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 disclosures statements (IDSs) submitted 02/26/2024 and 04/01/2025 were received and have been considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings submitted 02/26/2024 were received and are approved by the examiner.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: Battery Pack Comprising Tapered Cross Members.
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.
Claim 4 is 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.
The term “vicinity” in claim 4 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “vicinity” 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. Due to the use of the term, the location of the temperature sensor relative to the pressure relief valve is indefinite. For purpose of examination, so long as a temperature sensor is near a same surface as a pressure relief valve, it will read on claim 4.
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) 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shimazaki et al. (U.S. 20200075907) in view of Foran (U.S. 20220006150).
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With respect to claims 1-2, Shimazaki discloses a battery pack (17) that accommodates a plurality of battery modules (34) in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked (Fig. 7), the battery pack (17) comprising:
a lower case (31 – case main body) that covers lower portions of the plurality of battery modules (34) (Fig. 7); and
an upper cover (32) that covers upper portions of the plurality of battery modules (34) (Fig. 7), wherein
the lower case (31) includes:
a bottom plate (31a – case bottom wall) that covers the lower portions of the plurality of battery modules (34) (Fig. 7);
a front wall (31b) that stands upward and extends in a left-right direction at a front portion of the bottom plate (31a) (Fig. 7);
a rear wall (31c) that stands upward and extends in the left-right direction at a rear portion of the bottom plate (31a) (Fig. 7);
a left wall (31d – left) that stands upward and extends in a front-rear direction at a left portion of the bottom plate (31a) (Fig. 7); and
a right wall (31d – right) that stands upward and extends in the front-rear direction at a right portion of the bottom plate (31a) (Fig. 7),
the plurality of battery modules (34) are disposed in a battery module accommodating portion 31g and 31f – front and rear battery chambers) surrounded by the bottom plate (31a), the front wall (31b), the rear wall (31c), the left wall (31d), and the right wall (31d) (Fig. 7),
the lower case (31) is provided with:
a cross member (31e) that stands upward from the bottom plate (31a) and extends in the left-right direction continuously from the left wall (31d) to the right wall (31d) in the battery module accommodating portion (31f and 31g) (Fig. 7), and
a cover frame (labeled) that covers at least a part of an upper portion of the cross member (31e) and extends in the left-right direction (Fig. 5 – below),
the cross member is made of a solid-structured metal (case main body 31 made by metal die-casting/aluminum die-casting ([0030]; thus reading on claim 2) and extends in the left-right direction such that a position of an upper end thereof is lowered from both left and right ends toward a left-right direction central portion (Fig. 7 – above), and
the cover frame (labeled) is fixed to the cross member (31e) (via bolt 45) (Fig. 5 – below).
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Shimazaki does not disclose the cover frame is formed of a metal plate member, specifically iron.
Foran discloses cross members (66) for a battery lower case (80 – shield) with cover frame (29 – divider walls) (Fig. 1 and Fig. 3) and teaches the cover frame is made of iron (as it is part of tray 20; [0068]). Foran further teaches that the iron function as an EMI0RFI shielding filler so as to function as a Faraday cage (I.e. blocking electromagnetic fields) ([0068]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time that the application was effectively filed to ensure the cover frame disclosed by Shimazaki was made of iron as taught by Foran in order for it to help block electromagnetic fields.
With respect to claim 3, modified Shimazaki discloses the plurality of battery modules (34) are aligned in the front-rear direction in the battery module accommodating portion (31f and 31g) (Fig. 7),
the cross member (31e) extends in the left-right direction between the battery modules (34) aligned in the front-rear direction (Fig. 7),
the cover frame (labeled) extends in the left-right direction between the battery modules (34) aligned in the front-rear direction (Fig. 5 – above), and
an upper end of the cover frame (labeled) extends in the left-right direction at a height equal to or higher (shown by dashed line) than an upper end of each battery module (34) (Fig. 5 – above).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shimazaki in view of Foran as applied to claim 3 above, and further in view of Gonring (U.S. 20220328912).
With respect to claim 4, modified Shimazaki discloses a battery pack (see above rejection of claims 1-3), but does not disclose the presence of pressure relief valve and a temperature sensor.
Gonring discloses a battery pack (200 – batter enclosure) and teaches the battery pack (200) comprises:
a pressure release valve (212) that enables gas to be discharges to outside of the battery pack (200) from a battery pack internal space (Fig. 2; [0031]); and
a temperature sensor (206) that is provided in the battery pack (200) internal space (204 – sealed enclosure volume) and configured to detect a temperature inside the internal space (204) (Fig. 2; [0029]), wherein
the pressure release valve (212) is concentrated at a front or rear (left) of the battery pack (200) (Fig. 2), and
the temperature sensor (206) is disposed in the vicinity of the pressure relief valve (212) (Fig. 2). Gonring further teaches this configuration detects temperature information within the interior space ([0029]), and responds to an excess of pressure outside of a pressure safety threshold within the internal space ([0031]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time that the application was effectively filed to include a pressure release valve and temperature sensor as taught by Gonring to the battery pack disclosed by modified Shimazaki in order to detect temperature information within the interior space and respond to an excess of pressure outside of a pressure safety threshold within the internal space.
Conclusion
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/J.E.B./Examiner, Art Unit 1727
/BARBARA L GILLIAM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1727
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