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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 8/20/2026 has been entered.
Claim Status
Claim 1 has been amended. Claims 7-8 are cancelled. Claims 1-6 have been rejected to.
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.
Claims 1-2 and 4-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2013/0308679, hereinafter Choi, and further in view of U.S. Pre-
Grant Publication No. 2023/0108219, hereinafter Jang.
Regarding claim 1, Choi teaches a battery pack (Fig 9, battery pack 800) with a plurality
of laminate cells (Fig 9, battery modules 700 have cells 10 Fig. 3). Each laminate cell (700) has
an electrode body (electrode assembly [0068]) that is housed inside an exterior body (Fig 1,
sheathing member 14) made of a laminate film (‘sheathing member 14’ [0068]) and has tab
leads (Fig 1, electrode leads 11 and 12) that protrude from one side and the other side of the
exterior body ([0068]) (Fig 3, battery cell stack 200). The plurality of the tab leads protruding
from the one side and the other sides of the exterior body (Fig 1, [0068]) are each arranged
with a gap in a stacking direction of the laminate cells (Fig 3, ‘battery cell stack 200 includes
four series-connected unit modules 208 which are stacked in a lateral direction with each unit
module oriented upright’ [0071]). The battery pack (Fig 9, battery pack 800) comprises: a
plurality of structural bodies disposed in gaps between the tab leads which are arranged
adjacent to each other ((Fig 1, ‘film type sealing member 16 is interposed between the electrode leads 11 and 12’ [0068]) and (Fig 3: extensions of upper case 300 and lower case 400 that divide the cells)); a connection member (Fig 3, bus bar 202) provided in a structural body of the plurality of structural bodies for electrically connecting the tab leads located on both sides of the structural body to each other (‘bus bars 202 for connecting electrode terminals of battery cells 220 to external input and output terminals 402 of the lower case 400’ [0071]); and a pressing portion (Fig 3, upper case 300 and lower case 400) configured to press the tab leads (Fig 1, electrode leads 11 and 12) and the connection member (Fig 3, bus bar 202) in a stacking direction thereof. The plurality of structural bodies includes a first electric device and a second electric device (voltage measuring members 110 and 120, ‘the upper case 300 is provided at the front and rear thereof with voltage measuring member mounting parts 302 for inserting and mounting the voltage measuring members 110 and 120 therein’ [0074]). Each of the plurality of structural bodies are formed of a resin (‘the sheathing member 14 has a laminate structure of a resin layer, a metal foil layer, and a resin layer and is thermally welded to each other in a state in which a film type sealing member 16 is interposed between the electrode leads 11 and 12’ [0068] and ‘an insulating material may be provided close to each of the voltage measuring members’ [0050]. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that insulating materials are formed of a resin.)
However, Choi fails to teach the structural bodies comprising a refrigerant channel that functions as a cooling member and is disposed on both sides of the first and second electric devices.
Jang teaches a battery module (Fig 4, 100) that has laminate battery cells (Fig 4, 110)
connected to a sensing assembly (Fig 6, 420) through the use of a terminal bus bar (Fig 6, 411).
The sensing assembly contains a module connector (Fig 6, 421) and a connection cable (Fig 6,
422). The sensing assembly, and the battery pack as a whole, is kept cool by using a heat sink
(Fig 4, 300) and a pack refrigerant pipe assembly (Fig 2 and 15, 600).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to the ordinarily skilled artist before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to have refrigerant channels disposed throughout the
battery pack, specifically on both sides of each electric device of Choi, because ‘capacity and space utilization may be increased by intensively arranging a cooling structure and other components together with a battery module’ [0028].
Regarding claim 2, Choi and Jang teach the battery pack (Fig 9. 800) according to claim
1. Additionally, Choi teaches the battery pack (Fig 9, battery pack 800) according to claim 1,
wherein the pressing portion (Fig 3, upper case 300 and lower case 400) is each of end plates
(Fig 3, end walls of upper and lower cases 300 and 400) positioned on both sides of the
arranged tab leads (Fig 1, electrode leads 11 and 12) in an arrangement direction and pressing
the plurality of tab leads (Fig 1, electrode leads 11 and 12) and the structural bodies (Fig 1, ‘film
type sealing member 16 is interposed between the electrode leads 11 and 12’ [0068]) and (Fig
3, extensions of lower case 400 that divide the cells) in the stacking direction, and the laminate
cells (Fig 8, battery modules 700) are modularized by the end plates (Fig. 9).
Regarding claim 4, Choi and Jang teach the battery pack (Fig 9, 800) according to claim
1. Additionally, Choi teaches the battery pack (Fig 9, battery pack 800) according to claim I,
wherein at least one of the plurality of structural bodies (Fig 1, ‘film type sealing member 16 is
interposed between the electrode leads 11 and 12’ [0068]) and (Fig 3, extensions of lower case
400 that divide the cells) is provided with an electric device (Fig 3, voltage measuring members
110 and 120).
Regarding claim 5, Choi and Jang teach the battery pack (Fig 9, 800) according to claim
1. Additionally, Choi teaches the battery pack (Fig 9, battery pack 800) according to claim 1,
wherein the laminate film (Fig 1, sheathing member 14) includes an inner resin film, a metal
film, and an outer resin film (‘sheathing member 14 has a laminate structure of a resin layer, a
metal foil layer, and a resin layer’ [0068]), at least, one of the plurality of structural bodies (Fig
1, ‘film type sealing member 16 is interposed between the electrode leads 11 and 12’ [0068])
and (Fig 3, extensions of lower case 400 that divide the cells) is provided with an electric device
(voltage measuring members 110 and 120), and the electric device (voltage measuring
members 110 and 120) is electrically connected to the metal film (‘voltage measuring members
110 and 120 are provided at the respective lower ends thereof with connection terminals 114
and 124 that are electrically connected to electrode terminal connection parts 204 and 206’
[0072]).
Regarding claim 6, Choi and Jang teach the battery pack (Fig 9, 800) according to claim
1. Additionally, Choi teaches the battery pack (Fig 9, battery pack 800) according to claim 1,
wherein at least one of the plurality of structural bodies (Fig 1, ‘film type sealing member 16 is
interposed between the electrode leads 11 and 12’ [0068]) and (Fig 3, extensions of lower case 400 that divide the cells) is provided with a refrigerant channel (Fig 2, slit 304, ‘upper case has
slits for coolant circulation at the top’ [0043]).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi and Jang as
applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of U.S Pre-Grant Publication No. 2023/0040116,
hereinafter Ushijima.
Regarding claim 3, Choi and Jang teach the battery pack (Choi, Fig 9, battery pack 800),
the structural body (Choi, Fig 1, ‘film type sealing member 16 is interposed between the
electrode leads 11 and 12’ [0068]) and (Choi, Fig 3, extensions of lower case 400 that divide the
cells), and the end plate (Choi, end walls of upper and lower cases 300 and 400). The structural
bodies include a first and second electric device (Choi, voltage measuring members 110 and
120) and a refrigerant channel (Jang, Fig 4, 300) and (Jang, Fig 2 and 15, 600) disposed therein
between.
However, Choi and Jang fail to teach a spacer disposed between the structural body and
the end plate.
Ushijima teaches an energy storage unit (Fig 3, 200) consisting of laminated energy
storage devices (Fig 3 and 4, 210). These energy storage devices (Fig 3 and 4, 210) have tab
leads (Fig 4, 210b) with structural bodies (Fig 5, 210c) in the gaps between the tab leads (Fig 4,
210b). The energy storage devices (Fig 3 and 4, 210) and the tab leads (Fig 4, 210b) are pressed
in a stacking direction by end plates (Fig 3 and 4, 230). There are numerous spacers (Fig 4, 221,
222, 223) throughout the energy storage unit (Fig 3, 200), specifically spacer 222 is located
between the structural bodies (Fig 5, 210c) and the end plates (Fig 3 and 4, 230).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to the ordinarily skilled artist before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to place a spacer between the end plates and structural
body to ‘electrically insulate the energy storage devices 210 from other members’ [0044].
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed August 20, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Regarding the 35 U.S.C. 103 rejection of claim 1-2 and 4-6, Applicant argues that Choi and Jang fail to teach the plurality of structural bodies that consist of a first electric device, a second electric device, and a refrigerant channel wherein the refrigerant channel is disposed between the first and second electric devices. The Examiner respectfully disagrees; Choi teaches that sealing member 16 as well as the extensions of upper and lower cases 300 and 400 divide the cells and are located between tab leads 11 and 12. The upper and lower cases 300 and 400 are directly connected to voltage measuring members 110 and 120. While Choi does not teach a refrigerant channel disposed within these structural bodies, Jang teaches that it would be obvious to incorporate a refrigerant channel throughout the battery pack because ‘capacity and space utilization may be increased by intensively arranging a cooling structure and other components together with a battery module’ [0028]. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that it would be obvious to cool battery structures that increase in temperature during charging in order to reduce damage to the battery. Regarding the 35 U.S.C. 103 rejection of claim 3, Applicant argues that Ushijima fails to cure the deficiencies of Choi and Jung because it does not teach that the structural bodies includes a first and second electric device nor a refrigerant channel. Because Choi and Jung, as mentioned above, teach how these structural bodies are obvious, they fail to have said deficiencies. Ushijima does, however, teach that it would be obvious to include to incorporate a spacer between the end plate and structural bodies of Choi and Jang because it ‘electrically insulates the energy storage devices 210 from other members’ [0044].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Mia K Holbrook whose telephone number is (571)272-9253. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30-5.
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/M.K.H./Examiner, Art Unit 1724 /BRIAN R OHARA/Examiner, Art Unit 1724
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