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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
1. Claim(s) 1-2,6,9,14,20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) as being anticipated by Jeon et al. (US20230231266).
As to claim 1, Jeon et al. discloses system (figure 6) comprising: a shell (215); one or more battery cells (120) disposed within the shell (215), each of the battery cell(s) comprising an enclosure (110) that includes: a gas-impermeable portion)160); and a venting portion (150) that is configured to permit gas to exit the enclosure; and a pressure-directing layer (115) that: comprises one or more openings (116), each of the opening(s) overlying the venting portion (150) of the enclosure (110) of at least one of the battery cell(s)(120); is disposed between the battery cell(s) and an interior surface of the shell (215); and has a thickness, measured between opposing top and bottom surfaces of the pressure-directing layer (115), that is less than a distance between the battery cell(s)(120) and the interior surface of the shell (215) such that there is a space between the battery cell(s) and the interior surface of the shell (215).
As to claim 2, Jeon et al. discloses wherein the space is defined between the pressure-directing layer and the interior surface of the shell (figure 7 number 150,215).
As to claim 6, Jeon et al. discloses wherein the pressure-directing layer comprises a rigid material (figure 2 number 115 and paragraph 0067).
As to claim 9, Jeon et al. discloses a system (figure 6) comprising: a shell (215); one or more battery cells (120) disposed within the shell (215), each of the battery cell(s) comprising an enclosure (110) that includes: a gas-impermeable portion (160); and a venting portion (150) that is configured to permit gas to exit the enclosure (110); and a pressure-directing layer (115) that: comprises one or more openings (116), each of the opening(s) overlying the venting portion (150) of the enclosure (110) of at least one of the battery cell(s); is disposed between the battery cell(s) (120) and an interior surface of the shell (215) such that the pressure-directing layer (115) is coupled to the battery cell(s) and the interior surface of the shell (215); and comprises a resilient material (paragraph 0067).
As to claim 14, Jeon et al. discloses an information handling system (paragraph 0003) comprising: a video display (paragraph 0003); one or more processors electrically coupled to the video display (paragraph 0003); a shell (figure 6 number 215); one or more battery cells (120) disposed within the shell (215) and electrically coupled to the video display and the processor(s) (paragraph 0003), each of the battery cell(s) (120) comprising an enclosure (110) that includes: a gas-impermeable portion (160); and a venting portion (150) that is configured to permit gas to exit the enclosure (110); and a pressure-directing layer (115) that is disposed between the battery cell(s) and an interior surface of the shell (215) and comprises one or more openings that each overlies the venting portion (150) of the enclosure (110) of at least one of the battery cell(s), wherein the pressure-directing layer (115): has a thickness, measured between opposing top and bottom surfaces of the pressure-directing layer (115), that is less than a distance between the battery cell(s) (120) and the interior surface of the shell (215) such that there is a space between the battery cell(s) (120) and the interior surface of the shell (215); or is coupled to the battery cell(s) (120) and the interior surface of the shell (215) and comprises a resilient material (paragraph 0067).
As to claim 20, Jeon et al. discloses wherein: the one or more battery cells comprise two or more battery cells; and the one or more openings of the pressure-directing layer comprise two or more openings (figure 6 number 120,116).
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.
2. Claim(s) 3-5,11,15-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeon et al. (US20230231266).
Jeon et al. discloses the system described above. As to claims 3,5,11 and 17 Jeon et al. fail to disclose wherein: each of the battery cell(s) has a thickness measured between opposing top and bottom surfaces of the enclosure of the battery cell; and the distance between the battery cell(s) and the interior surface of the shell is between 5% and 15% of the thickness of each of the battery cell(s) or and the interior surface of the shell is between 3% and 5% of the thickness of each of the battery cell(s). Jeon et al. teaches in figure 7 the space 217 between the interior surface of the shell (215) and the battery cell (120). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time applicant’s invention was made to provide the interior surface of the shell is between 5% and 15% of the thickness of each of the battery cell(s) or and the interior surface of the shell is between 3% and 5% of the thickness of each of the battery cell(s) in order to provide optimal value in absence of unexpected results.
As to claim 4, Jeon et al. fail to disclose wherein the thickness of the pressure-directing layer is between 40% and 80% of the distance between the battery cell(s) and the interior surface of the shell. Jeon et al. teaches that there is a thickness of the pressure directing layer between of the distance between the battery cells and the interior surface of the shell for the purpose of providing a flow space for flame and/or combustion material to be discharged (paragraph 0102). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time applicant’s invention was made to provide wherein the thickness of the pressure-directing layer is between 40% and 80% of the distance between the battery cell(s) and the interior surface of the shell for the purpose of providing a flow space for flame and/or combustion material to be discharged (paragraph 0102).
As to claims 15-16, Jeon et al. fail to comprise: a base that contains the battery cell(s); a keyboard and a touchpad that are each coupled to the base; and a display cover that is coupled to the video display and is movably coupled to the base by a hinge wherein the base comprises the shell, the shell defining an exterior surface of the base. Jeon et al. teaches notebook computers comprising system described above (paragraph 0003). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time applicant’s invention was made to provide a base that contains the battery cell(s); a keyboard and a touchpad that are each coupled to the base; and a display cover that is coupled to the video display and is movably coupled to the base by a hinge wherein the base comprises the shell, the shell defining an exterior surface of the base since a notebook computer has the components of a keyboard, touchpad and display cover.
3. Claim(s) 7,12,18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeon et al. in view Oh et al. (EP3866252).
Jeon et al. discloses the system described above. Jeon et al. fail to disclose wherein each of the battery cell(s) is a pouch cell, the enclosure of each of the battery cell(s) comprising a flexible film. Oh et a. teaches pouch cell the enclosure of each of the battery cell(s) comprising a flexible film for the purpose of stacking the cells (paragraph 0031).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time applicant's invention was made to Jeon et al. with wherein the pouch cell the enclosure of each of the battery cell(s) comprising a flexible film for the purpose of stacking the cells (paragraph 0031).
4. Claim(s) 8,13,19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeon et.al. in view of Singer et al. (US20200152930).
Jeon et al. discloses the system described above. Jeon et al. fail to disclose wherein the venting portion of the enclosure of each of the battery cell(s) comprises a zeolite material. Singer et al. teaches wherein the venting portion of the enclosure of each of the battery cell(s) comprises a zeolite material for the purpose of primary filtering of gas produced during a thermal runaway event (paragraph 0027).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time applicant's invention was made to provide Jeon et al. with wherein the venting portion of the enclosure of each of the battery cell(s) comprises a zeolite material for the purpose of primary filtering of gas produced during a thermal runaway event (paragraph 0027).
5. Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeon et al. in view of Trotsky et al. (WO2012016158).
Jeon et al. discloses the system above. Jeon et al. fail to disclose wherein the resilient material has: a shore A durometer that is between 20 and 60; and/or a shore 00 durometer that is between 60 and 90. Trotsky et al. teaches wherein the resilient material has: a shore A durometer that is between 20 and 60; and/or a shore 00 durometer that is between 60 and 90 for the purpose of being used for electronic device housings (page 28-29 lines 25-31).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time applicant's invention was made to provide Jeon et al. with wherein the resilient material has: a shore A durometer that is between 20 and 60; and/or a shore 00 durometer that is between 60 and 90 for the purpose of being used for electronic device housings (page 28-29 lines 25-31).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JANE J RHEE whose telephone number is (571)272-1499. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday (10-6:30).
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/JANE J RHEE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1724