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
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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 7-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cho et al. WO 2021/071138 (see US 2022/0247005)
With respect to claim 1, Cho et al. discloses a battery module 210 comprising:
a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked [0057];
a module frame 213 that houses the battery cell stack [0057];
end plates (bus bar frames) located on a first side and a second side of the battery cell stack respectively [0052; Figure 2], and a first end plate of the end plates having an opening formed therein [0052-0057; Figure 2];
a terminal busbar 211/311 exposed through the opening [Figures 3-6]; and
a blocking member 220/320 that surrounds the terminal busbar 211/311,
wherein upon a rise of internal pressure of the module frame 213, the blocking member 220 moves to close a gap between the opening and the terminal busbar. [Figure 3; Figure 4; Figure 6]
With respect to claim 2, Cho et al. discloses wherein: the blocking member 220/320 moves along the terminal busbar 211/311 to close a gap between the opening and the terminal busbar 211/311. [Figures 3-6]
With respect to claim 3, Cho et al. discloses wherein: the blocking member 220/320 comprises a body portion surrounding the terminal busbar 211/311, and an extension portion extending in an outer peripheral direction from the body portion. [Figure 2]
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With respect to claim 4, Cho et al. discloses wherein: upon the rise of internal pressure of the module frame, the blocking member 220/320 moves along the terminal busbar 211/311, and at least one of the body portion and the extension portion closes a gap between an inner surface of the opening and the terminal busbar 211/311. [Figures 3-6; 0059-0075]
With respect to claim 7, Cho et al. discloses wherein: the terminal busbar 211/311 comprises a first portion connected to an electrode lead 212/312 of the a battery cell of the plurality of battery cells, and a second portion exposed through the opening. [Figures 3-6; 0059-0075]
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With respect to claim 8, Cho et al. discloses wherein: the terminal busbar 211/311 further comprises a bending portion formed between the first portion and the second portion. [Figures 3-6; 0059-0075]
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With respect to claim 9, Cho et al. discloses wherein: the blocking member 220/320 is located so as to wraps around the second portion. [Figures 3-6; 0059-0075]
With respect to claim 10, Cho et al. discloses wherein: the blocking member 220/320 comprises at least one of a foam material. [0057-0060]
With respect to claim 11, Cho et al. discloses a battery pack 100 comprising the battery module as set forth in claim 1. [Figure 2; 0051-0055]
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(s) 5-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho et al. WO 2021/071138 (see US 2022/0247005) as applied to claim 3 above, in further view of Shin et al. (US 2019/0074557)
With respect to claim 5, Cho et al. does not disclose busbar frame located between the battery cell stack and the first end plate, and an insulating cover located between the busbar frame and the first end plate, wherein an opening hole is formed in a portion of the insulating cover corresponding to the opening.
Shin et al. discloses a battery module 100 comprising:
a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells 140 are stacked;
a module frame 160 that houses the battery cell stack;[Figure 2; Figure 8; 0045-0055; 0013]
a first end plate 224 on a first side of the battery cell stack having a coupling protrusion 228 formed therein; [Figure 10; 0055; Figure 8; 0052]
a terminal busbar 150; and a blocking member 172 that surrounds the terminal busbar 150, [Figure 5; Figure 6; Figure 7; 0049-0060]
wherein: the blocking member 172 comprises a body portion surrounding the terminal busbar 150, and an extension portion extending in an outer peripheral direction from the body portion. [Figure 2; Figures 5-7]
a busbar frame 160 located between the battery cell stack and the first end plate 224 [Figures 8-10; 0049-0055], and an insulating cover 170 located between the busbar frame 160 and the first end plate 120/124, wherein an opening hole is formed in a portion of the insulating cover 170 corresponding to the opening. [Figure 4; 0043; Figure 6; Figure 7; 0049-0060]
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the battery module of Cho et al. to include a busbar frame, as disclosed in Shin et al., in order to allow for simplification and size reduction of a structure of a battery module and reduction in manufacturing costs of the battery module and increased safety.
With respect to claim 6, Cho et al. discloses wherein: upon the rise of internal pressure of the module frame, the body portion and the extension portion comes into close contact with an inner surface of the opening hole. [Figure 6; 0070-0075]
Cho et al. does not disclose the body portion forming a stepped structure.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to change the blocking member of Cho et al. to include a stepped structure since such a modification would only involve a mere change in the size/shape of a component. A change in size/shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP 2144.04.
Shin et al. discloses wherein the body portion forms a stepped structure. [Figures 5-7]
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the battery module of Cho et al. to include a busbar frame, as disclosed in Shin et al., in order to allow for simplification and size reduction of a structure of a battery module and reduction in manufacturing costs of the battery module and increased safety.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KIRAN QURAISHI AKHTAR whose telephone number is (571)270-7589. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 9AM-7PM.
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/KIRAN QURAISHI AKHTAR/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1751