E tDETAILED 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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-14 in the reply filed on 08/12/2026 is acknowledged.
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)(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) 1-3, 5-6, and 9-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Baek (US-20160204400-A1)2
Regarding claim 1, Baek discloses a traction battery assembly (see e.g., Baek; [0022], regarding traction battery 100), comprising: a plurality of battery cells disposed along an array axis (see e.g., Baek; fig. 2, [0022], [0028], regarding cells 106); a rounded endplate at an axial end of the plurality of battery cells (see e.g., Baek; fig. 2, [0028], regarding either endplate 110); and a wrap spanning the rounded endplate (see e.g., Baek; fig. 2, [0028], [0030], regarding retention strap 112).
Regarding claim 2, Baek discloses the assembly of claim 1, wherein a first side of the rounded endplate faces away from the plurality of battery cells, and an opposite, second side of the rounded endplate faces toward the plurality of battery cells, wherein the first side is rounded relative to the second side (see e.g., Baek; figs. 2, 3B, 3C, [0028], regarding endplates 110).
Regarding claim 3, Baek discloses the assembly of claim 2, wherein the first side is rounded about a first axis that is perpendicular to the array axis (see e.g., Baek; figs. 2, 3B, 3C, wherein the first axis may be the vertical direction in figs. 2 and 3B, and into the page of fig. 3C, and the rounding of the endplates 110 occur around the first axis).
Regarding claim 5, Baek discloses the assembly of claim 1, wherein the rounded endplate has a vertically upper edge opposite a vertically lower edge (see e.g., Baek; figs. 2, 3B, [0028], regarding vertical edges 120 corresponding to upper and lower edge, annotated fig. 3B), the rounded endplate rounded continuously from the vertically upper edge to the vertically lower edge (see e.g., Baek; fig. 3B).
PNG
media_image1.png
501
565
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 6, Baek discloses the assembly of claim 5, wherein the rounded endplate further includes respective first and second outboard edges that each extend from the vertically upper edge to the vertically lower edge (see e.g., Baek; annotated fig. 3B, regarding the top and bottom surface corresponding to first and second outboard edges), the rounded endplate rounded continuously from the first outboard edge to the second outboard edge (see e.g., Baek; fig. 3B, wherein the rounding progresses from the top to the bottom, and in receiving groove 124 as shown in the figure).
PNG
media_image2.png
616
734
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 9, Baek discloses the assembly of claim 1, wherein the wrap is wound around the plurality of battery cells and the rounded endplate (see e.g., Baek; fig. 2).
Regarding claim 10, Baek discloses the assembly of claim 1, wherein the rounded endplate is a first rounded endplate, and further comprising a second rounded endplate that is spanned by the wrap (see e.g., Baek; fig. 2, [0028], regarding endplates 110).
Regarding claim 11, Baek discloses the assembly of claim 10, wherein the wrap is wound around the first rounded endplate, the plurality of battery cells, and the second rounded endplate (see e.g., Baek; fig. 2) to compress the plurality of battery cells between the first and second rounded endplates (see e.g., Baek; [0029], fig. 3C, regarding force arrows 140 showing compression forces applied to cell array 104).
Regarding claim 12, Baek discloses the assembly of claim 1, further comprising a traction battery of an electrified vehicle, the traction battery having the plurality of battery cells and the endplate (see e.g., Baek; [0004]-[0005], fig. 1, [0021]).
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.
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) 7-8, 13-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baek (US-20160204400-A1).
Regarding claim 7, Baek discloses the assembly of claim 1. Baek discloses that the retention strap 112 may have various structural compositions (see e.g., Baek; [0030]). In the embodiment of fig. 2, Baek does not explicitly disclose wherein the wrap comprises a curable material. However, in the embodiment of fig. 5 comprising straps 210, Baek discloses wherein the strap comprises a curable material (see e.g., Baek; [0033], regarding manufacturing and material options for straps 210, which may be structural reaction molded with resins, or thermoplastic matrices with injection molding, with materials which are curable). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the straps of the embodiment of fig. 2 of Baek with the curable material straps 210 as disclosed by Baek in order to facilitate the joining of the first and second end (see e.g., Baek; [0030]).
Regarding claim 8, Baek discloses the assembly of claim 1, wherein the wrap is a tape that is polymer-based (see e.g., Baek; [0030], regarding strap 112 comprising polyester filament). Baek discloses that the retention strap 112 may have various structural compositions (see e.g., Baek; [0030]). In the embodiment of fig. 2, Baek does not explicitly disclose wherein the wrap has fiber reinforcement. However, Baek discloses straps 210 of the embodiment of figs. 5A-B being formed with a continuous fiber mesh or fiber mat, having carbon fibers, wherein the fibers are oriented along a direction of plastic flow during the injection molding process (see e.g., Baek; [0033]), which corresponds with providing fiber reinforcement. It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the straps 112 of the embodiment of fig. 2 of Baek by providing the polymer-based material with carbon reinforcement as disclosed by Baek in order to facilitate the joining of the first and second end (see e.g., Baek; [0030]).
Regarding claim 13, Baek discloses the assembly of claim 1. In the embodiment of fig. 2, Baek does not explicitly disclose wherein the rounded endplate is a polymer-based material. However, in a different embodiment, Baek discloses wherein ceramic or thermoset material inserts 230 are molded into the endplate having a thermoplastic matrix (see e.g., Baek; fig. 6, [0034]), which corresponds with the claimed polymer-based material. It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the endplates of the embodiment of fig. 2 of Baek to have ceramic or thermoset inserts in a thermoplastic matrix in order to assist in resisting high loads and the load of the battery cells (see e.g., Baek; [0034]).
Regarding claim 14, Baek discloses the assembly of claim 1. In the embodiment of fig. 2, Baek does not explicitly disclose wherein the rounded endplate is a composite-based material. However, in a different embodiment, Baek discloses wherein ceramic or thermoset material inserts 230 are molded into the endplate having a thermoplastic matrix (see e.g., Baek; fig. 6, [0034]), which corresponds with the claimed composite-based material. It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the endplates of the embodiment of fig. 2 of Baek to have ceramic or thermoset inserts in a thermoplastic matrix to form a composite-based material in order to assist in resisting high loads and the load of the battery cells (see e.g., Baek; [0034]).
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baek (US-20160204400-A1), and in further view of Kim (US-20070052390-A1).
Regarding claim 4, Baek discloses the assembly of claim 3. Baek does not explicitly disclose wherein the first side is rounded about a second axis that is perpendicular to both the first axis and the array axis. However, Kim discloses an assembly with a similar strap configuration on a battery array wherein endplates 20 are rounded about a second axis that may be perpendicular to a first axis and array axis (see e.g., Kim; fig. 1, [0043], [0060], [0061], wherein the endplates are rounded in the vertical direction of the figure, which is toward the longitude edge of the battery cells). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the endplates of Baek to be rounded about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis and the array axis, as in the direction of rounding as disclosed by Kim, in order to increase productivity by reducing time required for assembly (see e.g., Kim; [0014]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEVIN SONG whose telephone number is (571)270-7337. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm 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, 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.
/KEVIN SONG/Examiner, Art Unit 1728
/MATTHEW T MARTIN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1728
Prosecution Insights