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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 1- 17 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 1, 2, 5-8, 12-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shimada et al (US 20190181398 A1) in view of Miloaga et al (US 20210305544 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Claim 2, Claim 8, Claim 12, and Claim 13,
Shimada teaches a battery pack (Paragraph 0010), comprising: a battery cell (Paragraph 0010; battery unit); and a box (Paragraph 0010; battery case). Shimada teaches that the box (battery case) comprises a body (Paragraph 0021; a side cover) and a bottom cover (Paragraph 0021; a lower cover) disposed at the bottom of the body. This is also shown below in annotated Figure 2.
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Shimada teaches that the lower cover and the side covers are mechanically connected or metallurgically bonded (Paragraph 0050). Shimada does show in Fig.3 the formation of an accommodating cavity when the lower cover and side covers are connected. The battery unit 101 is accommodated within the cavity.
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Shimada does not specifically teach that the bottom cover and the body are hermetically connected.
However, Miloaga teaches a battery enclosure that has a top cover with a flange that mates with a bottom panel to enclose the inner cavity of the battery enclosure. The flange is compressed or clamped against a seal, such as an O-ring, around the perimeter of the bottom panel 102 to seal the internal cavity from external elements or intrusion (Paragraph 0055). The instant specification also uses a sealing member in order to hermetically connect the bottom cover and the body, and that the sealing member is a sealing ring or sealing gasket. Hence, Miloaga teaches that the bottom cover and the body are hermetically connected, and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use such a connection within the battery case of Shimada in order to seal the internal cavity from external elements or intrusion.
Regarding Claim 8, Shimada teaches an upper cover (Paragraph 0021) which is akin to the body comprising a bearing member located at the top of the box. This has been annotated in Figure 2 above and shows that the bearing member is configured to define the accommodating cavity; and in Figure 3 the battery cell is suspended under the bearing member.
Regarding Claim 12, and Claim 13, Shimada teaches a battery pack with a body which comprises a frame and a bearing member. This is alternatively annotated in Figure 2 of Shimada. As can be seen in Figure 2, the frame encloses a cavity with two ends through in a vertical direction; the bottom cover and the bearing member respectively cover two opposite ends of the cavity in the vertical direction; and the bottom cover, the frame, and the bearing member jointly enclose the accommodating cavity.
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Shimada also teaches that the upper cover and side cover are attached (Paragraph 0054). Shimada does not specify the type of attachment. However, Miloaga teaches that the top panel and one or more outer covers are coupled together. The one or more outer covers may be integrated with the top inner cover (Paragraph 0007). Hence, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention that the bearing member (i.e. top cover) and the frame (i.e. outer cover) are fixedly connected or integrally formed in order to provide an enclosed structure for the battery unit.
Regarding Claim 5, and Claim 6,
Shimada teaches that the bottom cover comprises a cover portion and a mounting portion as annotated in Figure 3 below. Figure 3 also shows that the mounting portion is connected to an edge of the cover portion in an enclosing manner; the cover portion is configured to define the accommodating cavity. Figure 3 also shows that the cover portion protrudes in a direction leaving the accommodating cavity with respect to the mounting portion.
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Shimada does not teach that the mounting portion is hermetically connected to the body.
However, Miloaga teaches a battery enclosure that has a top cover with a flange that mates with a bottom panel to enclose the inner cavity of the battery enclosure. The flange is compressed or clamped against a seal, such as an O-ring, around the perimeter of the bottom panel 102 to seal the internal cavity from external elements or intrusion (Paragraph 0055). The instant specification also uses a sealing member in order to hermetically connect the bottom cover and the body, and that the sealing member is a sealing ring or sealing gasket. Hence, Miloaga teaches that the bottom cover and the body are hermetically connected, and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use such a connection within the battery case of Shimada in order to seal the internal cavity from external elements or intrusion.
Regarding Claim 7,
Shimada shows in Figure 3 that there is a space between the battery cell and the bottom cover. This is akin to the bottom cover and the battery cell being spaced apart.
Regarding Claim 14, Claim 15, Claim 16, and Claim 17,
Shimada teaches using the battery pack in a vehicle (Paragraph 0009) which is an electric apparatus being supplied with electrical energy from the battery pack.
Shimada teaches that the battery pack may be disposed between the floor panel and the seat mounting member and fixed to the floor panel constituting a portion of the vehicular body (Paragraph 0013). This is akin to the battery pack being disposed at the bottom of a vehicle body of the vehicle.
Shimada teaches a frame member that is disposed over the battery pack and fixed to a vehicular body (Paragraph 0009). The battery case of Shimada has an upper portion with an opening located under the frame member. The upper portion of the battery case and the frame member forms the bearing member. The frame member may be a seat mounting member fixed to a floor panel constituting a portion of the vehicular body (Paragraph 0013).
Hence, based on the above description, the structure of Shimada is akin to the vehicle body comprising a bearing member located at the top of the box; the bearing member being configured to define the accommodating cavity; and the battery pack being mounted to the vehicle body via the bearing member. The bearing member of Shimada (i.e. frame member) is configured to constitute a part of a chassis of the vehicle body because it is fixed to the vehicular body (Paragraph 0009).
Hence, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the claimed structure per the one in Shimada in order to protect the battery pack against the force exerted from above without reinforcing the battery case (Paragraph 0011).
Claims 3, 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shimada in view of Miloaga and further in view of Li et al (US 20180254514 A1).
Regarding Claim 3,
Shimada does not teach that the minimum thickness h of the bottom cover satisfies 0.2 mm < h < 20 mm.
However, Li teaches a battery box with a box bottom and a battery box cover (Paragraph 0017) such that the battery box bottom has a wall thickness of 1.0 mm. This value is within the claimed range for minimum thickness h of the bottom cover between 0.2 mm < h < 20 mm. Hence, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to choose the value as shown in Li in order to form a battery pack with increased insulation, reliability, and air tightness (Paragraph 0007).
Regarding Claim 4,
Shimada does not teach that weight m of the battery cell and the minimum thickness h of the bottom cover satisfy 0.03 mm/Kg ≤ h/m ≤ 100 mm/Kg.
However, Li teaches that the weight of the battery is less than 220 g (Paragraph 0015). The ratio of the thickness h of the bottom cover and weight m of the battery cell is 1 mm/0.22 kg = 4.54 mm/kg. This value lies within the claimed range. Hence, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to choose the value as shown in Li in order to form a battery pack with increased insulation, reliability, and air tightness (Paragraph 0007).
Claims 9, 10, 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shimada in view of MIloaga, further in view of Wang et al (US 20230361416 A1; effective filing date 5/6/2022).
Regarding Claims 9 and 10,
Shimada does not particularly teach the orientation of the battery unit within the battery casing wherein an outer surface of the battery cell facing the bearing member is a first outer surface; the battery cell comprises an electrode terminal; and the electrode terminal is arranged on an outer surface other than the first outer surface of the battery cell; and that the battery cell has a second outer surface facing away from the first outer surface, and the electrode terminal is arranged on the second outer surface.
However, Wang teaches a battery pack including a battery box such that the electrode terminal is facing away from the bearing member as shown in Figure 1. The annotated version of Figure 1 below depicts the features of claims 9 and 10. Hence, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the claimed structure as shown in Wang in order to utilize the space of the battery box, and ensure anti-collision and buffering (Paragraph 0022).
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Regarding Claim 11,
Shimada does not particularly teach that the battery cell is adhered to the bearing member.
However, Wang teaches that the top cover is fixedly connected to the battery through thermally conductive structural adhesive (Paragraph 0039). Hence, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adhere the battery cell to the bearing member in order to ensure proper connection between the two components and form a battery pack for use in a vehicle.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SUHANI JITENDRA PATEL whose telephone number is (571)272-6278. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Maria Veronica D. Ewald can be reached on 571-272-8519. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SUHANI JITENDRA PATEL/Examiner, Art Unit 1783
/MARIA V EWALD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1783
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