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 § 102
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 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.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2025/0079616 (Walter et al., hereinafter, “Walter”).
Regarding claims 1, Walter is directed to a battery module consisting of a plurality of battery cells arranged in a first direction (multiplicity of prismatic battery cells combined in succession, with main face to main face (¶ 0018, 0048)), with each of the plurality of battery cells including a housing having a gas-discharge valve and an electrode terminal provided on the housing (each battery cell has a safety valve between the electrical contacts (¶ 0049)). The battery module has a cover member that includes a first region and a second region, the first region is located above at least one of the electrode terminals, and the second region is located above at least one of the gas-discharge valves (an outer module cover lies on the side of the module with the electrical contacts (on top of the battery cells) and has a region with rupture cut-outs positioned above the safety valves, with each safety valve associated with a corresponding rupture cut-out (¶ 0049 - 0050). Each rupture cut-out is closed with a rupture disc that is sufficiently thin that it opens when acted upon by the temperature and pressure of hot gas (¶ 0023, 0060 - 0062)).
Regarding claim 2, the second region extends in the direction of the battery cells because the battery cells are stacked main face to main face (¶ 0018, 0048), lining up the safety valves, and the rupture cut-outs are positioned above the safety valves, with each rupture cut-out corresponds to a safety valve (¶ 0049 - 0050).
Regarding claim 3, 5, and 7, the second region has rupture cut-outs, and each rupture cut-out is closed with a rupture disc that is sufficiently thin that it opens when acted upon by the temperature and pressure of hot gas (¶ 0023, 0060 - 0062)). This rupture disc is both thin and a lid, and easily breaks before the rest of the outer module cover, thus having a lower strength.
Regarding claim 4, the features in claim 4 are outlined in claims 2 and 3 above.
Regarding claim 6, the features in claim 6 are outlined in claims 2 and claim 5 above.
Regarding claim 8, the features in claim 8 are outlined in claims 2 and claim 7 above.
Conclusion
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/M.F./ Examiner, Art Unit 1784
/HUMERA N. SHEIKH/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1784