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 .
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 7, 8, 10, 11, 16 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kurita (U.S. Patent Publication 2012/0315508).
Regarding claims 1 and 10, Kurita discloses a battery module comprising multiple battery cells 11, wherein each cell comprises a holder 12 having a pair of thermistor holders 12i that create a groove for holding a thermistor 22 (temperature obtaining member) with segments a, b and c, wherein the thermistor comprises a sensor 23 and a sensor casing 27, and wherein the holder 12 comprises a movement regulating section 12m that helps to connect the sensor casing to the thermistor holder (Paragraphs 0021, 0027, 0029, 0040, Figs. 3A, 8). As to claims 2 and 11, Kurita teaches that the thermistor holders comprise plate-like cover segments c that protruding from the thermistor engagement segments b to cover the surfaces of the thermistor, and that the thermistor comprises sensor pressure springs 26 that protrude from the sensor and are covered by the plate-like cover segments c (Paragraphs 0029, 0040). Regarding claims 7 and 16, Kurita shows in Fig. 8 that the bottom walls of the sensor pressure springs 26 (protrusion) and the sensor casing 27 are co-planar. As to claims 8 and 17, Kurita shows in Fig. 10 that each of the side walls of the sensor casing elastic claws 27a are spaced apart from corresponding walls of the ends of the thermistor engagement segments b of the thermistor holders 12i.
Kurita fails to specifically show that the contact system is formed at the top of the battery cells, and fails to specifically state that the thermistor holders are plastic.
Kurita teaches that the thermistor may alternatively be provided at the top surface (Paragraph 0061). Kurita also teaches that the holders 12 are composed of synthetic resin (Paragraph 0021).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the present invention that the thermistors of Kurita could be placed at the tops of the battery cells because Kurita teaches that while the bottom surface is desired, the thermistor can alternatively be placed at the top of the cells to perform the same temperature sensing process. It also would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the thermistor holders of Kurita are made of plastic because Kurita teaches that they are made of synthetic resin, which is known to be a component of plastic.
Claim(s) 1-3, 7, 10-12, and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sakamoto (U.S. Patent Publication 2022/0113196) in view of Kurita (U.S. Patent Publication 2012/0315508).
Regarding claims 1 and 10, Sakamoto discloses an installation structure of a temperature sensor on the sides of a stack of battery cells, the structure comprising: a battery cell support 7 holding each of the cells that comprises guide sections 11 for holding the temperature sensor 3, wherein the temperature sensors comprise a thermistor element 23 inside a temperature sensor housing 45, and wherein the battery cell supports comprise a locking section 25 (connection portion) for holding the temperature sensor in place in the guide sections of the cell supports (Paragraphs 0027, 0031, 0042, 0061, Figs. 3, 5, 8). Sakamoto also discloses that the battery cell support is made of a synthetic resin (Paragraph 0090), which is known to be a component of plastic. As to claims 2 and 11, Sakamoto teaches that the sensor guide section 11 has a convex portion 41 protruding from the flat portion and that the temperature sensor housing has a concave section 43 that includes a bottom protruding portion that slides under the convex portion of the guide section (Paragraphs 0054-0056, Fig. 5). Regarding claims 3 and 12, Sakamoto teaches sensor guides on both sidewalls of the sensor holding section (Paragraph 0042, Fig. 5). As discussed above, the guides have a convex part 41 that is equivalent to the pressing block while the sensor housing has a slide groove that comprises a protruding portion on the top and bottom. Thus, the guide on one side can be considered the pressing block and protrusion while the other side is a guide and slide groove. As to claims 7 and 16, Sakamoto shows in Fig. 5 that the protruding bottom part of the concave portion of the temperature sensor housing is co-planar with the bottom of the temperature sensor housing. Regarding claims 8 and 17, Sakamoto teaches that the sides of the temperature sensor can be spaced from the sides of the guide sections (Paragraph 0039 and Fig. 4B).
Sakamoto fails to disclose that the temperature sensors are placed at the tops of the battery cells.
The teachings of Kurita have been discussed in paragraph 3 above.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the present invention that the temperature sensors of Sakamoto could have been placed at the tops of the battery cells because Kurita teaches that the battery holders can be adjusted so that temperature sensors can be placed at different positions on the battery cell, including the top surface, as long as it does not interfere with other components of the battery cell.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-6, 9, 13-15 and 18 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRITTANY L RAYMOND whose telephone number is (571)272-6545. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9 am-6 pm.
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BRITTANY L. RAYMOND
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1722
/BRITTANY L RAYMOND/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1722
