CTNF 18/488,847 CTNF 86213 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-12-aia AIA (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. 07-15-03-aia AIA Claim s 1-4, 10 and 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Cho (U.S. Pub. No. 2024/0322334A1) . Regarding claims 1-4, 10 and 12-14 , Cho teaches a battery pack comprising a plurality of battery cells 10 (unit cells) arranged in a first direction Z1, and an insulating frame 50, wherein the insulating frame 50 comprises (see paragraph 43): side portions 51 (side plates; side wall portion) facing side surfaces 15 of the battery cells in a second direction Z2 (see paragraph 51); end portions (end plates) facing side surfaces 13 of the battery cells 10 in the first direction Z1 (see FIG. 2); and a flange portion 55 defining an opening OP and facing the bottom surface 12 of the battery cells 10 (see paragraphs 43 and 50). The side portions 51 and the flange portion 55 are further provided with a convex pattern P and flow channels F, wherein the flow channels F are provided as a gap between adjacent portions of the convex pattern P (see paragraph 59). The convex pattern P may comprise a connection pattern PO which is formed partially on the side portions 51 (side insulation; second insulating portion) and partially on the flange portion 55. Third flow channels F3 may be provided along the portions of the connection pattern PO formed on the side portions 51. Second flow channels F3 may be formed along the portions of the connection pattern PO formed on the flange portion 55 (see paragraph 61; FIG. 4). The convex pattern P may further comprise an inner isolation pattern PI (first insulating portion) which is formed on the flange portion 55 and separated from the connection pattern PO in the second direction Z2 by first flow channels F1, and spaced apart in the first direction Z1 by second flow channels F2 (first through holes) (see paragraph 60). The plurality of battery cells 10 are supported on the convex pattern P such that an adhesive A may be filled in the opening OP, and the first to third flow channels F1, F2, and F3 (second tape) (see paragraphs 53 and 63; FIGS. 5 and 6) . 07-15-02-aia The applied reference has a common Applicant with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2). This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B) if the same invention is not being claimed; or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed in the reference and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-23-aia AIA 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. 07-22-aia AIA Claim (s) 15-17 are is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho as applied to claim s 1-4, 10 and 12-14 above, and further in view of Liu et al. (hereinafter “Liu”) (U.S. Pub. No. 2020/0313140 A1) . Regarding claim 15 , Cho is silent as to a top cover. Liu teaches a battery module 100 including a plurality of cells 10 arranged in a case, wherein the case includes a housing body 20 and a cover plate 30 (see paragraphs 49 and 53). The housing body 20 is arranged on the plurality of cells 10 and is provided with a first through-hole 22. The cover plate 30 is used to cover the housing body 30 (see paragraph 53). It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have adapted the cover plate of Liu to the battery pack of Cho in order to protect the battery terminals from external impact or contact with external conductors which may cause a short circuit. Regarding claim 16 , Liu teaches it is known in the art to connect the positive terminals and the negative terminals of the cells 10 with a busbar 50 (see paragraph 49). Regarding claim 17 , Liu teaches that a printed circuit board 42 (controller) may be arranged in the first through-hole 22 of the housing body 20 (see paragraph 53). It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have adapted the circuit board of Liu to the battery pack of Cho in order to perform load balancing and/or deactivate an overheating cell . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 5-9 and 11 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. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEPHAN J ESSEX whose telephone number is (571)270-7866. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 6:00 pm. 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, Barbara Gilliam can be reached at (571) 272-1330. 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If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /STEPHAN J ESSEX/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1727 Application/Control Number: 18/488,847 Page 2 Art Unit: 1727 Application/Control Number: 18/488,847 Page 3 Art Unit: 1727 Application/Control Number: 18/488,847 Page 4 Art Unit: 1727 Application/Control Number: 18/488,847 Page 6 Art Unit: 1727 Application/Control Number: 18/488,847 Page 7 Art Unit: 1727