CTNF 18/284,282 CTNF 87646 DETAILED ACTION 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. Priority Acknowledgement has been made of applicant’s claim for priority under 35 USC 119 (a-d). The certified copy has been filed on 09/26/2023. Information Disclosure Statement The Information Disclosure Statements (IDS) filed 09/26/2023 and 02/27/2025 have been placed in the application file and the information referred to therein has been considered. Drawings The drawings received 09/26/2023 are acceptable for examination purposes. 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 Claim s 1, 2, 6, 9 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 ( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by US 2010/0112429 to Murata (Murata) . Regarding claim 1 , Murata discloses a battery module (Fig. 1), comprising: a cell assembly comprising a plurality of battery cells stacked in at least one direction (Fig. 2) and housing accommodating the cell assembly, the housing comprising an uneven portion formed on at least a part of an inner surface of the module case in a direction not parallel to a stacking direction of the plurality of battery cells (lid 14, protrusions 141, Fig. 4). Regarding claim 2 , Murata discloses wherein the plurality of battery cells are stacked in a first direction, and the uneven portion of the module case is formed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction (Fig. 1, 2, 4). Regarding claim 6 , Murata discloses wherein the module case further comprises an uneven portion formed on at least a part of an outer surface (Fig. 1, para 39). Regarding claim 9 , Murata discloses a battery pack (para 34). Regarding claim 10 , Murata discloses a vehicle (para 53) . 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. 07-20-02-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by US 2010/0112429 to Murata in view to KR 20200075688 to Jung (Jung machine translation) . Regarding claim 3, Murata discloses the invention as discussed above as applied to claim 1 and incorporated therein. Murata does not expressly disclose a thermal resin located between the cell assembly and the inner surface of the module case on which the uneven portion is formed. Jun teaches a battery module comprising: a module case forming a predetermined space through a front portion, a rear portion, two side portions, and a bottom portion; a thermal resin applied to the bottom portion of the module case (Claim 1). Jun also teaches that the presence of the thermal resin the module case allows to efficiently cool the heat generated from battery cells as battery capacity increases, and to stably secure the battery cell block, which is an assembly of battery cells, within the module housing (para 5). It would have been obvious to one or ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the battery module of Murata with the thermal resin on the inner surface of the battery housing as taught by Jung in order to efficiently cool the heat generated from battery cells as battery capacity increases, and to stably secure the battery cell block, which is an assembly of battery cells, within the module housing (para 5) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 4, 5 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by US 2010/0112429 to Murata . Regarding claim 4, Murata discloses the invention as discussed above as applied to claim 1 and incorporated therein. Murata does not expressly disclose wherein the uneven portion is formed on the base plate. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to dispose the uneven portion on the based place, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70 ( MPEP 2144.04 (VI-C)) . Regarding claim 5, Murata discloses the invention as discussed above as applied to claim 4 and incorporated therein. Murata does not expressly disclose wherein the uneven portion is additionally formed on at least one of the top plate and the side plate. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to form the uneven portion on at least one of the top plate and the side plate , since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8 MPEP 2144.04 (VI-B). Regarding claim 8, Murata discloses the invention as discussed above as applied to claim 1 and incorporated therein. Murata does not expressly disclose wherein the uneven portion formed on each of a top plate and a base plate, and the uneven portion formed on the top plate and the uneven portion formed on the base plate have different shapes. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to form the uneven portion formed on each of a top plate and a base plate, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70 ( MPEP 2144.04 (VI-C)) . Moreover, The courts have held that changes in shape are a matter of choice which a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found obvious absent persuasive evidence that the particular configuration of the claimed invention was significant. In re Dailey , 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966). See MPEP 2144.04. Therefore, It would have been obvious to one or ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the shape of the uneven portions formed on the top plate and on the base plate have as an obvious design choice . 07-21-aia AIA Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by US 2010/0112429 to Murata in view to JP 2016122543 to Takeuchi (Takeuchi, machine translation) . Regarding claim 4, Murata discloses the invention as discussed above as applied to claim 1 and incorporated therein. Murata does not expressly disclose wherein a surface area of the uneven portion changes from an inside to an outside. Takeuchi teaches a battery comprising housing (40) case that houses the battery module (20) and into which cooling air is introduced; a plurality of protrusions provided on the flow path of the cooling air on at least a part of the inner surface of the housing case (claim 1). In addition, Takeuchi teaches bumpy parts are formed more densely on the downstream side, than on the upstream side, of the flow of cooling air introduced in the receiving case, thereby addressing a temperature difference of battery cells (22) (claim 1, para 14-26 Fig. 1-4). It would have been obvious to one or ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the battery module of Murata with the surface area of the uneven portion changing from an inside to an outside as taught by Takeuchi, in order to improve cooling efficiency. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEXANDER USYATINSKY whose telephone number is (571)270-7703. The examiner can normally be reached IFP. 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, Jonathan Leong can be reached at (571) 270-1292. 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. /Alexander Usyatinsky/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1751 Application/Control Number: 18/284,282 Page 2 Art Unit: 1751 Application/Control Number: 18/284,282 Page 3 Art Unit: 1751 Application/Control Number: 18/284,282 Page 4 Art Unit: 1751 Application/Control Number: 18/284,282 Page 5 Art Unit: 1751 Application/Control Number: 18/284,282 Page 6 Art Unit: 1751 Application/Control Number: 18/284,282 Page 7 Art Unit: 1751
