DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. 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
2. 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.
3. Claims 1-3, 6-12, 14, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zbiral et al. (US-20230291067-A1, provided in IDS received on 11 December 2024).
As to claim 1, Zbiral discloses a venting unit for a battery pack (figure 10, pressure equalization device 10), the venting unit comprising:
a valve assembly (figure 10, pressure equalization device 10) comprising:
a housing (figure 10, base body 12) having a valve opening (figure 10, flow path 36, [0096]) and a sealing lip extending around the valve opening (figure 10, seal element 46);
a first valve part configured to open and close the valve opening (figure 10, closure element 32);
a second valve part (figure 10, snap hooks 382);
a stem (figure 10, spacer 38), one end of the stem connected to the first valve part (figure 10, spacer 38), an opposing end of the stem connected to the second valve part (figure 10, spacer 38); and
a spring extending along the stem between the housing and the second valve part (figure 10, spring element 34),
wherein the first valve part has an opening portion with a planar part (figure 10, closure element 32) and a sloped part connected, at one side, to the planar part and, on an opposing side, connected to the stem (figure 10, closure element 32),
wherein a gradient of the sloped part increases from the planar part toward the stem (figure 10, closure element 32),
wherein, in a closed state of the valve assembly, the planar part of the opening portion and the sealing lip of the housing are on top of each other to seal a gap between the opening portion and the housing (figure 3b, seal element 46, [0078] and [0094]), and
wherein, in an open state of the valve assembly, the opening portion is spaced apart from the sealing lip against the force of the spring such that a release gap is formed between the sloped part of the opening portion and the sealing lip (figure 10, seal element 46).
As to claim 2, Zbiral discloses the venting unit of claim 1, and Zbiral further discloses wherein the venting unit further comprises a cover cap covering the valve assembly (figure 10, cover 28), wherein the cover cap has a cover cap opening (figure 10, venting openings 30).
As to claim 3, Zbiral discloses the venting unit of claim 1, and Zbiral further discloses wherein the stem and the spring extend perpendicular to the first valve part and the second valve part (figures 11a and 11b, spacer 38, spring element 34).
As to claim 6, Zbiral discloses the venting unit of claim 1, and Zbiral further discloses wherein the gradient of the slopped part has a smallest value at a connection point between the sloped part and the planar part (figure 10, closure element 32).
As to claim 7, Zbiral discloses the venting unit of claim 1, and Zbiral further discloses wherein the first valve part is movable along a longitudinal direction of the stem between an opened end position and a closed end position (figures 11a and 11b, closure element 32).
As to claim 8, Zbiral discloses the venting unit of claim 1, and Zbiral further discloses wherein during opening of the valve assembly, the release gap between the sealing lip and the sloped part increases (figures 11a and 11b, closure element 32), and wherein a maximum size of the release gap is equal to a distance between the sealing lip and the stem (figures 11a and 11b, closure element 32).
As to claim 9, Zbiral discloses the venting unit of claim 1, and Zbiral further discloses wherein the spring is in a pretensioned state in the closed state of the valve assembly (figure 10, spring element 34, [0094]).
As to claim 10, Zbiral discloses the venting unit of claim 1, and Zbiral further discloses wherein the stem is hollow (figure 10, spacer 38).
As to claim 11, Zbiral discloses the venting unit of claim 1, and Zbiral further discloses wherein the sealing lip is raised with respect to its surrounding housing surface (figure 10, seal element 46).
As to claim 12, Zbiral discloses a battery pack (figure 9, [0093]) comprising:
a plurality of battery cells (figure 9, storage cells 60) accommodated within a battery casing (figure 9, housing 18); and
the venting unit as claimed in claim 1 (figure 9, pressure equalization device 10) mounted to a venting hole in the battery casing (figure 9, through hole 58, [0093]).
As to claim 14, Zbiral discloses the venting unit of claim 12, and Zbiral further discloses wherein the venting unit further comprises a cover cap covering the valve assembly (figure 10, cover 28), wherein the cover cap has a cover cap opening (figure 10, venting openings 30), and wherein the cover cap opening points in the direction of gravity (figure 10, venting openings 30).
As to claim 15, Zbiral discloses an electric vehicle comprising the battery pack as claimed in claim 12 [0004].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
4. 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.
5. Claims 4 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zbiral et al. (US-20230291067-A1, provided in IDS received on 11 December 2024) as applied to claim 1, and further in view of Miyamae (WO-2022255376-A1, provided in IDS received on 11 December 2024, machine translation used for rejection below).
As to claim 4, Zbiral discloses the venting unit of claim 1, however, Zbiral does not disclose wherein the first valve part has a guide rib on an inner surface portion of the first valve part.
Miyamae discloses a pressure relief valve for a power storage device, wherein a first valve part has a guide rib on an inner surface portion of the first valve part (figure 11, outer ribs 71, page 5 lines 6-10) to position the valve part within the vent hole.
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the venting unit as disclosed within Zbiral to further include that the first valve part has a guide rib on an inner surface portion of the first valve part to position the valve part within the vent hole as disclosed within Miyamae.
As to claim 5, modified Zbiral discloses the venting unit of claim 4, however, Zbiral does not disclose wherein the guide rib and the sealing lip remain in contact during opening of the valve assembly.
Miyamae discloses a pressure relief valve for a power storage device, wherein the guide rib and the sealing lip remain in contact during opening of the valve assembly (figure 11, outer ribs 71, page 5 lines 6-10) to position the valve part within the vent hole.
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the venting unit as disclosed within Zbiral to further include that the guide rib and the sealing lip remain in contact during opening of the valve assembly to position the valve part within the vent hole as disclosed within Miyamae.
6. Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zbiral et al. (US-20230291067-A1, provided in IDS received on 11 December 2024) as applied to claim 12, and further in view of Miyamae (WO-2022255376-A1, provided in IDS received on 11 December 2024, machine translation used for rejection below).
As to claim 13, Zbiral discloses the venting unit of claim 12, however, Zbiral does not disclose wherein the first valve part has a guide rib on an inner surface portion of the first valve part, and wherein the guide rib has a guide surface configured to move parallel to a longitudinal direction of the stem.
Miyamae discloses a pressure relief valve for a power storage device, wherein a first valve part has a guide rib on an inner surface portion of the first valve part (figure 11, outer ribs 71, page 5 lines 6-10), and wherein the guide rib has a guide surface configured to move parallel to a longitudinal direction of the stem (figure 11, outer ribs 71, page 5 lines 6-10) to position the valve part within the vent hole.
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the venting unit as disclosed within Zbiral to further include that the first valve part has a guide rib on an inner surface portion of the first valve part, and wherein the guide rib has a guide surface configured to move parallel to a longitudinal direction of the stem to position the valve part within the vent hole as disclosed within Miyamae.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JACOB JEROME SCHULER whose telephone number is (571)272-8487. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri. 7:30am-5pm.
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, Barbara Gilliam can be reached at 5712721330. 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.
/J.J.S./Examiner, Art Unit 1727
/BARBARA L GILLIAM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1727
Prosecution Insights