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 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 9, 11-13, and 16-17 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.
Claim 9 recites the limitation “…a beam having an “I”-shaped cross section”.
However, the Examiner notes that the shape of the letter “I” changes depending on the font being used and therefore the scope of the term “I”-shaped cross section is unclear.
For example, an “I”-shaped cross section can be interpreted as a beam having a cross section comprising a center portion and two end portions at opposite ends of the center portion and extending perpendicular to the center portion (e.g. an “I” in Times New Roman font, see Fig. 7 of the instant specification).
In another example, an “I”-shaped cross section can be interpreted as being a beam having a cross section comprising a center portion (e.g. an “I” in Calibri font).
Claims 11-13 and 16-17 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 1-2 and 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wynn et al. (US PGPub 2020/0152941 A1) and further in view of Lee et al. (US PGPub 2024/0283085 A1).
Regarding Claims 1 and 6, Wynn discloses in Figs. 2-4 a battery module (200) ([0018]- [0019]) comprising:
a plurality of battery cells (201, 202, 203) each including an electrode lead (e.g. buttons) output in a first direction (Fig. 2, [0018]); and
an insulating cover (207) disposed on one side of the plurality of battery cells (201, 202, 203) to face the electrode leads in the first direction, the insulating cover (207) comprising a venting guide passing through the insulating cover (207) in the first direction to emit flame or gas occurring in one or more of the plurality of battery cells (201, 202, 203) ([0018], [0003]); and
an outer cover (209) disposed on one side of the insulating cover (207) (Fig. 2, [0018]).
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Specifically, Wynn discloses in Fig. 2 a single venting guide and consequently does not disclose a plurality of venting guides.
Though, Wynn discloses that although not depicted, the insulating cover (207) comprising the venting guide may be further present between the plurality of battery cells (201, 202, 203) and additional battery cells ([0018]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to form the insulating cover to further be present between the plurality of battery cells and additional battery cells, as disclosed by Wynn, such that the insulating cover comprises a plurality of venting guides corresponding to each of the battery cells of the plurality of battery cells, in order to further emit flame or gas occurring in one or more of the plurality of battery cells, as desired by Wynn.
Modified Wynn does not disclose a single cover sheet disposed on the insulating cover and configured to cover the plurality of venting guides, wherein the cover sheet is made of a material that is more easily melted by the flame or gas than the insulating cover.
Lee teaches in Figs. 4-8 a battery module (100) ([0052]) comprising a plurality of battery cells (110), a cover (820, 830) disposed on one side of the plurality of battery cells (110), the cover (820, 830) comprising a plurality of venting guides (822, 832) passing through the cover (820, 830) in a first direction to emit flame or gas occurring in one or more of the plurality of battery cells (110) ([0095]-[0096]); and a single cover sheet (810) disposed on the cover (820, 830) and configured to cover the plurality of venting guides (822, 832) in order to prevent foreign material from being introduced into the plurality of venting guides (822, 832) ([0095], [0098]).
Specifically, Lee teaches wherein the cover sheet (810) is made of a material that is more easily melted by the flame or gas than the cover (820, 830) ([0095]-[0099]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to dispose a single cover sheet on the insulating cover of modified Wynn, wherein the cover sheet is configured to cover the plurality of venting guides of modified Wynn and is made of a material that is more easily melted by the flame or gas than the insulating cover, as taught by Lee, in order to prevent foreign material from being introduced into the plurality of venting guides.
Modified Wynn discloses a desire to emit the flame or gas occurring in the one or more plurality of battery cells (201, 202, 203) ([0018]) and therefore modified Wynn suggests wherein the outer cover (209) includes at least one venting hole communicating with the plurality of venting guides along the first direction in order to emit the flame or gas occurring in the one or more plurality of battery cells (201, 202, 203) to the outside of the battery module (200).
However, modified Wynn does not explicitly disclose wherein the outer cover includes at least one venting hole aligned with the plurality of venting guides along the first direction, wherein the at least one of the venting holes communicates with at least one of the plurality of venting guides along the first direction with the cover sheet interposed therebetween.
Lee further teaches in Figs. 4-8 an outer cover (200) disposed on one side of the cover (820, 830) and including at least one venting hole (900) aligned with the plurality of venting guides (822, 930) along the first direction, wherein the at least one of the venting holes (900) communicates with at least one of the plurality of venting guides (822, 832) along the first direction with the cover sheet (810) interposed therebetween in order to discharge the flame or gas occurring in the one or more plurality of battery cells (110) to the outside of the battery module (100) (Fig. 6, [0095], [0105]-[0109], wherein the cover sheet 810 is disposed within 820 of the plurality of venting guides 820, 830 prior to being melted and therefore is being interpreted as being interposed therebetween the at least one of the venting guides 820, 830).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to form the outer cover of modified Wynn to include at least one venting hole communicating with the plurality of venting guides of modified Wynn along the first direction, as further taught by Lee, in order to emit the flame or gas occurring in the one or more plurality of battery cells of modified Wynn to the outside of the battery module of modified Wynn, as suggested by modified Wynn.
Regarding Claim 2, modified Wynn discloses all of the limitations as set forth above and further discloses a bus-bar assembly (205 of Wynn) including at least one bus-bar (205 of Wynn) electrically connected to one or more of the plurality of battery cells (201, 202, 203 of Wynn), wherein the insulating cover (207 of Wynn) faces the bus-bar assembly (205 of Wynn) (Fig. 2, [0018] of Wynn).
Regarding Claim 7, modified Wynn discloses all of the limitations as set forth above and further discloses wherein the plurality of battery cells (201, 202, 203 of Wynn) are arranged in a second direction, and wherein the plurality of venting guides are arranged in the second direction ([0018] of Wynn, see annotated Fig. 2 of Wynn provided above).
Claims 9, 11-12 and 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wynn et al. (US PGPub 2020/0152941 A1) in view of Lee et al. (US PGPub 2024/0283085 A1) and Ahn (US PGPub 2024/0063501 A1).
Regarding Claims 9 and 16, Wynn discloses in Figs. 2-4 a battery pack (300) ([0019]) comprising:
a pack housing (301) ([0019]); and
a plurality of battery modules (200) accommodated in the pack housing (301) ([0018]-[0019]),
wherein one of the battery modules (200) comprises:
a plurality of battery cells (201, 202, 203) each including an electrode lead (e.g. buttons) output in a first direction (Fig. 2, [0018]); and
an insulating cover (207) disposed on one side of the plurality of battery cells (201, 202, 203) to face the electrode leads in the first direction, the insulating cover (207) comprising a venting guide passing through the insulating cover (207) in the first direction to emit flame or gas occurring in one or more of the plurality of battery cells (201, 202, 203) ([0018], [0003]); and
an outer cover (209) disposed on one side of the insulating cover (207) (Fig. 2, [0018]).
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Specifically, Wynn discloses in Fig. 2 a single venting guide and consequently does not disclose a plurality of venting guides.
Though, Wynn discloses that although not depicted, the insulating cover (207) comprising the venting guide may be further present between the plurality of battery cells (201, 202, 203) and additional battery cells ([0018]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to form the insulating cover to further be present between the plurality of battery cells and additional battery cells, as disclosed by Wynn, such that the insulating cover comprises a plurality of venting guides corresponding to each of the battery cells of the plurality of battery cells, in order to further emit flame or gas occurring in one or more of the plurality of battery cells, as desired by Wynn.
Modified Wynn does not disclose a single cover sheet disposed on the insulating cover and configured to cover the plurality of venting guides, wherein the cover sheet is made of a material that is more easily melted by the flame or gas than the insulating cover.
Lee teaches in Figs. 4-8 a battery module (100) ([0052]) comprising a plurality of battery cells (110), a cover (820, 830) disposed on one side of the plurality of battery cells (110), the cover (820, 830) comprising a plurality of venting guides (822, 832) passing through the cover (820, 830) in a first direction to emit flame or gas occurring in one or more of the plurality of battery cells (110) ([0095]-[0096]); and a single cover sheet (810) disposed on the cover (820, 830) and configured to cover the plurality of venting guides (822, 832) in order to prevent foreign material from being introduced into the plurality of venting guides (822, 832) ([0095], [0098]).
Specifically, Lee teaches wherein the cover sheet (810) is made of a material that is more easily melted by the flame or gas than the cover (820, 830) ([0095]-[0099]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to dispose a single cover sheet on the insulating cover of modified Wynn, wherein the cover sheet is configured to cover the plurality of venting guides of modified Wynn and is made of a material that is more easily melted by the flame or gas than the insulating cover, as taught by Lee, in order to prevent foreign material from being introduced into the plurality of venting guides.
Modified Wynn discloses a desire to emit the flame or gas occurring in the one or more plurality of battery cells (201, 202, 203) ([0018]) and therefore modified Wynn suggests wherein the outer cover (209) includes at least one venting hole communicating with the plurality of venting guides along the first direction in order to emit the flame or gas occurring in the one or more plurality of battery cells (201, 202, 203) to the outside of the battery module (200).
However, modified Wynn does not explicitly disclose wherein the outer cover includes at least one venting hole aligned with the plurality of venting guides along the first direction, wherein the at least one of the venting holes communicates with at least one of the plurality of venting guides along the first direction with the cover sheet interposed therebetween.
Lee further teaches in Figs. 4-8 an outer cover (200) disposed on one side of the cover (820, 830) and including at least one venting hole (900) aligned with the plurality of venting guides (822, 930) along the first direction, wherein the at least one of the venting holes (900) communicates with at least one of the plurality of venting guides (822, 832) along the first direction with the cover sheet (810) interposed therebetween in order to discharge the flame or gas occurring in the one or more plurality of battery cells (110) to the outside of the battery module (100) (Fig. 6, [0095], [0105]-[0109], wherein the cover sheet 810 is disposed within 820 of the plurality of venting guides 820, 830 prior to being melted and therefore is being interpreted as being interposed therebetween the at least one of the venting guides 820, 830).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to form the outer cover of modified Wynn to include at least one venting hole communicating with the plurality of venting guides of modified Wynn along the first direction, as further taught by Lee, in order to emit the flame or gas occurring in the one or more plurality of battery cells of modified Wynn to the outside of the battery module of modified Wynn, as suggested by modified Wynn.
Modified Wynn further discloses wherein the pack housing (301 of Wynn) comprises a partition wall (e.g. wall) partitioning an inner space of the pack housing (301 of Wynn) (Figs. 3-4 and [0019] of Wynn, e.g. cavities).
However, modified Wynn does not explicitly disclose the partition wall forming a first flow path guiding the flame or gas emitted from the plurality of venting guides.
Ahn teaches a battery pack in which a flow path formed by a partition wall is relatively long so that when high-temperature gas and flame are generated in some battery modules, the generated high-temperature gas and flame are cooled through the flow path in order to be safely discharged to the outside of the battery pack ([0031]).
Specifically, Ahn teaches in Figs. 1-3 a battery pack (1000) comprising a pack housing (1100, 1200) and a plurality of battery modules (100) accommodated in the pack housing (1100, 1200), wherein the pack housing (1100, 1200) comprises a partition wall (1110) partitioning an inner space of the pack housing (1100, 1200), the partition wall (1110) forming a first flow path guiding flame or gas emitted from one or more of the battery modules (100) ([0052], [0055], [0057], [0062]-[0063], [0066]-[0067]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to form the partition wall of modified Wynn to have the configuration taught by Ahn, such that the partition wall forms a first flow path guiding the flame or gas emitted from the plurality of venting guides of modified Wynn, in order to form a first flow path that is relatively long so that the flame or gas emitted from the plurality of venting guides is cooled through the first flow path in order to be safely discharged to the outside of the battery pack of modified Wynn.
Thus, modified Wynn discloses wherein the partition wall (1100 of Ahn) is formed in a shape of a beam having an “I”-shaped cross section (Fig. 8 of Ahn, see partition wall is formed of a beam having a cross section comprising a center portion), and forms two first flow paths spatially separated from each other by the partition wall (1100 of Ahn) (e.g. see annotated Fig. 8 of Ahn provided below).
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Regarding Claim 11, modified Wynn discloses all of the limitations as set forth above and further discloses wherein the pack housing (301 of Wynn) comprises a lower plate and a side frame (301 of Wynn) disposed on an edge of the lower plate, wherein the side frame (301 of Wynn) forms a second flow path (302 of Wynn) communicating with the first flow path (Figs. 4-5B, [0019] of Wynn, e.g. see a lower plate in Fig. 5B, and [0055]-[0057], [0062]-[0063], [0066]-[0067]).
Regarding Claim 12, modified Wynn discloses all of the limitations as set forth above and further discloses a bus-bar assembly (205 of Wynn) including at least one bus-bar (205 of Wynn) electrically connected to one or more of the plurality of battery cells (201, 202, 203 of Wynn), wherein the insulating cover (207 of Wynn) faces the bus-bar assembly (205 of Wynn) (Fig. 2, [0018] of Wynn).
Regarding Claim 17, modified Wynn discloses all of the limitations as set forth above and further discloses wherein the plurality of battery cells (201, 202, 203 of Wynn) are arranged in a second direction, and wherein the plurality of venting guides are arranged in the second direction ([0018] of Wynn, see annotated Fig. 2 of Wynn provided above).
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Claims 3 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wynn et al. (US PGPub 2020/0152941 A1) in view of Lee et al. (US PGPub 2024/0283085 A1) as applied to Claim 2 above or Wynn et al. (US PGPub 2020/0152941 A1) in view of Lee et al. (US PGPub 2024/0283085 A1) and Ahn (US PGPub 2024/0063501 A1) as applied to Claim 12 above, and further in view of Haino et al. (JP 2019-029086 A, see also the previously provided EPO machine generated English translation).
Regarding Claims 3 and 13, modified Wynn discloses all of the limitations as set forth above and further discloses wherein the outer cover (209 of Wynn) disposed on one side of the insulating cover (207 of Wynn) (Fig. 2, [0018] of Wynn).
However, modified Wynn does not disclose a heat-resistant sheet disposed between the insulating cover and the bus-bar assembly.
Haino teaches a battery module that can ensure high safety by preventing damage caused by high-temperature exhaust gas while reducing the overall weight ([0005]).
Specifically, Haino teaches in Fig. 5 a battery module comprising a bus-bar assembly (3) including at least one bus-bar electrically connected to one or more of a plurality of battery cells (1) and an outer cover (9) disposed on one side of an insulating cover (52) ([0019]).
Haino further teaches in Fig. 5 wherein a heat-resistant sheet (6) is disposed between the insulating cover (52) and the bus-bar assembly (3) in order to protect the outer cover (9) from the inside against the high-temperature exhaust gas and thereby prevent deformation or melting of the outer cover (9) due to heat ([0028], [0032]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to dispose a heat-resistant sheet between the insulating cover of modified Wynn and the bus-bar assembly of modified Wynn, as taught by Haino, in order to protect the outer cover of modified Wynn from the inside against the emitted flame or gas of modified Wynn and thereby prevent deformation or melting of the outer cover due to heat.
The Examiner notes wherein the plurality of venting guides communicate with the plurality of battery cells (201, 202, 203 of Wynn) in order to emit flame or gas occurring in one or more of the plurality of battery cells (201, 202, 203 of Wynn) (Fig. 2, [0018] of Wynn).
Thus, upon implantation of the heat-resistant sheet, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to form a plurality of holes in the heat-resistant sheet corresponding to the plurality of venting guides of modified Wynn in order to successfully emit the flame or gas occurring in the one or more of the plurality of battery cells of modified Wynn, as desired by modified Wynn.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to amended Claim 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.
The Examiner suggests that the Applicant amend Claim 1 to recite “wherein the at least one of the venting holes communicates with at least one of the plurality of venting guides along the first direction with the cover sheet interposed between the at least one of the venting holes and the at least one of the plurality of venting guides along the first direction” in order to overcome the rejection of record set forth above.
Applicant’s arguments filed June 25, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding amended Claim 9, the Applicant argues that the cited prior art does not disclose an “I”-shaped partition wall simultaneously defining two separate first flow paths as claimed. The cited references merely disclose venting structures for discharging gas generated from battery cells, but do not address the problem of distributing vented gas through multiple flow paths formed by a beam-shaped partition wall.
The Examiner respectfully disagrees and notes that, as set forth above in a new interpretation, modified Wynn discloses wherein the partition wall (1100 of Ahn) is formed in a shape of a beam having an “I”-shaped cross section (Fig. 8 of Ahn, see partition wall is formed of a beam having a cross section comprising a center portion), and forms two first flow paths spatially separated from each other by the partition wall (1100 of Ahn) (e.g. see annotated Fig. 8 of Ahn provided below).
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The Examiner further notes that the shape of the letter “I” changes depending on the font being used. For example, an “I”-shaped cross section can be interpreted as a beam having a cross section comprising a center portion and two end portions at opposite ends of the center section and extending perpendicular to the center portion (e.g. an “I” in Times New Roman font, see Fig. 7 of the instant specification). In another example, an “I”- shaped cross section can be interpreted as being a beam having a cross section comprising a center portion (e.g. an “I” in Calibri font).
Therefore, the Examiner suggests that the Applicant could amend the claim to recite the “I”-shaped cross section as set forth in Fig. 7 of the instant specification (e.g. wherein the partition wall is formed of a beam having a cross section comprising a center portion and two end portions at opposite ends of the center portion and extending perpendicular to the center portion, and forms two first flow paths spatially separated from each other by the partition wall” in order to overcome the rejection of record set forth above.
Thus, the arguments are not considered to be persuasive.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Seo et al. (US PGPub 2019/0267682 A1) teaches a partition wall (510) formed in a shape of a beam having a “I”-shaped cross section (Figs. 4-5).
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.
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.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725
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