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 .
Application Status
Claims 1-6 are pending and have been examined in this application
This communication is the first action on the merits
Claims 1-6 are rejected herein
Information Disclosure Statement
As of the date of this action, information disclosure statements (IDS) have been filed on 12/30/2024 and 3/4/2026 and reviewed by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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 4 and 5 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.
Regarding claim 4, it is unclear to which structure “inside” in line 3 and “inside” in line 13 refers. Appropriate correction is required.
Regarding claim 5, it is unclear to which structure “inside” in line 3 and “inside” in line 13 refers. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yamamoto (U.S. Pat. No. US 20070087620 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Yamamoto teaches a protector comprising: a first case including a first passage through which a first portion of a flat wiring member is routed (A below is a first passage, FC is a flat wiring member, the portion within A is a first portion of FC); a second case including a second passage through which a second portion of the flat wiring member is routed(B below is a second passage, FC is a flat wiring member, the portion within B is a second portion of FC); and a rotating structure configured to be able to rotate the second case relative to the first case, wherein the second case holds the second portion so as to form a folded portion between the first portion and the second portion(C is a rotational structure wherein B may rotate relative to A and may form a folded portion between the first and second portion), and the rotating structure is configured such that rotation of the second case relative to the first case changes an intersection angle of the second portion with respect to the first portion at the folded portion(the intersection angle of the second portion changes with respect to the first portion when the second case rotates relative to the first case).
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Claim(s) 1,2, and 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tsukamoto(Japanese Pat. No. JP 2002084638 A).
Regarding claim 1, Tsukamoto teaches a protector comprising: a first case including a first passage through which a first portion of a flat wiring member is routed(1a is routed through 3); a second case including a second passage through which a second portion of the flat wiring member is routed(1b is routed through 4); and a rotating structure configured to be able to rotate the second case relative to the first case(6 is a rotating structure), wherein the second case holds the second portion so as to form a folded portion between the first portion and the second portion(4 holds 1b to form a folded portion, see Fig. 3), and the rotating structure is configured such that rotation of the second case relative to the first case changes an intersection angle of the second portion with respect to the first portion at the folded portion(the rotating structure causes a change of the intersection angle between 1a and 1b, see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 2, Tsukamoto teaches the protector according to claim 1, wherein the rotating structure includes: a recess disposed in one case out of the first case and the second case(shaft mounting hole 10 is a recess) and a support shaft disposed in the other case out of the first case and the second case and inserted into the recess(6 is a support shaft and is dispose on 3 and inserted into shaft mounting hole 10), and the rotating structure rotates the second case relative to the first case about a central axis of the support shaft as a rotation center(the rotating structure rotates about a central axis of the support shaft as a rotation center, see Figs. 1-3).
Regarding claim 4, Tsukamoto teaches the protector according to claim 2, wherein the second case has an edge having a straight shape and capable of supporting the folded portion from inside(4 has a straight shape and supports 1b inside the prongs 9),a rotational position at which the second case rotates relative to the first case includes a predetermined rotational position(rotational positions may be predetermined between 3 and 4) , the flat wiring member is folded back, when the rotational position of the second case is the predetermined rotational position(see Fig. 1, 1a and 1b are folded back such that they are parallel), such that an extending direction of the first portion and an extending direction of the second portion are parallel to each other, the edge is disposed so as to support the folded portion from the inside when the rotational position of the second case is the predetermined rotational position(prongs 9 are an edge that support the folded portion 1b of the flat wire), and the rotation center at which the second case rotates relative to the first case is located on a line along the edge(see line Z below, the rotation center is located on a line along the edge).
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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) 3 and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamamoto (U.S. Pat. No. US 20070087620 A1).
Regarding claim 3, Yamamoto teaches the protector according to claim 1, wherein the rotating structure includes: a guide groove and disposed in one case out of the first case and the second case; and a protrusion disposed in the other case out of the first case and the second case and inserted into the guide groove(see D below showing a guide groove and a protrusion) , and the rotating structure guides the protrusion along the guide groove to rotate the second case relative to the first case(the protrusion is guided into the groove when the rotating structure rotates about line C).
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Yamamoto does not teach a pair of guide grooves and protrusions or that they are arc shaped. Mere duplication of parts has no patentable significance unless a new and unexpected result is produce.(see MPEP 2144.04 VI B. Duplication of Parts) Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the protector of Yamamoto and duplicate the grooves and protrusions. The motivation would have been to create a stronger connection between the two pieces.
Changes in shape are also considered routine expedients that require only ordinary skill in the art.(See MPEP 2144.04 IV B. Changes in Shape) Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the protector of Yamamoto and cause the groove to be in an arc shape. The motivation would have been to create a stronger connection between the two pieces.
Regarding claim 5, Yamamoto as modified teaches the protector according to claim 3, wherein the second case has an edge having a straight shape and capable of supporting the folded portion from inside(second case B has an edge E having a straight shape and capable of supporting the folded position from inside), a rotational position at which the second case rotates relative to the first case includes a predetermined rotational position(the rotational positions may be predetermined, see Fig. 27(b) for a predetermined position),the flat wiring member is folded back, when the rotational position of the second case is the predetermined rotational position, such that an extending direction of the first portion and an extending direction of the second portion are parallel to each other(see Fig. 27(b) where the flat wire is folded back relative to Fig 27(c) and the extending directions of the first and second portion are parallel), the edge is disposed so as to support the folded portion from the inside when the rotational position of the second case is the predetermined rotational position(the edge E of second case B is disposed to support the folded portion from inside when in the predetermined rotational position), and the rotation center at which the second case rotates relative to the first case is located on a line along the edge.(the rotation center of C is located on the edge E)
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsukamoto(Japanese Pat. No. JP 2002084638 A) in view of Ichikawa(JP 2020021595 A).
Regarding claim 6, Tsukamoto teaches the protector according to claim 1, a flat wiring member(1a and 1b). Tsukamoto does not teach a busbar module comprising: a connector connected to the flat wiring member; and a plurality of busbars connected to the flat wiring member and connectable to an electrode of a battery cell(see Figs. 1 and 2 showing a plurality of bus bars connected to the flat wiring member and connectable to an electrode of a battery cell).
Ichikawa teaches a busbar module comprising: a connector connected to the flat wiring member(see Fig. 1 and 2 showing the flat wiring member connected to a connector 30); and a plurality of busbars connected to the flat wiring member and connectable to an electrode of a battery cell.
Tsukamoto and Ichikawa are analogous because they are from the same field of endeavor or a similar problem-solving area e.g. providing a structure for supporting an object. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the protector of Tsukamoto with the busbar module of Ichikawa. The motivation would have been to provide a circuit with a connector and busbar module that can save a space even when connection objects that are electrically connected to each other are arranged close to each other(see Ichikawa Abstract).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM DONALD JOHNSON whose telephone number is (571) 272-9214. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th between 7:30 AM and 5:30 PM.
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/W.D.J./Examiner, Art Unit 3631
/ANNA M MOMPER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3619
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