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 .
Election/Restrictions
The Examiner acknowledges the Applicant’s statement on the record that Species A1 and A2 are obvious variants of each other. Consequently, the restriction requirement of Species A is withdrawn and Claims 3-5 and 14-16 are rejoined and examined here within.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: Battery Module Comprising End Plate Configured With Temperature Sensors.
Claim Objections
Claims 6 and 17 are objected to because of the following informalities: L3 of the claim should recite “in a , the second direction being perpendicular to a first direction of one of the end plates” in order to set forth correct antecedent basis.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-20 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.
Claims 1 and 12 set forth “a pair of end plates” and then further recites “a lower temperature sensor provided at a lower portion of the end plate and configured to measure a temperature of the battery cell at a second location between the end plate and the battery cells” and therefore it is unclear which end plate of the pair of end plates is provided with the lower temperature sensor.
For purpose of examination, the Examiner will interpret the claim to recite “an upper temperature sensor provided at an upper portion of one of the end plates and configured to measure a temperature of the battery cells at a first location between the corresponding end plate and the battery cells and a lower temperature sensor provided at a lower portion of the corresponding end plate and configured to measure a temperature of the battery cells at a second location between the corresponding end plate and the battery cells.
Claims 2-11 and 13-20 are dependent on Claims 1 and 12 and therefore are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) for the reasons set forth above.
In light of the above, the Examiner will also make the following interpretations:
Claims 4 and 15 to recite “the upper temperature sensor is provided at a location within 10% or less of a second-directional length of the corresponding end plate from the first clamp; and the lower temperature sensor is provided at a location within 10% or less of the second-directional length of the corresponding end plate from the second clamp”.
Claims 7 and 18 to recite “ the first clamp is coupled to a location within 10% or less of a second-directional length of the -corresponding end plate from the upper temperature sensor; and the second clamp is coupled to a location within 10% or less of the second-directional length of the corresponding end plate from the lower temperature sensor”.
Claims 11 and 20 to recite “the outer plate includes bent portions at upper and lower portions thereof, the bent portions defining empty spaces into which the upper temperature sensor and the lower temperature sensor are inserted between the corresponding end plate and the battery cells”.
Claims 2 and 13 recite the limitation "the upper portions" and “the lower portions” in L2 and 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
The Examiner notes that an upper portion and a lower portion has only been defined in Claim 1 for one of the end plates.
For purpose of examination, the Examiner will interpret the claims to recite “wherein the clamps comprise: a first clamp having opposite ends respectively coupled to
Claims 3-8 and 14-19 are dependent on Claims 2 and 13 and therefore are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) for the reasons set forth above.
The term “close to” in Claims 3 and 14 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “close to” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention.
For purpose of examination, the Examiner will interpret the claims to recite “ the upper temperature sensor is provided at a location adjacent to the first clamp; and the lower temperature sensor is provided at a location adjacent to the second clamp.
Claims 4-5 and 15-16 are dependent on Claims 3 and 14 and therefore are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) for the reasons set forth above.
Claims 9 and 20 recite the limitation “an inner plate in surface contact with the battery cells”.
However, it is unclear how the inner plate of each of the end plates, which are in surface contact with opposite ends of the stacked structure in the first direction, can be in surface contact with multiple battery cells.
For purpose of examination, the Examiner will interpret the claim to recite “an inner place in surface contact with one of the battery cells” in light of Figs. 2-3 of the instant specification.
Claims 10-11 are dependent on Claim 9 and therefore are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) for the reasons set forth above.
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.
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.
Claims 1 and 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshitake et al. (US PGPub 2012/0052359 A1, cited on the IDS dated March 24, 2023), and further in view of Lu et al. (CN 106610477 A, see also the EPO machine generated English translation provided with this Office Action).
Regarding Claim 1, Yoshitake discloses in Figs. 1-2 a battery module ([0043]) comprising:
a plurality of battery cells (1) stacked in a first direction to define a stacked structure ([0043]);
a pair of end plates (5,6) in surface contact with opposite ends of the stacked structure in the first direction ([0053]);
a plurality of clamps configured to connect the end plates (5, 6) to each other at opposite sides of the battery cells (1) and configured to apply surface pressures between the battery cells (1) ([0063], e.g. elongated metal bands);
a center temperature sensor (7) provided in a center portion of one of the end plates (5) and configured to measure a temperature of the battery cells (41) at a location between the corresponding end plate (5) and the battery cells (1) ([0056]-[0057], [0063]).
However, Yoshitake does not teach an upper temperature sensor provided at an upper portion of one of the end plates and configured to measure a temperature of the battery cells at a first location between the corresponding end plate and the battery cells and a lower temperature sensor provided at a lower portion of the corresponding end plate and configured to measure a temperature of the battery cells at a second location between the corresponding end plate and the battery cells.
Lu teaches a battery module comprising a plurality of temperature sensors in order to accurately obtain temperature data that affects the optimization of the battery module structure ([0077]).
For example, Lu teaches wherein a plurality of temperature sensors (21) are provided, including an upper temperature sensor (21) provided at an upper portion of a plate (12), a center temperature sensor (21) provided at a center portion of the plate (12), and a lower temperature sensor (21) provided at a lower portion of the plate (12) ([0066], [0078], e.g. see annotated Fig. 2 provided below).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to form the battery module of Yoshitake to comprise a plurality of temperature sensors, as taught by Lu, the plurality of temperature sensors including a center temperature sensor provided at a center portion of one of the end plates, as desired by Yoshitake, in addition to an upper temperature sensor provided at an upper portion the corresponding end plate and configured to measure a temperature of the battery cells at a first location between the corresponding end plate and the battery cells and a lower temperature sensor provided at a lower portion of the corresponding end plate and configured to measure a temperature of the battery cells at a second location between the corresponding end plate and the battery cells, in order to accurately obtain temperature data that affects the optimization of the battery module structure.
Regarding Claim 9, modified Yoshitake discloses all of the limitations as set forth above and further discloses wherein each of the end plates (5, 6 of Yoshitake) comprises:
an inner plate (52 of 5, 62 of 6 of Yoshitake) in surface contact with one of the battery cells (1) ([0051], [0053]); and
an outer plate (51 of 5, 61 or 6 of Yoshitake) coupled to the plurality of clamps while covering an outer surface of the inner plate (52 of 5, 62 of 6 of Yoshitake) (Fig. 2, [0064] of Yoshitake).
Regarding Claim 10, modified Yoshitake discloses all of the limitations as set forth above and further discloses wherein the outer plate (51 of 5, 61 of 6 of Yoshitake) is configured to apply the surface pressure to the battery cells (10) by using a tensile force supplied from the plurality of clamps (Fig. 2, [0064] of Yoshitake, wherein the plurality of elongated bands are fixed to the outer plate 51, 61 so as to fix the battery cells 1 of the stacked structure 3).
Regarding Claim 11, modified Yoshitake discloses all of the limitations as set forth above and further discloses wherein:
the outer plate (51 of 5, 61 of 6 of Yoshitake) includes bent portions at upper and lower portions thereof, the bent portions defining empty spaces into which the upper temperature sensor (7 of Yoshitake, corresponding to 21 of Lu) and the lower temperature sensor (7 of Yoshitake, corresponding to 21 of Lu) are inserted between the corresponding end plate (5 of Yoshitake) and the battery cells (1 of Yoshitake) (Figs. 1-2 of Yoshitake); and
the inner plate (52 of 5 of Yoshitake) includes cut portions formed at upper and lower portions thereof at locations corresponding to the bent portions, the cut portions being configured to allow the upper temperature sensor (7 of Yoshitake, corresponding to 21 of Lu) and the lower temperature sensor (7 of Yoshitake, corresponding to 21 of Lu) to be in contact with the battery cells (1 of Yoshitake) (Figs. 1-2, [0056], [0058], [0063] of Yoshitake)
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Claims 2-8 and 12-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshitake et al. (US PGPub 2012/0052359 A1, cited on the IDS dated March 24, 2023) in view of Lu et al. (CN 106610477 A, see also the EPO machine generated English translation provided with this Office Action), and further in view of Watanabe et al. (US PGPub 2008/0318119 A1).
Regarding Claim 12, Yoshitake discloses in Figs. 1-2 a battery module ([0043]) comprising:
a plurality of battery cells (1) stacked in a first direction to define a stacked structure ([0043]);
a pair of end plates (5,6) in surface contact with opposite ends of the stacked structure in the first direction ([0053]);
a plurality of clamps configured to connect the end plates (5, 6) to each other at opposite sides of the battery cells (1) and configured to apply surface pressures between the battery cells (1) ([0063], e.g. elongated metal bands);
a center temperature sensor (7) provided in a center portion of one of the end plates (5) and configured to measure a temperature of the battery cells (41) at a location between the corresponding end plate (5) and the battery cells (1) ([0056]-[0057], [0063]).
However, Yoshitake does not teach an upper temperature sensor provided at an upper portion of one of the end plates and configured to measure a temperature of the battery cells at a first location between the corresponding end plate and the battery cells and a lower temperature sensor provided at a lower portion of the corresponding end plate and configured to measure a temperature of the battery cells at a second location between the corresponding end plate and the battery cells.
Lu teaches a battery module comprising a plurality of temperature sensors in order to accurately obtain temperature data that affects the optimization of the battery module structure ([0077]).
For example, Lu teaches wherein a plurality of temperature sensors (21) are provided, including an upper temperature sensor (21) provided at an upper portion of a plate (12), a center temperature sensor (21) provided at a center portion of the plate (12), and a lower temperature sensor (21) provided at a lower portion of the plate (12) ([0066], [0078], e.g. see annotated Fig. 2 provided below).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to form the battery module of Yoshitake to comprise a plurality of temperature sensors, as taught by Lu, the plurality of temperature sensors including a center temperature sensor provided at a center portion of one of the end plates, as desired by Yoshitake, in addition to an upper temperature sensor provided at an upper portion the corresponding end plate and configured to measure a temperature of the battery cells at a first location between the corresponding end plate and the battery cells and a lower temperature sensor provided at a lower portion of the corresponding end plate and configured to measure a temperature of the battery cells at a second location between the corresponding end plate and the battery cells, in order to accurately obtain temperature data that affects the optimization of the battery module structure.
Modified Yoshitake further discloses wherein a battery module may be utilized in an electric vehicle ([0002] of Yoshitake).
However, modified Yoshitake does not explicitly disclose a vehicle comprising a vehicle body and the battery module mounted in the vehicle body.
Watanabe teaches a structure of a battery module incorporated into a vehicle, such as an electric vehicle, in order to supply electricity as energy to the motor ([0001]-[0003]).
Specifically, Watanabe teaches a vehicle (100) comprising a vehicle body (100a); and a battery module (1B) mounted in the vehicle body (100a) (Fig. 1, [0035]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the battery module of modified Yoshitake in a vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises a vehicle body and the battery module is mounted in the vehicle body, as taught by Watanabe, wherein the skilled artisan would have reasonable expectation that such would successfully supply electricity as energy to a motor of the vehicle.
Regarding Claims 2 and 13, modified Yoshitake discloses all of the limitations as set forth above and further discloses wherein the plurality of clamps fix the stacked structure (3 of Yoshitake) in a clamped manner ([0064] of Yoshitake).
However, modified Yoshitake does not illustrate the plurality of clamps in Figs. 1-2 of Yoshitake and consequently does not disclose wherein the clamps comprise: a first clamp having opposite ends respectively coupled to upper portions of the end plates; and a second clamp having opposite ends respectively coupled to lower portions of the end plates.
Watanabe teaches in Fig. 5 a battery module comprising a plurality of battery cells (54) stacked in a first direction to define a stacked structure, a pair of end plates (55), and a plurality of clamps (53) configured to connect the end plates (55) to each other at opposite sides of the battery cells (54), wherein the plurality of clamps comprise a first clamp (53) a first clamp (e.g. see a first clamp of the plurality of clamps 53) having opposite ends respectively coupled to upper portions of the end plates (53); and a second clamp (e.g. see a second clamp of the plurality of clamps 53) having opposite ends respectively coupled to lower portions of the end plates (55) ([0040]-[0041]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to configure the plurality of clamps of modified Yoshitake to comprise a first clamp having opposite ends respectively coupled to upper portions of the end plates of modified Yoshitake and a second clamp having opposite ends respectively coupled to lower portions of the end plates, as taught by Watanabe, as such is a known configuration in the art and therefore the skilled artisan would have reasonable expectation that such would successfully fix the stacked structure of modified Yoshitake in a clamped manner, as desired by modified Yoshitake.
Regarding Claims 3 and 14, modified discloses all of the limitations as set forth above and further discloses wherein:
the first clamp (53 of Watanabe) and the second clamp (53 of Watanabe) are respectively coupled to center portions of the end plates (5, 6 of Yoshitake, corresponding to 55 of Watanabe) in a second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to a first direction of the end plates (5, 6 of Yoshitake) (Fig. 1 of Yoshitake and Fig. 5 of Watanabe);
the upper temperature sensor (e.g. 21 of Lu) is provided at a location adjacent to the first clamp (53 of Watanabe) (Fig. 2 of Lu and Fig. 5 of Watanabe); and
the lower temperature sensor (e.g. 21 of Lu) is provided at a location adjacent to the second clamp (53 of Watanabe) (Fig. 2 of Lu and Fig. 5 of Watanabe).
Regarding Claims 4 and 15, modified Yoshitake discloses all of the limitations as set forth above. Modified Yoshitake does not disclose wherein: the upper temperature sensor is provided at a location within 10% or less of a second-directional length of the corresponding end plate from the first clamp; and the lower temperature sensor is provided at a location within 10% or less of the second-directional length of the corresponding end plate from the second clamp.
Though, modified Yoshitake discloses wherein the plurality of temperature sensors are provided at various locations in order to accurately obtain temperature data that affects the optimization of the battery module structure ([0013], [0077] of Lu) and therefore modified Yoshitake suggests wherein the location of each of the temperatures is not particularly limited so long as the plurality of temperature sensors are evenly distributed on the end plate (e.g. Fig. 2 of Lu).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to optimize the position of the upper temperature sensor and the lower temperature sensor of modified Yoshitake, such that the upper temperature sensor is provided at a location within 10% or less of a second-directional length of the corresponding end plate of modified Yoshitake from the first clamp modified Yoshitake and the lower temperature sensor is provided at a location within 10% or less of the second-directional length of the corresponding end plate from the second clamp modified Yoshitake, as the location of each of the temperature sensors is not particularly limited so long as the plurality of temperature sensors are evenly distributed on the corresponding end plate, as suggested by modified Yoshitake, and therefore the skilled artisan would have reasonable expectation that such would successfully provide temperature sensors at various locations in order to accurately obtain temperature data that affects the optimization of the battery module structure, as desired by modified Yoshitake.
Regarding Claims 5 and 16, modified Yoshitake discloses all of the limitations as set forth above and further discloses wherein the first clamp (53 of Watanabe) and the second clamp (53 of Watanabe) are respectively coupled to opposite portions of the corresponding end plate (5 of Yoshitake, corresponding to 55 of Watanabe) (Fig. 5 of Watanabe).
However, modified Yoshitake does not explicitly disclose wherein the upper temperature sensor and the lower temperature sensor are respectively provided opposite portions on a virtual straight line connecting the first clamp to the second clamp.
Though, modified Yoshitake discloses wherein the plurality of temperature sensors are provided at various locations in order to accurately obtain temperature data that affects the optimization of the battery module structure ([0013], [0077] of Lu) and therefore modified Yoshitake suggests wherein the location of each of the temperatures is not particularly limited so long as the plurality of temperature sensors are evenly distributed on the end plate (e.g. Fig. 2 of Lu).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to optimize the position of the upper temperature sensor and the lower temperature sensor of modified Yoshitake, such the upper temperature sensor and the lower temperature sensor are respectively provided opposite portions on a virtual straight line connecting the first clamp of modified Yoshitake to the second clamp of modified Yoshitake, as the location of each of the temperature sensors is not particularly limited so long as the plurality of temperature sensors are evenly distributed on the corresponding end plate, as suggested by modified Yoshitake, and therefore the skilled artisan would have reasonable expectation that such would successfully provide temperature sensors at various locations in order to accurately obtain temperature data that affects the optimization of the battery module structure, as desired by modified Yoshitake.
Regarding Claims 6 and 17, modified Yoshitake discloses all of the limitations as set forth above and further discloses wherein:
the upper temperature sensor (e.g. 21 of Lu) and the lower temperature sensor (e.g. 21 of Lu) are located at center portions in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction of one of the end plates (5 of Yoshitake) (e.g. see annotated Fig. 2 of Lu provided above);
the first clamp (53 of Watanabe) is coupled to a location adjacent to the upper temperature sensor (Fig. 2 of Lu and Fig. 5 of Watanabe); and
the second clamp (53 of Watanabe) is coupled to a location adjacent to the lower temperature sensor (Fig. 2 of Lu and Fig. 5 of Watanabe).
Regarding Claim 7 and 18, modified Yoshitake discloses all of the limitations as set forth above. Modified Yoshitake does not disclose wherein: the first clamp is coupled to a location within 10% or less of a second-directional length of the corresponding end plate from the upper temperature sensor; and the second clamp is coupled to a location within 10% or less of the second-directional length of the corresponding end plate from the lower temperature sensor.
Though, modified Yoshitake discloses wherein the plurality of temperature sensors are provided at various locations in order to accurately obtain temperature data that affects the optimization of the battery module structure ([0013], [0077] of Lu) and therefore modified Yoshitake suggests wherein the location of each of the temperatures is not particularly limited so long as the plurality of temperature sensors are evenly distributed on the end plate (e.g. Fig. 2 of Lu).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to optimize the position of the upper temperature sensor and the lower temperature sensor of modified Yoshitake, such that the first clamp of modified Yoshitake is coupled to a location within 10% or less of a second-directional length of the corresponding end plate from the upper temperature sensor and the second clamp of modified Yoshitake is coupled to a location within 10% or less of the second-directional length of the corresponding end plate from the lower temperature sensor, as the location of each of the temperature sensors is not particularly limited so long as the plurality of temperature sensors are evenly distributed on the corresponding end plate, as suggested by modified Yoshitake, and therefore the skilled artisan would have reasonable expectation that such would successfully provide temperature sensors at various locations in order to accurately obtain temperature data that affects the optimization of the battery module structure, as desired by modified Yoshitake.
Regarding Claim 8 and 19, modified Yoshitake discloses all of the limitations as set forth above and further discloses wherein the first clamp (53 of Watanabe) and the second clamp (53 of Watanabe) are respectively coupled to opposite portions of the corresponding end plate (5 of Yoshitake, corresponding to 55 of Watanabe) (Fig. 5 of Watanabe).
However, modified Yoshitake does not explicitly disclose wherein the first clamp and the second clamp are respectively coupled to opposite portions on a virtual straight line connecting the upper temperature sensor to the lower temperature sensor.
Though, modified Yoshitake discloses wherein the plurality of temperature sensors are provided at various locations in order to accurately obtain temperature data that affects the optimization of the battery module structure ([0013], [0077] of Lu) and therefore modified Yoshitake suggests wherein the location of each of the temperatures is not particularly limited so long as the plurality of temperature sensors are evenly distributed on the end plate (e.g. Fig. 2 of Lu).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to optimize the position of the upper temperature sensor and the lower temperature sensor of modified Yoshitake, such that the first clamp and the second clamp of modified Yoshitake are respectively coupled to opposite portions on a virtual straight line connecting the upper temperature sensor to the lower temperature sensor, as the location of each of the temperature sensors is not particularly limited so long as the plurality of temperature sensors are evenly distributed on the corresponding end plate, as suggested by modified Yoshitake, and therefore the skilled artisan would have reasonable expectation that such would successfully provide temperature sensors at various locations in order to accurately obtain temperature data that affects the optimization of the battery module structure, as desired by modified Yoshitake.
Regarding Claim 20, modified Yoshitake discloses all of the limitations as set forth above and further discloses wherein:
each of the end plates (5, 6 of Yoshitake) comprises:
an inner plate (52 of 5, 62 of 6 of Yoshitake) in surface contact with one of the battery cells (1) ([0051], [0053]); and
an outer plate (51 of 5, 61 or 6 of Yoshitake) coupled to the plurality of clamps while covering an outer surface of the inner plate (52 of 5, 62 of 6 of Yoshitake) (Fig. 2, [0064] of Yoshitake), wherein the outer plate (51 of 5, 61 of 6 of Yoshitake) is configured to apply the surface pressure to the battery cells (10) by using a tensile force supplied from the plurality of clamps (Fig. 2, [0064] of Yoshitake, wherein the plurality of elongated bands are fixed to the outer plate 51, 61 so as to fix the battery cells 1 of the stacked structure 3).
the outer plate (51 of 5, 61 of 6 of Yoshitake) includes bent portions at upper and lower portions thereof, the bent portions defining empty spaces into which the upper temperature sensor and the lower temperature sensor are inserted between the corresponding end plate (5 of Yoshitake) and the battery cells (1 of Yoshitake) (Figs. 1-2 of Yoshitake); and
the inner plate (52 of 5 of Yoshitake) includes cut portions formed at upper and lower portions thereof at locations corresponding to the bent portions, the cut portions being configured to allow the upper temperature sensor and the lower temperature sensor to be in contact with the battery cells (1 of Yoshitake) (Figs. 1-2, [0056], [0058], [0063] of Yoshitake).
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Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Samad et al. (Observability Analysis for Surface Sensor Location in Encased Battery Cells) teaches wherein the placement of a temperature sensor on a battery cell may be optimized in order to improve observability (Abstract).
Pethe et al. (GB 2642080 A) teaches an end plate for a battery module comprising an upper temperature sensor (302) provided at an upper portion of the end plate (300) and a lower temperature sensor (304) provided at a lower portion of the end plate (300) (Fig. 1, Abstract). However, Pethe has an effective filing date of June 24, 2024 and therefore is not considered to be prior art.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KIMBERLY WYLUDA whose telephone number is (571)272-4381. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 7 AM - 3 PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, BASIA RIDLEY can be reached at (571)272-1453. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KIMBERLY WYLUDA/Examiner, Art Unit 1725
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