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 .
Response to Preliminary Amendment
The preliminary amendment received on December 15, 2023 is acknowledged. Action on the merits of claims 1-22 follows.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements filed December 15, 2023; February 7, 2025 and April 7, 2025 have been placed in the application file and the information referred to therein has been considered as to the merits.
With respect to foreign language references and foreign language patent office communications with no translation of the document: “If no translation is submitted, the examiner will consider the information in view of the concise explanation and insofar as it is understood on its face, e.g., drawings, chemical formulas, English language abstracts, in the same manner that non-English language information in Office search files is considered by examiner in conducting searches.” See MPEP §609.04(a)(II) (D) and 37 CFR 1.98(a)(3)(ii).
Drawings
The drawings received December 15, 2023 are acceptable for examination purposes.
Specification
The specification received December 15, 2023 has been reviewed for examination purposes.
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.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lim et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0338520).
As to claim 1, Lim discloses a cell module assembly, comprising:
a plurality of battery cells (not shown);
a cell frame 2 accommodating at least a portion of the plurality of battery cells disposed in the frame 2 therein;
busbar plates 22 disposed on one-a first outer surface of the cell frame 2, the busbar plates 22 to electrically connecting the plurality of battery cells; and
a sensing unit 25 disposed on the other a second outer surface (side surface) of the cell frame and electrically connected to the busbar plates by wire bonding through wires 262 (Figs. 4-7 and para. [0047]).
Claims 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Jeon (WO2023/027511A).
The applied reference has a common inventor/assignee with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2). This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B) if the same invention is not being claimed; or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed in the reference and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement.
As to claim 1, Jeon discloses a cell module assembly, comprising:
a plurality of battery cells 100;
a cell frame 210/220 accommodating the plurality of battery cells 100 therein;
busbar plates 300 disposed on a first outer (top) surface of the cell frame 220, the busbar plates 300 to electrically connecting the plurality of battery cells 100; and
a sensing unit 410 disposed on the other a second (side) outer surface of the cell frame 220 and electrically connected to the busbar plates 300 by wire bonding (see Figs. 2-4, 8 and annotated Fig. 7 below).
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As to claim 2, the sensing unit includes a printed circuit board 400 which is detachably coupled to the cell frame;
a plurality of sensing plates 410 which is coupled to the printed circuit board 400 and wire bonded (pair of wire bond connectors shown in Fig. 7 above) to the busbar plates 300; and
a temperature sensing member 440a., 440b which is coupled to the printed circuit board 400, the temperature sensing member 440a, 440b configured to measure a temperature of at least one of the battery cells 100, the temperature sensing member 440a, 440b spaced apart from the at least one of the battery cells 100 by a predetermined distance (see Figs. 2-3 where the sensing members 440a and 440b are distanced from at least one cell of the module).
As to claim 3, a number of the plurality of sensing plates 410 are provided in the same as a number corresponding to of the busbar plates 300 in a one-to-one relationship, and each sensing plate 410 is connected to each a corresponding one of the busbar plates 300 by wire bonding (Figs. 2, 3 and 7, above, for example).
As to claim 4, the printed circuit board 400 is disposed at a side portion of the cell frame 220 that intersects the one-first outer surface of the cell frame 220 on which the busbar plates 300 are disposed (Figs. 2-4 and 7 for example).
As to claim 5, the side portion of the cell frame 220 includes a substrate holder 227a into which the printed circuit board 400 is inserted to a predetermined depth, the printed circuit board 400 being oriented in parallel to the side portion of the cell frame 220, and wherein the substrate holder 227a supports the printed circuit board 400 such that a plane planar surface of the printed circuit board 400 comes into close contact with a confronting surface of the side portion of the cell frame 220 (Figs. 2-4 and 7 for example).
As to claim 6, the plurality of sensing plates 410 is bent at least once such that a first side 411 thereof is secured and coupled to the printed circuit board 400 and a second side 412 thereof is disposed in oriented parallel to the first outer (top) surface of the cell frame 220 on which the busbar plates 300 are disposed (Figs 2-4 and Fig. 6 below).
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As to claim 7, each of the plurality of sensing plates 410 includes:
a substrate connection portion 411 attached to the printed circuit board 400; and
a frame seating portion 411a extended extending from the substrate connection portion 411 and disposed at an edge of the first outer surface of the cell frame 220 (Figs. 1-4 and 6-8).
As to claim 8, an end of each busbar plate 300 and the frame seating portion 227a of each sensing plate are disposed adjacent to each other in an alternating manner.
As to claim 9, each busbar plate 300 is connected to a corresponding one of the sensing plates 410 are connected by two metal wires (Figs. 7 and 8 above, for example).
As to claim 10, the battery cells 100 are cylindrical battery cells, each battery cell including a battery can 120 in which an electrode assembly is embedded disposed and a top cap 110 coupled to a top portion of the battery can 120, and wherein the battery cells 100 are received in the cell frame 210/220 such that all of the top portions of the battery cans 120 face in a same direction (Fig. 3 for example).
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.
Claim(s) 18 and 21-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeon et al. (WO 2023/027511A) as applied to claim 1 above.
The applied reference has a common inventor/assignee with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date (August 27, 2021) of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2).
This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C.102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B); or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement. See generally MPEP § 717.02.
As to claim 18, Jeon teaches of the module of claim 1 further employed in a battery pack where the battery pack can include one or more battery modules, a BMS and a pack case. As to claims 21 and 22 the invention of Jeon is suited for vehicles including electric scooters (paras. [0003]-[0004]).
The battery cells 100 are cylindrical battery cells, each battery cell including a battery can 120 in which an electrode assembly is embedded disposed and a top cap 110 coupled to a top portion of the battery can 120, and wherein the battery cells 100 are received in the cell frame 210/220 such that all of the top portions of the battery cans 120 face in a same direction (Fig. 3 for example).
While not explicitly shown in Jeon, the features of claim appear drawn to a pack design that utilized plural of the inventive modules of claim 1. Jeon teaches with sufficient specificity for utilizing one or more modules, which would obviously include two modules, the modules provided along with a BMS and all retained in a pack case.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention since the particular placement of the modules and BMS in the battery pack would have been of routine design choice to a person of ordinary skill in the art for the purposes of providing a battery pack having plural modules and a BMS of sufficient power output and control while providing the elements in relationship to each other in a manner to maximize the use of space in the battery pack to enhance the energy density of the pack.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11-17 and 19-20 are 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 following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
With respect to claims 11-17, none of the cited prior art of record, alone or in combination are held to reasonably teach, suggest or render obvious the cell module of at least claim 10 including all of the limitations of claims 1, 2 and 10 to which claim 11 is dependent upon and further wherein the particular cell frame of claim 11.
Jeon teaches of a cell frame with top and bottom frame halves 210/220 and does not reasonably teach or suggest the different cell frame of claim 11 nor the features of such in relation to the battery cells. Claims 12-17 are dependent upon claim 11 and allowable for at least the same reasons.
With respect to claim 19, none of the cited prior art of record, alone or in combination are held to reasonably teach, suggest or render obvious the battery pack of at least claim 19 each of the cell frames includes a frame upper plate portion opposite the top caps of the respective battery cells, and wherein the upper plate portion of a first one of the two cell frames has at least one protrusion which protrudes in a coupling direction, the upper plate portion of a second one of the two cell frames has at least one interval maintenance column which protrudes in the coupling direction, and the protrusion is inserted into the interval maintenance column.
Jeon teaches of a cell frame with top and bottom frame halves 210/220 and does not reasonably teach or suggest the different cell frame of claim 19 nor the features of such in relation to the battery cells.
With respect to claim 20, none of the cited prior art of record, alone or in combination are held to reasonably teach, suggest or render obvious the battery pack of at least claim 20 each of the cell frames includes a frame upper plate portion opposite the top caps of the respective battery cells, wherein in each of the two cell module assemblies, the busbar plates are disposed at the upper plate portion of the respective cell frame, and wherein the sensing unit is disposed at the side portion of the cell frame that intersects the upper plate portion of the cell frame.
Jeon teaches of a cell frame with top and bottom frame halves 210/220 and does not reasonably teach or suggest the different cell frame of claim 20 nor the features of such in relation to the battery cells.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0255195 discloses wire bonding battery cell electrical connectors to a common circuit board through conductive blocks.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GREGG CANTELMO whose telephone number is (571)272-1283. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 7am to 5pm.
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/GREGG CANTELMO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725
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