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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDSs) submitted on 01/24/2024 and 01/17/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings received on 01/24/2024 were reviewed and are acceptable.
Specification
The specification filed on 01/24/2024 was reviewed and is acceptable.
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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/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(s) 1 and 11 recite the limitations “the batteries”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim{s).
Claim(s) 6-8 and 16-18 recite the limitations “the plurality of passthroughs”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim{s).
Appropriate correction is required.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends.
Claim 17 recites “The method according to claim 4”, which fails to further limit the subject matter upon which it depends because claim 4 recites “The battery module”.
Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 and 11 would be allowable if rewritten or amended 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.
Claims 2-10 and 12-20 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b)/(d) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd/4th paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
The present invention is related to, inter alia, a battery module, and related method of making said battery module, comprising a housing, a vent tray assembly including a cell tray and a vent tray that combine to define a plurality of vent channels, the vent tray assembly including a plurality of air vents that are isolated from the plurality of vent channels, a plurality of battery cells, and a potting foam disposed within the housing and between the [battery cells].
Doak et al. (US 2023/0344069 A1) is considered to be the closest relevant prior art to independent claims 1 and 11. Doak et al. discloses a battery module, and related method of making said battery module (Abstract), comprising a housing (200), a vent tray assembly including a cell tray (capture plate 118) and a vent tray (spacer 164) that combine to define a plurality of vent channels (as best shown in Fig 5 via ejecta 300 being emitted), the vent tray assembly including a plurality of air vents (corresponding with the “vent channels”, a plurality of battery cells (100), and a potting foam (potting material 119) disposed within the housing and between the [battery cells] (as shown in Fig 3).
However, Doak et al. does not disclose, teach, fairly suggest, nor render obvious the recited plurality of air vents that are isolated from the plurality of vent channels. At best, Doak et al. discloses single channels which allow gases (ejecta 300) to be vented from the battery module (as shown in Fig 5), and which are reasonably interpreted to also allow air to vent, but there does not appear to be any reasonable basis for the skilled artisan to abandon the structure of Doak et al. and be directed towards the recited separate vent passages because the functionality of allowing gases to escape the battery module is already accomplished via the single vent passage.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Choi et al. (US 2023/0207958 A1) discloses a battery module;
Hickey et al. (US 2023/0420795 A1) discloses a battery pack with sacrificial cell vent;
Hattendorff et al. (US 2021/0391628 A1) discloses a battery module;
Akens et al. (US 2020/0411912 A1) discloses a battery pack interface; and
Zheng et al. (US 2016/0020446 A1) discloses a battery module.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES M ERWIN whose telephone number is (571)272-3101. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 6am-3pm PDT.
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, Nicole Buie-Hatcher can be reached at 571-270-3879. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JAMES M ERWIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725 08/12/2026
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