DETAILED ACTION
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 07/17/2026 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim 1-6, 8, 9, 11, and 19-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. (US 2019/0207194) in view of Kim et al. (US 10,177,353) and Inoue et al. (US 2017/0358788).
Regarding claim 1, Liu teaches a composite end plate and battery module comprising:
a plurality of batteries (not shown) arranged along a direction (para 0055);
two composite end plates 1; and
two side plates 2 together form a fixing frame for fixing the batteries (Fig. 1).
The composite end plate (end spacer) includes end plate body 11 and a rigid connecting plate 12. The end plate body 11 is made of non-metal material (i.e., insulating) and the rigid connecting plate 12 is made of metal material (para 0060). Both the side plate 2 and the rigid connecting plate 12 are made of steel (para 0062). A first end component of the end plates includes a connecting segment 111 including screw mounting holes 117 (fixing portion, Fig. 2; para 0058), which accommodates a fixing body to, to install the battery assembly to an installing body. The rigid base plate 11 and the side plates 2 being made of different material are not connected electrically to each other. See annotated Figures 1 and 2 to Liu are provided below.
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773
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918
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Liu does not teach (1) a connection terminal to connect electrically with a first battery cell of the plurality of battery cells and configured to be electrically connected with an entity outside the battery assembly; and (2) the first end component includes a metal collar defining a through hole configured to receive a fixing body.
Kim, directed to rechargeable battery module, teaches end support 310 including a terminal connection (not numbered) connect electrically with a first battery cell of the plurality of battery cells and configured to be electrically connected with an entity outside the battery assembly. See annotated Fig. 1. Its location is viewed as a design choice.
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528
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have a main terminal connection where power from the battery module may be supplied to a load outside the battery assembly. See MPEP 2144.04(VI)(C).
Inoue, directed to a battery module, teaches connecting member 26 is inserted into a metal collar 46 (Fig. 2); in view of Liu, the metal collar insulated from the pair of side plates (see annotated Fig. 2 above).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date for the first end component to further include a metal collar because a restraining load is increased by the metal collar (para 0010); and creep deformation is suppressed by adopting a configuration in which the metal collars (para 0011).
Regarding claim 2, Liu teaches the rigid connecting plate and the side plate can be made of identical material, and can be connected to each other through a welding process (connection portion, para 0016). The rigid connecting plate 12 is made of metal material (para 0060). The end plate positioned adjacent to the end spacer and electrically insulated from the metal collar via the end spacer (annotated Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 3, Liu teaches the end plate and the first side plate are connected to each other at the connection portion outside the end spacer in the stacking direction; the end plate and the first side plate fasten the plurality of battery cells in the stacking direction; and the first side plate is not electrically connected with the fixing body (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 4, Liu teaches the end plate and the first side plate are connected to each other at the connection portion inside the end spacer in the stacking direction; the end plate and the first side plate fasten the plurality of battery cells in the stacking direction; and the side plate is not electrically connected with the fixing body (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 5, Liu teaches wherein a first side plate of the pair of side plates fastens a pair of end spacers and the plurality of the battery cells in the stacking direction, and the first side plate is not electrically connected with the fixing body (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 8, Liu teaches the first end component includes composite end plate 1, which is connected with a first side plate 2 of the plurality of side plates, and end plate body 11 (end spacer) sandwiched between a first battery cell of the plurality of battery cells and the end plate, the end plate includes at least one of: (a) a connection portion with the first side plate and (b) a fixing portion to fix the battery assembly to an installing entity; and a distance in the stacking direction between the end plate and an opposing surface of the first battery cell is larger than a thickness of the first battery cell. (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 9, Liu teaches the first end component includes composite end plate 1, which is connected with a first side plate 2 of the plurality of side plates, and end plate body 11 (end spacer) sandwiched between a first battery cell of the plurality of battery cells and the end plate; the end spacer includes at least one of: (a) the connection portion with the first side plate and (b) a fixing portion to fix the battery assembly to an installing entity, and a distance in the stacking direction between the end spacer and an opposing surface of the first battery cell is larger than a thickness of the first battery cell (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 11, Liu teaches the pair of end components includes the first end component, which is disposed at a first end of the battery body in the stacking direction, and a second end component, which is disposed at an opposing second end of the battery body in the stacking direction; the first end component includes (a) a first end plate connecting with a first side plate of the plurality of side plates and (b) a first end spacer disposed between the end plate and the battery cell located nearest to the end plate; the second end component includes a first end plate and a first end spacer; and a length of the first end plate in the stacking direction is greater than a length in the stacking direction of the second end plate and a first battery cell of the plurality of battery cells (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 19, Liu teaches the through hole of the metal collar is not surrounded by the end plate (annotated Fig. 2).
Regarding claim20, Liu teaches the end plate is spaced apart from the metal collar (annotated Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 21, Liu teaches end plate body 11 is made of non-metal material (para 0060) interpreted as an insulating resin.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. (US 2019/0207194) in view of Kim et al. (US 10,177,353) and Inoue et al. (US 2017/0358788) as applied to claim 1 above, in further view of Okada et al. (US 2010/0167115).
Regarding claim 7, Liu does not teach a gap between the battery cells and the first side plate.
Okada, directed to a battery system, teaches a gap is created between a battery cell outer side-wall and metal band by disposing an insulating wall vertical section between the battery cell outer side-wall and metal band, and the battery cell is insulated from the metal band via that gap (para 0044).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to further have a gap in order to insulate the battery cells (para 0044).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10 and 16-18 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.
Claims 12-15 are allowable.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CARLOS BARCENA whose telephone number is (571)270-5780. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 8-5 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tong Guo can be reached at (571)272-3066. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CARLOS BARCENA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1723
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