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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 09 December 2025 has been entered.
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) 1-8 and 10-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chan US20180138478A1 in view of Seto WO2012133710A1 (using machine English translation provided).
Regarding claim 1, Chan discloses a battery pack (Chan, [0018]) comprising:
a battery assembly (Chan, Fig. 1, 100) including a plurality of battery cells arranged parallel to one another (Chan, Fig. 2, 201), each of the plurality of battery cells including a discharge valve (Chan, Figs. 4-5, 406) and an end-surface electrode (Chan, [0026], Figs. 4-5, unlabeled pole), the discharge valve being provided on an end surface of the each of the plurality of battery cells (Chan, Fig. 4, 201, 406), the end-surface electrode being provided at an end portion of the each of the plurality of battery cells and being arranged on a same plane (Chan, Figs. 4-5, 201, unlabeled poles),
and a lead plate (Chan, Figs.4-5, 407) having a welding surface (Chan, Figs. 4-5, 408) connected to the end-surface electrode of the each of the plurality of battery cells arranged on the same plane (Chan, [0026], Figs. 4-5, 201, unlabeled pole, 408),
an outer case housing the battery assembly therein (Chan, [0020], Fig. 1, 100, 114 and 116 and 120), and
a backflow-restricting layer disposed in the outer case (Chan, [0030], Fig. 5, 410 and 412), the backflow-restricting layer being disposed on a non-welding surface of the lead plate (Chan, Figs. 4-5, 407, 410 located on a surface other than where 408 is located),
wherein the lead plate has one or more gas permeation gaps therein (Chan, Figs. 4-5, 406 in 407), each comprising an at least partially annular or at least partially circular slit (Chan, as reasonably suggested by Figs. 4-5, 406 in 407) allowing an exhaust gas discharged from the discharge valve of a corresponding battery cell (Chan, Fig. 5, 406, 520) to pass through the gas permeation gap in a discharge direction of the backflow-restricting layer from the corresponding battery cell (Chan, [0030], Fig. 5, 406 in 407, 410 and 412, 520),
the backflow-restricting layer includes a through-hole (Chan, Fig. 5, 411 in 410) facing one gas permeation gap (Chan, Fig. 5, 406 in 407) corresponding to one battery cell of the plurality of battery cells (Chan, Fig. 5, 201), such that the exhaust gas from the one battery cell passes through the one gas permeation gap (Chan, Fig. 5, 406 in 407) and then through the through-hole (Chan, [0027], Fig. 5, 411 in 410),
the through-hole (Chan, Fig. 5, 411 in 410), prior to entry of the exhaust gas from the one gas permeation gap therethrough (Chan, Fig. 5, 406 in 407), comprises a hollow, circular opening (Chan, Fig. 5, hollow circular openings of holes of 411 in 410), and encompassing an entire thickness of the backflow-restricting layer (Chan, [0027]) and
a periphery of the circular opening is located inward of a perimeter of the one gas permeation gap (Chan, Fig. 5, periphery of inner portion of hollow circular openings of holes of 411 in 410),
so as to form a resistance part (Chan, Fig. 5, cutout perforated portions of 411) configured to: allow the exhaust gas passing through the one gas permeation gap to pass in the discharge direction; and suppress or prevent the exhaust gas from passing in a direction opposite to the discharge direction (Chan, [0028], [0030]). Chan does not disclose the through-hole, prior to entry of the exhaust gas from the one gas permeation gap therethrough, comprises a hollow, circular opening smaller in diameter than the at least partially annular or at least partially circular slit of the gas permeation gap.
Seto teaches a through-hole (Seto, [0014], “frame-shaped partition wall 23 can be fixed around a plurality of gas outlets 12”, Fig. 6, 23 and d), prior to entry of the exhaust gas from the one gas permeation gap therethrough, comprises a hollow, circular opening smaller in diameter than the at least partially annular or at least partially circular slit of the gas permeation gap (Seto, Fig. 6, element 21 and W). Therefore it would be obvious to the skilled artisan before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the through hole of Seto to Chan, thereby effectively preventing these discharged foreign matter, such as electrolyte to be discharged along with exhaust gas, from coming into contact with the outer casing, improving safety (Seto, [0037]).
Regarding claim 2, modified Chan further teaches wherein the battery assembly further includes a battery holder allowing the plurality of battery cells to be arranged in fixed positions (Chan, [0026]),
the battery holder includes a surface plate (Chan, Fig. 5, layer 405) allowing the lead plate to be disposed at a fixed position (Chan, [0027]),
the surface plate has an electrode window (Chan, Fig. 5, openings 406 in layer 405) therein that exposes, through the electrode window, the end-surface electrode of the each of the plurality of battery cells disposed in the fixed positions (Chan, Fig. 5, cells 201, end-surface of electrode, openings 406 in layer 405),
and the lead plate is connected to the end-surface electrode of the each of the plurality of battery cells in the electrode window (Chan, Figs. 4-5, cells 201, end-surface of electrode, openings 406 in layer 405, bus bar 407, wire 408).
Regarding claim 3, modified Chan also teaches wherein the lead plate disposed at the fixed position of the surface plate has a plurality of gas permeation gaps therein being the one or more gas permeation gaps (Chan, Fig. 5, openings 406 in bus bar 407).
Regarding claim 4, modified Chan additionally teaches wherein the resistance part is configured to close a position facing the one gas permeation gap (Chan, Fig. 5, cutout perforated portions of region 411 in a closed position).
Regarding claim 5, modified Chan further teaches wherein the one gas permeation gap of the lead plate is a slit opening having an annular shape (Chan, Fig. 5, openings 406 in the bus bar 407 having circular shape), and the through-hole of the backflow-restricting layer opens (Chan, Fig. 5, open holes of regions 411 in layer 410) and faces an inside of the slit (Chan, Fig. 5, holes of regions 411 in layer 410 facing inside of openings 406 in the bus bar 407) to constitute the resistance part (Chan, [0030]).
Regarding claim 6, modified Chan also teaches wherein the backflow-restricting layer has a cutout therein extended radially from the through-hole (Chan, Fig. 5, holes of regions 411 in layer 410, cutout perforated portions that extend radially).
Regarding claim 7, modified Chan additionally teaches wherein the backflow-restricting layer further includes a cutout therein extended radially (Chan, Fig. 5, holes of regions 411 in layer 410, cutout perforated portions that extend radially) and facing another gas permeation gap (Chan, Fig. 5, adjacent opening 406 in bus bar 407), the cutout allowing the exhaust gas to pass through the cutout (Chan, [0030]), and the resistance part closes a position facing the one gas permeation gap (Chan, Fig. 5, opening 406 in bus bar 407, cutout perforated portions of region 411 in a closed position).
Regarding claim 8, modified Chan further teaches wherein the backflow-restricting layer is made of rubber material (Chan, [0027], layer 410).
Regarding claim 10, modified Chan also teaches wherein the each of the plurality of battery cells includes a protrusion electrode provided on an end surface thereof (Chan, [0026], Fig. 5, unlabeled protruding pole; following Instant [0037], “One end-surface electrode la is a protrusion electrode”), and the discharge valve (Chan, Fig. 5, openings 406) has an exhaust port opening at an outer periphery of the protrusion electrode (Chan, Fig. 5, openings 406 portion at an outer periphery of the protrusion electrode).
Regarding claim 11, modified Chan additionally teaches wherein the each of the plurality of battery cells is a cylindrical battery (Chan, [0047]).
Regarding claim 12, modified Chan further teaches wherein the lead plate (Chan, Figs.4-5, bus bar 407) includes: a plate part having a flat shape (Chan, Fig. 5, flat surface portion of bus bar 407 where wire 408 is not located) and constituting the non-welding surface (Chan, Figs. 4-5, bus bar 407, flat surface portion other than where wire 408 is located),
and an electrode connecting tongue (Chan, Fig. 5, wire 408) connected to the end-surface electrode of the each of the plurality of battery cells (Chan, Fig. 5, wire 408, unlabeled pole of cells 201), the electrode connecting tongue constituting the welding surface (Chan, Figs. 4-5, wire 408), and the lead plate having a slit opening (Chan, Fig. 5, openings 406 in the bus bar 407 and cutout perforated portions of region 411 in a closed position) provided therein along an outer periphery of the electrode connecting tongue (Chan, Fig. 5, openings 406 in the bus bar 407 and cutout perforated portions of region 411 in a closed position along outer periphery of wire 408), the slit opening constituting the one gas permeation gap (Chan, Fig. 5, cutout perforated portions of region 411 in a closed position).
Regarding claim 13, modified Chan also teaches wherein the backflow-restricting layer (Chan, [0027], Fig. 5, silicone rubber layer 410) is bonded to a surface of the lead plate (Chan, [0026], Fig. 5, electrically conductive material bus bar 407; the examiner notes there will inherently be a bonding interaction between the surface of the two materials, satisfying the limitation).
Regarding claim 15, modified Chan additionally teaches wherein the thorough-hole (Chan, Fig. 5, 411 in 410) is a combination of the hollow, circular opening (Chan, Fig. 5, hollow circular openings of holes of 411) and radial cuts defined in the periphery of the circular opening (Chan, [0027]).
Regarding claim 16. Modified Chan wherein the backflow-restricting layer (Chan, Fig. 5, 410 and 412) has cutouts therein (Chan, [0024], Fig. 5, perforation in 410), the cutouts extending radially from a peripheral edge of the through-hole in an outside of the through-hole (Chan, [0027]).
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chan US20180138478A1 (cited in IDS filed 31 May 2022) in view of Seto WO2012133710A1 (using machine English translation provided), as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Ogino JPH09199208A (using machine English translation provided).
Regarding claim 9, modified Chan does not teach wherein the backflow-restricting layer is made of foamed material.
Ogino teaches wherein the backflow-restricting layer is made of foamed material (Ogino, [0008]). Therefore it would be obvious to the skilled artisan before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the backflow-restricting layer of modified Chan of a foamed material, as Ogino it is well known in the art to use such materials, thereby providing excellent insulating properties and heat resistance (Ogino, [0008]).
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chan US20180138478A1 (cited in IDS filed 31 May 2022) in view of Seto WO2012133710A1 (using machine English translation provided), as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Hamada JPH09120809A (using machine English translation provided).
Regarding claim 14, Chan as modified by Seto teaches one or more gas permeation gaps therein (Chan, Figs. 4-5, 406 in 407), each comprising an at least partially annular or at least partially circular slit (Chan, as reasonably suggested by Figs. 4-5, 406 in 407), the through-hole (Chan, Fig. 5, 411 in 410), facing one gas permeation gap (Chan, Fig. 5, 406 in 407), the through-hole (Chan, Fig. 5, 411 in 410), prior to entry of the exhaust gas from the one gas permeation gap therethrough (Chan, Fig. 5, 406 in 407), comprises a hollow, circular opening (Chan, Fig. 5, hollow circular openings of holes of 411 in 410), the through-hole (Seto, [0014], “frame-shaped partition wall 23 can be fixed around a plurality of gas outlets 12”, Fig. 6, 23 and d), prior to entry of the exhaust gas from the one gas permeation gap therethrough, comprises a hollow, circular opening smaller in diameter than the at least partially annular or at least partially circular slit of the gas permeation gap (Seto, Fig. 6, element 21 and W). Chan as modified by Seto further teaches wherein the diameter of the hollow, circular opening smaller is 1.5 times or more smaller in diameter than the at least partially annular or at least partially circular slit of the gas permeation gap (Seto, [0015]), thereby improving safety (Seto, [0015]), but does not teach wherein a difference in diameter of the hollow, circular opening and the at least partially annular or at least partially circular slit of the gas permeation gap is 1 mm or more.
Hamada teaches wherein the at least partially annular or at least partially circular slit of the gas permeation gap is 2 to 7 mm (Hamada, [0021]). Therefore it would be obvious to the skilled artisan before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the diameter of the at least partially annular or at least partially circular slit of the gas permeation gap of Chan as modified by Seto to be 2 to 7 mm, as Hamada teaches it is well known in the art to form them at this size, thereby optimizing heat dissipation (Hamada, [0021]). Chan as modified by Seto and Hamada teaches the diameter of the at least partially annular or at least partially circular slit of the gas permeation gap to be 2 to 7 mm, and the diameter of the hollow, circular opening smaller is 1.5 times or more smaller in diameter than the at least partially annular or at least partially circular slit of the gas permeation gap, satisfying the claim limitation wherein a difference in diameter of the hollow, circular opening and the at least partially annular or at least partially circular slit of the gas permeation gap is 1 mm or more, as the difference is from 0.67 to 2.33 mm, rendering the claimed range obvious. See MPEP § 2144.05.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Shimizu US20170237055A1 (discloses a battery pack comprising similar structure to that claimed with regards to the gas flow elements).
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/JARED HANSEN/Examiner, Art Unit 1723 /TIFFANY LEGETTE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1723
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