DETAILED ACTION
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 12/11/23, 2/15/24, 6/4/24, 10/14/24, 2/25/25, 3/27/25, 8/8/25, 11/7/25 were filed on 12/11/23, 2/15/24, 6/4/24, 10/14/24, 2/25/25, 3/27/25, 8/8/25, 11/7/25. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings filed on 12/11/23 are accepted by the examiner.
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.
Claims 1-4, 6, 7, and 9-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Golubkov (EP 3327817) in view of Hidaka (WO 2018/142809 A1) using (US 2021/0143505) as an equivalent English translation, and further in view of Long et al (US 2019/0305273).
Regarding claims 1, 4, 6, and 7, Golubkov discloses a battery system “100” (battery module) comprising: 5a plurality of cell stacks, each of the cell stacks comprising:
a plurality of battery cells “80” (unit cells) arranged in a first direction; and
a first layer “61” (insulation member), made of an insulating plastic material, around the plurality of battery cells; and
a [battery system case “101” + case “93”] (module housing), in which a plurality of receiving parts are provided, each of the cell stacks from among the plurality of cell stacks being located in a receiving part from 10among the plurality of receiving parts,
wherein each of the receiving parts comprises submodule side plates “92” (fixing wall), the submodule side plates being around the cell stacks received therein and being in contact with the cell stacks,
wherein the case “93” comprises submodule front plates “91” (end walls) comprising a first front plate “91” (first end wall) and a second front plate “91” (second end wall) at respective sides of each of the receiving parts in the first direction to engage end surfaces of respective sides of the 15cell stacks received in the respective receiving part in the first direction,
wherein the first front plate “91” faces an sidewall “102” (outer wall) of the module housing and is spaced apart from the sidewall along the first direction, defining a first space between the first front plate and the sidewall, the sidewall is integral to the floor surface of the module housing ([0050]-[0052] and Fig. 3 and 5);
wherein each of the battery submodule “90” (cell stacks) further comprises a pair of submodule front plates “91” (end supports) at opposite end portions thereof in the first direction 20and having end surfaces corresponding to the end surfaces of the respective battery submodule ([0050] and Fig. 3).
However, Golubkov does not expressly teach end walls that are curved outwardly such that central portions thereof are located further from the end surfaces of the cell 15stacks than other portions of the end walls, defining a third space between the respective end surface and the respective end wall (claim 1).
Hidaka discloses reinforcing plates “52” (end walls) that are curved outwardly such that central portions “54” thereof are located further from the end surfaces of the cell 15stacks “20A” than other portions “53” of the reinforcing plates, defining a third space between the respective end surface and the respective reinforcing plate ([0058] and Fig. 9).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the Golubkov battery module to include end walls that are curved outwardly such that central portions thereof are located further from the end surfaces of the cell 15stacks than other portions of the end walls, defining a third space between the respective end surface and the respective end wall in order to utilize end walls that allow for local expansion of the battery cell due to deterioration of the electrode assembly ([0058]).
However, Golubkov as modified by Hidaka does not expressly teach an outer surface of the end wall comprises a plurality of first ribs, wherein the plurality of first ribs extend in a third direction of the end wall and are spaced apart from each other in a second direction (claim 1); wherein the end support comprises a plurality of second ribs that protrude toward the end wall from the end surface (claim 6); wherein the plurality of second ribs are 10spaced apart from each other in a third direction of the end support in a lattice shape (claim 7).
Long et al teaches the concept of forming reinforcing ribs “112b” (first ribs / second ribs) in end plate “1” (end wall / end support), wherein the reinforcing ribs extend in third direction of the end plate and are spaced apart from each other in a second direction that is perpendicular to a99 first direction ([0059] and Fig. 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the Golubkov/Hidaka battery module to include an outer surface of the end wall comprises a plurality of first ribs; wherein the plurality of first ribs extend in a third direction of the end wall and are spaced apart from each other in the second direction; wherein the end support comprises a plurality of second ribs that protrude toward the end wall from the end surface; wherein the plurality of second ribs are 10spaced apart from each other in a third direction of the end support in a lattice shape in order to achieve lightweight requirement of the end walls and end supports, while ensuring the strength and load-bearing capacity of the end walls and end supports ([0059]).
Regarding claim 2, Golubkov also discloses a battery system case (module housing) further comprises a separation wall (not labeled) that extends in the first direction and partitions an inner space surrounded by sidewall “102” (outer wall) of the battery system case to form adjacent ones of the plurality of receiving parts along a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, and wherein the separation wall corresponds to a part of the fixing wall “102” of the adjacent ones of the plurality of receiving parts, and wherein the separation wall contacts a side surface of the respective battery submodules 25received in the adjacent ones of the plurality of receiving parts, the separation wall being integral with the floor surface of the module housing (Fig. 5).
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Regarding claim 3, Golubkov also discloses front plates “91” (end walls) comprise a first end wall “91” and a second end wall “91”, and -32-1164811wherein the first end wall faces the outer wall “102” of the battery module case and is spaced apart from the outer wall along the first direction, defining a first space between the first end wall and the outer wall (Fig. 5); wherein a first receiving part and a second receiving part from among the plurality of receiving parts are arranged along the first direction in the inner space of the battery module case, and wherein the second end walls of the first receiving part and the second receiving 10part are spaced apart from each other and face each other, defining a second space between the second end walls of the first and second receiving parts (Fig. 5).
Regarding claims 915999 and 10, Golubkov also discloses cooling tubes “99” (cooling channel) under a floor surface of the battery module case, the cooling tubes being configured to accommodate a flow of coolant; wherein lateral walls of the cooling 20channel are integral with the floor surface of the battery module case ([0053]).
Regarding claims 11 and 12, Golubkov also discloses a battery system case further comprising coupling parts “103”, wherein the coupling parts of the battery system case are capable of being coupled to coupling parts of an 25adjacent battery system case; wherein the coupling parts are at a first outer wall and a second outer wall of the battery system case in a second direction, and -34-1164811wherein a coupling part of the coupling parts at the second outer wall of the battery system case is configured to be coupled to a coupling part of the coupling parts at a first outer wall of the adjacent battery system case (Fig. 5).
Claims 8 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Golubkov in view of Hidaka and Long et al as applied to claim 1 and 2 above, and further in view of Inoue (US 2018/0331402).
However, Golubkov as modified by Hidaka and Long et al does not expressly teach end walls that are integral with the floor surface of the module housing (claims 8 and 13).
Inoue discloses a battery module comprising: a bottom surface “211a” (floor surface) and left wall “215” & right wall “216” (end walls) that extend from the bottom surface; wherein the left wall/right wall are integral with the bottom surface of the module housing ([0066] and Fig. 9).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the Golubkov/Hidaka/Long case to include end walls extending from the floor surface; wherein the end walls are integral with the floor surface of the module housing in order to further strengthen the structural integrity of the end walls.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 5 is 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.
The reasons for allowance as set forth in the parent application no. 16/656,190 is also applicable to claim 5 of the present application.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/process/file/efs/guidance/eTD-info-I.jsp.
Claims 1-7 and 9-12 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1 and 5-13 of U.S. Patent No. 11,626,630. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the subject matter of claims 1-7 and 9-12 of the present application are fully anticipated by claims 1 and 5-13 of U.S. Patent No. 11,626,630.
Claims 1-7 and 9-12 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1 and 3-15 of U.S. Patent No. 11,862,778. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the subject matter of claims 1-7 and 9-12 of the present application are fully anticipated by claims 1 and 5-13 of U.S. Patent No. 11,862,778.
Conclusion
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/T.S.C/Examiner, Art Unit 1751
/JONATHAN G LEONG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1751 5/2/2026
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