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 Status
This office action is in response to amendment and remarks filed 3/24/2026.
Claims 1 and 14 have been amended; support is found
Claim 15 has been added, support is found
Claim 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12-15 are currently pending.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 3/24/2026. These drawings are accepted.
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(s) 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fujii (US 2015/0144409) in view of Ishibashi et al. (JP 2020-140762 A)
As to claim 1, Fujii discloses a battery module (100- supply device) comprising:
a stack (2-battery stacked member -figure 1) including a plurality of battery cells (1) arranged side by side in a first direction (figure 1 or 2, see annotated figure below);
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an end plate (3) provided at an end portion of the stack in the first direction (see figure above);
a restraint member (binding bar 4) fastened to the end plate (3) to restrain the stack and the end plate in the first direction (see figure above), wherein the restraint member (4) has an abutment surface (the back side of 4b connecting portion) which abuts the end plate from the first direction (se figure 3 and above figure); and
a bolt (33b) that fastens the end plate and the restraint member, wherein the bolt is provided along the first direction (figure 13b),
the end plate (33) is provided with a recess (hole that receives colt 33b-see figure 13b) that is opened to the restraint member (Figure 13b includes a binding engaging hole 4g in the restrain member 4 and hole in the end plate), and
the restraint member (4) is provided with a through hole(4g) that communicates with the recess,
the bolt includes a first portion (area of shaft of bolt closest to the head of the bolt) passing through the through hole and the recess (figure 13b), and
a second portion (tip of bolt) located on a tip side of the first portion.
Fujii is silent to a bottom surface of the recess and the abutment surface of the restraint member are separated from each other in the first direction, a clearance is formed between the first portion of the bolt and each of the through hole and the recess, and the second portion of the bolt is screwed into the end plate, and a length of the first portion of the bolt is 40% or more of an underhead length of the bolt.
Ishibashi discloses a power supply device comprising a bind bar (4) that attaches to the end plate (3b) with a fixing bolt (6). Ishibashi discloses a detailed description of the hole and bolt interacting with each other (figure 9). The annotated figure below depicts the interaction of the bolt and hole and depicts the a bottom surface of the recess and the abutment surface of the restraint member are separated from each other. Furthermore as can be seen from the figure below more than 40 percent is not the threaded into the endplate. Ishibashi further teaches it is sufficient for the bolt to have threaded groove formed at the tip for fixing into the endplate [0054].
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The annotated figure below depicts a clearance is formed between the first portion of the bolt and each of the through hole and the recess.
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By having the gap between the bolt and the opening this would allow for some deformation [0054].
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was effectively filed to include the clearance and bottom surface of Ishibashi to the recess of Fujii because this would allow for some deformation.
As to claim 3, Modified Fujii discloses the battery module according to claim 1, wherein an opening of the recess has a first diameter, and the through hole has a second diameter larger than the first diameter (see annotated figure below).
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As to claims 5 and 6. Modified Fujii discloses the battery module according to claim 1, Fujii discloses the restrain member is composed of a material, iron (applies to claim 6) [0062] having a second linear expansion coefficient but does not disclose the material of the endplate thus not discloses the end plate is composed of a material having a first linear expansion coefficient and the second linear expansion coefficient different from the first linear expansion coefficient.
Ishibashi discloses the endplate and teaches the material can be made of an aluminum alloy [0033] (applies to claim 6) Aluminum is a known light weight material. Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was effectively filed to have aluminum alloy as the endplate because it is a known material for endplates and is lightweight. Since the endplate and the restraint member are different materials the linear expansion coefficients are different.
As to claim 8, Modified Fujii discloses the battery module according to claim 1, Fuji further discloses the restraint member is composed of a material having a second linear expansion coefficient (iron) [0062].
While Fuji does not disclose an opening of the recess has a first diameter, and the through hole has a second diameter larger than the first diameter, and the end plate is composed of a material having a first linear expansion coefficient, and the second linear expansion is different from the first linear expansion coefficient.
Ishibashi further discloses an opening of the recess has a first diameter, and the through hole has a second diameter larger than the first diameter (see annotated figure below).
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Ishibashi further discloses the endplate and teaches the material can be made of an aluminum alloy [0033]. Aluminum is a known light weight material. Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was effectively filed to have aluminum alloy as the endplate because it is a known material for endplates and is lightweight. Since the endplate and the restraint member are different materials the linear expansion coefficients are different.
As to claim 10, Modified Fujii discloses the battery module according to claim 1, wherein each of the battery cells is a prismatic secondary battery cell (figure 1).
As to claim 12. Modified Fuji discloses the battery module according to claim 1, wherein an opening of the recess has a first diameter, and the through hole has a second diameter larger than the first diameter. Ishibashi discloses an opening of the recess has a first diameter, and the through hole has a second diameter larger than the first diameter (see annotated figure below).
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and each of the battery cells is a prismatic secondary battery cell (figure 2 of Fujii).
As to claim 13, Modified Fujii discloses the battery module according to claim 1, and depicts the battery cell as a prismatic cell (figure 2). Fuji further discloses the restraint member is composed of a material having a second linear expansion coefficient (iron) [0062].
Ishibashi further discloses the endplate and teaches the material can be made of an aluminum alloy [0033]. Aluminum is a known light weight material. Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was effectively filed to have aluminum alloy as the endplate because it is a known material for endplates and is lightweight. Since the endplate and the restraint member are different materials the linear expansion coefficients are different.
As to claim 14. Modified Fujii discloses the battery module according to claim 1, wherein an opening of the recess has a first diameter, and the through hole has a second diameter larger than the first diameter. Ishibashi discloses an opening of the recess has a first diameter, and the through hole has a second diameter larger than the first diameter (see annotated figure below).
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and each of the battery cells is a prismatic secondary battery cell (figure 2 of Fujii).
Fuji further discloses the restraint member is composed of a material having a second linear expansion coefficient (iron) [0062].
Ishibashi further discloses the endplate and teaches the material can be made of an aluminum alloy [0033]. Aluminum is a known light weight material. Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was effectively filed to have aluminum alloy as the endplate because it is a known material for endplates and is lightweight. Since the endplate and the restraint member are different materials the linear expansion coefficients are different.
As to claim 15, Modified Fujii discloses the battery module according to claim 1, wherein the abutment surface overlaps the recess in the first direction (see figure 1 or 2 of Fuji or figure below).
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Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 3/24/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In light of the amendment that the bottom of the recess is spaced apart from the abutment surface a different interpretation has been used to address the claims, see above.
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.
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/Maria Laios/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1727
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