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 .
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendment filed 12/26/2025 has been entered. Claims 1-15 are currently pending. Claim 1 is amended. Claims 14-15 are new. Support for the new and amended claims is found in paragraph 0062 of the present specification as well as figures 4-5 and the claims as originally filed.
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 1-7, 9-10, and 12-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jing et al. (CN 108417751 A).
Regarding claim 1, Jing discloses a box configured to be disposed on a main body of an electric device (paragraph 0007), comprising: a bottom plate having an outer wall surface facing outward from the box (paragraph 0007, figures 1 and 3, bottom shell 300); and a mounting beam disposed on the outer wall surface of the bottom plate (paragraphs 0063, figures 1 and 3, support beam 400), wherein the mounting beam is configured to connect to the main body (paragraph 0063), the mounting beam comprises a connecting portion, the connecting portion is configured to be connected to the bottom plate (paragraphs 0064-0065, figures 1 and 6-8, connecting section 401), and at least a portion of the connecting portion is in contact with the outer wall surface (paragraphs 0065-0065, figures 1 and 6-8).
Regarding claim 2, Jing disclose the limitations of claim 1. Jing further discloses that the mounting beam further comprises a beam body, wherein the beam body is configured to connect to the main body, and the connecting portion is disposed on the beam body (paragraphs 0063-0065, figures 1, 3, and 6-8, support beam 400 and connecting section 401).
Regarding claim 3, Jing discloses the limitations of claim 2. Jing further discloses that the connecting portion extends outward from the beam body and beyond the beam body (figures 1, 3, and 6-10, connecting portion 401).
Regarding claim 4, Jing discloses the limitations of claim 2. Jing further discloses that the beam body is spaced apart from the outer wall surface (paragraphs 0070-0073, support beams 400 may be attached to support beams 301 which are attached to the bottom shell, not directly attached to or supporting bottom shell, support beams 301 provide a buffer, spacing beams 400 from the shell).
Regarding claim 5, Jing discloses the limitations of claim 2. Jing further discloses that the beam body is provided with a mounting structure, the beam body is configured to be connected to the main body through the mounting structure, and along a thickness direction of the bottom plate, a projection of the mounting structure is located within a projection of the connecting portion (paragraphs 0063-0064, figures 1, 3, and 9-10, guide sleeve 500 passes through mounting holes 402 of the connecting portion and connects to the main body, a vehicle, via connecting hole 502).
Regarding claim 6, Jing discloses the limitations of claim 2. Jing further discloses that the beam body abuts against the outer wall surface (paragraph 0063, figure 1).
Regarding claim 7, Jing discloses the limitations of claim 2. Jing further discloses that an entirety of the connecting portion is configured to be symmetrically arranged with respect to a central axis of the beam body (paragraph 0064, figure 3).
Regarding claim 9, Jing discloses the limitations of claim 1. Jing further discloses that the connecting portion is one of a plurality of connecting portions spaced apart from each other (paragraph 0064, figure 1, connecting section 401 on each end).
Regarding claim 10, Jing discloses the limitations of claim 1. Jing further discloses that the mounting beam further comprises a beam body (paragraph 0063, figures 1, 3, 6-8, support beam 400), wherein a portion of the beam body facing the outer wall surface forms the connecting portion (connecting sections 401), a portion of the beam body facing away from the outer wall surface forms a mounting portion, the mounting portion is configured to connect to the main body, and along a thickness direction of the bottom plate, a projection of the mounting portion is located within a projection of the connecting portion (paragraphs 0063-0064, figures 1, 3, and 9-10, guide sleeve 500 passes through mounting holes 402 of the connecting portion and connects to the main body, a vehicle, via connecting hole 502, the mounting hole 402 and connecting hole 402 extend through both sides of the beam, meeting the claimed limitations).
Regarding claim 12, Jing discloses the limitations of claim 1. Jing further discloses a battery, comprising a battery cell and the box, wherein the battery cell is located within the box (paragraphs 0007, 0056).
Regarding claim 13, Jing discloses the limitations of claim 12. Jing further discloses an electric device, comprising a main body and the battery, wherein the box of the battery is disposed on the main body, and the battery is configured to provide electrical energy (paragraphs 0056, 0063, battery electrical box is connected to the bottom of a vehicle).
Regarding claim 14, Jing discloses a box configured to be disposed on a main body of an electric device (paragraph 0007), comprising: a bottom plate having an outer wall surface (paragraph 0007, figures 1 and 3, bottom shell 300); and a mounting beam, wherein the mounting beam is configured to connect to the main body (paragraphs 0063, figures 1 and 3, support beam 400), the mounting beam comprises a beam body and a plurality of connecting portions disposed on the beam body and spaced apart from each other along a longitudinal direction of the mounting beam (paragraph 0064, figure 1, support beam 401, connecting sections 401 on each end), the connecting portions are configured to be connected to the bottom plate, and at least a portion of each connecting portion is in contact with the outer wall surface (paragraphs 0064-0065, figures 1 and 6-8, connecting section 401).
Regarding claim 15, Jing discloses a box configured to be disposed on a main body of an electric device (paragraph 0007), comprising: a bottom plate having an outer wall surface (paragraph 0007, figures 1 and 3, bottom shell 300); and a mounting beam, wherein the mounting beam is configured to connect to the main body (paragraphs 0063, figures 1 and 3, support beam 400), and the mounting beam comprises: a connecting portion, wherein the connecting portion is configured to be connected to the bottom plate, and at least a portion of the connecting portion is in contact with the outer wall surface (paragraphs 0064-0065, figures 1 and 6-8, connecting section 401); and a beam body spaced apart from the outer wall surface (paragraphs 0070-0073, support beams 400 may be attached to support beams 301 which are attached to the bottom shell, not directly attached to or supporting bottom shell, support beams 301 provide a buffer, spacing beams 400 from the shell).
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 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jing et al. (CN 108417751 A) in view of Tan et al. (US 20230261305 A1).
Regarding claim 8, Jing discloses the limitations of claim 2. Jing is silent regarding wherein the bottom plate is provided with the beam body along a central axis thereof.
Tan discloses a battery pack comprising a top and bottom plate, a mounting beam, and a connection assembly which couples with the mounting beam (Tan paragraph 0006). Tan further discloses that the mounting beam is located at the center of the battery pack in the width direction and extends longitudinally. The reference teaches that this improves the stability of the connection between a central position of the battery pack and the mounting point, alleviating vibration of the central position relative to the mounting point (Tan paragraph 0076, figure 3, equivalent to being located on a central axis of bottom plate 1). Tan and Jing are analogous because they both disclose mounting beams for battery housings.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the mounting beam disclosed by Jing to be located on the central axis of the bottom plate as disclosed by Tan. Doing so would alleviate vibration and improve stability.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jing et al. (CN 108417751 A) in view of Wang et al. (US 20230082924 A1, referred to herein as “Wang”) and Wang et al. (US 20230231227 A1, referred to herein as US ‘227).
Regarding claim 11, Jing discloses the limitations of claim 1. Jing is silent regarding wherein the bottom plate is provided with a flow channel, wherein the flow channel accommodates a heat exchange medium, and along a thickness direction of the bottom plate, a projection of the flow channel is separated from a projection of the connecting portion.
Wang discloses a battery pack housing comprising a top plate and a bottom plate (Wang paragraph 0031, figure 1). Wang further discloses that the housing comprises side beams that are connected to the bottom plate, and include mounting portions configured to connect to an external load (Wang paragraphs 0036, 0038, 0051, 0053, figures 1-2). The reference teaches that the bottom plate comprises a flow channel which is integrally formed by extrusion to simplify processing and reduce cost (Wang paragraph 0075, figures 1-2, 11, flow channel 114 does not overlap with a projection of the beam portion in a thickness direction). Wang and Jing are analogous because they both disclose battery housings with mounting structures.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the battery housing disclosed by Jing to include a flow channel in the bottom plate as disclosed by Wang. Doing so would provide a flow channel with simplified processing and reduced cost.
US ‘227 discloses a battery assembly comprising a tray which includes a bottom plate with a flow channel formed on the bottom plate (US ‘227 paragraph 0005). US ‘227 further discloses that the flow channel in the bottom plate accommodates cooling liquid (US ‘227 paragraph 0091). The reference teaches that the flow of the cooling liquid within the flow channels effective cools the cells above (US ‘227 paragraphs 0062, 0091). US ‘227 and Jing are analogous because they both disclose bottom plates for batter module housings.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the housing disclosed by Jing in view of Wang to include cooling medium accommodated in the flow channel as disclosed by US ‘227. Doing so would effective cool the battery cells.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-15 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
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/B.T.L./ Examiner, Art Unit 1727
/Maria Laios/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1727
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