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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) were submitted on 06/03/2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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)(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.
(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.
Claims 1-3, 6-10, 13-17 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by US Patent Application Publication 2023/0118071 to Laramie et al.
With respect to claim 1, Laramie et al. teach a pressure control device for controlling a pressure within a battery, comprising: fixed plate in Fig. 9 (a support plate); the other fixed plate in Fig. 9 (a pressure plate) configured to move with respect to the fixed plate (the support plate), wherein the battery 110 is disposed between the fixed plate (the support plate) and the other fixed plate (the pressure plate); and an actuator 120 configured to change between a first shape and a second shape to move the other fixed plate (the pressure plate) with respect to the fixed plate (the support plate) to control the pressure within the battery 110 (Laramie et al.: Sections [0035]-[0036], [0053], [0060]-[0062] and [0088]; Fig. 5B and 9).
With respect to claim 2, Laramie et al. teach the pressure control device, wherein the actuator 120 includes a strip of piezoelectric material 121 extending from a first end to a second end, the strip of piezoelectric material 121 being coupled to a control plate 127 at the first end by a first support 129a and coupled to the control plate 127 at the second end by a second support 129a (Laramie et al.: Sections [0035]-[0036], [0053], [0060]-[0062] and [0088]; Fig. 5B and 9).
With respect to claim 3, Laramie et al. teach the pressure control device, the first end is fixed to the first support 129a and the second end is fixed to the second support 129a (Laramie et al.: Sections [0035]-[0036], [0053], [0060]-[0062] and [0088]; Fig. 5B and 9).
With respect to claim 6, Laramie et al. teach the pressure control device, wherein the control plate 127 that is stationary with respect to the fixed plate (the support plate) (Laramie et al.: Sections [0035]-[0036], [0053], [0060]-[0062] and [0088]; Fig. 5B and 9).
With respect to claim 7, Laramie et al. teach the pressure control device, further comprising a pressure sensor 130 configured to measure a pressure within the battery and a controller 150 configured to control a current through the actuator 120 based on the pressure (Laramie et al.: Sections [0035]-[0036], [0053], [0060]-[0062] and [0088]; Fig. 5B and 9).
With respect to claim 8, Laramie et al. teach a method of controlling a pressure within a battery, comprising: disposing the battery 110 between a fixed plate (a support plate) and the other fixed plate (a pressure plate) configured to move with respect to the fixed plate (the support plate); and energizing an actuator 120 to change between a first shape and a second shape to move the other fixed plate (the pressure plate) with respect to the fixed plate (the support plate) to control the pressure within the battery 110 (Laramie et al.: Sections [0035]-[0036], [0053], [0060]-[0062] and [0088]; Fig. 5B and 9).
With respect to claim 9, Laramie et al. teach the method, wherein the actuator includes a strip of piezoelectric material 121 extending from a first end to a second end, the strip of piezoelectric material 121 being coupled to a control plate 127 at the first end by a first support 129a and coupled to the control plate 127 at the second end by a second support 129a (Laramie et al.: Sections [0035]-[0036], [0053], [0060]-[0062] and [0088]; Fig. 5B and 9).
With respect to claim 10, Laramie et al. teach the method, wherein the first end is fixed to the first support 129a and the second end is fixed to the second support 129a (Laramie et al.: Sections [0035]-[0036], [0053], [0060]-[0062] and [0088]; Fig. 5B and 9).
With respect to claim 13, Laramie et al. teach the method, wherein the control plate 127 is stationary with respect to the fixed plate (the support plate) (Laramie et al.: Sections [0035]-[0036], [0053], [0060]-[0062] and [0088]; Fig. 5B and 9).
With respect to claim 14, Laramie et al. teach the method, further comprising measuring a pressure within the battery using a pressure sensor 130 and controlling a current through the actuator 120 based on the pressure (Laramie et al.: Sections [0035]-[0036], [0053], [0060]-[0062] and [0088]; Fig. 5B and 9).
With respect to claim 15, Laramie et al. teach a vehicle, comprising: a battery; and a pressure control device, comprising: a fixed plate (a support plate); the other fixed plate (a pressure plate) configured to move with respect to the fixed plate (the support plate), wherein the battery 110 is disposed between the fixed plate (the support plate) and the other fixed plate (the pressure plate); and an actuator 120 configured to change between a first shape and a second shape to move the other fixed plate (the pressure plate) with respect to the fixed plate (the support plate) to control the pressure within the battery 110 (Laramie et al.: Sections [0035]-[0036], [0053], [0060]-[0062] and [0088]; Fig. 5B and 9).
With respect to claim 16, Laramie et al. teach a vehicle, wherein the actuator 120 includes a strip of piezoelectric material 121 extending from a first end to a second end, the strip of piezoelectric material 121 being coupled to a control plate 127 at the first end by a first support 129a and coupled to the control plate 127 at the second end by a second support 129a (Laramie et al.: Sections [0035]-[0036], [0053], [0060]-[0062] and [0088]; Fig. 5B and 9).
With respect to claim 17, Laramie et al. teach a vehicle, wherein the first end is fixed to the first support and the second end is fixed to the second support (Laramie et al.: Sections [0035]-[0036], [0053], [0060]-[0062] and [0088]; Fig. 5B and 9).
With respect to claim 20, Laramie et al. teach a vehicle, further comprising a pressure sensor 130 configured to measure a pressure within the battery and a controller 150 configured to control a current through the actuator 120 based on the pressure (Laramie et al.: Sections [0035]-[0036], [0053], [0060]-[0062] and [0088]; Fig. 5B and 9).
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, 5, 11, 12, 18 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Application Publication 2023/0118071 to Laramie et al. in view of JP2012017846 to Matsushita et al. (IDS)
With respect to claims 4 and 5, Laramie et al. do not specifically teach the pressure control device, wherein the actuator further comprises a steel strip coupled to the piezoelectric material; wherein the steel strip is biased toward one of: (i) the first shape; and (ii) the second shape.
However, Matsushita et al. teach a pressure control device, wherein the actuator 10 further comprises a steel strip 20 or 22 coupled to the piezoelectric material 24; wherein the steel strip is biased toward one of: (i) the first shape; and (ii) the second shape (Matsushita et al.: Section [0033]; Fig. 3).
It would have been obvious as of the effective filing dated of the claimed invention to have modified Laramie et al. with the teaching above from Matsushita et al. with the motivation of having a means such the pressure device improve the safety of the battery.
With respect to claims 11 and 12, Laramie et al. do not specifically teach the method, wherein the actuator further comprises a steel strip coupled to the piezoelectric material; wherein the steel strip is biased toward one of: (i) the first shape; and (ii) the second shape.
However, Matsushita et al. teach a pressure control device, wherein the actuator 10 further comprises a steel strip 20 or 22 coupled to the piezoelectric material 24; wherein the steel strip is biased toward one of: (i) the first shape; and (ii) the second shape (Matsushita et al.: Section [0033]; Fig. 3).
It would have been obvious as of the effective filing dated of the claimed invention to have modified Laramie et al. with the teaching above from Matsushita et al. with the motivation of having a means such the pressure device improve the safety of the battery.
With respect to claims 18 and 19, Laramie et al. do not specifically teach a vehicle, wherein the actuator further comprises a steel strip coupled to the piezoelectric material; wherein the steel strip is biased toward one of: (i) the first shape; and (ii) the second shape.
However, Matsushita et al. teach a pressure control device, wherein the actuator 10 further comprises a steel strip 20 or 22 coupled to the piezoelectric material 24; wherein the steel strip is biased toward one of: (i) the first shape; and (ii) the second shape (Matsushita et al.: Section [0033]; Fig. 3).
It would have been obvious as of the effective filing dated of the claimed invention to have modified Laramie et al. with the teaching above from Matsushita et al. with the motivation of having a means such the pressure device improve the safety of the battery.
Conclusion
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/LINGWEN R ZENG/Examiner, Art Unit 1723 4/17/2026
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