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). The certified copy of parent Application No. CN214411360U, filed on 5/28/2024, is present in the application file.
Claim Interpretation
The high voltage terminals of Claims 14 and 18 are interpreted as power terminals or connectors electrically connected to the plurality of battery modules per (¶ 00105) of the Specification of the instant application. The low voltage terminals of Claims 14 and 18 are interpreted as terminals or connectors used by the energy storage device to transmit and receive signals with an external device per (¶ 00110) of the Specification of the instant 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.
Claims 1, 2, 4-5, 8-10, 13, 15-17 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by You, et al. (CN214411360U, Espacenet machine translation, paragraphs numbered by examiner); the reference was included in applicant’s IDS but without a translation of the specification, which was obtained by examiner.
Claim 1: You teaches an outdoor energy storage cabinet (energy storage device) (¶ 0001) comprising a cabinet (housing having an internal space) (Fig. 1, Element 100; ¶ 0033) containing a battery pack (plurality of battery modules) (Fig. 2, Element 200; ¶¶ 0033, 0037) held in a battery rack (mounting portion) (Fig. 3, Element 205; ¶ 0038), and further comprising a front door (door member) (Fig. 1, Element 101; ¶ 0033). A wall insulation assembly (comprising connecting portion) (Fig. 4, Element 303) is fixed into the cabinet and is on the outside of the cabinet (¶ 0036), and comprises an electrical connection plate (comprising connecting portion) (Fig. 4, Element 303b) which is electrically attached to the positive busbar (comprising connecting portion) (Fig. 4, Element 301a) (¶ 0039). The busbar system (Fig. 4, Element 300), which comprises the positive busbar, electrically contacts the battery pack (¶ 0037).
Claim 2: You teaches all the limitations of Claim 1 above, and further teaches that the positive busbar electrically contacts the battery pack. You also teaches an insulating support (insulating member, comprising connecting portion) (Fig. 4, Element 301) which is fixedly connected to the top of the cabinet and supports the positive busbar.
Claim 4: You teaches all the limitations of Claim 2 above. You further teaches that the cabinet holds battery clusters, comprising the battery pack, in a vertical direction (Fig. 2, Elements 100, 200; ¶ 0037); the front of cabinet provides access for insertion of the battery clusters in a first direction (Fig. 2, Elements 100, 200) which is orthogonal to the direction the positive busbar protrudes from the housing (a second direction) (Fig. 4, Elements 301a and 303b).
Claim 5: You teaches all the limitations of Claim 1 above. You further teaches that the connecting portion elements described in Claim 1 are disposed on both sides of the cabinet opposite each other (first connecting portion and second connecting portion) (Figs. 3-4, Elements 303; ¶¶ 0036, 0040).
Claim 8: You teaches all the limitations of Claim 1 above. You further teaches that the battery pack comprises a battery fixing bracket (Fig. 3, Element 204) which is fixed into the cabinet through a fixing hole (Fig. 3; Element 203; ¶¶ 0037-0038).
Claim 9: You teaches all the limitations of Claim 1 above. You further teaches that two parallel forklift holes(plurality of lifting holes) are provided at the bottom of the cabinet (Fig. 1, Element 104; ¶¶ 0017, 0034).
Claim 10: You teaches all the limitations of Claim 1 above. You further teaches that a plurality of lifting holes (first lifting holes) is provided at the corners of the bottom of the cabinet (Fig. 1, Element 103; ¶¶ 0017, 0034). The plurality of second lifting holes is the two forklift holes discussed in Claim 9 above.
Claim 13: You teaches all the limitations of Claim 1 above. You further teaches that an air conditioning system (cooling device) (Fig.1, Element 101) is disposed in the front door (¶¶ 0016, 0025).
Claim 15: You teaches an energy storage system (¶¶ 0001, 0033) comprising multiple outdoor energy storage cabinets connected side by side (Fig. 5; ¶¶ 0036, 0043), with each outdoor energy storage cabinet containing a plurality of battery clusters (¶¶ 0011, 0012). The energy storage system contains at least one positive busbar (comprising first connection member of first connecting portion) (Fig. 4, Element 301a) (¶ 0039), which is electrically connected to an electrical connection plate (comprising connection member of first connecting portion) (Fig. 4, Element 303b), which connects other outdoor energy storage cabinets together (¶ 0044). The busbar system (Fig. 4, Element 300), which comprises the positive busbar, electrically contacts the battery pack (¶ 0037). Each outdoor energy storage cabinet comprises a cabinet (Fig. 1, Element 100; ¶ 0001), a battery rack (Fig. 2, Element 205; ¶ 0038), and a door (Fig. 1, Element 101; ¶ 0033). Adjacent outdoor energy storage cabinets are connected via the electrical connection plate (¶ 0044).
Claim 16: You teaches all the limitations of Claim 15 above. You further teaches that the busbar system (Fig. 4, Element 300), which comprises the positive busbar, electrically contacts the battery pack (¶ 0037). You also teaches that the positive busbar protrudes outwardly from the housing (Fig. 4, Elements 301a and 303b), and that adjacent outdoor energy storage cabinets are connected via the positive busbars via their electrical connection plates (¶ 0044).
Claim 17: You teaches all the limitations of Claim 15 above. You further teaches outdoor energy storage cabinets connected side by side in one direction, with the positive busbar of one outdoor energy storage cabinet facing the positive busbar of an adjacent outdoor energy storage cabinet in the one direction (Fig. 5, ¶¶ 0043-0044).
Claim 19: You teaches an outdoor energy storage cabinet that holds battery clusters, comprising the battery pack, in a vertical direction (Fig. 2, Elements 100, 200; ¶ 0037), in at least two columns and two rows (Fig. 2, Element 200; ¶ 0037). The battery fixing bracket is provided with several layers of parallel battery holders (Fig. 3, Element 204; ¶ 0038), which define receiving spaces. In the battery rack a cluster of the battery pack is fixed on each layer (Fig. 3, Elements 204, 200; ¶ 0038). The front of cabinet provides access for insertion and removal (retrieval) of the battery clusters (Fig. 2, Elements 100, 200). Refer to discussion of Claim 1 for further details.
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.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over You as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Cioffi, et al. (WO2020091721A1).
Claim 3: You teaches all the limitations of Claim 1 above, but fails teach a busbar disposed such that it passes through the housing leaving one end outside of the housing and one end outside of the housing. Cioffi teaches an embodiment of energy storage system (¶¶ 0021-0022) with connectors (Fig. 1, Element 110) such as busbars (¶¶ 0024-0025), which can connect an electrical power converter (Fig. 1, Element 104) to adjacent components of the energy storage system (Fig. 1, Element 102) (¶0026) through a wall (housing) of the electrical power converter, leaving one end inside the power converter and one end outside of it (Fig. 1, Elements 104, 110). The two ends of the connectors inside the power converter housing each connect to the electrical power converter (¶ 0026), but could obviously connect in series with anything else disposed between them in the absence of the electrical power converter. Thus, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the time of filing to use the disposition of connectors in the housing of Cioffi in the cabinet of You because Cioffi teaches that connectors passing through opposite sides of a housing leaving one end inside and one end outside of the housing is an operative configuration for an energy storage system.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over You as applied to claim 5 above, and further in view of Wang, et al. (CN110601232B, Espacenet machine translation, paragraphs numbered by examiner).
Claim 6: You teaches all the limitations of Claim 5 above, but fails to teach an internal connection member disposed inside the housing and connecting the first and second connecting portions together. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill to look to prior art for an operative busbar configuration with a central busbar electrically connecting two outer through-wall busbars. Wang teaches an embodiment of an energy storage device containing a three-part bus, comprising a central bus bar (internal connection member) and two outer bus bars (comprising first connecting portion and second connecting portion) (Fig. 4; ¶¶ 0020, 0022, 0042), to which it is electrically connected. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill at the time of filing to use the central busbar of configuration of Wang in the energy storage device of You because Wang teaches that a three-part bus comprising a central bus bar is an operative bus configuration for an energy storage device.
Claims 7, 11, 12 14 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over You as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Zhang, et al. (CN217788626U, Espacenet machine translation, paragraphs numbered by examiner).
Claim 7: You teaches all the limitations of Claim 1 above, but fails to teach a partition in the housing. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill to look to prior art for an operative configuration of partitions in a housing. Zhang teaches an embodiment of a combinable energy storage system which comprises battery packs (plurality of battery modules) (Fig. 5, Element 121; ¶ 0062) stacked vertically in multiple battery racks configured as partitions (Fig. 5, Element 300; ¶ 0062) inside the cabinet (housing) of a container (Fig. 5, Elements 101, 100; ¶¶ 00033, 0060-0062). Zhang further teaches that this arrangement of the battery packs is intended to facilitate the integrated assembly, maintenance and removal of the battery packs, and at the same time facilitate the arrangement of the subsequent cables (Fig. 5, Element 200; ¶ 0063). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill at the time of filing to have used the partitions of Zhang in the cabinet of You because Zhang teaches that battery racks configured as partitions in a cabinet is an operative configuration for an energy storage device.
Claim 11: You teaches all the limitations of Claim 1 above, but fails to teach an internal frame or a battery control system. Zhang teaches an embodiment of a combinable energy storage system which comprises battery packs (plurality of battery modules) (Fig. 8, Element 121; ¶ 0059) stacked vertically in multiple battery racks (internal frame disposed on top portions of the battery modules) (Fig. 8, Element 300; ¶¶ 0058-0059). The battery rack facilitates heat dissipation from the battery pack (¶ 0063), which is desirable for batteries. Zhang further teaches a battery management system (battery control system) (¶ 0048). The battery management system facilitates reliable charging and discharging functions of the combinable modular energy storage system (Fig. 1, Element 10; ¶ 0048), which is desirable for an energy storage system. Zhang does not give a specific spatial location of the battery management system, but note that rearrangement of parts is an obvious matter of design choice. MPEP §2144.04(VI)(C). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill at the time of filing to combine the battery racks and battery management system of Zhang with the cabinet of You because Zhang teaches battery racks disposed on top portions of the battery modules and a battery management system.
Claim 12: You and Zhang combined teach all the limitations of Claim 11 above. Zhang further teaches a DC cable (first connection member of connecting portion) (Fig. 2, Element 210) (connecting battery packs contained in battery racks in one container (comprising housing) (Fig. 2, Element 120) of the combinable energy storage system to another container, passing through the housing of the one container to do so (¶ 0055), i.e., disposed between the internal frame and the housing
Claim 14: You teaches all the limitations of Claim 1 above, but fails to teach at least one connection portion comprising a first and second connection members spaced apart from one another, where the first connection member is a high voltage terminal electrically connected to the plurality of battery modules, and the second connection member is a low voltage terminal electrically connected to a battery control system controlling the plurality of battery modules. Zhang teaches a DC cable (first connection member of connecting portion, high voltage terminal) (Fig. 2, Element 210) electrically connected to battery clusters formed from battery packs connected in series (¶¶ 0055, 0058-0059). Zhang teaches that this facilitates the electrical connection between the battery packs and a PCS (Fig. 2, Element 131). Zhang further teaches communication cables (second connection member of connecting portion, low voltage terminal) (Fig. 2, Element 220; ¶ 0014) spaced out from the DC cables, and running from the battery management system and the PCS to connect sequentially to an EMS (Fig. 2, Element 141) (¶ 0055). Zhang teaches that this arrangement facilitates communication between the battery pack, the PCS and the EMS (¶ 0055). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill at the time of filing to combine the DC and communication cables of Zhang with the energy storage device of You because Zhang teaches DC cables and communication cables spaced out from one another.
Claim 18: You teaches all the limitations of Claim 15 above. Further, see the discussion of Claim 14 above. Zhang further teaches that at least one of the plurality of containers (energy storage devices) must be configured per the discussion of Claim 14 above (¶¶ 0011, 0055).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TREVOR MICHAEL SACCUCCI whose telephone number is (571)270-1867. 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, Michael B Cleveland can be reached at (571)272-1418. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TREVOR MICHAEL SACCUCCI/Examiner, Art Unit 1712
/MICHAEL B CLEVELAND/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1712
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