CTNF 18/496,659 CTNF 86514 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. Drawings 06-37 AIA The drawings were received on 10/27/2023 . These drawings are accepted . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Lim (US 2013/0236754 A1, hereafter Lim) . With regard to claim 1, Lim teaches a battery pack comprising: a plurality of battery cells (cells 10) [0023]; a heat shielding member (insulating member 130) covering a side of a battery cell of the plurality of battery cells where a vent (vent 13) is formed [0023, fig. 2]; and a rigid member (pressurizing member 140) coupled to an outer surface of the heat shielding member [0023, fig. 2], wherein the rigid member comprises an opening hole (second opening 141) corresponding to the vent [0028, fig. 2]. With regard to claim 2, Lim teaches the heat shielding member is exposed to an outside through the opening hole of the rigid member (through opening 141 and port 125) [0023, 0028, 0032, fig. 2]. With regard to claim 3, Lim teaches a support member (cover 120) corresponding to a surface of the battery cell where the vent is formed (upper surface) and a flow path (path capable of moving gas) is defined inside the support member [0023-0024, fig. 2]. With regard to claim 4, Lim teaches the support member (cover 120) comprises steps inside (ribs 121 and 122) to define the flow path [0024, 0031, fig. 2]. With regard to claim 5, Lim teaches the flow path is defined along at least two directions (along length of cover 120 and perpendicular to length of cover out of gas discharging port 125) [0024, 0032, fig. 2]. With regard to claim 6, Lim teaches first and second flow paths perpendicular to teach other (along length of cover 120 and perpendicular to length of cover out of gas discharging port 125) [0024, 0032, fig. 2] . 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1 and 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by (Kim et al. US 2022/0123386 A1, hereafter Kim) . With regard to claim 1, Kim teaches a battery pack comprising: a plurality of battery cells (120) [0069, fig. 5]; a heat shielding member (extinguisher sheet 150) covering a side of a battery cell of the plurality of battery cells where a vent (124a) is formed [0069, 0072, fig. 3, fig. 5]; and a rigid member (top cover 160) coupled to an outer surface of the heat shielding member [0076, fig. 3-5], wherein the rigid member comprises an opening hole (discharge holes 161) corresponding to the vent [0077, fig. 3-6C]. With regard to claim 9, Kim teaches a plurality of bus bars (145) coupling the electrode terminals and an insulating cover (top cover 160). With regard to claim 10, Kim teaches a cooling member (insulation spacers 230 that allow air cooling) coupled to at least one side (wide side surface) of the battery cell [0115, fig. 18] . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 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. 07-20-02-aia AIA 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. 07-22-aia AIA Claim (s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lim as applied to claim s 1-6 above, and further in view of Vizzini et al. (US 2023/0124905 A1, hereafter Vizzini) . With regard to claim 7, Lim does not teach the heat shielding member (insulating member 130) comprises mica. However, in the same field of endeavor, Vizzini teaches the use of mica as a heat shielding member (thermal protection plate) [0011]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to use the mica material with the heat shielding member of Lim for the benefit of good electrical and thermal isolation [Vizzini 0011] . 07-22-aia AIA Claim (s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lim as applied to claim s 1-6 above, and further in view of Klaus et al. (US 2012/0045681 A1, hereafter Klaus) . With regard to claim 8, Lim does not explicitly teach the rigid member comprises steel or aluminum. However, these materials are well known in the art as rigid materials for battery components as evidenced by Klaus [0034] and would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to try with the rigid member of Lim since they are known to be typically used in battery frame components [Klaus 0034]. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRENT C THOMAS whose telephone number is (571)270-7737. The examiner can normally be reached Flexible schedule, typical hours 11-7 M-F. 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, Miriam Stagg can be reached at (571)270-5256. 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. /BRENT C THOMAS/Examiner, Art Unit 1724 /STEWART A FRASER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1724 Application/Control Number: 18/496,659 Page 2 Art Unit: 1724 Application/Control Number: 18/496,659 Page 3 Art Unit: 1724 Application/Control Number: 18/496,659 Page 5 Art Unit: 1724 Application/Control Number: 18/496,659 Page 6 Art Unit: 1724 Application/Control Number: 18/496,659 Page 7 Art Unit: 1724
