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 .
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)(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.
1. Claim(s) 1-2,4-8,11-18,20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) as being anticipated by Birkholz et al. (US11688900).
As to claim 1, Birkholz et al. discloses a method of manufacturing a battery cell assembly for a battery pack (figure 1B), the method comprising: providing at least one battery cell (10) in the battery cell assembly, the at least one battery cell (10) including at least one prebent electrical tab (12i); and operatively connecting a busbar (22i) to the at least one prebent electrical tab (12i) on the at least one battery cell (10) in the battery cell assembly, without substantially deforming the at least one prebent electrical tab (12i), whereby subsequent bending of the at least one prebent electrical tab (12i) is unnecessary.
As to claim 2, Birkholz et al. discloses wherein a shape of a portion of the at least one prebent electrical tab is complementary to a contour of the busbar (figure 1B number 12i and 22i).
As to claim 4, Birkholz et al. discloses further comprising: welding the busbar to the at least one prebent electrical tab (col. 7 lines 57-59).
As to claim 5, Birkholz et al. discloses further comprising: operatively connecting the busbar (figure 1B number 22i) to a frame member (20), such that the frame member carries the busbar (22i); wherein operatively connecting the busbar to the at least one prebent electrical tab (12i) further includes attaching the frame member (20) to the battery pack (10) so as to cause the busbar (22i) to be aligned and in contact with the at least one prebent electrical tab (12i).
As to claim 6, Birkholz et al. discloses further comprising: positioning the at least one prebent electrical tab between a support structure and the busbar (figure 1B number 12i, 24, 22i).
As to claim 7, Birkholz et al. discloses wherein the support structure (figure 1B number 24) includes at least one tab backer, and positioning the at least one prebent electrical tab (12i) between the support structure (20) and the busbar (22i) includes positioning the at least one prebent electrical tab (12i) between the at least one tab backer and the busbar (22i).
As to claim 8, Birkholz et al. discloses, further comprising: welding the busbar, the at least one prebent electrical tab, and the at least one tab backer together (col. 7 lines 57-59).
As to claim 11, Birkholz et al. discloses wherein the at least one tab backer is conductive (col. 5 lines 56-60).
As to claim 12, Birkholz et al. discloses further comprising: bending, prior to providing the at least one battery cell (figure 1B number 10), at least one electrical tab (12i) on the at least one battery cell, to form the at least one electrical tab.
As to claim 13, Birkholz et al. discloses method of manufacturing a battery cell assembly for a battery pack (figure 3 number 1), the method comprising: stacking a first battery cell including a first prebent electrical tab (12i), a second battery cell including a second prebent electrical tab (12i), and a support structure (figure 1B number 24, each battery has the same components therefore every support structure is number 24) including a first cell frame (20) and a second cell frame, such that the first cell frame is adjacent to the first battery cell, the second battery cell is adjacent to the first cell frame, the second cell frame is adjacent to the second battery cell, and the support structure (24) is in contact with first sides of the first prebent electrical tab (12i) and the second prebent electrical tab (12i); and operatively connecting a busbar (22i) to second sides respectively of the first prebent electrical tab (12i) and the second prebent electrical tab (12i), the second sides opposite the first sides, such that the first prebent electrical tab (12i) and second prebent electrical tab (12i) are disposed between the support structure (24) and the busbar (22i) without substantially deforming the first and second prebent electrical tabs (12i).
As to claim 14, Birkholz et al. discloses wherein each of the first prebent electrical tab (figure 3 number 12i) and second prebent electrical tab (12i) include a portion with a shape complementary to the busbar (22i).
As to claim 15, Birkholz et al. discloses further comprising: welding the busbar to the first prebent electrical tab and the second prebent electrical tab (col. 7 lines 57-59).
As to claim 16, Birkholz et al. discloses the method of prior to operatively connecting the busbar (figure 1B number 22i) to the second sides of the first and second prebent electrical tabs (12i), attaching the busbar (22i) to a frame member (20) such that the frame member carries the busbar (22i), wherein operatively connecting the busbar to the second sides of the first prebent electrical tab (12i) and the second prebent electrical tab (12i) further includes attaching the frame member (20) to the battery pack so as to cause the busbar (22i) to be aligned and in contact with the second sides of the first and second prebent electrical tabs (12i).
As to claim 17, Birkholz et al. discloses wherein the support structure (figure 1B number 24) includes a first tab backer on the first cell frame (20) and a second tab backer (each battery has the same components therefore also identified as 24) on the second cell frame (20); the method further comprising: positioning the first prebent electrical tab (12i) on the first tab backer (24); and positioning the second prebent electrical tab (12i) on the second tab backer (24).
As to claim 18, Birkholz et al. discloses further comprising: welding the first prebent electrical tab, the second prebent electrical tab, the first tab backer, the second tab backer, and the busbar together (col. 7 lines 57-59).
As to claim 20, Birkholz et al. discloses, further comprising: bending, a first electrical tab (figure 1B number 12i) on the first battery cell (10) to form first prebent electrical tab (12i) and a second electrical tab on the second battery cell to form the second prebent electrical tab (12i) on the second battery cell, prior to stacking the first battery cell, the second battery cell (figure 3), and the support structure (24).
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.
2. Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Birkholz et al.
Birkholz et al. discloses the method of manufacturing a battery cell assembly for a battery pack described above. Birkholz et al. discloses a curved prebent electrical tab (figure 1B number 12i). Birkholz et al. fail to disclose wherein the at least one prebent electrical tab includes a semi- cylindrical portion, such that the semi-cylindrical portion of the at least one prebent electrical tab is complementary to a contour of the busbar. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time applicant's invention was made to provide wherein the at least one prebent electrical tab includes a semi- cylindrical portion, such that the semi-cylindrical portion of the at least one prebent electrical tab is complementary to a contour of the busbar in order to provide optimal shape for optimal results in absence of unexpected results.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9-10,19 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 prior at fail to teach or suggest wherein the support structure includes at least one clip and at least one tab backer, the method further comprising: clipping the at least one clip to a cell frame included in the support structure; and clipping the at least one tab backer respectively to the at least one clip; wherein: positioning the at least one prebent electrical tab between the support structure and the busbar includes positioning the at least one prebent electrical tab between the at least one tab backer and the busbar or further comprising, prior to positioning the first prebent electrical tab on the first tab backer and the second prebent electrical tab on the second tab backer: clipping a first clip on the first cell frame; clipping a second clip on the second cell frame; clipping the first tab backer on the first clip; and clipping the second tab backer on the second clip. Applicant teaches in addition to the busbar 202, the tab backers 432, 436, and the clips 426, 428 being contoured substantially complementary to the electrical tabs 412, their elastic deformation may contribute to minimizing the air gaps between the electrical tabs 412, the busbar 202, and the tab backers 432, 436 within the angular span.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JANE J RHEE whose telephone number is (571)272-1499. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday (10-6:30).
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/JANE J RHEE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1724
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