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 .
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.
1. Claim(s) 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Erhart (US20200185681) in view of Chang (KR20160067415).
As to claim 1, Erhart discloses a battery system (figure 2) comprising: a plurality of battery modules (paragraph 0009); a plurality of cell supervision circuit boards (CSCBs) (paragraph 0009); a flexible printed circuit (FPC) configured to electrically connect at least one of the plurality of battery modules to at least one of the plurality of CSCBs (paragraph 0025); a temperature sensor mounted to the FPC and physically connected to the battery module (paragraph 0023).
Erhart fail to disclose a protector protecting the temperature sensor by covering the temperature sensor exposed on the FPC.
Chang teaches a protector protecting the temperature sensor by covering the temperature sensor exposed on the FPC for the purpose of preventing the thermistor being separated from a ring terminal (paragraph 0046).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time applicant's invention was made to provide Erhart with a protector protecting the temperature sensor by covering the temperature sensor exposed on the FPC for the purpose of preventing the thermistor being separated from a ring terminal (paragraph 0046).
As to claim 2, Erhart fail to disclose wherein the protector comprises: a coating covering a portion of the temperature sensor exposed on one side of the FPC; and a stiffener opposite to the coating with the temperature sensor therebetween and covering another portion of the temperature sensor exposed on another side of the FPC.
Chang teaches wherein the protector comprises: a coating covering a portion of the temperature sensor exposed on one side of the FPC (figure 1,4 number 410); and a stiffener opposite to the coating with the temperature sensor therebetween and covering another portion of the temperature sensor exposed on another side of the FPC (140) for the purpose of preventing the thermistor being separated from a ring terminal (paragraph 0046).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time applicant's invention was made to Erhart with a coating covering a portion of the temperature sensor exposed on one side of the FPC and a stiffener opposite to the coating with the temperature sensor therebetween and covering another portion of the temperature sensor exposed on another side of the FPC for the purpose of preventing the thermistor being separated from a ring terminal (paragraph 0046).
As to claim 3, Erhart fail to disclose further comprising a thermally conductive and electrically insulating tape between the temperature sensor and the stiffener.
Chang teaches further comprising a thermally conductive and electrically insulating tape between the temperature sensor and the stiffener for the purpose of fixing the thermistor to the ring terminal (paragraph 0055).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time applicant's invention was made to provide Erhart with a thermally conductive and electrically insulating tape between the temperature sensor and the stiffener for the purpose of fixing the thermistor to the ring terminal (paragraph 0055).
As to claims 4-5, Erhart fail to disclose wherein the stiffener is a metal foil such as aluminum foil. Chang teaches that the stiffener is a reinforcing material such as thermosetting material (paragraph 0046). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time applicant's invention was made to provide the stiffener as a metal foil such as aluminum foil for the purpose of providing optimal results in absence of unexpected results.
As to claim 6, Erhart discloses wherein the temperature sensor is physically connected to an electrode terminal of a battery cell of the battery module (paragraph 0050).
As to claim 7, Erhart discloses wherein the temperature sensor is a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) temperature sensor (paragraph 0050).
As to claim 8, Erhart discloses wherein a first FPC is connected to a first battery module and a contact pad of a first CSCB and a second FPC is connected to a second battery module and a contact pad of a second CSCB (paragraph 0047).
As to claim 9, Erhart discloses wherein the FPC comprises at least one curved section (figure 6a number 35).
As to claim 10, Erhart discloses wherein the plurality of CSCBs comprise a first CSCB with a first communication pad and a second CSCB with a second communication pad, wherein the first and second communication pads are interconnected via an FPC connector (paragraph 0047).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JANE J RHEE whose telephone number is (571)272-1499. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday (10-6:30).
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.
/JANE J RHEE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1724
Prosecution Insights