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
Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Information Disclosure Statement
3. The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 4/25/2024, 8/6/2024 and 12/30/2024 has/have been received and complies with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97, 1.98 and MPEP § 609. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement(s) is/are being considered by the examiner, and a copy with initials is attached herewith.
Drawings
4. The drawings were received on 4/25/2024. These drawings are acceptable.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. Claim(s) 1-3 and 5-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al (CN 114725593 A).
Regarding claims 1-3, 7-9 and 11-16, Liu discloses an energy storage device comprising an insulating rubber pad (200) (lower plastic structure). The insulating rubber pad (200) (lower plastic structure) comprises a flow guiding plate (9) and a flow guiding hole (8). The flow guiding plate (9) comprises an insulating plate main body (90) and a guide structure; the insulating plate main body (90) is located above the flow guiding the top of the insulating plate main body (90) is provided with a electrolyte solution inlet hole (91), the upper part electrolyte solution the liquid inlet hole (91) and the liquid injection hole (7) are directly communicate (without barrier) [Fig. 1-5; paragraph 0069-0081]. The structure of the insulating rubber pad (200) corresponds to the structure of a lower plastic structure as defined in claims 1-3, 7-9 and 11-16.
Regarding claims 5-6, Liu teaches that the elastic flow guide component is made of rubber, elastic modulus E and Poisson's ratio would be similar as claimed.
Regarding claim 10, providing a distance between the central area of the third surface and the first liquid injection hole as claimed is within the technical grasp of a skilled artisan and would have obvious.
Regarding claim 17, Liu discloses an end cover assembly for an energy storage device comprising an end cover plate (100); and an insulating rubber pad (200) (lower plastic structure). The insulating rubber pad (200) (lower plastic structure) comprises a flow guiding plate (9) and a flow guiding hole (8). The flow guiding plate (9) comprises an insulating plate main body (90) and a guide structure; the insulating plate main body (90) is located above the flow guiding the top of the insulating plate main body (90) is provided with a electrolyte solution inlet hole (91), the upper part electrolyte solution the liquid inlet hole (91) and the liquid injection hole (7) are directly communicate (without barrier) [Fig. 1-5; paragraph 0069-0081].
Regarding claim 18, Liu discloses an energy storage device comprising a casing; a bare cell; and an end cover assembly. The end cover assembly comprises an end cover plate (100); and an insulating rubber pad (200) (lower plastic structure). The insulating rubber pad (200) (lower plastic structure) comprises a flow guiding plate (9) and a flow guiding hole (8). The flow guiding plate (9) comprises an insulating plate main body (90) and a guide structure; the insulating plate main body (90) is located above the flow guiding the top of the insulating plate main body (90) is provided with a electrolyte solution inlet hole (91), the upper part electrolyte solution the liquid inlet hole (91) and the liquid injection hole (7) are directly communicate (without barrier) [Fig. 1-5; paragraph 0069-0081, 0095-0096, 0100, 0104].
Allowable Subject Matter
9. Claim 4 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
10. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 4: the prior art of record does not anticipate or suggest or render obvious the lower plastic structure with the combination of structural element as claimed, including a section line of the third surface cut by a plane where a central rotation axis of the elastic flow guide component is located is a curve, the curve comprises a first line segment and a second line segment which are symmetrical about the central rotation axis of the third surface, curvatures of the first line segment and the second line segment gradually decrease from a position close to the first surface to a direction away from the first surface.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MUHAMMAD S SIDDIQUEE whose telephone number is (571)270-3719. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Miriam Stagg can be reached at 5712705256. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MUHAMMAD S SIDDIQUEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1723
