DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
Applicant's request for reconsideration of the finality of the rejection of the last Office action is persuasive and, therefore, the finality of that action is withdrawn.
Claims 1-3, 5-13, and 21-28 are currently pending. Claims 4 and 14-20 have been cancelled. New claim 28 has been added. The previous objection to claim 26 is withdrawn. The amended claims do not overcome the previously stated 103 rejections. Therefore, upon further consideration, claims 1-3, 5, 7, 9, 10, and 13 are rejected under the following 102 and 103 rejections.
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.
Claims 1-3, 7, 9, and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Suzuki (US 2021/0226304).
Regarding claims 1-3, 7, 9, and 13, Suzuki discloses a battery module “100” (electrical connection system) comprising: a first bus bar “20P” (first electrical contact); a second bus bar “20N” (second electrical contact); and at least one rivet “M” that connects the first bus bar directly to the second bus bar; wherein the first bus bar is electrically connected to a first battery terminal “2P” of a first battery “1”, and the second bus bar is electrically connected to a second battery terminal “2N” of a second battery “1”; wherein the first battery is within a first battery group “10” (first cell stack) and the second battery is within a different, second battery group “10” (second cell stack); wherein the rivet includes a shaft extending between a factory head and a deformed head; wherein a shaft of the at least one rivet is received within both a through-hole “24a” (first aperture) of the first bus bar and within a through-hole “24a” (second aperture) of the second bus bar; wherein the first bus bar and the second bus bar are within a module cover (not illustrated) (enclosure) of the battery module; wherein the rivet is inherently capable of rupturing in response to a thermal energy level exceeding a threshold such as during thermal runaway condition of the battery cells ([0025],[0045],[0048],[0071] and Figs. 1, 5-7, and 8C). Examiner’s note: the limitation “for a traction battery pack” recited in the preamble of claim 1 is construed as being intended use. Therefore, the electrical connection system taught by Suzuki is inherently capable of being used in a traction battery pack. In addition, the Office takes the position that claim 1 does not require any specific amount of thermal energy level. So, thermal runaway conditions of the battery cells would provide sufficient thermal energy to rupture the rivet.
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 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suzuki (US 2021/0226304) in view of Tushar et al (WO 2021/210024 A1). The Suzuki reference is applied to claim 1 for reasons stated above.
However, Suzuki does not expressly teach at least one rivet that includes a hollow shaft extending between a factory head and a deformed head (claim 5);
Tushar et al discloses a rivet that has a hollow shaft between a factory head and a deformed head, wherein the rivet is connected to a current collector strip “108” (electrical contact / busbar) ([00036] and Fig. 3).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Suzuki battery module to include a rivet that includes a hollow shaft extending between a factory head and a deformed head in order to ensure ease of accessibility and releasing of the gases from the battery cells in the thermal runaway condition (Abstract).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suzuki (US 2021/0226304) in view of Wynn et al (US 2020/0067056). The Suzuki reference is applied to claim 1 for reasons stated above.
However, Suzuki as modified by Miyoshi does not expressly teach a rivet that is aluminum (claim 10).
Wynn et al discloses a fastening mechanism such as bolts, screws, … , rivets that may be made of any suitably strong material as aluminum alloy ([0026]).
Therefore, the invention as a whole would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made because the disclosure of Wynn indicates that aluminum is a suitable material for use as a rivet. The selection of a known material based on its suitability for its intended use has generally been held to be prima facie obvious (MPEP §2144.07). As such, it would be obvious to use aluminum.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 21-27 are allowed. Claims 6, 8, 11, 12, and 28 are 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 an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Suzuki discloses a battery module "100" (electrical connection system) comprising: a first bus bar "20P" (first electrical contact); a second bus bar "20N" (second electrical contact); and at least one rivet "M" that connects the first bus bar directly to the second bus bar; wherein the first bus bar is electrically connected to a first battery terminal "2P" of a first battery "1", and the second bus bar is electrically connected to a second battery terminal "2N" of a second battery "1"; wherein the first battery is within a first battery group "10" (first cell stack) and the second battery is within a different, second battery group "10" (second cell stack); wherein the rivet includes a shaft extending between a factory head and a deformed head; wherein a shaft of the at least one rivet is received within both a through-hole "24a" (first aperture) of the first bus bar and within a through-hole "24a" (second aperture) of the second bus bar; wherein the first bus bar and the second bus bar are within a module cover (not illustrated) (enclosure) of the battery module.
However, none of the prior art references expressly teach a pyrotechnic held within the hollow shaft; the rivet includes a chamber holding a pyrotechnic; the at least one rivet that is a pyrotechnic rivet; at least one pyrotechnic rivet including a hollow shaft extending between a factory head and a deformed head, …, wherein a pyrotechnic is held within the hollow shaft; or a pyrotechnic held within the hollow shaft, and a cap holding the pyrotechnic within the hollow shaft.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-3, 5, 7, 9, 10, and 13 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TONY S CHUO whose telephone number is (571)272-0717. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9:00am - 5:30pm.
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/T.S.C/Examiner, Art Unit 1751
/JONATHAN G LEONG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1751 8/14/2026
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