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 .
Status of Application
Claims 1-15 are pending and presented for examination on the merit.
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, 2, 10, and 12-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN 109585726 to Cao et al. (cited by Applicant; machine translation provided for citation).
Regarding claim 1, Cao et al. teaches a battery, comprising:
multiple battery cells 2 arranged in a first direction, wherein each battery cell is provided with a pressure relief mechanism or explosion-proof valve 25, the pressure relief mechanism being configured to be actuated in response to internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell reaching a threshold, to relieve the internal pressure (Figs. 1 and 6; [0103]);
a fire-extinguishing pipe or fire extinguishing container 3 configured to accommodate a fire-extinguishing medium, wherein the fire-extinguishing pipe is configured to release the fire-extinguishing medium during actuation of the pressure relief mechanism (Figs. 1-7; [0104]; [0107]);
a restraining member including end plate 1 disposed at an end of the multiple battery cells along the first direction, wherein the restraining member is configured to restrain the multiple battery cells in the first direction (Figs. 1 and 6; [0103]; [0108]); and
a fastener attached to a surface of the restraining member facing toward the fire-extinguishing pipe, wherein the fastener is configured to fasten the fire-extinguishing pipe, the fastener including a connecting surface having fixing hole 35 (Figs. 1 and 6; [0020]; [0034]; [0048]; [0062]; [0072]; [0108]) and a bond that bonds the fire extinguishing container 3 to the end plate 1 ([0108]; [0118]).
Below if Fig. 1 of Cao et al.
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Regarding claim 2, the connecting surface having the fixing hole 35 corresponds to the claimed connecting structure configured to be fixedly connected to the restraining member or end plate 1, and the bond corresponds to the claimed limiting structure configured to limit the fire extinguishing container 3 as it limits the position change of the fire extinguishing container 3.
Regarding claim 10, the limiting structure or the bond comprises a limiting portion that is configured to limit a position of the fire extinguishing container 3 in the first direction as the bond fixes the position of the fire extinguishing container 3 (Figs. 1 and 6; [0108]; [0118]).
Regarding claim 12, the connecting structure or the connecting surface having the fixing hole 35 is fixedly connected to the restraining member or end plate 1 via fixing members such as welds resulted from laser welding ([0108]).
Regarding claim 13, Cao et al. teaches an electric apparatus, e.g. a vehicle, comprising the battery according to claim 1, wherein the battery is configured to supply electric energy to the electric apparatus ([0002]; [0007]).
Regarding claim 14, Cao et al. envisions a method for preparing a battery, comprising:
providing multiple battery cells 2, wherein the multiple battery cells are arranged in a first direction, and each battery cell is provided with a pressure relief mechanism or explosion-proof valve 25, the pressure relief mechanism being configured to be actuated in response to internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell reaching a threshold, to relieve the internal pressure (Figs. 1 and 6; [0103]);
providing a fire-extinguishing pipe or fire extinguishing container 3 configured to accommodate a fire-extinguishing medium, wherein the fire-extinguishing pipe is configured to release the fire-extinguishing medium during actuation of the pressure relief mechanism (Figs. 1-7; [0104]; [0107]);
providing a restraining member including end plate 1 disposed at an end of the multiple battery cells along the first direction, wherein the restraining member is configured to restrain the multiple battery cells in the first direction (Figs. 1 and 6; [0103]; [0108]); and
providing a fastener attached to a surface of the restraining member facing toward the fire-extinguishing pipe, wherein the fastener is configured to fasten the fire-extinguishing pipe, the fastener including a connecting surface having fixing hole 35 (Figs. 1 and 6; [0020]; [0034]; [0048]; [0062]; [0072]; [0108]) and a bond that bonds the fire extinguishing container 3 to the end plate 1 ([0108]; [0118]).
Regarding claim 15, Cao et al. envisions apparatus for preparing a battery, comprising:
a providing module configured to:
provide multiple battery cells 2, wherein the multiple battery cells are arranged in a first direction, and each battery cell is provided with a pressure relief mechanism or explosion-proof valve 25, the pressure relief mechanism being configured to be actuated in response to internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell reaching a threshold, to relieve the internal pressure (Figs. 1 and 6; [0103]);
provide a fire-extinguishing pipe or fire extinguishing container 3 configured to accommodate a fire-extinguishing medium, wherein the fire-extinguishing pipe is configured to release the fire-extinguishing medium during actuation of the pressure relief mechanism (Figs. 1-7; [0104]; [0107]);
provide a restraining member including end plate 1 disposed at an end of the multiple battery cells along the first direction, wherein the restraining member is configured to restrain the multiple battery cells in the first direction (Figs. 1 and 6; [0103]; [0108]); and
provide a fastener attached to a surface of the restraining member facing toward the fire-extinguishing pipe, wherein the fastener is configured to fasten the fire-extinguishing pipe, the fastener including a connecting surface having fixing hole 35 (Figs. 1 and 6; [0020]; [0034]; [0048]; [0062]; [0072]; [0108]) and a bond that bonds the fire extinguishing container 3 to the end plate 1 ([0108]; [0118]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-9 and 11 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.
The closest prior art of record, Cao et al., does not teach the claimed first limiting portion and second limiting portion of claim 3. Although Applicant’s cited art, CN 207117140 to Qi (machine translation provided for citation), demonstrates a known fixing clamp including a clamp seat (a first limiting portion) and a clamp cover (a second limiting portion) that fit with each other and form a through hole through which a cable passes (Fig. 1; [0015]; [0037]), it would not have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the fastener of Cao et al. with the clamp of Qi, because Qi’s model relates to the field of cable installation and fixing clamps in the context of tunnel and subway construction ([0001-7]), which is a different field of endeavor than the current application, and the modification would have involved hindsight to replace the fastener of Cao with the clamp with Qi at the specified location of the battery as claimed. Accordingly, claims 4-9 also contain the allowable subject matter as they depend on claim 3.
Furthermore, Cao et al. does not teach the claimed support portion and blocking portion of claim 11 as the prior art limiting portion is a bond formed from, for example, laser welding ([0108]). Search did not yield a reference teaching the claimed features or providing a motivation to modify. As a result, the limitation of claim 11 is indicated allowable.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HENG M CHAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5859. The examiner can normally be reached 9 am - 5:30 pm on Monday, 9 am - 3 pm on Tuesday, and 9 am to 1 pm on Wednesday and Thursday.
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/Heng M. Chan/Examiner, Art Unit 1725
/Sean P Cullen, Ph.D./Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725
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