BATTERY MODULE, BATTERY PACK, AND VEHICLE

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 . The Applicant’s amendment filed on 8/17/2026 was received. Claims 1, 2, 5, 12 were amended. The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S.C. code not included in this action can be found in the prior Office action issued on 6/12/2026. Claim Objections The claim objection on claims 2, 4, 5 are withdrawn because Applicant canceled claims 2, 4, 5. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 Claims 1-4, 8-10, 12 remain rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kume et al. (JP 2013114952 A) in view of Masuda et al. (JP 2003100273 A). The rejections are restated below to address the amendment. Regarding claims 1, 10, 12: Kume et al. disclose a power supply device (par. 1). A vehicle comprises the power supply device (equivalent to a battery pack) (par. 2), comprising a battery block (10) (par. 6, fig. 1) (equivalent to a battery module). The battery block (10), comprising: a plurality of battery cells (1) (par. 6, fig. 1), the plurality of battery cells (1) being arranged side by side (fig. 1), and a safety valve (3) (equivalent to a pressure relief valve) (par. 6, fig. 1) being arranged on a top of each of the battery cells (1); an end plate (7) (par. 6, fig. 1), the end plate being arranged on an end portion of the plurality of battery cells (1), and the end plate (7) being provided with an end plate pipe (8) (equivalent to a first exhaust channel) (par. 6, fig. 1) therein; and a safety valve duct (24) (equivalent to a cover body) (par. 10, fig. 1) covering the safety valves (3), the safety valve duct (24) being arranged in an arrangement direction of the plurality of battery cells (1) (the safety valve duct (24) forms a second exhaust channel), and the safety valve duct (24) being in communication with the end plate pipe (8) (par. 10, fig. 1), wherein: the end plate pipe (8) comprises an inner cavity, an inlet (8a) (equivalent to an air inlet) (par. 25, fig. 6), and a convex connecting port (8b1) (equivalent to an air outlet) (par. 35, fig. 12) in communication with the inner cavity; and the convex connecting port (8b1) is arranged on a side surface of the end plate (7) (fig. 12), and the inner cavity has a closed bottom (see fig. below) carried in gas passed through the safety valve duct (24) to the end plate pipe (8) (par. 35-36, fig. 12). PNG media_image1.png 564 552 media_image1.png Greyscale Kume et al. fail to explicitly disclose the cover body being snap-fitted onto the plurality of pressure relief valves. However, Masuda et al. disclose a power supply device (par. 1). The power supply device comprises a pressing member (15) (equivalent to a cover body) covering gas relief holes (10) (equivalent to pressure relief valves) (par. 40, fig. 6). A locking claw (19) is engaged (equivalent to snap-fitted) with the outer edge of the pressing member (15) and makes the pressing member (15) fit on the gas relief holes (10) (par. 40, fig. 6). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the locking claw (19) of Masuda et al. to fix the safety valve duct (24) of Kume et al. because Masuda et al. teach that this method can suppress cost increases (par. 9). Regarding claim 2: Kume et al. disclose an end of safety valve duct (24) is connected with the inlet (8a) (par. 22, fig. 4, 12). Regarding claim 3: Kume et al. disclose an electrode terminal (5) (equivalent to a wire harness) (par. 17, fig. 3), the electrode terminal (5) being arranged outside the safety valve duct (24) and being electrically connected with the battery cell (1) (par. 23). Regarding claim 4: Kume et al. disclose the inlet (8a) is arranged staggered with respect to the convex connecting port (8b1) (fig. 12). Regarding claim 8: Kume et al. disclose the plurality of safety valves (3) are arranged linearly (fig. 2). Regarding claim 9: Kume et al. disclose an insulating separators (6) (equivalent to an insulation layer) is sandwiched between adjacent battery cells (1) (par. 16, fig. 3). Claim 5 remains rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kume et al. (JP 2013114952 A) in view of Masuda et al. (JP 2003100273 A) as applied to claim 2 above and further in view of Ackermann (US 20150064527). The rejections are restated below to address the amendment. Regarding claim 5: Kume et al. disclose a power supply device as described in paragraph 3 above. Kume et al. fail to explicitly disclose a snap is arranged in a position of the end plate close to the air inlet; and the end of the cover body is connected with the air inlet through the snap. However, Ackermann discloses an energy store covering module for covering a cell of an electrochemical energy store unit (abstract). The energy store covering module (100) (equivalent to the cover body), covering a cell blow-out diaphragm of the cell (par. 33, fig. 2, 3), comprises a detent (150) and a snap-fit hook (160) (par. 36, fig. 2). The detent (150) and the snap-fit hook (160) form one connecting element for the secure and stable connection of module (100) (par. 36, fig. 3) (the snap-fit hook (160) is equivalent to a snap). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the detent (150) and the snap-fit hook (160) of Ackermann to fix the safety valve duct (24) to the inlet (8a) of Kume et al. because Ackermann teaches that this can provide a flexible covering (par. 15). Claim 6 remains rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kume et al. (JP 2013114952 A) in view of Masuda et al. (JP 2003100273 A) as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Frutschy et al. (US 20170062884 A1). Regarding claim 6: Kume et al. disclose a seal opening (21) (equivalent to a second sealing gasket) is arranged between the safety valve duct (24) and the battery cells (1) (par. 20, fig. 2). Kume et al. fail to explicitly disclose a first sealing layer is arranged between the two ends of the cover body and the end plate. However, Frutschy et al. disclose an improved energy storage device (abstract). The energy storage device comprises an annular seal (195) (equivalent to a first sealing layer) arranged between an air outlet (158) and an air inlet (156) (par. 52, fig. 14). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the annular seal (195) of Frutschy et al. between two end of the safety valve duct (24) and the end plate (7) of Kume et al. because Frutschy et al. teach that this can provide an air-tight sealing (par. 52). Claims 7, 11 remain rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kume et al. (JP 2013114952 A) in view of Masuda et al. (JP 2003100273 A) as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Chu et al. (US 20210328281 A1). Regarding claim 7: Kume et al. disclose a power supply device as described in paragraph 3 above. Kume et al. fail to explicitly disclose a side plate, the side plate being arranged on a side surface of the battery body in the arrangement direction of the plurality of battery cells. However, Chu et al. disclose a battery pack (abstract). The battery pack comprises an upper box (12) and a lower box (13) (par. 61, fig. 1) (the upper box (12) includes side plates, the side plate being arranged on a side surface of the plurality of battery cells (3)). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the upper box (12) and the lower box (13) Chu et al. to pack the battery block (10) of Kume et al. because Chu et al. teach that the upper box (12) and the lower box (13) can prevent water vapor from impacting the battery cells (3) (par. 61). Regarding claim 11: Kume et al. disclose a gas duct (30) (equivalent to a third exhaust channel), and the safety valve duct (24) being in communication with the gas duct (30) through the end plate pipe (8) (par. 22-25, fig. 4). Kume et al. fail to explicitly disclose a tray, the battery module being fixed to the tray; and the tray being provided with a third exhaust channel therein. However, Chu et al. disclose a battery pack (abstract). The battery pack comprises battery cells (3), an upper box (12), a lower box (13) (equivalent to a tray) (par. 61, fig. 1), and a connecting channel (22) (equivalent to the third exhaust channel). The battery cells (3) and the connecting channel (22) are fixed to the lower box (13) (fig. 2). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the upper box (12) and the lower box (13) Chu et al. to pack the battery block (10) of Kume et al. because Chu et al. teach that the upper box (12) and the lower box (13) can prevent water vapor from impacting the battery cells (3) (par. 61). Response to Amendment Applicant’s arguments filed on 08/17/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant primarily argues: Kume discloses the connecting port 8b is at the bottom of the end plate, and the end plate pipe 8 is a through-hole. Such configuration cannot constitute "the air outlet is arranged on a side surface of the end plate" and "the inner cavity has a closed bottom configured to directly collect solid particles carried in gas passed through the second exhaust channel to the first exhaust channel" as recited in amended claim 1. In response: Applicant’s arguments are not persuasive. Kume discloses another example in fig. 12. The convex connecting port (8b1) is arranged on a side surface of the end plate (7) (fig. 12), and the inner cavity has a closed bottom (see fig. above). 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 PIN JAN WANG whose telephone number is (571)272-7057. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5pm. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. 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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. /PIN JAN WANG/Examiner, Art Unit 1717 /Dah-Wei D. Yuan/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1717