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
Claim 15 is withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Group II drawn to a vehicle, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 06/10/2026.
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1-14, drawn to a battery pack without traverse in the reply filed on 06/10/2024 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1 and 3-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zhang (CN 212392320 U, Machine Translation).
Regarding claim 1, Zhang discloses a battery pack (see Figs. 1-7), comprising:
a pack frame (100, pg. 5);
at least one battery module (200, pg. 5) provided inside the pack frame (100) and comprising a cell stack (200 is stack of 210, pg. 6) and an elastic support portion coupled (see Fig. 6, 420 and/or 410 and/or 430, see pgs. 4-5) to the pack frame (mounted in 100 see pg. 5, last paragraph) in the front-rear direction of the cell stack (See Fig. 1) to press at least one of the front and rear surfaces of the cell stack (200 is stack of 210, pg. 6).
Regarding claim 3, Zhang discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Zhang discloses wherein the battery module further comprises a module fixing portion (mounted in 100 through fixing element see pg. 5 last paragraph) fastened to the elastic support portion (mounted in 100 see pg. 5, last paragraph) and pressing (attachment of both elastic portions front and rear to frame will result in pressing force) the elastic support portion in the front-rear direction of the cell stack to fix the elastic support portion (mounted in 100 see pg. 5, last paragraph) to the pack frame (100).
Regarding claim 4, Zhang discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Zhang discloses wherein the battery module (200, pg. 5) further comprises a buffer unit (430 spreads force evenly and can be considering a force buffering element, see pgs. 4-7) disposed on at least one of the front and rear surfaces of the cell stack (see Figs. 6, 7, and Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 5, Zhang discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Zhang discloses wherein the elastic support portion comprises (see Fig. 7):
a support body (430, see pgs. 4-5 ) pressing at least one of the front and rear surfaces of the cell stack (200);
and a plurality of elastic portions (421) formed along the left-right direction of the cell stack in the support body (430).
Claim(s) 1-6, 8, and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Matsuoka (US 20060286441 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Matsuoka discloses a battery pack comprising (See Figs. 1-9):
a pack frame (110, 121, and 130 [0048]-[0049], see Figs. 2 and 6-8); and
at least one battery module (10) provided inside the pack frame (110, 121, and 130 [0048]-[0049], see Figs. 2 and 6-8) and comprising a cell stack (90, see stacks Fig. 5 and Fig. 2) an elastic support portion (see Figs. 3 and Fig. 4 or Fig. 9 140A and/or 150A or 150B) coupled to the pack frame (coupled to upper frame 130) in the front-rear direction of the cell stack to press at least one of the front and rear surfaces of the cell stack (see Fig. 3 and 150B, 140A/150B will press on first and last cell of stack which comprise front and rear surface of stack).
Regarding claim 2, Matsuoka discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Matsuoka discloses wherein the battery module (10) further comprises a side plate portion (133, plates between 121 shown in Fig. 2, plates shown in 110 in Fig. 6 and 160 and 170) supporting the front, rear, upper, and lower surfaces of the cell stack,
wherein the elastic support portion (see Fig. 3, 140A and/or 150A) is disposed on at least one of the front and rear surfaces of the side plate portion (133 which is fits between 132 [0049]).
Regarding claim 3, Matsuoka discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Matsuoka discloses wherein the battery module further comprises a module fixing portion (140A) fastened to the elastic support portion (150A) and pressing the elastic support portion (150) in the front-rear direction of the cell stack to fix the elastic support portion to the pack frame ([0052]).
Regarding claim 4, Matsuoka discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Matsuoka discloses wherein the battery module (10) further comprises a buffer unit (50) disposed on at least one of the front and rear surfaces of the cell stack (see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 5, Matsuoka discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Matsuoka discloses wherein the elastic support portion comprises: a support body (see 140A in Fig. 4) pressing (see Fig. 3 and 150B, 140A/150B will press on first and last cell of stack which comprise front and rear surface of stack) at least one of the front and rear surfaces of the cell stack; and a plurality of elastic portions formed along the left-right (grooves in 142 extend front to rear and left to right) direction of the cell stack in the support body.
Regarding claim 6, Matsuoka discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Matsuoka discloses wherein the plurality of elastic portions comprise a bent portion (grooves in 142 as shown in Fig. 4) coupled to a hole (136, see Fig. 3 [0057]) formed in the pack frame (132) in the front-rear direction of the cell stack in a state of being bent in the front-rear direction of the cell stack (see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 8, Matsuoka discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Matsuoka discloses wherein the pack frame (See Fig. 3) comprises:
a first frame (131 and 132 shown in Fig. 3 [0049]) extending along the left-right direction of the cell stack and formed in plurality along the front-rear direction of the cell stack to cover the battery module; and
a second frame (See 110 in Fig. 2 and 110 and 111 and 112 in Fig. 6 [0045]) coupled to the first frame, extending along the front-rear direction of the cell stack, and formed in plurality along the left-right direction of the cell stack to cover the battery module, wherein the hole (136 [0051]) is formed in plurality along the left-right direction (See Fig. 2) of the cell stack in the first frame.
Regarding claim 11, Matsuoka discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
wherein the battery module further comprises:
a side plate portion (133, plates between 121 shown in Fig. 2, plates shown in 110 in Fig. 6 and 160 and 170) supporting the front, rear, upper, and lower surfaces of the cell stack, and the battery module further comprises:
a module fixing portion (see Fig. 3 136 [0057]) provided between the side plate portion (between side plates above since side plates are between 132 [0049]) and the elastic support portion (see Figs. 3 and Fig. 4 or Fig. 9 140A and/or 150A or 150B) in the front-rear direction of the cell stack and fixing the elastic support portion to the pack frame by pressing the elastic portion (see Figs. 3 and Fig. 4 or Fig. 9 140A and/or 150A or 150B [0052]) in the front-rear direction of the cell stack.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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) 2 and 9-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang (CN 212392320 U, Machine Translation) as applied to claims 1 and 3-5 above and in further view of Hayashi (JP 2009205820 A, Machine Translation).
Regarding claim 2, Zhang discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
However, Zhang does not disclose wherein the battery module further comprises a side plate portion supporting the front, rear, upper, and lower surfaces of the cell stack.
Zhang discloses that there can be side plates which limit the battery pack structure in the length direction (see pg. 7 para. 2).
Hayashi discloses a battery module which has multiple side plate portions (16a1 through 16a4 and 16b1 through 16b4) supporting the front, rear, upper, and lower surfaces of the cell stack and attached to end plates (14 and 15) and discloses that these side plate portions allow for restraining the cell stack and makes the stack smaller ([0025]-[0026]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the battery pack of Zhang by having end plates and multiple side plate portions that wrap around the stack as disclosed by Hayashi because Hayashi discloses that this allows for a smaller stack and Zhang discloses it is appropriate to do so to limit length.
Modified Zhang discloses wherein the elastic support portion is disposed on one or more of the front and rear surfaces of the side plate portion (since side plates are wrapped around stack (modification above) and elastic portion is between stack and frame(see Zhang pgs.4-5).
Regarding claim 9, modified Zhang discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Hayashi discloses wherein the side plate portion (16a1 through 16a4 and 16b1 through 16b4) comprises:
a first side plate (16b1, see Figs. 1 and 3) supporting the front, upper, and lower surfaces of the cell stack; and
a second side plate (16a1, see Figs. 1 and 3) connected to the first side plate and supporting the rear surface of the cell stack.
Regarding claim 10, modified Zhang discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Hayashi discloses wherein the side plate portion(16a1 through 16a4 and 16b1 through 16b4) comprises:
a first support portion ( portion of 16a1 which touches 14 in stack) supporting the front surface of the cell stack; and
a second support portion (remainder of 16a1 and 16b1) extending from the first support portion in the front-rear direction of the cell stack and supporting the upper and lower surfaces of the cell stack (see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 11, Zhang discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
However, Zhang does not disclose wherein the battery module further comprises a side plate portion supporting the front, rear, upper, and lower surfaces of the cell stack.
Zhang discloses that there can be side plates which limit the battery pack structure in the length direction (see pg. 7 para. 2).
Hayashi discloses a battery module which has multiple side plate portions (16a1 through 16a4 and 16b1 through 16b4) supporting the front, rear, upper, and lower surfaces of the cell stack and attached to end plates (14 and 15) and discloses that these side plate portions allow for restraining the cell stack and makes the stack smaller ([0025]-[0026]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the battery pack of Zhang by having end plates and multiple side plate portions that wrap around the stack as disclosed by Hayashi because Hayashi discloses that this allows for a smaller stack and Zhang discloses it is appropriate to do so to limit length.
Modified Zhang discloses wherein the elastic support portion is disposed on one or more of the front and rear surfaces of the side plate portion (since side plates are wrapped around stack (modification above) and elastic portion is between stack and frame(see Zhang pgs.4-5).
Furthermore, modified Zhang discloses a module fixing portion (mounted in 100 through fixing element see pg. 5 last paragraph) between side plate portions (will be between side plate portions in middle of stack) and fixing the elastic support portion in the front-rear direction of the cell stack by pressing (attachment of both elastic portions front and rear to frame will result in pressing force) the elastic support portion in the front-rear direction of the cell stack to fix the elastic support portion (mounted in 100 see pg. 5, last paragraph) to the pack frame (100).
Claim(s) 4, 13, and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang (CN 212392320 U, Machine Translation) as applied to claims 1 and 3-5 above and in further view of Hayashi (JP 2009205820 A, Machine Translation) in view of Kim (US 20230100022 A1).
Regarding claim 4, Zhang discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
However, Zhang does not disclose wherein the battery module further comprises a side plate portion supporting the front, rear, upper, and lower surfaces of the cell stack.
Zhang discloses that there can be side plates which limit the battery pack structure in the length direction (see pg. 7 para. 2).
Hayashi discloses a battery module which has multiple side plate portions (16a1 through 16a4 and 16b1 through 16b4) supporting the front, rear, upper, and lower surfaces of the cell stack and attached to end plates (14 and 15) and discloses that these side plate portions allow for restraining the cell stack and makes the stack smaller ([0025]-[0026]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the battery pack of Zhang by having end plates and multiple side plate portions that wrap around the stack as disclosed by Hayashi because Hayashi discloses that this allows for a smaller stack and Zhang discloses it is appropriate to do so to limit length.
Modified Zhang discloses wherein the elastic support portion is disposed on one or more of the front and rear surfaces of the side plate portion (since side plates are wrapped around stack (modification above) and elastic portion is between stack and frame(see Zhang pgs.4-5).
However, modified Zhang does not disclose wherein the battery module further comprises a buffer unit disposed on at least one of the front and rear surfaces of the cell stack.
Kim discloses that between end plate portions (211) there can be a buffer pad (131 and 132 see Fig. 12 [0209] [0162]) and can be used to absorb swelling of the battery ([0163]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to add in buffer pads between the end cells and the end plates of modified Zhang as disclosed by Kim because it can be used to absorb swelling of the battery.
Regarding claim 13, modified Zhang discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition Zhang discloses wherein the battery module further comprises a side plate portion supporting the front, rear, upper, and lower surfaces (see Hayashi modification above, for example 16b1) of the cell stack and wherein the buffer unit is disposed between the side plate portion and the cell stack in the front-rear direction of the cell stack (see modification Kim which has pads on end cell faces).
Regarding claim 14, modified Zhang discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Kim discloses wherein the buffer unit comprises: a first and second buffer pad disposed between end plates and end unit cells.
In addition, Hayashi discloses wherein the side plate portion(16a1 through 16a4 and 16b1 through 16b4) comprises:
a first support portion ( portion of 16a1 which touches 14 in stack) supporting the front surface of the cell stack; and
a second support portion (remainder of 16a1 and 16b1) extending from the first support portion in the front-rear direction of the cell stack and supporting the upper and lower surfaces of the cell stack (see Fig. 3).
Modified Zhang will have a first buffer pad disposed between the first side plate and the front surface of the cell stack in the front-rear direction of the cell stack (modification of Kim will have modified Zhang have this feature) and a second buffer pad disposed between the second side plate and the rear surface of the cell stack in the front-rear direction of the cell stack (modification of Kim will have modified Zhang have this feature).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7 and 12 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DEVINA PILLAY whose telephone number is (571)270-1180. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:30-6:00.
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DEVINA PILLAY
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1726
/DEVINA PILLAY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1726
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