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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, a cross-sectional shape of the pressure relief groove being triangular or semicircular must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 4, 11, and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ma et al. (CN 210668461 U, hereinafter Ma, see US 2021/0391626 A1 for English translation, previously cited).
Re Claim 1. Ma teaches a battery cell (Fig. 1, 2 & 10, item 100), comprising:
a pressure relief body (item 13);
a pressure relief mechanism (item 106), arranged on the pressure relief body; and
a protective member (item 30), wherein at least a part of the protective member is located on a side of the pressure relief mechanism away from an interior of the battery cell, and covers the pressure relief mechanism;
wherein the pressure relief mechanism comprises a pressure relief groove (Fig. 10, item 106) and an opening portion (area surrounding item 106) a cross-sectional shape of the pressure relief groove being triangular (Fig. 2), the pressure relief mechanism configured to, in response to an internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell reaching a threshold value, break along the pressure relief groove to form a puncturing portion on the opening portion to destruct the protective member to release the pressure (functional limitations).
Re Claim 3. Ma teaches wherein the puncturing portion has a sharp corner at acute angle (Fig. 10).
Re Claim 4. Ma teaches wherein the pressure relief groove is sawtooth-shaped (Fig. 10), and the puncturing portion is one of a plurality of puncturing portions formed at an edge of the opening portion after the pressure relief mechanism breaks along the pressure relief groove.
Re Claim 11. Ma teaches wherein a gap exists between the protective member and the opening portion in a thickness direction of the pressure relief mechanism (Fig. 2).
Re Claim 14. Ma teaches a battery cell (Fig. 1, 2 & 10, item 100), comprising:
a pressure relief body (item 13);
a pressure relief mechanism (item 106), arranged on the pressure relief body; and
a protective member (item 30), wherein at least a part of the protective member is located on a side of the pressure relief mechanism away from an interior of the battery cell, and covers the pressure relief mechanism;
wherein the pressure relief mechanism comprises a pressure relief groove (Fig. 10, item 106) and an opening portion (area surrounding item 106) the pressure relief groove being sawtooth shaped and located at an edge of the pressure relief mechanism (Fig. 10), the pressure relief mechanism configured to, in response to an internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell reaching a threshold value, break along the pressure relief groove to form a puncturing portion on the opening portion to destruct the protective member to release the pressure (functional limitations).
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 7-9, and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ito et al. (US 9,147,867 B2, hereinafter Ito, previously cited) in view of Ma.
Re Claim 1. Ito teaches a battery cell (Fig. 2, 4, & 6, item 1), comprising:
a pressure relief body (item 12);
a pressure relief mechanism (item 15), arranged on the pressure relief body; and
a protective member (item 40), wherein at least a part of the protective member is located on a side of the pressure relief mechanism away from an interior of the battery cell, and covers the pressure relief mechanism;
wherein the pressure relief mechanism comprises an opening portion (item 15), the pressure relief mechanism configured to, in response to an internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell reaching a threshold value, form a puncturing portion on the opening potion to destruct the protective member to release the pressure (Fig. 5, functional limitation).
Ito fails to specifically teach that the pressure relief mechanism comprises a pressure relief groove, a cross-sectional shape of the pressure relief groove being triangular or semicircular, the pressure relief mechanism configured to break along the pressure relief groove.
The invention of Ma encompasses housing, battery, and electronic apparatus. Ma teaches that the pressure relief mechanism comprises a pressure relief groove (Fig. 1, 2, 10 & 12, item 106), a cross-sectional shape of the pressure relief groove being triangular (Fig. 2), the pressure relief mechanism configured to break along the pressure relief groove (functional limitation).
In view of Ma, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to modify the invention of Ito to employ a pressure relief groove having a triangular cross-sectional shape on the pressure relief mechanism, since Ma teaches the advantage of using it, which is to help discharge pressure (abstract).
Re Claim 3. The combination teaches wherein the puncturing portion has a sharp corner at acute angle (Ma, Fig. 10).
Re Claim 7. The combination teaches wherein the pressure relief groove is one of a plurality of pressure relief grooves (Ma, Fig. 12, item 106), any two of the plurality of pressure relief grooves intersect at an opening position (Fig. 12), the opening portion is one of a plurality of opening portions formed by the plurality of pressure relief grooves, and each of the plurality of opening portions is configured to be opened from a corresponding opening position along a corresponding one of the first pressure relief grooves to release the pressure in response to the pressure or temperature inside the battery cell reaching the threshold value.
Re Claim 8. The combination teaches wherein the puncturing portion is formed at an end of one of the opening portions after the one of the opening portions is opened along the corresponding one of the pressure relief grooves (Ma, Fig. 10).
Re Claim 9. The combination teaches wherein the opening position is located in a central area of the pressure relief mechanism (Ma, Fig. 12).
Re Claim 11. The combination teaches wherein a gap exists between the protective member and the opening portion in a thickness direction of the pressure relief mechanism (Ito, Fig. 4).
Claim(s) 1, 10, and 12-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (CN 112713345 A, hereinafter Yang, previously cited) in view of Ma.
Re Claim 1. Yang teaches a battery cell (Fig. 2-6, item 30), comprising:
a pressure relief body (item 42);
a pressure relief mechanism (item 80), arranged on the pressure relief body; and
a protective member (item 90), wherein at least a part of the protective member is located on a side of the pressure relief mechanism away from an interior of the battery cell, and covers the pressure relief mechanism;
wherein the pressure relief mechanism comprises a pressure relief groove (Fig. 7, item 80C) and an opening portion (item 83), the pressure relief mechanism being configured to, in response to an internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell reaching a threshold value, break along the pressure relief groove to form a puncturing portion on the opening portion to destruct the protective member to release the pressure (functional limitations).
Yang fails to specifically teach a cross-sectional shape of the pressure relief groove being triangular or semicircular.
The invention of Ma encompasses housing, battery, and electronic apparatus. Ma teaches a cross-sectional shape of the pressure relief groove being triangular (Fig. 2).
In view of Ma, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to modify the invention of Ito to employ a pressure relief groove having a triangular cross-sectional shape, since using a well-known cross-sectional shape of the pressure relief groove is within purview of one skill in the art.
Re Claim 10. The combination teaches wherein the pressure relief mechanism further comprises a connecting portion (Yang, Fig. 7, item 80a & 80b), the connecting portion is arranged around a periphery of the opening portion (Yang, Fig. 7) and configured to connect the pressure relief body and the opening portion, and a thickness of the connecting portion is greater than a thickness of the opening portion (Yang, Fig. 7).
Re Claim 12. The combination teaches a battery (Yang, Fig. 2, item 10), comprising:
the battery cell (Yang, Fig. 2 & 3, item 30) of claim 1 (see rejection of Claim 1); and
a box body (Yang, items 11 & 12) configured to accommodates the battery cell.
Re Claim 13. The combination teaches an electrical apparatus (Yang, Fig. 1, item 1), comprising the battery (Yang, item 10) of claim 12 (see rejection of Claim 12), wherein the battery is used to provide electric energy.
Re Claim 14. Yang teaches a battery cell (Fig. 2-6, item 30), comprising:
a pressure relief body (item 42);
a pressure relief mechanism (item 80), arranged on the pressure relief body; and
a protective member (item 90), wherein at least a part of the protective member is located on a side of the pressure relief mechanism away from an interior of the battery cell, and covers the pressure relief mechanism;
wherein the pressure relief mechanism comprises a pressure relief groove (Fig. 7, item 80C) and an opening portion (item 83), the pressure relief groove located at an edge of the pressure relief mechanism (Fig. 7), the pressure relief mechanism being configured to, in response to an internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell reaching a threshold value, break along the pressure relief groove to form a puncturing portion on the opening portion to destruct the protective member to release the pressure (functional limitations).
Yang fails to specifically teach that the pressure relief groove being sawtooth shaped.
The invention of Ma encompasses housing, battery, and electronic apparatus. Ma teaches the pressure relief groove being sawtooth shaped (Fig. 10).
In view of Ma, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to modify the invention of Yang to employ the sawtooth shaped pressure relief groove, since using a well-known shape of the pressure relief groove is within purview of one skill in the art.
Claim(s) 5 and 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ma as applied to claim 4 above, and further in view of Suzuki et al. (US 8,354,181 B2, hereinafter Suzuki, previously cited).
Re Claim 5. Ma teaches wherein: the pressure relief groove is a first pressure relief groove (Fig. 10, item 106) but fails to specifically teach the pressure relief mechanism further comprises two second pressure relief grooves arranged at an interval along an extension direction of the first pressure relief groove, and the two second pressure relief grooves both intersect with the first pressure relief groove; the first pressure relief groove and the two second pressure relief grooves jointly form the opening portion, and the opening portion is configured to be opened along the first pressure relief groove and the two second pressure relief grooves to release the pressure in response to the pressure or temperature inside the battery cell reaching the threshold value.
The invention of Suzuki encompasses battery. Suzuki teaches a first pressure relief groove (Fig. 2, straight portion of item 126) and two second pressure relief grooves (two bracket-like grooves at left and right ends of item 126) arranged at an interval along an extension direction of the first pressure relief groove, and the two second pressure relief grooves both intersect with the first pressure relief groove; the first pressure relief groove and the two second pressure relief grooves jointly form the opening portion (Fig. 2).
In view of Suzuki, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to modify the invention of Ma to employ two second pressure relief grooves arranged at an interval along an extension direction of the first pressure relief groove, since they would provide additional breakable parts for easy opening.
Re Claim 6. The combination teaches wherein the opening portion is one of two opening portions formed by the first pressure relief groove and the two second pressure relief groove, and the two opening portions are divided by the first pressure relief groove and symmetrically distributed on two sides of the first pressure relief groove (Suzuki, Fig. 2).
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ma or Ito in view of Ma as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Suzuki.
Ma or Ito in view of Ma fails to specifically teach that the pressure relief mechanism further comprises a connecting portion, the connecting portion is arranged around a periphery of the opening portion and configured to connect the pressure relief body and the opening portion, and a thickness of the connecting portion is greater than a thickness of the opening portion.
Suzuki teaches that the pressure relief mechanism further comprises a connecting portion (Fig. 2-4, item 128), the connecting portion is arranged around a periphery of the opening portion (item 125) and configured to connect the pressure relief body (item 131) and the opening portion, and a thickness of the connecting portion is greater than a thickness of the opening portion (Fig. 4).
In view of Suzuki, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to modify the invention of Ma or Ito in view of Ma to employ a connecting portion arranged around a periphery of the opening portion and configured to connect the pressure relief body; since Suzuki teaches the advantage of using it, which is to improve the peeling easiness of the protective member during operation of the pressure relief mechanism (C4/L15-32).
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ma in view of Tasai et al. (JP 2003-346762 A, hereinafter Tasai, cited by applicant).
Ma teaches a battery cell (Fig. 1, 2 & 12, item 100), comprising:
a pressure relief body (item 13);
a pressure relief mechanism (item 106), arranged on the pressure relief body; and
a protective member (item 30), wherein at least a part of the protective member is located on a side of the pressure relief mechanism away from an interior of the battery cell, and covers the pressure relief mechanism;
wherein the pressure relief mechanism comprises a plurality of pressure relief grooves (Fig. 12, item 106) that intersect one another at an opening position to form a plurality of opening portions (Fig. 12), the pressure relief mechanism configured to, in response to an internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell reaching a threshold value, break along the pressure relief groove to form a puncturing portion on the opening portion to destruct the protective member to release the pressure (functional limitations).
Ma fails to specifically teach that each adjacent pair of the plurality of pressure relief grooves form an acute angle.
The invention of Tasai encompasses sealed battery having safety valve. Tasai teaches that each adjacent pair of the plurality of pressure relief grooves form an acute angle (Fig. 8).
In view of Tasai, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to modify the invention of Ma to have each adjacent pair of the plurality of pressure relief grooves forming an acute angle, since using a well-known configuration of the pressure relief grooves is within purview of one skill in the art.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 4/7/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
On pages 9 and 10, applicant argued that Ma does not teach a cross-sectional shape of the pressure relief groove being triangular or semicircular.
The examiner disagrees with this because Ma explicitly teaches a cross-sectional shape of the pressure relief groove being triangular (Fig. 2, item 106).
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On page 12, regarding claim 14, applicant argued that Ma does not teach the pressure relief groove being sawtooth shaped and located at an edge of the pressure relief mechanism.
The examiner disagrees with this because Ma explicitly teaches that sawtooth shape pressure relief groove (Fig. 10) is located at an edge of the pressure relief mechanism (item 106).
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 and 15 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
New limitations have been addressed by Ito in view of Ma, Yang in view of Ma, and Ma in view of Tasai.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
The rejections above rely on the references for all the teachings expressed in the text of the references and/or one of ordinary skill in the art would have reasonably understood from the texts. Only specific portions of the texts have been pointed out to emphasize certain aspects of the prior art, however, each reference as a whole should be reviewed in responding to the rejection, since other sections of the same reference and/or various combinations of the cited references may be relied on in future rejections in view of amendments.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEVIN E YOON whose telephone number is (571)270-5932. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9 AM- 5 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Keith Walker can be reached at 571-272-3458. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KEVIN E YOON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1735
4/27/2026
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