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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements filed December 18, 2023, February 21, 2025, April 11, 2025 & July 11, 2025 has/have been received and complies with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97, 1.98 and MPEP § 609. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement(s) is/are being considered by the examiner, and an initialed copied is attached herewith.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-12 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.
Claim 4 would be allowable over the prior art of record because the prior art is silent to: the passage adjuster comprises: a passage blocking member initially located at a closed point, which is a point in the variable path section, and provided to close the variable path section; and a position adjusting member configured to, when gas is generated, move the passage blocking member away from the closed point in a direction in which a passage of the variable path section through which gas can flow is expanded in proportion to gas pressure.
The prior art, Ejiri et al. U.S. Pub. US-20130330579-A1, teaches a battery module (1; Fig. 4), comprising: a plurality of battery cells (4(2); Fig. 4); a module case in which the plurality of battery cells are accommodated (20; Fig. 9), the module case comprising at least one gas venting hole on at least one side (Connecting vent hoses (not shown) to the vent pipes 15f through the notches, therefore, allows an exhaust gas to be released from the box of the power supply device 20; [0058]); and a gas venting panel (15; Fig. 4) comprising a gas discharge path communicating with the gas venting hole and configured to guide a flow of gas to an outside along a pre-determined path (gas discharge path discharges path out of 15f to outside the power device 20; Fig. 4; Connecting vent hoses (not shown) to the vent pipes 15f through the notches, therefore, allows an exhaust gas to be released from the box of the power supply device 20; [0058]), the gas venting panel being coupled to the at least one side of the module case (Connecting vent hoses (not shown) to the vent pipes 15f through the notches, therefore, allows an exhaust gas to be released from the box of the power supply device 20; [0058]). Ejiri does not teach or suggest: a position adjusting member configured to, when gas is generated, move the passage blocking member away from the closed point in a direction in which a passage of the variable path section through which gas can flow is expanded in proportion to gas pressure. Therefore the instant clam is patentably distinct from the prior art of record.
Claims 5-12 would be allowable based on dependency to claim 1.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3 &13-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ejiri et al. U.S. Pub. US-20130330579-A1 in view of CHOI et al., WO-2019245125-A1.
With respect to claim 1, Ejiri teaches a battery module (1; Fig. 4), comprising: a plurality of battery cells (4(2); Fig. 4); a module case in which the plurality of battery cells are accommodated (20; Fig. 9), the module case comprising at least one gas venting hole on at least one side (Connecting vent hoses (not shown) to the vent pipes 15f through the notches, therefore, allows an exhaust gas to be released from the box of the power supply device 20; [0058]); and a gas venting panel (15; Fig. 4) comprising a gas discharge path communicating with the gas venting hole and configured to guide a flow of gas to an outside along a pre-determined path (gas discharge path discharges path out of 15f to outside the power device 20; Fig. 4; Connecting vent hoses (not shown) to the vent pipes 15f through the notches, therefore, allows an exhaust gas to be released from the box of the power supply device 20; [0058]), the gas venting panel being coupled to the at least one side of the module case (Connecting vent hoses (not shown) to the vent pipes 15f through the notches, therefore, allows an exhaust gas to be released from the box of the power supply device 20; [0058]). With respect to claim 14, the gas venting panel is provided to cover the upper side of the module case (the interior of the upper side of the case 20 is adjacent to and thus covered by the vent panel 15; Figs 4 &10). With respect to claim 15, a battery pack comprising the battery module (battery block or pack; [0011]).
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Ejiri does not teach or suggest: the gas venting panel comprises a passage adjuster configured to variably adjust the gas discharge path according to pressure of gas (claim 1); gas discharge path comprises a fixed path section having a constant width and a variable path section variably adjusted by the passage adjuster (claim 2); the passage adjuster is provided to close the variable path section, and configured to, when gas is generated, open the variable path section in proportion to pressure of the gas (claim 3); the at least one gas venting hole comprises two gas venting holes respectively provided in one a first side surface and the other a second side surface in a longitudinal direction, and wherein two gas venting panels are provided to respectively cover the first side surface and the second side surface of the module case (claim 13); the at least one gas venting hole is formed in an upper side of the module case (claim 14).
CHOI teaches that it is well known in the art to employ: a passage adjuster configured to variably adjust the gas discharge path according to pressure of gas (adjuster 155; Fig. 14;claim 1); gas discharge path comprises a fixed path section having a constant width (154; Fig. 14) and a variable path section variably adjusted by the passage adjuster (Fig. 14; venting device 15 has a ball 155 to open and close; See MODE-FOR-INVENTION, paragraph 20; Examiner’s Note; the path expand to wider section when adjuster is removed due to excessive pressure; claim 2); the passage adjuster is provided to close the variable path section (venting device 15 has a ball 155 to open and close; See MODE-FOR-INVENTION, paragraph 20), and configured to, when gas is generated, open the variable path section in proportion to pressure of the gas (venting device 15 has a ball 155 to open and close; See MODE-FOR-INVENTION, paragraph 20; claim 3).
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Ejiri and CHOI are analogous art from the same field of endeavor, namely fabricating batterie devices with venting strictures.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the adjuster of CHOI, in the gas venting panel of Ejiri, to keep the venting structure closed until excessive pressure is released. The skilled artisan recognizes that vent closure can protect the external environment. With respect to the adjuster being in the gas venting panel, it would have been obvious in the battery module of Ejiri in view of CHOI, as rearrangement of essential working parts of a device is prima facie obvious. See In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950).
With respect to the at least one gas venting hole comprising two gas venting holes respectively provided in one a first side surface and the other a second side surface in a longitudinal direction, and wherein two gas venting panels are provided to respectively cover the first side surface and the second side surface of the module case (claim 13); it would have been obvious in the battery module of Ejiri in view of CHOI, to increase discharge rate outside the battery module. Duplication of essential working parts of a device is prima facie obvious. See In re Harza, 274 F.2d 669, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960). Also, rearrangement of essential working parts of a device is prima facie obvious. See In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950).
With respect to the at least one gas venting hole being formed in an upper side of the module case (claim 14); it would have been obvious in the battery module of Ejiri in view of CHOI, as rearrangement of essential working parts of a device is prima facie obvious. See In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. PARK et al. KR-20210127316-A teaches a venting gas emission inducing pattern 411 and the discharge direction change unit 412 form a bead structure, it may have an effect of reinforcing the rigidity of the upper portion of the battery module 100. See DESCRIPTION-OF-EMBODIMENTS, paragraph 24. Examiner’s Note: the bead structure is not a passage blocking structure, nor adjusts the passage in response to pressure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to Monique Wills whose telephone number is (571) 272-1309. The Examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday from 8:30am to 5:00 pm.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MONIQUE M WILLS whose telephone number is (571)272-1309. The Examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday from 8:30am to 5:00 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner's supervisor, Tiffany Legette, may be reached at 571-270-7078. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Monique M Wills/
Examiner, Art Unit 1722
/TIFFANY LEGETTE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1723
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