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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d).
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/15/2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 6 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 6 recites the phrase “the first conductive member cover an entire surface of the substrate” which should read “covers”. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 5, 12 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.
Claim 5 recites the limitation “the first conductive member is formed by welding a connection wire and a conductive sheet on a printed circuit board” in Lines 24-25. Claim 2 from which claim 5 depends, requires the first conductive member to be printed on the substrate. These appear to be different fabrication methods and further clarification is needed or the dependency changed from claim 2 to claim 1 if there are in fact two different variations in the first conductive member.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the third member" in Line 20. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
Claims 1, 13-14 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li et al. (WO 2022205818 A1 - US 20240030539 A1 referenced for citation), hereinafter "Li".
In regard to Claim 1, Li et al. discloses a battery module, comprising: a battery cell assembly, comprising a plurality of battery cells, the plurality of battery cells are arranged in a first direction and a first circuit board, the battery cell assembly and the first circuit board are arranged in the first direction (Li, Abstract, Figure 1). Li et al. also discloses the first circuit board comprising a first conductive member, the first conductive member is disposed on a path of a main circuit of the battery module, and the first conductive member is configured to be disconnected in response to squeezing of the battery cell assembly to turn off the main circuit (Li, [0012]).
In regard to Claim 13, Li et al. discloses a battery pack, comprising: the battery module according to claim 1 and a housing (shell 10), at least a part of the battery module being located in the housing (Li, [0005]).
In regard to Claim 14, Li et al. discloses the battery pack according to claim 13. Li et al. also discloses wherein the first circuit board is fixed to the housing (Li, Figure 1).
In regard to Claim 20, Li et al. discloses an electrical device, comprising: battery pack according to claim 13 (Li, Abstract, [0002]). Li et al. discloses that the module produces an output current which necessarily discloses wherein the battery pack supplies electric power to a load (Li, [0014]).
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.
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.
Claims 2-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (WO 2022205818 A1 - US 20240030539 A1 referenced for citation), hereinafter "Li" as applied to claim 1 above in view of Jang et al. (US 20120127682 A1), hereinafter "Jang". Li and Jiang et al. are analogous prior art to the claimed invention because they pertain to the same field of endeavor, namely circuit board configurations.
In regard to Claim 2, Li et al. discloses the battery module according to claim 1. Li et al. also discloses wherein, the first conductive member is formed by welding a connection wire and a conductive sheet on a printed circuit board (Li, [0054]), and a circuit board (Li, Abstract) wherein a a circuit board comprising a substrate is a known configuration to the skilled artisan. However, Li et al. is silent as to utilizing a first conductive member printed on the substrate of a circuit board.
Jang et al. discloses a first conductive member connected to the main circuit of a battery cell assembly wherein the first conductive member is printed on the substrate of a circuit board (Jang, [0008, 0023]) wherein the conductive members may pass from one side of the substrate to another through via holes (Jang, [0035]) wherein the benefit of this configuration is a choice in the pattern design and a reduced size vs a conventional configuration (Jang, [0007, 0024, 0041]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide a first conductive member printed on a substrate of the circuit board as a means for connecting the circuit board to the main circuit of the battery assembly as taught in Jang et al. as opposed to the welded connection disclosed in Li et al. as doing so would be obvious to try for the skilled artisan based on the advantages taught in Jang and as doing so would amount to nothing more than choosing from a finite number of identified, predictable solutions, with a reasonable expectation of success.
In regard to Claim 3, Li et al. in view of Jang et al. discloses the battery module according to claim 2. The skilled artisan of Li et al. would be aware of many configurations to achieve the desired result of disconnecting the main circuit of the battery cell assembly due to swelling using a circuit board and would reasonably be capable of a design using multiple members interacting to disconnect the circuit. Li et al. discloses a circuit board and a three member configuration which is functionally a first member (first fixing portion 511), a second member (first contact portion 512), and a third member (first connecting portion 513), and the first member is connected to the second member by the third member; and the first conductive member covers at least a part of the third member, and the third member is configured to be disconnected in response to squeezing of the battery cell assembly (Li, [0054-0055]).
In regard to Claim 4, Li et al. in view of Jang et al. discloses the battery module according to claim 3. Li et al. also discloses a length of the members designed to disconnect the circuit during swelling are based on a set distance which relates to the amount of swelling required to make the contacts separate and break the circuit (Li, [0067]). Selecting the lengths of such members amount to nothing more than a result effective variable able to be optimized by the skilled artisan which would reasonably include a configuration where a length of the third member is less than a length of the first member, and the length of the third member is less than a length of the second member with a reasonable expectation of success.
In regard to Claim 5, Li et al. in view of Jang et al. discloses the battery module according to claim 2. Li et al. also discloses wherein, the first conductive member is formed by welding a connection wire and a conductive sheet on a printed circuit board (Li, [0054]).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (WO 2022205818 A1 - US 20240030539 A1 referenced for citation), hereinafter "Li" as applied to claim 1 above in view of Tan (US 20060225914 A1), hereinafter "Tan". Li and Jiang et al. are analogous prior art to the claimed invention because they pertain to the same field of endeavor, namely circuit board configurations.
In regard to Claim 6, Li et al. in view of Jang et al. discloses the battery module according to claim 2. Li et al. also discloses a first conductive member disposed on a path of a main circuit of the battery module, and the first conductive member is configured to be disconnected in response to squeezing of the battery cell assembly to turn off the main circuit and Jang discloses a printed circuit board with a first conductive member printed on the circuit board given patterns selected by the skilled artisan but are silent as to the configuration of circuit board wherein the first conductive member covers the entire surface of the substrate.
Tan et al. discloses a beneficial configuration with a printed circuit board comprising conductive foil layers which encompasses a first conductive member which covers the entire surface of a substrate (Tan, Abstract, [0019]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide a circuit board with a first conductive member covering the entire surface of the substrate as taught in Tan et al. as the circuit board and first conductive member of Li et al. as doing so would be obvious to try for the skilled artisan and as doing so would amount to nothing more than a variation of it for use in the same field based on design incentives or other market forces, as the variations are predictable to one of ordinary skill in the art.
Claims 7-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (WO 2022205818 A1 - US 20240030539 A1 referenced for citation), hereinafter "Li" in view of Jang et al. (US 20120127682 A1), hereinafter "Jang" as applied to Claims 1 and 2 above and further in view of Oguma et al. (US 20080118824 A1), hereinafter "Oguma". Li and Oguma et al. are analogous prior art to the claimed invention because they pertain to the same field of endeavor, namely battery module circuit configurations.
In regard to Claims 7-12, Li et al. in view of Jang et al. discloses the battery module according to claims 1 and 2. Li et al. also discloses an embodiment wherein a third member interacts with other members on a circuit board during swelling to disconnect the main circuit of the battery cell assembly but is silent as to a configuration wherein the third member has a concave portion, reduced thickness, or a hole penetrating the member.
Oguma et al. discloses a battery module comprising: a battery cell assembly, comprising a plurality of battery cells, the plurality of battery cells are arranged in a first direction and a first conductive member, the first conductive member is disposed on a path of a main circuit of the battery module, and the first conductive member is configured to be disconnected in response to squeezing of the battery cell assembly to turn off the main circuit (Oguma, Abstract). Oguma et al. also discloses an embodiment wherein a first member (First plate 17), second member (Second plate 18), third member (Coupling portion 21) and a fourth member (Pushing Member 14) wherein the fourth member is located between the battery cell assembly and the first conductive member and wherein the fourth member is connected to the battery cell assembly so that it is configured to disconnect the first conductive member when being squeezed by the battery cell assembly, and a protruding portion (Projected portions 14b) wherein the protruding portion protrudes from the main body portion and extends toward the first conductive member and a projection of the protruding portion overlaps a projection of the first conductive member and a projection of the fourth member is located within a projection of the third member, all of which interact with each other during swelling to achieve the stated goal of disconnecting the main circuit of the battery cell assembly (Oguma, Abstract, [0025-0026, 0037-0039]).
In this configuration of Oguma the members may be provided with a concave portion (notch), a hole, or a weakened portion to facilitate the operation of disconnecting the main circuit (Oguma, Claim 9, [0011, 0060]). This beneficial configuration in Oguma has the advantage of being capable of securing safety at a time of abnormal battery operations (Oguma, [0007]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide a configuration which has a variation of a weakened portion in the third member and/or with a fourth member and protruding members as doing so would give the skilled artisan the reasonable expectation of achieving the benefits taught in Oguma and as doing so would amount to nothing more than the use of known technique to improve similar devices (methods, or products) in the same way.
Claims 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (WO 2022205818 A1 - US 20240030539 A1 referenced for citation), hereinafter "Li" as applied to claim 13 above in view of Oguma et al. (US 20080118824 A1), hereinafter "Oguma". Li and Oguma et al. are analogous prior art to the claimed invention because they pertain to the same field of endeavor, namely battery module circuit configurations.
In regard to Claim 15, Li et al. discloses the battery pack according to claim 13. Li et al. also discloses a battery pack which houses the battery module and both internal and external components comprise a first member, second member and third member as well as a first part, second part, and third part of the first conductive member (Li, Figures 2 and 3) wherein the first part and the second part are connected by the third part, the first part is connected between the connector and the third part, the second part is connected between the battery cell assembly and the third part, and the third part is configured to be disconnected when being squeezed by the battery cell assembly (Li, [0056-0057]), but it is silent as to a connector, the connector is configured to be connected to an electrical device.
Oguma et al. discloses an external connector configured to be connected to the battery module where first second and third members disconnect the assemblies main circuit during swelling (Oguma, [0026]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide a connector configured to be connected to an electrical device as taught in Oguma to the battery pack of Li as doing so would amount to nothing more than applying a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results.
In regard to Claim 16, Li et al. in view of Oguma et al. discloses the battery pack according to claim 15. Li et al. also discloses wherein the battery pack further comprises a first electrical connection member, the first electrical connection member comprises a first segment (first connecting member) and a second segment (second connecting member) separated from each other, the first segment connects the battery cell assembly to the second part, and the second segment connects the connector to the first part (Li, [0010]).
Claims 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (WO 2022205818 A1 - US 20240030539 A1 referenced for citation), hereinafter "Li" in view of Oguma et al. (US 20080118824 A1), hereinafter "Oguma" as applied to claim 16 above and further in view of Jiang et al. (CN 115312883 A - Machine Translation referenced for citation), hereinafter "Jiang". Li and Oguma et al. are analogous prior art to the claimed invention because they pertain to the same field of endeavor, namely battery module circuit configurations.
In regard to Claims 17-19, Li et al. in view of Oguma et al. discloses the battery pack according to claim 15. While Li et al. also discloses a battery pack comprising the battery module it is silent as to the battery pack comprising a second circuit board, an insulating bracket which serves as structure to mount the first and second circuit boards and rout the connector in the battery pack housing.
Jiang et al. discloses wherein the battery pack further comprises a second circuit board and an insulating bracket (support frame 500), the second circuit board and the insulating bracket are disposed in the housing; and in the first direction, the second circuit board and the connector are disposed on a side of the insulating bracket facing away from the battery cell assembly, and the first circuit board is disposed on a side of the insulating bracket facing towards the battery cell assembly, wherein the insulating bracket is provided with an opening, and the second segment is connected to the connector after penetrating through the opening, wherein, the first circuit board is located between the insulating bracket and the battery cell assembly and the battery pack includes a fastener, the fastener fixedly connects the insulating bracket, the first circuit board and the housing (Jiang, Abstract, [153, 155, 167, 170, 190]) with a beneficial configuration being taught as being capable of avoiding wasted space, which is good for realizing miniaturization of the battery pack volume (Jiang, [68]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide a battery pack with a configuration having a second circuit board and insulating bracket as taught in Jiang as the battery pack of Li et al. as doing so would give the skilled artisan the reasonable expectation of achieving the benefits taught in Jiang and as doing so would amount to nothing more than the use of known technique to improve similar devices (methods, or products) in the same way.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KENNETH MAX OTERO whose telephone number is (571)272-2559. The examiner can normally be reached M-F Generally 7:30-430.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nicole Buie-Hatcher can be reached at (571) 270-3879. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/K.M.O./Examiner, Art Unit 1725
/NICOLE M. BUIE-HATCHER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1725
Prosecution Insights