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 § 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-6 and 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being anticipated by Okada et al. (US 2012/0164489).
Regarding claim 1, Okada et al. discloses in Figs 1-11, a battery module (Abstract) comprising: battery cells (refs 1); a module case (refs 3, 6) accommodating the battery cells (refs 1) and having a connector mounting hole (ref 4) on one side (Fig 1); a flame retardant cover (ref 7) made of fire-resistant and insulating material ([0037], [0039]), provided to shield ([0037], [0039], Fig 1) the connector mounting hole (ref 4); and a connector (ref 5) having a connector housing (Fig 1, body of ref 5) exposed to outside (Fig 1) through the connector mounting hole (ref 4) and isolated from an inside (Fig 1) of the module case (refs 3, 6) by the flame retardant cover (ref 7), and connector pins (refs 12, 14) extending into (Fig 1) the module case (refs 3, 6) through (Fig 1, at refs 13) the flame retardant cover (ref 7).
Regarding claim 2, Okada et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses the connector housing (Fig 1, body of ref 5) is configured such that a rear end portion (Fig 1, bottom of ref 5) facing the inside of the module case (refs 3, 6) and a side portion (Fig 1, side of ref 5) are surrounded by (Fig 1, [0039]) the flame retardant cover (ref 7).
Regarding claim 3, Okada et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses the flame retardant cover (ref 7) comprises: a front shield portion (“7 FS”, Fig 1 below) facing the connector mounting hole (ref 4) inside the module case (refs 3, 6) and covering the rear end portion (Fig 1) of the connector housing (bottom of ref 5, Fig 1); and a side shield portion (“7 SS”, Fig 1 below) provided along the an edge (Fig 1) of the front shield portion (“7 FS”, Fig 1 below) and surrounding the side portion (Fig 1, side of ref 5) of the connector housing (body of ref 5, Fig 1).
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Regarding claim 4, Okada et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses the front shield portion (“7 FS”, Fig 1 above) has pin holes ([0040], Fig 1) through which the connector pins pass (refs 12, 14, Fig 1).
Regarding claim 5, Okada et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses the side shield portion (“7 SS”, Fig 1 above) is fixedly coupled (Fig 1, [0039], [0040]) to the connector mounting hole (ref 4).
Regarding claim 6, Okada et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses the side shield portion (“7 SS”, Fig 1 above) has a locking protrusion (ref 7b, bent ends, Fig 4) formed to protrude in a central direction (Fig 4) of the front shield portion (“7 FS”, Fig 1 above), and wherein the connector mounting hole (ref 4) has a fastening portion (at ref 16, [0040]) that surrounds the locking protrusion (ref 7b, bent ends, Fig 4) and is fitted to (Figs 1, 4, [0040]) the locking protrusion (ref 7b, bent ends, Fig 4).
Regarding claim 8, Okada et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses the connector housing (body of ref 5, Fig 1) comprises a first body (“1st”, Fig 1 above) extending toward (Fig 1) the connector mounting hole (ref 4) and a second body (“2nd”, Fig 1 above) extending in a direction at an angle to (Fig 1) the first body (“1st”, Fig 1 above).
Regarding claim 9, Okada et al. discloses in Figs 1-11, a battery pack ([0032]) comprising at least one battery module (Abstract) as set forth above.
Regarding claim 10, Okada et al. discloses in Figs 1-11, a vehicle ([0032]) comprising the battery pack ([0032]) as set forth above.
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 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okada et al. (US 2012/0164489) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Chen (US 2005/0142927).
Regarding claim 7, Okada et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses the module case (refs 3, 6) comprises: a main housing (ref 6) having an opening on at least one side (in Fig 1) and accommodating the battery cells (refs 1) in a closed structure on four sides (Fig 1); but does not explicitly disclose an end plate covering the opening of the main housing, wherein the connector mounting hole is provided on the end plate.
Chen discloses in Fig 1(a) an electrical device (Abstract) having 4 walls on sides and a bottom (of refs 11, Fig 1(a)) with an end plate (front of structure of ref 11, Fig 1(a)) having an opening (ref 112). Since the instant specification is silent to unexpected result, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to arrange an end side of the module case of Okada et al. to have an end plate with an opening therein, as taught by Chen, because selecting one of known designs for a module casing structure with an opening would have been considered obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention and because said module casing having an end plate with an opening would operate equally well as the one disclosed by Okada et al.
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Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Yang (US 2007/0182363) discloses in Figs 1-12, a portable power supply device (Abstract) including a housing (ref 10) holding batteries (refs 20) and including a front surface with an opening therein (refs 40, 41, Fig 1).
Roy (US D719,512) discloses in Figs 1-9, an electrical device (Title) including a housing with openings on surfaces thereof (Fig 1).
Choi et al. (KR 10-2021-0098705) a battery pack module for a vehicle (Abstract) including a housing structure with an opening on an end plate cap (Fig 1).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KENNETH J DOUYETTE whose telephone number is (571)270-1212. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8A - 4P EST.
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/KENNETH J DOUYETTE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725
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