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 Amendment
The amendment filed on 23 April 2026 has been entered. Claims 1-3 are canceled, claims 4 and 7-10 are amended.
Applicant’s amendments have not placed the application in condition for allowance.
Applicant’s submission of an amended abstract is acknowledged.
Applicant’s amendments have overcome the rejection made under 35 USC 112(b).
All previous prior art rejections are withdrawn.
New rejections follow.
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.
Claims 4-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zheng et al (US 2019/0109302 A1) in view of Li et al (CN 207233788U) and Kim (CN103247773A)
Applicant recites, for example, “A top cover injection molding structure of a power battery,” (Claim 4, Line 1), “each of the plurality of connecting bosses is formed by stamping” (Claim 4, lines 4-5) “the first plastic piece is obtained by injection molding” (Claim 4, Line 11), “during an injection molding and cooling of the first plastic piece, a predetermined pressure is applied to the terminal so that the seal is in a compressed state, and after the injection molding and cooling and removal of the pressure, the seal is kept in a compressed state” (Claim 4, lines 18-20), and “a gap is formed between the terminal fixing portion and the plurality of connecting bosses, and the gap is filled by the first plastic piece during the injection molding for insulation.” (Claim 4, lines 28-30) These are examples of limitations present throughout the claims that are drawn to the manner of making the top cover structure, and will not be given undue weight in examination. See MPEP 2113. “[E]ven though product-by-process claims are limited by and defined by the process, determination of patentability is based on the product itself. The patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production. If the product in the product-by-process claim is the same as or obvious from a product of the prior art, the claim is unpatentable even though the prior product was made by a different process.” In re Thorpe, 777 F.2d 695, 698, 227 USPQ 964, 966 (Fed. Cir. 1985) Such limitations will be given weight only to the extent that they define structure of the claimed product.
Regarding claim 4, 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), with each of the connecting bosses being evenly distributed along a circular ring concentric with the terminal hole (Annotated Figure 1),
Zheng et al. Annotated Figures 1 and 5
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a first concave-convex piece is formed on each of the plurality of connecting bosses 224 (see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 5 above and Annotated Figure 4 below); 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; boss cavity 13); 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; for a metal plate 10 [0075] insulation would be necessary to prevent shorting terminals 20 and 30).
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).
the first plastic piece 22 is in the shape of a flat circular ring (see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 5 above) 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 and 5 above).
An upper terminal (Narrower portion of terminal board 21 protruding above fixing member 22 as illustrated in Figure 4) and a terminal fixing portion (portion of terminal board 21 horizontally embedded in fixing member 22 as shown in Figure 4) are sequentially formed (Vertically from top to bottom as illustrated in Figure 4), with the upper terminal protruding upwards relative to the terminal fixing portion (Figure 4) and the terminal fixing portion protruding relative to the upper terminal in a lateral direction as claimed.
A gap that is filled by plastic of the first plastic piece is present between the terminal fixing portion and the boss/cavity structures 224/13. (Figure 4; the vertical distance between the terminal fixing portion and the boss/cavity structures corresponds to this gap)
Zheng et al. does not teach that a plurality of boss cavities are molded in the first plastic piece for accommodating the connecting bosses, that the boss cavities are formed on a bottom surface of the plastic ring body, nor does the reference teach that the bosses are formed in the top cover sheet. Zheng’s design places the bosses on the bottom surface of the plastic ring body and the boss cavities in the top cover sheet.
Furthermore, Zheng et al. does not explicitly teach a lower terminal formed below the terminal fixing portion, which protrudes downwards relative to the terminal fixing portion, such that the terminal fixing portion protrudes relative to the lower terminal in a lateral direction.
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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).
Kim is relied upon to teach a conventional approach to providing the needed connections between the external battery terminals and the internal components of the battery, namely that a portion of the external terminals can extend into or through the terminal hole to facilitate connection to the internal current collecting structures. (Figures 2 and 4, terminal connection member 24, Para [0052])
Zheng et al. and Kim are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are both in the same field of battery top cover structures and external terminals. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the terminal board 21 of Zheng et al to include a terminal connection member protruding into lead-out hole 11, as taught by Kim, because Kim teaches this provides means of connecting the terminals to the internal current collectors. (Para [0052]) One having ordinary skill in the art would have been fully able to select a known terminal design, and the result of such a substitution would have predictably provided the needed connections. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395-97 (2007); MPEP § 2143(I)(B). Such a protrusion into lead-out hole 11, as a lower terminal, will protrude downwards relative to the terminal fixing portion, and the terminal fixing portion will protrude in a lateral direction from this lower terminal.
Per claim 5, Zheng et al., Li et al., and Kim 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., Li et al., and Kim 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., Li et al., and Kim 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., Li et al., and Kim are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 4. 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., Li et al., and Kim are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 4. 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., Li et al., and Kim are relied upon for the reasons given above in addressing Claim 9. Zheng further teaches that the connecting bosses are columnar structures (see Zheng et al. Annotated Figures 4, 5 below), a molding hole 141 that is under each of the plurality of connecting bosses (see Zheng et al. Annotated Figure 4 below; A molding hole 141 is formed on the lower surface of the top cover sheet 10, which is therefore under all features provided on the upper surface), 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); 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
Annotated Zheng et al. Figures 4 and 5
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The modification of Zheng et al. in view of Li described above, which reverses the respective positions of the bosses 224 and boss cavities 13 of Zheng et al by providing the bosses on cap plate 10 and recesses on fixing member 22 provides the claimed structure.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 23 April 2026 have been fully considered.
Applicant’s arguments concerning the previous rejections under 35 USC 112(b) are persuasive, and the rejections have been withdrawn due to the amendments.
Applicant’s arguments concerning the Zheng et al. reference and the combination with Li et al. are not persuasive. Applicant appears to rely in part on product-by-process limitations (e.g. stamping and pressure that is applied during an injection molding process for distinctness. As pointed out in the rejection, such recitations in claims to a product are only given weight insofar as they define structure. For the reasons pointed out in the rejection, all claimed structures are present.
Applicant further argues that Zheng et al. provides undercut holes 13 in the top cover sheet and undercut 224 in the fixing member 22, which is accurate. However, the position taken in the rejection is that, based on Li’s teaching that bosses can be provided on the top cover sheet, which are received in boss cavities in the fixing member, it would have been obvious to reverse the positions and place Zheng’s bosses (undercuts 224) on cover plate 10 and boss cavities (undercut holes 13) in the fixing member 22. Applicant’s further argument that Li et al teaches no comparable connection structure is therefore not persuasive.
Conclusion
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/JEFFREY T BARTON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1726 15 May 2026
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