CTNF 18/410,937 CTNF 84466 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Summary This is the initial Office Action based on the 18/410,937 application filed on 01/11/2024. Claims 1-19 are currently pending and have been fully considered. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-12-aia AIA (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. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1-2, 9, 11, 17-18 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Fuhr et al. (US 2011/0135975) . Addressing claim 1, Fuhr discloses a rechargeable energy storage system (figs. 5-6), comprising: a cell holder tray 42 including a plurality of vent passages 52 each aligned with a corresponding one of a plurality of threaded features (mating thread feature in the socket 44 of tray 42 described in paragraph [0081], which aligns with the vent passage 52 as shown in fig. 9); and a plurality of battery cells 24 each threadedly joined to a respective one of the plurality of threaded features of the cell holder tray ([0081], fig. 31). Addressing claim 2, paragraph [0081] discloses the threaded features 128 is formed on the housing 25 of the battery cell, which satisfies the limitation an outer shell 25 that is integrally threaded. Addressing claim 9, paragraph [0081] discloses the mating thread feature in the socket 44 of the tray 42, which satisfies the limitation the plurality of threaded features of the cell holder tray are integrally formed with the cell holder tray because the mating thread feature is formed in the socket 44 of the tray 42. Addressing claim 10, Fuhr discloses the cell holder tray includes an upper tray portion (see annotated fig. 10) including the plurality of vent passages and the plurality of threaded features (part of socket 44 as discussed above) and a lower tray portion forming a plurality of vent channels in communication with the plurality of vent passages (see annotated fig. 10). PNG media_image1.png 512 738 media_image1.png Greyscale Addressing claim 11, Fuhr discloses in paragraph [0048] that the tray 42, which includes the sockets 44 and the corresponding threaded features, is made of polymeric material which satisfies the claimed plastic material. Addressing claims 17-18, the limitations of current claims are drawn to the process of forming the threaded features in the cell holder tray that do not structurally differentiate the claimed threaded features from those of the prior art (see MPEP 2113 Product-by-Process Claims). Addressing claim 20, please see the rejection of claims 1 and 10 above because claim 20 recites the limitations of claims 1 and 10 . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-23-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 3-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fuhr et al. (US 2011/0135975) in view of Goerzen (DE102021207360 with provided machine English translation) . Addressing claims 3-8, Fuhr is silent regarding the limitations of current claims. Goerzen discloses fastening a plurality of battery cells to a holder 110 via threaded engagement (fig. 12); wherein, the battery cells have threaded sleeve (adapter 60a) made of plastic or metal [0022] for engaging the battery cells with the holder 110. At the time of the effective filing date of the invention, one with ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to modify the battery cells of Fuhr with the known adapters made of plastic or metal as disclosed by Goerzen in order to obtain the predictable result of fastening the battery cells to the holder via threaded engagement (Rationale B, KSR decision, MPEP 2143). The adapter of Georzen corresponds to the claimed threaded sleave of claims 3-5 and 8, the plastic shell of claim 6 and the metal shell of claim 7 . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fuhr et al. (US 2011/0135975) in view of Kobayashi (US 2010/0196751) . Addressing claim 7, Fuhr discloses the casing 25 as the structural equivalence to the claimed shell; however, Fuhr is silent regarding the claimed metal shell. Kobayashi discloses battery cell comprises an outer shell that has engagement features 34 for mating with a corresponding engagement features in the holding plate 22A (figs. 3-4); wherein, the outer shell is made of metal [0043]. At the time of the effective filing date of the invention, one with ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to modify the battery cells of Fuhr with the known metallic material disclosed by Kobayashi in order to obtain the predictable result of forming engagement features for securing the battery cell to the corresponding holding plate (Rationale B, KSR decision, MPEP 2143) and reduce the weight of the battery assembly (Kobayashi, [0043]) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fuhr et al. (US 2011/0135975) in view of Kim et al. (US 2024/0322292) . Addressing claim 12, Fuhr is silent regarding the threaded features of the cell holder tray are formed from metal. Kim discloses the battery cells holders 30 and 40 are made of metal material [0064]. At the time of the effective filing date of the invention, one with ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to modify the cells holder of Fuhr with the metallic material disclosed by Kim in order to minimize the battery system from being broken or damaged by an external impact (Kim, [0064]). In the modified holder tray of Kim, the threaded features are also made of metallic material because the threaded features are formed in the sockets 44 of the holder tray that is made of metal . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 13-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fuhr et al. (US 2011/0135975) in view of Tamegger et al. (DE102014106056 with provided machine English translation) . Addressing claims 13-16, Fuhr is silent regarding the claimed ring-shaped insert with interior surface having the plurality of threaded features. Tamegger discloses ring-shaped insert 292 having interior surface comprising threaded features 278 for receiving a corresponding structure having external threaded features (fig. 42). At the time of the effective filing date of the invention, one with ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to modify the storage system of Fuhr with the known ring-shaped inserts having threaded surface as disclosed by Tamegger in order to obtain the predictable result of threadedly engaging the battery cells having threaded external surface to a corresponding hole having the threaded insert (Rationale B, KSR decision, MPEP 2143). The limitations of claims 14-16 are drawn to the methods of inserting the ring-shaped insert into the cell holder tray that do not structurally differentiate the claimed storage system from that of the prior art (See MPEP 2113) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fuhr et al. (US 2011/0135975) in view of Schaar et al. (US 2020/0365932) . Addressing claim 19, Fuhr is silent regarding the claimed materials of the cell holder tray. Schaar discloses the cell mount 16, which corresponds to the claimed cell holder tray, is made of ABS or PP [0026]. At the time of the effective filing date of the invention, one with ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to modify the cell holder tray of Fuhr with the known ABS or PP material disclosed by Schaar in order to obtain the predictable result of forming a cell holder tray for holding battery cells in the desired position with light weight construction (Rationale B, KSR decision, MPEP 2143). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BACH T DINH whose telephone number is (571)270-5118. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Friday 8:00 - 4:30 EST. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jeffrey Barton can be reached at (571)-272-1307. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /BACH T DINH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1726 06/10/2026 Application/Control Number: 18/410,937 Page 2 Art Unit: 1726 Application/Control Number: 18/410,937 Page 3 Art Unit: 1726 Application/Control Number: 18/410,937 Page 4 Art Unit: 1726 Application/Control Number: 18/410,937 Page 5 Art Unit: 1726 Application/Control Number: 18/410,937 Page 6 Art Unit: 1726 Application/Control Number: 18/410,937 Page 7 Art Unit: 1726 Application/Control Number: 18/410,937 Page 8 Art Unit: 1726
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