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 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)(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.
Claim(s) 1 & 2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Flegel (US6060990).
Applicants’ claims are directed to an apparatus.
Regarding Claim 1, Flegel discloses the fixing bracket (See Figure 2 Item 70 Support bracket) for a flexible circuit board (See Figure 2 Item 64 circuit board), comprising: a connecting portion for connecting the fixing bracket to a target component that needs to be fixed (See Figure 2 holes in circuit board that allow the target components (such as the components on the circuit board); and a fixing portion for limiting and fixing the flexible circuit board (See Figure 2 Items 66 and 68 support tabs), wherein the connecting portion is disposed between the target component and the fixing portion and the connecting portion is connected to the fixing portion (See Figure 2 holes for the components of the circuit board are between the target components and the support tabs).
Regarding Claim 2, Flegel discloses the fixing bracket for a flexible circuit board according to claim 1, wherein the fixing portion further comprises an avoidance portion, the avoidance portion being used to avoid and fix the flexible circuit board and to accommodate at least part of the flexible circuit board (See Figure 2 Item 66 and 68 have avoidance portions where the circuit board to attached to both support tabs).
Claim(s) 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Armstrong (US7113405).
Applicants’ claims are directed to an apparatus.
Regarding Claims 1-5, Armstrong discloses the fixing bracket (See Figure 4 Item 310 bracket) for a flexible circuit board (See Figure 4 Item 120 Circuit board), comprising: A). A connecting portion for connecting the fixing bracket to a target component that needs to be fixed (See Figure 4 Item 325 slot. Slot connects the inductors Item 135 (target component that needs to be fixed)); and a fixing portion for limiting and fixing the flexible circuit board, wherein the connecting portion is disposed between the target component and the fixing portion and the connecting portion is connected to the fixing portion (See Figure 4 Items 305 mounting posts limit and fix the circuit board and Item 320 mounting tab mounts the target component).
Regarding Claim 2, Armstrong discloses the fixing bracket for a flexible circuit board according to claim 1, wherein the fixing portion further comprises an avoidance portion, the avoidance portion being used to avoid and fix the flexible circuit board and to accommodate at least part of the flexible circuit board (See Figure 4. Item 305 has a height which is interpreted as an avoidance portion which functions as claimed.
Regarding Claim 3, Armstrong discloses the fixing bracket for a flexible circuit board according to claim 1, wherein the fixing portion comprises a first fixing component, the first fixing component protruding towards the flexible circuit board in a first direction, with the first direction being a thickness direction of the fixing bracket (See Figure 4 Item 305 protrudes as claimed).
Regarding Claim 4, Armstrong discloses the fixing bracket for a flexible circuit board according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion comprises connecting holes for connecting and fixing the fixing bracket to the target component (See Armstrong Figure 4 Item 305 is indicated to have screws in them, which indicated there are holes for the screws to go through).
Regarding Claim 5, Armstrong discloses the fixing bracket for a flexible circuit board according to claim 3, wherein the connecting portion comprises: a second fixing component, the second fixing component protruding away from the flexible circuit board in a second direction and being used to resiliently connect the target component, with the second direction being a thickness direction of the fixing bracket and the second direction being opposite to the first direction (See Armstrong Figure 3 and 4 Item 320 is a mounting tab that works with the connecting portion to secure the target component to the bracket as claimed.
Claim(s) 1-7 & 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by CN112151894. CN112151894 appears to have a publication date of 12/29/2020. An English machine translation of this document has been included with this office action.
Applicants’ claims are directed to an apparatus.
Regarding Claim 1, CN112151894 discloses the fixing bracket (See Figures Item 4; pressing member) for a flexible circuit board (See Figures Item 3; circuit board), comprising: A). A connecting portion for connecting the fixing bracket to a target component that needs to be fixed (See Figures Item 4 has two ends that are interpreted as connecting portions); and a fixing portion for limiting and fixing the flexible circuit board (See Figures Item 4 has a hole which may include glue, rivets, bolts and the like to secure the thermistor), wherein the connecting portion is disposed between the target component and the fixing portion and the connecting portion is connected to the fixing portion (See Figures).
Regarding Claim 2, CN112151894 discloses the fixing bracket for a flexible circuit board according to claim 1, wherein the fixing portion further comprises an avoidance portion, the avoidance portion being used to avoid and fix the flexible circuit board and to accommodate at least part of the flexible circuit board (See Figures. The mounting groove Item 41 is interpreted as the avoidance portion).
Regarding Claim 3, CN112151894 discloses the fixing bracket for a flexible circuit board according to claim 1, wherein the fixing portion comprises a first fixing component, the first fixing component protruding towards the flexible circuit board in a first direction, with the first direction being a thickness direction of the fixing bracket (See Figures. Fixing component may be the walls of the hole, the fasteners, glue, rivets, bolts, etc).
Regarding Claim 4, CN112151894 discloses the fixing bracket for a flexible circuit board according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion comprises connecting holes for connecting and fixing the fixing bracket to the target component (See Figures. The connection portions contain holes).
Regarding Claim 5, CN112151894 discloses the fixing bracket for a flexible circuit board according to claim 3, wherein the connecting portion comprises: a second fixing component, the second fixing component protruding away from the flexible circuit board in a second direction and being used to resiliently connect the target component, with the second direction being a thickness direction of the fixing bracket and the second direction being opposite to the first direction (See Figures. Item 4 has holes in which Item 24 posts are fixed with heat riveting).
Regarding Claim 6, CN112151894 discloses the fixing bracket for a flexible circuit board according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion comprises: a fixing structure for snap-fit of the connecting portion to the target component (See Figures. The embodiments also indicate that the connecting portions may also adopt a snap fit structure).
Regarding Claim 7, CN112151894 discloses the fixing bracket for a flexible circuit board according to claim 6, wherein the fixing structure comprises a hot riveting post and a snap-fit structure (See Figures. The embodiments disclosed indicate there is heat riveting and snap-fit structures in Figures 7& 8).
Regarding Claim 9, CN112151894 discloses in the embodiments that the fixing bracket for a flexible circuit board according to claim 1, further comprising: an add-on plug-in member, the add-on plug-in member being used for snap-fit of an add-on external component (See Figures and snap hook allows for the wire harness board to be snapped in as an add-on external component to the fixing bracket).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN112151894 in view of CN106876621B. CN112151894 appears to have a publication date of 12/29/2020. CN106876621B appears to have a publication date of 06/20/2017. An English machine translation of both documents have been included with this office action.
Applicants’ claim is directed to an apparatus.
Regarding Claim 8, CN112151894 discloses the fixing bracket for a flexible circuit board according to claim 1. CN112151894 does not disclose wherein the connecting portion forms a step structure with the fixing portion, and the connecting portion has a thickness less than the thickness of the fixing portion. CN106876621B discloses the use of connecting portions of side plates to connect portions of a battery in a fixing portion area (See Figures item 400 has item 420 that is welded to other side plates of the battery). It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the connection design choice of CN106876621B into CN112151894 because it has been shown that this type of connection would allow for welding of the structures together in batteries.
Claim(s) 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN112151894 An English machine translation of both documents have been included with this office action.
Applicants’ claims are directed to an apparatus.
Regarding Claims 10-12, CN112151894 discloses the fixing bracket of Claim 1. CN112151894 does not disclose that the bus bar component, battery, or electrical device as in the recited claims.
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the connection design choice of to incorporate the recited structures into a bus bar component, battery, and electrical device as in the recited claims because according to CN112151894, the structure is intended for a battery, battery module (electrical device), and for bus bar components when the battery of CN112151894 is made by more than one battery (laminated and wound).
CN112151894 does not disclose wherein the busbar component, comprising: an insulating plate; a metal plate fixed to the insulating plate; a flexible circuit board provided on the insulating plate, with end portions of the flexible circuit board being fixed between the insulating plate and the metal plate.
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the busbar component, comprising: an insulating plate; a metal plate fixed to the insulating plate; a flexible circuit board provided on the insulating plate, with end portions of the flexible circuit board being fixed between the insulating plate and the metal plate design choice to electrically insulate the bus bar and its components when connecting more than one battery together.
Conclusion
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/Bobby Ramdhanie/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1779
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