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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “front side of the connection part comprises a ring structure” must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s) 5-11. No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) 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. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. 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 § 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 5-11 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.
Claim 5, the limitation “front side of the connection part comprises a ring structure” is unclear.
Paragraph 0099 disclosed the connection part 322 does not have any ring structure.
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.
Claims 1-2, 5 and 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Wakata (US 2002/0115328).
Regarding claim 1, Wakata discloses a connector module (11) comprising:
a first connector comprising a first connector housing (17) that is recessed therein to define a first recessed portion (10), and a first conductive part (20) coupled to the first connector housing; and
a second connector comprising a second connector housing (12) inserted into and coupled to the first recessed portion, and a second conductive part (B) configured to be inserted into and coupled to the second connector housing so as to be electrically connected to the first conductive part,
wherein the first conductive part is electrically connected only to a single surface of the second conductive part (see Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 2, Wakata discloses the second connector housing comprises:
a frame (13) inserted into and coupled to the first recessed portion; and
a connection part (16) connected to one surface of the frame and coupled to the first connector, wherein the second conductive part is configured to be inserted into and coupled to the frame.
Regarding claim 5, Wakata discloses in a state in which a front side of the connection part is fixed and connected to a top surface of the frame, a rear side of the connection part is movable upward or downward, and wherein the front side of the connection part comprises a ring structure.
Regarding claim 12, Wakata discloses the connection part is connected to the first connector through hook coupling.
Regarding claim 13, Wakata discloses the second connector further comprises a coupling housing (33) that is in contact with the second connector housing and the second conductive part to couple the second connector housing to the second conductive part.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wakata (US 2002/0115328).
Wakata substantially disclosed the claimed invention except the size of the height of the first connector is about 3.5 mm to 4 mm.
It would have been an obvious matter of design choice to change the size height of the first connector to 3.5-4mm for optimal performance, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the size of a component. A change in size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Rose, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955).
Claims 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wakata (US 2002/0115328) in view of Weis (US 2022/0181732).
Regarding claim 18, Wakata substantially disclosed the claimed invention except the connector module is being used on a battery module.
Weis teach a battery module comprising:
a case (4) including an accommodation space (3) therein;
a plurality of battery cells (2) disposed in the accommodation space;
a control unit (34) configured to detect electrical signals of the plurality of battery cells so as to electrically control the plurality of battery cells.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide Wakata’s connector module into Weis’s battery module to electrically connect the plurality of battery cells to the control unit.
Regarding claim 19, in the modified battery module, Wakata substantially disclosed the claimed invention except the size of the first connector has a height of about 3.5 mm to 4 mm.
It would have been an obvious matter of design choice to change the size height of the first connector to 3.5-4mm for optimal performance, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the size of a component. A change in size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Rose, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-11, 14-16 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TRUC T NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-2011. The examiner can normally be reached monday-friday (7-4).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher M. Koehler can be reached at 5712723560. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TRUC T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
