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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-10 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 1, Applicant recites,
"a first concave-convex piece is formed on the connecting boss" (Claim 1, Line 4) – it is unclear whether “a first concave-convex piece” is formed on a specific connecting boss, multiple connecting bosses, or each of the plurality of connecting bosses;
"a boss cavity is molded in the first plastic piece for accommodating the connecting bosses" (Claim 1, Line 9) – it is unclear how a single boss cavity accommodates multiple connecting bosses.
Claims 2-10 are also rejected based on their dependence from claim 1. Appropriate action is required.
Per Claim 10, Applicant recites,
"the connecting boss is formed ... on the top cover sheet" (Claim 10, Line 6) – it is unclear if Applicant is referencing a specific connecting boss, multiple connecting bosses, or each of the plurality of connecting bosses;
"the connecting boss is a columnar structure" (Claim 10, Line 6) – it is unclear if Applicant is referencing a specific connecting boss, multiple connecting bosses, or each of the plurality of connecting bosses;
"the connecting bosses are evenly distributed along a circular ring..." (Claim 10, Line 9) – it is unclear if Applicant is referencing multiple specific connecting bosses or each of the plurality of connecting bosses.
Appropriate action is required.
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.
Claims 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US20190109302A1 to Zheng et al. in view of CN207233788U to Li et al. (machine translation relied upon herein).
Regarding claim 1, Applicant recites, “A top cover injection molding structure of a power battery,” (Claim 1, Line 1), and “the first plastic piece is obtained by injection molding” (Claim 1, Line 8). The term “injection molding” is a process-based limitation. In accordance with MPEP 2113, “the patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production.” As such, recitation of “injection molding” and the associated process-based language are not given patentable weight in distinguishing the claimed invention over the cited prior art references.
Zheng teaches a top cover structure 100 (see [Zheng et al. Paragraph 0071]; Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 1 below) of a power battery, comprising:
a top cover sheet 10 [0075] which is provided with a terminal hole 11 [0077] in a penetrating manner (see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 1 below), wherein
a plurality of connecting bosses [0080-0081] are convexly provided around a periphery of the terminal hole 11 (see Zheng et al. Annotated Figures 1, 5 below), and
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Zheng et al. Annotated Figures 1 and 5
a first concave-convex piece is formed on the connecting boss 224 (see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 5 above); and
a terminal assembly 20 [0077] which is fitted to the top cover sheet 10 to form a positive terminal or a negative terminal (see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 1 above); wherein
the terminal assembly 20 comprises a first plastic piece 22, a terminal 21 and a seal 23 ([0077-0078]; see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 1 above),
the terminal 21 is assembled to the terminal hole 11, the seal 23 is arranged between the terminal 21 and the top cover sheet 10 ([0077-0078]; see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 1 above and Figure 4 below), and
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Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 4
the first plastic piece 22 is on the periphery of the terminal 21 ([0078]; see Zheng et al. Annotated Figures 1, 4 above); and
a second concave-convex piece is molded in the boss cavity (see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 4 above); and
the first plastic piece 22 is connected to the top cover sheet 10 through concave-convex fit between the first concave-convex piece and the second concave-convex piece, so that the terminal 21 and the seal 23 are fixed to the top cover sheet 10 by the first plastic piece 22 ([0078-0080]; see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 4 above); wherein
the terminal 21 is insulated from the top cover sheet 10 by the first plastic piece 22 and the seal 23 ([0082]; see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 4 above).
Zheng et al. does not teach that a boss cavity is molded in the first plastic piece for accommodating the connecting bosses.
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Li et al. Annotated Figure 1
Li et al. teaches that a boss cavity 323 is molded in the first plastic piece 32 for accommodating the connecting bosses 12 (see Lines 561-563 of Li et al. machine translation; Li et al. Annotated Figure 1 above). Li discloses a top cover structure 100 wherein a boss cavity 323 is molded in the first plastic piece 32 for accommodating connecting bosses 12 provided on the top cover sheet 10.
Zheng et al. and Li et al. are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are both in the same field of battery top cover structures. A skilled artisan would have been capable of switching the respective positions of the connecting bosses and recesses of Zheng, in view of the teaching of Li, for the purpose of securely attaching the first plastic piece to the top cover sheet, as required by Zheng. The resulting secure attachment between the first plastic piece and the top cover sheet would also have been reasonably predictable. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify Zheng by providing the connecting bosses on the top cover sheet with corresponding cavities on the first plastic piece, as taught by Li. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395-97 (2007); MPEP § 2143(I)(B).
Per claim 2, Applicant recites, “during an injection molding and cooling process…” (Claim 2, Line 2) and “after the injection molding…” (Claim 2, Line 3). For reasons given above in addressing Claim 1, recitation of “injection molding” and the associated process-based language are not given patentable weight in distinguishing the claimed invention over the cited prior art references.
Zheng et al. and Li et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 1. Zheng further teaches that the seal 23 is kept in the compressed state by connection of the first plastic piece 22 ([0104]; see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 4 above).
Per claim 3, Zheng et al. and Li et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 2. Zheng further teaches that the first plastic piece 22 is in the shape of a flat circular ring (see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 5 below) and comprises a plastic ring body and a plastic ring inner hole 221 located in the middle of the plastic ring body, and the plastic ring inner hole 221 is used for fitting at least a part of the terminal 21 therein ([0080]; see Zheng et al. Annotated Figures 4, 5 below).
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Zheng et al. Annotated Figures 4 and 5
Zheng does not teach that the boss cavity is formed on a bottom surface of the plastic ring body.
Li et al. teaches that the boss cavity is formed on a bottom surface of the plastic ring body (see Li et al. Annotated Figure 1 above). In accordance with the obviousness rationale articulated in addressing Claim 1, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify Zheng by providing the connecting bosses on the top cover sheet with corresponding cavities on the first plastic piece, as taught by Li.
Per claim 4, Zheng et al. and Li et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 3. Zheng further teaches that an upper terminal, a terminal fixing portion and a lower terminal are formed on the terminal 21, the upper terminal and the lower terminal are respectively arranged protruding upwards and downwards relative to the terminal fixing portion, and the terminal fixing portion is arranged protruding relative to the upper terminal and the lower terminal in a lateral direction; and a gap is formed between the terminal fixing portion and the connecting boss, and the gap is filled by the first plastic piece (see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 4 below).
Zheng et al.
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Annotated Figure 4
Per claim 5, Zheng et al. and Li et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 4. Zheng further teaches that a fourth concave-convex piece 212 is provided on a circumference of the terminal fixing portion or the upper terminal ([0095]; see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 7 below), a third concave-convex piece 223 is correspondingly molded on the first plastic piece 22 (see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 5 below), and the fourth concave-convex piece 212 and the third concave-convex piece 223 are in concave-convex fit with each other ([0095]).
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Zheng et al. Annotated Figures 5 and 7
Per claim 6, Zheng et al. and Li et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 5. Zheng further teaches that the fourth concave-convex piece 212 and the third concave-convex piece 223 are a notch and a bump, respectively (see Zheng et al. Annotated Figures 5,7 above), and a plurality of notches and bumps are arranged along a circumferential direction (see Zheng et al. Annotated Figures 5, 7 above).
Per claim 7, Zheng et al. and Li et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 4. Zheng further teaches that the plastic ring body is arranged to wrap side walls of the upper terminal and the terminal fixing portion (see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 4 below), so that a cavity portion is formed in the plastic ring body (see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 5 above), so that only a top surface of the terminal is exposed (see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 4 below); and a sunken platform 12 is formed at an area where the connecting boss is arranged, and the sunken platform 12 is filled by the first plastic piece 22 ([0101]; see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 4 below); a convex platform 17 is also provided around the terminal hole 11 ([0104]; see Zheng et al. Annotated Figures 1, 4 below), and a concave ring is arranged on a periphery of the convex platform (see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 4 below), the concave ring is in the shape of a circular ring and is recessed relative to the sunken platform, so that the seal is positioned on the convex platform 17 and the concave ring ([0104]; see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 4 below).
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Zheng et al. Annotated Figures 1 and 4
Per claim 8, Zheng et al. and Li et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 1. Zheng further teaches that a second plastic piece 40 made of an insulating material is arranged under the top cover sheet 10 (see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 1, 3 below), a first connecting piece is provided on a bottom surface of the top cover sheet 10 ([0115]; Not shown, but described in the written description of Zheng et al.), and a second connecting piece 41 is correspondingly provided on the second plastic piece 40 ([0115]; see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 1 below), and the second connecting piece 41 and the first connecting piece are in connection fit, so that the second plastic piece 40 is fixedly connected to an underside of the top cover sheet 10 ([0115]; see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 1 below).
Zheng et al.
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Annotated Figure 1
Zheng et al.
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Annotated Figure 3
Per claim 9, Zheng et al. and Li et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 1. Zheng further teaches that the top cover sheet 10 is further provided with an explosion-proof valve 16 [0076] or an electrolyte injection port 15 [0076]; the explosion-proof valve 16 is a split-type explosion-proof valve and comprises an explosion-proof valve plate and an explosion-proof valve film (see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 3 below), the top cover sheet is provided with an explosion-proof valve hole in a penetrating manner (see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 3 below), the explosion-proof valve plate is welded to an underside of the explosion-proof valve hole, and the explosion-proof valve film is attached to an upside of the explosion-proof valve hole (see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 3 below).
Zheng et al.
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Annotated Figure 3
Per claim 10, Zheng et al. and Li et al. are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 9. Zheng further teaches that the positive terminal and the negative terminal are arranged on a same top cover sheet 10 (see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 1 below); the connecting boss is a columnar structure (see Zheng et al. Annotated Figures 4, 5 below), a molding hole 141 is formed under the connecting boss (see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 4 below; A molding hole 141 is formed on the underside of the top cover sheet 10), the first concave-convex piece in the shape of a hat is molded on a top thereof (see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 5 below); the connecting bosses are evenly distributed along a circular ring concentric with the terminal hole 11 (see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 5 below); and a terminal mounting hole 12 is formed around the terminal hole 11 (see Zheng et al. Annotated Figures 1, 4 below).
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Annotated Zheng et al. Figure 1
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Annotated Zheng et al. Figures 4 and 5
Zheng does not teach that the connecting boss is formed on the top cover sheet.
Li teaches that the connecting boss 12 is formed on the top cover sheet 10. In accordance with the obviousness rationale articulated in addressing Claim 1, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify Zheng by providing the connecting bosses on the top cover sheet with corresponding cavities on the first plastic piece, as taught by Li, for the purpose of securely attaching the first plastic piece to the top cover.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jerome Nash whose telephone number is (571)272-3025. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:00 am-5:00 pm.
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/J.J.N./Examiner, Art Unit 1726
/JEFFREY T BARTON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1726 23 January 2026