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 .
Response to Amendments
In response to Applicant’s amendments dated February 27, 2026, Claim 8 is amended. Claims 1-7 and 15 are canceled. Claims 8-14 and 16 are pending and examined.
Status of Application
In view of Applicant’s amendments and claim cancellations the previous 35 U.S.C. 103 rejections provided in the Office Action dated December 1, 2025 are withdrawn.
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.
Claim(s) 8-14 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jin US20140335388A1 in view of Nakano et al. [WO2017130259A1, US20190020001A1 relied upon for translation], hereinafter Nakano.
Regarding Claim 8, Jin teaches battery pack [Jin throughout] comprising:
an outer case [Jin 0013 and throughout, Figs. 1-3, all of case 500 with integral body 110 reads on the claimed outer case];
one or more battery cells housed in an inside of the outer case [Jin 0003 teaches battery cells inside a case],
a tubular body disposed in the outer case [Jin 0024-0025 and throughout, Figs. 1-3, The broadest reasonable interpretation of Jin’s body 110 with any shape/form to cover the hole 510 and Figs. 1-3 showing a parallelepiped body 110 is a tubular body. Further, as body 110 is integrated with 500, the broadest reasonable interpretation of Jin is the tubular body is disposed in the outer case. If the body 110 is not considered disposed in the outer case, as required by claim 8, such modification would be obvious per MPEP 2144.04 V, B, since such modification would not alter the function of the case and/or the tubular body.]; and
a wall portion disposed in the outer case [Jin 0023-0026 and throughout, Figs. 1-3, body 120 as the wall portion (first interpretation) and or alternatively guide part 121 as the wall portion (second interpretation) or alternatively 120/121 as the wall portion for the embodiment in Fig. 3 C (third interpretation)],
wherein the outer case has a drain hole provided in a part thereof, the drain hole communicating with the inside of the outer case [Jin 0023-0028 and throughout, Figs. 1-3, drain holes 111],
the tubular body is extended from the drain hole to the inside of the outer case, the tubular body has one opening and another opening end, the one opening end being the drain hole [Jin 0023-0028 and throughout, Figs. 1-3, drain holes 111], the another opening end being an internal communication port opening to the inside of the outer case [Jin 0023-0035 and throughout, Figs. 1-3, another opening 510 communicates with inside of the case], the tubular body extending in an extending direction from the drain hole toward the internal communication port [Jin Figs. 1-3, up direction is the extending direction],
the tubular body is configured to allow water on a bottom of the inside of the outer case to flow into the internal communication port from the inside of the outer case, pass though the tubular body, and be discharged from the drain hole to an outside the outer case [Jin 0028-0029, Fig. 2A teaches this where water flows from the inside of case 500 through internal communication port 510 through tubular body 110 and out holes 111 to the outside of the case],
the wall portion is disposed apart from the internal communication port of the drain hole in the extending direction [Jin Fig. 2/3, wall portion 120 (first interpretation) and/or guide part 121 as the wall portion (second interpretation) or both 120/121 are the wall portion (third interpretation) would be considered apart from port 510 in the up direction] to face the internal communication port in the extending direction [Jin Fig. 2, wall portion 120 (first interpretation) and/or both 120/121 as the wall portion (third interpretation) would be considered to face port 510 in the up direction] such that the wall portion overlaps an entire of the internal communication port when viewed in the extending direction [Jin 0015 Fig. 2, 120 (first interpretation) and or 120/121 (third interpretation) has a larger area than 510, which reads on overlaps an entire of the internal communication port], and
wherein a bottom of the drain hole is planar to a bottom of the wall portion and the bottom of the inside of the outer case [Jin annotated Fig. 1 below shows this arrangement which would apply to the first, second, or third interpretation of the wall portion as described above. If the arrangement between the bottom of the drain hole, the bottom of the wall portion, and the bottom of the inside of the outer case is not planar, such modification would be obvious per MPEP 2144.04 IV, B changes in shape, and/or MPEP 2144.04 VI, C rearrangement of parts, MPEP 2144.04 I, aesthetic design changes, since such modification would not change the function of any of these parts.], and
wherein the wall portion is at a right angle to the bottom of the drain hole [Jin Figs. 1-3, The broadest reasonable interpretation of Jin is the left and right sides of wall 120 and/or 121 would be considered to be at a right angle to the drain hole 111.] , and the tubular body is formed of tubular sides, and the wall portion is formed entirely apart from the tubular sides of the tubular body [Jin annotated Fig. 1 below shows this configuration.].
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Jin does not explicitly teach the configuration of the plurality of battery cells; and, therefore is silent to each of the one or more battery cells including a positive electrode terminal, a negative electrode terminal, and a safety valve. Nakano teaches a battery holder [Nakano 0024 and throughout, Fig. 4, holder part 6 for holding a plurality of battery cells 1] where the battery cells 1 have a positive electrode terminal [Nakano 0060, Fig. 5, positive terminal 13] a negative electrode terminal [Nakano 0060, Fig. 5, negative terminal 13], and a safety valve [Nakano 0060]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the described features of Nakano’s battery cells in Jin’s battery pack for the predictable result of a battery pack with rechargeable battery cells for electrical connection and capable of safely venting gas [Jin 0060-0061].
Regarding Claim 9, modified Jin discloses the battery pack according to claim 8, wherein the tubular body has a rectangular tubular shape [Jin 0024-0025,Figs. 1-3, The broadest reasonable interpretation of body 110 is that it has a rectangular shape. Further, Jin teaches that any shape or form that will cover hole 510 meets the required function of body 110.] Further, changes in shape are considered obvious per MPEP 2144.04 IV, B.
Regarding Claim 10, modified Jin discloses the battery pack according to claim 8, wherein the tubular body and the wall portion are formed integrally with the outer case [Jin Figs. 1-3, The broadest reasonable interpretation of Figs. 1-3 is that the body 110 and the second or third interpretations of the wall portion (121, or 120/121 as described above where 121 is integrated with the drain system 100 through body 110) are formed integrally with the outer case 110/500. If they are not integrally formed, such modification is obvious per MPEP 2144.04 V, B since making them integral does not change the function of the recited parts.].
Regarding Claim 11, modified Jin discloses the battery pack according to claim 8, wherein the drain hole opens to a side surface of a lower part of the outer case [Jin Figs. 1-3, The broadest reasonable interpretation Jin Figs. 1-3 is the drain holes 111 open to a bottom side surface on the lower part of the case, which meets the limitation. Further, modifying Jin such that the location of the drain hole is to a left, right, front, or back side of the outer case would not affect the function of the drain hole and would therefore be obvious per MPEP VI, C rearrangement of parts.].
Regarding Claim 12, modified Jin discloses the battery pack according to claim 8, wherein the drain hole is provided in each of left and right side surfaces of the outer case, and the tubular body and the wall portion are provided for the drain hole in each of left and right side surfaces of the outer case [Jin Figs. 1-3, The broadest reasonable interpretation of Jin is that hole 111 on the left of the case and hole 111 on the right side of the case meets the claim limitation as the holes are on left and right side surfaces of the bottom of the case. Further, modifying Jin such that the location of the drain hole is to a left and right side of the outer case (shown in modified Fig. 3 below for clarity) would not affect the function of the drain hole and, further, such modification can be made without changing the tubular body 110 except for the location of the drain holes 111 or the wall 120/121. Therefore, such modification would be obvious per MPEP VI, C rearrangement of parts.].
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Regarding Claim 13, modified Jin discloses the battery pack according to claim 8, further comprising:
a battery holder holding the one or more battery cells at predetermined postures [Nakano 0064, Figs. 4-5, Modified Jin as combined with Nakano in claim 8 above, Nakano teaches holder 6 with insertion parts 20 maintaining the position of the cells.]; and
a plurality of lead plates electrically connected to the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal of the each of the one or more battery cells on a side surface of the battery holder [Nakano 0093-0098, Fig. 5, lead plates 5 on the upper side surface of the battery holder and lead plate 5 on the lower side surface meet the limitation]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine Nakano with Jin as described above for the predictable result of a battery holder to secure the plurality of battery cells in fixed positions [Nakano 0064] and to provide needed electrical connections between battery cells [Nakano 0096] in Jin’s battery pack.
Regarding Claim 14, modified Jin discloses the battery pack according to claim 8, wherein the safety valve is disposed on a side of the positive electrode terminal of the each of the one or more battery cells [Nakano 0060-0061, Modified Jin as combined with Nakano in claim 8 above teaches the safety valve is provided on the protrusion electrode. One of ordinary skill in the art would know that the protrusion electrode is generally considered to be the positive electrode terminal. If Nakano’s protrusion electrode is not the positive electrode terminal, Nakano’s battery cells can be modified such that the protrusion electrode is the positive electrode without changing the function of the safety valve or the electrode. Such modification would be obvious per MPEP 2144.04 A, reversal of parts or 2144.04 C, rearrangement of parts. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine Nakano with Jin as described above for the predictable result of a safety valve for each of the battery cells in Jin’s battery pack for safely removing gas from the cells [Nakano 0061].
Regarding Claim 16, modified Jin discloses the battery pack according to claim 8, wherein the wall portion crosses an axis along an opening direction of the tubular body [Jin Fig. 3 (see modified Fig. 3 below provided for clarity for how Jin reads on the limitation and the interpretations of the claimed wall as provided in claim 8) For the first interpretation of the wall as 120, axis A2 crosses the wall portion 120. For the second interpretation of the wall as 121, axis A1 and A3 cross the wall portion 121. For the third interpretation, axis A2 crosses wall portion 120 and A1,A3 crosses wall portion 121. Thus, the claim limitation is met by Jin.].
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Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) February 27, 2026 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.
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.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to M. T. LEONARD whose telephone number is (571)270-1681. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9:00-5:00 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Miriam Stagg can be reached at (571)270-5256. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/M. T. LEONARD/Examiner, Art Unit 1724
/MIRIAM STAGG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1724
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