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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 1/20/2026 has been entered.
This office action addresses pending claims 1, 3, and 7-13. Claim 1 was amended in the response filed 12/18/2025.
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) 1, 3, 7-8, 10, and 12-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (US 2019/0067656) in view of Kogami et al. (WO 2020/261729, see English language equivalent US 2022/0247040), and Park (US 2013/0252063).
Regarding claim 1, Zhang discloses a frame 11 and battery module 1, wherein the frame 11 is composed of a peripheral wall 111 which encloses to form a receiving cavity (abstract). The peripheral wall 111 (module case) is composed of a top wall T, a bottom wall B and two side walls S ([0068], Figs 1-2). The top wall T, the bottom wall B and the two side walls S are integrally formed ([0069]); therefore the ends of the side wall being fixed to the top wall and the bottom wall. The battery module 1 further includes a plurality of secondary batteries 12 (battery cell laminate) arranged side by side and can be inserted into the frame 11 ([0067], Figs 3-5).
Elastic buffering pads are provided between the every two adjacent secondary batteries and between the outermost sides of the plurality of secondary batteries 12 and the peripheral wall 111 ([0081], Fig 6).
While Zhang discloses the elastic buffering pads 141 as providing stability for the batteries and transferring external impact and/or vibration ([0081]), Zhang does not describe the details of the elastic buffering pad. Zhang does not explicitly disclose wherein the buffer pad includes an outer region and a central region which are different regions on a same plate, wherein the outer region completely surrounds the central region, and wherein the outer region is harder than the central region.
Kogami discloses a power supply device 100 including a battery block 10 (battery cell laminate) in which a plurality of battery cells 1 are stacked in a thickness direction with separator 2 (buffer pad) interposed therebetween (abstract, [0008]). The separator 2 has a stack plane 2A stacked on facing plate 11A of battery case 11 ([0008]); therefore, the separator has all of its elements in a plane. The separator 2 has an upper [outer] edge part 2a that is different from an internal region 2b located inside the outer peripheral edge part ([0008]). The Young’s modulus of the upper [outer] edge part 2a is made higher than that of internal region 2b ([0008]); that is, the outer region is harder than the central region. As seen in Figure 7, the separator has the outer region 2a completely surrounding the internal region 2b. The upper edge part can mean the outer peripheral edge ([0009]). Kogami teaches the separator design allows the separator to absorb deformation due to expansion of the battery cells at the internal [central] region and suppress deformation of the upper [outer] edge part of the cells ([0066]). The outer regions experience an increase in forces compared to the internal region and therefore need to be protected ([0006]-[0007]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the separator having a softer internal region and a harder outer region as taught by Kogami as the elastic buffering pad of Zhang for the purpose of allowing deformation due to expansion of the battery cells at the internal region while suppressing deformation of at the outer edge part of the cells and thereby protecting the outer edge part.
However, modified Zhang does not explicitly disclose wherein the central region is oval shaped.
Park discloses a battery module 100 including a plurality of unit batteries 120 disposed in one direction, and barriers 140,540,640 between the plurality of unit batteries, each barrier including an inner region 142,542,642 and outer region 144,544,644 with different elasticities (abstract). Park teaches that the inner region 542,642 can have different shapes, including a rectangular shape (Fig 6) or an oval shape ([0070], Fig 7).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use an oval shape for an inner region of a barrier as taught by Park with the buffering pads of Zhang modified by Kogami because Park teaches that other shapes for the inner region can be used to respond to the swelling phenomenon of the batteries (Park at [0069]).
Regarding claim 3, modified Zhang discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Zhang discloses the battery cells 1 are arranged in a state that the battery cells are erected in a lateral direction (Fig 6).
Regarding claims 7-8, modified Zhang discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Kogami further discloses the outer region (upper edge part 2a) can be made of polymers and plastics ([0069]-[0070]) and the central region (internal region 2b) can be made of a thermoplastic elastomer (a plastic) ([0067]) wherein the material in the outer region (upper edge part 2a) is harder than the material of the central region (internal region 2b) ([0067]-[0070]).
Regarding claim 10, modified Zhang discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Zhang teaches the battery cells are connected in series and/or in parallel ([0087]).
Regarding claim 12, modified Zhang discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Zhang teaches the battery module further includes electrical conductive connection pieces 15 ([0087]), and therefore teaches that the battery module is designed to power a load and thereby be part of a power pack.
In addition, Kogami teaches that the power supply device can be used with a large number of battery cells, and mounted on an electric vehicle to supply power ([0002]). Therefore, the power supply device is configured as a battery pack because power supply device is fitted to power a load.
Regarding claim 13, modified Zhang discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. As seen in Figures 7-8 of Kogami, the central region (internal region 2b) and the outer region (upper edge part 2a) cover an entire area of the separator 2 (buffer pad).
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (US 2019/0067656) in view of Kogami et al. (WO 2020/261729, see English language equivalent US 2022/0247040), and Park (US 2013/0252063), as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Hwang (KR 20170038300, see machine translation).
Regarding claim 9, modified Zhang discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. While Zhang teaches the elastic buffering pads are provided between two adjacent batteries ([0078]), modified Zhang does not explicitly disclose wherein an buffer pad is disposed between the battery cells in the battery cell laminate, and wherein the interface buffer pad is disposed every 3 to 10 battery cells.
Hwang discloses a secondary battery 10 comprising a cooling plate 40 disposed in an arrangement direction of a secondary battery module 20 on which at least one unit cell 30 is arranged (abstract). At least one elastic member 50 is disposed outside the cooling plate 40 ({0038]). While illustrating that the cooling plate 40 is disposed every second cell 20 (Fig 6), Hwang teaches that the cooling plate can be between “two or more unit cells 30” ([0038]). That is, Hwang suggests placing a cooling plate between more than two adjacent cells, which includes three adjacent cells. Hwang teaches that the cooling plates with elastic members cool the battery cells and accommodate an expanding force of the batteries ([0044]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the cooling plate between more than three cells (including three to 10 cells) as taught by Hwang with the battery module of Zhang for the purpose of cooling the battery and accommodating the expanding force of the batteries.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (US 2019/0067656) in view of Kogami et al. (WO 2020/261729, see English language equivalent US 2022/0247040), and Park (US 2013/0252063), as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Nishihara et al. (US 2012/0019061).
Regarding claim 11, modified Zhang discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. However, Zhang does not explicitly disclose the module further comprising a charge and discharge unit which is electrically connected to the battery cell laminate.
Nishihara discloses a battery block composed of a plurality of battery cells 10 (abstract). A battery module 100 includes the battery block 10 ([0093]), and a battery ECU 200. The battery ECU 200 is a controller that controls charging and discharge of the battery modules ([0236]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the battery ECU of Nishihara with the battery module of Zhang for the purpose of controlling the charging and discharge of the battery module.
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
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/JACOB BUCHANAN/ Examiner, Art Unit 1725
/NICOLE M. BUIE-HATCHER/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1725
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