Detailed Action
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claims 1-20 of U.S. Application 18/879,101 filed on December 26, 2024 are presented for examination.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/26/2024 and 02/09/2026 has been considered by the examiner.
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.
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.
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Claims 1-8, 13, and 15-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being unpatentable over Yoon et al (US Pat No. 10,147,965).
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Prior Art: Yoon
Regarding claim 1, Yoon discloses a battery cell inspection apparatus (figs 1-4) comprising: pressing plates (100a and 100b) configured to press a battery cell (1); a support member (102) disposed between mutually opposing surfaces of the pressing plates (shown in fig 2) and configured to include the battery cell mounted thereon; a gripper (103)configured to grip and move the battery cell (shown in figs 1-4); and a push member (using 120 as it protrudes as shown in figs 2 and 4) configured to protrude from at least one of the pressing plates toward the support member and push the support member (col 4 lines 30-65 discloses using 120 to fasten and support the battery. Therefore, helps push towards the support and discloses locking and unlocking the battery).
Regarding claim 2, Yoon discloses wherein the push member, comprises: a bar shaped (121) so as to protrude toward the support member from at least one of the mutually opposing surfaces of the pressing plates; and a head part (using 122) located at one end of the bar and configured to push the support member (shown in figs 1-4 as a bar shape and head part).
Regarding claim 3, Yoon discloses wherein the push member protrudes toward the support member between at least one of the mutually opposing surfaces of the pressing plates and the support member, and retracts toward the pressing plate again, so that the mounted battery cell can be prevented from being deflected in one direction (shown in figs 1-4 as 121 be used to lock the circuitry).
Regarding claim 4, Yoon discloses wherein the push member either protrudes from the pressing plate before the battery cell is mounted on the support member, or the battery cell is mounted on the support member, and simultaneously or subsequently, the push member protrudes from the pressing plate (shown in figs 1-4 at least subsequently protrude from the plate).
Regarding claim 5, Yoon discloses during inspection of the battery cell, the push member is configured to push the pressing plate support member in a protruding state (shown in figs 1-4 as to push in a protruding state).
Regarding claim 6, Yoon discloses
Regarding claim 7, Yoon discloses
Regarding claim 8, Yoon discloses wherein the mounting part of the support member is V-shaped or U-shaped, and wherein the fixing part of the support member extends from both ends of the mounting part to be fixed to respective upper ends of the pressing plates (shown in figs 1-4 as being U-shaped and 121 extends to both ends).
Regarding claim 13, Yoon discloses wherein the battery cell has a main body that protrudes in both directions, and wherein pushmembers are respectively provided on each of the mutually opposing surfaces of the pressing plates (shown in figs 1-4 as protrudes in both directions and are on opposing surfaces).
Regarding claim 15, Yoon discloses a battery cell inspection method (figs 1-4) comprising the steps of: gripping a battery cell (1) by a gripper (103); mounting the battery cell gripped by the gripper on a support member (102), the support member being disposed between pressing plates (100a and 100b) configured to face each other; moving the pressing plates toward the battery cell; and inspecting the battery cell while pressing the battery cell with the pressing plates (shown in figs 1-4), wherein a push member (120) protrudes from at least one of the pressing plates and is configured to push the support member so that the mounted battery cell is not deflected (col 4 lines 30-65 discloses using 120 to fasten and support the battery. Therefore, helps push towards the support and discloses locking and unlocking the battery).
Regarding claim 16, Yoon discloses wherein the mounting of the battery cell gripped by the gripper on the support member comprises lowering the battery cell gripped by the gripper onto the support member, and wherein the push member either protrudes from the pressing plate before the battery cell is mounted on the support member, or the battery cell is mounted on the support member, and simultaneously or subsequently, the push member protrudes from the pressing plate (shown in figs 1-4 as protruding).
Regarding claim 17, Yoon discloses wherein during the inspecting the battery cell, the protruding push member is configured to push the support member (shown in figs 1-4 as protruding to push the support member).
Regarding claim 18, Yoon discloses wherein the moving the pressing plates toward the battery cell, and the inspecting the battery cell while pressing the battery cell with the pressing plates, an extent to which the push member moves toward the at least one of the pressing
Regarding claim 19, Yoon discloses wherein during the inspecting the battery cell, a state in which the gripper grips the battery cell is maintained throughout the inspecting the battery cell (shown in figs 1-4 as the gripper grips the battery cell throughout the battery cell).
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 of this title, 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.
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoon et al (US Pat No. 10,147,965) in view of Ito et al (USPGPub 20200106120).
Regarding claim 12, Yoon does not fully disclose wherein the battery cell has a main body that protrudes in one direction, and wherein the push member is provided on the a pressing plate toward which the protruding main body of the battery cell is directed.
However. Ito discloses wherein the battery cell has a main body that protrudes in one direction, and wherein the push member is provided on the a pressing plate toward which the protruding main body of the battery cell is directed (fig 1 and par 24 discloses protruding in one direction).It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Yoon in view of Ito in order to effectively
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9-11, 14, and 20 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.
Regarding claim 9, the prior art of record taken alone or in combination fail to teach or suggest a battery cell inspection apparatus comprising: wherein both ends of the support member can be fixed to the pressing plates, respectively, and wherein the support member can be folded or bent between both fixing parts to mount the battery cell on the support member in combination with the other limitations of the claim.
Claims 10 and 11 are also objected to as they depend on claim 9.
Regarding claim 14, the prior art of record taken alone or in combination fail to teach or suggest a battery cell inspection apparatus comprising:
Regarding claim 20, the prior art of record taken alone or in combination fail to teach or suggest a battery cell inspection apparatus comprising:
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Son et al (USPGPub 20200365868): discloses charging and discharging battery.
Yamamiya et al (USPGPub 20080176115): discloses battery detection for a fuel cell.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DOMINIC E HAWKINS whose telephone number is (571)272-2647. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:30am-5:00pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Judy Nguyen can be reached at (571) 272-2258. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DOMINIC E HAWKINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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