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 .
DETAILED CORRESPONDENCE
This is the first Office action on the merits for Application No. 18/769,618, filed 07/11/2024. Claims 1-4 are pending.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) received on 07/11/2024 has been considered by the examiner.
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 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hara et al. (US 2017/0305248 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Hara discloses a battery pack structure (see at least figs. 6-8, i.e., battery pack 16), comprising:
a battery pack body (21), in which battery cells (35) are accommodated in a state of extending in a vehicle (10) width direction and also arrayed in a vehicle front-rear direction (fig. 1);
a first rib (fig. 5; para. [0031], i.e., first cross member 26) that protrudes extending in the vehicle width direction between the battery cells arrayed in the vehicle front-rear direction, on a bottom wall (para. [0041], i.e., casing 71 includes a bottom 72), making up part of the battery pack body (21), and
that bridges a pair of side walls (63) extending in the vehicle front-rear direction at both ends in the vehicle width direction and making up another part of the battery pack body; and
a fastening portion (fig. 6, i.e., flange 74 protruding from side wall 63) that is provided on an outer side of a side wall (63) of the battery pack body, disposed on an extension line (fig. 8) in the vehicle width direction from the first rib (26) in a vehicle plan view, making up part of a vehicle framework (fig. 1), and
also fastened to a rocker (i.e., side sill 67) extending in the vehicle front-rear direction on both outer sides in the vehicle width direction (figs. 1, 4-8; para. [0044]).
Regarding claim 2, Hara discloses the battery pack structure according to claim 1, further comprising a second rib (para. [0031], i.e., second floor cross member 27) that is provided on the bottom wall (para. [0041], i.e., casing 71 includes a bottom 72) of the battery pack body and that conveys, in the vehicle width direction, a load input in the vehicle width direction, to an opposite side in the vehicle width direction (para. [0031], i.e., a collision load applied to the vehicle from the side).
Regarding claim 3, Hara discloses the battery pack structure according to claim 2,
wherein the second rib (27) protrudes toward a downward side in a vehicle up-down direction, from the bottom wall (para. [0041], i.e., casing 71 includes a bottom 72) of the battery pack body, and is set so as to overlap the rocker (i.e., side sill 67; para. [0042]) in a vehicle side view (fig. 6).
Regarding claim 4, Hara discloses the battery pack structure according to claim 1,
wherein the fastening portion (fig. 6, i.e., flange 74 protruding from side wall 63) is provided on a cover (i.e., flat lid 73) that closes off an accommodating portion of the battery pack body (21), and also,
a floor (65) that makes up a floor portion (fig. 6) of a vehicle cabin (29; fig. 4; para. [0046]) is fashioned from the cover (73).
Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kawase et al. (US 2020/0023905 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Kawase discloses a battery pack structure (figs 1-4), comprising:
a battery pack body (i.e., battery case 90), in which battery cells (para. [0091], i.e., cells of battery modules 92) are accommodated in a state of extending in a vehicle width direction and also arrayed in a vehicle front-rear direction (figs. 1-2);
a first rib (fig. 2, i.e., first cross member of plurality members 32) that protrudes extending in the vehicle width direction between the battery cells arrayed in the vehicle front-rear direction (figs. 1-2), on a bottom wall (para. [0095], i.e., lower wall of tray 70) making up part of the battery pack body (90), and
that bridges a pair of side walls (90A; para. [0091]) extending in the vehicle front-rear direction at both ends in the vehicle width direction and making up another part of the battery pack body (figs. 1-2); and
a fastening portion (fig. 4; para. [0092], i.e., flange portion 90B) that is provided on an outer side of a side wall (i.e., one of side walls 90A) of the battery pack body (90), disposed on an extension line in the vehicle width direction from the first rib in a vehicle plan view, making up part of a vehicle framework (figs. 1-2), and
also fastened to a rocker (i.e., sill or rocker 14) extending in the vehicle front-rear direction on both outer sides in the vehicle width direction (figs. 1-4).
Regarding claim 2, Kawase discloses the battery pack structure according to claim 1, further comprising a second rib (i.e., second cross member of plurality members 32) that is provided on the bottom wall (70) of the battery pack body (90) and that conveys, in the vehicle width direction, a load input in the vehicle width direction, to an opposite side in the vehicle width direction (paras. [0081] and [0084], i.e., a load from side collision).
Regarding claim 3, Kawase discloses the battery pack structure according to claim 2, wherein the second rib (fig. 3; para. [0122], i.e., second cross member of plurality members 32 includes a downward protruded or wail portion 34) protrudes toward a downward side in a vehicle up-down direction, from the bottom wall (70) of the battery pack body, and is set so as to overlap the rocker in a vehicle side view (figs. 3 and 4; para. [0098]).
Regarding claim 4, Kawase discloses the battery pack structure according to claim 1, wherein the fastening portion (fig. 4; para. [0092], i.e., flange portion 90B) is provided on a cover (12) that closes off an accommodating portion of the battery pack body (90), and also,
a floor (fig. 3, para. [0074], i.e., floor panel 12) that makes up a floor portion (para. [0064], i.e., includes floor panel 12 configuring a floor section or portion) of a vehicle cabin (fig. 4, cabin 18) is fashioned from the cover (para. [0064] and [0086] – [0088]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and is applicable to claims 1-4 of applicant's disclosure.
Ahn (US 10,486,516 B2) discloses a battery mounting structure includes a pair of left and right rockers 18L,18R attached to a vehicle body 14, see Figures 1-6.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Tinh T Dang whose telephone number is (571)270-1776. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9AM - 5PM.
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/TINH T DANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655 June 4, 2026
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