DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 10-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 8 recites the limitation of "a terminal unit" in line 4. However, claim 10 recites the limitation of "the terminal portion" in line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 8 should be amended to recite “a terminal portion”, for example, which would provide proper antecedent basis for claim 10. Claims 11-14 are rejected for being dependent upon a rejected base claim.
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)(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.
(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.
Claims 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 15, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by WO 2021221351 A1 (Shin ‘170 - citing to US 20220407170 A1 as an English translation).
Regarding claim 1, Shin ‘170 teaches a battery pack (battery pack 1000; [0049]), comprising:
at least one battery module (a plurality of battery modules 100; [0049]); and
a pack housing having an internal space in which the battery module is accommodated (the battery modules 100 may be mounted on a pack tray 200 and may be received in a pack housing 400; [0049]; see Fig. 8 showing four separate accommodation spaces for the four battery modules 100),
wherein the at least one battery module includes:
a cell stack including a plurality of battery cells; (the battery modules 100 respectively include a battery cell stacked body 102 in which a plurality of battery cells 101 are stacked, disposed in the module frame 110; [0042] & [0050]); and
an upper cover covering an upper surface of the cell stack and coupled to the pack housing (the module frame 108 for receiving the battery cell stacked body 102 may include an upper plate 112 and an additional module cover 440 disposed above the battery modules 100; [0044] & Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 2, Shin ‘170 teaches the battery pack of claim 1, wherein the upper cover includes:
a body portion opposing the cell stack (upper plate 112 and module cover 440 disposed above the cell stacked body 102 of the battery module 100; [0045] & annotated Fig. 3 of Shin ‘170); and
a flange portion connected to the body portion and coupled to the pack housing (as shown in annotated Fig. 3 of Shin ’170, there are four portions of module cover 440 that have flange portions on either side in the lengthwise direction configured for coupling the module cover 440 to the lower housing 410 and the cross frame disposed in the length direction of Fig. 8; [0049] of Shin ‘170).
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[AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Module Cover 440)]
Regarding claim 3, Shin ‘170 teaches the battery pack of claim 2,
wherein a step is formed between the body portion and the flange portion (a step is formed between the flange portions and the plate portions of the module cover 440, because the plate portion and the flange portions are disposed at different heights in the vertical direction with the step portion therebetween; annotated Fig. 3 of Shin ‘170).
Regarding claim 5, Shin ‘170 teaches the battery pack of claim 2,
wherein the pack housing includes:
a lower frame on which the at least one battery module is seated (pack tray 200 of lower housing 410 of pack housing 400 with four battery modules 100 seated thereon; [0049] & Fig. 3);
an upper frame disposed above the upper cover and covering the internal space (upper cover 420 for covering the upper portion of the battery modules 100; [0052] & Fig. 3); and
a cross frame connected to the lower frame and disposed between the plurality of accommodation spaces (as shown in Fig. 8, there is a cross frame disposed lengthwise between the plurality of accommodation spaces).
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Regarding claim 6, Shin ‘170 teaches the battery pack of claim 5,
wherein the flange is coupled to the cross frame (when fully assembled, the inside flanges of the module cover 440 of annotated Fig. 3 are configured to be coupled to the lengthwise cross frame shown in Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 15, Shin ‘170 teaches a battery pack (battery pack 1000; [0049]), comprising,
a pack housing having a plurality of accommodation spaces (a pack housing 400 having a plurality of battery modules 100 disposed therein; [0049]; see Fig. 8 showing four separate accommodation spaces for the four battery modules 100);
a plurality of cell stacks accommodated in the plurality of accommodation spaces, respectively (see Fig. 8 showing four separate accommodation spaces for the four battery modules 100), and including a plurality of battery cells stacked in a first direction (the battery modules 100 respectively include a battery cell stacked body disposed in the module frame 110; [0050]);
an upper cover covering at least one of the plurality of accommodation spaces (the module frame 108 for receiving the battery cell stacked body 102 may include an upper plate 112 and an additional module cover 440 disposed above the battery modules 100 covering the four accommodation spaces; [0044] & annotated Fig. 3);
wherein the pack housing includes:
a lower frame in which the plurality of cell stacks are seated (pack tray 200 of pack housing 400; [0049] of Shin ‘170); and
a cross frame connected to the lower frame and disposed between the plurality of accommodation spaces (as shown in Fig. 8, there is a cross frame disposed lengthwise between the plurality of accommodation spaces and the vent inducing frame 300, the cross frame being connected to the lower housing 410 when fully assembled; [0049] & Fig. 3), and
wherein the upper cover is coupled to the cross frame (as shown in annotated Fig. 3 of Shin ’170, there are four portions of module cover 440 that have flange portions on either side in the lengthwise direction configured for coupling the module cover 440 to the lower housing 410 and the cross frame disposed in the length direction of Fig. 8; [0049] of Shin ‘170).
Regarding claim 16, Shin ‘170 teaches the battery pack of claim 15, wherein a plurality of the upper covers are provided and the number of upper covers corresponds to the number of cell stacks (as shown in annotated Fig. 3 and Fig. 1, the module cover 440 has four body sections corresponding to the four battery modules 100, each battery module 100 having a cell stacked body 102 therein).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2021221351 A1 (Shin ‘170 - citing to US 20220407170 A1 as an English translation) in view US 20200411814 A1 (Ju ‘814).
Regarding claim 4, Shin ‘170 teaches the battery pack of claim 3,
wherein the plurality of battery cells are stacked in a first direction (the plurality of cells 101 are stacked in a first direction x; [0042] & Fig. 1), however, the flange portion of the module cover 440 (annotated Fig. 3) is connected to an end of the body portion in the same first direction x.
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Ju ‘814 discloses a battery module 10 that may include a first cell assembly 100, a second cell assembly 200, a bottom plate 300, a top plate 400, a connection bridge 500 and an edge bridge 600 ([0035]). The top plate 400 has a plurality of flange portions that are oriented perpendicular to the stacking direction of the cell assemblies 100, 200 (Fig. 2).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a skilled artisan, prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to provide that the flange portions of the upper cover are provided on the body portion perpendicular to the stacking direction of the cell assemblies, as suggested by Ju ‘814, because the rearrangement of parts, without any new or unexpected results, is an obvious matter of design choice. See In re Kuhle, 188 USPQ 7 (CCPA 1975) (see MPEP § 2144.04).
Claims 7, 17, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2021221351 A1 (Shin ‘170 - citing to US 20220407170 A1 as an English translation) in view WO 2021071053 A1 (Choi ‘537 – citing to US 20220216537 A1 as an English translation).
Regarding claim 7, Shin ‘170 teaches the battery pack of claim 5, but does not disclose wherein the cell stack opposes the lower frame in a state in which lower portions of the plurality of battery cells are exposed.
Choi ‘537 discloses a battery module including a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells 100 are stacked ([0036]). The battery module may be formed such that the lower surface of the battery cell 100 stack is opened ([0046] & Fig. 3). When the battery module is installed in the battery pack, the lower surface of the battery cell stack may contact a thermally conductive layer 700 formed in the battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and may be connected to a heat sink 800 formed on the lower side of the thermally conductive layer 700 ([0046]). Thus, a heat transfer path may be simplified to improve cooling performance ([0048]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to provide that the lower surface of the cell stack is opened, as suggested by Choi ‘537, when inserted into the battery pack, as taught by Shin ‘170, to allow the lower surface of the battery cell stack to be open or to contact a heat sink formed on the lower side thereof, improving cooling performance.
Regarding claim 17, Shin ‘170 teaches the battery pack of claim 15, further comprising: a side cover (end plate 120 with venting gate 121 provided thereon; [0046] & Fig. 2), but does not disclose a busbar assembly electrically connected to the cell stack;
the side cover opposing the busbar assembly; and
an end cover opposing the cell stack in the first direction,
wherein the side cover and the end cover are coupled to the upper cover.
Choi ‘537 discloses a battery module including a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells 100 are stacked, an insulation plate 300 covering front and rear surfaces of the battery cell stack, a busbar frame 200 formed between the battery cell stack and the insulation plate, a sensing member 210 connecting the busbar frame on the upper side of the battery cell stack, and side surface plates 400 covering both side surfaces of the battery cell stack, wherein the insulation plate 300 is coupled to the busbar frame 200 or the side surface plate 400 to fix the plurality of battery cells ([0036]& Fig. 4). The battery module may further include an upper plate 500 located on the upper side of a sensing member and covering an upper surface of a battery cell stack and a sensing member ([0051] & Fig. 5).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the structure of the at least one battery module of the battery pack, as taught by Shin ‘170, to include a busbar assembly electrically connected to the cell stack and side surface plates 400, corresponding to the end cover opposing the cell stack in the stacking direction, wherein the end plate 120 would oppose the busbar frame 200, and the end plate and the side surface plates are coupled to the upper plate, to fix the plurality of battery cells in the module thereof, as suggested by Choi ‘537, because the combination of familiar elements is likely to be obvious when it does no more than yield predictable results. See KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395-97 (2007) (see MPEP § 2143, A.).
Regarding claim 18, Shin ‘170 teaches the battery pack of claim 17,
wherein the side cover further includes a venting hole through which gas generated from the cell stack is discharged (end plate 120 with venting gate 121 provided thereon; venting gate 121 communicates with an inside of the battery module for releasing a flame or heat that may be generated therein; [0046] & Fig. 2 of Shin ‘170), and
wherein the venting hole communicates with a venting passage formed along at least one surface of the cross frame (the horizontal beams 320 communicate with the plurality of passages contained with the venting inducing frame 300, wherein the horizontal beams 320 are disposed adjacent to the cross beam, the cross beam shown in Fig. 8, but not Fig. 12 of Shin ‘170, wherein the horizontal beams 320 each communicate with the venting gates 121, which would be adjacent to the cross frame disposed between the plurality of battery modules 100 in the x direction).
Claims 8, 9, and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2021221351 A1 (Shin ‘170 - citing to US 20220407170 A1 as an English translation) in view of US 20200243817 A1 (Kwak ‘817).
Regarding claim 8, Shin ‘170 teaches the battery pack of claim 5, wherein the at least one of battery module includes:
a side cover having a venting hole disposed therein (end plate 120 with venting gate 121 provided thereon; [0046] & Fig. 2), and
wherein the venting hole is configured to discharge gas generated from the cell stack (venting gate 121 communicates with an inside of the battery module for releasing a flame or heat that may be generated therein; [0046]), but does not disclose that the side cover opposing a busbar assembly, wherein the busbar assembly is electrically connected to the cell stack and has a terminal portion disposed thereon.
Kwak ‘817 discloses a battery module 10 having a cell stack structure 100, a bus bar frame assembly 200, a voltage sensing member 300, and a module case 400 ([0040]). The bus bar frame assembly 200 includes a front frame 210, a rear frame 220, and a top frame 230 to support the cell stack structure 100 ([0049]). The bus bar frame assembly electrically connects the electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells ([0020]). External terminals 243 and 245 are located on the front frame 210 of the bus bar frame assembly 200 ([0047] & Fig. 6). Module covers 510 and 520 of the module case 400 cover and oppose the front and rear frames 210, 220 of the bus bar frame assembly 200 ([0058] & Fig. 2).
The voltage sensing member 300 includes a flexible printed circuit board 320 including sensing terminals 321 at both end portions, wherein the sensing terminals 321 a and 321 b are attached to the bus bars 240 of the front frame 210 and rear frame 200, and detect voltages at corresponding locations ([0054] - [0055] & Fig. 4).
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include a bus bar frame to electrically connect the plurality of battery cells within the cell stack of the battery module, wherein the side cover/end plate opposes the included bus bar frame having external terminals disposed thereon, as suggested by Kwak ‘817, for the battery pack, as taught by Shin ‘170.
Regarding claim 9, Shin ‘170 teaches the battery pack of claim 8, wherein the venting hole opposes the cross frame (the venting gates 121 oppose the lengthwise cross beam on either side thereof of the venting inducing frame 300; Fig. 8 of Shin ‘170).
Regarding claim 10, Shin ‘170 teaches the battery pack of claim 8, wherein the at least one of battery module further includes a sensing unit disposed on the busbar assembly (sensing terminals 321 a and 321 b are attached to the bus bars 240 of the front frame 210 and rear frame 200, and detect voltages at corresponding locations; [0054] - [0055] & Fig. 4 of Kwak ‘817), and
wherein the upper cover further includes an opening through which the terminal portion and the sensing unit are exposed (module cover 440 in annotated Fig. 3 Shin ’170 includes 4 small openings disposed on the same side of the end plates 120 of the respective battery modules 100, wherein the opening would allow for the sensing terminal 321a and the external terminals 243 and 245 of Kwak ‘817 to be exposed).
Claims 11 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2021221351 A1 (Shin ‘170 - citing to US 20220407170 A1 as an English translation) in view of US 20200243817 A1 (Kwak ‘817), and further in view of US 20200358152 A1 (Shimizu ‘152) and US 20170062781 A1 (Kim ‘781).
Regarding claims 11 and 12, Shin ‘170 teaches the battery pack of claim 10, but does not disclose a shielding member coupled to an upper portion of the flange portion and covering the opening, a fastening member penetrating through the shielding member and the flange portion and fastened to the cross frame.
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Shimizu ‘152 discloses a plurality of side-binding bars 40 pushed into and fixed in respective apertures between adjacent battery modules 12a, 12b, 12c ([0040]). Each side-binding bar 40 includes insertion section 41 and two flanges 44 ([0040] & Fig. 2). Each side-binding bar 40 is disposed above a heat transfer component 30 disposed between the battery modules ([0022] 7 Fig. 2).
Shimizu ‘152 does not disclose a fastening member for fixing the side-binding bar 40 to the heat transfer component 30.
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Kim ‘781 discloses a battery pack 1 including a plurality of modules 200 electrically connecting unit cells 100, and a combining member 300 connecting the rechargeable battery modules ([0051]). The combining member 300 connects the end plates 201 of the battery modules 200 that neighbor each other ([0054] & Fig. 1). The combining member 300 is provided on the flange 212 of the end plate 210, wherein a fastening member 400 is inserted through a fastening hole 302 of the combining member 300 and through the flange 212 of the end plate 210 to integrally combine the rechargeable battery modules 200 ([0087] – [0088] & Fig. 7).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include a side-binding bar 40 coupled to an upper portion of the flange portion and covering the opening of the module cover 440 of the battery pack, as taught by Shin ‘170, to integrally combine the battery modules 100, wherein a fastening member is inserted through the side-biding bar 40 and fastened to the cross frame, as suggested by Shimizu ‘152 and Kim ‘781.
Claims 13 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2021221351 A1 (Shin ‘170 - citing to US 20220407170 A1 as an English translation) in view of US 20200243817 A1 (Kwak ‘817), and further in view of WO 2021071053 A1 (Choi ‘537 – citing to US 20220216537 A1 as an English translation).
Regarding claims 13 and 14, Shin ‘170 teaches the battery pack of claim 8, but does not disclose wherein the at least one battery module includes:
an end cover opposing at least one side of the cell stack, and
wherein the side cover is coupled to an end of the end cover,
wherein the upper cover is coupled to the end cover and the side cover.
Choi ‘537 discloses a battery module including a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells 100 are stacked, an insulation plate 300 covering front and rear surfaces of the battery cell stack, a busbar frame 200 formed between the battery cell stack and the insulation plate, a sensing member 210 connecting the busbar frame on the upper side of the battery cell stack, and side surface plates 400 covering both side surfaces of the battery cell stack, wherein the insulation plate 300 is coupled to the busbar frame 200 or the side surface plate 400 to fix the plurality of battery cells ([0036]& Fig. 4). The battery module may further include an upper plate 500 located on the upper side of a sensing member and covering an upper surface of a battery cell stack and a sensing member ([0051] & Fig. 5).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the structure of the at least one battery module of the battery pack, as taught by Shin ‘170, to include side surface plates 400, corresponding to the end cover opposing the cell stack in the stacking direction, and the end plate and the side surface plates are coupled to the upper plate, to fix the plurality of battery cells in the module thereof, as suggested by Choi ‘537, because the combination of familiar elements is likely to be obvious when it does no more than yield predictable results. See KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395-97 (2007) (see MPEP § 2143, A.).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
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US 20220352591 A1 – discloses a battery pack having a top cover 140 disposed over battery modules 200a, 200b and connected to the tray 110 by fastening elements P1 inserted through the fastening extension portions 142, which are bent and extend in the outward direction of the battery pack ([0075] – [0076]; Fig. 6).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TAYLOR H KRONE whose telephone number is (571)270-5064. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, NICOLE BUIE-HATCHER can be reached at 571-270-3879. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TAYLOR HARRISON KRONE/Examiner, Art Unit 1725
/JONATHAN CREPEAU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725