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 § 102
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 1-5 and 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fujikawa et al. (USPUB 2021/0273270).
As to Claim 1, Fujikawa discloses a solid-state battery comprising: a power storage part that includes a battery cell and that is configured to flow current up to an allowable upper limit value; a current restriction part that is configured to adjust discharge current of the power storage part under control; and a controller that is configured to control the current restriction part to flow discharge current of the power storage part by restricting the current to a first current value or less which is smaller than the allowable upper limit value when a temperature difference of a predetermined value or more occurs between two points of a first point and a second point as a measurement result of both the first point and the second point which are determined on a surface related to the power storage part (Figure 2, Elements T1-T3, Figure 8, 10A, 10B and Paragraphs 66-68).
As to Claim 2, Fujikawa discloses the solid-state battery according to claim 1, wherein the first current value is determined within a range in which the temperature difference between the two points does not reach the predetermined value (Figure 10A and 10B).
As to Claim 3, Fujikawa disclose the solid-state battery according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to restrict the discharge current that flows while being restricted to the first current value or less that is smaller than the allowable upper limit value, according to the measurement result at both the first point and the second point (Figure 10A and 10B).
As to Claim 4, Fujikawa discloses the solid-state battery according to claim 1, wherein the controller restricts the current of the battery cell to a second current value or less that is smaller than the first current value, according to any one of the temperature at the first point and the temperature at the second point gets greater than a predetermined allowable temperature upper limit value (Figure 10A and 10B).
As to Claim 5, Fujikawa disclose the solid-state battery according to claim 1, wherein the surface related to the power storage part is a surface included in a battery cell disposed at an end part of the battery cells in a stacking direction (Figure 2, Element 11).
As to Claim 7, Fujikawa discloses the solid-state battery according to claim 1, wherein a heat conductive member configured to transfer heat between the two points of the first point and the second point is provided (Figure 2, Elements T1 and T2).
As to Claim 8, Fujikawa discloses a protection system comprising: a power storage part that includes a battery cell and that is configured to flow current up to an allowable upper limit value; a current restriction part that is configured to adjust discharge current of the power storage part under control; and a controller that is configured to control the current restriction part to flow discharge current of the power storage part by restricting the current to a first current value or less which is smaller than the allowable upper limit value when a temperature difference of a predetermined value or more occurs between two points of a first point and a second point as a measurement result of both the first point and the second point which are determined on a surface related to the power storage part (Figure 2, Elements T1-T3, Figure 8, 10A, 10B and Paragraphs 66-68).
As to Claim 9, Fujikawa discloses a protection method of a solid-state battery comprising a battery cell and a power storage part configured to flow current up to an allowable upper limit value, the protection method comprising a step of adjusting discharge current of the power storage part so as to flow the discharge current of the power storage part by restricting the current to a first current value or less which is smaller than the allowable upper limit value, when a temperature difference of a predetermined value or more occurs between two points of a first point and a second point as a measurement result of both the first point and the second point which are determined on a surface related to the power storage part (Figure 2, Elements T1-T3, Figure 8, 10A, 10B and Paragraphs 66-68).
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.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fujikawa et al.
As to Claim 6, Fujikawa discloses the solid-state battery according to claim 1, further comprising; a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the power storage part (Figure 2, Element 11). Fujikawa does not expressly disclose wherein the power storage part and the temperature sensor are covered with a protection sheet. However, the Examiner takes official notice that protective sheets are well known in the art, and one having orindary skill in the art would look to use a protective sheet on sensitive components to protect them from environmental elements.
Conclusion
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/ROBERT GRANT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859