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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kitagawa et al. (JP 2006286357 A, cited by Applicant in IDS filed on November 05, 2025, machine translation relied upon herein, and hereinafter “Kitagawa”) in view of Lee et al. (US 2016/0372793 A1, cited by Applicant in IDS filed on May 30, 2024, and hereinafter “Lee”).
Regarding claim 1, Kitagawa discloses a power storage module ([0028] and Fig. 2, battery device 11) comprising:
a plurality of power storage cells arranged in a first direction ([0042] and Fig. 2, batteries 72);
a module case containing the plurality of power storage cells ([0031] and Fig. 2, case body 31); and
a connection member electrically connecting the plurality of power storage cells to each other ([0035] and Fig. 4, connecting terminal 44 and conductor line 45),
wherein the plurality of power storage cells each include: a cell case ([0042] and Fig. 2, batteries 72 with rectangular cell cases); and
an external terminal electrically connected to the electrode assembly, located outside the cell case, and disposed at a side of the cell case in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction ([0042] and Fig. 2, electrode terminals 74)
the module case includes: a bottom surface portion disposed at a side of the plurality of power storage cells in a third direction orthogonal to both the first direction and the second direction ([0032] and Fig. 2, bottom plate 32); and
a peripheral side surface portion extending upright in the third direction, from the bottom surface portion, and surrounding the plurality of power storage cells ([0032] and Fig. 2, side plates 33a and 33b),
the connection member is in contact with the external terminal of each of power storage cells adjacent to each other, among the plurality of power storage cells ([0035] and Fig. 4B, electrode terminals 74 and connecting terminals 44 are in contact), and
at least a part of the connection member is embedded in the peripheral side surface portion ([0034]-[0035] and Fig. 7, connection terminals 44 and conductor lines 45 are embedded in guide grooves 41a and 41b of side plates 33a and 33b).
Kitagawa does not disclose wherein the plurality of power storage cells each include an electrode assembly, and that the cell case contains the electrode assembly.
Lee discloses a power storage module a plurality of power storage cells that each include an electrode assembly, and a cell case that contains the electrode assembly ([0041], [0046], and Figs. 1 and 2, battery module 200, batteries 100, electrode assembly 10, and case 15).
Kitagawa and Lee are considered to be analogous to be claimed invention because they are in the same field of power storage modules. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the batteries of Kitagawa with the teachings of Lee according to known methods to yield the predictable result of batteries with electrode assemblies, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have a reasonable expectation of success in doing so (see MPEP § 2143(I)(A)).
Regarding claim 2, modified Kitagawa discloses the limitations of claim 1. Kitagawa further discloses wherein the external terminal is further in contact with the peripheral side surface portion ([0034]-[0035] and see Annotated Fig. 4B below, electrode terminal 74 in contact with inner surface portion).
Kitagawa et al. Annotated Fig. 4B
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Regarding claim 3, modified Kitagawa discloses the limitations of claim 2. Kitagawa further discloses wherein the connection member includes: a connection surface located in contact with the external terminal; and an embedded surface located opposite to the connection surface, and the connection surface and a portion of an inner surface of the peripheral side surface portion are coplanar with each other in a virtual plane, the portion of the inner surface of the peripheral side surface portion being in contact with the external terminal (see Annotated Fig. 4B above, connection surface, embedded surface, inner surface portion, and virtual plane).
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee (US 2016/0372793 A1) in view of Kitagawa (JP 2006286357 A).
Regarding claim 1, Lee discloses a power storage module ([0041] and Fig. 1, rechargeable battery module 200) comprising:
a plurality of power storage cells arranged in a first direction ([0041] and Fig. 1, plurality of rechargeable batteries 100);
a connection member electrically connecting the plurality of power storage cells to each other ([0041] and Figs. 1 and 2, connection members 110a and 110b),
wherein the plurality of power storage cells each include: an electrode assembly ([0046] and Fig. 2, electrode assembly 10);
a cell case ([0046] and Figs. 2 and 3, case 15); and
an external terminal electrically connected to the electrode assembly, located outside the cell case, and disposed at a side of the cell case in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction ([0042] and Figs. 2 and 3, sub-terminals 21c and 22c comprising second portions 21cb and 22cb, respectively),
the connection member is in contact with the external terminal of each of power storage cells adjacent to each other, among the plurality of power storage cells ([0042] and Fig. 1).
Lee does not disclose a module case containing the plurality of power storage cells; and wherein the module case includes: a bottom surface portion disposed at a side of the plurality of power storage cells in a third direction orthogonal to both the first direction and the second direction; and a peripheral side surface portion extending upright in the third direction, from the bottom surface portion, and surrounding the plurality of power storage cells, and at least a part of the connection member is embedded in the peripheral side surface portion.
Kitagawa discloses a module case containing the plurality of power storage cells ([0031] and Fig. 2, case body 31); and wherein the module case includes: a bottom surface portion disposed at a side of the plurality of power storage cells in a third direction orthogonal to both the first direction and the second direction ([0032] and Fig. 2, bottom plate 32); and a peripheral side surface portion extending upright in the third direction, from the bottom surface portion, and surrounding the plurality of power storage cells ([0032] and Fig. 2, side plates 33a and 33b), and at least a part of the connection member is embedded in the peripheral side surface portion ([0034]-[0035] and Fig. 7, connection terminals 44 and conductor lines 45 are embedded in guide grooves 41a and 41b of side plates 33a and 33b).
Kitagawa further discloses that the connection terminals can be embedded and fixed into the resin case body by insert molding ([0020], [0045], and Figs. 4 and 7).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the rechargeable battery module of Lee with the teachings of Kitagawa according to known methods to yield the predictable result of housing the rechargeable battery module of Lee within a case body, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have a reasonable expectation of success in doing so (see MPEP § 2143(I)(A)). Doing so would prevent short-circuiting during collision and reduce assembly and installation labor costs during manufacturing (Kitagawa [0020] and [0045]).
Regarding claim 2, modified Lee discloses the limitations of claim 1. Modified Lee further discloses wherein the external terminal is further in contact with the peripheral side surface portion (Kitagawa [0020] and Figs. 4 and 7, side plates 33a and 33b; and Lee [0041] and Figs. 1 and 2, connection members 110a and 110b and second portions 21cb and 22cb). The side plates of modified Lee would surround the connection members and contact the second portions.
Regarding claim 3, modified Lee discloses the limitations of claim 2. Modified Lee further discloses wherein the connection member includes: a connection surface located in contact with the external terminal (Lee [0041] and Fig. 2, inner surface of connection members 110a and 110b contacting second portions 21cb and 22cb, respectively); and an embedded surface located opposite to the connection surface (Kitagawa [0020] and Fig. 7, outer surface of connection terminals 44 contacting side walls 33a and 33b), and the connection surface and a portion of an inner surface of the peripheral side surface portion are coplanar with each other in a virtual plane, the portion of the inner surface of the peripheral side surface portion being in contact with the external terminal (Kitagawa [0020] and Figs. 4 and 7, side plates 33a and 33b; and Lee [0041] and Figs. 1 and 2, connection members 110a and 110b and second portions 21cb and 22cb). The side plates of modified Lee would surround the connection members and contact the second portions, resulting in an inner surface portion coplanar with the connection surface.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Katayama et al. (US 2016/0372793 A1) discloses a battery including a battery container housing a plurality of cells, and a conductive member that connects the plurality of cells that is embedded a wall portion of the battery container (abstract and Figs. 1 and 2).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jackie Liang whose telephone number is (571)272-0880. The examiner can normally be reached M to F 8:45AM to 4:45PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jeffrey T. Barton can be reached at (571)-272-1307. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/J.L./Examiner, Art Unit 1726
/JEFFREY T BARTON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1726 20 August 2026
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