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 .
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 1-20 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. In regards to claim 1, the claim language “a material that transmits a laser beam” is rendered indefinite. Examiner interprets the claim as the material generating light. Examiner notes devices such as laser transmit a laser beam, therefore it is unclear as to how a material by itself generates a laser beam.
In regards to claim 15, the claimed language “a washer hole is formed in an upper portion of the washer” is rendered indefinite. Examiner notes it is unclear as to how a washer hole (fig 1, 420) is located at the upper portion of the washer when it is located through the entire height of the washer. Examiner further notes the claim language “observation hole to guide measurement equipment” therethrough is rendered indefinite. Examiner interprets the language as physically guiding equipment through the hole, wherein applicant implicitly shows light from equipment is guided through the hole rather than equipment. Clarification is required.
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 & 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jung KR 20180067178 in view of Skill Lync, “Why does a Battery Puff Up? | SKILL-LYNC”, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvxyAzzjOpw , Dec 11, 2019 hereafter Skill Lync.
With respect to claim 1, Jung teaches a battery monitoring apparatus, comprising:
a packaging material (fig 2, 200) in which a battery cell is built there inside, an observation
space, and an observation hole (fig 3, 210) “opening” (pg. 4, ¶ 4, lines 1-3) is formed at a point where the observation space is formed; and
a sealing portion (fig 2 & 3, 300) which is attached to the observation hole of the packaging
material to seal the observation hole, and is made of a material “transparent window” (fig 1, 300) (pg. 3, ¶ 2) that allows a laser beam (fig 3, 600) transmit through and the observation space “the electrode reaction can be grasped” (pg. 5, ¶ 1) is able to be analyzed “can be measured” (pg. 4, ¶ 4, lines 8-11) through the laser beam (claim 5).
Jung does not teach gas is formed on one side of a battery.
Skill Lync, in the same field of endeavor of Jung of batteries containing electrolytes (pg. 4, ¶ 2, lines 1-2), teaches the electrolyte solution and metals in the battery may form gases inside the battery due to high temperatures (fig 1 & 2). At the time prior to the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to observe gases in one side of the battery via Jung’s observation hole to prevent the battery from exploding (fig 3).
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With respect to claim 2 according to claim 1, the combination teaches the apparatus wherein the packaging material is a film (fig 2 & 3, 200 Jung) that forms a pouch “pouch case” of the battery cell seals “the electrode assembly 100 together with the electrolytic solution” (pg. 4, ¶ 2, lines 1-2 Jung) and extends to one side of the battery monitoring apparatus to form the observation space.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jung KR 20180067178 in view of Skill Lync, “Why does a Battery Puff Up? | SKILL-LYNC”, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvxyAzzjOpw , Dec 11, 2019 hereafter Skill Lync in further view of Jung WO 2020060200.
With respect to claim 5 according to claim 1, the combination does not teach the sealing portion is made of one of glass, plastic, and a mixture thereof.
Jung 200, in the same field of endeavor of Jung of pouch batteries, teaches transmitting a laser beam into a pouch battery to observing structural changes inside the battery via a glass window (fig 1, 50) (pg. 6, ¶ 3-5) (pg. 4, ¶ 3). At the time prior to the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to form the combination’s sealing portion i.e. transparent window from glass since it is a known transparent material with a reasonable expectation of success to enable a laser to travel through.
Claim(s) 14 & 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jung KR 20180067178 in view of Skill Lync, “Why does a Battery Puff Up? | SKILL-LYNC”, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvxyAzzjOpw , Dec 11, 2019 hereafter Skill Lync in further view of 3beltwesty, “WELD washer on wheel 98871 90 amp WIRE WELDER”, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LfTFZdeOUw, Mar 14, 2016 hereafter 3beltwesty.
With respect to claim 14 according to claim 1, the combination does not teach a washer which is coupled to an outside of the packaging material.
Jung200, in the same field of endeavor of Jung of pouch batteries, teaches a casing comprising a circular frame comprising a window (fig 1, 2) coupled to the outside of a packing material of a battery (fig 2, 2). Jung 200 further teaches transmitting a laser beam into a pouch battery to observing structural changes inside the battery via the circular frame (fig 1, 50) (pg. 6, ¶ 3-5) (pg. 4, ¶ 3).
Jung200 does not teach a washer.
3beltwesty, in the field of endeavor welding, teaches welding a washer onto an object. Examiner notes on of ordinary skill would understand a washer has a circular frame which can easily be attached to a structure. At the time prior to the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill to combine Jung200 casing with a washer as the observation window to safely observe a battery due to possible explosions. One of ordinary skill may line up the combination’s observation hole with washer enabling interaction of a laser beam with the inside of the battery.
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With respect to claim 15 according to claim 14, the combination teaches the apparatus wherein a washer hole is formed in the washer (fig 1, 20 Jung200) (fig 1 3beltwesy).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-4, 6-13, & 16-20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims or to include the limitation(s) and any intervening claims into the base claim and to overcome the 35 U.S.C 112 rejection(s). The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
As to claim 3, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to disclose or render obvious “the observation hole is in plural and the plurality of observation holes are formed on first and second sides of the packaging material forming the observation space, respectively, and the observation holes on the first
and second sides are formed at positions facing each other”, in combination with the rest of the limitations of claim 3.
As to claim 6, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to disclose or render obvious “wherein the sealing portion and the packaging material are coupled by thermal sealing”, in combination with the rest of the limitations of claim 6.
As to claim 7, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to disclose or render obvious “a support which is provided inside the observation space and supports the observation space.”, in combination with the rest of the limitations of claim 7.
As to claim 16, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to disclose or render obvious “washer is made of any of PP, PE, PS, PET, PA, PES, PVC, PU, PC, PVDC and a mixture thereof”, in combination with the rest of the limitations of claim 16.
As to claim 17, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to disclose or render obvious “a perforated hole is formed in the packaging material at a point in contact with the washer, and the perforated hole is filled with an adhesive to combine the washer, the packaging material, and the sealing portion.”, in combination with the rest of the limitations of claim 17.
As to claim 20, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to disclose or render obvious “gas permeable membrane which is located between the battery cell and the observation space, and allows the gas and other substance generated from the battery cell to penetrate into the observation space.”, in combination with the rest of the limitations of claim 20.
Conclusion
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/MAURICE C SMITH/Examiner, Art Unit 2877