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 § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-4, 6-7, 9, 14, and 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Muratsu et al (US 20200227699 A1, as given in the 12/23/2025 IDS).
Regarding claim 1, Muratsu discloses an insulation bracket (insulation holder 40 in Figs. 2 and 7; see entire disclosure and especially P26), wherein the insulation bracket is disposed on a battery cell group (assembled battery 11 in Figs. 1-2; see entire disclosure and especially P24-26),
the battery cell group comprises a plurality of battery cells, and a first electrode and a second electrode of each of the battery cells are disposed on a same side of the battery cell (“each of batteries 10 which form assembled battery 11 has positive-electrode terminal 5 and negative-electrode terminal 6 which are electrically insulated from each other on one end portion of the battery 10”, P25; see Fig. 2),
wherein the insulation bracket comprises a plurality of insulation plates connected to each other, each of the insulation plates is disposed on a corresponding one of the battery cells (see Figs. 1-2 and 7; see the annotated Fig. provided below), and
each of the insulation plates is provided with a limiting groove (flat portion with through-hole and curved side parts of the insulation bracket covering each battery cell in Figs. 1-2 and 7), wherein the limiting groove of each of the insulation plates covers an end of the corresponding one of the battery cells, and a wall of the limiting groove of each of the insulation plates is configured to position the corresponding one of the battery cells (side parts of the insulation bracket; see the annotated Fig, provided below),
wherein a part of the first electrode and a part of the second electrode of each of the battery cells are exposed from the insulation plate corresponding to the battery cell (see Figs.1-2 6A-6B, and 8-9; see entire disclosure and especially P27, 37-39).
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Annotated Muratsu Fig. 7
Regarding claim 2, Muratsu discloses wherein a bottom of the limiting groove of each of the insulation plates covers another part of the second electrode of the battery cell corresponding to the insulation plate (in viewing Figs. 1-2, 6A-6B, and 7, it appears that the bottom surface of the top part of the insulation holder 40 would cover a portion of negative-electrode terminal 6 that is not exposed through the insulation holder’s through-hole),
the bottom is provided with a first isolation portion, the first isolation portion is provided with a through hole, and the first electrode of the battery cell corresponding to the insulation plate is exposed from the insulation plate through the through hole (see the through-hole provided in Figs. 1-2 and 7; where the through-hole is located on the bottom surface of the top part of the insulation holder 40 is drawn to the first isolation portion).
Regarding claim 3, Muratsu discloses wherein a side of each of the insulation plates away from the corresponding one of the battery cells is provided with a busbar, and each of the insulation plates separates the busbar and the corresponding one of the battery cells (positive electrode bus bar 20B (20A) and negative electrode bus bar 30A (30B) in Figs. 2, 7, and 9; the bus bars sit on the top surface of the insulation holder 40, while the battery cells sit underneath the insulation holder 40; therefore, minus the needed electrical connections through the provided through-holes of the insulation holder 40, the battery cells and busbars are separated via the insulation holder 40; see entire disclosure and especially P27).
Regarding claim 4, Muratsu discloses wherein a side of each of the insulation plates away from a notch of the limiting groove is provided with a positioning structure (holding portions 41 in Fig. 7; see entire disclosure and especially P27; see also the annotated Fig. below), and the positioning structure is configured to position the busbar (see entire disclosure and especially P27).
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Annotated Muratsu Fig. 7
Regarding claim 6, Muratsu discloses wherein the plurality of battery cells are cylindrical battery cells (see Figs. 1-2).
Regarding claim 7, Muratsu discloses wherein an inner diameter of the limiting groove of each of the insulation plates is greater than an external diameter of the corresponding one of the battery cells (see Figs. 1-2; this would have to be the case for the insulation holder to cover and sit on the battery cells as shown in Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 9, Muratsu discloses wherein a bottom of the limiting groove of each of the insulation plates covers another part of the second electrode of the battery cell corresponding to the insulation plate (in viewing Figs. 1-2, 6A-6B, and 7, it appears that the bottom surface of the top part of the insulation holder 40 would cover a portion of negative-electrode terminal 6 that is not exposed through the insulation holder’s through-hole),
the bottom is provided with a first isolation portion, the first isolation portion is provided with a through hole, and the first electrode of the battery cell corresponding to the insulation plate is exposed from the insulation plate through the through hole (see the through-hole provided in Figs. 1-2 and 7; where the through-hole is located on the bottom surface of the top part of the insulation holder 40 is drawn to the first isolation portion);
each of the insulation plates is provided with a second isolation portion, the second isolation portion is configured to separate adjacent ones of the battery cells (see the annotated Fig. provided below).
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Annotated Muratsu Fig. 7
Regarding claim 14, Muratsu discloses wherein the plurality of insulation plates are integrally formed (see Figs. 1-2 and 7).
Regarding claim 16, Muratsu discloses a battery module (battery block 100 in Figs. 1-2; see entire disclosure and especially P23-24), comprising: a battery cell group (a row/array of five battery cells as seen in Figs. 1-2; see entire disclosure and especially P25; a busbar (positive electrode bus bar 20B (20A) or negative electrode bus bar 30A (30B) in Figs. 2, 7, and 9; see entire disclosure and especially P27); and an insulation bracket (the single portion of insulation holder 40 that corresponds to a row/array of five battery cells in Figs. 2 and 7; see entire disclosure and especially P26), wherein the insulation bracket is disposed on the battery cell group, and the busbar is disposed on the insulation bracket (see Figs. 1-2, 7, and 9);
the battery cell group comprises a plurality of battery cells, and a first electrode and a second electrode of each of the battery cells are disposed on a same side of the battery cell (“each of batteries 10 … has positive-electrode terminal 5 and negative-electrode terminal 6 which are electrically insulated from each other on one end portion of the battery 10”, P25; see Fig. 2),
wherein the insulation bracket comprises a plurality of insulation plates connected to each other, each of the insulation plates is disposed on a corresponding one of the battery cells (see Figs. 1-2 and 7; see the annotated Fig. provided below), and
each of the insulation plates is provided with a limiting groove (flat portion with through-hole and curved side parts of the insulation bracket covering each battery cell in Figs. 1-2 and 7), wherein the limiting groove of each of the insulation plates covers an end of the corresponding one of the battery cells, and a wall of the limiting groove of each of the insulation plates is configured to position the corresponding one of the battery cells (side parts of the insulation bracket; see the annotated Fig, provided below),
wherein a part of the first electrode and a part of the second electrode of each of the battery cells are exposed from the insulation plate corresponding to the battery cell (see Figs.1-2 6A-6B, and 8-9; see entire disclosure and especially P27, 37-39).
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Annotated Muratsu Fig. 7
Regarding claim 17, Muratsu discloses wherein a plurality of battery cell groups and a plurality of insulation brackets are provided (given a battery cell group was drawn to a row/array of five battery cells, as seen in Fig. 2, there are eight battery cell groups; given the insulation bracket was drawn to the single portion of insulation holder 40 that corresponds to a row/array of five battery cells in Figs. 2 and 7, there are eight insulation brackets; the examiner notes there is nothing in the claims stating the plurality of insulation brackets are non-integral), each of the plurality of insulation brackets and each of the plurality of battery cell groups are disposed in a one-to-one correspondence, and each of the insulation brackets is disposed on a corresponding one of the battery cell groups (see Figs. 1-2).
Regarding claim 18, Muratsu discloses wherein a bottom of the limiting groove of each of the insulation plates covers another part of the second electrode of the battery cell corresponding to the insulation plate (in viewing Figs. 1-2, 6A-6B, and 7, it appears that the bottom surface of the top part of the insulation holder 40 would cover a portion of negative-electrode terminal 6 that is not exposed through the insulation holder’s through-hole),
a first isolation portion is disposed on the bottom, the first isolation portion is provided with a through hole, and the first electrode of the battery cell corresponding to the insulation plate is exposed from the insulation plate through the through hole (see the through-hole provided in Figs. 1-2 and 7; where the through-hole is located on the bottom surface of the top part of the insulation holder 40 is drawn to the first isolation portion);
a side of each of the insulation plates away from the corresponding one of the battery cells is provided with a busbar, and each of the insulation plates separates the busbar and the corresponding one of the battery cells (positive electrode bus bar 20B (20A) and negative electrode bus bar 30A (30B) in Figs. 2, 7, and 9; the bus bars sit on the top surface of the insulation holder 40, while the battery cells sit underneath the insulation holder 40; therefore, minus the needed electrical connections through the provided through-holes of the insulation holder 40, the battery cells and busbars are separated via the insulation holder 40; see entire disclosure and especially P27);
each of the insulation plates is provided with a second isolation portion, the second isolation portion is configured to separate adjacent ones of the battery cells (see the annotated Fig. provided below).
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Annotated Muratsu Fig. 7
Regarding claim 19, Muratsu discloses wherein a bottom of the limiting groove of each of the insulation plates covers another part of the second electrode of the battery cell corresponding to the insulation plate (in viewing Figs. 1-2, 6A-6B, and 7, it appears that the bottom surface of the top part of the insulation holder 40 would cover a portion of negative-electrode terminal 6 that is not exposed through the insulation holder’s through-hole),
a first isolation portion is disposed on the bottom, the first isolation portion is provided with a through hole, and the first electrode of the battery cell corresponding to the insulation plate is exposed from the insulation plate through the through hole (see the through-hole provided in Figs. 1-2 and 7; where the through-hole is located on the bottom surface of the top part of the insulation holder 40 is drawn to the first isolation portion);
a side of each of the insulation plates away from the corresponding one of the battery cells is provided with a busbar, and each of the insulation plates separates the busbar and the corresponding one of the battery cells (positive electrode bus bar 20B (20A) and negative electrode bus bar 30A (30B) in Figs. 2, 7, and 9; the bus bars sit on the top surface of the insulation holder 40, while the battery cells sit underneath the insulation holder 40; therefore, minus the needed electrical connections through the provided through-holes of the insulation holder 40, the battery cells and busbars are separated via the insulation holder 40; see entire disclosure and especially P27);
a side of each of the insulation plates away from a notch of the limiting groove is provided with a positioning structure (holding portions 41 in Fig. 7; see entire disclosure and especially P27; see also the annotated Figs. below), and the positioning structure is configured to position the busbar (see entire disclosure and especially P27);
each of the insulation plates is provided with a second isolation portion, the second isolation portion is configured to separate adjacent ones of the battery cells (see the annotated Figs. provided below).
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Two Annotated Muratsu Fig. 7
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 5 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Muratsu et al (US 20200227699 A1, as given in the 12/23/2025 IDS) as applied to claims 4 and 20 respectively, further in view of Cho et al (US 20150295280 A1).
Regarding claim 5, Muratsu discloses the busbar is held a groove formed by the positioning structure and other positioning structures (holding portions 41 and 42 in Fig. 7; see entire disclosure and especially P42-44).
However, Muratsu does not disclose wherein the positioning structure comprises an outward positioning column, the busbar is provided with a mounting hole, and the mounting hole is sleeved on the positioning column, or the positioning structure comprises a concave positioning hole, the busbar is provided with a mounting column, and the concave positioning hole is sleeved on the mounting column.
In a similar field of endeavor, Cho teaches a battery module including a circuit board (130 in Figs. 2-3) and a bus bar holder (120 in Figs. 2-3; P36). Cho teaches the circuit board can include a fastening opening (134 in Fig. 5; P54). Cho teaches the bus bar holder can include a fastening protrusion extending from a position corresponding to the fastening opening (124 in Fig. 3; P60). Cho teaches the fastening protrusion and the fastening opening are configured to be coupled together (P62). Cho teaches the fastening protrusion can include a hook-shape in order to prevent or reduce the likelihood that the circuit board undesirably separated by a user after the assembly has been completed (P63).
While Cho teaches coupling of a fastening protrusion and a fastening opening in relation to a bus bar holder and circuit board rather than a bus bar and an insulation bracket, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize the benefits the connection could provide to a many of structures desired be securely coupled.
If a technique has been used to improve one device (utilize a fastening protrusion and fastening opening in order to securely couple a circuit board and bus bar holder), and a person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that it would improve similar devices in the same way (utilize a fastening protrusion and fastening opening in order to securely couple a bus bar and insulation bracket), using the technique is obvious unless its actual application is beyond his or her skill. SEE MPEP § 2141 (III) Rationale C, KSR v. Teleflex (Supreme Court 2007).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have utilized the teaching of Cho and provided to the positioning structure (and other positioning structures) of Muratsu an outward positioning column, such as fastening protrusion having a hooked shape of Cho, and provided to the bus bar of Muratsu a fastening opening, given Cho teaches this structure can prevent or reduce the likelihood that the bus bar is undesirably separated after the assembly has been completed. For example, given, in Muratsu, the groove of the positioning structures holding the busbars of does not appear to be closed/covered at the top, the addition of the fastening protrusion and fastening opening of Cho allows the busbars to stay in place, even if the battery module is rotated/jostled. Applying a known technique to a known device (method or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results is likely to be obvious. See KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395-97 (2007) (see MPEP § 2143, D.).
Regarding claim 20, Muratsu discloses wherein a bottom of the limiting groove of each of the insulation plates covers another part of the second electrode of the battery cell corresponding to the insulation plate (in viewing Figs. 1-2, 6A-6B, and 7, it appears that the bottom surface of the top part of the insulation holder 40 would cover a portion of negative-electrode terminal 6 that is not exposed through the insulation holder’s through-hole),
a first isolation portion is disposed on the bottom, the first isolation portion is provided with a through hole, and the first electrode of the battery cell corresponding to the insulation plate is exposed from the insulation plate through the through hole (see the through-hole provided in Figs. 1-2 and 7; where the through-hole is located on the bottom surface of the top part of the insulation holder 40 is drawn to the first isolation portion);
a side of each of the insulation plates away from the corresponding one of the battery cells is provided with a busbar, and each of the insulation plates separates the busbar and the corresponding one of the battery cells (positive electrode bus bar 20B (20A) and negative electrode bus bar 30A (30B) in Figs. 2, 7, and 9; the bus bars sit on the top surface of the insulation holder 40, while the battery cells sit underneath the insulation holder 40; therefore, minus the needed electrical connections through the provided through-holes of the insulation holder 40, the battery cells and busbars are separated via the insulation holder 40; see entire disclosure and especially P27);
a side of each of the insulation plates away from a notch of the limiting groove is provided with a positioning structure (holding portions 41 in Fig. 7; see entire disclosure and especially P27; see also the annotated Figs. below), and the positioning structure is configured to position the busbar (see entire disclosure and especially P27);
each of the insulation plates is provided with a second isolation portion, the second isolation portion is configured to separate adjacent ones of the battery cells (see the annotated Figs. provided below).
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Two Annotated Muratsu Fig. 7
However, Muratsu does not disclose wherein the positioning structure comprises an outward positioning column, the busbar is provided with a mounting hole, and the mounting hole is sleeved on the positioning column, or the positioning structure comprises a concave positioning hole, the busbar is provided with a mounting column, and the concave positioning hole is sleeved on the mounting column.
In a similar field of endeavor, Cho teaches a battery module including a circuit board (130 in Figs. 2-3) and a bus bar holder (120 in Figs. 2-3; P36). Cho teaches the circuit board can include a fastening opening (134 in Fig. 5; P54). Cho teaches the bus bar holder can include a fastening protrusion extending from a position corresponding to the fastening opening (124 in Fig. 3; P60). Cho teaches the fastening protrusion and the fastening opening are configured to be coupled together (P62). Cho teaches the fastening protrusion can include a hook-shape in order to prevent or reduce the likelihood that the circuit board undesirably separated by a user after the assembly has been completed (P63).
While Cho teaches coupling of a fastening protrusion and a fastening opening in relation to a bus bar holder and circuit board rather than a bus bar and an insulation bracket, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize the benefits the connection could provide to a many of structures desired be securely coupled.
If a technique has been used to improve one device (utilize a fastening protrusion and fastening opening in order to securely couple a circuit board and bus bar holder), and a person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that it would improve similar devices in the same way (utilize a fastening protrusion and fastening opening in order to securely couple a bus bar and insulation bracket), using the technique is obvious unless its actual application is beyond his or her skill. SEE MPEP § 2141 (III) Rationale C, KSR v. Teleflex (Supreme Court 2007).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have utilized the teaching of Cho and provided to the positioning structure (and other positioning structures) of Muratsu an outward positioning column, such as fastening protrusion having a hooked shape of Cho, and provided to the bus bar of Muratsu a fastening opening, given Cho teaches this structure can prevent or reduce the likelihood that the bus bar is undesirably separated after the assembly has been completed. For example, given, in Muratsu, the groove of the positioning structures holding the busbars of does not appear to be closed/covered at the top, the addition of the fastening protrusion and fastening opening of Cho allows the busbars to stay in place, even if the battery module is rotated/jostled. Applying a known technique to a known device (method or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results is likely to be obvious. See KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395-97 (2007) (see MPEP § 2143, D.).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Muratsu et al (US 20200227699 A1, as given in the 12/23/2025 IDS) as applied to claim 7, further in view of Lee et al (US 20240297392 A1).
Regarding claim 8, Muratsu does not disclose wherein a difference between the inner diameter of the limiting groove of each of the insulation plates and the external diameter of the corresponding one of the battery cells ranges from 0.2 mm to 2 mm.
The Examiner notes that there appears to be no criticality described in the specification for the above range. A change in proportion or relative dimension is obvious in the absence of unexpected results. In Gardner v. TEC Systems, Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 830, 225 USPQ 232 (1984).
Additionally, Lee teaches battery cells can be fitted and held in a battery cell holder (P82). Lee teaches the cylindrical battery cells are fitted into the cell holder such that a gap is provided between cells (P81).
Lee teaches the battery cell may have an outer diameter of 21.00 mm to 21.15 mm, while the cell holder may have an inner diameter of 21.00 mm to 21.20 mm (P84). This provides a difference between the inner diameter of the cell holder and outer diameter of the battery cell ranging from 0 to 0.2 mm.
The range 0 to 0.2 mm overlaps the claimed range of from 0.2 to 2 mm, and in the case where the claimed ranges "overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art" a prima facie case of obviousness exists. In re Wertheim, 541 F.2d 257, 191 USPQ 90 (CCPA 1976); In re Woodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 16 USPQ2d 1934 (Fed. Cir. 1990) (See MPEP § 2144.05)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have utilized the teaching of Lee and selected the between the inner diameter of the limiting groove of each of the insulation plates and the external diameter of the corresponding one of the battery cells to be 2 mm, given this is a known difference between a battery cell holder inner diameter and a battery cell outer diameter in order to provide gaps between battery cells. The use of a known technique to improve similar devices (methods or products) in the same way is likely to be obvious. See KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395-97 (2007) (see MPEP § 2143, C.).
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Muratsu et al (US 20200227699 A1, as given in the 12/23/2025 IDS) as applied to claim 1, further in view of Okada et al (US 20170365838 A1).
Regarding claim 15, Muratsu does not disclose wherein the plurality of insulation plates are plastic plates.
In a similar field of endeavor, Okada teaches a bus bar holder can be made by an insulating material such as plastic (P45).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have utilized the teaching of Okada and selected the material of the insulation plate to be plastic, given Okada teaches it as a known insulating material for a structure that holds bus bars, and the selection of a known material, which is based upon its suitability for the intended use, is within the ambit of one of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416 (CCPA 1960) (see MPEP § 2144.07).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 10, and thus claims 11-13, are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claim 10, the claim recites “wherein the plurality of insulation plates are arranged along a first direction, and the second isolation portion comprises at least one of: a first protruding rib, wherein the first protruding rib connects adjacent ones of the insulation plates; a second protruding rib, wherein the second protruding rib is connected to a side of a peripheral wall of the limiting groove along a second direction; and a third protruding rib, wherein the third protruding rib is connected to a side of a peripheral wall of the limiting groove along the first direction.”
As shown in the figure below, the insulation plates of Muratsu are integrated plates.
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Murata Fig. 7
As shown in the annotated figure provided below, the plurality of insulating plates are arranged along a first direction, and the defining features of each plate appear to be a main through-hole, corresponding positioning features (41/42), a cut-out provided north-west of the through-hole, and notches provided on the side parts that surround the external diameter of the battery cell.
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Annotated Murata Fig. 7
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Annotated Muratsu Fig. 7
However, there are no features of the above insulating plates that could be reasonably interpreted to meet the limitation wherein the second isolation portion comprises at least one of: a first protruding rib, wherein the first protruding rib connects adjacent ones of the insulation plates; a second protruding rib, wherein the second protruding rib is connected to a side of a peripheral wall of the limiting groove along a second direction; and a third protruding rib, wherein the third protruding rib is connected to a side of a peripheral wall of the limiting groove along the first direction.
Further search and consideration did not reveal any other art to teach or suggest the particular structure described by claim 10. Also, there has been no reason found to change the form/shape of Muratsu in order to meet the requirements of claim 10.
Therefore, claim 10 has been objected to. Since claims 11-13 depend from claim 10, they are objected to for the same reasons.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Mary Byram whose telephone number is (571)272-0690. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 am-5 pm EST.
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/MARY GRACE BYRAM/Examiner, Art Unit 1729