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 .
2. The Applicant's amendments filed on July 9, 2026, were received. Claims 1, 4, 6 10 and 15 have been amended. None of the Claims have been cancelled, withdrawn from consideration, or added as new. Therefore, Claims 1-15 are pending in this office action.
3. The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S.C. code not included in this action can be found in the prior Office Action issued on May 1, 2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
4. The rejection of Claim 15 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, has been overcome based on the amendment to the Claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
5. Claims 1-4, 9, 12 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Singer et al. (US 2020/0152930 A1).
With regard to Claim 1, Singer et al. disclose in Figures 2-4, a battery module (200), comprising: a cell assembly having at least one battery cell (225); a module case, called an enclosure (210) including a base container (230) and cover (232), configured to accommodate the cell assembly in an inner space, called a battery cell compartment (240), thereof and having a venting hole, called inner vent openings (not shown), formed therein to discharge a venting gas generated from the cell assembly; a vent, called an exhaust chamber (241), located at an outer side of the module case (210) and configured so that the venting gas discharged from the venting hole, or inner vent openings, is introduced therein and discharged to the outside through a discharge hole, called outer vent openings (215); and at least one filter, called a multi-stage filter system (250) including a first filter material (251) and a second filter material (252), located inside the vent (241) and configured to filter substances introduced into the vent (241); wherein the venting hole, called inner vent openings (not shown), and the discharge hole, called outer vent openings (215), are spaced from each other in a first direction, and wherein a length in the first direction of the at least one filter (250) is less than a length in the first direction of the vent (241) (paragraphs 0030 0033).
With regard to Claim 2, Singer et al. disclose in Figures 2-4, wherein the at least one filter (251, 252) contains a moisture absorbing material including zeolite and an activated carbon or activated charcoal material (paragraphs 0024-0025).
With regard to Claim 3, Singer et al. disclose in Figures 2-4, wherein the at least one filter (251, 252) is configured to inherently generate carbon dioxide after removing toxic, flammable, and/or malodorous gases (paragraphs 0024-0025).
The recitation, "configured to generate carbon dioxide", is considered functional language which imparts intended use to the structural features of the product. Therefore, while the claim language has been considered with regard to structure, the intended use language it is not given patentable weight because it is directed to a process and not directed to the structural features of the product. While features of an apparatus may be recited either structurally or functionally, claims directed to an apparatus must be distinguished from the prior art in terms of structure rather than function. See MPEP 2114. A claim containing a "recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus" if the prior art apparatus teaches all the structural limitations of the claim. See MPEP 2113.
With regard to Claim 4, Singer et al. disclose in Figures 2-4, wherein the at least one filter (252) is configured so that gas necessarily passes between the venting hole, or inner vent openings, and the discharge hole, called outer vent openings (215), of the vent (241) (paragraph 0031).
With regard to Claim 9, Singer et al. disclose in Figures 2-4, wherein the multi stage filter system (250) includes at least one filter (252) and a plurality of filters (251) along a flow direction of the venting gas in an inner space (240) of the vent (241) (paragraphs 0031-0032).
With regard to Claim 12, Singer et al. disclose in Figures 2-4, wherein the at least one filter (252) is configured to be mounted in an inner space of the vent (241) in a state where the vent (241) is attached to an outer surface of the module case (210) (paragraphs 0030-0032).
With regard to Claim 13, Singer et al. disclose in Figures 2-4, a battery pack, comprising the battery module (200) noted above (paragraph 0018).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
6. Claims 5 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Singer et al. (US 2020/0152930 A1), as applied to Claims 1-4, 9 12 and 13 above.
With regard to Claim 5, Singer et al. disclose the battery module in paragraph 5 above, but do not specifically disclose wherein at least one end of the vent is configured as a bent portion, and at least a part of an end of the bent portion is attached to an outer side of the module case. Before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been an obvious matter of design choice to manufacture at least one end of the vent as a bent portion, wherein at least a part of an end of the bent portion is attached to an outer side of the module case, since such a modification would only involve a mere change in the shape of a component. A change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP 2144.04(IV).
With regard to Claim 11, Singer et al. disclose the battery module in paragraph 5 above, but do not specifically disclose wherein the vent has an inclined surface on a bottom thereof to have a height lowered in a direction toward the venting hole. Before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been an obvious matter of design choice to manufacture the vent to have an inclined surface on a bottom thereof to have a height lowered in a direction toward the venting hole, since such a modification would only involve a mere change in the shape of a component. A change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP 2144.04(IV).
7. Claims 10 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Singer et al. (US 2020/0152930 A1), as applied to Claims 1-4, 9 12 and 13 above, and in further view of Kim et al. (US 2019/0097192 A1).
With regard to Claim 10, Singer et al. disclose the battery module in paragraph 5 above, but do not specifically disclose wherein the module case has the venting hole formed at both ends of a side surface thereof, and wherein the vent has a discharge hole formed between the venting holes at both ends.
Kim et al. disclose in Figures 1-3, a battery module (10) including a plurality of battery cells (100) accommodated in a case frame (200), the case frame (200) including a case outlet (250) provided at both ends of the case frame (200) and considered a venting hole (paragraphs 0031-0036). Kim et al. disclose a case cover (300) provided in a pair, mounted at front and rear sides of the case frame (200), the case cover (300) including a cover frame (310), guide barriers (320, 330, 340), a cover outlet (350), an anti-exposure channel (360), a mesh member (370), a flame-retardant member (380) and a pre-filter (390) (paragraphs 0037-0038). Kim et al. disclose wherein the case cover (300) acts as a vent and has a discharge hole, called a cover outlet (350), formed between the venting holes, or case outlet (250), at both ends of the battery module (10) (paragraphs 0031-0065). Before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the battery module of Singer et al. to include the module case having the venting hole formed at both ends of a side surface thereof, and wherein the vent has a discharge hole formed between the venting holes at both ends, because Kim et al. teach that this configuration allows for gases to be smoothly discharged out of the battery module (paragraph 0068).
With regard to Claim 14, Singer et al. disclose the battery module in paragraph 5 above, but do not specifically disclose a vehicle comprising the battery module.
Kim et al. disclose a battery pack (1) including the above noted battery module (10) provided for use in a vehicle as a fuel source for the vehicle (paragraphs 0080 0081).
Allowable Subject Matter
8. Claims 6-8 and 15 are allowed.
9. The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
With regard to independent Claim 6, the closest prior art, Singer et al. (US 2020/0152930 A1), teach a battery module, comprising: a cell assembly having at least one battery cell; a module case configured to accommodate the cell assembly in an inner space thereof and having a venting hole formed therein to discharge a venting gas generated from the cell assembly; a vent located at an outer side of the module case and configured so that the venting gas discharged from the venting hole is introduced therein and discharged to the outside; and at least one filter located inside the vent and configured to filter substances introduced into the vent. The closest prior art do not teach, fairly suggest or render obvious wherein the vent includes at least one protrusion formed on an inner surface.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Response to Arguments
10. Applicant's arguments filed July 9, 2026, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues, “this combination of elements as set forth in independent claim 1 is not disclosed or made obvious by the prior art of record, including Singer. Singer is cited for disclosing a battery module 20 having a battery cell 225, a module case 210 with a base container 230 and cover 232 to form a compartment 240. The module case has a vent 241 receiving gas from a vent hole and an outer vent opening 215. A first filter material 251 is inside the module case and a second filer material 252 is inside vent 241. Claim 1 now recites that the vent has a discharge hole, the venting hole and the discharge hole are spaced from each other in a first direction, and wherein a length in the first direction of the at least one filter is less than a length in the first direction of the vent. The filter 252 of Singer completely fills the vent 241. In contrast, the claimed filter is smaller than the vent, leading to less resistance to the flow of gas. Therefore, Singer does not disclose or suggest the subject matter of claim 1.”
The arguments of record are based on the claims, as amended. The amended claims have been addressed in the new rejection in paragraph 5 above. However, it is noted that, since the filter 252 of Singer completely fills the vent 241, it would be inherent that the claimed filter is smaller than the vent, and meets the claimed limitation of “wherein a length in the first direction of the at least one filter is less than a length in the first direction of the vent”. Therefore, Applicant’s arguments are not persuasive.
Conclusion
11. Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
12. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KARIE O APICELLA whose telephone number is (571)272-8614. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday; 8:00AM to 5:00PM EST.
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, 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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/KARIE O'NEILL APICELLA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725
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