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 .
Summary
This is the initial Office Action based on Application 18/292,405 filed 01/26/2024 by Jiang You, Feng Qin, and Jifan Gao.
Claims 1-19 are currently pending and have been fully considered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(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) 1-14 and 16-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by PAN (US 2022/0059896 A1).
With respect to claim 1. PAN teaches a stacking power supply cabinet that includes a base assembly 20, a batter management module 30, a top cover 10, and a plurality of battery modules 40 (paragraph 0083). The multiple battery modules are stacked from top to bottom (paragraph 0084). In order to facilitate the connection of the power transmission lines, the battery management module 30 may be arranged on a side of the stacking supply cabinet (paragraph 0097). Specifically the battery management module 30 is attached to the side of the battery modules (paragraph 0098). The battery management module may be attached by use of threaded holes 70 which are provided on the corners of the battery management module, and facilitate the installation of the battery management module 30 (paragraph 0102). As seen in figure 5 the battery management module 30 spans at least two modules 40, and as the connection holes are located at the corners, this means that the connection of the battery module connects to at least two adjacent modules.
With respect to claims 2 and 4. PAN teaches as seen in Figure 9 the battery management module 30, which is taken to be the claimed connecting structure includes at least a plate and fasteners (Figure 9 and paragraph 0102). The use of fasteners are taken to be inherent, as PAN teaches the module 30 is attached to the side of the module (paragraph 0098) and uses the threaded holes to do the attaching (paragraph 0102).
With respect to claim 3. PAN teaches as noted above the module 30 is attached to the side of the module using the threaded holes (paragraph 0098 and 0102). Therefore the use of a fastener comprising external threads would have been understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.
With respect to claim 5. PAN teaches the modules include a U-shaped groove (figure 5) and is taken to be the claimed recessed handle slot. Specifically the area where the battery management module is embedded in the module 40 (paragraph 0098) The term “handle slot” is taken to be a statement of intended use and is not being given patentable weight. In the present case the structure being examined is a recessed slot formed in the battery module.
With respect to claim 6. PAN teaches the U-shaped groove 2-11 accommodates the battery management module 3 (paragraph 0087) which is taken to be the connecting plate, and covers the handle slot as claimed.
With respect to claim 7. PAN teaches connecting the adjacent battery assemblies through a plug assembly 50 (paragraph 0089 and Figures 6-7).
With respect to claim 8. PAN teaches that the battery assembly has a structure so that there are handles 100 provided on a position of the battery module 40, and the handles are used to limit the position during installation (paragraph 0103).
With respect to claim 9. PAN teaches the stacking power supply cabinet includes a base assembly 20 arranged as the lowermost layer, so that the battery modules 40 are sequentially stacked on the base assembly (paragraph 0097). The battery management module 30 then is arranged on a side of the cabinet (paragraph 0097). The base assembly 20 is taken to be the claimed base, and the battery management module 30 is taken to be the claimed control module, the base is on the bottom end of the cabinet, and the module 30 is on a second side end of the cabinet (Figure 5).
With respect to claim 10. PAN teaches as seen in Figure 5 the base and the adjacent battery module is connected through the connection structure on the battery management module (Figure 5, and see the discussion with respect to claim 2 above).
With respect to claim 16. PAN teaches the use of terminal 50 to electrically connect the modules 40 (paragraph 0089). As seen in Figure 5 the base 20 includes one of these terminals 50 to connect to the adjacent module 40.
With respect to claim 18. PAN teaches that the battery assembly has a structure so that there are handles 100 provided on a position of the battery module 40, and the handles are used to limit the position during installation (paragraph 0103). These handles are included on the base 20 (Figure 5).
With respect to claim 11. PAN teaches as noted above, the battery management module 30 includes the threaded holes 70 which facilitate the installation of the battery module 30 (paragraph 0102).
With respect to claim 17. PAN teaches that the battery management module 30 includes at least terminals 60 and connectors 31 and 32 to connect to the battery modules (paragraphs 0085-0086).
With respect to claim 12. PAN teaches the use of terminal 50 to electrically connect the modules 40 (paragraph 0089). As seen in Figure 5 the base 20 includes one of these terminals 50 to connect to the adjacent module 40.
With respect to claim 13. PAN teaches The battery management module 30 includes at least terminals 60 and connectors 31 and 32 to connect to the battery modules (paragraphs 0085-0086).
With respect to claim 14. PAN teaches that the battery assembly has a structure so that there are handles 100 provided on a position of the battery module 40, and the handles are used to limit the position during installation (paragraph 0103). These handles are included on the base 20 (Figure 5).
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.
Claim(s) 15 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over PAN (US 2022/0059896 A1) in view of NIZIOL (US 2021/0057688 A1).
Claim 15 is dependent upon claim 9, and claim 19 is dependent upon claim 11, both of which are rejected above under 35 U.S.C. 102 in view of PAN. However, PAN does not explicitly teach a third limit structure provided between the control module and the adjacent battery module.
NIZIOL teaches a cassette 600 which includes a casing for receiving battery packs (paragraph 0126). There is an end cap assembly 603 which houses a printed circuit board 612 with electronic circuitry and electronic components (paragraph 0126). There are then included shock absorbent end-pads 608 posited between the end cap assembly and divider board (paragraph 0126).
At the time the invention was filed one having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to include the shock absorbing pad between the control module and the battery module of PAN as taught by NIZIOL as this is a combination of known prior art elements in order to achieve predictable results. The shock absorbing pad is taken to be the claimed limit structure.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JONATHAN G JELSMA whose telephone number is (571)270-5127. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Niki Bakhtiari can be reached at (571)272-3433. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JONATHAN G JELSMA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1722
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