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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN113540640B, refer to English translation.
Regarding claim 1, CN113540640B discloses a battery module (battery module, see Title, Abstract) comprising:
a frame providing an interior space (battery casing, see p.5, Fig. 1-4);
a battery cell accommodated inside the frame and having a body and an electrode lead protruding toward a front of the body (battery cells 1 including electrode tabs 11 protruding toward a front, see p.5, Fig. 1-4);
a bus bar frame assembly located in front of the battery cell and electrically connected to the electrode lead (electrode tabs 11 pass through bus bar 2, see p.5, Fig. 1-4); and
a fire-resistant coating layer provided on at least a portion of the battery cell (first flame-retardant sheet 3, second flame-retardant sheet 4, see p.5, Fig. 1-4).
Regarding claim 2, CN113540640B discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. CN113540640B further discloses the battery cell further comprises a front terrace portion extending forward from the body and surrounding the electrode lead (see Fig. 3-4), and wherein the fire-resistant coating layer comprises a first coating layer covering the front terrace portion and the electrode lead (first flame-retardant sheet 3, second flame-retardant sheet 4, see p.5, Fig. 1-4).
Regarding claim 3, CN113540640B discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. CN113540640B further discloses the fire-resistant coating layer comprises a second coating layer covering at least a portion of a rear surface of the bus bar frame assembly (arranged on both sides, see p.5, Fig. 1-4).
Regarding claim 4, CN113540640B discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. CN113540640B further discloses the bus bar frame assembly has a slit, wherein the electrode lead passes through the slit (electrode tabs 11 pass through bus bar 2, see p.5, Fig. 1-4), and wherein the second coating layer extends between the slit and the electrode lead (see Fig. 3-4).
Regarding claim 5, CN113540640B discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. CN113540640B further discloses the fire-resistant coating layer further comprises a third coating layer extending from the second coating layer and covering a front surface of the bus bar frame assembly (see Fig. 1-4).
Regarding claim 6, CN113540640B discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. CN113540640B further discloses the frame has an open front side, and wherein the battery module further comprises an end plate located in front of the bus bar frame assembly and coupled to the front side of the frame (Fig. 1-4 show an end plate located in front of the bus bar 2).
Regarding claim 7, CN113540640B discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. CN113540640B further discloses the battery cell further comprises an upper sealing portion extending upward from the body, and wherein the fire-resistant coating layer comprises a fourth coating layer covering at least a portion of the upper sealing portion (upper cover fire cover 7, see p.4, Fig. 1-4).
Regarding claim 8, CN113540640B discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. CN113540640B further discloses the battery cell further comprises an adhesive member for folding and fixing the upper sealing portion, and wherein the fourth coating layer covers the adhesive member (structural adhesive 13, see p.4, Fig. 1-4).
Regarding claim 9, CN113540640B discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. CN113540640B further discloses a barrier that covers a side surface of the battery cell and is in contact with a rear surface of the bus bar frame assembly, and wherein the fire-resistant coating layer further comprises a fifth coating layer covering the rear surface of the bus bar frame assembly and a side surface of the barrier adjacent to the rear surface of the bus bar frame assembly (second flame-retardant sheet 4, see p.5, Fig. 1-4; second flame-retardant sheet 4 pass through bus bar 2, see p.5-6, Fig. 1-4).
Regarding claim 10, CN113540640B discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. CN113540640B further discloses the bus bar frame assembly has a hole formed in a vertical direction (electrode tabs 11 and second flame-retardant sheet 4 pass through bus bar 2, see p.5-6, Fig. 1-4), wherein the battery module further comprises a barrier that covers a side surface of the battery cell and extends through the hole of the bus bar frame assembly, and wherein the coating layer further comprises a sixth coating layer covering a rear surface of the bus bar frame assembly and a side surface of the barrier adjacent to the rear surface of the bus bar frame assembly (second flame-retardant sheet 4, see p.5, Fig. 3-4; second flame-retardant sheet 4 pass through bus bar 2, see p.5-6, Fig. 1-4).
Regarding claim 11, CN113540640B discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. CN113540640B further discloses a battery pack comprising a battery module according to claim 1 (system composed of battery modules, see p.2; see rejection of claim 1 above).
Regarding claim 12, CN113540640B discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. CN113540640B further discloses a vehicle comprising a battery module according to claim 1 (vehicle, see p.2; see rejection of claim 1 above).
Regarding claim 13, CN113540640B discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. CN113540640B further discloses a seventh coating layer extending from the sixth coating layer and covering a front surface of the bus bar frame assembly (first flame-retardant sheet 3, second flame-retardant sheet 4, see p.5, Fig. 1-4; arranged on both sides, see p.5, Fig. 1-4).
Regarding claim 14, CN113540640B discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. CN113540640B further discloses the fire-resistant coating layer comprises a second coating layer covering at least a portion of a rear surface of the bus bar frame assembly (first flame-retardant sheet 3, second flame-retardant sheet 4, see p.5, Fig. 1-4; arranged on both sides, see p.5, Fig. 1-4).
Regarding claim 15, CN113540640B discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. CN113540640B further discloses the bus bar frame assembly has a slit, wherein the electrode lead passes through the slit (electrode tabs 11 pass through bus bar 2, see p.5, Fig. 1-4), and wherein the second coating layer extends between the slit and the electrode lead (see Fig. 3-4).
Regarding claim 16, CN113540640B discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. CN113540640B further discloses the fire-resistant coating layer further comprises a third coating layer extending from the second coating layer and covering a front surface of the bus bar frame assembly (arranged on both sides, see p.5, Fig. 1-4).
Regarding claim 17, CN113540640B discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. CN113540640B further discloses the battery cell further comprises an upper sealing portion extending upward from the body, and wherein the fire-resistant coating layer comprises a fourth coating layer covering at least a portion of the upper sealing portion (structural adhesive 13, see p.4, Fig. 1-4).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES LEE whose telephone number is (571)270-7937. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9AM - 5PM.
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/James Lee/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725 7/21/2026
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