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 Status
Claim 1 has been amended and claim 2 has been cancelled. Claims 1 and 3-12 are currently pending.
Drawings
The drawings submitted 03/15/2023 are approved in light of the amendments to the specification submitted 01/28/2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1 and 3-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. Claim 1 recites the new limitation that the end plate comprises a mounting portion which extends from a lower side portion of the end plate. However, this configuration is not recited in the specification, and according to the figures, it appears that the mounting portions (400M) extend from the body portion (450) and the first and second side portions (410 and 420) (Fig. 8). There are no figures depicting a configuration in which the mounting portions (400M) extend from a lower side portion (440) as claimed. For purpose of examination, so long as the mounting portion of the prior art extends from either a body portion or a side portion as depicted in applicant’s figures, it will read on claim 1.
Additionally, amended claim 1 includes the limitation “an empty space is provided in an upper part of the mounting portion between the end plate and the battery cell stack.” However, as made clear by applicants figures, therein exists a busbar frame (500) between the end plates (400) and the cell stack (200) (Fig. 5). Therefore, applicant does not have support for the claimed empty space. For purpose of examination, so long as the end plate has an empty space above the mounting portion before the module is assembled, it will read on claim 1.
Claims 3-12 are rejected due to their dependency on claim 1.
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.
Claim(s) 1-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Eom et al. (KR 20170050509A; referenced in IDS submitted 10/0/2025; Espacenet translation provided for reference).
With respect to claim 1, Eom discloses a battery module (Fig. 1, [0022]) comprising:
a battery cell stack (10 – cartridge stack) in which a plurality of battery cells (14 – cartridges) are stacked (Figs. 1 and 3); a module frame (70 – upper case) accommodating the battery cell stack (10) and comprising an open side at one side (Fig. 1); and
an end plate (60 – ICB cover) covering the open side of the module frame (70) (Figs. 1 and 12),
wherein the end plate (60) comprises a mounting portion (62 – engaging rib) extending from a body portion (61), and a lower portion (64) having a mounting hole (65 – guide hole) formed therein (Fig. 11), and
wherein the mounting hole (65) is opened at a lower surface of the end plate (60) (Fig. 11), and a thread (not shown) is formed on an inside surface of the mounting hole (65) (Fig. 11, [0009]),
wherein the height of the mounting portion (62) is 0.5 times or less than a height of the end plate (60) (Fig. 11), and
wherein an empty space is provided in an upper part of the mounting portion (62) between the end plate (60) and the battery cell stack (10) (Fig. 11).
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With respect to claim 3, Eom discloses the end plate (60) comprises a body portion (61 – cover body), first and second side portions (labeled), an upper side portion (labeled), and a lower side portion (64 – cover base) (Fig. 11 – above),
wherein the body portion faces (61) the battery cell stack (10) (Figs. 11-12), and
wherein the first and second side portions (labeled), the upper side portion (labeled), and the lower side portion (64) are respectively extended in a direction perpendicular to one surface of the body portion (61) from both sides, an upper side, and a lower side of the body portion (61) (Fig. 11 – above).
With respect to claim 4, Eom discloses the mounting hole (65) is opened at a lower surface of the lower side portion (64) of the end plate (60) (Fig. 11), and
the mounting portion (62) is extended along a direction parallel to the one surface of the body portion (61) (Fig. 11).
With respect to claim 6, Eom discloses the module frame (70) further comprises another open side at another side facing the one side (Fig. 1), and
wherein a plurality of end plates (60) cover the open side at the one side and the another open side at the another side of the module frame (70), respectively (Fig. 1).
With respect to claim 6, Eom discloses a battery pack (1) (Fig. 13) comprising:
the battery module according to claim 1 (see above rejection of claim 1) ;
a pack frame (40 – plate and 80 – lower case) accommodating the battery module (10) (Fig. 1); and
a bolt (B) that passes through a through hole (48 – second bolt hole) formed at a bottom portion of the pack frame (40 and 80), and is coupled to the mounting hole (65) (Fig. 1, [0075], [0093] – via first bolt hole 27).
With respect to claim 7, Eom discloses the bolt (B) is coupled upwardly to the mounting hole (65) (Fig 1).
With respect to claim 8, Eom discloses the bottom portion of the pack frame (40 and 80) comprises a mounting plate (40) for supporting the battery module (10) (Fig. 1), and a lower plate (80) located under the mounting plate (40) (Fig. 1), and
wherein the through hole (48) is formed in the mounting plate (40) (Fig 6), and the bolt (B) passes through the through hole (48) of the mounting plate (40) and is coupled to the mounting hole (65) (Fig. 1, [0075], [0093] – via first bolt hole 27).
With respect to claim 9, Eom discloses in the lower plate (80), an opening (85 – third bolt hole) is formed in a portion correspond to the through hole (48) (Figs. 1 and 15, [0093]).
With respect to claim 10, Eom discloses the pack frame (40 and 80) further comprises a side surface portion (50 – connector assembly) located on a side surface of the battery module (10) (Fig. 1),
wherein the side surface portion (50) is in contact with each of the mounting plate (40; via housing connection rib 52c) and the lower plate (80; via housing support 52e) (Fig. 17), and
wherein a sealing member (44 – coupling part) is located between the side surface portion (50) and the mounting plate (40) (Fig. 17; 44 is between 42 and 52).
With respect to claim 11, Eom discloses a lower through hole (85) is formed in the lower plate (80) (Fig. 15), and
wherein the bolt (B) passes through the lower through hole (85) of the lower plate (80) and the through hole (48) of the mounting plate (40) to and is coupled to the mounting hole (65) (Fig. 1, [0075], [0093]).
With respect to claim 12, Eom discloses the pack frame (40 and 80) further comprises a side surface portion (50 – connector assembly) located on a side surface of the battery module (10) (Fig. 1),
wherein the side surface portion (50) is in contact with each of the mounting plate (40; via housing connection rib 52c) and the lower plate (80; via housing support 52e) (Fig. 17), and
wherein a sealing member (46 – first protrusion) is located between the side surface portion (50) and the mounting plate (80) (Fig. 17; 46 is between 84 and 52c).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 6-10 of response, filed 01/28/2026, with respect to the drawing objections have been fully considered and are persuasive. The drawing objections have been withdrawn in light of the amendment.
Applicant's arguments filed 01/28/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant’s arguments are premised on the assertion that (I) Eom does not disclose the claimed dimensional relationship between the mounting portion and end plate, and (II) Eom does not disclose an empty space provide in the upper part of the mounting portion between the end plate and the battery stack. Neither of these arguments are persuasive, as the annotated figure 11 of Eom above clearly shows both of the argued missing configurations in the above rejected claim 1.
Applicant also argues that the end plate of Eom is different than the claimed configuration because the end plate does not cover an opened surface of the module frame and an empty space exists between the end plate and battery stack. However, the applicant does not have support for this claimed configuration, as the instant application includes a busbar frame 500 in identical placement as the prior art’s ICB housing 20, both of which house busbars to connect adjacent cells.
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 JORDAN E BERRESFORD whose telephone number is (571)272-0641. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00 am - 5:00 pm EST.
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/J.E.B./Examiner, Art Unit 1727
/BARBARA L GILLIAM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1727