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 .
Claims 1-4 are pending in application.
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.
In claim 1, page lines 9-10, Applicant recites “[…] a sealing material supply groove respectively provided in front and back faces of the insulating housing […]” It is not clear whether Applicant intends to claim 1) two separate sealing material supply grooves, one on each of the front and back faces of the insulating housing, or 2) a singular supply groove which is positioned on each of the front and back faces of the insulating housing. It appears from para. [0619] and Fig. 79 and 80 of the present specification that two separate supply grooves, one on the upper board face and one on the lower board face of the insulating housing, are intended. However, for the purposes of examination the broadest reasonable interpretation has been applied, allowing room for both or either interpretations 1) and 2).
In claim 1, page line 6, Applicant recites “[…] a battery stack plate that includes a board-shaped insulating housing […]”. In page lines 10 and 14, Applicant recites “[…] the insulation housing […]”. It is not clear whether “the insulation housing” subsequently claimed may be a separate insulation housing element from the board-shaped insulation housing, is directed only to the board-shaped insulation housing unit, or may be interpreted as an insulation housing element comprising at least a board-shaped component. For the purposes of examination, “the insulation housing” of page lines 10 and 14 are interpreted as optionally requiring a board-shaped element.
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.
(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.
Claims 1 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wang et al. (CN 109659455 A).
Wang discloses a battery back (title) comprising a stack of unit batteries (Page 4, 2nd paragraph, lines 6-13; Fig. 2, ref. 1) which is a board-shaped member comprising a battery tab (Fig. 2, ref. 12), a conductive plate disposed between a plurality of adjacent unit batteries. According to para. [0014] the power storage modules 102 of the present invention function as one battery capable of charging and discharging. Therefore, the unit batteries of Wang, which are capable of charging / discharging, are considered power storage modules as claimed. Wang further describes the unit batteries as having a battery unit bottom plate (Fig. 2, ref. 2) which serves as a stack plate on which adjacent unit batteries are stacked. The battery unit bottom plate further comprises tab filling pots, or equivalently tab encapsulation groove which surrounds the battery tabs (Page 4, 2nd to last paragraph, lines 52-56; Fig. 2, ref. 24). The battery unit bottom plate therefore functions as a part of the insulating housing and the tab encapsulation grooves are fitting grooves recessed in a side-face of the unit bottom plate, fitting with the side edge of the battery tab as claimed.
Wang further discloses the method of preparing the battery pack, particularly that the tab encapsulation grooves are used to facilitate the filling of silicone rubber to fix the battery tabs (Page 4, 2nd to last paragraph, lines 52-56) and that silicone rubber is injected into the tab encapsulation grooves, or equivalently tab filling tanks, until the groove is filled in order to tightly seal the tabs (Page 6, lines 38-40). Therefore, Wang discloses a sealing material supply groove which is the opening created by the annular space between the tabs and the tab encapsulation grooves. Additionally, the annular space opening encompasses both the front and back faces of the bottom plate, with the front face being the battery cell fixing frame (Page 4, 3rd paragraph, lines 15-20) and the back face being the battery unit bottom plate. The annular space itself therefore functions as a through-hole communicating between its opening where silicone rubber is injected and the space between the side edge of the battery tab and the tab encapsulation grooves. The silicone rubber is therefore pre-filled into the tab encapsulation grooves and injected, or equivalently extruded, from the front to the back faces or vice versa through the annular space when the battery tabs are positioned within the tab encapsulation groove as claimed.
Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tanaka et al. (WO 2022/209188 A1).
Regarding claims 1 and 4, Tanaka discloses a battery pack (title) comprising a battery pack (Page 4, 2nd to last paragraph, lines 48-53; Fig. 1, ref. 10) comprising a stack of board-shaped battery cell units (Fig. 3, ref. 30). The individual cell units comprise positive and negative electrode tabs (Page 5, 2nd paragraph, lines 11-21; Fig. 3, ref. 102 and 104 respectively), which are conductive plates disposed between the plurality of battery cell units. According to para. [0014] the power storage modules 102 of the present invention function as one battery capable of charging and discharging. Therefore, the unit batteries of Tanaka, which are capable of charging / discharging, are considered power storage modules as claimed. Furthermore, Tanaka discloses that the cell unit (Fig. 3, ref. 30) comprising the stack of cell units includes a frame (Fig. 3, ref. 50) with a plurality of ribs (Page 7, 2nd paragraph, lines 19-26; Fig. 3, ref. 54) for supporting the battery cells in addition to a sub-board (Page 6, 2nd paragraph, lines 9-15; Fig. 4, ref. 70) with tab connection holes (Fig. 4, ref. 78). The frame and sub-board collectively house an end of the battery cell stack and the positive and negative electrode tabs are inserted into the connection holes. Therefore, Tanaka describes the board-shaped insulation housing, the sub-board, having fitting grooves recessed in a side face, the tab connection holes, so as to fit with the side edge of the positive and negative electrode tabs as claimed.
Tanaka further describes a photocurable sealing resin (Page 6, 2nd to last paragraph, lines 13-52; Fig. 5, ref. 90) which is filled into the area surrounding the frame to encapsulate the electrode tabs and sub-board to protect them from foreign matter and moisture entering from the outside. Additionally, the fluid material (Page 9, 2nd full paragraph, lines 15-21) constituting the sealing material is added to the area surrounded by the frame located above the sub-board. Hence, the opening space formed between the stack of cell units (Fig. 15, ref. 100) and the front, back and side faces of the insulation housing (Fig. 15, ref. 50), which extend along the direction of the tab connection holes, constitutes the sealing material supply groove as claimed. Furthermore, the opening in the spaces between adjacent cell units and the frame create through-holes communicating with the sub-board tab connection holes which serve as fitting groves for the electrode tabs (see annotated image of Fig. 15 below).
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Additionally, the sealing resin is pre-filled into the sub-board tab connection holes and added, or equivalently extruded, to the sub-board via the through-holes when the tabs are inserted into the through-holes. Therefore, the sealing resin flows from the front or back face to the opposite face and two side faces of the frame, and to the front and back faces of the insulating housing as claimed.
Regarding claims 2 and 3, the sealing material supply groove formed from the space between the battery cell stack and frame is continuously formed in a meandering, wave-shaped manner along the “RH” to “LH” axis (Fig. 15) which is along a length direction of the tab connection holes (Fig. 14) and hence an extension direction of the tab connection holes. Additionally, the through-holes which extend to the sub-board side are formed at each vertex of the material supply groove (see annotated image of Fig. 15 above), and hence on the fitting groove side of the sealing material supply groove as claimed.
Claims 1-2 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cho et al. (US PG Pub 2020/0350644 A1).
Regarding claims 1 and 4, Cho discloses a battery pack (title) comprising a stack of battery cells (para. [0009]) made up of individual planar battery cells (para. [0039], Fig. 2, ref. 100). Each battery cell comprises an electrode lead (para. [0041], Fig. 2, ref. 150) which is a conductive plate disposed between a plurality of adjacent battery cells. According to para. [0014] the power storage modules 102 of the present invention function as one battery capable of charging and discharging. Therefore, the unit batteries of Cho, which are capable of charging / discharging, are considered power storage modules as claimed. Cho further discloses a module case comprised of board-shaped sides (para. [0039], Fig. 1, ref. 200) and bus-bar assembly (Fig. 1, ref. 400) which collectively house the stack of battery cells. The bus-bar assembly covers both sides of the module case (para. [0048]) and hence creates a fitting groove recessed in a side face of the housing which fits the side edges of the electrode leads (Fig. 2) as claimed.
Cho further discloses a series of resin injection holes (para. [0039], Fig. 1, ref. 600) which form a sealing material supply groove from which sealing resin (Fig. 2, ref. 500) is distributed underneath. The sealing material supply groove extends to the front and back faces or walls of the module case which are adjacent to the bus-bar assemblies and also extend downward into the battery cells in the length direction of the electrode tabs, and hence along an extension direction of the fitting groove as claimed. Cho also describes a through-hole (see annotated image of Fig. 2 below) which communicates between the sealing material supply groove and electrode tabs. The sealing resin is supplied to cover the electrode leads (para. [0049]) and hence Cho’s disclosure meets the claimed limitation that the sealing material is pre-filled into the fitting groove and extruded from the fitting groove to the front and back faces of the insulating housing through the supply groove and the through hole when the side edge of the conductive plate is fitted into the fitting groove.
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Regarding claim 2, the sealing material supply groove is continuously formed in a manner meandering in a wave shape along the direction of successive electrode tabs and hence an extension direction of the fitting groove due to the series of holes provided in the module case (see sketch below).
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Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHAN ANDREW JON MCMULLEN whose telephone number is (571)270-0127. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30 am - 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Alicia Chevalier can be reached at (571) 272-1490. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/N.A.M./
Nathan A McMullen
Examiner, Art Unit 1788
10/02/2026
/Alicia Chevalier/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1788
