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 .
The pending claims are claims 1-16.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Baek et al., US 20120129014.
Regarding claim 1, Baek et al., teaches a battery pack (abstract; 0035), comprising: a case (0006; 0042-0043); an electrode assembly (abstract) accommodated in the case (0006); and a protection circuit module connected to the electrode assembly, wherein the protection circuit module (abstract; 0006) includes: a substrate (upper cover 310) (0040; 0044-0046), one or more component mounting areas with a plurality of components (0036), and one or more coating areas (surfaces; 0017; 0036; 0044; 0046), at least some of which have different heights from a top surface of the substrate (upper cover 310) (0040; 0044-0046).
Regarding claim 2, Baek et al., teaches wherein the one or more component mounting areas are on an inner side of the one or more coating areas (0036; 0040; 0044-0046).
Regarding claim 3, Baek et al., teaches wherein a coating solution is applied to an inner side of the one or more coating areas (0036; 0040; 0044-0046).
Regarding claim 4, Baek et al., teaches wherein the one or more coating areas form a gap (hole 311) with the one or more component mounting areas (0053).
Regarding claim 5, Baek et al., teaches wherein the one or more coating areas (0044) include protruding structures (first plate 122; second plate 123) (0038) on the substrate enclosing the one or more component mounting areas (0036).
Regarding claim 6, Baek et al., teaches wherein a contour of the one or more coating areas extends continuously without breaks (0017; 0036; 0044).
Regarding claim 7, Baek et al., teaches wherein: the one or more coating areas are compartmentalized (0017; 0036; 0044) by one or more step portions stacked on the substrate (step portion 310) and enclosing the one or more component mounting areas (0036), and the one or more component mounting areas are inside the one or more coating areas (0036; 0040; 0044-0046).
Regarding claim 8, Baek et al., teaches wherein the one or more step portions (step portion 310) include an area inclined downward toward the one or more component mounting areas (0036) (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 9, Baek et al., teaches wherein: the protection circuit module (0006; 0017; 0035-0036) includes one or more substrate tabs (positive tab and negative tab) (0043) on the substrate and having one more extensions bent upwardly (0017; 0036; 0039-0040; 0049), and the one or more coating areas abut the one or more extensions of the one or more substrate tabs (0056).
Regarding claim 10, Baek et al., teaches wherein the one or more extensions extend across a widthwise direction of the substrate (0015; 0017; 0049).
Regarding claim 11, Baek et al., teaches wherein the one or more extensions (0015; 0017; 0049) are inclined toward the one or more coating areas (Fig. 1) such that the one or more coating areas have a tapered shape that narrows upwards (Fig. 4B) if viewed from the side (Fig. 1; 4B).
Regarding claim 12, Baek et al., teaches wherein: a pair of substrate tabs (positive tab and negative tab) (0043) are spaced apart along a lengthwise direction of the substrate such that a component mounting area is therebetween, the pair of substrate tabs (positive tab and negative tab) (0043) compartmentalize a coating area including the component mounting area (0017; 0036; 0044), and the pair of substrate tabs include extensions (0056).
Regarding claim 13, Baek et al., teaches wherein the coating area includes a pair of protruding structures (first plate 122; second plate 123) (0038) between the pair of substrate tabs and on a top surface of the substrate (positive tab and negative tab) (0043).
Regarding claim 14, Baek et al., teaches wherein the pair of protruding structures (first plate 122; second plate 123) (0038) abut the extensions of the pair of substrate tabs (positive tab and negative tab) (0043), forming an overall closed contour with the extensions (0043; Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 15, Baek et al., teaches wherein the pair of protruding structures (first plate 122; second plate 123) (0038) include one or more bent portions (0017; 0036; 0039-0040; 0049) extending toward the pair of substrate tabs (positive tab and negative tab) (0043).
Regarding claim 16, Baek et al., teaches wherein the one or more bent portions (0017; 0036; 0039-0040; 0049) are each at a lengthwise end of a protruding structure (first plate 122; second plate 123) (0038) and are paired such that the extensions are arranged therebetween (Fig. 1 and 4A).
Thus, the claims are anticipated.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANGELA J MARTIN whose telephone number is (571)272-1288. The examiner can normally be reached 7am-4pm.
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ANGELA J. MARTIN
Examiner
Art Unit 1727
/ANGELA J MARTIN/Examiner, Art Unit 1727
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