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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 4 December 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Specifically, a new interpretation of the prior art is taken below which includes voltage sensing terminals 35 as “connectors” which are mounted on, connected and attached to the rear surfaces of the protector ICB 110. Further, in response to applicant's argument that the references fail to show certain features of the invention, it is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., specific locations of connections between the various components) are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993). The instant claims require that the first and second connectors are “attached” or “connected” to various components. However, as noted in the rejection, all of the components of the prior art device are reasonably connected attached and connected to one another. The generic structural claim language fails to distinguish the claims from the prior art and therefore the rejection is maintained.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 and 3-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1 or 2) as being anticipated by Jung et al. (WO 2020/122404 using US PG Pub 2021/0184379 as an English equivalent, both of record).
In regard to claim 1, Jung et al. teach a battery wiring module that is to be attached to multiple battery cells 100 being long in a front-rear direction and including electrode leads 101 at front ends and rear ends of the multiple battery cells to electrically connect the multiple battery cells, the battery wiring module comprising: a first busbar module (all components in front of cell stack as seen in annotated figure 4 below) attached to a front section of the multiple battery cells including first busbars (busbars on ICB 110 – paragraph [0041]) that are connected to the electrode leads protruding frontward from the multiple battery cells,
a first flexible printed circuit board (sub FPCB 30a) including a first end portion that is connected to the first busbars and a second end portion that is an opposite end portion from the first end portion, a first connector (including voltage sensing terminals 35, connection terminals 31 and/or FPCB 20) that is attached to the second end portion of the first flexible printed circuit board 30a, and a first protector (ICB 110, and or module case which is not shown but described in paragraph [0062]) that is attached to the front section of the multiple battery cells 100 and holds the first busbars and the first end portion of the first flexible printed circuit board, and
a second busbar module (rear of cell stack in figure 4) that is a separate component from the first busbar module and is attached to a rear section of the multiple battery cells, the second busbar module including: second busbars (busbars on ICB 110 – paragraph [0041]) that are connected to the electrode leads 101 protruding rearward from the multiple battery cells, a second flexible printed circuit board (sub FCBP 30b) including a third end portion that is connected to the second busbars and includes a fourth end portion that is an opposite end portion from the third end portion, a second connector (including voltage sensing terminals 35, connection terminals 31 and/or FPCB 20) that is attached to the fourth end portion of the second flexible printed circuit board, and a second protector (ICB 110, and or module case which is not shown but described in paragraph [0062]) that is attached to the rear section of the multiple battery cells and holds the second busbars and has a rear surface facing a rear side in the front-rear direction, wherein the second connector 35 is mounted on the rear surface of the second protector 110, and the second connector 35 and the first connector 35 are connected on the rear surface of the second protector 110 (see figures 2 and 3 - annotated figure 4 below, Detailed Description, paragraphs [0033-0049] – note all components of the prior art are considered connected and attached).
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In regard to claim 3, Jung et al. teach the first flexible printed circuit board 30a further includes an external output connector (connection to BMS for controlling discharge) and the external output connector is disposed on the first protector (i.e. within the module housing, not shown, paragraphs [0062]).
In regard to claim 4, Jung et al. teach an intermediate line (FPCB 20) that electrically connects the first flexible printed circuit board 30a and the second flexible printed circuit board 30b, wherein the intermediate line includes a third connector 21 that is fitted to the first connector and a fourth connector 21 that is fitted to the second connector (figure 6, Detailed Description, paragraph [0043-0052]).
In regard to claim 5, Jung et al. teach a thermistor circuit (temperature sensor 25) is integrally disposed on the first flexible printed circuit board 30a, and the thermistor circuit is electrically connected to the external output connector (figure 3, Detailed Description, paragraphs [0042] – all components of the prior art are reasonable considered integral and electrically connected once disposed inside the module housing).
In regard to claim 6-10, Jung et al. teach the first flexible printed circuit board 30a includes a first land (welded portion of ICB), the first land is connected to a side surface of one of the first busbars with welding, the second flexible printed circuit board 30b includes a second land (second welding location), and the second land is connected to a side surface of one of the second busbars with welding (Detailed Description, paragraphs [0041]).
The Examiner notes that claims require “soldering” are drawn to products by process. Per MPEP 2113, “[E]ven though product-by-process claims are limited by and defined by the process, determination of patentability is based on the product itself. The patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production. If the product in the product-by-process claim is the same as or obvious from a product of the prior art, the claim is unpatentable even though the prior product was made by a different process.” In re Thorpe, 777 F.2d 695, 698, 227 USPQ 964, 966 (Fed. Cir. 1985) In the instant case, the product set forth in product-by-process claims requiring “soldering” do not structurally distinguish from the prior art which teaches welded busbar connections to the circuit board as noted above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure – Mori et al. (USP 10,938,014 newly cited) teaches a similar battery wiring module.
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 Nicholas P D'Aniello whose telephone number is (571)270-3635. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tong Guo can be reached at 571-272-3066. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NICHOLAS P D'ANIELLO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1723
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