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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed July 21, 2026, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant contends that Choi requires hooks (fastening parts) on the bus bars and fastening grooves on the sensor, which is the opposite of the configuration required by the instant claims (pp. 7-8). This is incorrect, as Choi explicitly states that the positions of the fastening grooves and fastening parts may be reversed (Choi [0146]). The rejections are maintained.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3, and 5-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeong et al. (US 2020/0365844 A1) in view of Choi et al. (US 2019/0198952 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Jeong discloses a battery module (battery module 100) comprising a battery cell assembly (cell assembly 60) including longitudinal cells (battery cells 10) with electrode leads (electrode leads 15) at each end in the longitudinal direction stacked in a thickness direction; bus bars (bus bar 26a and external connection member 27) connected to the leads an electrically connecting the cells; sensing members (circuit boards 28) coupled to the bus bars and sensing an electrical characteristic of the cells (voltage); and a module case (case 40) accommodating the cell assembly, bus bars, and sensing members (Jeong Figs. 1-4, [0042], and [0079]-[0086]).
Jeong does not teach any particular means of coupling the sensing members to the bus bars. Choi is directed to a battery module assembly (Choi Abstract). Choi teaches that bus bars may be coupled to sensors by hooking and fastening to fastening grooves (i.e. fitting couplings of one into the other) (Choi [0146]-[0147] and Figs. 18-20). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to select any conventional means for coupling the sensors to the bus bars, including hooking and fastening to fastening grooves.
The bus bar comprises an inter-bus bar (bus bar 26a) coupled to the leads at front and rear ends of the cells (Jeong [0069] and Fig. 5), and a sensing member (temperature sensor 28a) is connected to one side (i.e. the rear) of the inter-bus bar (Jeong Figs. 4 and 5).
Jeong does not teach any particular means of coupling the sensing members to the bus bars. Choi teaches that bus bars may be coupled to sensors by hooking and fastening to fastening grooves (i.e. fitting couplings of one into the other) (Choi [0146]-[0147] and Figs. 18-20). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to select any conventional means for coupling the sensors to the bus bars, including hooking and fastening to fastening grooves.
Regarding claim 3, the same number of columns of longitudinal cells (1) are disposed on each side of the inter-bus bar, and the electrode leads are bent towards and coupled to the inter-bus bar (Jeong Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 5, the module comprises a heat propagation prevention plate (plate unit 21) extending in a longitudinal direction across a front and rear end of the module case between two columns of the cells (Jeong Figs. 2-3, [0064], and [0083]).
Regarding claim 6, the inter-bus bars are installed through a front- and rear-end portion of the plate, and the electrode leads are bent toward and coupled to the inter-bus bar (Jeong Figs. 3 and 5).
Regarding claim 7, an insulating member (bracket 26b) is installed on a first and second side surface (left and right ends of coupling hole 22a) of the plate, and the inter-bus bar is installed through the insulating member and plate at both ends (Jeong Figs. 3-5 and [0068]).
Regarding claim 8, a sensing member (temperature sensor 28a) is connected to one side (i.e. the rear) of the inter-bus bar (Jeong Figs. 4 and 5).
Jeong does not teach any particular means of coupling the sensing members to the bus bars. Choi teaches that bus bars may be coupled to sensors by hooking and fastening to fastening grooves (i.e. fitting couplings of one into the other) (Choi [0146]-[0147] and Figs. 18-20). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to select any conventional means for coupling the sensors to the bus bars, including hooking and fastening to fastening grooves.
Regarding claim 9, the first sensing member is coupled to the bus bar by means of a hook portion (see rejection of claim 8 above), and the sensor/bus bar assembly is connected to the plate by a second hook portion (bracket 26b). Jeong does not teach that the second hook portion is attached to sensing member. However, rearrangement of parts is prima facie obvious. See MPEP 2144.04 VI C, citing In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950), and In re Kuhle, 526 F.2d 553, 188 USPQ 7 (CCPA 1975). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to place the second hook portion on any part of the sensor/bus bar assembly, including on the sensing member.
Regarding claim 10, the bus bar comprises a terminal bus bar (bus bar 27a) coupled to the leads in the longitudinal direction (Jeong [0079]-[0081] and Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 11, the bus bars are connected to the leads at both ends in the longitudinal direction (Jeong Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 12, a sensing member (circuit board 28) is installed on the rear side of the terminal bus bar (Jeong Fig. 3).
Jeong does not teach any particular means of coupling the sensing members to the bus bars. Choi teaches that bus bars may be coupled to sensors by hooking and fastening to fastening grooves (i.e. fitting couplings of one into the other) (Choi [0146]-[0147] and Figs. 18-20). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to select any conventional means for coupling the sensors to the bus bars, including hooking and fastening to fastening grooves.
Regarding claim 13, the module comprises a heat propagation prevention plate (plate unit 21) extending in a longitudinal direction across a front and rear end of the module case between two columns of the cells (Jeong Figs. 2-3, [0064], and [0083]), and the sensing member is coupled to the plate (Jeong Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 14, the module includes a heat transfer member (59) between the module case and an upper portion (in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal and thickness directions) of the cell assembly (Jeong Fig. 8 and [0131]-[0133]). Jeong teaches that the heat transfer member may be selected from a group including thermally conductive adhesive (Jeong [0133]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to try any of the materials listed by Jeong, including thermally conductive adhesive.
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeong in view of Choi as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Ha et al. (US 2010/0035142 A1).
Regarding claim 15, modified Jeong does not teach that the modules are stacked in a longitudinal or thickness direction. Ha is directed to a method of assembling larger battery packs (Ha Abstract). Ha teaches that larger battery packs may be more efficiently formed by stacking battery modules in a prismatic array (Ha [0005]-[0015] and Figs. 6-8). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to stack the battery modules of Jeong in a prismatic array (i.e. in at least one of the longitudinal and thickness directions) in order to more efficiently form a larger battery pack.
Conclusion
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.
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/J.A.C/ Examiner, Art Unit 1722
/ANCA EOFF/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1722
