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 § 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.
Claims 1, 4, and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yaita et al. (US 20220227214 A1), and further in view of Oh et al. (US 20220190430 A1).
As claim 1, Yaita et al. disclose a battery pack to be mounted on a vehicle (see e.g. “a vehicle-mounted battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings” in Par. [0038] from Yaita et al.), the battery pack comprising:
a battery module in which a plurality of cells (see e.g. “the battery tray includes: a battery disposition region provided at a center in the vehicle width direction and on which a battery module consisted by a plurality of batteries is placed” in Par. [0008] from Yaita et al.).
a battery case to which the battery module is fixed at a module fixing portion (see e.g. fastening bolts 127 and tray floor 75 in annotated Figs. 10 and 11 from Yaita et al., “the plurality of batteries 123 disposed in the vehicle width direction is coupled to each other at a front end 62a of the battery module 62 by front coupling brackets 131” in Par. [0104] from Yaita et al., and “the fastening bolt (fastening member) 127 penetrates a flange 73a of the upper cross member 73, the battery 123, an attachment portion 72a of the lower cross member 72, and an upper portion of the tray floor 75 from above” in Par. [0100] from Yaita et al.)
a frame member extending in a front-rear direction of the vehicle and constructed above the battery module (see e.g. the upper deck 74 in annotated Fig. 10 from Yaita et al., “the upper deck 74 is provided at the center in the vehicle width direction at above the battery module 62” in Par. [0107] from Yaita et al., and “The upper deck 74 is formed in a band shape and extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body from the front end 62a to the rear end 62b of the battery module 62” in Par. [0108] from Yaita et al.); and
a junction box disposed on the frame member (see e.g. “The upper deck 74 is provided with an auxiliary battery 63 such as a high-voltage junction board and an electronic control unit (controller, ECU)” in Par. [0108] from Yaita et al.),
wherein the frame member is fixed to the battery case or the battery module at a first fixing portion positioned in front of the junction box and a second fixing portion positioned behind the junction box, (see e.g. fastening bolts 127 and upper deck 74 in annotated Fig. 10 from Yaita et al.)
the junction box is not fixed to the battery module and the battery case, but is fixed to the frame member at an intermediate fixing portion positioned between the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion, (see e.g. the element 63 is fixed to the battery module using bolts, as depicted in annotated Fig. 3 from Yaita et al.)
the module fixing portion, the first fixing portion, and the second fixing portion are fixed by rigid coupling without using any elastic member (see e.g. fastening bolts 127 and tray floor 75 in annotated Figs. 10 and 11 from Yaita et al.; “the plurality of batteries 123 disposed in the vehicle width direction is coupled to each other at a front end 62a of the battery module 62 by front coupling brackets 131” in Par. [0104] from Yaita et al., and “the fastening bolt (fastening member) 127 penetrates a flange 73a of the upper cross member 73, the battery 123, an attachment portion 72a of the lower cross member 72, and an upper portion of the tray floor 75 from above” in Par. [0100] from Yaita et al.), and
the intermediate fixing portion is fixed by elastic coupling through an elastic member. (see e.g. “As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 11, a head 125a of the fastening bolt 125 passes through a through-hole 141 of the case cover 66 and is in contact with the floor panel 23 at above. Further, a rubber member 142 provided on the head 125a passes through the through-hole 141 of the case cover 66 and is in contact with the floor panel 23 at above” in Par. [0116] from Yaita et al.)
Yaita et al. disclose a longitudinally rectangular shape with a plurality of battery cells being stacked in a longitudinal direction; but Yaita et al. do not disclose a laminated battery cell.
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Annotated Fig. 3 from Yaita et al. (US 20220227214 A1).
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Annotated Fig. 10 from Yaita et al. (US 20220227214 A1).
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Annotated Fig. 11 from Yaita et al. (US 20220227214 A1).
Oh et al. disclose a battery pack and its fastening structure for vehicle attachment (see e.g. “FIG. 17 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a fastening structure for vehicle attachment is applied in a state in which a battery module assembly is seated in a case in a battery pack according to one form of the present disclosure” in Par. [0114] from Oh et al.). Additionally, Oh et al. disclose a battery module with a plurality of laminated battery cells (see e.g. “the battery module 10 applied to a battery pack according to one form of the present disclosure may be configured to include the plurality of battery cells 110 mutually laminated in the width direction” in Par. [0061] from Oh et al.).
Both Yaita et al. and Oh et al. are analogous in the field of batteries, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skills in the art to modify the stacked battery cells of Yaita et al. to be laminated battery cells as taught by Oh et al. for standardizing the battery cells and simplifying their assembly process as suggested by Oh et al. (see e.g. “in manufacturing a battery pack having a shape that is actually attached to a vehicle through installation of a battery module having a standardized or normalized size in one case, a disposal structure capable of manifesting the best battery performance and spatial efficiency or a process efficiency capable of simplifying an assembling process has become an important issue to be considered in the corresponding technical field” in Par. [0008] from Oh et al.).
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Annotated Fig. 1 from Oh et al. (US 20220190430 A1)
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Annotated Fig. 3 from Oh et al. (US 20220190430 A1)
As claim 4, Yaita et al. in view of Oh et al. disclose a battery pack according to claim 1,
Yaita et al. disclose a rubber member in the intermediate fixing portion (see e.g. the rubber member 142 in annotated Fig. 11, and “a rubber member 142 provided on the head 125a passes through the through-hole 141 of the case cover 66 and is in contact with the floor panel 23 at above” in Par. [0116]), which is understood as the elastic member of the intermediate fixing portion in the current application.
As claim 5, Yaita et al. in view of Oh et al. disclose a battery pack according to claim 1,
Yaita et al. disclose an upper deck, which is understood as the frame member in the instant application. Moreover, Yaita et al. disclose that the upper deck includes an auxiliary device, such as the high-voltage junction board and an electronic control unit (see e.g. “The upper deck 74 is provided with an auxiliary battery 63 such as a high-voltage junction board and an electronic control unit (controller, ECU)” in Par. [0108]). Additionally, Yaita et al. disclose that the auxiliary device is located between the first and second fixing portions (see e.g. the upper deck 74 and auxiliary battery 63 in annotated Fig. 10).
On the other hand, Yaita et al. in view of Oh et al. do not disclose the exact relative weights between the auxiliary device, the junction box, and the battery module. But one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have considered that the battery module is the heaviest component compared to junction box and electronic control unit (ECU) because the battery module encloses several components, such as electrode stack, separator, electrolyte, electrode active material, among others. Besides that, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have considered that the auxiliary device, understood as the electronic control unit (ECU), is the lightest compared to the battery module and the junction box because it encloses small electronic components such as microcontrollers, memory, inputs/outputs, and the corresponding housing, among others. Therefore, it would have been obvious that the junction box weight is between the electronic control unit and the battery module. Thus, the claim limitation of the auxiliary device, the junction box, and the battery module have weight light to great in this order is met.
Claims 2 - 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yaita et al. (US 20220227214 A1) in view of Oh et al. (US 20220190430 A1), as applied in claim 1, and further in view of Sakamoto et al. (CN 110071237 A).
As claim 2, Yaita et al. in view of Oh et al. disclose the battery pack according to claim 1,
Oh et al. disclose a battery module with laminated battery cells (see e.g. battery module 10 and battery cell 110 in annotated Fig. 3 from Oh et al., and “the battery module 10 applied to a battery pack according to one form of the present disclosure may be configured to include the plurality of battery cells 110 mutually laminated in the width direction” in Par. [0061]).
Moreover, Oh et al. disclose end plates along the longitudinal (front-rear) direction and provided at both ends of the cell laminate in a lamination direction (see e.g. battery module 10, battery cell 110, end plate 20, and upper cover 40 in annotated Figs. 1 and 3, and “The pair of end plates 20 may be disposed to come in surface contact with surfaces located at both ends in the lamination direction of the battery cell laminated structure 100, that is, exposed surfaces of the outermost battery cell among the plurality of battery cells 110 forming the laminated structure 100” in Par. [0065]).
Furthermore, Oh et al. disclose front and rear covers along the width direction (see e.g. element 60 in annotated Fig. 3 from Oh et al.), and located at the front and the rear ends of the laminated cells and covering the cell terminals and bus bar (see e.g. “the battery module according to one form of the present disclosure may include front and rear covers 60 configured to cover the structure 100, in which the battery cells 110 are laminated, in the length direction from the outsides of the bus bar assemblies 30, respectively” in Par. [0062]). Additionally, Oh et al. disclose that front and rear covers include holes to expose the bus bar to facilitate the connection between two battery modules, but having no electrical terminal attached (see e.g. “The busbar provided in the busbar assembly 30 may have an extension part extending for connection with another external battery cell module or terminal, and the extension part may be exposed through the front and rear covers 60” in Par. [0068] from Oh et al.).
However, Yaita et al. in view of Oh et al. do not disclose a frame member fixed to the cover plate at the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion.
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Annotated Fig. 3 from Sakamoto et al. (CN 110071237 A).
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Annotated Fig. 6 from Sakamoto et al. (CN 110071237 A).
On the other hand, Sakamoto et al. disclose a battery unit, which is understood as a battery pack (see e.g. element 10 in annotated Fig. 3 from Sakamoto et al.), comprising a battery module (see e.g. element M in annotated Fig. 3 from Sakamoto et al.) with laminated battery cells (see e.g. “As shown in FIG. 2 and shown in FIG. 3, the battery unit 10 comprises a battery module M, which is formed by laminating a plurality of single batteries” in Par. [0050] from Sakamoto et al.).
Moreover, the module shell (see e.g. elements 41-42 (MC) in annotated Fig. 6 from Sakamoto et al.) is disposed from the left direction to the right direction of the vehicle (see e.g. “MC module shell is provided with four in the front and back direction, configured in parallel with a first module housing 41 in order from the lowest, second module shell 42 shell 43 the third module, fourth module housing 44” in Par. [0054] from Sakamoto et al.). The module shell is understood as the cover plate, since it extends in vehicle width direction has no electrical terminal attached (see e.g. elements 41-42 (MC) in annotated Fig. 6 from Sakamoto et al.). Besides that, Sakamoto et al. disclose a frame beam, which is understood as the frame member, and it extends along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (see e.g. elements 15 in annotated Fig. 3 from Sakamoto et al., and “a frame beam 15 is provided within the battery housing 11, extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle V and connecting to the front frame 11F and the rear frame 11R” in Par. [0059] from Sakamoto et al.). The frame beam is understood as the frame member because it is fixed to the battery case on the front and back regions, which are understood as the first and second fixing portions (see e.g. elements 11F and 20F in annotated Fig. 6, and “the frame beam 15 through the standing part 20F, 20R fixed on the front frame 11F and the rear frame 11R, and by the abutment part 16 is connected (fixed) to the beam 14” in Par. [0059] ). Additionally, the frame beam is fixed to the battery case through the module shell (see e.g. elements 11F, 20F, and 41(MC) in annotated Fig. 6), corresponding to a frame member fixed to the cover plate.
Yaita et al., Oh et al., and Sakamoto et al. are analogous in the field of batteries, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skills in the art to modify the frame member in battery pack of Yaita et al. in view of Oh et al. to be fixed to the cover plate at the first and second fixing portions, as suggested by Sakamoto et al. (see e.g. elements 11F, 20F, and 41(MC) in annotated Fig. 6).
As claim 3, Yaita et al. in view of Oh et al., and further in view of Sakamoto et al. disclose the battery pack according to claim 2,
Yaita et a. disclose a frame member fixed to the battery module by a rigid coupling at a third fixing portion positioned on a side opposite to the first fixing portion with respect to the second fixing portion (see e.g. fastening bolts 127 in annotated Figs. 10 and 11 from Yaita et al., and “the lower cross member 72 is fastened to the plurality of batteries 123 (that is, the battery module 62) by the fastening bolts 127 and the fastening nuts 129 in the cavities 88” in Par. [0101] from Yaita et al.),
Additionally, Yaita et a. disclose that the frame member is fixed to both ends of all the battery modules in the battery case at the first fixing portion, the second fixing portion, and the third fixing portion (see e.g. fastening bolts 127 in annotated Figs. 10 and 11 from Yaita et al., and “the lower cross member 72 is fastened to the plurality of batteries 123 (that is, the battery module 62) by the fastening bolts 127 and the fastening nuts 129 in the cavities 88” in Par. [0101] from Yaita et al.).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Fujii et al. (US 20160141586 A1) disclose a battery pack that includes two battery modules. Furthermore, a bracket is provided over the first battery module along the longitudinal direction, and a junction box is mounted on the bracket.
Iemura et al. (US 20220258620 A1) disclose a vehicle structure and a mounted battery. Moreover, they disclose that the junction box and the electronic control unit are attached to a support plate, which is elongated in the forward-rearward direction.
Yaita et al. (US 20220258585 A1) disclose a vehicle structure and a mounted battery. Moreover, they disclose that the junction box and the electronic control unit are attached to an upper deck, which is elongated in the forward-rearward direction. Additionally, the upper cross member fixes the battery modules using attachment bolts.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ISAAC G. TORRES DIAZ whose telephone number is (571)270-7055. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jeffrey T. Barton can be reached at (571) 272-1307. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/I.T.D./Examiner, Art Unit 1723
/ALLISON BOURKE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1721
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