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
Applicant’s arguments and claim amendments submitted on December 10, 2025 have been entered into the file.
Claims 2-4, 9, 11, and 14 are canceled.
Claims 1, 5, 7-8, 10, 16, 18, 21-22, and 24-26 are amended.
Claims 1, 5-8, 10, 12-13, and 15-26 are pending for examination.
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.
Claims 1, 5-8, 10, 12-13, and 15-26 are 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.
Regarding claim 1, it is unclear how “a plurality of bus bars” is “adjacent to each other along two rows”. It is noted that “plurality” is a singular noun and “a plurality of bus bars” thus refers to a group of multiple bus bars.
For the purpose of examination, this limitation is interpretated as requiring two pluralities of bus bars, wherein each of the plurality of bus bars is in a row extending from one end of the plurality of battery cells to an opposite end of the plurality of battery cells, and the two pluralities of bus bars are adjacent to each other and are in different rows, as depicted in Fig. 1 of the instant specification, pending further clarification from applicant.
Claims 5-8, 10, 12-13, and 15-26 are indefinite as they depend from an indefinite base and fail to cure the deficiencies of said claim.
Regarding claim 5, it is unclear if the first and second rows of claim 5 refer to the same “two rows” recited in claim 1.
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.
Claims 1, 5-8, 10, 12-13, and 15-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ichikawa US 2016/0380318 A1 (US 10,249,917 B2 used for citations) in view of Ikeya (US 2014/0335386 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Ichikawa teaches a battery pack (battery assembly, abstract) comprising: a plurality of battery cells arranged in a first direction (a plurality of battery cells, abstract, Fig. 1 “X” direction), each battery cell including a terminal surface on which at least one terminal is formed (Fig. 1 Elements 41, 42); at least one bus bar disposed on the terminal surfaces and electrically connecting different ones of the battery cells (plurality of bus bars which link and connect electrodes, abstract), the at least one bus bar including a first surface facing the terminal surfaces (Fig. 1, surface of the bus bar (element 1) facing the terminal surface in the “Z” direction) and a second surface opposite to the first surface (Fig. 1, surface of the bus bar (element 1) facing element 63 in the “Z” direction), wherein the at least one bus bar comprises a plurality of bus bars (bus bar element 1, Fig. 1) adjacent to each other along two rows extending from one end of the plurality of battery cells to an opposite end of the plurality of battery cells (Ichikawa Fig. 1); and a resin cover (elements 61 and 63) formed on the first surface of the at least one bus bar such that the at least one bus bar is embedded in the resin cover (bus bar storing portions, Col. 5 Line 12-13; Fig. 1 Element 61). Ichikawa teaches a cover on the second surface of the at least one bus bar (cover member that covers the busbars, Col. 5 Lines 55-56; Fig. 1 Element 63); however, it is not explicitly stated what the cover member 63 is made of. It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the same material for the cover member as was used for the busbar storing portions in order to provide electrical insulation.
Ichikawa further teaches a connection wire electrically connected to the at least one bus bar and arranged on a first plane with the at least one bus bar (control board, Col. 4 lines 47-58, Fig. 1 element 2).
Ichikawa further teaches the resin cover including a first cover resin layer on the first surface of the at least one bus bar on the first plane, the first surface facing the plurality of battery cells (bus bar storing portions, Col. 5 Line 12-13; Fig. 1 Element 61), and a second cover resin layer on the second surface of the at least one bus bar on the first plane, the second surface facing the opposite to the plurality of battery cells (cover member that covers the busbars, Col. 5 Lines 55-56; Fig. 1 Element 63). However, Ichikawa does not explicitly teach that the second cover resin layer (cover member 63) is made of resin. As stated above, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the same material for the cover member as was used for the busbar storing portions in order to provide electrical insulation.
Ichikawa does not teach an insulating sheet between the second cover resin layer and the connection wire.
However, Ikeya teaches a bus bar module to be used with a battery assembly, as in Ichikawa (Ikeya, Paragraph [0006]), and a resin member (Ikeya, element 26) “made of a resin material having an insulative property and flexibility” (Ikeya, Paragraph [0064]) with a portion (Ikeya, element 26a) that covers the connecting wire (Ikeya, circuit side member, element 24) with the purpose of providing insulation.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have added an insulating layer between the second cover resin layer and connection wire (Ichikawa, control board, Fig. 1 element 2) of Ichikawa in order to provide insulation for the connection wire.
Ichikawa further teaches:
the connection wire (control board, Fig. 1 element 2) arranged at a position not overlapping the at least one bus bar (bus bar, Fig. 1 element 1).
the plurality of battery cells arranged in a first direction (Fig.1 “X” direction),
a cross bus bar element arranged at the rear end of the battery pack, the cross bus bar element connecting two adjacent battery cells together and extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction (a bus bar located at a rear end of the battery pack, Ichikawa Fig. 1, col. 4 lines 28-36; the width of a bus bar corresponds to extension in a second direction, as shown below),
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and the connection wire (control board, Fig. 1 element 2) extending in the first direction (Fig. 1 “X” direction) from a front end (Fig. 1 leftmost battery cell in the “X” direction) to the rear end of the battery pack (Fig. 1 position to the left of where the smoking exhausting duct (Fig.1 element 3) starts), the connection wire (control board, Fig. 1 element 2) not overlapping the cross bus bar element (Fig. 1 element 62).
Regarding claim 5, Ichikawa in view of Ikeya teaches all features of claim 1. Ichikawa further teaches the plurality of bus bars including first and second bus bar elements (Fig. 1 annotated-A, bus bar elements; the bus bar can be taken to be two elements as denoted by the dotted line down the midline of element 1 in the “Y” direction) arranged in a first row (Fig. 1 annotated-A, first row) and arranged in a second row (Fig. 1 annotated-A, second row), and respectively disposed on the terminal surfaces (Fig. 1 annotated-A, terminal surface). Ichikawa also teaches the connection wire (control board, Fig. 1 element 2) between the first and second bus bar elements of the first row and the first and second bus bar elements of the second row (Fig. 1).
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Regarding claim 6, Ichikawa in view of Ikeya teaches all features of claims 1 and 5. Ichikawa further teaches the first and second bus bar elements (Fig. 1 element 1) of the first and the second rows (shown above in Fig. 1 annotated-A, first row and second row) respectively arranged to correspond to a first terminal position and a second terminal position (Fig. 1 elements 41 ,42). As shown in Fig. 1, when the battery pack of Ichikawa is assembled, the bus bar elements are located on top of terminal positions (Fig.1 41, 42).
Regarding claim 7, Ichikawa in view of Ikeya teaches all features of claims 1 and 5-6. Ichikawa further teaches the plurality of battery cells (Fig. 1 element 4) arranged in a first direction (Fig. 1 “X” direction), and the first and second bus bar elements of the first row are spaces apart from the first and second bus bar elements of the second row in a second direction (Fig. 1 “Y” direction), the second direction crossing the first direction (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 8, Ichikawa in view of Ikeya teaches all features of claims 1 and 5-6. Ichikawa further teaches each battery cell including a vent portion (Fig. 1 element 43), which is arranged between the first and second terminal positions (Fig. 1 elements 41, 42) in the second direction (Fig. 1 “Y” direction). Ichikawa also teaches the connection wire (Fig. 1 element 2) arranged corresponding to the vent portions (Fig. 1 element 43), according to the interpretation described above for the limitation “arranged corresponding to the vent portions”.
Regarding claim 10, Ichikawa in view of Ikeya teaches all features of claim 1. Ichikawa further teaches the plurality of battery cells arranged in a first direction (Fig. 1 “X” direction), the connection wire (control board, Fig. 1 element 2) arranged at a central position on the place in the second direction (Fig. 1 “Y” direction), the second direction (Fig. 1 “Y” direction) crossing the first direction (Fig. 1 “X” direction), and the at least one bus bar (Fig. 1 element 1) arranged at an edge position on the plan in the second direction (Fig. 1 “Y” direction).
Regarding claim 12, Ichikawa in view of Ikeya teaches all features of claim 1. Ichikawa further teaches a third opening formed in the second cover resin layer (Fig. 1 annotated-E). Ichikawa does not teach the insulating sheet between the third opening and the connection wire, and a width of the insulating sheet being greater than a width of the connection wire and greater than a width of the third opening.
However, Ikeya teaches a bus bar module to be used with a battery assembly, as in Ichikawa (Ikeya, Paragraph [0006]), and a resin member (Ikeya, element 26) “made of a resin material having an insulative property and flexibility” (Ikeya, Paragraph [0064]) with a portion (Ikeya, element 26a) that covers the connecting wire (Ikeya, circuit side member, element 24) with the purpose of providing insulation.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have added an insulating layer, with a width greater than the width of the third opening and width of the connection wire, between the second cover resin layer and connection wire (Ichikawa, control board, Fig. 1 element 2) of Ichikawa in order to provide insulation for the connection wire. It would have been obvious to provide the insulative layer such that it has a width greater than the electrical component it is trying to insulate and wider than any openings in the top of the battery pack/module structure in order to provide full insulative coverage in the pack.
Regarding claim 13, Ichikawa in view of Ikeya teaches all features of claim 1. Ichikawa further teaches the first cover resin layer (Fig. 1 element 61) including a pair of first openings (Fig. 1 annotated-B), which are respectively formed at a first terminal position (Fig. 1 elements 41,42) and a second terminal position (Fig. 1 elements 41, 42) of each of the plurality of battery cells (Fig. 1 element 4).
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Regarding claim 15, Ichikawa in view of Ikeya teaches all features of claims 1 and 13. Ichikawa further teaches the pair of first openings respectively formed at edge positions in the second direction (Fig. 1 “Y” direction) and corresponding to the first and second terminal positions (Fig. 1 elements 41, 42).
Regarding claim 16, Ichikawa in view of Ikeya teaches all features of claims 1, 13, and 15. Ichikawa further teaches the pair of first openings intermittently formed in the first direction (Fig. 1 “X” direction) and corresponding to the first and second terminal positions (Fig. 1 elements 41, 42).
Regarding claim 17, Ichikawa in view of Ikeya teaches all features of claims 1 and 13. Ichikawa further teaches the first cover resin layer further including a second opening (Fig. 1 annotated-C) formed at a central position between the pair of first openings that are formed at respective edge positions in the second direction (Fig. 1 “Y” direction).
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Regarding claim 18, Ichikawa in view of Ikeya teaches all features of claims 1, 13, and 17. Ichikawa further teaches the plurality of battery cells arranged in the first direction (Fig. 1 “X” direction), and the first cover resin layer comprising first, second, third, and fourth application lines (Fig. 1 annotated-D), which are continuously formed in the first direction (Fig. 1 “X” direction) with the pair of first openings and the second opening therebetween (Fig. 1 annotated-D).
Claim 18 is a product-by-process claim (first cover resin layer formed by curing). Although Ichikawa does not teach the first cover resin layer formed by curing, it is noted that “Even though product-by-process claims are limited by and defined by the process, determination of patentability is based on the product itself. The patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production. If the product-by-process claim is the same as or obvious from a product of the prior art, the claim is unpatentable even though the prior art product was made by a different process”. Further, “the burden shifts to applicant to come forward with evidence establishing an unobvious difference between the claimed product and the prior art product”, See MPEP 2113.
The structure resulting from the first resin layer being formed by curing first through fourth application lines, as claimed, is a cover made from a resin. Ichikawa (Fig.1) teaches a resin cover which reads on the structural limitations of the claim. Furthermore, there does not appear to be a difference between the prior art structure and the structure resulting from the claimed method because Ichikawa discloses a resin cover (Fig. 1 element 61) that comprises four application lines (Fig. 1 annotated-D).
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Regarding claim 19, Ichikawa in view of Ikeya teaches all features of claims 1, 13, and 17. Ichikawa further teaches the second opening (Fig. 1 annotated-D) formed at a position corresponding to vent portions (Fig. 1 annotated-D, element 43) of the plurality of battery cells (Fig. 1 annotated-D, element 4).
Regarding claim 20, Ichikawa in view of Ikeya teaches all features of claims 1, 13, and 17. Ichikawa further teaches the second cover resin layer (Fig. 1 annotated-E, element 63) including a third opening (Fig. 1 annotated-E) formed at a position corresponding to the second opening (Fig. 1 annotated-E).
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Regarding claim 21, Ichikawa in view Ikeya teaches all features of claims 1, 13, 17, and 20. Ichikawa further teaches the plurality of battery cells arranged in the first direction (Fig. 1 “X’ direction), and the second and third openings continuously formed in the first direction (Fig. 1 annotated-E).
Regarding claim 22, Ichikawa in view of Ikeya teaches all features of claims 1, 13, 17, and 20. Ichikawa further teaches the plurality of battery cells arranged in the first direction (Fig. 1 “X” direction), and the second cover resin layer (Fig. 1 element 63) comprising fifth and sixth application lines (Fig. 1 annotated-F) that are continuously formed in the first direction (Fig. 1 “X” direction) with the third opening therebetween (Fig. 1 annotated-F).
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Regarding claim 23, Ichikawa in view of Ikeya teaches all features of claims 1, 13, 17, 20, and 22. Ichikawa further teaches the fifth application line (Fig. 1 annotated-F) formed on a first application line and a second application line (Fig. 1 annotated-D), which are formed with one of the pair of first openings therebetween, and the sixth application line (Fig. 1 annotated-F) formed on a third application line and a fourth application line (Fig. 1 annotated-D), which are formed with another of the pair of first openings therebetween.
Regarding claim 24, Ichikawa in view of Ikeya teaches all features of claim 1. Ichikawa further teaches the at least one bus bar (Fig. 1 element 1) embedded in the resin cover between a first surface of the first cover resin layer (Fig. 1 element 61) and a second surface of the second cover resin layer (Fig. 1 element 63), and the plurality of bus bars (Fig. 1 element 1) is coupled to a first terminal and a second terminal (Fig. 1 elements 41, 42), which are disposed on the terminal surfaces (Fig. 1 annotated-G) of the plurality of battery cells (Fig. 1 element 4), through a coupling portion (Fig. 1 annotated-G) that is exposed through a first opening of the first cover resin layer (Fig. 1 element 61).
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Regarding claim 25, Ichikawa in view of Ikeya teaches all features of claim 1. Ichikawa further teaches the first (Fig. 1 element 61) and second (Fig. 1 element 63) cover resin layers continuously connected to each other through at least one space between the plurality of bus bar elements (Fig. 1 annotated-H).
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Regarding claim 26, Ichikawa in view of Ikeya teaches all features of claim 1. Ichikawa further teaches the plurality of bus bar elements including a first bus bar element and a second bus bar element (Fig. 1 annotated-A), which are arranged in different orientations in a second direction (Fig. 1 “Y” direction) and are adjacent to each other in the first direction (Fig. 1 “X” direction), and the first and second cover resin layers continuously connected to each other through at least one space between the first and second bus bar elements (Fig. 1 annotated-H).
Response to Arguments
Response – Claim Objections
Objection to claim 1 due to informalities is overcome by Applicant’s amendment to claim 1 in the response received on December 10, 2025. The objection to claim 1 is withdrawn.
Response – Claim Rejections 35 USC § 103
Applicant's arguments filed December 10, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
On page 12 of the response, applicant appears to allege that the section of Ichikawa referenced in the previous Office Action for the cross bus bar element “teaches holes in the bus bars, not bus bars extending in the first direction from a first end of the plurality of batteries to the opposite end of the plurality of batteries”. Applicant appears to further allege that “the bus bars 1 and the bus bar holding portions 61 appear to stop approximately half way from one end of the batteries to an opposite end of the batteries. The other half is not discussed and does not look anything like the bus bars 1 and the bus bar holding portions 61”.
The Examiner respectfully disagrees. It is noted that Ichikawa column 4 lines 28-36 describe the bus bars in general and how they connect battery cells. Ichikawa does teach the bus bars extending from one end of the battery cells to an opposite end of the battery cells (Ichikawa col. 5 lines 31-42). For example, Ichikawa states that “the bus bar storing portions 61 of each row extend along the direction (i.e., in the frontward and rearward directions) of arrangement of the plurality of electrodes 41 and 42 of the battery assembly 40” (Ichikawa col. 5 lines 31-34).
Additionally, Ichikawa teaches that linkage portions 62 connect bus bar storing portions, wherein the bus bar storage portions hold bus bars, and Fig. 1 of Ichikawa depicts an element 62 on an end of the battery pack that applicant is alleging is “the other half” that is “not discussed and does not look anything like the bus bars 1 and the bus bar holding portions 61”. Therefore, due to the presence of element 62, one of ordinary skill would have a reasonable basis to conclude that there are bus bars and bus bar storing portions located at that position of the battery pack, thus leading to bus bars extending from one end of the battery cells to an opposite end.
On page 13 of the response, applicant states that “the only element in the Ichikawa reference that does extend in that second direction is the linkage portions 62 that connect the adjacent bus bar storing portions in the left half of the bus bar module 6”.
This argument is not persuasive. As described above for instant claim 1, a bus bar at the rear end of the battery pack of Ichikawa does extend in the second direction.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lim (EP 3641012 A1): appears to disclose a battery pack having a cross bus bar element (178, Fig. 4).
Ichikawa-2020 (US 2020/0020918 A1): appears to disclose a bus bar module for use in a battery assembly comprising a plurality of cells, wherein the bus bar module comprises bus bars that connect battery cell electrodes, a holder to hold the bus bars, and a cover for protection (claim 1, Figs. 3, 18A).
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.S.C./Examiner, Art Unit 1789
/MARLA D MCCONNELL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1789