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 .
Response to Amendment
This Office Action is responsive to the amendment filed November 17, 2025. The following rejections are overcome:
Claim(s) 1-2 & 5, 7-8 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Giere DE 102018203578 B4.
Claim(s) 3-4, 6 & 9 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Giere DE 102018203578 B4.
Claim(s) 10-11 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Giere DE 102018203578 B4 in view of Chein WO 2018/137259A1.
Claims 1-11are newly rejected as necessitated by amendment, and newly added claims 12-20 are rejected as follows:
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements filed November 13, 2025 & March 4, 2026 has/have been received and complies with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97, 1.98 and MPEP § 609. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement(s) is/are being considered by the examiner, and an initialed copied is attached herewith.
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(s) 1-9 &12-13-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over 김상연 et al., KR-102023916-B1.
With respect to claim 1, 김상연 teaches a battery pack of a vehicle (battery modules 100 are connected to each other by a bus bar to form a battery pack 2000; Fig. 4 & DESCRIPTION-OF-EMBODIMENTS, paragraph 10), the battery pack (battery pack 2000; Fig. 4 & DESCRIPTION-OF-EMBODIMENTS, paragraph 10), comprising: a battery cell (battery modules 100; Fig. 2); a casing accommodating the battery cell (3; Fig. 3, below); and at least one connector projecting outward from an outer surface of the casing (110; Fig. 3, below), wherein: the casing includes at least one projection projecting outward from the outer surface of the casing (projection; Fig. 3, below); and the projection projects in a projecting direction of the connector beyond the connector (both projection & connector are latitudinal; Fig. 3, below) the at least one connector includes an electrode terminal (110; Fig. 3, below) and a connector housing surrounding the electrode terminal (connector housing; Fig. 3, below), the connector housing is detachably fitted to a cable connector coupled to an end portion of an electric cable (electric cable is attached to the connector housing at 1000; Fig. 4) , and the at least one projection is adjacent to the connector housing so as to be spaced apart from the connector housing (projection is spaced apart from the connector housing; Fig. 3, below).
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With respect to claim 2, the at least one projection is located partially around the connector (projection is U-shaped and surrounds connector; Fig. 9, below).
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With respect to claim 3, the at least one connector comprises two connectors located away from each other (2 connectors; Fig. 7, below), and the at least one projection is located between the two connectors (projection is between 2 connectors; Fig. 7, below).
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With respect to claim 4, the two connectors are a positive connector and a negative connector which are electrically connected to the battery cell (positive and negative sign indicator for terminals; Fig. 7, above). With respect to claim 5, the projection is adjacent to the connector so as to be spaced apart from the connector in two directions orthogonal to each other when viewed from the projecting direction (projection is U-shaped and surrounds and spaced apart from connector; Fig. 9, above). With respect to claim 7, the connector is located at a corner of the outer surface of the casing (connector 110 is in the corner of casing 100; Fig. 7, above) and when viewed from the projecting direction, at least a part of the projection is located closer to an outside of the casing than the connector (projection is located closer to an outside of the casing 100 than the connector 110; Fig. 7, above). With respect to claim 8, the projection covers the connector when viewed from one direction orthogonal to the projecting direction (projection is U-shaped and surrounds and spaced apart from connector; Fig. 9, above).
With respect to claim 12, the projection projects outward beyond the connector housing (projection is taller than the connector 110 on at least one side; Fig. 3 above). With respect to claim 13, with the cable connector (420 cable connector; Fig. 1) fitted to the connector housing (base 400 of cable connector 420 fits around connector housing 300; Figs 1 & 3) , the connector housing overlaps the projection when viewed from a direction orthogonal to the projecting direction (connector housing 300 overlaps the projection; Fig. 3). With respect to claim 15, a connector housing of the cable connector is externally fitted to the connector housing of the connector (Fig. 4 at 1000).
With respect to claim 16, a battery pack (battery pack 2000; Fig. 4 & DESCRIPTION-OF-EMBODIMENTS, paragraph 10), comprising: a battery cell (battery modules 100; Fig. 2); a casing accommodating the battery cell (3; Fig. 3, below); and at least one connector projecting outward from an outer surface of the casing (110; Fig. 3, below), wherein: the casing includes at least one projection (projection; Fig. 3, below); and the projection projects in a projecting direction of the connector beyond the connector (both projection & connector are latitudinal; Fig. 3, below), the connector is located at a corner of the outer surface of the casing (connector 110 is in the corner of casing 100; Fig. 7, above) when viewed from the projecting direction, at least a part of the projection is located closer to an outside of the casing than the connector (projection is located closer to an outside of the casing 100 than the connector 110; Fig. 7, above), and the projection includes an opening through which the connector is exposed in a direction orthogonal to the projecting direction and toward an inside of the casing when viewed from the connector (projection is U-shaped and surrounds connector; Fig. 9, above). With respect to claim 18, the projection projects in the projecting direction beyond the connector (both projection & connector are latitudinal; Fig. 3, above). With respect to claim 19, the connector is cylindrical (connector 110 is cylindrical; Fig. 3, above), and the projection is adjacent to the connector so as to be spaced apart from the connector (projection is spaced apart from the connector; Fig. 3, above) in two directions orthogonal to each other when viewed from the projecting direction (projection is U-shaped and surrounds connector; Fig. 9, above). With respect to claim 20, a cable connector fitted to the connector and located in the opening (420 cable connector; Fig. 1); and an electric cable coupled to the cable connector and extending from the connector along the outer surface of the casing (electric cable is attached to the connector housing at 1000; Fig. 4), the outer surface facing the projecting direction (Fig. 4).
Although 김상연 teaches a projection (Fig. 3 above), however the reference does not teach or suggest: the connector housing and projecting outward from the outer surface of the casing (claim 1); projection projecting outward from the outer surface of the casing (claim 16); the projection includes a portion having an L shape when viewed from the projecting direction (claim 6); the casing and the projection are integrated as one piece (claim 9); the cable connector is an L-shaped connector and extends in a direction orthogonal to the projecting direction, and when viewed from the projecting direction, the projection exposes a part of a periphery of the connector housing to a lateral side (claim 14) the connector projects upward beyond an upper surface of a casing main body of the casing, the casing main body defining a battery cell accommodation space, and the projection projects upward beyond the upper surface of the casing main body(claim 17).
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the connector housing and projecting outward from the outer surface of the casing (claim 1); in the battery pack of 김상연, as making integral essential working parts of a device is prima facie obvious. See In re Larson, 340 F.2d 965, 968, 144 USPQ 347, 349 (CCPA 1965). The skilled artisan recognizes integration improve structural integrity, and thus protection of the terminals.
Further concerning claim 16, projection projecting outward from the outer surface of the casing; it would have been obvious in the battery pack of 김상연, as making integral essential working parts of a device is prima facie obvious. See In re Larson, 340 F.2d 965, 968, 144 USPQ 347, 349 (CCPA 1965). The skilled artisan recognizes integration improve structural integrity, and thus protection of the terminals.
With respect to claim 6, the projection includes a portion having an L shape when viewed from the projecting direction; it would have been obvious in the battery pack of 김상연, to increase access to the terminal. Furthermore, a change in shape of essential working parts of a device is prima facie obvious. See In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966).
With respect to the casing and the projection being integrated as one piece (claim 9); it would have been obvious in the battery pack of 김상연, as making integral essential working parts of a device is prima facie obvious. See In re Larson, 340 F.2d 965, 968, 144 USPQ 347, 349 (CCPA 1965).
With respect to claim 14, the cable connector is an L-shaped connector and extends in a direction orthogonal to the projecting direction, and when viewed from the projecting direction, the projection exposes a part of a periphery of the connector housing to a lateral side; it would have been obvious in the battery pack of 김상연, to increase connection to the terminal. Furthermore, a change in shape of essential working parts of a device is prima facie obvious. See In reDailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966)
With respect to claim 17, the connector projects upward beyond an upper surface of a casing main body of the casing, the casing main body defining a battery cell accommodation space, and the projection projects upward beyond the upper surface of the casing main body; it would have been obvious in the battery pack of 김상연, to increase access to the terminal. Furthermore, rearrangement of essential working parts of a device is prima facie obvious. See In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950).
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(s) 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over 김상연 et al., KR-102023916-B1 in view of Chein WO 2018/137259A1.
김상연teaches a battery pack as recited herein above.
김상연does not teach: the casing including a hook insertion hole exposed to an outside of the casing (claim 10); a side surface of the casing including a lift surface which faces downward and with which a finger of a worker contacts from a lower side (claim 11).
Chein teaches that it is well known in the art to employ a battery pack with the casing including a hook insertion hole exposed to an outside of the casing (on face 310 below; Fig. 1; claim 10); a side surface of the casing including a lift surface which faces downward and with which a finger of a worker contacts from a lower side (P1; Fig. 1; claim 11).
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However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ casing including a hook insertion hole exposed to an outside of the casing as taught by Chein, in the battery pack of 김상연, to improve stacking and mobility of the battery pack. The skilled artisan recognizes that the packs will be moved and stacked.
Response to Arguments
Applicant asserts that Giere DE 102018203578 B4 does not teach recite "the at least one connector includes an electrode terminal and a connector housing surrounding the electrode terminal and projecting outward from the outer surface of the casing." Or "the connector housing is detachably fitted to a cable connector coupled to an end portion of an electric cable." In contrast, Giere describes an arrangement for the electrical connection of pole terminals (4) to each other, comprising a pole connector (5) which comprises a base part (9) consisting of an electrically conductive material and a coating (10; 10a, 10b, 16) applied at least partially to the base part (9) made of an electrically insulating material. This assertion is correct, and all previously pending rejections are overcome.
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MONIQUE M WILLS whose telephone number is (571)272-1309. The Examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday from 8:30am to 5:00 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner's supervisor, Tiffany Legette, may be reached at 571-270-7078. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Monique M Wills/
Examiner, Art Unit 1722
/TIFFANY LEGETTE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1723
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