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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
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) 1-4, 6-8 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Furusho JP2014232633A (using machine English translation provided) in view of Choi US20190001838A1.
Regarding claim 1, Furusho discloses a battery module (Furusho, Fig. 1, battery assembly 2), comprising:
a plurality of battery cells (Furusho, Fig. 1, batteries 20),
a module case (Furusho, Fig. 1, case 4) configured to accommodate the plurality of battery cells (Furusho, [0026]),
and a bus bar assembly (Furusho, Fig. 1, busbar module 1) positioned inside the module case (Furusho, Fig. 1, busbar module 1, case 4) and electrically connected to electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells (Furusho, [0026]), wherein the bus bar assembly includes:
a bus bar frame (Furusho, Fig. 1, sections 5) positioned on at least one side of the plurality of battery cells (Furusho, Fig. 1, sections 5, batteries 20),
a plurality of lead slots (Furusho, Fig. 1, portion 5, unlabeled slots) defined by the bus bar frame sized and shaped for the electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells to pass therethrough (Furusho, Fig. 1, portion 5, unlabeled slots, electrodes 22 and 23), the examiner notes that the plurality of lead slots defined by the bus bar frame as disclose by Furusho, wherein the open central portion, sized and shaped such that the electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells pass therethrough, satisfy the claim limitation,
a plurality of bus bars (Furusho, Fig. 1, bus bar 3) positioned to face the plurality of lead slots and connected to the electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells (Furusho, [0038], Figs. 1 and 3, bus bar 3, hole 3a, electrodes 22 and 23),
and a plurality of short-circuit prevention units (Furusho, Fig. 2, portion 81 and groove 82) monolithically formed on the bus bar frame (Furusho, Fig. 2, section 5, portion 81 and groove 82) and configured to cover an outer surface of at least one end of each of the plurality of sensing bus bars (Furusho, [0033]) and
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providing an outer structure, frame, or housing designed to enclose the at least one end of each of the plurality of bus bars, and it is the examiner’s position the structure of Furusho satisfies the broadest reasonable interpretation of the functional limitation, configured to surround the at least one end of each of the plurality of sensing bus bar (Furusho, [0033], annotated Figs. 1-3 below)
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wherein each bus bar of the plurality of bus bars is positioned in a single short-circuit prevention unit of the plurality of short-circuit prevention units (Furusho, Figs. 3A and C, bus bar 5, section 5, portion 81 and groove 82). Furusho does not teach sensing bus bars.
Choi teaches a plurality of sensing bus bars configured to electrically connect the plurality of bus bars and integrally mounted to the first bus bar and the second bus bar (Choi, [0014]). Therefore it would be obvious to the skilled artisan before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the sensing bus bar of Choi to Furusho thereby sensing the voltages of the plurality of battery cells (Choi, [0045]).
Regarding claim 2, modified Furusho also teaches wherein the plurality of short-circuit prevention units are coupled to the bus bar frame to cover lower ends of the plurality of sensing bus bars (Furusho, [0033], Fig. 3, bus bar 3, portion 5, portion 81 and groove 82).
Regarding claim 3, modified Furusho additionally teaches wherein the plurality of short-circuit prevention units define a predetermined accommodation space formed to accommodate the lower end of each sensing bus bar (Furusho, [0033], Fig. 3, bus bar 3, portion 5, portion 81 and groove 82).
Regarding claim 4, modified Furusho further teaches wherein the plurality of bus bars positioned to face the plurality of lead slots and connected to the electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells (Furusho, [0038], Figs. 1 and 3, bus bar 3, hole 3a), and the plurality of sensing bus bars configured to electrically connect the plurality of bus bars and integrally mounted to the first bus bar and the second bus bar (Choi, [0014]), and it would be obvious to the skilled artisan wherein the plurality of sensing bus bars are inserted into the short-circuit prevention units thereby sensing the voltage of the plurality of battery cells. The examiner notes that the limitation inserted into the short-circuit prevention units while sliding from a first end portion of the bus bar frame to a second end portion of the bus bar frame opposite the first end portion is a product-by-process limitation, and in accordance with MPEP § 2113, the method of forming the device is not germane to the issue of patentability of the product itself. Therefore, this limitation has not been given patentable weight. Please note that even though product-by-process claims are limited and defined by the process, determination of patentability is based on the product itself. "The patentability of a product, “ the battery module “does not depend on its method of production," wherein the plurality of sensing bus bars are inserted into the short-circuit prevention units while sliding from a first end portion of the bus bar frame to a second end portion of the bus bar frame opposite the first end portion. Because patentability of product claims are based on the product’s structure, and modified Furusho teaches the claimed structure, as currently drafted, the process limitations are not afforded patentable weight since such limitations do not appear to provide the claimed product with patentably distinct structure.
Regarding claim 6, modified Furusho also teaches wherein the plurality of short-circuit prevention units (Furusho, Fig. 3, portion 81 and groove 82) are positioned between a lower end of the bus bar frame (Furusho, Fig. 3, portion 5, unlabeled lower end) and the plurality of lead slots (Furusho, Figs. 1 and 3, unlabeled slots) (see claim 1 above), the examiner notes that the short-circuit prevention units of modified Furusho satisfy the claim limitation as there are no additional metes and bounds to distinguish the claimed positioning of the short-circuit prevention units from that of modified Furusho.
Regarding claim 7, modified Furusho additionally teaches wherein the plurality of short-circuit prevention units comprise an insulating elastic resin (Furusho, [0018], [0020], [0033-0035]), satisfying the claim limitation include an insulating material.
Regarding claim 8, modified Furusho further teaches wherein the plurality of short-circuit prevention units comprise an insulating elastic resin (Furusho, [0018], [0020], [0033-0035]), satisfying the claim limitation wherein the plurality of short-circuit prevention units are made of a rubber material, as elastic resins are known in the art as elastomers and have rubber like properties and are a rubber material, following Instant p. 4 line 4.
Regarding claim 11, modified Furusho also teaches wherein the plurality of sensing bus bars extends from the bus bar frame (Furusho, Fig. 3, bus bar 3, portion 5), the examiner notes the modified bus bar comprising a sensing bus bar of modified Furusho extends from the bus bar frame as it is not completely embedded and incorporated into the bus bar frame,
and wherein the outer surface of the at least one end of each of the plurality of sensing bus bars faces away from the bus bar frame (Furusho, Fig. 3, bus bar 3, portion 5), the examiner notes that the outer surface of the at least one end of each of the plurality of sensing bus bars faces away from the bus bar frame as they are not completely embedded and incorporated into the bus bar frame.
Claim(s) 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi US20190001838A1 in view of Furusho JP2014232633A (using machine English translation provided).
Regarding claim 9, Choi discloses a battery pack (Choi, Fig. 14, battery pack 1), comprising: at least one battery module (Choi, Fig. 14, battery module 10), and a pack case (Choi, Fig. 14, pack case 50) configured to package the at least one battery module (Choi, Fig. 15, battery module 10, pack case 50). The at least one battery module comprising
a plurality of battery cells (Choi, Fig. 2, cells 100), a module case (Choi, Fig. 11, covering portion 216, 236 and 300) configured to accommodate the plurality of battery cells (Choi, [0049], [0053])
and a bus bar assembly (Choi, Fig. 11, bus bar unit 200) positioned inside the module case (Choi, fig. 11, bus bar unit 200, covering portion 216, 236 and 300) and electrically connected to electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells (Choi, [0045])
wherein the bus bar assembly includes: a bus bar frame (Choi, Fig. 11, bus bar frame 210) positioned on at least one side of the plurality of battery cells (Choi, Fig. 11, cells 100, bus bar frame 210), a plurality of lead slots defined by the bus bar frame sized and shaped for the electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells to pass therethrough (Choi, Fig. 6, electrode leads 150, bus bar frame 210, unlabeled plurality of lead slots), a plurality of sensing bus bars (Choi, Fig. 3, bus bars 220, 240 and 250) positioned to face the plurality of lead slots and connected to the electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells (Choi, [0045-0046]).
Choi does not teach a plurality of short-circuit prevention units monolithically formed on the bus bar frame and configured to cover an outer surface of at least one end of each of the plurality of sensing bus bars and configured to surround the at least one end of each of the plurality of sensing bus bar wherein each sensing bus bar of the plurality of sensing bus bars is positioned in a single short-circuit prevention unit of the plurality of short-circuit prevention
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units.
Furusho teaches a plurality of short-circuit prevention units (Furusho, Fig. 2, portion 81 and groove 82) monolithically formed on the bus bar frame (Furusho, Fig. 2, section 5, portion 81 and groove 82) and configured to cover an outer surface of at least one end of each of the plurality of sensing bus bars (Furusho, [0033]) and configured to surround the at least one end of each of the plurality of sensing bus bar (Furusho, [0033]) wherein each bus bar of the plurality of bus bars is positioned in a single short-circuit prevention unit of the plurality of short-circuit prevention units (Furusho, Figs. 3A and C, bus bar 5, section 5, portion 81 and groove 82).
Therefore it would be obvious to the skilled artisan before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the plurality of short-circuit prevention units of Furusho to Choi thereby supporting the bus bar (Choi, [0031]).
Regarding claim 10, modified Choi additionally teaches a vehicle (Choi, [0091]), comprising: at least one battery pack (Choi, [0091]) as defined in claim 9 (see claim 9).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 30 March 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that because the plurality of short-circuit prevention units monolithically formed on the bus bar frame and configured to cover an outer surface of at least one end of each of the plurality of sensing bus bars and configured to surround the at least one end of each of the plurality of sensing bus bar of modified Furusho comprises portions on the “sides” and not the “ends” of the sensing bus bar, that modified Furusho does not teach wherein each sensing bus bar of the plurality of sensing bus bars is positioned in a single short-circuit prevention unit of the plurality of short-circuit prevention units. This is not persuasive.
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As set forth above, modified Furusho teaches wherein each sensing bus bar of the plurality of sensing bus bars is positioned in a single short-circuit prevention unit of the plurality of short-circuit prevention units (see annotated Furusho Fig. 3 below).
Applicant further argues the support portion 81 with groove 82 fails to surround the at least one end of each of the plurality of bus bars. This is not persuasive.
As shown in Furusho annotated Figs. 1-3 below, considered for ease of viewing only one part of portions 81 and 82, while noting the above teaching of a single short-circuit prevention unit still applies, the portions 81 and 82 provide an outer structure, frame, or housing designed to enclose the at least one end of each of the plurality of bus bars, satisfying the broadest reasonable
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interpretation of the functional limitation configured to surround the at least one end of each of the plurality of sensing bus bar.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JARED HANSEN whose telephone number is (571)272-4590. The examiner can normally be reached M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tiffany Legette can be reached at 571-270-7078. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JARED HANSEN/Examiner, Art Unit 1723 /TIFFANY LEGETTE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1723
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