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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on July 15, 2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
In response to the amendment received July 15, 2026:
Claims 11-20 have been added as per Applicant’s request. Claims 1 and 3-20 are pending.
The previous prior art rejection has been withdrawn in light of the amendment. However, new references are relied upon to render obvious the claimed invention.
All changes to the rejection are necessitated by the amendment.
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) 1-5, 10, 11-15, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2011134828 (Joye et al.) (machine translation provided) in view of CN 210299841 (Li et al.) (machine translation provided).
As to claim 1, Joye et al. teach a battery pack comprising:
a pack tray (made of base [6], longitudinal walls [8, 9], and transverse walls [10, 11]) defining an inner space (figs. 2-3);
a plurality of battery modules accommodated in the pack tray (made of accumulator blocks, [43] (as associated with each set of electrical wires/cables [68a] and insulated electrical cables [68a] (labeled on the left of fig. 3; present and unlabeled on the right of fig. 3)));
first cable assembly configured to connect a first module group from among the plurality of battery modules, the first cable assembly being located adjacent to the first module group (electrical wires/cables [68a] and insulated electrical cables [68a] (labeled on the left of fig. 3)) (para 0076-0081); and
a second cable assembly configured to connect to a second module group from among the plurality of battery modules, the second cable assembly being located adjacent to the second module group (electrical wires/cables [68a] and insulated electrical cables [68a] (present and unlabeled on the right of fig. 3) (para 0076-0081),
wherein the pack tray includes a plurality of partitions (transverse partitions [36]) extending in a width direction of the pack tray and dividing the inner space of the pack tray in a longitudinal direction of the pack tray (figs. 2-3); and
a cross beam (longitudinal beam [35]) extending in the longitudinal direction perpendicular to the width direction of the pack tray and intersecting the plurality of partitions to thereby divide the inner space of the pack tray in the width direction of the pack tray (figs. 2-3).
Joye et al. do not teach a battery management system (BMS) accommodated in the pack tray, such that the first cable assembly connects the BMS to the first module group and such that the second cable assembly connects the BMS to a second module group.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Li et al. teach a battery module with the BMS located in the pack tray (fig. 1-2), wherein first and second modules exist, having a respective first cable assembly and second cable assembly (presence of bus bars [205] and flexible circuits [204]) associated with a module (fig. 3), as set forth within the lower sheet [100], attached to the BMS [235] via wiring harness [231] and cable protection box [232]) (figs. 2-3) (para 0032-0033). The motivation for having the battery management system (BMS) accommodated in the pack tray, such that the first cable assembly connects the BMS to the first module group and such that the second cable assembly connects the BMS to a second module group is to better utilize the space (para 0039). Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the claimed invention was effectively filed (as applicable to AIA applications) to have a battery management system (BMS) accommodated in the pack tray, such that the first cable assembly connects the BMS to the first module group and such that the second cable assembly connects the BMS to a second module group (as taught by Li et al. and applied to Joye et al.) in order to better utilize the space.
As to claim 3, Joye et al. teach the first module group is located on a first side of the cross beam, and the second module group is located on a second side of the cross beam opposite the first side (left and right) (fig. 3).
As to claim 4, Joye et al. teach each of the plurality of battery modules comprises: a cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked (indicated by having accumulator blocks to make up a battery within compartments (fig. 3; para 0075, 0081); a module housing in which the cell stack is accommodated (insulating housing [44]; fig. 3);
Joye et al. do not teach a sensing line electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells; and a module connector connected to the sensing line.
However, Li et al. teach the use of a battery cutting unit [234] attached to the battery power pack, connected to the voltage copper bus bar [236], that is connected to the multiple large cell module units {para 0033; fig. 2, 6) (thus constituting a sensing line electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells; and a module connector connected to the sensing line – as it is associated with cut off (and thus must sense a variable from the module) and is attached to the modules). The motivation for having a battery cutting unit [234] attached to the battery power pack, connected to the voltage copper bus bar [236], that is connected to the multiple large cell module units (thus constituting a sensing line electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells) is to better utilize the space (para 0039). Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the claimed invention was effectively filed (as applicable to AIA applications) to have a sensing line electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells (as taught by Li et al. and applied to Joye et al.) in order to better utilize the space.
As to claim 5, the combination renders the limitation (wherein the BMS comprises a pair of BMS connectors respectively provided at a position corresponding to the first module group and a position corresponding to the second module group) obvious, as Li et al., relied upon render obvious the BMS and connection thereto regarding the first module and second module would have such connectors. The combination set forth in the rejection to claim 1 is incorporated herein but not reiterated herein for brevity’s sake.
As to claim 10, the battery pack of claim 1 has been set forth in the rejection to claim 1 above, incorporated herein but not reiterated herein for brevity’s sake. A vehicle with a battery is set forth in para 0001.
As to claim 11, Joye et al. teach a battery pack comprising:
a pack tray (made of base [6], longitudinal walls [8, 9], and transverse walls [10, 11]) defining an inner space (figs. 2-3);
a plurality of battery modules accommodated in the pack tray (made of accumulator blocks, [43] (as associated with each set of electrical wires/cables [68a] and insulated electrical cables [68a] (labeled on the left of fig. 3; present and unlabeled on the right of fig. 3)));
first cable assembly configured to connect a first module group from among the plurality of battery modules, the first cable assembly being located adjacent to the first module group (electrical wires/cables [68a] and insulated electrical cables [68a] (labeled on the left of fig. 3)) (para 0076-0081); and
a second cable assembly configured to connect to a second module group from among the plurality of battery modules, the second cable assembly being located adjacent to the second module group (electrical wires/cables [68a] and insulated electrical cables [68a] (present and unlabeled on the right of fig. 3) (para 0076-0081),
wherein the second cable assembly is distinct from the first cable assembly (labeled on the left of fig. 3; present and unlabeled on the right of fig. 3)) (para 0076-0081).
Joye et al. do not teach a battery management system (BMS) accommodated in the pack tray, such that the first cable assembly connects the BMS to the first module group and such that the second cable assembly connects the BMS to a second module group.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Li et al. teach a battery module with the BMS located in the pack tray (fig. 1-2), wherein first and second modules exist, having a respective first cable assembly and second cable assembly (presence of bus bars [205] and flexible circuits [204]) associated with a module (fig. 3), as set forth within the lower sheet [100], attached to the BMS [235] via wiring harness [231] and cable protection box [232]) (figs. 2-3) (para 0032-0033). The motivation for having a battery management system (BMS) accommodated in the pack tray, such that the first cable assembly connects the BMS to the first module group and such that the second cable assembly connects the BMS to a second module group is to better utilize the space (para 0039). Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the claimed invention was effectively filed (as applicable to AIA applications) to have a battery management system (BMS) accommodated in the pack tray, such that the first cable assembly connects the BMS to the first module group and such that the second cable assembly connects the BMS to a second module group (as taught by Li et al. and applied to Joye et al.) in order to better utilize the space.
As to claim 2, Joye et al. teach the pack tray comprises:
a plurality of partitions (transverse partitions [36]) extending in a width direction of the pack tray and dividing the inner space of the pack tray (figs. 2-3); and
a cross beam (longitudinal beam [35]) extending in the longitudinal direction the pack tray and dividing the inner space of the pack tray (figs. 2-3).
As to claim 13, Joye et al. teach the first module group is located on a first side of the cross beam, and the second module group is located on a second side of the cross beam opposite the first side (left and right) (fig. 3).
As to claim 14, Joye et al. teach each of the plurality of battery modules comprises: a cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked (indicated by having accumulator blocks to make up a battery within compartments (fig. 3; para 0075, 0081); a module housing in which the cell stack is accommodated (insulating housing [44]; fig. 3);
Joye et al. do not teach a sensing line electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells; and a module connector connected to the sensing line.
However, Li et al. teach the use of a battery cutting unit [234] attached to the battery power pack, connected to the voltage copper bus bar [236], that is connected to the multiple large cell module units {para 0033; fig. 2, 6) (thus constituting a sensing line electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells; and a module connector connected to the sensing line – as it is associated with cut off (and thus must sense a variable from the module) and is attached to the modules). The motivation for having a battery cutting unit [234] attached to the battery power pack, connected to the voltage copper bus bar [236], that is connected to the multiple large cell module units (thus constituting a sensing line electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells) is to better utilize the space (para 0039). Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the claimed invention was effectively filed (as applicable to AIA applications) to have a sensing line electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells (as taught by Li et al. and applied to Joye et al.) in order to better utilize the space.
As to claim 15, the combination renders the limitation (wherein the BMS comprises a pair of BMS connectors respectively provided at a position corresponding to the first module group and a position corresponding to the second module group) obvious, as Li et al., relied upon render obvious the BMS and connection thereto regarding the first module and second module would have such connectors. The combination set forth in the rejection to claim 1 is incorporated herein but not reiterated herein for brevity’s sake.
As to claim 10, the battery pack of claim 1 has been set forth in the rejection to claim 1 above, incorporated herein but not reiterated herein for brevity’s sake. A vehicle with a battery is set forth in para 0001.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed July 15, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
All arguments (regarding the new claim limitations) are drawn towards prior art that is no longer relied upon.
Examiner submits that Joye et al. in view of Li et al. renders obvious the newly set forth claim language (regarding claims 1-5, 10-15, and 20). Thus, the argument is not persuasive, and the rejection above is maintained.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-9 and 16-19 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.
The following is an Examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: none of the prior art of record, alone or in combination, appears to teach, suggest, or render obvious the invention of at least claims 6 and 16.
Claims 6 and 16 teaches the battery pack comprising the elements therein. Notably, each of the first cable assembly and the second cable assembly comprises “a sensing cable having a printed circuit pattern; a plurality of first cable connectors connected to the sensing cable and coupled to the module connector; and a second cable connector connected to the sensing cable and coupled to the BMS connector.”
Joye et al.’s structure (seen in fig. 3) and Li et al.’s structure (figs. 2, 6) do not have the claimed structure (no printed circuit sensing cable, no presence of the claimed plurality of first cable connections and second cable connectors in the claimed manner). No motivation exists to alter Joye et al. and Li et al. to arrive at the claimed invention. Thus, none of the prior art alone or in combination teaches, suggests, or renders obvious the claimed invention. Since claims 7-9 are dependent upon claim 6 and claims 17-19 are dependent upon claim 16, they are allowable for the same reason.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EUGENIA WANG whose telephone number is (571)272-4942. The examiner can normally be reached a flex schedule, generally Monday-Thursday 5:00 -7:30 (AM) and 9:45-3:15 ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Curtis Mayes can be reached at 571-272-1234. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EUGENIA WANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1759
