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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1-8 in the reply filed on May 27, 2026 is acknowledged.
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.
Claims 1, 3, 4, and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhang (CN217788723U).
Regarding claims 1, 3, 4, and 6, Zhang discloses (see [0067]-[0100]) and Figs. 3-7) a cylindrical power battery module includes at least one sub-module, and each sub-module includes multiple adjacently arranged cell units 100 ([0067]). The multiple cell units 100 are arranged in an array along a first direction and a second direction, and there are intervals between the multiple cell units 100 ([0067]). In an embodiment, a sub-module is configured as one, with the input terminal of the cylindrical power battery module being the cell unit 100 at one end of the sub-module and the output terminal of the cylindrical power battery module being the cell unit 100 at the other end of the sub-module ([0068]). The busbar assembly in this cylindrical power battery module includes an input copper busbar 200, an output copper busbar 300, and a corresponding number of CCS components for the sub-module ([0068]). The input copper busbar 200 is connected to the cell unit 100 at the input end of the cylindrical power battery module ([0068]).
As shown in Fig. 5, the output copper bar 300 is a variable cross-section copper bar, and comprises an output copper bar first end 301 (i.e. protection bar) and an output copper bar second end 302 (i.e. output bar); the output copper bar first end 301 is connected to the battery cell unit 100 at the output end of the cylindrical power battery of the copper bar (i.e. the output bar being electrically connected to an external device, and the protection bar being connected between the output bar and the battery pack output bar), and the thickness of the output copper bar first end 301 is less than that of the output copper bar second end 302 ([0086]). The output copper bar 300 can further be connected to the battery cell unit 100 at the input end of the submodule. The thickness of the output copper bar first end 301 is 0.2mm to 0.4mm, and the thickness of the output copper bar second end 302 is 3mm to 5mm ([0086]).
The output copper bar first end 301 is a planar structure, and a third fuse structure comprises a third flow limiting hole provided on the output copper bar first end 301 (i.e. the protection bar being provided with a fuse protection structure) ([0088]). The output copper bar first end comprises input connection portions (i.e. branch bars) corresponding to conductive units 410 on the same connection piece 400 in quantity (Fig. 5; the protection bar comprises a main bar and a plurality of branch bars connected to the main bar, the main bar and the output bar being connected). The four input connection portions are respectively connected to the four battery cell units 100 at the output end of the submodule, thereby realizing collection of the current at the output copper bar 300 (i.e. one branch bar being electrically connected to one-sub battery group of the battery group). A protrusion structure of the output copper bar first end 301 is a third buffer portion 303, and the third fuse structure is provided at the third buffer portion 303 (i.e. each branch bar being provided with a fuse protection structure).
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.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang in view of Bertin et al. (“Bertin”, US 6,633,055 B2).
As to claim 2, Zhang teaches fuse protection structures but does not teach a gap between conductive strips. However, small, precise gaps are known in the art for arc interruption, thermal performance, and mechanical stability. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to include gaps between conductive strips in Zhang for improved for arc interruption, thermal performance, and mechanical stability. Bertin also teaches the gap reduces the amount of heat that can be conducted away from the fusible element. In a conductive strip, heat spreads through the material; by introducing an air gap, the thermal conductivity path is interrupted, allowing the strip to heat up more quickly and reach its melting point at a lower current.
Claims 5 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang.
As to claim 5, Zhang does not teach welding the output bar and protective bar. However, welding is well known in the art to form connections while maintaining alignment and preventing interference. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to weld the output bar and protective bar together to form a connection while maintaining alignment and position.
As to claim 8, Zhang teaches an output copper bar first end 301, which is capable of connecting to a nickel sheet.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang in view of Goh et al. (“Goh”, US 2023/0066938 A1).
As to claim 7, Zhang does not teach piercing holes or bending parts. However, Goh discloses a battery connection module (title) and depicts both holes and bending parts in Fig. 9. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to include holes to achieve lighter weight and facilitate electrical connections and to have bending parts to facilitate electrical connections at predetermined contact points.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL H. LEE whose telephone number is (571)272-2548. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30-5:00.
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DANIEL H. LEE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1746
/DANIEL H LEE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1746
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