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 § 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.
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 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 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang (US 20210167467 A1) and further in view of Tang (US 20210046581 A1).
Yang discloses a battery pack (abstract, [battery module]), comprising: a plurality of battery cells (abstract, [plurality of … battery cells]); and a bus bar electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells (abstract, [bus bar …. to contact the electrode terminals of the plurality of cylindrical battery cells]), wherein: the bus bar includes a single-layer portion (Fig. 3, item 212) and a multi-layer portion (Fig. 3, items 212 and 214), having different numbers of stacks in the thickness direction (Fig. 3, shows different number of stacks (T1 and T2) in the thickness direction), the single-layer portion includes a first material layer (Fig. 3 and para. 0069, single layer/first metal plate [item 212]), the multi-layer portion includes the first material layer, continuously connected (see Fig. 3) from the single-layer portion, and a second material layer on at least one of a rear surface of the first material layer (Fig. 3, the second material layer [214] is connected to the rear surface of the first material layer [212]), wherein at a first connection position of the bus bar establishing a connection with an electrode of the battery cell, a first connection surface of the bus bar facing the electrode of the battery cell is entirely made of the first material layer (Yang, See Fig. 1) (Yang, para. 0068, [the first metal plate may have connection portions to contact the electrode terminals [111]).
Yang teaches that the first rear surface of the bus bar on the opposite side to the electrode of the battery cell is made of the first material layer (Yang, See Fig. 3 below, item 212b).
Yang does not teach a first rear surface of the bus bar on the opposite side to the electrode of the battery cell is made of both the first material layer and second material layer.
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Tang, in the same field of endeavor, batteries teaches welding of a metal sheet to a busbar (Tang, para. 0019, [welding the metal sheet to the busbar, at least the contact region of the metal sheet is fixed to the busbar]); and therefore, teaches that a first rear surface of the bus bar on the opposite side to the electrode of the battery cell is made of the first material laver [Tang, item 1, busbar] and second material layer [Tang, item 2, metal sheet].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have welded a metal sheet on the rear surface of the Yang’s first connection point, to cover the rear surface at least partially, as taught by Tang (claim 1), in order to create a conductive or signal path, for example for transferring a signal to a control unit, such as a battery management system, as taught by Tang (para. 0012, [the metal sheet, being connected to the busbar, particularly represents at least a part of a conductive or signal path, for example for transferring a signal]) or in order to partially act as a flexible printed circuit [Tang, para. 0015]).
Regarding claim 19, modified Yang teaches the battery pack of claim 1, and further teaches wherein: the first material layer extends continuously from the single-layer portion toward the multi-layer portion (Yang, see Fig. 3).
Yang teaches that the thickness of connection portion 212b, which is composed of the single-layer portion, (Yang, shown in Fig. 3) is configured to be relatively thinner [than connection portion 212a], which is composed of the multi-layer portion (Yang, para. 0098).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have further reduced the thickness of the first material layer in the single-layer portion, relative to the first material layer in the multi-layer portion, as taught by Yang, in order to minimize the welding temperature used to join the connection portion 212b, as taught by Yang (Yang, para. 0098). Lower welding temperatures lead to an increased efficiency of the manufacturing process (Yang, para. 0098).
Claims 2-4 and 6-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang (US 20210167467 A1) and further in view of Tang (US 20210046581 A1) and Zeng (US 20180198110 A1).
Regarding claim 2, Yang teaches the battery pack as claimed in claim 1, and further teaches wherein the bus bar is configured such that at least one of the single-layer portion and the multi-layer portion is located to correspond to:
the first connection position (Yang, See Fig. 1) (Yang, para. 0068, [the first metal plate may have connection portions to contact the electrode terminals [111])
iii) a third connection position for establishing a connection with a connecting member extending out of the battery cell (Yang, See Fig. 1, 210A) (Yang, para. 0109-110, the protrusion (214a) may be formed on to module busbars of 210A]).
Yang does not teach a second connection position for establishing a connection with a circuit board disposed above the electrode of the battery cell.
Zeng, in the same field of endeavor, battery modules, teaches:
a second connection position for establishing a connection with a circuit board disposed above the electrode of the battery cell (Zeng, para. 0049, the [conductive connecting tab(s) [item 5] are connected with the circuit board [item 4] and one of the busbars [item 3]]) (Zeng, Fig. 5 shows the circuit board is disposed above the electrode of the battery cell).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have attached Zeng’s circuit board to (the second connection position of) Yang’s busbar, in order to incorporate a circuit board with a simplified repair procedure, thus saving the cost of replacing the entire circuit board, as taught by Zeng (0047).
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See Fig. 1 below for the connection positions of Yang’s modified battery pack.
Regarding claim 3, modified Yang teaches the battery pack as claimed in claim 2, wherein: the single-layer portion is located at the first connection position of the bus bar (Yang, See Figure 3 – 212b), and the multi-layer portion (Yang, item 210 comprised of layer 214 and 212) is located at the second (Yang, Fig. 3, item 214) and third connection positions of the bus bar (Yang, See Figure 3, item 214B).
Yang uses both Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 to describe the busbar with a protrusion (Yang, para. 0109).
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Regarding claim 4, modified Yang, teaches the battery pack as claimed in claim 2, and further teaches wherein: a first connection portion of the bus bar that faces the electrode of the battery cell at the first connection position has the first connection surface that faces the electrode of the battery cell (Yang, Fig. 1-3, [show that item 212 has a surface that faces the electrode (item 111) of the battery cell]), and the first rear surface that is on the opposite side from the electrode of the battery cell (Yang, Fig. 3).
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Regarding claim 6, modified Yang teaches the battery pack as claimed in claim 4, and further teaches wherein: a central region of the first rear surface that corresponds to the first connection position includes the first material layer (Yang, Fig. 3, [item 212b]) and an edge region of the first rear surface that surrounds the central region, includes the second material layer (Modified Yang teaches the welding of a metal sheet to partially cover the busbar. The attachment of the metal sheet that partially covers the busbar [Yang, item 212b] creates an edge region that surround the central region, and the edge region includes both the first material layer and the second material layer). (See modified Yang as explained in claim 1 for more detail).
Regarding claim 7, modified Yang teaches the battery pack as claimed in claim 6, and further teaches wherein: the central region is a surface of the single-layer portion (Yang, Fig. 3, [item 212b] the single-layer portion is included in the central region) and the edge region is a surface of the multi-layer portion (Modified Yang teaches the welding of a metal sheet to partially cover the busbar. The attachment of the metal sheet that partially covers the busbar [Yang, item 212b] creates an edge region that surround the central region, and the edge region includes both the first material layer and the second material layer). (See modified Yang as explained in claim 1 for more detail).
Regarding claim 8, modified Yang teaches the battery pack as claimed in claim 2, wherein: a second connection portion of the bus bar that faces the circuit board at the second connection position (Yang, See Fig. 1, for the second connection position) has a second connection surface that faces the circuit board (Yang, Fig. 1 and 3, the second connection surface is composed of item layer 214), and a second rear surface that is on an opposite side from the circuit board (Yang, Fig. 3, item layer 214 has an opposite surface), the second connection surface includes the second material layer (Yang, item 210 made of 214 and 212a), and the second rear surface includes the first material layer (Yang, Fig. 3, the rear surface as claimed includes the first material layer – item 212a).
Regarding claim 9, modified Yang teaches the battery pack as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second connection surface and the second rear surface are surfaces of the multi-layer portion that are opposite to each other (Yang, Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 10, modified Yang teaches the battery pack as claimed in claim 2, and further teaches wherein: a third connection portion of the bus bar (Yang, Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 represent the third connection portion, para. 0109, [referring to figs. 1 and 3, the second metal plate … may include a protrusion configured to protrude outward … the protrusion may have a coupling structure such that the external input/output terminal is coupled thereto]) that faces the connecting member at the third connection position (Yang, See Fig. 1 for the third connection position). Modified Yang further teaches that the third connection position has a third connection surface (Yang, [Fig. 3, [214]) that faces the connecting member (Yang, para. 0027, [external input/output terminal]), and a third rear surface that is on the opposite side from the connecting member (Yang, Fig. 3, the surface of 212), the third connection surface includes the second material layer (Yang, Fig. 3, item 214), and the third rear surface includes the first material layer (Yang, Fig. 3, item 212).
Regarding claim 11, modified Yang teaches the battery pack as claimed in claim 10, and further teaches wherein: the third connection surface is made entirely of the second material layer (Yang, Fig. 3, connection surface is made entirely of plate 214B]), and the third rear surface is made entirely of the first material layer (Yang, Fig. 3, the rear surface is made entirely of item 212a).
Regarding claim 12, modified Yang teaches the battery pack as claimed in claim 11, and further teaches wherein the third connection surface and the third rear surface are surfaces of the multi-layer portion that are opposite to each other (Yang, Fig 3, [214 and 212a are surfaces of the multi-layer portion that are opposite to each other]).
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Regarding claim 13, modified Yang teaches the battery pack as claimed in claim 2, and further teaches wherein: the first connection position and the third connection position are in a main body of the bus bar (Yang, See Fig. 1 and Fig. 3), and the second connection position is in an end of a measurement terminal that protrudes from the main body of the bus bar to face the circuit board (Yang, See Fig.1 for second connection position).
Regarding claim 14, modified Yang teaches the battery pack as claimed in claim 13, and further teaches wherein the measurement terminal includes the multi-layer portion in which the second material layer is on the first material layer (Yang, Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 15, modified Yang teaches the battery pack as claimed in claim 2, and further teaches wherein the bus bar includes: a first bus bar that includes a main body at the first connection position and a measurement terminal at the second connection position (Yang, see Fig. 1 below, labeled as “first busbar”); and a second bus bar that includes a main body at the first and third connection positions and a measurement terminal formed at the second connection position (Yang, see Fig. 1 below, labeled as “second busbar”).
According to para. 0036 of the instant specification, a measurement terminal may include a multi-layer portion, which exists at the second connection position of Yang, Fig. 3.
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Regarding claim 16, modified Yang teaches the battery pack as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first bus bar includes: first connection portions on both sides of the first bus bar (Yang, see Fig. 1 below), the first connection portions being connected to electrodes of different battery cells (Yang, Fig. 1, the first connection portions connect to electrodes of different battery cells, shown in Fig. 1), and a connecting portion that is between the first connection portions on both sides (Yang, see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 17, modified Yang teaches the battery pack as claimed in claim 16, wherein: the connecting portion includes a front surface that faces the battery cell and a rear surface that is on the opposite side from the battery cell, the front surface of the connecting portion comprises the first material layer, and the rear surface of the connecting portion comprises the second material layer (Yang, Fig. 1 and Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 18, modified Yang teaches the battery pack as claimed in claim 15, wherein the second bus bar includes: the first connection portion that is connected to an electrode of a first battery cell that forms one end for establishing electrical connections between the plurality of battery cells (Yang, Fig. 1 shows the second bus bar forming connections with battery cells 111 and 112), and a third connection portion that is connected to the connecting member (Yang, Fig. 1, the third connection portion is at the third connection position).
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang (US 20210167467 A1) and further in view of Tang (US 20210046581 A1) and Suzuki (US 20220085469 A1).
Regarding claim 20, modified Yang teaches the battery pack as claimed in claim 1, and further teaches wherein the second material layer includes copper (Yang, para. 0073, [the second metal plate [214] may have a copper material]).
Modified Yang teaches that the first material layer is made of nickel.
Modified Yang does not teach that the first material layer includes aluminum.
Suzuki, in the same field of endeavor, batteries, teaches a busbar can be made of metals such as nickel and aluminum (Suzuki, para. 0040).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have substituted a busbar composed of nickel with one made of aluminum, as taught by Suzuki. The simple substitution of a known element (nickel) for another (aluminum) would achieve the predictable result of providing a metal with a high conductivity, as taught by Suzuki (Suzuki, para. 0040).
Other Pertinent References
WO 2014024448 A1
US 9853435 B1
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 10/15/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant states in Pg. 10 of the Remarks that “there is no disclosure in the Yang reference that the second metal plate [214] includes multiple layers”.
Examiner agrees that Yang does not disclose that the second metal plate [214] includes multiple layers. The multiple layers are comprised of the collective metal plates of [212] and [214].
Applicant states in Pg. 10 of the Remarks that “T1 and T2 in Fig. 3 of the Yang reference are simply the thicknesses of the first metal plate [212] and the second metal plate [214], respectively”.
Examiner responds by stating that Yang’s first metal plate [212] represents the single-layer portion and is analogous to the instant’s M1 layer. Similarly, first metal plate [212] and the second metal plate [214] collectively represent the multi-layer portion. Yang’s multi-layer portion is analogous to the instant’s multilayer portion of comprised of M1 and M2 (instant, para. 0006, [the multi-layer portion comprises a first material layer continuously connected from the first material layer of the single-layer portion and a second material layer formed on at least one of a surface or a rear surface of the first material layer]).
Examiner agrees that the multi-layer portion T1 and T2 represents the thicknesses of item [212] and item [214], respectively.
Applicant states in Pg. 10 of the Remarks that “amended claim 1 is not taught by Yang”.
The new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 VERITA E GRANNUM whose telephone number is (571)270-1150. The examiner can normally be reached 10-5 EST / 7-2 PST.
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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.
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/V.G./Examiner, Art Unit 1721
/ALLISON BOURKE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1721
Prosecution Insights