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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 17, 19-20, 23-28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 17 recites the limitation "the electrical power connection contacts". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 19 recites the limitation "the negative power terminal contacts". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 19 recites the limitation "the positive power terminal contacts". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 20 recites the limitation "the electrical power connection contacts". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 23 recites the limitation "the positive and negative electrical power connection contacts". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 25 recites the limitation "the power terminal contacts". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 27 recites the limitation "the negative power terminal contacts". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 27 recites the limitation "the positive power terminal contacts". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Further, dependent claims 24-28 are rendered indefinite due to their dependency on any of the indefinite claims as set forth above.
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.
Claim(s) 16-20, 22-30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Acikgoez et al. (US 2017/0200929A1).
Regarding claim 16, Acikgoez discloses a battery module (battery modules, see Title, Abstract, Fig. 1-16) comprising:
a module housing (module housing 22 [0045]); and
at least two battery blocks arranged within the module housing (battery module housing 22 houses battery cells [0047]), wherein
the battery blocks each comprise at least two energy storage elements having at least one positive electrode and at least one negative electrode (lithium-ion cells [0047]),
the at least two energy storage elements of one battery block are connected in series and/or in parallel (serial connection [0048]);
each of the battery blocks provides a maximum of 60 volts DC (low voltage means electrical voltage of smaller than 60 V [0002], low voltage [0043], [0051]);
the module housing has at least two positive power connection contacts and at least two negative power connection contacts connected to the battery blocks so that the DC voltages supplied by the battery blocks can be tapped from outside the module housing (plug connection 24 has a voltage tap 28 with a plus pole 30 and a minus pole 32 [0046]; battery modules 12 stacked on top of each other with plug connections arranged aligned [0051], Fig. 5); and
a maximum DC voltage that can be tapped between a positive and a negative power connection contact is 60 volts (low voltage means electrical voltage of smaller than 60 V [0002], low voltage [0043], [0051]).
Regarding claim 17, Acikgoez discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Acikgoez further discloses at least one of: the module housing is prismatic (prismatic [0065]); the electrical power connection contacts of the module housing are located on at least two sides of the module housing or on opposite sides of the module housing; and for each battery block, the module housing has a positive and a negative electrical power connection contact, one of which is located on one of the sides and the other on another of the sides of the module housing or on opposite sides of the module housing.
Regarding claim 18, Acikgoez discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Acikgoez further discloses the module housing has one side, on which all negative power terminal contacts are located, and another side on which all positive power terminal contacts are located (battery modules 12 stacked on top of each other with plug connections arranged aligned [0051], Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 19, Acikgoez discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Acikgoez further discloses the module housing has a side on which a part of the negative power terminal contacts and a part of the positive power terminal contacts are disposed, and another side on which all of the other positive power terminal contacts and all of the other negative power terminal contacts are disposed with the positive and negative power terminal contacts disposed on the sides in an alternating sequence (plus pole 30 and minus pole 32 are arranged with a lateral offset [0052], Fig. 7-8).
Regarding claim 20, Acikgoez discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Acikgoez further discloses the electrical power connection contacts on one side of the module housing are designed as a male part and the electrical power connection contacts on the other side or on the opposite side of the module housing are designed as a female part of a plug connection (poles 30,32 designed as a male part and bus connection 34 designed as a female part [0046], Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 22, Acikgoez discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Acikgoez further discloses the module housing has at least one further connection contact for coupling at least one communication line and/or at least one safety line (bus connection 34 [0046], Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 23, Acikgoez discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Acikgoez further discloses a modular battery system (motor vehicle battery, see Title, Abstract, Fig. 1-16) comprising: at least two battery modules according to claim 16 (Fig. 1-16 show at least two battery modules; see rejection of claim 16 above); and at least two battery blocks of one of the battery modules and/or at least two battery blocks from different battery modules of the battery system are electrically connected via the positive and negative electrical power connection contacts of their module housings (battery modules connected with each other by a plugin module 16 [0043]).
Regarding claim 24, Acikgoez discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Acikgoez further discloses the battery modules of the battery system are stacked (battery modules stacked [0042]); and within the stack, sides of the module housings of adjacent battery modules on which negative and/or positive power connection contacts are arranged face each other (Fig, 7-8 show battery module 12 having a plug connection 24 including sides facing each other).
Regarding claim 25, Acikgoez discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Acikgoez further discloses within the stack, the power terminal contacts of adjacent battery modules are in direct contact with each other or the power terminal contacts are directly or indirectly connected to each other (battery modules connected with each other by a plugin module 16 [0043]).
Regarding claim 26, Acikgoez discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Acikgoez further discloses the battery modules each have a first side on which all negative power terminal contacts are disposed and a second side on which all positive power terminal contacts are disposed (battery modules 12 stacked on top of each other with plug connections arranged aligned [0051], Fig. 5), within the stack, the battery modules are arranged such that, in adjacent battery modules, the first side of one of the adjacent battery modules faces the second side of the other of the adjacent battery modules (Fig, 7-8 show battery module 12 having a plug connection 24 including sides facing each other), and at least a part of the battery blocks of the respective battery modules are connected in parallel with one another (connector 84 used to accomplish a parallel connection of two or multiple battery modules 12 [0061], Fig. 15).
Regarding claim 27, Acikgoez discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Acikgoez further discloses the battery modules each have a first side on which a part of the negative power terminal contacts and a part of the positive power terminal contacts are disposed, and a second side on which all other positive power terminal contacts and all other negative power terminal contacts are disposed (plus pole 30 and minus pole 32 are arranged with a lateral offset [0052], Fig. 7-8), within the stack, the battery modules are arranged such that in adjacent battery modules, the first side of one of the adjacent battery modules faces the second side of the other of the adjacent battery modules (Fig, 7-8 show battery module 12 having a plug connection 24 including sides facing each other), and the battery blocks of the respective battery modules are at least partially connected in series with battery blocks of a respective adjacent battery module and/or with battery blocks of the same battery module (serial connection [0018], [0022], [0048]).
Regarding claim 28, Acikgoez discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Acikgoez further discloses at least one switch that activates and/or deactivates the connection of the battery blocks of the battery modules forming the battery system (control connection for controlling switching contactor for emergency shutdown or separation of an electrical connection inside the motor vehicle battery ([0021]).
Regarding claim 29, Acikgoez discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Acikgoez further discloses a method of assembling a battery system (method [0001], see claim 20) comprising: providing at least two battery modules according to claim 16 (multiple modules [0042]; see rejection of claim 16 as set forth above);
assembling the battery modules to form a battery system (stacking multiple battery modules, see claim 20); and electrically connecting the battery blocks of individual battery modules to each other (plugging in a connection device to connect voltage taps of multiple battery modules, see claim 20).
Regarding claim 30, Acikgoez discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Acikgoez further discloses a final activation of the connection of the battery blocks by actuating a switch of the battery system (plugging in a connection device to connect voltage taps of multiple battery modules, see claim 20; control device for controlling switching contactor [0021]).
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) 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Acikgoez et al. (US 2017/0200929A1), as applied to claims 16-20, 22-30 above, in view of Han et al. (US 2011/0129704A1).
Regarding claim 21, Acikgoez discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Acikgoez further discloses the energy storage elements of a battery block are held by a holder or a holder made of plastic (housing made of plastic [0016], [0045]).
Although the reference further discloses the battery cells are film cells or prismatic ([0047]), the reference does not disclose the energy storage elements of a battery block are cylindrical round cells.
Since Han recognizes the equivalency of cylindrical batteries and angular batteries electrically connected to form one unit in a battery pack (Title, Abstract, [0029]), it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to replace the film/prismatic/angular battery cell in Acikgoez with cylindrical batteries of Han as it is merely the selection of functionally equivalent battery cells recognized in the art and one of ordinary skill in the art would have a reasonable expectation of success in doing so.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES LEE whose telephone number is (571)270-7937. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9AM - 5PM.
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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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/James Lee/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725 2/6/2026