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
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in Republic of Korea on 06/03/2022. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of 10-2022-0068268 application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in Republic of Korea on 04/14/2023. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of 10-2022-0068268 application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
Claims 8-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 8 and 9 depend from claim 7 which recites “a pair of first gas flow paths” and claims 8 and 9 recite “the first gas flow path” it is unclear which of the pair is being referred to. Further clarification and/or appropriate correction is required.
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-9 and 11-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Jeon (US 20230231264 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Jeon discloses a battery pack (100 [0049], Figs. 1-8) comprising:
a cell stack assembly (110, [0052]) that includes a plurality of cells ([0052]);
a pack case (200[0051]) in which the cell stack assembly is mounted; and
at least one supplementary partition wall ( any one or all of the walls of 260/260a, see Fig. 5 [0051][0057]) coupled to the pack case ([0057][0058], see Fig. 2) to compartmentalize a space inside the pack case (200),
wherein the pack case comprises:
a base plate (220, [0055] see Fig. 3) supporting a lower part of the cell stack assembly (110, [0052]); and
a side wall (230 formed by walls 232 which forms 270 [0055][0109], see Fig. 8 ) of hollow structure coupled to the base plate (220, [0055] see Fig. 3) to support a side part of the cell stack assembly, and including an internal gas venting path ([0110]), and wherein the at least one supplementary partition wall (any one or all of the walls of 260/260a see Fig. 5, [0051][0057]) is coupled to the base plate (220, [0055] see Fig. 3) and the side wall (230 formed by walls 232 which forms 270 [0055][0109], see Fig. 8 ) of the pack case and comprises an internal gas flow path (260 [0110]) connected to the gas venting path (270 [0110]) of the side wall.
Regarding claim 2, Jeon discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Jeon discloses wherein the at least one supplementary partition wall (any one or all of the walls of 260/260a see Fig. 5, [0051][0057]) is open at a first side (See Fig. 2, H1 or partitions shown in 260 and Fig. 4 [0060]) that engages the side wall (230 formed by walls 232 which forms 270 [0055][0109], see Fig. 8 ) to allow the gas flow path (260) to connect with the gas venting path (270) ([0110]) of the side wall (230 formed by walls 232 which forms 270 [0055][0109], see Fig. 8 ).
Regarding claim 3, Jeon discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Jeon discloses wherein the at least one supplementary partition wall (any one or all of the walls of 260/260a see Fig. 5, [0051][0057]) comprises a suction hole (See Fig. 2, H1 [0060]).
Regarding claim 4, Jeon discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Jeon discloses wherein the suction hole is formed in one side (See Fig. 2, H1 [0060]) of the at least one supplementary partition wall (any one or all of the walls of 260/260a, [0051][0057], see Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 7, Jeon discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Jeon discloses wherein the interior of the at least one supplementary partition wall (any one or all of the walls of 260/260a, [0051][0057], see Fig. 5) comprises a partition wall (263 and/or 265, see Fig. 5 [0089]-[0097]) extending along a length direction of the at least one supplementary partition wall (any one or all of the walls of 260/260a, [0051][0057], see Fig. 5) and compartmentalizing the gas flow path wherein the partition wall (263 and/or 265, see Fig. 5 [0089]-[0097]) comprises a main partition part (265 [0097]) extending along a height of the at least one supplementary partition wall (any one or all of the walls of 260/260a, [0051][0057], see Fig. 5) and compartmentalizing the gas flow path (P1, P2, P3, P4 [0089]), and wherein the gas flow path comprises a pair of first gas flow paths (P1+P2, P3+P4 [0089]) compartmentalized and formed by the main partition part (265) of the partition wall.
Regarding claim 8, Jeon discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Jeon discloses wherein the partition wall (263 and/or 265, see Fig. 5) comprises a sub-partition part (269 [0089]) extending from the main partition part to an inner surface of the at least one supplementary partition wall (any one or all of the walls of 260/260a, [0051][0057], see Fig. 5) to compartmentalize the first gas flow path along the height of the at least one supplementary partition wall (any one or all of the walls of 260/260a, [0051][0057], see Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 9, Jeon discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Jeon discloses that the first gas flow path (P1+P2 or P3+P4) comprises a plurality of second gas flow paths (P1, P2, P3, P4) compartmentalized and formed by the sub-partition part (269, [0089]) of the partition wall.
Regarding claim 11, Jeon discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Jeon discloses wherein the plurality of second gas flow paths (form 260) connect to the gas venting path (270[0110]) of the side wall (230 formed by walls 232 which forms 270 [0055][0109], see Fig. 8 ).
Regarding claim 5, Jeon discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Jeon discloses wherein the pack case (100) further comprises a main partition wall (wall 240 see Fig. 2) extending across a center of the base plate, and wherein ends of the at least one supplementary partition wall (260 see Fig. 2) are coupled to the main partition wall (240) and the side wall (230), respectively (see Figs. 2, 4, and 5).
Regarding claim 6, Jeon discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Jeon discloses wherein the at least one supplementary partition wall (266 of 260, see Fig. 5) is a plurality of supplementary partition walls arranged on the base plate (220) to be spaced at predetermined intervals along the main partition wall (see Figs. 2, 4, and 5 240).
Regarding claim 12, Jeon discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Jeong discloses wherein the pack case (100) further comprises an exhaust hole (280 [0107], see Fig. 8 [0104]-[0105]) open to an outside of the pack case.
Regarding claim 13, Jeon discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Jeon discloses wherein the gas venting path (270) is formed extending along a longitudinal direction (see Fig. 8) of the side wall (230 formed by walls 232 which forms 270 [0055][0109], see Fig. 8 ) to connect with the exhaust hole (280, see Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 14, Jeon discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Jeon discloses that the entirety of the gas flow path (260) is approximately equal to that of gas venting path (270 (see Fig. 8)) and furthermore that the gas venting path (270) is larger than a cross-sectional area (P4, please see Fig. 5, P4 is a small portion of 260) of the gas flow path (260).
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.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeon (US 20230231264 A1) as applied to claims 1-9 and 11-14 above, and further in view of Kim (US 20180108892 A1).
Regarding claim 10, Jeon discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
However, Jeon does not disclose that the suction hole connects with all of the
plurality of the second gas flow paths.
Kim discloses that between partition gas flow paths additional holes (P, see Fig. 3) can be formed so as to interconnect the gas flow paths and forming of these additional holes allow for the temperature of the exhaust gases to be reduced at the outlet ([0076]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the partitions in the gas flow paths of Jeon by including through holes as disclosed by Kim because it will allow for the temperature of the gas to be further reduced before being exhausted at the outlet.
Modified Kim discloses wherein the suction hole is formed in one side of the supplementary partition wall to connect with all of the plurality of the second gas flow paths.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DEVINA PILLAY whose telephone number is (571)270-1180. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:30-6:00.
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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 517-272-1307. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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DEVINA PILLAY
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1726
/DEVINA PILLAY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1726
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