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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 59-60 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected Group II, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 3/27/2026.
Applicant's election with traverse of Group II in the reply filed on 3/27/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that there would not be a serious search burden. This is not found persuasive because as within the restriction sent on 2/17/2026 the examiner explained that the difference between the product and method would require different search strings and strategies. Per MEPE 808.02 (C) this constitutes a serious search burden. Thus the examiner maintains the restriction.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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.
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.
Claims 41-42, 44-47 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jang (US2023/0080173), and further in view of Kawaguchi (US 2019/0115702).
As to claim 41, Jang discloses a system (figure 2 #1000, battery pack, [0043], discussed throughout), comprising: a voltage distribution box (VDB) in a first portion of a battery pack (figure 6 #1200 and/or #1300, BDU and BMS; the BDU can disconnect thus controlling the voltage and the BMS controls the operation of the battery modules thus the voltage, [0023]; discussed throughout); and a first battery module and a second battery module in a second portion of the battery pack (figure 6 #100; there are four battery modules, or there can be considered two battery modules #100a and #110b), the VDB electrically coupled with the first battery module and with the second battery module (figure 6, discussed throughout); a first lines that extends in a direction from the first portion of the battery pack to the second portion of the battery pack across a middle portion of the first battery module and a middle portion of the second battery module (figure 6 #900, [0043], discussed throughout); a busbar comprising a first portion that extends across the second portion of the battery pack, a second portion that extends across first end portions of the first battery module and the second battery module (figure 6 shows the battery modules #100; figure 4 and 5 #700 and #720 show the location of the bus bar and thus the location would be the same in figure 6, the being in the required location), and a third portion that extends across second end portions of the first battery module and the second battery module (figures 4-6, the collective bus bars in the prior art make the bus bar of the instant claimed invention); and a second lines that extends across the first portion of the battery pack (figure 6 #800; [0043], discussed throughout).
Jang does not specifically used the word harness and uses high voltage and low voltage lines. Kawaguchi discloses a battery pack ([0030]) using high voltage and low voltage wires (abstract) wherein the wires are used in a wire harness ([0013], discussed). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill within the art at the time of the effective filling date of the invention to have the wires from Jang within a wire harness as from Kawaguchi because it provides shielding and prevents noise ([0013], discussed throughout; Kawaguchi).
As to claim 42, modified Jang discloses wherein, the VDB separated from the first battery module within the battery pack by a member (figure 6 #100, #1300 and/or #1200; discussed throughout).
As to claim 44, modified Jang discloses wherein, the first harness coupled with the first battery module and the second battery module to conduct current at a lower voltage than a voltage conducted by the busbar (figure 6, the low voltage lines are the first harness and the bus bars can also be used on the high voltage lines thus the bus bars can be a higher voltage then the low voltage lines; discuss throughout).
As to claim 45, modified Jang discloses wherein, the VDB comprises a high voltage distribution box (HVDB), comprising: the second portion of the battery pack having a back end portion of the battery pack, the first battery module disposed in the back end portion of the battery pack, the second battery module disposed between the first battery module and the HVDB (figure 6, taking #1200 as the HVDB, then the first battery module as the first battery module and the closer one as the second battery module the instant structure is meet).
As to claim 46, modified Jang discloses wherein, the first portion of the battery pack having a front end portion, the VDB disposed in the front end portion of the battery pack (figure 6, discussed throughout).
As to claim 47, modified Jang discloses wherein, the VDB comprising a contactor, the VDB configured to: monitor a temperature of the contactor; and detect a fault with the contactor based on the monitored temperature ([0043], [0062] and [0067]). However, Jang is silent to wherein the temperature is compared to the ambient temperature. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill within the art at the time of the effective filling date of the invention to have the temperature compared to the ambient temperature given a finite number of options i.e. a set temperature, or environmental temperature.
Claims 50-51, 53-56 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jang (US 2023/0080173), and further in view of Kawaguchi (US 2019/0115702) and Andersson (US 2023/0163393) and Kawaguchi (US 2019/0115702).
As to claim 50, Jang discloses a system (figure 2 #1000, battery pack, [0043], discussed throughout), comprising: a voltage distribution box (VDB) in a first portion of a battery pack (figure 6 #1200 and/or #1300, BDU and BMS; the BDU can disconnect thus controlling the voltage and the BMS controls the operation of the battery modules thus the voltage, [0023]; discussed throughout); and a first plurality of battery cells and a second plurality of battery cells in a second portion of the battery pack (figure 6 #100; there are four battery modules, or there can be considered two battery modules #100a and #110b, each one is a plurality of battery cells; discussed throughout), the VDB electrically coupled with the first plurality of battery cells and with the second plurality of battery cells (figure 6, discussed throughout); a first lines that extends in a first direction from the first portion to the second portion (figure 6 #900, [0043], discussed throughout); a busbar comprising a first portion that extends in the first direction, a second portion that extends in the first direction, and a third portion that extends in a second direction between the first portion and the second portion (figure 6 shows the battery modules #100; figure 4 and 5 #700 and #720 show the location of the bus bar and thus the location would be the same in figure 6, the being in the required location); and a second lines that extends across the first portion (figure 6 #800; [0043], discussed throughout).
Jang is silent to wherein the second plurality of battery cells comprises a higher number of battery cells than the first plurality of battery cells. Andersson discloses a battery pack (abstract) wherein the battery modules have different number of cells (figure 1A #106). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill within the art at the time of the effective filling date of the invention to have battery modules have a different number of cells as discloses by Andersson as a mere combing prior art elements according to known methods to obtain predictable results to lower cost vary the out put of the battery modules (see MPEP 2143 I).
Jang does not specifically used the word harness and uses high voltage and low voltage lines. Kawaguchi discloses a battery pack ([0030]) using high voltage and low voltage wires (abstract) wherein the wires are used in a wire harness ([0013], discussed). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill within the art at the time of the effective filling date of the invention to have the wires from Jang within a wire harness as from Kawaguchi because it provides shielding and prevents noise ([0013], discussed throughout; Kawaguchi).
As to claim 51, modified Jang discloses wherein, the first portion of the battery pack and the second portion of the battery pack are separated from each other by a member (figure 7 #600 or #610 or #620, discussed throughout).
As to claim 53, modified Jang discloses wherein, the first harness coupled with the first plurality of battery cells and the second plurality of battery cells to conduct current at a lower voltage than a voltage conducted by the busbar (figure 6, the low voltage lines are the first harness and the bus bars can also be used on the high voltage lines thus the bus bars can be a higher voltage then the low voltage lines; discuss throughout).
As to claim 54, modified Jang discloses wherein, the second portion of the battery pack comprising a back end portion of the battery pack, the first plurality of battery cells to dispose in the back end portion of the battery pack, the second plurality of battery cells being between the first plurality of battery cells and the VDB (figure 6, taking #1200 as the HVDB, then the first battery module as the first battery module and the closer one as the second battery module the instant structure is meet).
As to claim 55, modified Jang discloses wherein, the first portion of the battery pack comprising a front end portion, the VDB to dispose in the front end portion of the battery pack (figure 6, discussed throughout).
As to claim 56, modified Jang discloses wherein, the VDB comprising a contactor, the VDB configured to: monitor a temperature of the contactor; and detect a fault with the contactor based on the monitored temperature ([0043], [0062] and [0067]). However, Jang is silent to wherein the temperature is compared to the ambient temperature. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill within the art at the time of the effective filling date of the invention to have the temperature compared to the ambient temperature given a finite number of options i.e. a set temperature, or environmental temperature.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 43, 48, 49, 52, 57, 58 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRIAN R OHARA whose telephone number is (571)272-0728. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30 AM-3:30 PM EST M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Miriam Stagg can be reached at 571-270-5256. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BRIAN R OHARA/Examiner, Art Unit 1724
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