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 Status
Claims 1, 3, and 4 have been amended; support for the amendment can be found in original claims 1, 3 and 4 and Fig. 1.
Claim 5 has been canceled.
Claims 1-4, and 6 have been examined on the merits.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 4 and 6 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 1, line 22 “a width” should read ---and a width---
In claim 1, line 23 “decreasing” should read ---decreases
In claim 4, line 6, “Equation 14” should read ---the Equation 14---
In claim 4, line 9, “resistance” should read ---a resistance---
In claim 4, line 12, “resistance” should read ---a resistance---
In claim 6, line 2 “configured by” should read ---configured as---
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 3 and 4 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.
In claim 3, it is unclear if “two adjacent battery cells” refers to the previously recited “two adjacent battery cells” of claim 2 or another two battery cells. Therefore, claim 3 is rendered indefinite. For examination, this limitation is interpreted according to the former interpretation. Claim 4 is rejected because it is dependent on claim 3.
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 the combination of references applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
The new grounds of rejection relies on Ha to teach a connection member with a uniform thickness and an increasing width.
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.
Claim(s) 1-4 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over An (US20120183838A1, cited 07/25/2022) in view of Ha (US-20100092854-A1).
Regarding claim 1, An discloses a first embodiment comprising a battery module (Fig. 2; 100), comprising:
a battery cell array (Fig. 2; 110) which includes a plurality of battery cells (Fig. 2; 110);
a first connection member (Fig. 2; 121) electrically connecting first terminals (Fig. 2; 111) of the plurality of battery cells (110) to each other (Fig. 2), and connected to an external device ([0040]) by a first common node (annotated Fig. 2; N1); and
a second connection member (Fig. 2; element 122) electrically connecting second terminals (Fig. 2; 112) of the plurality of battery cells (110) to each other (Fig. 2), and connected to the external device ([0041]) by a second common node (annotated Fig. 2; N2),
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wherein:
the battery cell array (110) includes a first battery cell (Fig. 2; 110j) at a first outermost periphery (Fig. 2; periphery at 110j) of the battery cell array (110), and a second battery cell (Fig. 2; 110a) at an opposite outermost periphery (Fig. 2; periphery at 110a) of the battery cell array (110),
the first common node (N1) is located adjacent (Fig. 2) to the first battery cell (110J), and is connected (i.e. electrically [0035]) between the first battery cell (110J) and the second battery cell (110a),
the second common node (N2) is located adjacent (Fig. 2) to the second battery cell (110a), and is connected (i.e. electrically [0035]) between the first battery cell (110j) and the second battery cell (110a),
and each of the first connection member (121) and the second connection member (122) has a thickness (annotated Fig. 2; T of each of 121a-121j and 122a-122j) in a longitudinal direction (annotated Fig. 2; Z) of each of the plurality of battery cells 110) and a plurality of stepped portions (Fig. 2; 121a-121j and 122a-122j), a direction (Fig. 2; a direction into the page) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (Z) of the plurality of battery cells (110), a width (Fig. 2; dimension of 121a-121j and 122a-122j in a direction going into the page) of each of the first connection member (121) and the second connection member (122), one end (annotated Fig. 2; E1 and E3) of each connection member (121, 122) to an opposite end (annotated Fig. 2; E2 and E4) thereof.
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An fails to explicitly disclose the first connection member is configured such that as a distance from the first common node is increased, a resistance per unit length is gradually increased, and the second connection member is configured such that as a distance from the second common node is increased, a resistance per unit length is gradually increased in this embodiment.
An discloses a second embodiment wherein a first connection member (“first conductive tabs”; [0014]; Fig. 2; 121 is representative, however, the thickness of the tabs of [0014] increases in the opposite direction of that pictured) is configured such that as a distance (annotated Fig. 2; distance from N1 in the direction of 2D; Fig. 2 is representative of embodiment of [0014] except for configuration of 121 and 122) from a first common node (“first conductive terminal”; [0012]; annotated Fig. 2; N1 is representative) is increased (annotated Fig. 2; increased along 2D), a resistance per unit length is gradually increased (“the thicknesses of the first conductive tabs gradually decrease in the first direction”; [0014]), and a second connection member (“second conductive tabs”; [0014]; Fig. 2; 122 is representative, however, the thickness of the tabs of [0014] increases in the opposite direction of that pictured) is configured such that as a distance (annotated Fig. 2; distance from N2; Fig. 2 is representative of embodiment of [0014] except for configuration of 121 and 122) from a second common node (“second conductive terminal”; [0012]; annotated Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is representative of embodiment of [0014] except for configuration of 121 and 122) is increased, a resistance per unit length is gradually increased (“the thicknesses of the second conductive tabs gradually decrease in the second direction”; [0014]).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the first embodiment of An by substituting the thicknesses of the first and second connection member of the first embodiment for those of the second embodiment such that the first connection member is configured such that as a distance from the first common node is increased, a resistance per unit length is gradually increased, and the second connection member is configured such that as a distance from the second common node is increased, a resistance per unit length is gradually increased in this embodiment. In doing so, one of ordinary skill in the art would have been simply substituting the thicknesses of the first and second connection members of An’s first embodiment for thicknesses of the first and second connection members of An’s second embodiment to achieve the predictable result of a functional battery pack as taught by An.
An still fails to disclose a uniform thickness, the stepped portions along the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the plurality of battery cells, and the width of each of the first connection member and the second connection member decreasing from the one end of each connection member to the opposite end thereof.
Ha teaches that keeping the thickness of a connection member uniform and sequentially increasing the width of the connection member is a known alternative to sequentially increasing the thickness of a connection member and keeping the width of the connection member uniform ([0037-0038]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified An’s connection members by substituting the increasing, stepped thickness and uniform width of An’s members for a uniform thickness and increasing, stepped width because Ha teaches that a connection member having a uniform thickness and increasing width is a known alternative to a connection member having an increasing thickness and a uniform width.
Thus, An in view of Ha renders obvious the limitations “each of the first connection member and the second connection member has a uniform thickness in a longitudinal direction of each of the plurality of battery cells and a plurality of stepped portions along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the plurality of battery cells, a width of each of the first connection member and the second connection member decreasing from one end of each connection member to an opposite end thereof”.
Regarding claim 2, An in view of Ha discloses wherein:
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the first connection member (121 modified by [0014], and Ha) includes a plurality of first connection resistors (Fig. 2; 121a-121j modified by [0014] and Ha) sequentially connected (Fig. 2) along an arrangement direction (annotated Fig. 2; X) of the plurality of battery cells (110),
each of the plurality of first connection resistors (121a-121j modified by [0014] and Ha) connects first terminals (Fig. 2; 111a-111j) of two adjacent battery cells (110), and
the plurality of first connection resistors (121a-121j modified by [0014] and Ha) is configured such that as the distance from the first common node (N1) is increased, respective resistances (Fig. 2; resistances of 121a-121j modified by [0014] and Ha) of the first connection resistors (121a-121j modified by [0014] and Ha) are gradually increased (the modification of An in view of An and Ha results in the widths of the first connection resistors gradually increasing as the distance from the first common node is increased).
Regarding claim 3, An in view of Ha discloses wherein:
the second connection member (122 modified by [0014] and Ha) includes a plurality of second connection resistors (Fig. 2; 122a-122j modified by [0014] and Ha) sequentially connected along the arrangement direction (X) of the plurality of battery cells (110),
each of the plurality of second connection resistors (122a-122j modified by [0014] and Ha) connects second terminals (Fig. 2; 112) of two adjacent battery cells (110), and
the plurality of second connection resistors (122a-122j modified by [0014] and Ha) is configured such that as the distance from the second common node (N2) is increased, respective resistances (resistances of 122a-122j modified by [0014] and Ha) of the second connection resistors (122a-122j modified by [0014] and Ha) are gradually increased (the modification of An in view of An and Ha results in the widths of the second connection resistors gradually increasing as the distance from the second common node is increased)..
Regarding claim 4, An in view of Ha discloses wherein the resistances (resistances of 121a-121j and 122a-122j modified by [0014] and Ha) of the plurality of first connection resistors (121a-121j modified by [0014] and Ha) and the plurality of second connection resistors (122a-122j modified by [0014] and Ha) are determined so as to satisfy Equation 14 (An in view of An and Ha teaches the same structure as the structure of the instant specification that satisfies Equation 14):
[Equation 14]
R
B
k
=
(
n
-
k
k
)
R
T
k
wherein, in Equation 14,
n is a number of battery cells (Fig. 2; 110) in the plurality of battery cells (110),
k is an integer from 1 to n-1, inclusive,
R
T
k
is resistance of a first connection resistor (Fig. 2; one of 121a-121j modified by [0014] and Ha) which is in a kth placement in a first direction (annotated Fig. 2; X) which becomes farther from the first common node (N1) among the plurality of first connection resistors (121a-121j modified by [0014] and Ha), and
R
B
k
is resistance of a second connection resistor (Fig. 2; one of 122a-122j modified by [0014] and Ha) in the kth placement in the first direction (X) among the plurality of second connection resistors (122a-122j modified by [0014] and Ha).
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Regarding claim 6, An in view of Ha discloses wherein the first (121 modified by [0014] and Ha) and second (122 modified by [0014] and Ha) connection members are each configured by a bus bar (Fig. 2; elements 121 and 122 modified by [0014] and Ha).
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.
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/G.A.K./Examiner, Art Unit 1723 /TIFFANY LEGETTE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1723