DETAILED ACTION
The response filed on July 10, 2026, is being examined.
Information Disclosure Statement
Applicants must continue to submit prior art references throughout the patent application process. A supplemental IDS must be submitted if prior art is discovered through a foreign patent application or an International Patent Search, or a related application before a prosecution closes.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102/103
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.
Claims 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) (whichever apply) as being anticipated by Takamatsu et al. (US20200022260A (cited reference), herein referred to as Takamatsu) or additionally rejected under U.S.C. 103 as being anticipated by further in view of Lim et al. (US12548804, herein referred to as Lim) or Tomohiro et al. (US20120231638, herein referred to as Tomohiro).
Rejection of claim 1, Takamatsu (see claim 1, paragraphs and 0045-0084 and figures 1-13B of Takamatsu) discloses a busbar module to be attached to a battery assembly in which a plurality of single cells are stacked (see single cells 2 the figures wherein “the circuit body 20 has a belt-like main line 21 disposed in the assembled direction on the single cells 2” and “a circuit body 20 formed of a flexible board (FPC) and to which bus bars 25 (see FIG. 3) connected to the positive electrodes 4 and the negative electrodes 5 of the single cells 2 are attached”), the busbar module comprising:
a main line circuit body formed of a flexible substrate having a first wiring pattern and disposed to extend along a stacking direction of the plurality of single cells, the main line circuit body having a first surface (a top surface of 20); a branch line circuit body formed of a flexible substrate having a second wiring pattern and provided separately from the main line circuit body and extending so as to branch from the main line circuit body, the second wiring pattern being electrically connected to the first wiring pattern, the branch line circuit body having a second surface (see a top surface of 21); a busbar connected to an electrode of each of the plurality of single cells (see paragraphs 0049-0052, and figures 3-5C and 8A-8C) wherein ;
an electronic component (50, see attachment in figures 10-13B wherein one an electronic component 50 attached to one of the surfaces the branch line circuit body ) attached to a mounting surface of the branch line circuit body so as to connect the second wiring pattern and the busbar; and a holder configured to holds the busbar and be extendable and contractible along the stacking direction (holder 30 made of resin which able to expand and contract in a stacking direction due to operating heat accompanying charging and discharging, a temperature of an external environment); wherein the first surface of the main line circuit body contacts the second surface of the branch line circuit body (see a top surface of branch 100b contacts to a top surface of main line 100a).
Additionally, Lim or Tomohiro discloses wherein a first surface of the main line circuit body contacts a second surface of the branch line circuit body (see a surface of branch 21 connected to a surface of main line 20 in Lim; or a surface of branch 22 connected to a surface of main line 21 in Tomohiro).
It would have been obvious to ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention to modify the busbar module of Takamatsu to have main and branch portions arrangement as taught by Lim or Tomohiro so that main and branch portions stay together as well as easily and safely pass current or signal from main and branch portions to the electronic device attached at the end of the branch portions.
Rejection of claim 2, Takamatsu or Takamatsu in view of (Lim or Tomohiro) discloses the busbar module according to claim 1, wherein the branch line circuit body has a curved shape in at least a part of the branch line circuit body, the curved shape having a pair of strip-shaped portions extending along the stacking direction, and a connecting portion connecting one end of one strip-shaped portion and one end of another strip-shaped portion (see figures of Takamatsu have strip-shaped portions at both side of curved connection portion).
Pertinent Prior Arts
The prior arts made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Please refer to the enclosed PTO-892 form for the citation of pertinent arts in the present case, all of which disclose various Bus bars.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-4 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Repose to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection under Takamatsu in view of (Lim or Tomohiro) does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Furthermore, rejection under USC 102, applicant arguments are not persuasive, because see figures 4-5B of Takamatsu wherein one of the surfaces of one of branch portions 22 contacts one of the surfaces of the main portion 21.
Therefore, applicant’s arguments are not persuasive.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Communication
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/PARESH PAGHADAL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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