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 Objections
Claims 9 and 10 objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 9 “…at least one contacting connector…” (line 3-4) should recite “…the at least one contacting connector…” for purposes of clarity and consistency.
In claim 10 “…for contacting battery cells…” (line 4) should recite “for contacting the plurality of battery cells” for purposes of clarity and consistency.
In claim 10 “…a cell contact of one of the battery cells…” (line 7) should recite “…a cell contact of one of the plurality of battery cells…” for purposes of clarity and consistency.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the following limitations:
"the contacting connector” (singular) (line 8) preceded by “at least one contacting connector” (singular or plural). It is unsure which one of the contacting connectors is being referred to or if all contacting connectors are being referred to. Thus, the claim lacks clear antecedent basis and is indefinite. Examiner suggests the claim recite “the at least one contacting connector”
The term “high-voltage” in claim 1 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “high-voltage” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention.
Claim 3 recites “the second polarity” (line 4). There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 7 recites “the cell contacts” (line 2) (plural) preceded by “a cell contact” (singular) in claim 1. Thus, there is insufficient antecedent basis for the plural limitation in the claim. Examiner suggest the claim recite “the cell contact”.
Claim 8 recites “a cell contact” preceded by “a cell contact” in claim 1. It is unclear if the recitation in claim 8 is referring to the same cell contact or to a different cell contact.
Claim 9 recites “…and the transition section has a width transverse to the which is smaller than the width of the connecting region…” It is unclear what the transition section has a width transverse to and thus, the metes and bounds of the claimed limitation are unclear and indefinite
Claim 10 recites the term “high-voltage”. The term “high-voltage” in claim 10 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “high-voltage” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention.
Claim 11 recites “a battery cell” (line 6-7) preceded by “a battery cell” in line 2. It is unclear if the recitation in line 6-7 is referring to the same battery cell or to a different battery cell.
Claim 17 recites “a first polarity” (line 2) preceded by “a first polarity” in claim 3, line 3. It is unclear if the second recitation is referring to the same first polarity or to a different first polarity. If referring to the same polarity Examiner suggest amending the claim 17 recitation to “the first polarity”.
Claim 17 recites “a battery cell” (line 2) (singular) preceded by “battery cells” (plural) in claim 1. It is unclear if the recitation in claim 17 is referring to one of the battery cells, the battery cells or a different battery cell. Thus, there is insufficient antecedent basis for the singular limitation in the claim.
Claims 2, 4-6, 12-16 and 18 also rejected due to dependency on claims 1 and 11.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
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 –
(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.
Claims 1-7, 9-10 and 14-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wynn et al. (US 2017/0256769).
Regarding Claim 1, Wynn et al. teaches a bus bar (Fig. 9, #907) (i.e. a bus bar) for electrically connecting to the battery rows (Para. [0054]) (i.e. for contacting battery cells) in a battery pack module (Para. [0053]) integrated into a tray member (Para. [0050]) (i.e. a cell holder in order to form a battery module) wherein the desired voltage may be configured as desired to meet criteria for a specific application (Para. [0045]) (i.e. for a high-voltage battery) comprising wherein the bus bar comprises a base body (see Fig. 9) extending in a main direction of extent and coupling segments (Fig. 9. #919 and #921) (i.e. at least one contacting connector) designed as a single piece with the bus bar (i.e. with the base body) for providing electrical connection with the battery terminals (Para. [0054]) (i.e. for contacting a cell contact of one the battery cells), wherein the coupling segments (i.e. contacting connector extends in a connecting direction of extent which encloses a connecting angle with the main direction of extent of 0º (see Annotated Wynn et al. – Fig. 9 below) (i.e. of between 0º and 90º). Office personnel are to give claims their broadest reasonable interpretation in light of the supporting disclosure. In re Morris, 127 F.3d 1048, 1054-55, 44 USPQ2d 1023, 1027-28 (Fed. Cir. 1997). Also, limitations appearing in the specification but not recited in the claim are not read into the claim. See In re Zletz, 893F.2d 319, 321-22,13 USPQ2d, 1320, 1322 (Fed. Cir. 1989). See also MPEP 2111.
Annotated Wynn et al. – Fig. 9
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Regarding Claim 2, Wynn et al. teaches all of the elements of the current invention in claim 1 as explained above.
Wynn et al. further teaches the connecting angle is about 0º (see Annotated Wynn et al. – Fig. 9 above) (i.e. less than 45º).
Regarding Claim 3, Wynn et al. teaches all of the elements of the current invention in claim 1 as explained above.
Wynn et al. further teaches a bus bar (Fig. 9, #907A) comprises a coupling segment (Fig. 9, #921) connected negative polarity terminals of a negative polarity battery row (Fig. 9, #909B) (Para. [0054]) (i.e. comprises a first contacting connector for contacting a cell contact of a first polarity) and a coupling segment (Fig. 9, #919) coupled to positive polarity battery row (Fig. 9, #909C) (i.e. a second contacting connector for contacting a cell contact of the second polarity, wherein the first contacting connector [#921] is arranged on a first side of the base body [#907A] and the second connecting connector [#919] is arranged on a second side of the base body).
Regarding Claim 4, Wynn et al. teaches all of the elements of the current invention in claim 3 as explained above.
Wynn et al. further teaches the coupling segment #921 (i.e. first contacting connector) extends in a first direction from the base body relative to the main direction of extent, and the coupling segment #919 (i.e. second contacting connector) extends from the base body in a second direction oriented counter to the first direction relative to the main direction of extent (see Annotated Wynn et al. – Fig. 9 above).
Regarding Claim 5, Wynn et al. teaches all of the elements of the current invention in claim 1 as explained above.
Wynn et al. further teaches, relative to a transverse direction arranged perpendicularly to the main direction of extent, the coupling segment #921 (i.e. first contacting connector) extends in a first direction from the base body in a first direction and the coupling segment #919 (i.e. second contacting connector) extends from the base body in a second direction oriented counter to the first direction relative to the main direction of extent (Fig. 9).
Regarding Claim 6, Wynn et al. teaches all of the elements of the current invention in claim 1 as explained above.
Wynn et al. further teaches that a root section of the first contacting connector (Fig. 9, #913) from which the first contacting connector extends from the base body and a root section (Fig. 9, #911) of the second contacting connector from which the second contacting connector extends from the base body, are arranged essentially at the same height relative to main direction of extent (see Second Annotated Wynn et al. -- Fig. 9 below).
Second Annotated Wynn et al. -- Fig. 9
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Regarding Claim 7, Wynn et al. teaches all of the elements of the current invention in claim 6 as explained above.
Wynn et al. further teaches the bus bars are of uniform thickness and fabricated from material such as aluminum or copper (Para. [0054]) and the bus bar (#907A) and the coupling segments (Fig. 9. #919 and #921) are designed as an integral, two-dimensional sheet-metal part (see Fig. 9) (i.e. in a state before contacting the cell contacts to be contacted, the base body and the at least one contacting connector are designed as an integral, two-dimensional sheet-metal part).
Regarding Claim 9, Wynn et al. teaches all of the elements of the current invention in claim 3 as explained above.
Wynn el. al. further teaches the bus bar #907A (i.e. the base body) comprises a transition section in an S-shaped curve between two connecting regions (see #907A between the two connecting regions in Third Annotated Wynn et al. – Fig. 9 below) from which in each case at least one coupling segment (i.e. contacting connector) extends, wherein the contacting regions have a predetermined width transverse to the main direction of extent and the transition section has a width transverse to the which is smaller than the width of the connecting regions, wherein the transition section has a length in the main direction of extent which is greater than the length of two contacting in the main direction of extent (see Third Annotated Wynn et al. – Fig. 9 below).
Third Annotated Wynn et al. – Fig. 9 below
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Regarding Claim 10, Wynn et al. teaches a battery module (i.e. module arrangement) (Para. [0054]) wherein the desired voltage may be configured as desired to meet criteria for a specific application (Para. [0045]) (i.e. for forming a high-voltage battery) comprising a plurality of batteries (Para. [0053]) (i.e. battery cells) and integrated into a tray member (Para. [0050]) (i.e. accommodated in a cell holder) a bus bar (Fig. 9, #907) (i.e. a bus bar) for electrically connecting to the battery rows (Para. [0054]) in a battery pack module (Para. [0053]) (i.e. for contacting battery cells accommodated in the cell holder in order to form the battery module arrangement of the high-voltage battery) comprising wherein the bus bar comprises a base body (see Fig. 9) extending in a main direction of extent and coupling segments (Fig. 9. #919 and #921) (i.e. at least one contacting connector) designed as a single piece with the bus bar (i.e. with the base body) for providing electrical connection with the battery terminals (Para. [0054]) (i.e. for contacting a cell contact of one the battery cells), wherein the coupling segments (i.e. contacting connector extends in a connecting direction of extent which encloses a connecting angle with the main direction of extent of about 0º (see Annotated Wynn et al. – Fig. 9 above) (i.e. of between 0º and 90º).
Regarding Claim 14, Wynn et al. teaches all of the elements of the current invention in claim 1 as explained above.
Wynn et al. further teaches the connecting angle is about 0º (see Annotated Wynn et al. – Fig. 9 above) (i.e. less than 30º).
Regarding Claim 15, Wynn et al. teaches all of the elements of the current invention in claim 1 as explained above.
Wynn et al. further teaches the connecting angle is 0º (see Annotated Wynn et al. – Fig. 9 above).
Regarding Claim 16, Wynn et al. teaches all of the elements of the current invention in claim 1 as explained above.
Wynn et al. further teaches the coupling segments (i.e. contacting connector) extend in the form of a tab in the connecting direction of extent from the side of the main body with reference to the main direction extent (see Annotated Wynn et al. – Fig. 9 above).
Regarding Claim 17, Wynn et al. teaches all of the elements of the current invention in claim 3 as explained above.
Wynn et al. further teaches the coupling segment (Fig. 9, #921) (i.e. first contacting connector) connected negative polarity terminals of a negative polarity battery row (Fig. 9, #909B) (Para. [0054]) (i.e. designed to contact a cell contact of a first polarity arranged centrally on an end side of a battery cell) (see Fig. 9).
Regarding Claim 18, Wynn et al. teaches all of the elements of the current invention in claim 17 as explained above.
Wynn et al. further teaches the coupling segment (Fig. 9, #919) (i.e. second contacting connector) connected positive polarity terminals of a negative polarity battery row (Fig. 9, #909C) (Para. [0054]) (i.e. designed to contact a cell contact of a second polarity arranged centrally on an end side of a further battery cell) (see Fig. 9).
Claims 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fees et al. (US 2018/0108955).
Regarding Claim 11, Fees et al. teaches a method of affixing a bonding connector to cell rims of battery cells (i.e. a method for connecting bus bar to cell contact of a battery cell) (Para. [0180]) wherein a number of cylindrical battery cells are inserted into a housing (Para. [0049]) (i.e. comprising assembling a cell holder for accommodating battery cells in a battery module to a bus bar) wherein bonding connectors are bent and pressed down onto respective terminals by applying a downward force to hold-down elements by applying a downward force a hold-down plate (i.e. holding down the bus bar with at least one hold-down device, pressing on a contacting connector of the bus bar in order to contact a battery cell accommodated in the cell holder) and welding the bonding connectors with the respective terminals (i.e. welding the contacting connector to the battery cell) (Para. [0180]).
Regarding Claim 12, Fees et al. teaches all of the elements of the current invention in claim 11 as explained above.
Fees et al. further teaches bonding connectors are bent and pressed down onto respective terminals by applying a downward force to hold-down elements by applying a downward force a hold-down plate (Para. [0180]) (i.e. wherein in the pressing step a contacting section of the contacting connector is pressed out of a plan defined by a base body of the bus bar and against the cell contact to be contacted) wherein the bonding connectors are integrated with the contact plate which is made of Al or Cu (Para. [0067-0068]) (i.e. wherein a deformation section of the contacting connector experiences at least one of elastic deformation and plastic deformation).
Regarding Claim 13, Fees et al. teaches all of the elements of the current invention in claim 11 as explained above.
Fees et al. further teaches the shapes of the protrusions (or hold-down elements) are conformed to the desired shape of the bonding connector prior to the bonding connectors being welded to the respective terminals (Para. [0180]) wherein the bonding connectors may be laser welded (Para. [0168]) (i.e. wherein the pressing of the contacting connector against the battery cell is effected by means of a welding head).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
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.
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.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wynn et al. (US 2017/0256769) in view of Fees et al. (US 2018/0108955).
Regarding Claim 8, Wynn et al. teaches all of the elements of the current invention in claim 7 as explained above.
Wynn et al. further teaches a coupling segment (Fig. 9, #921) connected negative polarity terminals of a negative polarity (Para. [0054]) (i.e. at least contacting connector has a contacting section for contacting a cell contact
Wynn et al. does not teach a deformation section via which when the contacting section is pushed down in the direction of thickness of the base body from the height level of the base body to a different height level of the cell contact to be contacted in order to contact the cell contact, a deformation can be absorbed.
However, Fees et al. teaches affixing a bonding connector to cell rims of battery cells (Para. [0180]) wherein a number of cylindrical battery cells are inserted into a housing (Para. [0049])wherein bonding connectors are bent and pressed down onto respective terminals by applying a downward force to hold-down elements by applying a downward force a hold-down plate (i.e. a deformation section via which when the contacting section is pushed down in the direction of thickness of the base body from the height level of the base body to a different height level of the cell contact to be contact in order to contact the cell, a deformation can be absorbed) (Para. [0180])
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Wynn et al. to incorporate the teaching of a deformation section as taught by Fees et al., as such a structure would improve the transition which would increase current flow and reducing resistance between the bus bar and the cell (Para. [0170]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ARMINDO CARVALHO JR. whose telephone number is (571)272-5292. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 7:30a.m.-5p.m..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ula Ruddock can be reached at 571 272-1481. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ARMINDO CARVALHO JR./ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1729
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