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 1-10 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.
With regard to independent claim 1, the last limitation “the film outer body being bent or curved between the housing portions adjacent each other to extend in a zigzag manner” is unclear, since the film outer body comprises a housing portion and a sealing portion as claimed (and also shown in applicants’ Figure 9). It is understood that the film outer body is being bent along adjacent electrodes. Since claims 2-6 depend from claim 1, these claims are rejected for the same reason.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "the first sides" in the 4th line. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
With regard to claim 3, the limitation “the housing portions bulge in a thickness direction of the film outer body” is unclear, since the housing portion appears to be part of the film outer body.
With regard to claim 5, the limitation “into the recesses, the housing portions are fitted” is unclear. Should “,” after “the recesses” be replaced with text for clarity?
Claim 6 recites the limitation "the respective recesses" bridging the 4th and 5th lines. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. In this instance, it is suggested to delete “the” to obtain proper antecedent basis.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "the respective projections" in the 6th line. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. In this instance, it is suggested to delete “the” to obtain proper antecedent basis.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "the outer side" in the 11th line. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Since claims 8-10 depend from claim 7, these claims are rejected for the same reason.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "the first inclined portions" in the 22nd line. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Since claims 8-10 depend from claim 7, these claims are rejected for the same reason.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kwag (US 2020/0112000), cited in the Information Disclosure Statement dated January 27, 2023.
Regarding independent claim 1, Kwag discloses an energy storage apparatus (abstract; paragraphs [0055]-[0068], [0095]-[0097], [0103]-[0105], [0113]-[0116], [0129], [0130], [0138]-[0141], [0150]-[0152]; and Figures 1, 2B, 3, 5, and 9-11), in which the energy storage apparatus comprises the following structural features:
a plurality of electrode assemblies (10) that are cylindrical; and
a film outer body including a plurality of housing portions (G) (see Figures 1, 2B, and 9) that individually wrap the plurality of electrode assemblies (10), and a sealing portion (barrier wall (150)) that seals each housing portion (G) and connects the plurality of housing portions (150) to each other, wherein the film outer body (G, 150) is bent or curved to extend in a zigzag manner (see Figure 9).
Regarding claim 2, Kwag discloses that the sealing portion (150) includes a first side that seals an end of the housing ((100S1) of Figure 9) in an axial direction of electrode assemblies (10), and the film outer body (G, 150) is bent or curved to make two first sides corresponding to adjacent two of the housing portions (G) extend in a direction intersecting each other (see Figures 1 and 9).
Regarding claim 3, Kwag discloses that the housing portions (G) bulge in a thickness direction (of the film outer body (G, 150)?), and the housing portion protrude, in a direction orthogonal to an arrangement direction of electrode assemblies (10) and the axial direction, outward from the sealing portion (150) that is bent or curved (see Figures 1 and 9).
Regarding claim 4, Kwag discloses an energy storage module comprising a plurality of the energy storage apparatuses according to claim 1, and a holder (100) that holds the plurality of energy storage apparatuses (see Figures 9 and 11).
Regarding claim 5, Kwag discloses that the holder (100) includes a side plate extending in an arrangement direction of electrode assemblies (10), wherein the side plate includes a plurality of recesses arranged in the arrangement direction and into the recesses in which housing portions (G) are fitted (see Figures 9 and 11).
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.
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.
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.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kwag (US 2020/0112000).
Kwag discloses the features of claims 1, 4, and 5 above, and further including that the side plate of the holder (100) has a repeated pattern of recesses and projections in the arrangement direction to form a generally corrugated plate shape (see Figures 9 and 11), Kwag does not explicitly disclose that the side plate is arranged between two of the energy storage apparatuses, wherein the housing portions (G) of one of the energy storage apparatuses are fitted into respective recesses from one main front surface side, and the housing portions (G) of the other energy storage apparatus are fitted into respective projections from a back surface side. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the side plates of the holder (100) disclosed by Kwag (in Figures 9 and 11) include a plurality of electrode assemblies (10) that are fitted into recesses around outer surfaces (nearest the holder (100)), such that a respective plurality of projections and a corresponding respective plurality of recesses would be arranged adjacent (between) two of the energy storage apparatuses, for the purpose of obtaining an energy storage module comprising the plurality of the energy storage apparatuses with a more compact structure while improving heat dissipation performance (see abstract).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-10 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art fails to teach or suggest an energy storage apparatus comprising the following structural features (of independent claim 7, from which claims 8-10 depend):
a sealing portion that includes first connectors and second connectors that are arranged between two adjacent housing portions and connect the two housing portions, and
an outer edge extending over a plurality of housing portions on an outer side with respect to the housing portions in an axial direction of electrode assemblies,
wherein the outer edge includes
a first inclined portion that is continuous from one of the first connectors and the housing portions, that is bent, with respect to a connection portion between the first connector and the housing portions, to a side of the second connectors in an orthogonal direction (orthogonal to the axial direction), and that includes a valley fold fitted between the housing portions adjacent each other, and
a second inclined portion that is continuous from one of the second connectors and adjacent two first inclined portions arranged with the second connector interposed therebetween, and that is bent, with respect to a connection portion between the second connector and the two first inclined portions, to a side of the first connectors in the orthogonal direction, wherein
the first inclined portion and the second inclined portion overlap each other on the housing portions as viewed from the axial direction to form an overlapping portion.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEVIN P KERNS whose telephone number is (571)272-1178. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-430pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Keith Walker can be reached at (571)272-3458. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/KEVIN P KERNS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1735 December 7, 2025