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 § 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.
Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 20060099502), hereinafter Kim, in view of Liang (CN 216413143), in further view of Lu et al. (CN 105140445), hereinafter Lu, in further view of Zhu et al. (CN 210403784).
Regarding claim 1, Kim teaches:
A lithium battery explosion-proof structure with a built-in BMS board, comprising ([0038-0040]):
a positive plastic cover ([0038-0040]);
a positive aluminum cover ([0038-0040]);
a steel housing ([0038-0040]);
battery roll core ([0038-0040]);
an inner side of the steel housing is nested and installed with the battery roll core ([0038-0040]), an upper end of the steel housing is butted with the plastic bracket ([0038-0040]);
an inner end of the plastic bracket is nested and installed with a positive aluminum cover ([0038-0040]);
an inner end of the positive aluminum cover is nested and installed with a BMS mainboard ([0038-0040]);
an inner side of an upper end of the BMS mainboard is nested and installed with the negative hardware ring, and an inner side of the negative hardware ring is nested and installed with the positive plastic cover ([0038-0040).
Liang teaches:
A lithium battery explosion-proof structure comprising (Abstract, [0005-0009], [0020-0032]):
a negative hardware ring ([0005-0009], [0020-0032]);
a plastic bracket ([0020]),
an upper end of the steel housing is butted with the plastic bracket ([0005-0009], [0020-0032]);
an inner end of the positive aluminum cover is nested and installed with a BMS mainboard ([0020-0032]);
an inner side of the negative hardware ring is nested and installed with the positive plastic cover ([0020-0032]).
Lu teaches:
A wound type of battery (Abstract):
lower end of the positive aluminum cover is butted with a positive aluminum cover thin-walled circle ([0018]);
Zhu teaches:
A wound type of battery (Abstract):
and a lower part of a positive column step of the BMS mainboard is provided with PCBA bleeder ports ([0033-0038]);
and an inner side of the positive plastic cover is provided with positive plastic cover bleeder ports ([0033-0038]).
Kim, Liang, Lu, and Zhu are considered analogous art to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of batteries. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to modify the cap assembly of Kim to incorporate the protection and plate/support arrangement of Liang and the pressure-relief and vent structures of Lu and Zhu because such modifications would provide an integrated battery protection circuit and a predetermined path for relieving excessive internal battery pressure. The particular arrangement, dimensions, and positioning of the plastic cover, hardware ring, aluminum cover, bracket, and vent openings would have been a design choice based on the available space and desired gas-flow path within the cylindrical battery cap and would have produced predictable results. Further the selection of steel as the material for the housing would have been a design choice well within the skill of one of ordinary skill in the art, since steel was a known material for cylindrical battery housings and selecting steel would have provided the predictable result of a mechanically protective housing for the battery roll core.
Regarding claim 2, Kim, Liang, Lu, and Zhu teach the limitations of claim 1, as stated above. Kim fails to teach an inner end of the positive plastic cover is symmetrically provided with positive plastic cover bleeder ports, and the positive plastic cover is nested and butted with an inner end of the negative hardware ring.
Zhu teaches an inner end of the positive plastic cover is symmetrically provided with positive plastic cover bleeder ports ([0033-0038]).
Liang teaches the positive plastic cover is nested and butted with an inner end of the negative hardware ring ([0020-0032]).
Kim, Liang, Lu, and Zhu are considered analogous art to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of batteries. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to modify the cap assembly of Kim with the plurality of vent openings taught by Zhu to provide controlled pressure relief. The particular number, symmetry, and staggered positioning of the openings would have been a design choice because the location of the vent openings can be selected according to the desired gas-flow path and available space within the cap assembly, while retaining the predictable function of permitting gas to escape.
Regarding claim 3, Kim, Liang, Lu, and Zhu teach the limitations of claim 1, as stated above. Kim fails to teach an inner end of the BMS mainboard is provided with two PCBA bleeder ports, and the PCBA bleeder ports are staggered with the positive plastic cover bleeder ports on a surface of the positive plastic cover.
Zhu teaches an inner end of the BMS mainboard is provided with two PCBA bleeder ports, and the PCBA bleeder ports are staggered with the positive plastic cover bleeder ports ([0033-0039]).
Kim, Liang, Lu, and Zhu are considered analogous art to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of batteries. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to modify the cap assembly of Kim with the plurality of vent openings taught by Zhu to provide controlled pressure relief. The particular number, symmetry, and staggered positioning of the openings would have been a design choice because the location of the vent openings can be selected according to the desired gas-flow path and available space within the cap assembly, while retaining the predictable function of permitting gas to escape.
Regarding claim 4, Kim, Liang, Lu, and Zhu teach the limitations of claim 1, as stated above. Kim fails to teach the positive aluminum cover thin-walled circle at the inner end of the positive aluminum cover ruptures when pressurized and discharges the gas at the inner end of the plastic bracket outwardly along the two PCBA bleeder ports.
Lu teaches to teach the positive aluminum cover thin-walled circle at the inner end of the positive aluminum cover ruptures when pressurized and discharges the gas (Abstract).
Liang further teaches a cylindrical protection plate support positioned at the end of the cylindrical battery cell and supporting the protection plate ([0020-0029]).
Zhu further teaches vent holes in the pressure-relief portion of a cylindrical-lithium battery cap through which battery gas is discharged ([0033-0039]).
Kim, Liang, Lu, and Zhu are considered analogous art to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of batteries. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to modify the cap assembly of Kim to include the thin-walled rupture structure of Lu and the vent-hole arrangement of Zhu because both references teach known structures for relieving excess internal pressure in lithium batteries. The particular shape, thickness, and location of the thin-walled rupture portion would have been a design choice because those parameters are selected to control the pressure at which the rupture portion opens, and the particular routine of gas through the vent openings would have been selected according to the desired pressure-relief path.
Regarding claim 5, Kim, Liang, Lu, and Zhu teach the limitations of claim 1, as stated above. Kim further teaches the housing wraps the battery roll core for protection ([0021], [0035-0036]).
Kim teaches the cap assembly fixed to an upper portion of the cylindrical case ([0021], [0035-0036]), and Liang teaches a protection plate positioned at the end of the cylindrical battery cell (Abstract, [0005-0009], [0020-0032]).
Kim, Liang, Lu, and Zhu are considered analogous art to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of batteries. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to modify the upper end of the cylindrical case and the protection plate support in abutting engagement because such an arrangement provides a conventional mechanical interface between the battery housing and the components retained at the end of the battery. The particular abutting configuration would have been a design choice based on the desired mechanical support and available space within the cylindrical battery. Further the selection of steel as the material for the housing would have been a design choice well within the skill of one of ordinary skill in the art, since steel was a known material for cylindrical battery housings and selecting steel would have provided the predictable result of a mechanically protective housing for the battery roll core.
Regarding claim 6, Kim, Liang, Lu, and Zhu teach the limitations of claim 1, as stated above. Kim further teaches the plastic bracket is nested and butted with the positive plastic cover, the BMS mainboard, the positive aluminum cover, and the plastic bracket to form a multi-layer combination structure ([0038]). Specifically, Kim teaches an insulating gasket arranged around the components of the cap assembly and providing electrical insulation between the components. Additionally, Kim teaches a PCB within the cap assembly, a multilayer cap assembly, the safety vent, PTC device, conductive electrode cap, and insulating gasket arranged together in the cap assembly.
Liang further teaches the negative hardware ring, a protection plate including a PCB and electronic components, protection plate support, annular nickel sheet, and cap arranged together at the end of a cylindrical battery ([0020-0032]).
Kim, Liang, Lu, and Zhu are considered analogous art to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of batteries. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to modify the multilayer cap assembly of Kim to incorporate the protection plate support and PCB arrangement of Liang to provide a compact structure for retaining, supporting, and electrically insulating the battery protection components. The particular nesting and abutting relationship among the plastic bracket, positive plastic cover, negative hardware ring, BMS mainboard, and positive aluminum cover would have been a design choice because arranging the known conductive and insulating components in a multilayer configuration according to available space and mechanical requirements would have been within the ordinary skill in the art and would have yielded predictable results.
Conclusion
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/TAMARA ORDUNA/Examiner, Art Unit 1776
/Jennifer Dieterle/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1776
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