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 .
Status of Claims
This action is in response to Applicant’s Request for Reconsideration dated 10/28/2025.
Claim(s) 1-13 are currently pending.
Claim(s) 1, 3 and 10 have been amended.
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-8, 12 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KR 102032356 B1, Kim et al. (hereinafter “Kim”) in view of US 2006/0093890 A1, Steinbroner and US 2013/0309543 A1, Kim et al. (hereinafter “Kim’543”).
Regarding claim 1
Kim teaches a battery module (400) comprising:
a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells (200) including electrode leads (211 and 212) are stacked [Fig. 6 and para. 0071];
a first sensing block (corresponding to voltage sensing block 101) and a second sensing block (corresponding to voltage sensing block 102) configured to respectively cover a front side and a rear side of the battery cell stack from which the electrode leads (211 and 212) protrude (see Fig. 6 below; see also paras. 0071, 0076 and 0091); and
an elastic member configured to cover the first sensing block, the second sensing block, and two opposite lateral sides of the battery cell stack.
PNG
media_image1.png
510
566
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Fig. 2
Kim does not teach an elastic member configured to cover the first sensing block, the second sensing block, and two opposite lateral sides of the battery cell stack.
Steinbroner teaches a battery module (10) comprising a battery cell stack (100) [Figs. 6, 7 and 11, para. 0039], wherein an elastic member (corresponding to compressive band 112) configured to cover a first sensing block (see end plate 12), a second sensing block (see end plate 14) and two opposite lateral sides of the battery cell stack (100) is provided in order to compress the cell stack thereby providing seals between the cells in the stack and/or reduced electrical resistance while also avoiding deformed or deflected sensing blocks and the addition of any cost or size implications to the module [paras. 0004-0005 and 0054].
Kim and Steinbroner are analogous inventions in the field of battery modules. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the battery module of Kim to comprise an elastic member covering the first sensing block, the second sensing block, and two opposite lateral sides of the battery cell stack, as disclosed in Steinbroner, in order to compress the cell stack thereby providing seals between the cells and/or reduced electrical resistance while also avoiding deformed or deflected sensing blocks and the addition of any cost or size implications to the module.
Modified Kim does not teach cooling fins between the battery cells, wherein the cooling fins protrude from a lower side of the battery cell stack.
Kim’543 teaches a battery module wherein cooling fins (22 and 24) are provided between battery cells (corresponding to unit modules 12) and protrude from a lower side of the battery cell stack [Figs. 5-7, paras. 0040 and 0067-0069], wherein said cooling fins (22 and 24) maximize heat dissipation thereby effectively cooling respective battery cells [paras. 0034-0036].
Modified Kim and Kim’543 are analogous inventions in the field of battery modules. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the battery module of modified Kim to comprise the cooling member of Kim’543, which includes cooling fins between the battery cells, for the purpose of maximizing heat dissipation thereby effectively cooling respective battery cells.
Regarding claim 2
Modified Kim teaches the battery module as set forth above, wherein the elastic member (112) is continuously formed along the first sensing block (101), the second sensing block (102), and the two opposite lateral sides of the battery cell stack [Steinbroner, Figs. 6 and 11, para. 0054; Kim, Fig. 2].
Regarding claim 3
Modified Kim teaches the battery module as set forth above, wherein an upper side and the lower side of the battery cell stack (200) are exposed [Kim, Fig. 2; Steinbroner, Figs. 6 and 11].
Regarding claim 4
Modified Kim teaches the battery module as set forth above, wherein the battery module (400) further comprises lateral pads positioned between the elastic member (112) and the two opposite lateral sides of the battery cell stack (lateral projecting members/pads 120 may be positioned between the elastic member and two opposite lateral sides of the battery cell stack in order to position the elastic member in a spaced apart relationship to the outer perimeter edges of the cells) [Steinbroner, Fig. 11 and para. 0057].
Regarding claim 5
Modified Kim teaches the battery module as set forth above, wherein the electrode leads (211 and 212) comprise a first electrode lead (211) and a second electrode lead (212) protruding from the battery cell (200) in opposite directions [Kim, Fig. 2 and para. 0097].
Regarding claim 6
Modified Kim teaches the battery module as set forth above, wherein at least two electrode leads (213, 214) among the electrode leads are connected to each other at the front side and the rear side of the battery cell stack (200) to constitute an electrode lead assembly (the electrode lead 213 of a battery cell is interconnected with the electrode lead 214 of an adjacent battery cell to form a lead connection portion 215) [Kim, paras. 0073 and 0102].
Regarding claim 7
Modified Kim teaches the battery module as set forth above, wherein a low-voltage (LV) sensing assembly is positioned on at least one of the first sensing block (101) and the second sensing block (102) (see sensing assemblies described in paragraphs 0067, 0073 and 0091 of Kim), and
the LV sensing assembly is connected to the electrode lead assembly (the voltage sensing blocks, comprising the LV sensing assemblies, are electrically connected to the electrode lead assembly to sense voltage) [Kim, para. 0071].
Regarding claim 8
Modified Kim teaches the battery module as set forth above, wherein the first sensing block (101) and the second sensing block (102) each have a slit (171 and 172), and the electrode leads (211 and 212) pass through the slit and are bent (See connection part 215) to constitute the electrode lead assembly (see leads 213 and 214) [Figs. 2, 3 and 5; paras. 0071, 0087-0089 and 0102].
Regarding claim 12
Modified Kim teaches the battery module as set forth above, wherein: the first sensing block (101), the battery cell stack (200), and the second sensing block (102) are fixed together by the elastic member (112) (the elastic member 112 compress the cell stack and the end plated together) [Steinbroner, Figs. 6 and 11, para. 0054; Kim, Fig. 2].
Regarding claim 13
Modified Kim teaches the battery module as set forth above, wherein: the LV sensing assembly includes an LV connector (corresponding to connectors 140 and 142), a connection member (corresponding to connecting portions 115) configured to connect the LV connector (40) and the electrode leads (bus bars 110 are connected to the PCB 160 via the connecting portions 115), and joining plates (see busbars 110) positioned at one end of the connection member (115) and joined to the electrode leads (213, 214) [Kim, Figs. 2, 4-5 and 7, paras. 0073, 0078-0079 and 0091].
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of Steinbroner and Kim’543, as applied to claims 1-8, 12 and 13 above, and further in view of US 2015/0280184 A1, Utley et al. (hereinafter “Utley”).
Regarding claim 9
Modified Kim does not teach the first sensing block (101) and the second sensing block (102) each having a handling part for transporting the battery module, and
the handling part having a through port.
Utley a battery module wherein the end plates (150) each comprise one or more handling parts (corresponding to lift apertures 156), the handling parts (156) having a through port (corresponding to the aperture) [Figs. 1A-5 and para. 0033]. Said handling parts serving to assist in assembling and installing the battery module [para. 0033].
Modified Kim and Utley are analogous inventions in the field of battery modules. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the first and second sensing blocks of Kim to comprise a handling part having a through port, as in Utley, for the purpose of assisting in assembling and installing the battery module.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of Steinbroner and Kim’543, as applied to claims 1-8, 12 and 13 above, and further in view of KR20200015207 A, Kim et al. (hereinafter “Kim’207”).
Regarding claim 10
Modified Kim teaches a battery pack (600) comprising:
the battery module (400) according to claim 1 [Kim, Fig. 10 and para. 0108; Steinbroner, Figs. 6 and 11]; and
a pack frame (see Fig. 10) configured to accommodate the battery module (400) [Fig. 10],
wherein the elastic member (112) is opened at a lower side thereof [Steinbroner, Figs. 6 and 11], and the lower side of the battery cell stack (200) is exposed [Kim, Fig. 2; Steinbroner, Figs. 6 and 11].
Kim does not teach a thermally conductive resin layer positioned between the battery module and a bottom portion of the pack frame.
Kim’207 teaches a battery module (10) comprising a thermally conductive resin layer (40) positioned between the battery module (10) and a bottom portion of the frame (see bottom plate 50) in order to improve the insulation between the cells, adhesiveness between the module and the bottom portion of the frame, and the thermal conductivity of the module [Fig. 6, paras. 0084-0087 and 0092].
Modified Kim and Kim’207are analogous inventions in the field of battery modules. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the battery module of Kim to comprise a thermally conductive resin layer positioned between the battery module and a bottom portion of the pack frame, as in Kim’207, for the purpose of improving the insulation, adhesive, and thermal conductivity properties.
Regarding claim 11
Modified Kim teaches the battery module as set forth above, wherein the lower side of the battery cell stack (200) is in contact with the thermally conductive resin layer (40) [Kim’207, Fig. 6 and paras. 0084-0087].
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks Filed on 10/28/2025, with respect to the rejection of claim(s) 1-13 under 35 U.S.C. §103 have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to the combination of references being used in the current 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MAYLA GONZALEZ RAMOS whose telephone number is (571)272-5054. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday, 9:00-5:00 - 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, Allison Bourke can be reached at (303)297-4684. 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.
/MAYLA GONZALEZ RAMOS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1721