DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Drawings
2. The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: "310" in figures 1, 2, 4, and 5. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
3. 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.
(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.
4. Claims 1, 2, 6, and 9-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a(2) as being anticipated by Jeon et al. (KR-20220021143-A, provided in IDS received on 11 June 2025, US-20240178475-A1 is used as English equivalent for rejection below).
As to claim 1, Jeon discloses a battery cell unit (figure 1, battery module 100) comprising:
a pouch-type battery cell (figure 2, battery cell 10); and
a cell cover provided to at least partially surround the pouch-type battery cell (figure 4, flame resistant cover 21),
wherein the cell cover is configured to be spaced apart from the pouch-type battery cell (figure 4, [0078]) and comprises a particle pocket portion configured to collect particles ejected from the pouch-type battery cell when a thermal event occurs (figure 4, [0078]).
As to claim 2, Jeon discloses the battery cell unit as disclosed within claim 1, and further discloses wherein the cell cover is configured to cover both side surfaces and an upper side of the pouch-type battery cell (figure 4, flame resistant cover 21, upper surface portion 21a, side portions 21b), and the particle pocket portion is formed on an upper side of the cell cover (figure 4, [0078]).
As to claim 6, Jeon discloses the battery cell unit as disclosed within claim 1, and further discloses wherein a directional venting unit is formed in the cell cover to guide venting gas to be discharged in a preset direction (figure 2, gas outlet 22, [0104]).
As to claim 9, Jeon discloses the battery cell unit as disclosed within claim 1, and further discloses wherein the cell cover is configured to support a plurality of pouch-type battery cells in a stacked state (figure 2, [0072]).
As to claim 10, Jeon discloses the battery cell unit as disclosed within claim 1, and further discloses wherein the cell cover is formed in an ‘n’ shape (figure 4, flame-resistant cover 21, [0075]).
As to claim 11, Jeon discloses the battery cell unit as disclosed within claim 1, and further discloses wherein the cell cover is formed of a metal material [0094].
As to claim 12, Jeon discloses the battery cell unit as disclosed within claim 1, and further discloses wherein the battery cell unit is further comprising a bus bar configured to connect a plurality of electrode leads (figure 2, bus bar assembly 70).
As to claim 13, Jeon discloses the battery cell unit as disclosed within claim 1, and further discloses wherein the cell cover is configured to partially surround the pouch-type battery cell so that at least one side of the surrounded pouch-type battery cell is exposed (figure 4, flame-resistant cover 21).
As to claim 14, Jeon discloses the battery cell unit as disclosed within claim 1, and further discloses a pack case having an inner space in which the battery cell unit is accommodated (figure 1 and 2, case 30).
As to claim 15, Jeon discloses the battery cell unit as disclosed within claim 14, and further discloses wherein the cell cover is configured so that at least one side of the surrounded pouch-type battery cell is exposed toward a bottom surface of the battery pack (figure 4, flame-resistant cover 21).
As to claim 16, Jeon discloses the battery cell unit as disclosed within claim 14, and further discloses wherein the cell cover is directly seated on the pack case (figure 2, flame-resistant cover 21).
As to claim 17, Jeon discloses the battery cell unit as disclosed within claim 1, and further discloses a vehicle comprising the battery cell unit [0003].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. 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.
6. Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeon et al. (KR-20220021143-A, provided in IDS received on 11 June 2025, US-20240178475-A1 is used as English equivalent for rejection below) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Lee et al. (KR-20200107213-A, provided in IDS received on 10 April 2024, US-20210320374-A1 is used as English equivalent for rejection below).
As to claim 3, Jeon discloses the battery cell unit as disclosed within claim 1, but does not disclose wherein the particle pocket portion is formed on the upper side of the cell cover so that both side portions along a width direction of the cell cover protrude more upward than a central portion.
Lee discloses a cover disposed over a series of battery cells within a casing, wherein the particle pocket portion is formed on the upper side of the cell cover so that both side portions along a width direction of the cell cover protrude more upward than a central portion (figure 4, upper plate 310).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the battery cell unit as disclosed within Jeon to include that the particle pocket portion is formed on the upper side of the cell cover so that both side portions along a width direction of the cell cover protrude more upward than a central portion, as disclosed within Lee, because it has been held that the configuration or shape of a claimed device is a matter of choice which a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found obvious absent persuasive evidence that the particular configuration of the claimed device is significant. In re Dailey 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966).
7. Claims 4 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeon et al. (KR-20220021143-A, provided in IDS received on 11 June 2025, US-20240178475-A1 is used as English equivalent for rejection below) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Kim et al. (KR-102072098-B1, machine translation used for rejection below).
As to claim 4, Jeon discloses the battery cell unit as disclosed within claim 1, but does not disclose wherein a mesh member is formed inside the particle pocket portion.
Kim discloses a pouch-type battery positioned within a battery case, wherein a mesh member is formed inside the particle pocket portion (figure 12, flame protection net 10, [0032-0033]) to block fire from spreading within the battery pack.
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the battery cell unit as disclosed within Jeon to include a mesh member formed inside the particle pocket portion to block fire from spreading within the battery pack as disclosed within Kim.
As to claim 5, modified Jeon discloses the battery cell unit as disclosed within claim 4, but does not disclose wherein the mesh member is formed by overlapping several porous metal plates.
Kim discloses a pouch-type battery positioned within a battery case, wherein a mesh member is formed by overlapping several porous metal plates (figure 12, flame protection net 10, [0032-0033]) to block fire from spreading within the battery pack.
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the battery cell unit as disclosed within Jeon to additionally include that the mesh member formed by overlapping several porous metal plates to block fire from spreading within the battery pack as disclosed within Kim.
8. Claims 7 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeon et al. (KR-20220021143-A, provided in IDS received on 11 June 2025, US-20240178475-A1 is used as English equivalent for rejection below) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Hashimoto et al. (WO-2016132404-A1, US-20170331089-A1 is used as English equivalent for rejection below).
As to claim 7, Jeon discloses the battery cell unit as disclosed within claim 1, and further discloses a movement path formed between the pouch-type battery cell and the cell cover [0104]. However, Jeon does not disclose the battery cell unit comprising a thermal resin coupled to the cell cover, wherein the cell cover comprises a portion to which the thermal resin is coupled and a portion to which the thermal resin is not coupled, wherein the directional venting unit comprises: a gas outlet formed in the portion of the cell cover to which the thermal resin is not coupled.
Hashimoto discloses a power storage device including a cover positioned over a series of battery cells, wherein the battery cell unit comprises a thermal resin coupled to the cell cover (figure 2, resin member 30, [0034]) to cover the opening into the casing and seal the battery pack, wherein the cell cover comprises a portion to which the thermal resin is coupled and a portion to which the thermal resin is not coupled (figure 2, resin member 30, [0034]) to cover the opening into the casing and seal the battery pack, and wherein the directional venting unit comprises: a gas outlet formed in the portion of the cell cover to which the thermal resin is not coupled (figure 2, discharge port 22, [0038]) to discharge gas out of the battery.
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the battery cell unit as disclosed within Jeon to include that the battery cell unit comprises a thermal resin coupled to the cell cover to cover the opening into the battery casing and seal the battery pack, wherein the cell cover comprises a portion to which the thermal resin is coupled and a portion to which the thermal resin is not coupled to cover the opening into the battery casing and seal the battery pack, and wherein the directional venting unit comprises: a gas outlet formed in the portion of the cell cover to which the thermal resin is not coupled to discharge gas out of the battery as disclosed within Hashimoto.
As to claim 8, modified Jeon discloses the battery cell unit as disclosed within claim 7, but does not disclose wherein the gas outlet is formed in a lower portion of the cell cover.
Hashimoto discloses a power storage device including a cover positioned over a series of battery cells, wherein a gas outlet is formed in a lower portion of the cell cover (figure 1, discharge port 22, [0031] and [0038]) for venting gas out of the housing. While the discharge port 22 is shown in the top surface of the casing in the Hashimoto, it is stated that the discharge port can be located on any side of the casing to line up with gas discharge ports of the battery cell [0033] which would include the lower portion of the cell cover.
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the battery cell unit as disclosed within Jeon to additionally include that the gas outlet is formed in a lower portion of the cell cover for venting gas out of the housing as disclosed within Lee.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JACOB JEROME SCHULER whose telephone number is (571)272-8487. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri. 7:30am-5pm.
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/J.J.S./Examiner, Art Unit 1727 /Maria Laios/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1727
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