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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6/24/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The Ahn reference is still used to reject amended claim 1 but in obviousness-type form due to the amendment. The modified rejection is not addressed by the Remarks. The objection to the drawings is withdrawn by Applicant’s statement that Figure 1 shows the wavy shape.
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 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.
Claims 1, 2, and 5-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ahn (US 2022/0140454 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Ahn discloses an apparatus comprising: a plurality of serial-parallel busbars 150 connected to a plurality of cells B (paragraph 55); an insulating support 119 connected to the busbars 150 (paragraph 102); a circuit board C electrically connected to the busbars and vertically attached to the insulating support 119 (paragraph 102); heat exchange plates 130 thermally contacts the cells B (paragraph 95). Ahn discloses one or more adhesive-injection through holes (grooves) 115b and ribs 115a provided on the lower holder 110b to form a firm bond (paragraph 112) but not on the insulating support. Ahn does disclose that the insulating support has alignment ribs for connecting to the bus bars and cells (paragraph 102). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to utilize the adhesive on Ahn for the ribs of its insulating support for the same reason the adhesive is used on the holders: for a firm bond.
Regarding claim 2, Ahn discloses each of the serial-parallel busbars comprises a positive connection portion and a negative connection portion arranged insulative from each other; and the insulating support comprises a first surface and a second surface arranged opposite to the first surface, a mounting position is arranged on the first surface, each of the serial-parallel busbars is arranged at the mounting position, the second surface comprises a positive through hole and a negative through hole, the positive through hole and the negative through hole are arranged insulative and isolated from each other, a positive electrode of each of the cells is electrically connected to a positive connection portion of one of the serial-parallel busbars through the positive through hole, and a negative electrode of each of the cell is electrically connected to a negative connection portion of another one of the serial-parallel busbars through the negative through hole (paragraph 100 and Figure 4).
Regarding claim 5, Ahn discloses one or more serial busbars 150c, the one or more cell assemblies comprise a plurality of cell assemblies connected in series through the serial busbars (paragraph 77).
Regarding claim 6, Ahn discloses that the flexible circuit boards are fixedly connected to the serial-parallel busbars through one or more nickel sheets (paragraph 83).
Regarding claim 7, Ahn discloses one or more temperature acquisition units 170 electrically connected with one or more of the flexible circuit boards, and each of the temperature acquisition units are configured to detect a temperature of one of the cells (paragraph 90).
Regarding claim 8, Ahn discloses that one or more protrusions are arranged on the insulating support in a direction toward an axis of the cell, one or more grooves respectively corresponding to the protrusions are arranged on the serial-parallel busbars, each of the temperature acquisition units 170 is sandwiched between one of the protrusions and a groove bottom of one of the grooves corresponding to the one of the protrusions and is fixedly connected to the one of the protrusions (paragraph 94).
Regarding claim 9, Ahn discloses that a connector is arranged on the first circuit board, and the connector is electrically connected to a battery management system through a sampling line (paragraph 83).
Regarding claim 10, Ahn discloses one or more reinforcing plates fixed to one or more of the flexible circuit boards (paragraph 110).
Regarding claim 11, Ahn discloses a lower tray, wherein an accommodating groove is provided on the lower tray, and the cell assembly is mounted in the accommodating groove (paragraph 106).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ahn as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Tononishi (US 2017/0084884 A1).
Ahn fails to disclose a second circuit board. Tononishi—in an invention for a battery pack with bus bars, insulation, and heat exchange plates—discloses the presence of circuit board in the cover of the battery module so as to separate the circuit board from any condensation that forms in the module (paragraph 127). The circuit board of Tononishi has additional functionality from that of Ahn (paragraph 93). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to add a board to the cover of Ahn so as to enhance the functionality of Ahn while separating the additional board from deleterious materials within the module as suggested by Tononishi.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ahn as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Huo (US 2023/0216103 A1).
Ahn does not disclose a wavy heat exchange plate. Huo—in an invention for a battery module with bus bars—discloses the use of a cooling plate 22 that is wavy so that the cells can be accommodated in the wavy recess while increasing the contact surface area with the cells (paragraph 52). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to shape the cooling plate of Ahn as suggested by Huo to increase thermal transfer and efficiency.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to IMRAN AKRAM whose telephone number is (571)270-3241. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9a-5p.
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, Basia Ridley can be reached at 571-272-1453. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/IMRAN AKRAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725
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