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 Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1—4 and 8—10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Qi (CN 212751062 U).
Regarding claim 1, Qi teaches a battery pack (abstract), comprising: a frame (item—1, figure 1), configured to form an accommodating cavity (figure 1); a reinforcing beam (item—2), arranged inside the accommodating cavity (figure 1 and 2), the reinforcing beam having a hollow cavity (figure 4); and a connecting element (item—11, figure 2), configured to connect the frame with the reinforcing beam (figure 1 and 2), part of the connecting element being accommodated in the hollow cavity (figure 2; paragraph 0016).
PNG
media_image1.png
316
547
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Figure 2 from Qi
Regarding claim 2, Qi teaches the connecting element comprises a first fixing portion and a second fixing portion which are connected to each other, the first fixing portion is configured to connect the frame, the second fixing portion is configured to connect the reinforcing beam, and at least part of the second fixing portion is accommodated in the hollow cavity.
PNG
media_image2.png
499
743
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Modified figure 2 from Qi
Regarding claim 3, Qi teaches at least part of the second fixing portion abuts against an inner wall of the hollow cavity (figure 1 and 2).
Regarding claim 4, Qi teaches the second fixing portion comprises: a first side wall and a second side wall which are arranged oppositely and are configured to abut against the inner wall of the hollow cavity; and a connecting wall, configured to connect the first side wall with the second side wall (figure 2).
Regarding claim 8, Qi teaches wherein the frame is provided with an accommodating groove, and the accommodating groove is configured to accommodate at least part of the first fixing portion (figure 2).
Regarding claim 9, Qi teaches the battery, comprising: a battery cell (item—7, figure 10); and the box (item—6, figure 10) comprising: a frame (item—1, figure 1), configured to form an accommodating cavity (figure 1); a reinforcing beam (item—2), arranged inside the accommodating cavity (figure 1 and 2), the reinforcing beam having a hollow cavity (figure 4); and a connecting element (item—11, figure 2), configured to connect the frame with the reinforcing beam (figure 1 and 2), part of the connecting element being accommodated in the hollow cavity (figure 2; paragraph 0016). The box is configured to accommodate the battery cell (figure 10).
Regarding claim 10, Qi teaches an electrical apparatus, comprising the battery according to claim 9 of the claimed invention, wherein the battery is configured to provide electric energy (paragraph 0037).
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.
Claim(s) 5-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qi (CN 212751062 U) in view of Wang (CN 212897537 U).
Regarding claim 5, Qi teaches the second fixing portion comprises: a first side wall and a second side wall which are arranged oppositely and are configured to abut against the inner wall of the hollow cavity; and a connecting wall, configured to connect the first side wall with the second side wall (figure 2). Qi further teaches the battery pack (abstract) wherein the connecting wall is connected to two ends of the first side wall and two ends of the second side wall (figure 2).
However, Qi does not teach the connecting wall is connected to one end of the first side wall and one end of the second side wall forming an opening opposite to the connecting wall.
Wang teaches a template panel frame (abstract) wherein the connecting wall is connected to one end of the first side wall and one end of the second side wall (figure 8), and the other end of the first side wall is separated from the other end of the second side wall, so as to form an opening opposite to the connecting wall (figure 8 and 10).
Qi and Wang are in the corresponding product field of frames with reinforcing beams and accommodating cavity. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to configure the battery pack taught by Qi with the connecting element taught by Wang to create the claimed invention for a battery box.
PNG
media_image3.png
341
557
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Modified figure 8 Wang
With regards to claim 6, Wang further teaches the connecting element comprises a first fixing portion and a second fixing portion which are connected to each other, the first fixing portion is configured to connect the frame, the second fixing portion is configured to connect the reinforcing beam, and at least part of the second fixing portion is accommodated in the hollow cavity (figure 10). The reinforcing beam is provided with a through hole, and at least part of the second fixing portion is exposed from the through hole so as to be welded and fixed with the reinforcing beam (paragraph 0047).
With regards to claim 7, Wang further teaches the first fixing portion is connected to an edge of the second fixing portion and extends towards a direction away from the reinforcing beam (item—80, figure 8 and 10).
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qi (CN 212751062 U) in view of Lang (CN 112397841 A).
Regarding claim 11, Qi teaches a utility model of a battery pack device (abstract) comprising: a providing module configured to provide a battery cell (item—7, figure 10) and a box (item—6, figure 10) comprising: a frame (item—1, figure 1), configured to form an accommodating cavity (figure 1); a reinforcing beam (item—2), arranged inside the accommodating cavity (figure 1 and 2), the reinforcing beam having a hollow cavity (figure 4); a connecting element (item—11, figure 2), configured to connect the frame with the reinforcing beam (figure 1 and 2), part of the connecting element being accommodated in the hollow cavity (figure 2; paragraph 0016); and an assembly module (figure 10), configured to accommodate the battery cell in the box.
However, Qi does not teach a manufacturing device for batteries.
Lang teaches a manufacturing for battery box body (abstract), comprising: a providing module (paragraph 0051-0059), the box comprising: a frame (item—1, figure 1), configured to form an accommodating cavity (figure 1, paragraph 0035); a plurality of reinforcing beams (item—3, figure 1, paragraph 0009), arranged inside the accommodating cavity (figure 1, paragraph 0009-0010), the reinforcing beams having a hollow cavity (item—3, figure 2, paragraph 0014 and 0039); a connecting element (item—2, figure 2), configured to connect the frame with the reinforcing beam (item—101 and 3011, figure 2), part of the connecting element being accommodated in the hollow cavity (item–3011, figure 2); and an assembly module (figure 2), configured to accommodate the battery cell in the box.
Qi and Lang are in the corresponding field of frames for accommodating batteries. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to configure the battery pack device taught by Qi with the manufacturing method for a battery box taught by Lang to create the claimed invention for a manufacturing device configured to provide a battery cell and a box.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KELVIN MITCHELL FRAZIER whose telephone number is (571)270-5955. The examiner can normally be reached Monday- Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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, Maria Veronica D Ewald can be reached at (571) 272-8519. 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.
/K.M.F./Examiner, Art Unit 1783
/MARIA V EWALD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1783
Prosecution Insights