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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
In paragraph 0006, line 3, “battery batteries” should read “batteries”
In paragraph 0014, lines 6-7, “the an outer” should read “the outer” or “an outer”
In paragraph 0029, line 5, “plastic frame 1” should be read “plastic frame 10” in order to be consistent with the drawings.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informality:
In claim 7, line 7, “the an outer surface” should read “the outer surface”
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schroeder et al. (WO2013092543), further in view of Mao et al. (CN110690384A).
Regarding claim 1, Schroeder teaches a battery energy storage system fixed by a metal belt (Par. 0002, lines 1-3, Par. 0051, lines 1-2) comprised of a plastic frame (see Abstract and Par. 0002, teaching battery module housing with parts made of plastic, Fig. 8a-b), a battery module (see Abstract, several prismatic batteries), arranged inside the plastic frame and comprising a plurality of batteries (Par. 0071, line 1, Par. 0073 lines 1-2), and at least one metal belt (Par. 00051, clamping band 4 made of metal, Fig. 8b), arranged around an outer surface of the battery module along a circumferential direction and binding the batteries together (Fig. 8b, Par. 0050-51).
While Schroeder teaches that the clamping band (reading on the recited belt) is metal, Schroeder does not specifically teach that the metal used for the clamping band is made of steel.
Mao teaches a battery energy storage system fixed by steel belt (Abstract) and at least one steel belt (binding belt 1, Summary Par. 1, line 1).
The examiner notes that selection of a known material based on its suitability for intended use supports a prima facia obviousness determination (see MPEP 2144.07). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the metal clamping bands of Schroeder with the steel belt of Mao, because steel is identified as a suitable material for a belt.
Regarding claim 2, Modified Schroeder teaches at least one support element (Par. 0131, lines 5-8, guide rounding 72), arranged on the outer surface of the battery module or an inner surface of the plastic frame, and abutting against a bottom of the at least one steel belt (guide rounding 72, Fig. 8a).
Regarding claim 3, Modified Schroeder teaches the battery energy storage system as stated above, wherein when the at least one support element is disposed on the outer surface of the battery module (Fig. 6d), an extension direction of the at least one support element is parallel to an extension direction of the at least one steel belt (Paragraph 0028, frame 54 is arranged on the outer surface of each battery, extending the entire way down the battery module).
Regarding claim 4, Schroeder teaches the battery energy storage system as stated above, wherein the at least one support element is a fiber glass board (Par. 0046, plastic parts of the module are glass-fiber reinforced, applies to guide rounding 72).
Regarding claim 5, Modified Schroeder teaches the battery energy storage system as stated above, wherein when the at least one support element is disposed on the inner surface of the plastic frame (frame 54), an extension direction of the at least one support element is perpendicular to an extension direction of the at least one steel belt (Fig. 6d, frame 54 extends upward, perpendicular to the belt).
Regarding claim 6, Schroeder teaches the battery energy storage system as stated above, wherein the plastic frame is integrally formed with the at least one support element (Par. 0131, lines 5-8, guide rounding 72 is formed with the frame).
Regarding claim 7, Modified Schroeder teaches a plurality of steel belts and a plurality of support elements; wherein, the plurality of steel belts at least comprising a first steel belt and a second steel belt (belts 4, Fig. 8a), and the second steel belt being located below the first steel belt (Fig. 8a); wherein, the plurality of support elements comprising at least two first support elements (guide rounding 72) and four second support elements (frame 54), the first support elements being respectively arranged on the an outer surface of the two batteries at both ends of the battery module and abut against bottoms of the two ends of the first steel belt (Fig. 8a), and the second support elements being respectively arranged on the two inner surfaces of the two ends of the plastic frame and abut against bottoms of the two ends of the second steel belt (Par. 0102, band passes through the inside of the housing, coming into contact with the interior parts).
Regarding claim 8, Schroeder teaches the battery energy storage system as stated above, wherein the inside of the plastic frame is divided into a plurality of compartments (Par. 0029, each battery is contained in an isolated space), and the batteries are respectively arranged in the compartments (Fig. 6d).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schroeder et al., further in view of Mao and Eto et al. (JP2001236937A).
Regarding claim 9, Schroeder teaches the battery energy storage system as stated above, wherein the plastic frame comprises four side panels (four side walls 7), a plurality of partitions (partition walls 13, partition side walls 15), the four side panels jointly form an accommodating space (Fig. 6d), and the partitions divide the accommodating space into the plurality of equal compartments (Fig. 6d, Par. 0079).
Eto teaches a battery energy storage system, wherein the plastic frame comprises a plurality of partitions (Paragraph 0084, several adjacent partition walls 13), and a plurality of ribs (ribs 31b), arranged on an inner surface of the side panels and an inner surface of the partitions (Fig. 14), and a plurality of side surfaces of each battery respectively abut against the ribs (Fig. 14).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the plastic frame and partitions taught by Schroeder by incorporating the plurality of ribs arranged on the side panels and partition walls, abutting against each battery, as taught by Mao, in order to provide stability to the batteries.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schroeder et al., further in view of Mao, Eto, and Intilion GMBH (DE202021100442U1).
Regarding claim 10, Schroeder teaches the battery energy storage system as stated above, except wherein each side panel is provided with a plurality of cooling holes, and the accommodating space communicates with the cooling holes.
Intilion teaches a battery energy storage system (Abstract), wherein each side panel is provided with a plurality of cooling holes (air inlet 25, air outlet 26, fan 27, Fig. 5), and the accommodating space communicates with the cooling holes (Par. 13-14).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the battery energy storage system taught by Schroeder by incorporating a plurality of cooling holes in each side panel, as taught by Intilion, in order to maintain the optimal operating temperature of the batteries, thus reducing aging and saving cell capacity, as stated in Initlion.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CAMERON M BAIRD whose telephone number is (571)272-9742. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew Martin can be reached at 571-270-7871. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CAMERON M BAIRD/ Examiner, Art Unit 1728
/MATTHEW T MARTIN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1728