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). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. JP2023-079212, filed on 2023-12-05.
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Fujiki et al. (JP2006140025A) using applicant’s provided original documents and translation.
Regarding Claim 1, Fujiki et al., teaches:
A battery pack comprising [0002]:
a plurality of battery modules [0002]; and
a case body forming a space where the plurality of battery modules are housed ([0002-0003] (“the batteries are often housed in a box-shaped battery pack case”)).
wherein, the case body includes a bottom portion, a side portion created from the bottom portion and surrounding the space ([0007], Figure 2, 2b)
a boss portion joined to the side portion outside of the space and used to fasten the case body, ([0023] Figure 2, 2d- boss portion) and,
a rib portion extending between the plurality of battery modules adjacent to each other and joined to the side portion in the space ([Figure 2-2c], Abstract)
and the boss portion and the rib portion are opposite to each other with the side portion interposed therebetween [Figure 2].
Regarding Claim 2, Fujiki et al., teaches the limitations of claim 1, which claim 2 depends on. Fujiki et al., further teaches:
The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein
When seen in a plan view, the bottom portion has a rectangular shape ([0021, Figure 2- 2a).
The side portion is erected from a peripheral edge portion of the bottom portion [0021] and,
The case body includes:
A plurality of the rib portions [0015] that, when the bottom portion is seen in the plan view, extend in a lattice pattern in the space and are each joined to the portion at an angle of 90° [0021] and,
A plurality of the boss portions that are respectively opposite to the plurality of rib portions with the side portion interposed therebetween and each extend in a direction orthogonal to the bottom portion [Figure 2- 2d]
Regarding Claim 3, Fujiki et al., teaches the limitation of claim 1, which claim 3 depends on. Fujiki et al., further teaches:
The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein
The case body is made of metal [0003], and
The bottom portion, the side portion, the boss portion, and the rib portion are formed so as to be integrated with each other ([0021-0023], Figure 2- 2a- bottom plate, 2b- side plate, 2d-boss portion, 2c- rib portion).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAURAV K JHA whose telephone number is (571)270-5722. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 0730-1700.
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, Alison L. Hindenlang can be reached at 571 270-7001. 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.
/SAURAV K JHA//S.K.J./Examiner, Art Unit 1741
/ALISON L HINDENLANG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1741
Prosecution Insights