claimed limitation “the irreversible connection configured to prevent a misalignment between the one or more openings in the nut plate and the one or more openings of the busbar” is intended use limitation that does not impart additional structure to the battery module assembly. Since Matsumura discloses wherein the at least two connection points include rivets to fix the busbar and the nut plate [0047], the limitation is considered met (MPEP 2112.01, I-II).
Regarding claim 16, Matsumura discloses the battery module assembly of claim 9, comprising:
the nut plate irreversibly coupled with the tab region of the busbar by at least two connection points (i.e., the hold portions 26 and busbar 21 fixed to each other via rivets 31 in through holes 23A; see Fig 10, 11);
the first connection point (left rivet 31 in the annotated Fig 10 below) disposed on a side of a first centerline and the second connection point (right rivet 31) disposed on the side of the first centerline,
the first and second connection points disposed a first distance away from the first centerline; and
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the first connection point (left river 31 in the annotated Fig 10 below) disposed on a first side of a second centerline and the second connection point (right rivet 31 in the annotated Fig 10 below) disposed on a second side of the second centerline,
the first and second connection points disposed a second distance away from the second centerline (see the annotated Fig 10 below)
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Regarding claim 17, Matsumura discloses the battery module assembly of claim 9, comprising: a portion of a perimeter of the tab region of the busbar to align with a portion of a perimeter of the nut plate (see the annotated Fig 9 below).
Regarding claim 18, Matsumura discloses a method, comprising:
aligning one or more openings of a nut plate (hold holes 27 of the upper sheet member 25 in Fig 10) with one or more openings of a busbar (through holes 23B in Fig 10, 11) [0068],
the busbar (bus bars 21 in Fig 10,11) comprising a body (plate-shaped portions 22; see Fig 11) and a tab region (protrusion portions 23, 23a; see Fig 11) extending at an angle (i.e., same angle as the body) from the body,
the one or more openings of the busbar disposed on the tab region of the busbar (i.e., through holes 23B in Fig 11)
the nut plate having a planar shape wherein the nut plate extends along a single plane (see hold portions 26 in Fig 7),
the one or more openings in the nut plate (hold holes 27 of the upper sheet member 25 in Fig 10) and the one or more openings of the tab region (i.e., through holes 23B in Fig 10, 11) configured to receive a fastener (rivet 31) to secure an external element to the apparatus
coupling the nut plate with the tab region of the busbar by at least two connection points on the tab region (fixing through holes 23A in Fig 11 and hold holes 27 with rivets [0047])
the at least two connection points including an irreversible connection (i.e., rivets 31),
the at least two connection points separate on the tab region from the one or more openings in the nut plate and the one or more openings of the tab region and disposed adjacent a side edge of the tab region (see annotated Fig 9 below)
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at least a portion of a face of the nut plate configured to be flush with a face of the tab region of the busbar (i.e., upper surface of the hold portions 26 in direct contact or “flush” with a lower surface of the protrusion portions 23; Fig 7).
Regarding claim 19, Matsumura discloses the method of claim 18, comprising: the at least two connection points to include a rivet (i.e., rivet 31 in Fig 10 [0047])
Regarding claim 20, Matsumura discloses the method of claim 18, comprising: the irreversible connection (i.e., rivets 31). Matsumura further discloses that the rivets are inserted through the hold holes 27 of the sheet member 25 and the through hole 23A of the busbar 21 to fix the two parts [0047]. Thus, a person having ordinary skill in the art would anticipate the rivets to “prevent a misalignment between the one or more openings in the nut plate and the one or more openings of the busbar” as claimed.
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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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jonathan Leong can be reached at (571) 270-1292. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/T.S./Examiner, Art Unit 1751
/JONATHAN G LEONG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1751 2/24/2026