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 Objections
Claim 8 is objected to because of the following informalities: in the 2nd line of claim 8, add “,” after “positive terminal post”. 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.
Claim 10 is 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 10 recites the limitation "the entire battery pack" in the 3rd line. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 10 recites the limitation "the side wall" in the 3rd line. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. In this instance, it is suggested to replace “the” with “a” to obtain proper antecedent basis.
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 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN 107346811 A, of which a copy of the Chinese document was provided with the Information Disclosure Statement dated April 30, 2024, and with a machine translation provided with this Office Action (see PTO-892).
Regarding independent claim 1, CN ‘811 discloses a battery pack (see abstract; paragraphs [0034]-[0058] of the Chinese document that correspond to pages 4-7 of the machine translation under the heading “Preferred Embodiment”; and Figures 1-9), in which the battery pack includes the following structural features:
a battery box (10) – see the 2nd paragraph on page 4 of translation under the heading “Preferred Embodiment”; and Figures 1 and 4;
a battery module (30) – see the 2nd paragraph on page 4 of translation under the heading “Preferred Embodiment”; and Figure 6;
a sampling wire (56) – see page 5 of translation and Figure 8; and
a low-voltage connector (590) – see page 5 of translation and Figure 9,
wherein the battery box (10) is provided with an accommodating space (see Figure 4) for accommodating the battery module (30), and a box sealing structure (in the form of a case cover (20) having a box body abutting part (11) case cover joint part of connection (21) – see the 2nd paragraph on page 4 of translation under the heading “Preferred Embodiment”; and Figures 2-5),
wherein the battery module (30) is provided with a battery positive terminal post (34a,55a) and a battery negative terminal post (34b,55b) – see pages 4 and 5 of translation; and Figures 6 and 8, and
the battery positive terminal post (34a,55a) and the battery negative terminal post (34b,55b) of the battery module (30) are connected with the low-voltage connector (590) through the sampling wire (56) for sampling the battery pack – see page 5 of translation; and Figures 6 and 8.
Regarding claim 2, CN ‘811 discloses a box cover (case cover (20)), wherein the box sealing structure (case cover (20) having a box body abutting part (11) case cover joint part of connection (21) – see the 2nd paragraph on page 4 of translation under the heading “Preferred Embodiment”; and Figures 2-5) is arranged on an inner side of an upper opening of the battery box (10), and the box cover (20) is installed on the battery box (10) through the box sealing structure (11,21) – see the 2nd paragraph on page 4 of translation under the heading “Preferred Embodiment”; and Figures 2-5.
Regarding claim 3, CN ‘811 discloses that the box sealing structure (11,21) comprises a sealing strip and a U-shaped sealing groove (in the form of a series of recesses/grooves and projections/protrusions (see Figures 3 and 5), and the sealing strip is arranged on an inner wall of the U-shaped sealing groove (see the 2nd and 3rd paragraphs on page 4 of translation under the heading “Preferred Embodiment”; and Figures 2-5).
Regarding claims 4 and 5, CN ‘811 discloses that a side surface of the box cover (20) extends toward a side surface of the battery box (10) to be provided with an extension portion (see Figures 1 and 4), wherein the extension portion is inserted into the U-shaped sealing groove of the box sealing structure (11,21) and fits with the sealing strip that is attached tightly to a side wall of the extension portion and an inner wall of the U-shaped sealing groove of the box sealing structure (11,21) – see the 2nd and 3rd paragraphs on page 4 of translation under the heading “Preferred Embodiment”; and Figures 1-5).
Regarding claims 6 and 7, CN ‘811 discloses that a height of an outer wall of the U-shaped sealing groove of the box sealing structure (11,21) is lower than a height of an outer wall of the U-shaped sealing groove, as well as that a height of an outer wall of the U-shaped sealing groove of the box sealing structure (11,21) is lower than a height of the extension portion (see the 2nd and 3rd paragraphs on page 4 of translation under the heading “Preferred Embodiment”; and Figures 1-5).
Regarding claim 8, CN ‘811 discloses that the battery module (30), the sampling wire (56), the low-voltage connector (590), the battery positive terminal post (34a,55a), and the battery negative terminal post (34b,55b) are all integrated in the battery box (10) and form a modular integrated control unit (50) with a battery management system (51) together with the battery box (10) – see abstract; pages 4 and 5 of translation; and Figures 4 and 6-9).
Regarding claim 9, CN ‘811 discloses that the integrated control unit (50) is in plug connection with the battery positive terminal post (34a,55a) and the battery negative terminal post (34b,55b) of the battery module (30) respectively through the sampling wire (56) – see pages 4 and 5 of translation; and Figures 4 and 6-9.
Regarding claim 10, CN ‘811 discloses that the battery positive terminal post (34a,55a) and the battery negative terminal post (34b,55b) which are exposed in the battery box (10) serve as energy output ends of the battery pack, and the low-voltage connector (590) arranged on a side wall of the battery box (10) serves as a data output end (see abstract; pages 4 and 5 of translation; and Figures 4 and 6-9).
Regarding claims 11-13, CN ‘811 discloses a battery pack box group comprising the battery pack of claim 1, wherein an electrical apparatus and an electricity storage cabinet that comprise the battery pack box group is used for providing electric energy (see abstract; pages 4-7 of translation; and Figures 4 and 6-9).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEVIN P KERNS whose telephone number is (571)272-1178. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-430pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Keith Walker can be reached at (571)272-3458. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KEVIN P KERNS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1735 August 4, 2026
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