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 .
Claims 1-18 are pending in application.
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 Buckhout (WIPO Patent 2017/152140 A1).
Buckhout discloses a battery cell sealed container (battery including housing (see abstract)) comprising a first tray with a bottom surface (base plate (para. [0046], ref. 118, Fig. 3)) and side walls (lower housing body (ref. 116, Fig. 3)). The bottom surface comprises a plurality of lower end receiving portions, as in one embodiment the lower cell holder framework (para. [0079], ref. 128, Fig. 10) is configured to secure the lower end of the electrochemical cells using holes which expose the heat source (ref. 244, Fig. 10) underneath (i.e. the flat heat source is secured between the baseplate (ref. 18, Fig. 10) and the cell holder framework. Furthermore, the side walls of the inner housing body extend upward from the bottom surface (the baseplate). Buckhout also discloses a second tray comprising a side wall (upper housing body (para. [0046], ref. 114, Fig. 2)) and a top surface (conductive surfaces, para. [0071], ref. 176, 180, & 184 in Fig. 8A) comprising a plurality of upper end receiving portions (positive and negative openings (para. [0070], ref. 150 and 152 respectively, Fig. 8A)). The side wall (upper housing body sides) also extend downward from the top surface. A plurality of battery cells (para. [0047], ref. 124, Fig. 3) have lower ends accommodated in the holes of the lower cell holder framework (para. [0079]) and upper ends accommodated in the plurality of upper end receiving portions of the second tray (battery cell (ref. 124, Fig. 9A) is electrically connected to the flex circuit (ref. 144, Fig. 9) via terminal (para. [0074], Fig. 9A)).
Claims 1 and 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ryu (US PG Pub 2019/0267684 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Ryu discloses a battery cell sealed container (abstract) comprising a first tray which includes a bottom surface (bottom plate (para. [0036], ref. 800, Fig. 3)) and side walls (cell housing (ref. 200, Fig. 3)). Furthermore, the bottom surface comprises a lower cell fixing member (para. [0043], ref. 400, Fig. 2) which has a plurality of lower end receiving portions (cell insertion holes (para. [0045], ref. 450, Fig. 2)) and side walls (cell housing) which extend upward from the bottom surface (bottom plate). Furthermore, Ryu discloses a second tray comprising a top surface (top plate (para. [0036], ref. 700, Fig. 2) which contains side walls which extend down from the top surface (as depicted in Fig. 3) and comprises an upper cell fixing member (para. [0043], ref. 300, Fig. 2) with a plurality of upper end receiving portions (cell insertion holes (para. [0044], ref. 350, Fig. 2). Ryu discloses a plurality of battery cells (para. [0036], ref. 100, Fig. 2) having lower ends accommodated by the lower end receiving portions (para. [0045], see Fig. 3) and upper ends accommodated by the upper end receiving portions (para. [0044], see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 6, Ryu teaches a first tray with a substantially rectangular box shape with an opening at the top (formed from the bottom plate (para. [0036], 800, Fig. 2) and cell housing (ref. 200, Fig. 2)) and the bottom surface (bottom plate) and side wall (cell housing) may be integrally formed (para. [0055]). Ryu also discloses a second tray (top plate (para. [0036], ref. 700, Fig. 2)) which has a substantially rectangular box shape and an opening at the bottom and a top surface integrally formed with the side walls (as depicted in Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 7, Ryu teaches the first tray comprising four side walls (cell housing (ref. 200, Fig. 2) has four side walls) and a second tray comprising four side walls (cross-section of top plate (ref. 700, Fig. 3) suggests four side walls). Ryu further discloses that the second tray covers the first tray and that surfaces of the four side walls of the first tray contact the respective surfaces of the four side walls of the second tray (All side walls are in contact at the periphery (see. Fig. 3)) and that the first tray and second tray together seal the inside of the battery cell sealed container.
Regarding claim 8, the height of the side walls of the first tray (side walls are from the cell housing (ref. 200, Fig. 3)) is greater than the height of the side walls of the second tray (top plate (ref. 700, Fig. 3)).
Claims 1, 6-7, 9-14, and 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim (US PG Pub 2019/0341590 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Kim discloses a battery sealed container (abstract) comprising a first tray (lower case (para. [0036], ref. 100, Fig. 2)) comprising a bottom surface and side walls extending from the bottom surface, as well as lower end receiving portions (second cell holder (para. [0041], ref. 310b, Fig. 2)) and a second tray (upper case (para. [0036], ref. 200, Fig. 2)) comprising a top surface and side walls extending downward from the top surface, as well as upper end receiving portions (first cell holder (para. [0041], ref. 310a, Fig. 2). Kim further discloses battery cells (para. [0040], ref. 350, Fig. 2) with upper ends accommodated by the upper end receiving portions and lower ends accommodated by the lower end receiving portions (para. [0041], see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 6, Kim discloses a first tray with a substantially rectangular box shape, an opening at the top, and a bottom surface and side walls which are integrally formed (lower case (para. [0037], ref. 100, Fig. 2) as well as a second tray with a substantially rectangular box shape, an opening at the bottom, and a top surface and side walls which are integrally formed (upper case (ref. 200, Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 7, the first tray and second trays each have four side walls which come into contact to seal the inside of the battery cell sealed container (as depicted in Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 9, Kim discloses a notch groove (see image below (Fig. 2)) which connects the side wall of the first tray to the lower end receiving portions (second cell holder (para. [0041], ref. 310b, Fig. 2)) of the first tray (rectangular frame of the lower tray is designed for rectangular frame of cell holder (para. [0042], ref. 310, Fig. 2).
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Regarding claim 10, the notch grooves (see image above) fill a gap between the side wall of the first tray and the lower end receiving portions of the first tray (rectangular cell holder fits into the frame of the lower tray (para. [0042)).
Regarding claim 11, the first tray further comprises a space which is configured to accommodate a dehumidifying agent (dehumidifying agent receiving portion) on the inner surface of the side wall of the first tray (see labeled space in image below (Fig. 2)):
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Regarding claim 12, the dehumidifying agent receiving portion is located between the side wall of the first tray and the lower end receiving portion of the first tray (rectangular frame of the lower tray is designed for rectangular frame of cell holder (para. [0042], ref. 310, Fig. 2). Furthermore, there are a plurality of protrusions from an inner surface of the first tray (see image above (Fig. 2)) configured to support a dehumidifying agent so that the dehumidifying agent is prevented from being inclined inward in the first tray and contacting the battery cells.
Regarding claim 13, Kim discloses a plurality of support members arranged along the lower end receiving portions (see image above (Fig. 2)) which support the side surfaces of the battery cells accommodated in the lower end receiving portions (rectangular frame of the lower tray is designed for rectangular frame of cell holder (para. [0042], ref. 310, Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 14, the space configured to receive a dehumidifying agent (i.e. the dehumidifying agent receiving portion) (see image above (Fig. 2)) is located between the side wall of the first tray and the lower end receiving portions (second cell holder (para. [0041], ref. 310b, Fig. 2)) of the first tray (rectangular frame of the lower tray is designed for rectangular frame of cell holder (para. [0042], ref. 310, Fig. 2). Furthermore, Kim discloses at least one protrusion upward from the inside of the first tray for each support member (see image above (Fig. 2)) configured to support a surface of the dehumidifying agent so that the dehumidifying agent is prevented from being inclined inward in the first tray and contacting the battery cells.
Regarding claim 16, Kim discloses support members (see labeled image above (Fig. 2)) arranged along the edges of the lower end receiving portions (second cell holder (para. [0041], ref. 310b, Fig. 2)) the support members supporting the side surfaces of the battery cells accommodated in the lower end receiving portions.
Regarding claim 17, the first tray has a plurality of support ends (see image below (Fig. 2)) extending from an inner side of the first tray and asymmetrically arranged with respect to a center of the first tray.
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Claims 1, 6-7, 11-13, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Miyawaki (US PG Pub 2017/0033343 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Miyawaki discloses a battery sealed container (outer case (para. [0050], ref. 10, Fig. 1)) comprising a first tray (body (ref. 12, Fig. 1)) having a bottom surface (ref. 15, Fig. 3) and a side wall (ref. 17, Fig. 3) wherein the bottom surface comprises a plurality of lower end receiving portions (space between partition plates (para. [0051], 40a-d, Fig. 3)) and the side wall extends upward from the bottom surface. Miyawaki also discloses a second tray (lid body (para. [0098], ref. 11, Fig. 6) which contains a top surface (upper wall (para. [0101], ref. 16, Fig. 6) containing a plurality of upper end receiving portions (two receiving portions are the third guide portions (para. [0104], ref. 43, Fig. 6)) and a side wall which extends downward from the top surface (ref. 14, Fig. 6). Furthermore, Miyawaki discloses a plurality of battery cells (para. [0047], ref. 100, Fig. 4) with lower ends accommodated in the plurality of lower end receiving portions of the first tray and upper ends accommodated in the plurality of upper end receiving portions (the third guide portions are in contact with the cells (para. [0101])).
Regarding claim 6, Miyawaki discloses a first tray with a substantially rectangular box shape (body (ref. 12, Fig. 2)) and an opening at the top with the bottom surface (ref. 15, Fig. 3) and side wall (ref. 17, Fig. 3) integrally formed. Miyawaki further discloses a second tray with a substantially rectangular box shape (lid body (ref. 11, Fig. 2)) with an opening at the bottom and the top surface (ref. 14, Fig. 6) and side walls (ref. 14, Fig. 6) integrally formed.
Regarding claim 7, the first and second trays each have four side walls (see Fig. 2) and the four side walls of the first tray contact the four side walls of the second tray sealing the inside of the battery cell sealed container (as depicted in Fig. 1-2).
Regarding claim 11, Miyawaki discloses a space configured to accommodate a dehumidifying agent (i.e. a dehumidifying agent receiving portion) between the side wall (para. [0054], ref. 14, Fig. 2) and the partition plate (para. [0051], ref. 40a, Fig. 2) corresponding with the flow passage (para. [0079], ref. 21a, Fig. 2). This space is configured to accommodate the dehumidifying agent on an inner surface of the side wall.
Regarding claim 12, the space configured to accommodate a dehumidifying agent is located between the side wall (ref. 14, Fig. 2) of the first tray and the partition plate (ref. 40a, Fig. 2) which serves as the lower end receiving portion of the first tray. Furthermore, the partition plates are protrusions upward from an inside surface of the first tray which are configured to support a dehumidifying agent so that the dehumidifying is prevented from being inclined inward in the first tray and contacting the battery cells. A second protrusion is present (partition plate (ref. 40d, Fig. 2)) on the opposite side of the tray.
Regarding claim 13, support members (partition plates (ref. 40a and 40d, Fig. 2)) are arranged along the edges of the lower end receiving portions (spaces between the partition plates) and support the side surfaces of the battery cells accommodated in the lower end receiving portions.
Regarding claim 18, the second tray (lid body (para. [0050], ref. 11, Fig. 6) has a plurality of support ends (second guide portions (para. [0098], ref. 42, Fig. 6) and regulating portions (para. [0105], ref. 45, Fig. 6)) extending from an inner side of the second tray and arranged asymmetrically with respect to the center of the second tray.
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.
13. 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.
14. 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.
15. Claims 2-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Buckhout (WIPO Patent 2017/152140 A1) in view of Zhen (US PG Pub 2017/0113848 A1).
Buckhout is relied on as described above.
However, Buckhout fails to teach a coupling portion on the second tray which covers a flange on the first tray as well as a fastening groove on the second tray accommodating a fastening portion of the first tray.
Zhen teaches a sealing mechanism for a container comprising a first tray (base (para. [0031], ref. 200, Fig. 3)) with a flange (connecting section (ref. 2002, Fig. 4)) extending outward along an edge of the side wall (base sidewall (ref. 220, Fig. 4)). Zhen further teaches a second tray (lid (para. [0027], ref. 100, Fig. 3)) with a coupling portion (transition section (para. [0028], ref. 1002, Fig. 4)) including a downward bending section (ref. 1003, Fig. 4) which extends downward along a side wall of the second tray (lid sidewall (para. [0035], ref. 120, Fig. 4)) and covers the flange which fits into the coupling portion. Furthermore, a locking end (downward extending section (para. [0031], 2003, Fig. 4) is interference fitted against an inner surface of the coupling portion of the second tray (barb (para. [0030], ref. 1004, Fig. 4)).
Zhen also teaches a fastening portion extending convexly upward along an edge of the side wall of the first tray (connecting section (ref. 2002, Fig. 4)) and a fastening groove in the second tray (transition section (para. [0028], ref. 1002, Fig. 4)) that is concave at a lower portion along an edge of the side wall and fits around the fastening portion of the first tray. A packing member (first sealing flange (para. [0030], ref. 1005, Fig. 4)) is located in the fastening groove of the second tray and seals a space between the fastening groove and the fastening portion. The fastening groove on the second tray (formed by the transition section (para. [0028], ref. 1002, Fig. 4)) is inclined due to the barb (para. [0030], ref. 1004, Fig. 4)) so that the inlet of the fastening groove is narrower than a bottom surface of the fastening groove, and the packing member (first sealing flange (para. [0030], ref. 1005, Fig. 4)) is fixed within the fastening groove.
Zhen further teaches that the seal configuration between the edges of the base and lid disclosed, which utilizes air pockets disposed between the first seal and the barb as well as the first and second seals, improves sealing property while also allowing convenient opening of the lid (para. [0020]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have used the sealing mechanism taught by Zhen to seal the top and bottom housing portions of Buckhout to conveniently access the contents of the housing while maintaining good sealing properties.
15. Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Buckhout (WIPO Patent 2017/152140 A1) in view of Lee (US PG Pub 2019/0280255 A1).
Buckhout is relied upon as described above.
Buckhout fails to teach a first or second tray formed of PP (polypropylene).
Lee teaches a moisture absorbing container for a battery (abstract) which may include a polypropylene polymer matrix without a rust inhibitor (para. [0010]).
Furthermore, Lee teaches that using a plastic battery case formulated with an inorganic moisture absorber is a low cost, simple approach to manufacturing a battery case with good impact strength and moisture transmission resistivity which may be applied to form a module with a plurality of cells (para. [0025]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have substituted the moisture resistant composition taught by Lee for the plastic housing of Buckhout (para. [0059] of Buckhout) to further improve moisture transmission resistivity as required by Buckhout (para. [0041] of Buckhout describes use of desiccant to remove excess moisture).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHAN ANDREW JON MCMULLEN whose telephone number is (571)270-0127. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30 am - 5:00 pm.
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/N.A.M./
Nathan A McMullen
Examiner, Art Unit 1788
07/27/2026
/Alicia Chevalier/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1788
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