DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
Claims 1-20 are pending in the application, with claims 9-20 currently withdrawn. New grounds of rejection have been added as a result of the amendment to the claims submitted 11/24/2025. The amendment to claim 1 changes the structure / placement of the adhesive as set forth in the previous claim set.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-2, 5 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over He et al. (CN 110828744, citations from US 2023/0054089) in view of Zeng (US 2018/0361705).
Regarding claim 1, He et al. discloses in Figs 1-8, a battery (ref 100), comprising a housing (ref 11) and a plurality of electrode core assemblies (Fig 3, refs 12) disposed in the housing (ref 11), wherein two adjacent electrode core assemblies (Fig 3, refs 12) of the plurality of electrode core assemblies (refs 12) are connected in series ([0064], [0067]), each (Fig 3, [0082]) of the electrode core assemblies (refs 12) comprises an encapsulation film (ref 13) and at least one electrode core (ref 12), and the at least one electrode core (ref 12) is disposed in an accommodating cavity (ref 14) formed by the encapsulation film (ref 13); and each of the electrode core assemblies (refs 12) comprises a first electrode (refs 121) and a second electrode (refs 122) for leading out a current ([0064]), the first electrode (refs 121) and the second electrode (refs 122) protrude out of (Fig 3) the encapsulation film (ref 13), a first electrode (one of ref 121) of a first electrode core assembly (refs 12) of the two adjacent (Fig 3) electrode core assemblies (refs 12) is connected to (Fig 3, [0064]) a second electrode (another of ref 122) of the a second electrode core assembly (refs 12) of the two adjacent electrode core assemblies (Fig 3, refs 12), a gap (Fig 3, [0083]-[0084]) between the two adjacent electrode core assemblies (Fig 3, refs 12) is filled with an insulating material ([0083]-[0084]) to form an insulating spacer (ref 131) between the two adjacent (Fig 3) electrode core assemblies (refs 12), and a connection part (Fig 3, [0083]) of the two adjacent electrode core assemblies (refs 12) is arranged in (Fig 3, [0083]) the insulating spacer (ref 131).
He et al. does not explicitly disclose a first adhesive layer arranged between an outer surface of the first electrode core assembly and an inner surface of the housing to fix the first electrode core assembly to the housing.
Zeng discloses in Figs 1-7, an electronic device (ref 1) including a battery (ref 200) having an electrode assembly (ref 20) disposed within a housing (ref 100). An adhesive (ref 30) is disposed between ([0037], Figs 3-6) an inner wall surface (ref 102) of the housing (ref 100) and the electrode assembly (ref 20). This enhances the overall structural integrity of the battery ([0004]-[0005]).
Zeng and He et al. are analogous since both deal in the same field of endeavor, namely, batteries.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to incorporate the adhesive disclosed by Zeng into the structure of He et al. between the housing and electrode core to enhance the overall structural integrity of the battery.
Regarding claim 2, modified He et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses the insulating spacer (ref 131) comprises an outer peripheral surface facing an inner surface (depicted in Fig 3) of the housing (ref 11), a first positioning portion ([0084], associated with cable) is formed on the outer peripheral surface (Fig 3) of the insulating spacer (ref 131), a second positioning portion ([0084], receiving the cable) is formed on the inner surface (Fig 3) of the housing (ref 11), and the first positioning portion ([0084], associated with the cable) is coupled with ([0084]) the second positioning portion ([0084], receiving the cable) to fix the insulating spacer (ref 131) to the housing (ref 11).
Regarding claim 5, modified He et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses the insulating spacer (ref 131) comprises an outer peripheral surface facing an inner surface (Fig 3, [0083]-[0084]) of the housing (ref 11), the outer peripheral surface (Fig 3, [0083]-[0084]) of the insulating spacer (ref 131) has a metal member ([0084], cable), and the metal member ([0084] is connected to the housing (ref 11) to fix ([0084]) the insulating spacer (ref 131) to the housing (ref 11).
Regarding claim 8, modified He et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses a length (Fig 3) of the battery (ref 100) extends along a first direction (Fig 3), a length (Fig 3) of each of the plurality of electrode core assemblies (refs 12) extends along the first direction (Fig 3), and the plurality of electrode core assemblies (refs 12) are arranged along the first direction (Fig 3).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over He et al. (CN 110828744, citations from US 2023/0054089) in view of Zeng (US 2018/0361705) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Bloom et al. (US 2006/0068278).
Regarding claim 4, He et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses the insulating spacer (ref 131) comprises an outer peripheral surface facing an inner surface (Fig 3) of the housing (ref 11), a first adhesive layer ([0084], hot melt) is arranged between the outer peripheral surface (Fig 3) of the insulating spacer (ref 131) and the inner surface (Fig 3, [0084]) of the housing (ref 11) to fix the insulating spacer (ref 131) to the housing (ref 11), and the first adhesive layer is a heat-sensitive adhesive ([0084]).
Bloom et al. discloses in Figs 1-8, a battery pack (ref 10) including a housing having an inner surface ([0052]) and insulating elements ([0052]) therein that are coated with pressure-sensitive adhesives ([0052]). This configuration enhances the insulation and therefore overall safety and performance of the battery ([0084], [0004]-[0005]).
Bloom et al. and He et al. are analogous since both deal in the same field of endeavor, namely, batteries.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to incorporate the pressure-sensitive adhesive disclosed by Bloom et al. into the structure of He et al. to enhance overall battery insulation, safety, and performance.
Claims 3 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over He et al. (CN 110828744, citations from US 2023/0054089) in view of Zeng (US 2018/0361705) as applied to claims 2 and 5 above, and further in view of Kang et al. (US 2007/0148536).
Regarding claims 3 and 6, modified He et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above but does not explicitly disclose the first positioning portion includes a groove recessed on the outer peripheral surface of the insulating spacer, the second positioning portion includes a protrusion formed on the inner surface of the housing, and the protrusion of the second positioning portion is disposed into the groove of the first positioning portion; or the first positioning portion includes a protrusion formed on the outer peripheral surface of the insulating spacer, the second positioning portion includes a groove formed on the inner surface of the housing, and the protrusion of the first positioning portion is disposed into the groove of the second positioning portion, nor the outer peripheral surface of the insulating spacer has a snap-fit groove, the metal member comprises a mating portion and a connecting portion connected to the mating portion, the mating portion is snapped into the snap-fit groove, and the connecting portion is exposed on the outer peripheral surface to be connected to the housing; the metal member has an opening, a side wall, and a bottom wall, and a shape of the snap-fit groove is matched with a shape of the opening of the metal member, and the side wall of the metal member is snapped into the snap-fit groove as the mating portion, and the bottom wall of the metal member is connected to the housing as the connecting portion.
Kang et al. discloses in Figs 1-6, a battery module ([0035], ref 300) including a plurality of battery cells (refs 200-203…) and spacers ([0018]) separating them therein. The spacers ([0018]) are assembled within the battery module ([0035], ref 300) including a combination of grooves and protrusions / hooks ([0018]-[0020]) thereon to connect to a module housing ([0018]-[0020]). The connections are female-male structures that are engageable to one another, i.e. snapped together ([0020]). The grooves and protrusions are assembled together to fit within the housing to enhance the structural integrity of the battery module ([0018]-[0020]).
Kang et al. and He et al. are analogous since both deal in the same field of endeavor, namely, batteries.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to incorporate the groove / protrusion coupling structures disclosed by Kang et al. onto the spacer and housing of He et al. to couple / snap the structures together securely enhancing overall battery structural integrity.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over He et al. (CN 110828744, citations from US 2023/0054089) in view of Zeng (US 2018/0361705) as applied to claim 5 above, and further in view of Kroll et al. (US 2013/0330604).
Regarding claim 7, modified He et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above but does not explicitly disclose the metal member is integrally formed with the insulating spacer, the metal member is made of aluminum, and the metal member is fixed to the housing by welding.
Kroll et al. discloses in Figs 1-4, a battery module ([0010]) including an insulating material (ref 20) connected to a contact material (ref 32) comprising aluminum ([0092]) which is welded to a housing component ([0092]). Aluminum is used since it is a ductile material enhancing the welding connection ([0092]).
Krill et al. and He et al. are analogous since both deal in the same field of endeavor, namely, batteries.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to incorporate the cable of He et al. of aluminum as disclosed by Kroll et al. due to the ductileness of aluminum, enhancing the structural integrity of the welded spacer-housing structure.
Further, as the instant specification is silent to unexpected results, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to connect the spacer and cable of modified Kroll et al., since such modification would have involved making elements integral. Making elements integral is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Larson, 340 F.2d 965, 968, 144 USPQ 347, 349 (CCPA 1965).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-8 have been considered but are moot in view of new grounds of rejection.
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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/KENNETH J DOUYETTE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725