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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. CN 202122885566.5, filed on 11/23/2021.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDSs) submitted on 01/25/2024 and 06/12/2025 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 01/25/2024 were reviewed and are acceptable.
Specification
The specification received on 01/25/2024 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 5 is 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 5 recites the limitation "the weld seam" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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)(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.
(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) 1-2, 6 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li et al. (CN 212907944 U; hereinafter “Li”; see attached machine translation for reference).
Regarding claim 1, Li discloses a battery end plate assembly (battery frame; [n0003]) comprising: an end plate [n0003]; and a side plate [n0003]; wherein the end plate is provided with a connecting groove on a side (the end plate is provided with receiving grooves at both ends; [n0006]) for connecting the side plate (that can fix the end plate and the side plate through the cooperation between the receiving groove the pressing key and the extension section; [n0003]), and an end of the side plate is embedded in the connecting groove (The side plate includes a side plate body and extension sections located at both ends of the side plate body; [n0007]; Each compression key and an extension are inserted into a receiving groove; [n0008]) and abuts against a side wall of the connecting groove (The compression key presses the extension so that at least a portion of the extension fits against the groove wall of the receiving groove, so that the two end plates and two side plates enclose a receiving space for accommodating the battery; [n0008]).
Regarding claim 2, Li discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
Li further discloses that the depth of the connecting groove is equal to thickness of the side plate (the depth direction of the first groove 116 is parallel to the thickness direction of the end plate 110, that is, the depth direction of the first groove 116 is parallel to the length direction of the side plate 120; [n0068]. See modified Figure 7. The thickness of the first groove 116 corresponds to the thickness of the extension 127 in order to accommodate the extension 127; [n0068]. See modified figure 9.). Thus, the instant claims are anticipated.
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Regarding claim 6, Li discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
Li further discloses that the end plate and the side plate are made of homogeneous materials (the end plate 110 and the side plate 120 may be made of metal materials (e.g., aluminum); [n0058]).
Regarding claim 9, Li discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
Li further discloses a battery comprising the battery end plate assembly according to claim 1 (a battery module, which includes a plurality of individual battery cells and a battery frame; [n0029]. The battery frame includes two end plates, two side plates, and multiple press-fit keys; [n0030]). Thus, the instant claim is anticipated.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 3-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (CN 212907944 U; hereinafter “Li”; see attached machine translation for reference), in view of Lee et al. (US 2018/0138565 A1, hereinafter “Lee ‘565”).
Regarding claim 3, Li discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
Li fails to disclose that the end plate and the side plate are connected through friction stir welding.
Lee ‘565 teaches that the lower end portion of the left side cover 500 may be welded to a left side portion of the cooling plate 200, the front end portion of the left side cover 500 may be welded to a left side portion of the front cover 300, and the rear end portion of the left side cover 500 may be welded to a left side portion of the rear cover 400 [0080]. In addition, as indicated by W5 in FIG. 6, friction stir welding may be performed between the left side cover 500 and the cooling plate 200, between the left side cover 500 and the front cover 300, and between the left side cover 500 and the rear cover 400 [0094].
Li and Lee ‘565 are analogous prior art to the current invention because they are concerned with the same field of endeavor, namely battery modules and their housing.
Before the effective filing date of the current invention, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the connection through friction stir welding between the end plate and the side plate, into the structure disclosed by Li, with the reasonable expectation that doing so would prevent inner components of the battery module being damaged or broken by heat or deformation during a welding process [0095], as suggested by Lee ‘565.
Regarding claim 4, Li discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
Li fails to disclose that a weld seam generated by welding is arranged along a boundary line on which the end plate and the side plate abut against each other.
Lee ‘565 teaches that the left side cover 500 may be stably fixedly coupled to the cooling plate 200, the front cover 300, and the rear cover 400, and sealing may be guaranteed therebetween [0081], sealing edge portions of the left side cover [0081].
Before the effective filing date of the current invention, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate a weld seam generated by welding along a boundary line on which the end plate and the side plate abut against each other in the structure disclosed by Li, with the reasonable expectation that doing so would result in battery module not necessarily requiring fastening members for fixing the left side cover or fixing a lateral side of the battery module, and sealing members for sealing edge portions of the left side cover [0081], as suggested by Lee ‘565.
Regarding claim 5, Li discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
Li fails to disclose that both start and end points of the weld seam generated by welding are located on the end plate.
Lee ‘565 teaches a side cover and the front cover or the rear cover may be welded to each other in a state in which edges thereof are in contact with each other instead of end portions thereof overlapping each other [0099]. Further, the left side cover and/or the right side cover may be welded to at least one of the front cover, the rear cover, the cooling plate, and the upper plate by continuously bringing edges thereof into contact with each other and welding the edges together [0100].
Before the effective filing date of the current invention, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the weld seam generated by welding, wherein both start and end points are located on the end plate into the structure disclosed by Li, with the reasonable expectation that doing so would improve the hermeticity of the battery module, and increase the coupling strength between the components of the case of the battery module, as suggested by Lee ‘565.
Claim(s) 7-8 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (CN 212907944 U; hereinafter “Li”; see attached machine translation for reference), in view of Cao et al. (US 2019/0305271 A1; hereinafter “Cao”).
Regarding claims 7 and 8, Li discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
Li further discloses that the end plate is provided with a recess on a side away from the side plate (In one embodiment, the receiving groove 115 may include a first recess 116; [n0068]).
However, Li fails to disclose that the recess is provided on a side away from the side plate or that the recess is provided with a plurality of stiffeners arranged in a crisscross pattern.
Cao teaches a composite end plate comprising a base plate [0071], wherein the base plate 11 comprises a first surface 111 and a second surface 112 disposed opposite to each other. In use, the first surface 111 of the base plate 11 faces the battery 2, and the second surface 112 faces external environment [0071].
Further, the base plate comprises a plurality of lightening grids which are inward depressed and extend from the second surface to the first surface such that an overall weight of the composite end plate can be reduced [0071]; see Figure 4. Thus, the depth of the recess would be parallel to the length of the side plate.
Li and Cao are analogous prior art to the current invention because they are concerned with the same field of endeavor, namely battery modules and their frames.
Before the effective filing date of the current invention, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the recess provided with a plurality of stiffeners arranged in a crisscross pattern and such recess provided on a side away from the side plate, into the structure disclosed by Li, with the reasonable expectation that doing so would reduce an overall weight of the end plate and improve the energy density of the battery module [0015], as suggested by Cao.
Regarding claim 10, Li discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
Li fails to disclose an electric apparatus, comprising the battery according to claim 9, the battery being configured to supply electrical energy
Cao teaches that power batteries with a low capacity may be applied to small electric vehicles, and the power batteries with a high capacity may be applied to large electric vehicles [0003].
Before the effective filing date of the current invention, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the modified structure disclosed by Li, in an electric apparatus, with the reasonable expectation that doing so would power the vehicles and improve the energy density of the battery module [0098], as suggested by Cao.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Jung et al. US 20120045686 A1 discloses an end plate arranged at an outermost rechargeable battery of the plurality of rechargeable batteries and supporting the plurality of rechargeable batteries.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JESSICA N LIZARAZU whose telephone number is (571)272-9697. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:30am-6:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nicole Buie-Hatcher can be reached at 5712703879. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/J.N.L./Examiner, Art Unit 1725
/NICOLE M. BUIE-HATCHER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1725
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