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) 1-4 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Seo (US Pub No. 2020/0185672) in view of Pak (US Pub No. 2023/0082883) and Patel (US Pub No. 2024/0106067)
Regarding Claim 1, Seo et al. teaches a battery pack [Fig. 2, 0041], comprising:
a housing comprising a first housing and a second housing; wherein the first
housing is connected to the second housing, a first space is formed in the first housing,
the first housing comprises a plurality of sidewalls and a bottom wall connected to the
plurality of sidewalls, and the plurality of sidewalls and the bottom wall form the first
space [see annotated figure];
The solid rectangle is the first housing, and dashed rectangle is the second housing. The solid circle is the first space, the first space has bottom wall 200, and side walls 510.
[AltContent: oval][AltContent: rect][AltContent: rect]
PNG
media_image1.png
391
540
media_image1.png
Greyscale
a cell assembly [100, Fig. 10, 0041] accommodated in the first space, and a first clearance is formed between the cell assembly and the plurality of sidewalls [Fig. 10 shows a first clearance between 100 and 510];
the plurality of sidewalls are hermetically connected to the bottom wall [Fig. 10, 0007],
Seo et al. is silent on a first through-hole is provided in at least one of a sidewall or the bottom wall, the first through-hole extends through the sidewall or the bottom wall, and the first through-hole
is in communication with the first clearance; and
a first filler is detachably disposed in the first through-hole, a second clearance
exists between the first filler and the first through-hole, and the second clearance is
configured to allow a gas to escape.
Pak et al. teaches a battery pack with the use of through holes [230, Fig. 4, 0068] that discharge gas within the pack housing, the installation position and the number of these through holes can be variously changed [0068]. The configuration of the through holes in figure 4 results in reducing the rapid propagation of flame/heat in the battery pack [0077].
Since Seo et al. teaches the use of battery pack, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing of the invention to apply the through holes of Pak et al. on the sides walls or bottom wall of Seo et al. in order to discharged gas from the battery module [0077].
Patel et al. teaches the use of a first filler [vent cap cover, abstract] for a battery pack, the first filler opens at a predetermined pressure to release hot gas [Abstract].
Since modified Seo et al. teaches the use of through holes that vents gas, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing of the invention apply the first filler of Patel et al. on the though holes of modified Seo et al. as is merely the selection of a conventional engineering design and one of ordinary skill would have a reasonable expectation of success in doing so.
The combination of familiar elements is likely to be obvious when it does no more than yield predictable results. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395 – 97 (2007) (see MPEP § 2143, A.).
As a result of the combination, when the first filler [Patel: vent cap] is released, it provides a second clearance between the through hole and the first filler.
Regarding Claim 2, within the combination above, modified Seo et al. teaches within the wherein the plurality of sidewalls comprises a first wall, a second wall, a third wall and a fourth wall; the first wall and the second wall are disposed along a first direction; the third wall and the fourth wall are
disposed along a second direction;
the first wall is connected to the third wall and the fourth wall; the second wall is
connected to the third wall and the fourth wall; the first wall, the second wall, the third
wall, and the fourth wall are connected to the bottom wall and form the first space; and
the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction [Fig. 2, see annotated figure].
The solid lines are the first and second walls, and the dashed lines are the third and fourth walls.
[AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector]
PNG
media_image2.png
426
530
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Regarding Claim 3, within the combination above, modified Seo et al. teaches wherein the first through-hole is provided in at least one of the first wall, the second wall, the third wall, or the fourth wall [Fig. 2, see rejection of claim 1].
Regarding Claim 4, within the combination above, modified Seo et al. teaches wherein the first through-hole is provided in the bottom wall; the second housing and the bottom wall are disposed along a third direction, the first filler is disposed in the first through-hole along a direction opposite
to the third direction, and the third direction is perpendicular to both the first direction
and the second direction [Seo: Fig. 2, the third direction is going in the Z direction according to the axis in figure 3].
Regarding Claim 20, within the combination above, modified Seo et al. teaches an electrical device, wherein the electrical device comprises the battery pack according to claim 1 [see rejection of claim 1, Seo: Abstract].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-19 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.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Seo (US Pub No. 2020/0185672) in view of Pak (US Pub No. 2023/0082883) and Patel (US Pub No. 2024/0154204) are the closest prior art.
Modified Seo et al. teaches limitations of the claim but does not disclose the limitations of “wherein the first housing comprises a first connecting piece, the first connecting piece comprises a support portion, the bottom wall is disposed on the support portion; the first connecting piece is provided with a first connecting piece through-hole, the first connecting piece through-hole extends through the first connecting piece along the third direction, and a part of the first filler is disposed in the first connecting piece through-hole and connected to the first through-hole.” in claim 5, “wherein the first connecting piece comprises a bottom face, the bottom face is oriented facing away from the bottom wall, and, along the third direction, an accommodation space is formed between the first filler and the bottom face. ” in claim 6, “wherein the bottom wall comprises a first position limiter, the first position limiter is connected to the bottom wall, and, in the third direction, the first position limiter is located above the first through-hole.” in claim 7, “wherein the battery pack further comprises a radiator; the radiator is hermetically connected to surfaces of the first wall, the second wall, the third wall, and the fourth wall; and a second space is formed between the radiator, the first housing, and the second housing.” in claim 8, “wherein the radiator is bonded to surfaces of the first wall, the second wall, the third wall, and the fourth wall.” in claim 9, “wherein the battery pack further comprises a connecting support, the connecting support is disposed between the first housing and the second housing, the connecting support connects the first housing to the second housing, the connecting support is provided with a second through-hole, and the second through-hole is in communication with the second space.” in claim 10, “wherein the connecting support comprises a first extension end portion and a second extension end portion disposed along the first direction; along the first direction, the first extension end portion protrudes beyond the first wall along a direction opposite to the first direction, and the second extension end portion protrudes beyond the second wall along the first direction; and the second through-hole extends through at least one of the first extension end portion or the second extension end portion along the third direction.” in claim 11, “the battery pack further comprises a second filler, the second filler is detachably disposed in the second through-hole, a third clearance exists between the second filler and the second through-hole, and the third clearance is configured to allow the gas to escape” in claim 12, “wherein the second filler is disposed in the second through-hole along a direction opposite to the third direction.” in claim 13, “wherein a first channel is disposed on at least one of the first wall or the second wall, and the first space communicates with the second space through the first channel.” in claim 14, and “wherein the battery pack further comprises a first insulator, the first insulator is disposed between the radiator and the cell assembly, and the first insulator connects inner surfaces of the first wall, the second wall, the third wall, and the fourth wall. ” in claim 15, “wherein the first insulator is configured to be formed by curing a flowing first insulating material disposed in the battery pack.” in claim 16, “wherein the battery pack further comprises a first housing insulator and a second housing insulator, the radiator is connected to the first wall by the first housing insulator, and the radiator is connected to the second wall by the second housing insulator.” in claim 17, “wherein the first position limiter comprises a first limiting portion, a second limiting portion, and a third limiting portion; the first limiting portion and the second limiting portion are disposed opposite to each other, and are connected to the edge of the first through-hole; the third limiting portion is connected to the first limiting portion and the second limiting portion, and is located above the first through-hole in the third direction.” in claim 18, and “wherein the bottom wall is provided with a first through-hole, the bottom wall comprises a third region, the third region is connected to the edge of the first through-hole, the third region comprises a plurality of tilting faces; the plurality of tilting faces are connected in sequence clockwise or counterclockwise, and converge toward the first through-hole.” in claim 19.
These references, nor any other reference or combination of references in the prior art suggest or render obvious the limitations of “wherein the first housing comprises a first connecting piece, the first connecting piece comprises a support portion, the bottom wall is disposed on the support portion; the first connecting piece is provided with a first connecting piece through-hole, the first connecting piece through-hole extends through the first connecting piece along the third direction, and a part of the first filler is disposed in the first connecting piece through-hole and connected to the first through-hole.” in claim 5, “wherein the first connecting piece comprises a bottom face, the bottom face is oriented facing away from the bottom wall, and, along the third direction, an accommodation space is formed between the first filler and the bottom face. ” in claim 6, “wherein the bottom wall comprises a first position limiter, the first position limiter is connected to the bottom wall, and, in the third direction, the first position limiter is located above the first through-hole.” in claim 7, “wherein the battery pack further comprises a radiator; the radiator is hermetically connected to surfaces of the first wall, the second wall, the third wall, and the fourth wall; and a second space is formed between the radiator, the first housing, and the second housing.” in claim 8, “wherein the radiator is bonded to surfaces of the first wall, the second wall, the third wall, and the fourth wall.” in claim 9, “wherein the battery pack further comprises a connecting support, the connecting support is disposed between the first housing and the second housing, the connecting support connects the first housing to the second housing, the connecting support is provided with a second through-hole, and the second through-hole is in communication with the second space.” in claim 10, “wherein the connecting support comprises a first extension end portion and a second extension end portion disposed along the first direction; along the first direction, the first extension end portion protrudes beyond the first wall along a direction opposite to the first direction, and the second extension end portion protrudes beyond the second wall along the first direction; and the second through-hole extends through at least one of the first extension end portion or the second extension end portion along the third direction.” in claim 11, “the battery pack further comprises a second filler, the second filler is detachably disposed in the second through-hole, a third clearance exists between the second filler and the second through-hole, and the third clearance is configured to allow the gas to escape” in claim 12, “wherein the second filler is disposed in the second through-hole along a direction opposite to the third direction.” in claim 13, “wherein a first channel is disposed on at least one of the first wall or the second wall, and the first space communicates with the second space through the first channel.” in claim 14, and “wherein the battery pack further comprises a first insulator, the first insulator is disposed between the radiator and the cell assembly, and the first insulator connects inner surfaces of the first wall, the second wall, the third wall, and the fourth wall. ” in claim 15, “wherein the first insulator is configured to be formed by curing a flowing first insulating material disposed in the battery pack.” in claim 16, “wherein the battery pack further comprises a first housing insulator and a second housing insulator, the radiator is connected to the first wall by the first housing insulator, and the radiator is connected to the second wall by the second housing insulator.” in claim 17, “wherein the first position limiter comprises a first limiting portion, a second limiting portion, and a third limiting portion; the first limiting portion and the second limiting portion are disposed opposite to each other, and are connected to the edge of the first through-hole; the third limiting portion is connected to the first limiting portion and the second limiting portion, and is located above the first through-hole in the third direction.” in claim 18, and “wherein the bottom wall is provided with a first through-hole, the bottom wall comprises a third region, the third region is connected to the edge of the first through-hole, the third region comprises a plurality of tilting faces; the plurality of tilting faces are connected in sequence clockwise or counterclockwise, and converge toward the first through-hole.” in claim 19 in conjunction with the remaining limitations of the claims.
Therefore; claim 1 is allowed once the limitations of claims 5-19 are incorporated into claim 1.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL Y SUN whose telephone number is (571)270-0557. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-7PM.
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, MATTHEW MARTIN can be reached at (571) 270-7871. 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.
/MICHAEL Y SUN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1728
Prosecution Insights