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 .
Specification
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because the abstract is two paragraphs, and the abstract is generally limited to a single paragraph. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-5, 13, and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (KR 2021-0015547, see English language equivalent US 2022/0123438).
Regarding claim 1, Kim discloses a battery comprising a cell assembly comprising a plurality of battery cells [unit cells 110] having electrode leads [positive 112 and negative 113 negative leads] ([0060]-[0061], Fig 2), a pack housing [pack case 400] for accommodating the cell assembly therein ([0021], Fig 2), a bus bar assembly [bus bar assembly 200] disposed on two sides of the cell assembly ([0021], see Fig 2-4), wherein the bus bar assembly is coupled to the pack housing, and connected to the electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells (see [0027], and busbar frames 210, 220 connected to rail 431 of bottom plate 430 of pack case 400).
Regarding claim 3, Kim discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Kim discloses first side plate 410 and second side plate 420 [cell support plates coupled to the pack housing and configured to support front and rear side of the cell assembly] as located on the sides of the battery pack ([0021], Fig 9-10).
Regarding claim 4, Kim discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Kim teaches a bottom plate 430 [floor frame] ([0021]), wherein the bottom plate 430 is provided with a rail 431 ([0027]), and rails 431 are present on both sides of the bottom plate 430 (Figs 9-10); and therefore is a pair of [guide] rails provided on the floor frame. The busbar frames 210, 220 are connected to the rail ([0027]). The first and second side plates 410, 420 extend between the pair of rails such that both sides of each side plate are coupled to the rails via the connect to the bottom plate 430 ([0078]).
Regarding claim 5, Kim discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. The rails 431 extend along the front and rear direction of the cell assembly (Figs 9-10).
Regarding claim 13, Kim discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Kim further teaches fixing shafts 440, 450 [pair of side plates] that fix [connect] the side plates 410, 420 [cell support plates] in distance ([0079], [0102], [0106], Figs 2-3)
Regarding claim 15, Kim discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Kim teaches a vehicle comprising the battery pack according to claim 1 ([0003], [0009]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (KR 2021-0015547, see English language equivalent US 2022/0123438), as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Choi et al. (US 2018/0294535).
Regarding claim 2, Kim discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. While Kim discloses the cells 110 stacked along a front direction and a rear direction (see Fig 2), Kim does not explicitly disclose the battery cells are coupled to each other by adhesive members, each adhesive member being disposed between adjacent battery cells.
Choi discloses a battery module including a plurality of battery cells (abstract). Heat transfer tape 200 having an adhesion portion 210 may adhere adjacent battery cells 100 to each other ([0062]-[0065], Fig 5).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the heat transfer tape having an adhesion portion between adjacent cells of Choi with the battery cells of Kim for the purpose of coupling the battery cells together.
Claim(s) 6-9 and 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (KR 2021-0015547, see English language equivalent US 2022/0123438), as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Chang (KR 101911662, see Applicant supplied machine translation).
Regarding claim 6, modified Kim discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. While Kim teaches the busbar frames 210, 220 [bus bar blocks] are coupled to the rails ([0100]-[0103]), with first and second busbars 230, 240 coupled to the busbar frames 210, 220 and electrode leads ([0071]-[0072], [0080]-[0081], Figs 9-10), and Kim does not explicitly disclose wherein the electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells are disposed between different bus bar blocks in the front and rear directions of the cell assembly [stacking direction], and the plurality of bus bar blocks are configured to interconnect the plurality of bus bars and the electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells by forcing contact in the front and rear directions of the cell assembly.
Chang discloses a battery pack with bus bars connected to a cooling device (abstract). The battery pack includes a plurality of battery cells in a case 17 (Figs 1-2). Bus bars 11 are connected below [outside of] the cooling part 11 and can wrap around the outside of the adjacent cell tab C ([0046], Figs 6-7). Fixing devices 12 are inserted between adjacent cell tabs C and allows adjacent cell tabs C to contact the bus bar 11 ([0050], Fig 7). A fastening member 13 is fastened to the fixing device 12 to adjust the spacing of the fixing devices 12 ([0051]). That is, Chang teaches a fixing device for the bus bar that secures the tabs by adjusting contact/force and that adjusts the spacing.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the fixing devices and fastening members of Chang as the busbar frames connected to the rail of Kim for the purpose of securing the tabs to the bus bar. In addition, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the fixing device and fastening member of Chang in the same alignment direction of the busbar frames [vertical] of Kim in order to maintain the same direction.
Regarding claim 7, modified Kim discloses all of the claim limitations a set forth above. Kim teaches that the bus bars and plurality of bus bar blocks [busbar frames] disposed along the front and rear direction of the cell assembly (see Figs 9-10).
Regarding claim 8, modified Kim discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Chang discloses a first block and a second block [first 121 and second 122 sub-fixing device], where the second block is disposed to face the first block along the front and rear directions of the cell assembly ([0057], see Figs 2, 4, and 8a), a pressing member [fastening member 13] is disposed between the first and second block [first 121 and second 122 sub-fixing device] and configured to be driven to contact the first and second blocks ([0057]-[0059]).
With regards to the pressing member [fastening member] having the direction driven from an upper direction to a lower direction, and wherein the lower ends of the first block, the second block, and the pressing member are located within the guide rail, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the fixing device and fastening member of Chang in the same alignment direction of the busbar frames [vertical] of Kim in order to maintain the same direction. Therefore, the lower ends of first block, the second block, and the pressing member are located within the guide rail because the guide rail is directly below the fixing device.
Regarding claim 9, modified Kim discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. With regards to the pressing member [fastening member] including a vertical movable part configured to move along the upper and lower directions, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the fixing device and fastening member of Chang in the same alignment direction of the busbar frames [vertical] of Kim in order to maintain the same direction. Therefore, the pressing member includes a vertical movable part [see head 13b in Figs 7 and 9] configured to move along the upper and lower direction, and a tapered part [tapered thread 13a] ([0064], Figs 7 and 9) coupled to an outer circumferential surface of the vertical movable part and defining a taper along a downward direction, wherein the tapered part [tapered thread 13a] is moved along the upper and lower directions together with the vertical movable part [see head 13b] to press the first block and the second block [first 121 and second 122 sub-fixing device] in the front and rear directions of the cell assembly.
Regarding claim 11, modified Kim discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Chang teaches that the bus bar 11 surround a part of the fixing device 12 [bus bar block], and is connected to the electrode lead [cell tabs C] by being pressed in the front and rear directions of the cell assembly according to movement of the first block and second block [first 121 and second 122 sub-fixing device] (Figs 8-9).
Regarding claim 12, modified Kim discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Chang teaches that the bus bar [busbar 11] includes a seating portion on top of the bus bar block [fixing device 12] (Fig 8a), lead connection parts [cell tab C] extending downward from two ends of the seating portion in the front and rear directions of the seating portion and disposed adjacent to front and rear surfaces of the first block and second block [first 121 and second 122 sub-fixing device], wherein the lead connection parts [cell tab C] are configured to be connected to the electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells by being pressed to both front and rear sides of the cell assembly according to a movement of the first block and second block [first 121 and second 122 sub-fixing device] by urging of the tapered part [tapered thread 13a] ([0058], [0064], Figs 7 and 9).
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (KR 2021-0015547, see English language equivalent US 2022/0123438) in view of Chang (KR 101911662, see Applicant supplied machine translation), as applied to claim 9 above, and further in view of Seki et al. (US 2020/0411819).
Regarding claim 10, modified Kim discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. While Kim in view of Chang teaches and suggests the lower ends of first block, the second block, and the pressing member are located within the guide rail for the reasons above in claim 8, modified Kim does not explicitly disclose wherein the pressing member further includes a bus bar block fixing part located inside the guide rail, the bus bar block fixing part connected to the vertical movable part, and disposed between a lower end of the first block and a lower end of the second block in the front and rear directions of the cell assembly, wherein the bus bar block fixing part is fastened to the vertical movable part to secure the bus bar block to the guide rail.
Seki discloses a battery pack 11 in which a cell stack 15 in a battery case 12 is pressed with a wedge member 19 having a bolt 18, which is screwed into a threaded portion 12d at the bottom of the case (abstract, [0033], Figs 1A-B).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the threaded portion at the bottom of case to accommodate the bolt and wedge member of Seki with the fastening member of Kim modified by Chang for the purpose of securing the fastening member.
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (KR 2021-0015547, see English language equivalent US 2022/0123438) in view of Chang (KR 101911662, see Applicant supplied machine translation), as applied to claim 4 above, and further Yoon et al. (KR 2017-0019041, see Applicant supplied machine translation).
Regarding claim 14, modified Kim discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. However, modified Kim does not explicitly disclose the pack further comprising a heat dissipation member disposed between the cell assembly and the floor frame along upper and lower directions. It is noted that because the heat dissipation member has to be between the cell assembly and the floor frame, that the upper and lower directions must be the contact area between the cell assembly and floor frame.
Yoon discloses a battery pack in which a plurality of battery cells are stored in a case, and the battery pack comprises one or more thermal conduction pads between an internal surface of the lower case and an external surface of the battery cell assembly (abstract). As seen in Figure 1, thermally conductive pads 110a-e are positioned between the battery cell assembly 300 and the surfaces of the case 100 (see page 5 of translation).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the thermally conductive pad between the battery cell assembly and the [lower] case of Yoon with the battery cells and bottom plate of Kim for the purpose of conducting heat away from the cells.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JACOB BUCHANAN whose telephone number is (571)270-1186. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00 PM (ET).
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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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/JACOB BUCHANAN/ Examiner, Art Unit 1725
/NICOLE M. BUIE-HATCHER/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1725
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