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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed on January 8th 2026 is acknowledged. Claims 1-5 remain pending in the application. Claims 8-10 were added by the Applicant. Applicant’s amendments to Claim 2 have overcome the previous objections. Applicant’s argument to the 102 rejections of the claims were fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore the 102 rejections were withdrawn due to Applicant’s amendments. However, upon further consideration, a new grounds of rejection is made in view of Sawada et al. US 2021/0257704 A1 as well as in view of Motokawa et al. US 11,239,524 B2. New rejections follow.
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 & 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sawada et al. US 2021/0257704 A1.
Regarding Claim 1, Sawada discloses an electric power storage module (cell module [Abstract]) comprising a cylindrical electric power storage device (plurality of cylindrical cells [Abstract]), wherein each device comprises a first terminal (Figure 2 Item 8 positive electrode terminal [0030]) and a second terminal (Figure 2 Items 7/7a cell case that acts as negative terminal electrode [0030]) at the same end (see Figure 2). As shown in Sawada Annotated Figure 2 below, Sawada discloses that the second terminal is disposed outside the first terminal in the radial direction:
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Sawada Annotated Figure 2
Sawada further discloses a lead (Figure 2 Item 20 “connection intervening member” [0033]. Sawada discloses that the second terminal (cell case Figure 3 Item 7/7a) is electrically connected to the lead (connection intervening member Figure 3 Item 50) [0035], see Figure 3, from outside in the radial direction. Sawada discloses that the lead comprises a contact part in direct contact with the side surface of the device, and a shoulder that extends inwardly from the contact part in the radial direction (see Annotated Figure 3 below).
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Sawada Annotated Figure 3
As shown in Sawada Figures 2 & 3, the shoulder is in direct contact with the second terminal in the axis direction of the electric power storage device. Examiner notes that “axis direction” was given its broadest reasonable interpretation, and in this case there was no further definition or description in the instant specification, thus “axis direction” was given its plain meaning so as to be referring to an axis around which the electric power storage module can rotate, as shown in Figure 5 above.
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Sawada Annotated Figures 2 & 3
Regarding Claim 8, Sawada discloses that the second terminal (Item 7a Figure 2) extends inwardly from a peripheral edge of the end of the electric power storage device in the radial direction as shown in Annotated Sawada Figure 2 below:
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Annotated Sawada Figure 2
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.
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.
Claims 1-5 & 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over He et al CN 106654133 A, and further in view of Motokawa et al. US 11,239524 B2. Citations to He are mapped to the machine translation.
Regarding Claim 1, He discloses an electric power storage module (battery module [Abstract]) comprising a cylindrical electric power storage device (shown in Figures 1 & 2 Item 11), wherein each device comprises a first terminal (Figure 5 Item 111 “positive terminal [Page 3 Lines 16-18]) and a second terminal (Figure 5 Item 112 “housing/case” that acts as negative terminal [Page 3 Lines 18-19]) at the same end (see Annotated Figures 2 & 5 below). Also shown in Annotated Figures 2 & 5 below, He discloses that the second terminal is disposed outside the first terminal in the radial direction:
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Annotated Figures 2 & 5
He further discloses a lead (Figure 5 Item 21 “negative electrode elastic member” [Page 3 Lines 30-31], also shown in Figure 3 Items 211 & 212). He discloses that the lead (Figure 5 Item 21) comprises an elastic member body (Figure 3 item 211) integrally molded with an elastic sheet (Figure 3 Item 212) [Page 3 Lines 33-38]. He discloses that the second terminal (“housing” Figure 5 Item 112) is electrically connected to the lead (“elastic sheet” Figure 3 Item 212, which as mentioned previously is part of the lead Item 21). This is further illustrated in Annotated Figures 3 & 5 below:
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Annotated Figures 3 & 5
Thus He discloses that the lead is electrically connected to the second terminal from outside in the radial direction (see Annotated Figure 5 above). He discloses that the lead comprises a contact part (“elastic sheet” Figure 3 Item 212”) in direct contact with the side surface of the device, and a shoulder (“elastic member body” Figure 3 Item 211) that extends inwardly from the contact part in the radial direction (see Annotated Figure 5 above).
He fails to disclose that the shoulder is in direct contact with the second terminal in an axis direction of the electric power storage device (unit cell). Examiner notes that “axis direction” was given its broadest reasonable interpretation, and in this case there was no further definition or description in the instant specification, thus “axis direction” was given its plain meaning so as to be referring to an axis around which the electric power storage module can rotate, as shown in Figure 5 above.
Motokawa discloses a cell module comprising a plurality of cylindrical battery cells [Abstract], wherein each of the plurality of cylindrical battery cells comprises a first terminal (Item 13 Figure 4 [Column 3 Lines 3-5]) and a second terminal (Item 12 Figure 4 [Column 3 Lines 5-8]) similar to that of He, as further illustrated in Motokawa Annotated Figure 4 below:
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Motokawa Annotated Figure 4
Motokawa discloses that the second terminal is in contact with the negative current collector (Item 30 Figure 4) via an electrical connection [Column 3 Lines 5-8]. Examiner points out that Motokawa’s negative current collector is similar to He’s negative bus plate (He Figure 5 Item 31) [Page 4 Lines 11-13]. Similarly, He discloses that there is an electrical connection between the second terminal (housing 112 Figure 5) and the negative bus plate (Item 31 Figure 5) [Page 4 Lines 47-50].
Motokawa discloses that using a configuration such as this, there is no need to weld the battery cell cans to the current collectors and gaps between the cells and the current collectors can be small, which increased volume energy density [Column 6 Lines 20-28].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the present invention to modify the design structure of He to have a similar structure to Motokawa, wherein the second terminal (battery cell case) is in direct contact with the negative current collector (bus plate), to improve the volume energy density of the battery module.
Thus, as shown in modified He Annotated Figure 5, with the modification of the design of Motokawa shown on the left, modified He discloses that the second terminal is in direct contact with the shoulder:
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Modified He Annotated Figure 5
Regarding Claim 2, He discloses that the lead (Figure 5 Item 21) has a biasing part disposed outside of the contact part in the radial direction (See Annotated Figure 5 below):
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Annotated Figure 5
As illustrated in Annotated Figure 5, He further discloses that the biasing part of the lead biases (or presses) the contact part and the shoulder inward of each of the electric power storage device in the radial direction.
Regarding Claim 3, He discloses a holder (“fixing base” Figure 1 Item 22) that holds one side (end) of each of the electric power storage devices [Page 3 Lines 40-48], as shown in Annotated Figures 1 & 5:
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Annotated Figures 1 & 5
He discloses that the holder (Figure 1 Item 22) comprises receiving grooves (Figure 3 Item 222) that are intended to receive the leads (“negative elastic members”) [Page 3 Lines 41-42], which is illustrated in Figure 3. Thus, as shown in Annotated Figures 3 & 5 below, He discloses that the biasing part is supported by the holder.
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Annotated Figures 3 & 5
Regarding Claim 4, He further discloses that the holder (“fixing base”) comprises a container (“through holes” Figure 3 Item 221) [Page 3 Lines 40-41], wherein one end of each of the electric power storage devices are contained in the container (the cells are inserted into the through hole of the fixing base [Page 4 Lines 38-39]). As mentioned previously with regards to Claim 3, He discloses that the biasing part of the lead is supported by the holder by being received in the grooves of the holder. He discloses that the grooves of the holder are in the through holes (fixing base provided with plurality of through holes and the inner walls of each through hole are provided with plurality of receiving grooves [Page 3 Lines 40-41]), thus He discloses that the biasing part of the lead is supported by the holder (fixing base) by being in contact with the container (through holes comprising receiving grooves).
Regarding Claim 5, as shown below in Annotated Figure 5, He discloses that the biasing part extends outward beyond the contact part in the radial direction, and that the biasing part is in contact with a surface of the holder intersecting the end of at least one electric power storage device:
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Annotated Figure 5
Regarding Claim 8, He discloses that the second terminal extends inwardly from a peripheral edge of the end of the electric power storage device (unit cell) in the radial direction, as illustrated in Annotated Figures 2 & 5 below.
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Annotated Figures 2 & 5
Claims 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over He and Motokawa as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of Kishida US 2005/0019654 A1.
Regarding Claim 9, He discloses that the shoulder, the contact part, and the biasing part are parts of a single bent plate, as shown in Annotated Figure 3 which shows the shoulder as a disc shape and the contact part and biasing part as bent pieces extending from the shoulder part as all one piece. Further, He discloses specifically that the parts 211 (shoulder) and 212 (contact part and biasing part) are integrally formed [Page 3 Lines 37-38].
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Annotated Partial Figure 3
He is silent as the specific material of the single bent plate.
Kishida discloses a battery with terminal plates comprising arms and fixing portions that hold the battery [0031-0033], similar to the elastic member of He. Kishida discloses that the terminal plates are made of metal [0032].
Kishida discloses that that fixing portions are capable of being elastically deformed [0033], similar to the biasing parts of the elastic members of He.
In the absence of a specific material of the elastic members of He, one of ordinary skill would look to analogous art to find the suggestion of using metal as disclosed by Kishida for an elastically deformable fixing part for holding a battery cell. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the present invention to use the suggestion of Kishida to select metal as the material for the elastic members of He, thus modified He discloses that the single bent plate forming the shoulder, contact part, and biasing part is made of metal.
Regarding Claim 10, modified He discloses that a portion of the biasing part directly adjacent to the contact part is inclined relative to the shoulder such that an angle formed between is greater than 90 degrees, as illustrated in Annotated Figures 3 & 5 below by the dashed lines showing the angle of incline of the portion of the biasing part relative to the shoulder:
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Annotated Figures 3 & 5
Claims 2 & 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sawada, and further in view of He et al CN 106654133 A. Citations to He are mapped to the machine translation.
Regarding Claim 2, Sawada is relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 1, however fails to disclose that the lead comprises a biasing part that biases the contact part and the shoulder towards an inside of the devices in the radial direction.
He discloses an electric power storage module (battery module [Abstract]) comprising a cylindrical electric power storage device (shown in Figures 1 & 2 Item 11), similar to Sawada. He further discloses a lead (Figure 5 Item 21 “negative electrode elastic member” [Page 3 Lines 30-31], also shown in Figure 3 Items 211 & 212). He discloses that the lead (Figure 5 Item 21) comprises an elastic member body (Figure 3 item 211) integrally molded with an elastic sheet (Figure 3 Item 212) [Page 3 Lines 33-38]. He discloses that the second terminal (“housing” Figure 5 Item 112) is electrically connected to the lead (“elastic sheet” Figure 3 Item 212, which as mentioned previously is part of the lead Item 21). This is further illustrated in Annotated Figures 3 & 5 below:
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Annotated Figures 3 & 5
He discloses that the lead comprises a contact part (“elastic sheet” Figure 3 Item 212”) in direct contact with the side surface of the device, and a shoulder (“elastic member body” Figure 3 Item 211) that extends inwardly from the contact part in the radial direction (see Annotated Figure 5 above), similar to the connection intervening member of Sawada. He discloses that the lead has a biasing part disposed outside of the contact part in the radial direction (See Annotated He Figure 5 below):
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He Annotated Figure 5
As illustrated in Annotated Figure 5, He further discloses that the biasing part of the lead biases (or presses) the contact part and the shoulder inward of each of the electric power storage device in the radial direction.
He discloses that this configuration provides a battery module with convenient assembly and disassembly, reliable connection, and easy production [Abstract].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the present invention to modify the lead part of Sawada (connection intervening member) to have the shape of the lead part of He to provide a battery module that has convenient assembly and disassembly, reliable connection, and is easy to produce.
Thus, modified Sawada discloses that the biasing part, as modified by He, biases the contact part and the shoulder inward.
Regarding Claim 9, Sawada discloses that the contact part, shoulder, and biasing part (as modified by the shape of He) is one plate (connection intervening member) [0034], made of metal [0033], and describes that the contact part (tab) is bent (extending downward) [0034], thus Sawada discloses that the contact part, shoulder, and biasing part are a single bent metal plate.
Regarding Claim 10, He discloses that a portion of the biasing part directly adjacent to the contact part is inclined relative to the shoulder such that an angle formed between is greater than 90 degrees, as illustrated in Annotated Figures 3 & 5 below by the dashed lines showing the angle of incline of the portion of the biasing part relative to the shoulder:
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Annotated Figures 3 & 5
Thus, modified Sawada having the shape as modified by He discloses that a portion of the biasing part directly adjacent to the contact part is inclined relative to the shoulder such that an angle formed between is greater than 90 degrees.
Response to Arguments
Applicant argues that He does not disclose that the shoulder is in direct contact with the second terminal in the axial direction. Examiner respectfully points out that He alone was not relied upon for the teaching of the shoulder in direct contact with the second terminal in the axial direction. Motokawa was used to teach this amended claim limitation as stated in the rejection above. Accordingly, for the reasons stated above, this argument is moot.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 ANNA E GOULD whose telephone number is (571)270-1088. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jeffrey T. Barton can be reached at (571) 272-1307. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/A.E.G./Examiner, Art Unit 1726
/JEFFREY T BARTON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1726 23 February 2026