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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 11/4/2025 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The amendments filed 11/04/2025 have been entered. Claim 1 is amended.
Support for the amendments can be found in Figs. 5 and 6 and paragraphs 0093 and 0094 of the instant specification.
Claims 1-9 are pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to amended claim(s) 1 have been considered but are moot 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 § 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 and 3-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Fees (US 20180108895 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Fees teaches a battery pack comprising:
a plurality of battery cells, each comprising a negative electrode and a positive electrode, the positive and negative electrodes being arranged on a same side of the battery cell (Fig. 6);
a substrate arranged on the plurality of battery cells and comprising a first surface and a second surface located on opposite sides of the substrate, and a through hole overlapping and exposing the negative electrode and the positive electrode of a battery cell of the plurality of battery cells, the through hole including an extension portion that has an outer periphery extending farther outward from a center of the through hole than that of another region of the through hole (Figs. 14, 15A, 15B, and 16B – the holes of the insulation layer can be viewed as through holes with extension portions);
a first conductive plate arranged on the first surface of the substrate and comprising a first hole (Figs. 14, 15B, 16A, and 16B – the center contact plate is arranged on top of the insulation layer);
a second conductive plate arranged on the second surface of the substrate and comprising a second hole (Figs. 14, 15A, 15B, 16A, and 16B – the negative or positive contact plate is arranged below the insulation layer);
a first connection tab electrically connecting one of the negative electrode and the positive electrode with the first conductive plate through the second hole and the through hole (Figs. 14, 15B, 16A, and 16B – the center contact comprises a bonding connector/connection tab that passes through the second hole and the through hole; 0035, Fig. 16F – the bonding connector/connection tab is connected to a terminal of a battery cell);
and a second connection tab electrically connecting the other of the negative electrode and the positive electrode with the second conductive plate (Figs. 14, 15A, and 15B – the positive and/or negative center plates are connected to the other electrode through a second connection tab),
wherein the extension portion of the through hole overlaps and exposes a portion of the second connection tab that is connected to the other one of the negative electrode and the positive electrode (Figs. 14, 15A, and 15B – the shape of the holes of the insulation layer would overlap and expose a portion of the second connection tab).
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Regarding Claim 3, Fees teaches the battery pack of Claim 1. The through hole, the first hole, and the second hole at least partially overlap each other (Fig. 14).
Regarding Claim 4, Fees teaches the battery pack of Claim 1. One of the positive electrode and the negative electrode of each of the plurality of battery cells is located at a central portion of a first end side of the battery cell and the other one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode is located at a peripheral portion of the first end side (Figs. 6, 8A, 8B, and 14).
Regarding Claim 5, Fees teaches the battery pack of Claim 1. The first connection tab and the second connection tab respectively comprise fusible links that electrically connect the battery cell with the first conductive plate and the battery cell with the second conductive plate, respectively, wherein the fusible links are fused, when an overcurrent flows therethrough, to block current flow between the battery cell and the first conductive plate and current flow between the battery cell and the second conductive plate, respectively (0160, 0185, 0188, 0189 – the bonding connectors/connecting tabs comprise fuses that are configured to break due to high current. These would be considered fusible links that fuse when an overcurrent flows therethrough to block current flow between the battery cell and conductive plates).
Regarding Claim 6, Fees teaches the battery pack of Claim 1. The battery pack further comprises a cooling unit arranged at a second end side opposite a first end side of the plurality of battery cells with the plurality of battery cells therebetween (0147-0150; Figs. 15E – the battery module/pack comprises a cooling mechanism/unit in the form of a heat pipe and a cooling plate that are arranged at a second end opposite a first end of the plurality of battery cells).
Regarding Claim 7, Fees teaches the battery pack of Claim 6. The cooling unit comprises a thermoconductive plate (0150 – the cooling mechanism comprises a cooling plate).
Regarding Claim 8, Fees teaches the battery pack of Claim 6. The cooling unit comprises a flow path through which a cooling fluid is configured to flow (0148 – the heat pipe has a flow path through which a cooling fluid is configured to flow from one end to the other; 0055, 0150, 0220 – the cooling plate may be cooled via a liquid cooling system (0150) in which coolant fluid is pumped through cooling tubes (0055, 0220). The cooling tubes would be considered a flow path through which a cooling fluid is configured to flow).
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.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fees (US 20180108895 A1) in view of Staubel (US 20070188147 A1, cited in the 11/18/2022 IDS).
Regarding Claim 9, Fees teaches the battery pack of Claim 1. Fees teaches a substrate, first conductive plate, and second conductive plate arranged over the plurality of battery cells (Fig. 14) but does not teach a safety device mounted on the substrate.
Staubel teaches that a conventional fuse can be added in series to parallel batteries in order to protect the wire bonds in the case of a larger overcurrent condition (Abstract). The fuse is designed to blow before the wire bonds to allow for easier repairs in the event of an external short circuit (0009).
Fees and Staubel are considered analogous to the claimed invention as they relate to the same field of endeavor, namely battery packs.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the battery pack of Fees to include the conventional fuse taught by Staubel in order to protect the wire bonds/connectors and facilitate easier repair in the event of an external short circuit.
The conventional fuse can be viewed as a safety device mounted on the substrate. Thus, the substrate, first conductive plate, second conductive plate, and safety device (conventional fuse) can be viewed as a protection circuit module arranged over the plurality of battery cells.
Claim(s) 1-4 and 6-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jan (US 20140255748 A1, cited in the 11/18/2022 IDS) in view of Fees (US 20180108895 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Jan teaches a battery pack (Abstract) comprising:
a plurality of battery cells (Fig. 2A – battery cells: parts 102, 104, 106, 108, 110, and 112), each comprising a negative electrode and a positive electrode, the positive and negative electrodes being arranged on a same side of the battery cells (Fig. 2A: the wires contacting the positive and negative terminals of the battery are on the same side of the battery);
a substrate (Fig. 2A – insulator: part 232) is arranged on the plurality of battery cells and comprises a first surface and a second surface located on opposite sides of the substrate (Fig. 2A), and a through hole exposing the negative electrode and the positive electrode of each of the plurality of battery cells (Fig. 2B);
a first conductive plate (Fig. 2A – first layer: 230) arranged on the first surface of the substrate and comprising a first hole (Fig. 2B);
a second conductive plate (Fig. 2A – third layer: 234) arranged on the second surface of the substrate and comprising a second hole (Fig. 2B);
a first connection tab electrically connecting one of the negative electrode and the positive electrode with the first conductive plate through the second hole and the through hole (0024, Fig. 2A: wires, which can be viewed as connection tabs, connect the terminals of the batteries to the bus bars of the first and second layers/conductive plates);
and a second connection tab electrically connecting the other one of the negative electrode and the positive electrode with the second conductive plate (0024, Fig. 2A: wires, which can be viewed as connection tabs, connect the terminals of the batteries to the bus bars of the first and second layers/conductive plates).
Jan does not appear to teach that the through hole of the embodiment of Fig. 2B overlaps both the positive and negative electrodes. However, Jan does teach embodiments where the through holes of a bus bar overlap the positive and negative electrodes (Fig. 8).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the dimensions of the through hole of Jan to overlap the positive and negative electrodes as Jan teaches other embodiments where the through hole overlaps the positive and negative electrodes and changes in shape and size have been held to be obvious (See MPEP 2144.04).
Jan teaches that the through hole, first hole, and second hole may be any geometric configuration and are not limited to circular shapes (0029) and that at least the through hole and first hole may have extension portions (Figs. 5 and 6) but does not teach that the extension portion of the through hole overlaps and exposes a portion of the second connection tab.
Fees teaches a battery pack comprising a plurality of battery cells, a substrate, and first and second conductive plates arranged on opposing surfaces of the substrate (Fig. 14). The substrate and conductive plates have through holes that expose the terminals of the battery cells and the terminals of the battery cells are electrically connected to the conductive plates through connection tabs that extend through the through holes (Figs. 14, 15A16A, 16B, and 16F). The through holes are shaped such that they have an extension portion that have an outer periphery extending farther outward from a center of the through hole than that of another region of the through hole, where the extension portion of the through hole overlaps and exposes a portion of a connection tab (Figs. 14, 15A, 16A, and 16B).
Jan and Fees are considered analogous to the claimed invention as they relate to the same field of endeavor, namely battery packs.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the through hole, first hole, and second hole of Jan to be shaped like the holes taught by Fees as it is a known shape for the through holes of substrates and conductive plates in a battery pack. Doing so would provide nothing more than the predictable results of a substrate and conductive plates comprising holes of suitable shape for a battery pack (See MPEP 2143 B).
Regarding Claim 2, modified Jan teaches the battery pack of Claim 1. The substrate (insulator: part 232) can be made using layers of a circuit board (Jan: 0028).
Regarding Claim 3, modified Jan teaches the battery pack of Claim 1. The through hole, the first hole, and the second hole at least partially overlap each other (Jan: Fig. 2B).
Regarding Claim 4, modified Jan teaches the battery pack of Claim 1. One of the positive electrode and the negative electrode of each of the plurality of battery cells is located at a central portion of a first end side of the battery cell and the other one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode is located at a peripheral portion of the first end side (Jan: Fig. 2A – the positive terminals of the batteries are located in the center and the negative terminals are located on the edges of the batteries).
Regarding Claim 6, modified Jan teaches the battery pack of Claim 1. The battery pack comprises a cooling unit arranged at a second end side opposite a first end side of the plurality of battery cells with the plurality of battery cells therebetween (Jan: 0028, Fig. 2A – a heat sink (252), which can be viewed as a cooling unit, can be located on the bottom ends of the batteries).
Regarding Claim 7, modified Jan teaches the battery pack of Claim 6. The cooling unit (heat sink) is a thermoconductive (Jan: 0028 – the heat sink is thermally coupled to the batteries) plate (Fig. 2A shows the heat sink having a plate shape).
Regarding Claim 8, modified Jan teaches the battery pack of Claim 6. The cooling unit can comprise a flow path through which a cooling fluid is configured to flow (Jan: 0028 – the heat sink can have passages for liquid cooling).
Claim(s) 5 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jan and Fees as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Staubel (US 20070188147 A1, cited in the 11/18/2022 IDS).
Regarding Claims 5 and 9, modified Jan teaches the battery pack of Claim 1. Jan teaches a substrate, first conductive plate, and second conductive plate arranged over the plurality of battery cells (Fig. 2A – insulator: part 232, first layer: 230, and third layer: 234) but does not does not teach that the first connection tab and the second connection tab respectively comprise fusible links that electrically connect the battery cell with the first conductive plate and the battery cell with the second conductive plate, respectively, wherein the fusible links are fused, when an overcurrent flows therethrough, to block current flow between the battery cell and the first conductive plate and current flow between the battery cell and the second conductive plate, respectively or a safety device mounted on the substrate.
Staubel teaches that a plurality of batteries can be protected (Staubel: Claim 1) from an overcurrent condition by linked using wire bonds that act as fuses in the event of an overcurrent condition (Abstract). Specifically, the wire bonds eliminate the coupling between the battery and conductor (blocks current flow between the battery cell and conductors) in an overcurrent condition (Staubel: Claim 2). Furthermore, a conventional fuse can be added in series to parallel batteries in order to protect the wire bonds in the case of a larger overcurrent condition (Abstract). The fuse is designed to blow before the wire bonds to allow for easier repairs (0009).
Staubel is considered analogous to the claimed invention as it relates to the same field of endeavor, namely battery packs.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the wires of Jan to be the fusible wire bonds of Staubel in order to protect the batteries in case of an overcurrent condition and to have further modified the battery pack to include the conventional fuses taught by Staubel in order to protect the wire bonds and facilitate easier repair.
The conventional fuse can be viewed as a safety device. Thus, the substrate, first conductive plate, second conductive plate, and safety device (conventional fuse) can be viewed as a protection circuit module arranged over the plurality of battery cells.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZIHENG LU whose telephone number is (703)756-1077. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30 - 5 ET.
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/ZIHENG LU/ Examiner, Art Unit 1752
/NICHOLAS A SMITH/ Supervisory Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1752
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