DETAILED ACTION
Status of Claims
The amendment filed 03/02/2026 has been entered. Claims 1-18 remain pending. Claims 13-18 are new.
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-12 under 35 USC 102 and 35 USC 103 to Liu et al. (US 2019/0207194) have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Kim et al. (US 10,177,353).
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.
Claims 1-6, 8, 9, and 11 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).
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 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. Figures 1 and 2 to Liu are provided below.
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Liu does not teach 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.
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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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).
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 body 11 is made of non-metal material (i.e., insulating) and includes the fixing portions (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 6, Liu teaches a screw mounting hole 117 (para 0058).
Liu does not teach a bolt formed from metal; however, a bolt and screw are both fasteners and viewed as functionally equivalent. Moreover, using metal provides better mechanical strength.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to use either a bolt or screw or equivalent used for the same purpose to secure the battery module.
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).
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) 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).
Claim 18 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) as applied to claim 1 above, in further view of Inoue et al. (US 2017/0358788).
Regarding claim 18, Liu does not teach the first end component includes a metal collar defining a through hole configured to receive a bolt.
Inoue, directed to a battery module, teaches connecting member 26 is inserted into the metal collar 46 (Fig. 2).
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).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10, 16, and 17 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
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 CARLOS BARCENA whose telephone number is (571)270-5780. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 8-5 pm.
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/CARLOS BARCENA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1723