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
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. CN202107422428, filed on 07/01/2021.
Election/Restrictions
In the Restriction Requirement mailed on 04/01/2026, a restriction was required between Species A/B and Species C/D. Upon further review, the requirement for restriction between Species C and Species D is hereby withdrawn. Accordingly, the claims directed to Species C and Species D are now joined with the elected claims of Species A/Sub-Species A2 for examination.
Claims 1-20 are pending in this application.
Claim Objections
Claim 12 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 12 recites, “wherein the connecting region shifts relative to the body toward a side… of the partition.” The term “shifts” implies a dynamic action being performed by the connecting region. However, upon fitting an inserting portion to a respective channel, the connection region of the box assembly will have shifted, and thus, be a static structural configuration. Thus, the limitation should be amended to recite: --wherein the connecting region is shifted relative to the body toward a side… of the partition--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites, “each channel of the at least two channels fits with at least one of the inserting portions by inserting.” This language fails to provide reasonable certainty regarding the spatial mapping between the channels and the inserting portions. It is unclear, whether the phrase is intended to mean: (1) a strict one channel to one inserting portion fitting; or (2) one channel to potentially more than one inserting portion fitting. Since support of interpretation (1) is explicitly illustrated throughout the Figures, for examination purposes, the instant limitation is interpreted to have recited: --each channel of the at least two channels fits with a respective inserting portion of the at least two inserting portions--.
Claims 2-18 are similarly rejected due to dependency from, and for including the subject matter of, parent claim 1.
Independent Claims 19 and 20 recite the same limitation as claim 1 above and are rejected for similar reason. The limitation is also interpreted similarly as for claim 1 above.
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-15 and 17-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qi (CN212625843U – refer to IDS filed 7/28/2023; machine translation attached herein) in view of Liao (CN211376714U – refer to IDS filed 7/28/2023; machine translation attached herein).
Regarding Claims 1 and 19-20, Qi discloses a box assembly (battery module) [pars. 0050-75; Figs. 1-10], comprising:
an end plate 1, wherein the end plate is provided with at least two channels (slots 12,13); and
a partition (separator 2), wherein the partition is configured to be connected to the end plate and separate an internal space of the box assembly; and the partition comprises a body and at least two inserting portions (insertion parts 22,23)) located on an end of the body, each of the inserting portions having an end connected to an end portion of the body, and each of the inserting portion comprising a connecting region; and, wherein
each channel of the at least two channels fits with a respective inserting portions by inserting, so that the connecting region of each of the inserting portions abuts against an inner wall of a fitting channel, allowing the partition to be connected to the end plate.
Qi fails to disclose wherein each of the inserting portion comprising a connecting region and a bending region, with the connecting region connected to the body through the bending region. However, Liao, from the same field of endeavor, teaches a box assembly (battery module) comprising an end plate 2 provided with a channel P, and a partition 3 configured to be connected to the end plate, the partition comprises a body 34 and an inserting portion (constituted by positioning portion 31, fixing portion 32 and bent portion 33), the inserting portion has an end connected to an end portion of the body and comprises a connecting region (i.e., the fixing portion 32 and/or the bent portion 33 which are both configured to be attached to connection area 223) and a bending region (i.e., the positioning portion 31 which is bent with respect to the body 34) [Liao – pars. 0054-67; Figs. 1-8]. Liao teaches that the configuration of the inserting portion allows the partition to be quickly fitted and fixed to the channel of the end plate [Liao – par. 0067]. Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled artisan to have employed the teachings of Liao to have modified the inserting portion of Qi, wherein each of the inserting portion comprising a connecting region and a bending region, with the connecting region connected to the body through the bending region so that the configuration of the inserting portion allows the partition to be quickly fitted and fixed to the channel of the end plate.
Note that the manufacturing method of box assembly is necessarily taught by modified Qi accordingly since Qi teaches providing all claimed components and a respective inserting portion into a respective channel (claim 19).
While Qi does not explicitly disclose a manufacturing apparatus of box assembly, the claimed apparatuses are merely conventional, generic mechanical components (e.g., robotic arms, conveyor systems, assembly jigs, etc.) which are well-known to an ordinary skilled artisan for assembling structural components of this nature. Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled artisan to have employed such conventional apparatuses to automate manufacturing of the box assembly of Qi to achieve predictable result of mass-producing the battery module.
Regarding Claim 2, Qi discloses wherein the at least two channels comprise a first channel 12 and a second channel 13, wherein an inner wall of the first channel comprises a first surface (second side wall 122), the first surface facing toward a first direction (i.e., towards left direction in Fig. 4); an inner wall of the second channel comprises a second surface (third side wall 131), the second surface facing toward a second direction (i.e., towards right direction in Fig. 4); and the first direction is opposite to the second direction; and
the at least two inserting portions comprise a first inserting portion 22 and a second inserting portion 23, wherein the first inserting portion is configured to fit with the first channel by inserting, and the first inserting portion abuts against the first surface; and the second inserting portion is configured to fit with the second channel, and the second inserting portion abuts against the second surface [Figs. 2-4].
Regarding Claim 3, Qi discloses wherein both the first direction and the second direction are parallel to a width of the end plate [Fig. 4].
Regarding Claim 4, Qi discloses wherein the first channel and the second channel are arranged along a height direction of the end plate [Figs. 1-4].
Regarding Claim 5, Qi discloses wherein projections of the first surface and the second surface on a bottom surface of the end plate in the height direction of the end plate overlap [Figs. 2-4].
Regarding Claim 6, Qi discloses wherein the first surface and the second surface are located on a central plane in the width direction of the end plate [Figs. 2-4].
Regarding Claim 7, Qi discloses wherein the inner wall of the first channel further comprises a third surface (first side wall 121) opposite the first surface, and a first clearance is present between the first inserting portion and the third surface; and the inner wall of the second channel further comprises a fourth surface (fourth side wall 132) opposite the second surface, and a second clearance is present between the second inserting portion and the fourth surface [Fig. 2-4].
Regarding Claim 8, Qi fails to disclose wherein the first channel is provided with a first guide slope on an end close to the partition, and the first guide slope is configured to guide the first inserting portion to insert into the first channel; and the second channel is provided with a second guide slope on an end close to the partition, and the second guide slope is configured to guide the second inserting portion to insert into the second channel. However, Liao teaches a guide slope (guide groove 223a) having a slope to improve guiding effect of the inserting portion of the partition in the channel to make assembly easier [Liao – par. 0065; Fig. 3]. Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled artisan to have employed the teachings of Liao to have modified the assembly of Qi, wherein the first channel is provided with a first guide slope on an end close to the partition, and the first guide slope is configured to guide the first inserting portion to insert into the first channel; and the second channel is provided with a second guide slope on an end close to the partition, and the second guide slope is configured to guide the second inserting portion to insert into the second channel in order to improve guiding effect of the inserting portion of the partition in the channel to make assembly easier with predictably results.
Regarding Claim 9, Qi discloses wherein the first inserting portion and the second inserting portion are spaced apart along a height direction of the partition [Figs. 2-4].
Regarding Claim 10, Qi discloses wherein each of the inserting portions and the inner wall of the channel fitting this inserting portion are connected at an abutting position to form a connecting seam; and the inserting portion and the partition are welded to each other at the connecting seam [pars. 0058-59; Fig. 2].
Regarding Claim 11, modified Qi discloses wherein the bending region is configured to shield the connecting seam in a thickness direction of the end plate (i.e., inherent function of the bending region for modified Qi).
Regarding Claim 12, modified Qi discloses wherein the connecting region shifts relative to the body toward a side in a thickness direction of the partition, and the bending region is a step disposed between the connecting region and the body [Liao – Figs. 3,6-8].
Regarding Claim 13, modified Qi discloses wherein each of the connecting regions and each of the bending regions are equal in thickness to the body [Qi – Figs. 7-8; Liao – Figs. 3,6-8].
Regarding Claim 14, Qi discloses wherein each of the connecting regions and the body are integrally formed [Figs. 7-8].
Regarding Claim 15, Qi discloses wherein two projections of the at least two channels on the bottom surface of the end plate in the height direction of the end plate partially overlap or are spaced apart [Figs. 2-4].
Regarding Claim 17, Qi discloses a battery (battery module), comprising the box assembly according to claim 1 [par. 0081; Fig. 1].
Regarding Claim 18, Qi discloses an electric device (vehicle – not shown), comprising the battery according to claim 17 [par. 0081].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 16 is 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.
Claims 16 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding Claim 16, Qi fails to teach or suggest wherein a connecting groove is further formed on the end plate, and the at least two channels communicate with each other through the connecting groove. Instant specification teaches that such a connecting groove allows a weak region to be formed in the first channel and the second channel, so as to disperse stress and prevent damage at a joint [PgPublication – par. 0038; Figs. 21-22]. Qi does not recognize or address the problem of stress in one channel being able to damage a joint therein. Thus, an ordinary skilled artisan would have no motivation to modify Qi to form the claimed connection groove.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HAROON S SHEIKH whose telephone number is (571)270-0302. The examiner can normally be reached 9-6.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, JONATHAN LEONG can be reached at (571) 270-1292. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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HAROON S. SHEIKH
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1751
/Haroon S. Sheikh/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1751
Prosecution Insights