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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of Invention I, claims 1-15 in the reply filed on 02/18/2026 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Claims 16-20 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected traction battery pack, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 02/18/2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 10 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by An (KR20210001334 (see attached Machine Translation)).
Considering Claim 1, An discloses a traction battery pack (battery case and mounting for a vehicle [Abstract, 0001]), comprising:
a cell stack (stack and assembly of battery cells 20 [0003, 0028, Figure 1]) comprising:
a first cross-member beam (one of multiple cross members 25 spaced apart within internal space of battery case [0029, Figures 1 and 3]);
a battery cell supported by the first-cross member beam (cross members rigidly reinforce cells within internal space of battery case [0029]); and
a thermal barrier assembly connected to the first cross-member beam by a tongue-and-groove connection (side seal 10 has a receiving groove 13 that corresponds to a protrusion 26 of cross member 25 [0034, Figures 2 and 6], side seal may be made of various materials such as aluminum or steel [0026], and such materials are within the scope of thermal barrier materials of the claimed invention [0059 PGPub version]).
Considering Claim 10, An discloses wherein the thermal barrier assembly includes an upper interfacing structure configured to interface with an upper enclosure structure of the traction battery pack (side seal interfaces with front facing vehicle component [Figure 1]).
Considering Claim 11, An discloses that the upper interfacing structure includes a basin configured to receive an adhesive (spaced opening at front of vehicle that would be configured to receive adhesive without requirement of adhesive itself [Figure 1]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-9 and 12-15 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: regarding claim 2, the cross members 25 are used for support on one side of the whole battery assembly 20 [Figures 1 and 3] while they are specifically inserted into the cover 22 portion [0044] so as to provide overall rigidity [0045], so there is no teaching or suggestion of a cell being supported between a first cross-member beam and a second cross-member beam as required by the claim.
Regarding claim 5, the protrusion 26 of the cross member 25 is inserted (male) into a receiving groove 13 (female) of the side seal 10 [0034, Figures 2 and 6], so there is no teaching or suggestion of a female portion of the first cross-member beam and a male portion of the thermal barrier of the tongue-and-groove connection as required by the claim.
Regarding claims 12 and 15, the cross member 25 and the side sill (seal) 10 are directly connected and used to be integrated into the skeletal structure of the vehicle body for the purpose of dynamic rigidity performance for the vehicle body [0047, Figure 1]. The interface of the seal 10 is with the cross members [Figure 1] for the general connection to the battery assembly [0025] so there is no teaching or suggestion of a lower interfacing structure configured to interface with a heat exchanger plate, nor a side interfacing structure configured to interface with a bus bar of the cell stack as required by the claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER P DOMONE whose telephone number is (571)270-7582. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-4:30 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Basia Ridley can be reached at (571)272-1453. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISTOPHER P DOMONE/Primary Patent Examiner
Art Unit 1725