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 § 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(s) 1-7 and 11-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Publication No. 2022/0363122 issued to Mikazuki et al.
Regarding Claim 1, Mikazuki et al. teaches of an embodiment in Figure 12 where a battery pack (50), comprising:
a box (18), wherein the box encloses an accommodating cavity (see Figure 12); and
a battery cell (50), accommodated in the accommodating cavity (see Figure 12);
wherein the box (80) comprises a bearing member (82);
the battery cell (50) is disposed at a surface (see Figure 12) of the bearing member (82).
Also regarding Claim 1, Mikazuki et al. teaches of an embodiment in Figure 6 of a battery pack (50), comprising:
a box (see Figure 6elements: undercover 18, floor cross member 14c, floor panel 12, energy absorbing members 22 and side members 16a which form a box around battery cells 50), wherein the box encloses an accommodating cavity (see where battery cells 50 are received in Figure 6); and
a battery cell (50), accommodated in the accommodating cavity (see Figure 6);
wherein the box comprises a bearing member (12, 14c );
the battery cell (50) is disposed at a surface (bolts 70 secure batteries 50 to the surface) of the bearing member (12).
Mikazuki et al. is silent if a minimum thickness H of the bearing member and a weight M of the battery pack satisfy 0.0002 mm/kg < H/M <= 0.2 mm/kg.
However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to provide a minimum thickness H of the bearing member and a weight M of the battery pack satisfy 0.0002 mm/kg < H/M <= 0.2 mm/kg, since it has been held that where the general condition of a claim are disclose in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art.
Regarding Claim 2, Mikazuk et al. teach is silent if the minimum thickness H of the bearing member satisfies 0.2 mm < H < 20 mm. However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to specify the minimum thickness H of the bearing member satisfies 0.2 mm < H < 20 mm, since it has been held that where the general condition of a claim are disclose in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art.
Regarding Claim 3, Mikazuk et al. does not show the battery cell (50) is suspended (by bolts 70 as shown in Figure 6) under the bearing member (12).
Regarding Claim 4, Mikazuk et al. teach an outer surface of the battery cell (50) facing the bearing member (12) is a first outer surface; the battery cell (50) comprises an electrode terminal (disclosed in paragraph [0072)); and the electrode terminal is arranged on an outer surface other than the first outer surface of the battery cell—paragraph [0072] disclose the electrodes are provided on the bottom surface which is oppose the first surface of the battery cell (50) facing the bearing member (12).
Regarding Claim 5, Mikazuk et al. teach the battery cell has a second outer surface facing away from the first outer surface, and the electrode terminal is arranged on the second outer surface—paragraph [0072] disclose the electrodes are provided on the bottom surface which is oppose the first surface.
Regarding Claim 6, Mikazuk et al. teach the battery cell (50) is secured (via bolts 70 in Figure 6) to the bearing member (12, 14c) but does not explicitly mention the battery cell is “adhered” to the bearing member. The examiner takes Official Notice that adhesive is a well-known fastener. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to use an adhesive to adhere the battery to the bearing member. One would be motivated to use adhesive as an engineering expedient within the level of ordinary skill for securing the battery to the bearing member.
Regarding Claim 7, Mikazuk et al. teach the bearing member (element 12 in Figure 6) is located at the top of the box and is configured to define the accommodating cavity (see Figure 6).
Regarding Claim 11, Mikazuk et al. teach the box further comprises a bottom cover (under cover 18) located at the bottom of the box; the bottom cover (18) is configured to define the accommodating cavity (see Figure 6); and the bottom cover (18) and the battery cell (50) are spaced apart (see Figure 6).
Regarding Claim 12, Mikazuk et al. teach the box further comprises a frame (side sill 20 and side member 16a) and a bottom cover (18); the frame (20, 16a) encloses a cavity with two ends through in a vertical direction (see Figure 6); the bottom cover (18) and the bearing member (12,14c) respectively cover two opposite ends of the cavity in the vertical direction (see Figure 6); and the bottom cover (18), the frame (20, 16a), and the bearing member (12, 14c) jointly enclose the accommodating cavity (see Figure 6).
Regarding Claim 13, Mikazuk et al. teach the bearing member (12, 14c) and the frame (20, 16a) are fixedly connected or integrally formed (Figure 6 shows the elements are connected).
Regarding Claim 14, Mikazuk et al. teach the battery pack (50) is configured to supply electric energy to the electric apparatus (see paragraph [0073]).
Regarding Claim 15, Mikazuk et al. teach the electric apparatus comprises a vehicle, and the battery pack (50) is disposed at the bottom of a vehicle body of the vehicle—see Figure 6 and 12.
Regarding Claim 16, Mikazuk et al. teach the bearing member (12, 14C; Figure 6) is located at the top of the box. Mikazuk et al. is silent if a distance L from the bearing member to the vehicle body satisfies L >= 0. However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to specify a distance L from the bearing member to the vehicle body satisfies L >= 0, since it has been held that where the general condition of a claim are disclose in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art.
Regarding Claim 17, Mikazuk et al. teach wherein the battery pack (50) is mounted to the vehicle body via the bearing member (12, 14C; see Figure 6).
Regarding Claim 18, Mikazuk et al. teach the bearing member (element 12 is a floor panel and element 14c is a cross member) both of which are configured to constitute at least a part of a chassis of the vehicle body.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-10 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the primary reason for the indication of allowable subject matter in this case is the inclusion of: in re claim 8 where the bearing member includes a bearing portion and a connection portion; the connection portion is connected to an edge of the bearing portion in an enclosing manner; the bearing portion is configured to define the accommodating cavity; the connection portion is connected to a portion other than the bearing member of the box; and the battery cell is disposed at the bearing portion; in combination with the other elements recited, not found in the prior art of record.
The prior art of record made in the attached PTO-892 and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The cited patents show the general state of art but do not teach or suggest the totality of the instant invention including teaching the bearing member includes a bearing portion and a connection portion; the connection portion is connected to an edge of the bearing portion in an enclosing manner; the bearing portion is configured to define the accommodating cavity; the connection portion is connected to a portion other than the bearing member of the box, as claimed in the instant invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRIAN L SWENSON whose telephone number is (571)270-5572. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday (9-5).
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Allen Shriver can be reached at (303) 297-4337. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
BRIAN SWENSON
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3618
/BRIAN L SWENSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3613
Prosecution Insights