DETAILED ACTION
This is on the merits of Application No. 18/968209, filed on 12/04/2024. Claims 1-19 are pending. 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 § 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 1-2, 5, and 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent App. Pub. No. 2021/0362786 to Kim e al.
Kim discloses:
(Claim 1) An apparatus for mounting a vehicle battery, the apparatus comprising: an underbody having a structure including a center floor (Fig. 1 element 10) and a rear floor (Fig. 1 element 20), wherein a battery (700) selected from a plurality of batteries of different sizes is mounted to the center floor, and wherein a rear sub-frame (Fig. 9 element 800) is mounted to the rear floor, wherein the center floor and the rear floor are formed as a single structure; a first cross member (Fig. 2 element 400) mounted on a front bottom surface of the rear floor; at least two longitudinal members (600) connected between the center floor and the first cross member; and a plurality of battery mounting brackets (Fig. 10 element 410) each of the plurality of battery mounting brackets being mounted at a predetermined position on a front-rear lengthwise section of each of the at least two longitudinal members to mount a rear end portion of the battery (Best seen in Fig. 13, element 710 connects rear of battery to mounting bracket 410 which is disposed at the bottom of longitudinal member 600).
(Claim 2) wherein the first cross member has a plurality of opposite side end portions each connected to a corresponding one of rear side members each integrated with a corresponding one of opposite rear end side portions of the center floor (See Fig. 2 element M2).
(Claim 5) wherein the battery has a rear end portion provided with a mounting plate (Fig. 13 element 710) mounted to a lower end portion of the battery mounting bracket.
(Claim 8) wherein each of the plurality of battery mounting brackets has a vertical length that is set to a length in which an upper surface portion of the battery is arranged lower than a bottom surface of a cross bar of the rear sub-frame by a set height (see Figs. 12-13, mounting bracket 410 has a vertical length such that an upper surface portion of the battery 700 is lower than a bottom surface of cross bar 500 by a set height).
(Claim 9) wherein the cross bar of the rear sub-frame is disposed rearward of each of the plurality of battery mounting brackets (see Figs. 12-13).
(Claim 10) wherein, when a cross bar of the rear sub-frame is pushed forward and hits each of the plurality of battery mounting brackets in an event of a rear collision of a vehicle, and each of the plurality of battery mounting brackets absorbs an impact energy resulting from the hit and is deformed (see Figs. 12 and 13, there can be an event in which a cross bar of the rear sub-frame is pushed forward and hits each of the plurality of battery mounting brackets in an event of a rear collision. The battery mounting brackets will have to absorb an impact energy and deform some amount).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11-19 are allowed.
Claims 3-4 and 6-7 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 prior art of record does not disclose nor render obvious the limitations of claims 3, 6, and 11. Particularly in claims 3 and 11, a second cross member mounted to a rear bottom surface of the center floor with the at least two longitudinal members connected to the second cross member. Particularly in claim 6, each of the plurality of battery mounting brackets is mounted at a rear predetermined position of the front-rear lengthwise section of each of the at least two longitudinal members.
Kim is the closest prior art of record. Regarding claims 3 and 11, Kim discloses the two longitudinal members connected between two cross bars, however, the second cross bar of Kim is at the rear of the rear floor, not at a rear bottom surface of the center floor. It would not have been obvious to modify Kim to move the entire bracket structure to these positions without improper hindsight reasoning as none of the prior art disclose nor render obvious this limitation. Such a change in structure would completely reform the structure of Kim.
Regarding claim 6, the mounting bracket of Kim is disposed on the front of the longitudinal member. It would not have been obvious to modify Kim to have the mounting bracket in a different position without improper hindsight reasoning. Such a change in Kim would require extensive changes in the bracket sizing and battery connection. Without any teaching, this would not be reasonable.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Shirai et al (US 2025/0206123) discloses a vehicle lower part structure.
Ogawa et al (US 2025/0010923) discloses a vehicle.
Lee et al (US 2024/0001992) discloses an electric vehicle body.
Tatsuwaki et al (US 2022/0153111) discloses a vehicle equipped with battery pack.
Itoh et al (US 2021/0371011) discloses an electric powered vehicle.
Fujisawa et al (US 2021/0107571) discloses a body structure for automobiles.
Otoguro (US 2019/0276080) discloses a vehicle lower structure.
Nitta et al (US 2019/0061507) discloses a vehicle rear structure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TIMOTHY HANNON whose telephone number is (571)270-1943. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 10-6.
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/TIMOTHY HANNON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655
