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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to the communication filed on 6/8/26. Applicant’s arguments regarding Kobayashi have been considered but are not found persuasive. Claims 1-18 are pending. This Action is FINAL, as necessitated by amendment.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
All prior 35 USC 112 rejection are withdrawn. The claims have been amended accordingly.
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(s) 1-3, 5-11 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kobayashi et al., WO 2016/076308 A1.
Kobayashi teaches a storage battery unit and a power storage device in which deformation of a battery module due to movement of a battery module in a housing is suppressed while a housing and a battery assembly are fixed with a simple structure (page 1; bottom). See at least Figures 3-4.
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The storage battery assembly 30 comprises battery modules 20 and a housing 50. The number of battery modules 20 included in the battery assembly 30 is not particularly limited and may be arbitrary according to the capacity and voltage required for the storage battery unit 10. As an example, the battery assembly 30 has eight battery modules 20 connected in series (page 2; middle). A through hole 26 through which a rod member (connection portion) is passed for fixing a plurality of battery modules 20 penetrates in the thickness direction of the accommodating case 21 of the battery modules 20 (see Figure 2). The number and position of the through holes 26 are not particularly limited. However, in order to prevent the relative rotation between the battery modules 20, it is preferable that the number of the through holes 26 is plural, and in order to prevent damage of the electrochemical cell by the rod member. The through holes 26 are preferable positioned at a peripheral edge portion of the accommodating case 21 (upper portion and lower portion, as shown in the Figures of Kobayashi). The rod members are fixed to opposite side surface portions (side plate 31; side plate 32) of the housing 50, as illustrated by at least Figure 4.
The side plates 31, 32 and the middle plate 33 have a role of pressing the battery module 20 in its thickness direction and a function of fixing the battery module 20 to the first stay 45 and the second stay 46. The side plates 31, 32 and the middle plate 33 have extended portions 31a, 32a, 33a extending from two opposite sides. On the distal end sides of the extending portions 31a, 32a, 33a, there is formed a fixing portion in which a hole for passing a fixing screw is formed, in which the side plates 31, 32 and the middle plate 33 are arranged in the first stay 45, and the second stay 46 (page 4; middle). The first stay 45 and second stay 46 are located at a bottom surface of the housing 50. The rod members are inserted into the through holes 31b, 32b, 33b of the respective plates 31-33 and the through holes 26 of the battery module 20, whereby the positions of the plurality of battery modules 20 are fixed (page 4; middle). The battery modules 20 move along the rod members in a longitudinal direction at least when the rod members are inserted through the through holes 26 of the battery module 20.
Kobayashi does not explicitly teach “a first sub-battery module and a pair of second sub-battery modules”. However, at least claim 1 does not require the first sub-battery module and the pair of second sub-battery modules to be structurally different modules. One of skill in the art would have found the claimed invention obvious at the time of filing of the invention because Kobayashi teaches battery modules 20 wherein a first battery module 20 would have been considered the “first sub-battery module” and second/third battery modules 20 would have been considered the “pair of second sub-battery modules”. See at least the Figure of Kobayashi.
Regarding claims 2-3 and 5-9, the first stay 45 and the second stay 46 wraps at least a part of outer side surfaces of the battery modules 20. In addition, extended portion 33a wraps at least a part of outer side surfaces of the battery modules 20 (see at least Figures 1, 3 and 5). The plates (two side plates and a middle plate) have through holes that allow the plates to move along the rod members in a longitudinal direction when the rod members are inserted. The stays and the plates are considered “frame members”.
Regarding claim 10, at least Figure 4 shows the rod members 34 are bolted to the side surface portions 31/32 of the battery housing. Furthermore, on the distal end sides of the extending portions 31a, 32a, 33a, there is formed a fixing portion in which a hole for passing a fixing screw is formed, in which the side plates 31, 32 and the middle plate 33 are arranged in the first stay 45, and the second stay 46 (bottom surface).
Regarding claim 11, battery modules 20 have a storage case 21 in which one or more electrochemical cells (cell stack) are housed (page 2; middle).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 12-15 and 17-18 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 a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 4, the claim is directed toward a battery pack as recited by claims 1-3 wherein frame member is glass fiber reinforced plastic or carbon fiber reinforced plastic. Kobayashi teaches resin and metal materials. One of skill would not have found a glass fiber reinforced plastic or a carbon fiber reinforced plastic, as recited by claim 4, obvious in view of a teaching of resin/metal materials.
Regarding claims 12-15, the claims are directed toward a battery pack as recited by claims 1 and 11 wherein the battery pack further comprises:
the first sub-battery module includes a pair of first module frames respectively mounted to an upper portion and a lower portion of the first battery cell stack, and
the second sub-battery module includes a pair of second module frames respectively mounted to an upper portion and a lower portion of the second battery cell stack.
Kobayashi does not teach the battery assembly structure recited by claim 12 wherein a first battery module 20 includes a pair of first module frames respectively mounted to an upper portion and a lower portion of the first battery cell stack and a pair of second/third battery modules 20 include a pair of second module frames respectively mounted to an upper portion and a lower portion of the second battery cell stack.
Claims 17 and 18 are directed toward a battery pack as recited by claim 1 wherein the battery pack further comprises:
in an assembled state of the battery pack, each of the pair of second sub-battery modules is not fixed to the bottom surface of the pack frame and is configured to move along the longitudinal direction of the pair of connection portions toward a respective one of the side surface portions of the pack frame.
Kobayashi does not teach or suggest a first sub-battery module is fixed to a bottom surface of a pack frame AND each of a pair of second sub-battery modules is not fixed to the bottom surface of the pack frame such that each of the pair of second sub-battery modules move along a longitudinal direction of a pair of connection portions.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6/8/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues Kobayashi does not disclose or suggest the claimed feature of “wherein the first sub-battery module is fixed to a bottom surface of the pack frame”. Examiner disagrees. Kobayashi teaches a storage battery unit and a power storage device in which deformation of a battery module due to movement of a battery module in a housing is suppressed while a housing and a battery assembly are fixed with a simple structure (page 1; bottom). See at least Figures 3-4. Kobayashi teaches a through hole 26 through which a rod member (connection portion) is passed for fixing a plurality of battery modules 20 penetrates in the thickness direction of the accommodating case 21 of the battery modules 20 (see Figure 2).
Applicant argues Kobayashi does not disclose or suggest that one selected battery module 20 is fixed to the bottom surface of the housing. However, this argument is not commensurate in scope with the claimed invention. See at least the last three lines of claim 1. Note new claims 17 and 18 that require a first sub-battery module fixed to a bottom surface of a pack frame AND each of a pair of second sub-battery modules not fixed to the bottom surface of the pack frame such that each of the pair of second sub-battery modules move along a longitudinal direction of a pair of connection portions has been indicated as allowable subject matter.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Toyohiko (JP2011-049181) teaches a battery pack capable of preventing expansion of each cell forming the battery pack (see abstract).
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TRACY DOVE whose telephone number is (571)272-1285. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00-3:00.
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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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/TRACY M DOVE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725
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