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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 December 16th 2025 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed December 16th 2025, with respect to the claim rejections under 35 U.S.C 112(a) and 112(b) have been fully considered. The rejections of claims 1-16 and 18-20 under 35 U.S.C 112(a) and 112(b) have been withdrawn due to amendments.
Applicant’s arguments, filed December 16th 2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-6 and 18-20 under 35 U.S.C 102 and 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of 35 U.S.C 103.
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 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) 1-10, 13-15 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sainomoto et al. (US 20070108940 A1) in view of Xie (CN 206226070 U).
Regarding Claim 1, Sainomoto teaches a battery pack (10), comprising:
a housing (¶[14] “The battery pack 10 has a casing”);
a cell group (20) disposed in the housing,
wherein the cell group comprises a plurality of cells (21-24; ¶[14] “The casing accommodates therein a battery stack 20 composed of a plurality of series-connected lithium-ion secondary cells 21 to 24”);
an interface disposed on the housing so as to be connected to a charger (200) or a power tool (100) (¶[14] “The casing … carries a pair of power terminals 31 and 32, a charge terminal 33, and a signal connector 40 for connection with the power tool 100 and the charger 200”), wherein the interface comprises a first terminal (31) electrically connected to a first electrode of the cell group (see Fig. 1), a second terminal (33) electrically connected to the first electrode of the cell group (see Fig. 1), and a third terminal (32) electrically connected to a second electrode of the cell group (see Fig. 1);
a second interrupt circuit (93) disposed on a charging loop (between terminals 32 and 33),
wherein the second interrupt circuit has an on state in which the charging loop is turned on and an off state in which the charging loop is turned off (¶[29] “The interrupter 93 includes a non-resettable element 95 in the form of a fusing resistor and a heater 97”; the fuse has an ‘on’ state before being activated which allows the charging current to pass through, and an ‘off’ state after being activated which prevents current from passing though);
the second interrupt circuit is only disposed on the charging loop (¶[29] “the interrupter 93 is inserted in the charge current path between the charge terminal 33 and the positive pole of the battery stack 20”), and
a control unit (90) connected to the second interrupt circuit,
wherein the control unit outputs, under a preset condition, a control signal to the second interrupt circuit such that the second interrupt circuit switches from the on state to the off state (¶[29] “the battery pack 10 further includes an over-charge detector 90 which is configured to stop the inflow of the charge current when the cell voltage of any one of the secondary cells 21 to 24 becomes higher than a third threshold”; see remainder of ¶[29]).
Sainomoto does not teach a first interrupt circuit disposed on a discharging loop,
wherein the first interrupt circuit is broken to turn off the discharging loop when a discharge current of the discharging loop is higher than or equal to a first preset current value; and
the first interrupt circuit is only disposed on the discharging loop.
Xie teaches a first interrupt circuit (2000) disposed on a discharging loop (see Fig. 1, where the fuse 2000 is connected to the load),
wherein the first interrupt circuit is broken to turn off the discharging loop when a discharge current of the discharging loop is higher than or equal to a first preset current value (¶[52] “A fuse 2000 is also provided in the discharge circuit, and its fusing current is 40A to 80A, which is used to protect the current in the discharge circuit from being too large and ensure the safety of battery discharge”); and
the first interrupt circuit is only disposed on the discharging loop (see Fig. 1, where the fuse 2000 is after charger (which is in series with the diode)).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Sainomoto to incorporate the teachings of Xie to provide a first interrupt circuit disposed on a discharging loop,
wherein the first interrupt circuit is broken to turn off the discharging loop when a discharge current of the discharging loop is higher than or equal to a first preset current value; and
the first interrupt circuit is only disposed on the discharging loop;
in order to prevent the load from being damaged by a large current.
Regarding Claim 2, Sainomoto in view of Xie teaches the battery pack according to claim 1.
Sainomoto does not explicitly teach wherein the preset condition is that a voltage of the cell group is higher than or equal to a first preset voltage value; however Sainomoto teaches measuring the total voltage of the battery stack (¶[19] “The charge controller 220 stops supplying the charge current when the overall voltage of the battery stack 20 becomes higher than a predetermined limit, for example, 17.5 V”), therefore it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to stop the inflow of charge current when the voltage of the cell group is above a preset voltage value.
Regarding Claim 3, Sainomoto in view of Xie teaches the battery pack according to claim 1.
wherein the preset condition is that a voltage of a cell among the plurality of cells is higher than or equal to a second preset voltage value (¶[29] “the battery pack 10 further includes an over-charge detector 90 which is configured to stop the inflow of the charge current when the cell voltage of any one of the secondary cells 21 to 24 becomes higher than a third threshold”).
Regarding Claim 4, Sainomoto in view of Xie teaches the battery pack according to claim 2.
Sainomoto further teaches wherein the battery pack (10) further comprises:
a voltage detection unit (92) for detecting the voltage of the cell group or the voltage of the cell (¶[29] “The over-charge detector 90 includes a third voltage monitor 92 which is constantly energized by the battery stack 20 to compare the cell voltage of each one of the secondary cells 21 to 24 with the third threshold”);
wherein an input terminal of the voltage detection unit is connected to the cell group or the cell, and an output terminal of the voltage detection unit is connected to the control unit (see Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 5, Sainomoto in view of Xie teaches the battery pack according to claim 1.
Xie further teaches wherein the preset condition is that a charge current of the charging loop is higher than or equal to a second preset current value (¶[15] “the main controller is also connected to the current detection unit, and is used to control the charging or discharging circuit to be disconnected when the current in the battery charging or discharging circuit is greater than a preset current value”).
Regarding Claim 6, Sainomoto in view of Xie teaches the battery pack according to claim 5.
Xie further teaches wherein the battery pack further comprises:
a current detection unit (1300) for detecting the charge current of the charging loop (¶[51] “a current detection unit 1300 for detecting the current in a battery charging or discharging circuit in the battery pack”);
wherein an input terminal of the current detection unit is connected to the charging loop (¶[51] “Optionally, the current detection unit 1300 can be connected both in the charging circuit and in the discharging circuit, as shown in position A in Figure 1”), and an output terminal of the current detection unit is connected to the control unit (¶[51] “The main controller 800 is also connected to the current detection unit”).
Regarding Claim 7, Sainomoto in view of Xie teaches the battery pack according to claim 1.
Sainomoto in view of Xie further teaches wherein the first interrupt circuit comprises a first interrupt element ([Xie] two terminal fuse 2000); and
the second interrupt circuit comprises a second interrupt element ([Sainomoto] three terminal fuse 95) different from the first interrupt element.
Regarding Claim 8, Sainomoto in view of Xie teaches the battery pack according to claim 7.
Sainomoto further teaches wherein the second interrupt element is a three-terminal controllable fuse (see Fig. 1, ¶[29] “The interrupter 93 includes a non-resettable element 95 in the form of a fusing resistor and a heater 97”).
Regarding Claim 9, Sainomoto in view of Xie teaches the battery pack according to claim 7.
Xie further teaches wherein the first interrupt element is a two-terminal fuse (see Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 10, Sainomoto in view of Xie teaches the battery pack according to claim 3.
Sainomoto further teaches a range of the second preset voltage value is greater than or equal to 4 V (¶[29] “when the cell voltage of any one of the secondary cells 21 to 24 becomes higher than a third threshold (V.sub.TH3), for example, 4.5 V higher than the first threshold (V.sub.TH1)”)
Regarding Claim 13, Sainomoto in view of Xie teaches the battery pack according to claim 1.
Sainomoto further teaches wherein the first terminal (31) is a first positive terminal electrically connected to a positive electrode of the cell group (see Fig. 1, ¶[14] “The power terminals is composed of a positive output terminal 31”),
the second terminal (33) is a second positive terminal electrically connected to the positive electrode of the cell group (see Fig. 1, ¶[14] “The charge terminal 33 is separated from the positive output terminal 31”), and
the third terminal (32) is a negative terminal electrically connected to a negative electrode of the cell group (see Fig. 1, ¶[14] “The power terminals is composed of … a ground terminal 32”).
Regarding Claim 14, Sainomoto in view of Xie teaches the battery pack according to claim 1,
Sainomoto further teaches wherein the battery pack further comprises:
a discharge circuit (60) disposed between the first terminal (31) and the third terminal (32) (¶[4] “The battery pack also includes a discharge detector which is configured to monitor the cell voltage across each of the secondary cells and to provide a discharge stop signal when any one of the cell voltages becomes lower than a second threshold”)
and a charge circuit (50) disposed between the second terminal (33) and the third terminal (32) (¶[4] “The battery pack includes a charge detector which is configured to monitor a cell voltage across each one of the secondary cells and to provide a high charge-control signal when all of the cell voltages are lower than a first threshold and a low charge-control signal when any one of the cell voltage becomes higher than the first threshold”)
Regarding Claim 15, Sainomoto in view of Xie teaches the battery pack according to claim 1.
Sainomoto further teaches wherein the discharging loop comprises the first terminal (31) and the third terminal (32) (¶[14] “The power terminals is composed of a positive output terminal 31 and a ground terminal 32 which are connected across the battery stack 20 to supply a discharge current to the power tool 100”), and
the charging loop comprises the second terminal (33) and the third terminal (32) (¶[14] “the charge terminal 33 and the ground terminal 32 are connected across the battery stack 20 to receive a charge current from the charger 200”).
Regarding Claim 18, Sainomoto teaches a power tool system, comprising:
a power tool (100); and
a battery pack (10) adaptable to the power tool so as to power the power tool;
wherein the battery pack comprises:
a housing (¶[14] “The battery pack 10 has a casing”);
a cell group (20) disposed in the housing,
wherein the cell group comprises a plurality of cells (21-24; ¶[14] “The casing accommodates therein a battery stack 20 composed of a plurality of series-connected lithium-ion secondary cells 21 to 24”);
an interface disposed on the housing so as to be connected to a charger (200) or the power tool (100) (¶[14] “The casing … carries a pair of power terminals 31 and 32, a charge terminal 33, and a signal connector 40 for connection with the power tool 100 and the charger 200”), wherein the interface comprises a first terminal (31) electrically connected to a first electrode of the cell group (see Fig. 1), a second terminal (33) electrically connected to the first electrode of the cell group (see Fig. 1), and a third terminal (32) electrically connected to a second electrode of the cell group (see Fig. 1);
a discharge circuit (60) connected between the first terminal (31) and the third terminal (32),
a charge circuit (50) connected between the second terminal (33) and the third terminal (32),
a second interrupt circuit (93) disposed on a charging loop (between terminals 32 and 33),
wherein the second interrupt circuit has an on state in which the charging loop is turned on and an off state in which the charging loop is turned off (¶[29] “The interrupter 93 includes a non-resettable element 95 in the form of a fusing resistor and a heater 97”; the fuse has an ‘on’ state before being activated which allows the charging current to pass through, and an ‘off’ state after being activated which prevents current from passing though);
the second interrupt circuit is only disposed on the charging loop (¶[29] “the interrupter 93 is inserted in the charge current path between the charge terminal 33 and the positive pole of the battery stack 20”), and
a control unit (90) connected to the second interrupt circuit,
wherein the control unit outputs, under a preset condition, a control signal to the second interrupt circuit such that the second interrupt circuit switches from the on state to the off state (¶[29] “the battery pack 10 further includes an over-charge detector 90 which is configured to stop the inflow of the charge current when the cell voltage of any one of the secondary cells 21 to 24 becomes higher than a third threshold”; see remainder of ¶[29]).
Sainomoto does not teach the discharge circuit connected in series between the first terminal and the third terminal, or the charge circuit connected in series between the second terminal and the third terminal,
Sainomoto does not teach a first interrupt circuit disposed on the discharging loop,
wherein the first interrupt circuit is broken to turn off the discharging loop when a discharge current of the discharging loop is higher than or equal to a first preset current value; and
the first interrupt circuit is only disposed on the discharging loop.
Xie teaches a discharge circuit (1400, ¶[54] “Before the battery supplies power to the load, when the first controllable switch 100 is disconnected and short circuit detection is required, the isolating switch receives the command and controls the third controllable switch 1400 to be turned on”) connected in series between the first terminal and the third terminal (point where the load is connected in Fig. 1 and point A), and a charge circuit (100, ¶[24] “The controlled switch of the first controllable switch 100 is connected in series in the battery pack charging or discharging circuit, and is used to control the connection or disconnection of the battery charging or discharging circuit”) connected in series between the second terminal and the third terminal (point where the charger is connected in Fig. 1 and point A).
Xie teaches a first interrupt circuit (2000) disposed on a discharging loop (see Fig. 1, where the fuse 2000 is connected to the load),
wherein the first interrupt circuit is broken to turn off the discharging loop when a discharge current of the discharging loop is higher than or equal to a first preset current value (¶[52] “A fuse 2000 is also provided in the discharge circuit, and its fusing current is 40A to 80A, which is used to protect the current in the discharge circuit from being too large and ensure the safety of battery discharge”); and
the first interrupt circuit is only disposed on the discharging loop (see Fig. 1, where the fuse 2000 is after charger (which is in series with the diode)).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Sainomoto to incorporate the teachings of Xie to provide
the discharge circuit connected in series between the first terminal and the third terminal, or the charge circuit connected in series between the second terminal and the third terminal in order to control charging and discharging; and to provide
a first interrupt circuit disposed on a discharging loop,
wherein the first interrupt circuit is broken to turn off the discharging loop when a discharge current of the discharging loop is higher than or equal to a first preset current value; and
the first interrupt circuit is only disposed on the discharging loop;
in order to prevent the load from being damaged by a large current.
The combination of Sainomoto and Xie further teaches wherein the first terminal, the discharge circuit, and the third terminal form a discharging loop for powering the power tool; and
wherein the second terminal, the charge circuit, and the third terminal form a charging loop for charging the battery pack.
Regarding Claim 19, Sainomoto in view of Xie teaches the power tool system according to claim 18.
Sainomoto further teaches wherein the first terminal (31) is a first positive terminal electrically connected to a positive electrode of the cell group (see Fig. 1, ¶[14] “The power terminals is composed of a positive output terminal 31”),
the second terminal (33) is a second positive terminal electrically connected to the positive electrode of the cell group (see Fig. 1, ¶[14] “The charge terminal 33 is separated from the positive output terminal 31”), and
the third terminal (32) is a negative terminal electrically connected to a negative electrode of the cell group (see Fig. 1, ¶[14] “The power terminals is composed of … a ground terminal 32”).
Regarding Claim 20, Sainomoto in view of Xie teaches the power tool system according to claim 18.
Sainomoto further teaches wherein the second interrupt circuit (93) comprises a three-terminal controllable fuse (see Fig. 1, ¶[29] “The interrupter 93 includes a non-resettable element 95 in the form of a fusing resistor and a heater 97”).
Claim(s) 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sainomoto et al. (US 20070108940 A1) in view of Xie (CN 206226070 U) further in view of Kudoh et al. (US 20150188113 A1).
Regarding Claim 11, Sainomoto in view of Xie teaches the battery pack according to claim 1.
Sainomoto in view of Xie does not explicitly teach wherein the cell group comprises a plurality of stacked sheet-shaped cells.
Kudoh teaches wherein the cell group comprises a plurality of stacked sheet-shaped cells (¶[57] “the secondary cell 1 is formed into a sheet shape”, see also Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, ¶[25] “FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a multilayer structure in serial connection using the solid-state secondary battery in FIG. 3”).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Sainomoto in view of Xie to incorporate the teachings of Kudoh to provide a plurality of stacked sheet-shaped cells in order to simplify the structure of the battery as suggested by Kudoh (¶[67]).
Claim(s) 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sainomoto et al. (US 20070108940 A1) in view of Xie (CN 206226070 U) further in view of Sheeks et al. (US 20190006980 A1).
Regarding Claim 12, Sainomoto in view of Xie teaches the battery pack according to claim 1.
Sainomoto in view of Xie does not explicitly teach wherein a capacity of the battery pack is higher than or equal to 5 Ah.
Sheeks teaches wherein a capacity of the battery pack is higher than or equal to 5 Ah (¶[217] “Each battery cell may have a nominal voltage between 3 V and 5 V and may have a nominal capacity between 3 Ah and 5 Ah”).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Sainomoto in view of Xie to incorporate the teachings of Sheeks to provide sufficient capacity to use a power tool for an extended amount of time.
Claim(s) 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sainomoto et al. (US 20070108940 A1) in view of Xie (CN 206226070 U) further in view of Sim et al. (US 20090184685 A1).
Regarding Claim 16, Sainomoto in view of Xie teaches the battery pack according to claim 1.
Sainomoto in view of Xie does not teach explicitly wherein the battery pack is a pouch-type battery pack.
Sim teaches wherein the battery pack is a pouch-type battery pack (¶[6] “Li secondary battery can be classified into a Li ion battery using a liquid electrolyte and a lithium polymer battery using a polymer electrolyte according to the kind of the electrolyte, or classified into a cylindrical type, a prismatic type and a pouch type according to the shape of the battery”)
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Sainomoto in view of Xie to incorporate the teachings of Sim to provide a pouch-type battery pack in order to have a lightweight and flexible battery pack.
Conclusion
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/A.B./Examiner, Art Unit 2859
/JULIAN D HUFFMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859