CTNF 18/278,672 CTNF 88964 Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Drawings 06-36 AIA The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “pretensioning” by the “additional element” must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 11-26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by DE 102018209541 to Volker . Volker teaches: Regarding claims 11, 18 and 20 An electrical energy store (100)/method of making an electrical energy store, comprising: a plurality of energy storage cells (10,20); wherein each of the plurality of energy storage cells comprises at least a first connection pole (Fig. 2, pole where 40 is attached); and at least one first contact element (see connection 40 illustrated by “lightning bolts” between 10,20 in Fig. 2), wherein the first connection pole of each of the plurality of energy storage cells is contacted against the at least one first contact element to form a plurality of first contact points (see multiple contact points on each 10,20 in Fig. 2); and a plurality of welding connections at the plurality of first contact points formed by closing an electrical circuit across the plurality of energy storage cells (see excerpt below in view of Fig. 2 lightning bolts) and using electrical energy stored in the plurality of energy storage cells to produce the plurality of welding connections (see excerpt below in view of Fig. 2). The method described can be understood to mean that different poles of the respective electrochemical cells are connected to one another in a material-locking manner by electrical welding or stapling of surface sections of the electrochemical cells using the energy stored therein. Regarding claims 12, 13 and 21 Pre-charging the at least one energy storage cell to a defined level/an electronic load in the circuit for take-up (see excerpt below; note that the precharged load can also be the load for take-up and since these claims do not depend from each other such a duplicate interpretation is not inappropriate). For example, in the case of current Li-ion cells, the electrochemical cells typically have a charge state of 10% to 30% prior to incorporation into a system environment. Due to the relatively small energy values required for the cohesive connection, the charge state of the electrochemical cells is only insignificantly influenced. Regarding claims 14, 15, 22 and 23 providing a plurality raised welding portion (21) in a region of the first contact point to produce or start an arc (see lightning bolts in Fig. 2). Regarding claims 16 and 24 Using additional material in a region of the first contact point (the material through which the weld is made may be considered “additional material”). Regarding claims 19 and 26 Providing a positive and non-positive connection at a second connection pole (see opposite end connections of 10, 20) . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 17 and 25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Volker . Volker teaches all of the limitations in the disclosed embodiments as discussed above, Volker does not specifically teach in the disclosed embodiments using an additional element that presses the first connection pole and the first contact element against one another. While Volker in the cited embodiments does not teach such an additional pretensioning element Volker does teach in the background of the invention that (“In other applications, contacts via springs, clamping, pressure and / or plug-in contacts”). Therefore it would have been obvious to provide an additional element that presses the first connection pole and the first contact element against one another as this is a known way to provide locating force in the battery art. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WOODY A LEE JR whose telephone number is (571)272-1051. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 0800-1630. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Edward "Ned" Landrum can be reached at 571-272-5567. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /WOODY A LEE JR/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761 Application/Control Number: 18/278,672 Page 2 Art Unit: 3761 Application/Control Number: 18/278,672 Page 3 Art Unit: 3761 Application/Control Number: 18/278,672 Page 4 Art Unit: 3761 Application/Control Number: 18/278,672 Page 5 Art Unit: 3761 Application/Control Number: 18/278,672 Page 6 Art Unit: 3761
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