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 .
Amendments to the and claims, filed 01 April 2024, have been entered in the above identified application
Claims 20-35 are pending in the application
Claims 1-19 are cancelled in the application
Examiners Comment
To improve clarity for the grouping listed in claim 24, it would be beneficial to use the standard Markush grouping language of “selected from the group consisting of A, B, and C" (MPEP 2173.05(h)).
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 28 and 29 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.
Claim 28 recites the limitation “the plurality of battery cells comprises vents, and wherein the insulation layer is positioned between the vents and the busbar” in lines 1-2 which renders the claim vague and indefinite. As claim 28 is dependent on claim 27, and claim 27 states “the battery module further includes a laminated busbar, and wherein the laminated busbar includes the insulation layer” in lines 1-2, it unclear how the insulation layer can be positioned between the vents and the busbar when the insulation layer is one part of the busbar.
Claim 29 is rejected as being dependent upon a rejected claim.
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 20, 22, 24-31, and 35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baseri (US Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0102954) in view of Montgomery (US Patent Application Publication No. 2018/0083244).
Regarding claim 20, Baseri teaches a battery module (battery system, [0040] and fig. 5 ref. #500) which contains a plurality of battery cells (battery modules fig. 5 ref. #503, which contains a plurality of battery cells, [0038]). The plurality of battery cells are contained within a housing (fig. 5, the structure around the entire periphery of the figure), and laminated busbar sits on top of the plurality of battery cells ( [0040] and fig. 5 ref. #550, sits atop the plurality of cells, which can be seen more clearly in fig. 1). The laminated busbar contains a plurality of layers, one of which may be an insulation layer ([0002] and [0044], which may be the layers fig. 6 ref. #601 and 604, or [0026], the thermal insulating layer fig. 1 ref. #140).
Baseri does not explicitly teach the housing includes a housing lid, nor that the insulation layer is between the housing lid and plurality of battery cells.
Montgomery teaches a battery pack with a battery assembly including an integrated system that allows for venting of the battery cells (abstract). Montgomery also teaches the battery pack includes a housing (enclosure assembly, fig. 2 ref. #60) with a housing lid (cover, fig. 2 ref. #63) encloses the entirety of the battery assembly ([0047]). This allows for sealing of the battery assembly ([0047]), in turn increasing protection of the battery.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use the housing and housing lid to enclose the battery assembly, as taught by Montgomery, in the battery module of Baseri. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this inclusion for increased protection of the battery.
As the battery lid sits atop the entire battery assembly, and the busbar of Baseri includes the insulation layer, then the insulation layer will be between the housing lid and the plurality of battery cells.
Regarding claim 22, Baseri further teaches a barrier layer between the plurality of battery cells and the housing lid (steel layer, [0002]. As it is on the bus bar it must be between the plurality of battery cells and the housing lid).
Regarding claim 24, Baseri further teaches the barrier layer is made of a metal (steel, [0002]).
Regarding claims 25 and 26, Baseri further teaches the plurality of battery cells comprise terminals and vents between the terminals ([0007]).
Baseri does not explicitly teach the insulation layer comprises a plurality of openings, nor the terminals extend through the openings.
Montgomery further teaches that bus bar includes openings that the battery cell terminals extend through (figs. 4 and 5, where the electrode terminals ref. #176 are inserted). This allows for the bus bar to be securely in electrical connection with the electrode terminals ([0056]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use the holes in the bus bar as taught by Montgomery in the battery in the bus bar of Baseri. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this inclusion in order to have a secure electrical connection of the electrode terminals with the bus bar.
As the insulating layer of Baseri is between the conductive portion of the bus bar (current collector layer) and the electrode terminals ([0042]-[0043], the insulation layer is fig. 6 ref. #604 and the current collector layer is ref. #603), in order for the electrode terminals to extend into the holes of the conductive portion of the bus bar the holes must also be in the insulation layer.
As the terminals and the plurality of openings in the insulation layer of modified Baseri are identically placed, the plurality of openings in the insulation layer and the vents are aligned (a region between the terminals contains the vent).
Regarding claim 27, Baseri further teaches the battery module further includes a laminated busbar, and wherein the laminated busbar includes the insulation layer ([0002]).
Regarding claim 28, Baseri further teaches the plurality of battery cells comprises vents, and wherein the insulation layer is positioned between the vents and the busbar ([0007], the vents are positioned on a venting surface, and the laminated bus bar is positioned on top of the venting surface. The insulation layer is between the conducting portion of the bus bar and the vents, [0042]-[0043], the insulation layer is fig. 6 ref. #604 and the current collector layer is ref. #603).
Regarding claim 29, the vents of modified Baseri are misaligned with the busbar (the conductive portion of the busbar), when viewed from the side, as they are in separate planes (the busbar sits on top of the plurality of battery cells, therefore when viewed from a side perspective the vents will always be misaligned to be lower than the busbar).
Regarding claim 30, Baseri further teaches the insulation layer is a first insulation layer ([0044] and fig. 6 ref. #604), and wherein the battery module further comprises a second insulation layer ([0044] and fig. 6 ref. #601). As the laminated busbar of modified Baseri is between the housing lid and the plurality of battery cells, the second insulation layer is also between the housing lid and the plurality of battery cells.
Regarding claim 31, Baseri further teaches the battery module further includes a laminated busbar ([0002]), and wherein the laminated busbar includes the first insulation layer , the second insulation layer, and a conductive layer between the first and the second insulation layer ([0044] and fig. 6 ref. #602, #603).
Regarding claim 35, Baseri further teaches the barrier layer is between the insulation layer and the plurality of battery cells (([0002], [0044], and fig. 6 ref. #605).
Claim 21 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baseri (US Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0102954) in view of Montgomery (US Patent Application Publication No. 2018/0083244), further in view of Bauer (German Patent Application Publication No. 102016/203932). For prior art discussion see English translation for DE-102016203932-A1.
Baseri and Montgomery are relied upon as described above.
Modified Baseri further teaches the insulation layer may include a thermal insulator ([0026]).
Modified Baseri does not explicitly teach the insulation layer includes aerogel.
Bauer teaches a battery (energy storage module, title) that includes an insulation layer between a plurality of battery cells (first and second inner elements, [0012]). The insulation layer is made of a thermal insulator, aerogel ([0012]), which allows for strong thermal insulation due to the excellent thermal insulation properties of aerogel ([0015]), as well as an overall reduction in weight of the battery due to the low density of aerogel ([0014]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use aerogel in the thermal insulation layer of modified Baseri as taught by Bauer. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to use this material for the excellent thermal insulation properties and weight reduction of the battery.
Claims 23 and 32-34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baseri (US Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0102954) in view of Montgomery (US Patent Application Publication No. 2018/0083244), further in view of Hwang (WIPO Patent Application Publication No. 2021/230489). For prior art discussion see English translations for WO-2021230489-A1.
Baseri and Montgomery are relied upon as described above.
Regarding claim 23, modified Baseri does not teach the barrier layer is between the insulation layer and the housing lid. Hwang teaches a busbar with a plurality of layers for improved safety (title and abstract). Hwang further teaches the busbar comprises a first insulation layer (fig. 4 ref. #20) and a second insulation layer (fig. 4 ref. #31) with a conductive layer between them ([0043] and fig. 4 ref. #10). Hwang further teaches a barrier layer surrounding the conductive layer (bandage member, [0043] and fig. 4 ref. #30A, see below). This allows for, in the event of a fire in which the surrounding insulation is lost, a structure in which the conductive portion of the battery bar is still supported so that it does not come into contact with other surrounding structures, in turn increasing safety of the battery ([0044]).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use the orientation of the barrier layer as taught by Hwang in the bus bar of modified Baseri. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this inclusion for the increase in battery safety.
As the battery lid sits atop the entire battery assembly, and the busbar of modified Baseri includes the barrier layer, then the barrier layer will be between the insulation layer and the housing lid.
Regarding claim 32, Baseri further teaches that the plurality of battery cells comprise terminals ([0007]).
Modified Baseri does not explicitly teach the conductive layer extends out of the first and second insulation layer to connect the busbar to the terminals.
Hwang further teaches that, in the above imported bus bar, the conductive layer extends out of the first and second insulation layer to connect the busbar to the terminals (fig. 5(b), portion that contains the hole H). This allows for electrical safety to be ensured with respect to the busbar while still allowing electrical connection with the battery cell terminals ([0051]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use the configuration of the first insulation layer and second insulation surrounding the conductive layer of the bus bar, as taught by Hwang, in the bus bar of modified Baseri. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to use this configuration for in order to ensure electrical safety.
Regarding claim 33, the above imported configuration of the first insulation layer and second insulation layer surrounding the conductive layer of the bus bar, as taught by Hwang, in modified Baseri has the conductive layer contacting and compressing (by way of being wrapped by the conductive layer with the bandage member, fig. 4 ref. #30A, and [0034]) the second insulation layer such that the compressed second insulation layer surrounds the conductive layer (fig. 4 ref. #10 and #31).
Regarding Claim 34, the above imported configuration of the first insulation layer and second insulation layer surrounding the conductive layer of the bus bar, as taught by Hwang, in modified Baseri has the first insulation layer being connected to the second insulation layer such that the conductive layer is surrounded by the first insulation layer and the second insulation layer (fig. 4 ref. #10, #20, and #31).
Conclusion
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/MAL/
Myles Alan LovaszExaminer, Art Unit 1788 07/23/2026
/ALEXANDRE F FERRE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1788
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