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`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`
`17/634,047
`
`02/09/2022
`
`Keisuke SHIMIZU
`
`065933-0827
`
`1549
`
`Rimon PC - Pansonic Corporation
`8300 Greensboro Dr.
`Suite 500
`McLean, VA 22102
`
`GARCIA, BETHANY CLAIRE
`
`1721
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`02/15/2024
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above-indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e-mail address(es):
`USPTOmail@rimonlaw.com
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`171634,047
`SHIMIZU etal.
`
`Office Action Summary Art Unit|AIA (FITF)StatusExaminer
`BETHANY C GARCIA
`1721
`Yes
`
`
`
`-- The MAILING DATEof this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORYPERIOD FOR REPLYIS SET TO EXPIRE 3 MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensionsof time may be available underthe provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply betimely filed after SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing
`date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, evenif timely filed, may reduce any earned patent term
`adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
`
`
`
`1) Responsive to communication(s) filed on 1/3/2024.
`C} A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/werefiled on
`2a)[¥) This action is FINAL.
`2b) (J This action is non-final.
`3) An election was madeby the applicant in responseto a restriction requirement set forth during the interview
`on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`4)(2) Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Exparte Quayle, 1935 C.D. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`6-7 and 10 is/are pending in the application.
`)
`Claim(s)
`5a) Of the above claim(s) _ is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`C) Claim(s)
`is/are allowed.
`Claim(s) 6-7 and 10 is/are rejected.
`(] Claim(s)__ is/are objectedto.
`C] Claim(s
`are subjectto restriction and/or election requirement
`)
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you maybeeligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init_events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPHfeedback@uspto.gov.
`
`) ) ) )
`
`Application Papers
`10) The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)0) The drawing(s) filedon__ is/are: a)(J accepted or b)( objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121(d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12)7) Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d)or (f).
`Certified copies:
`c)Z None ofthe:
`b)() Some**
`a)C All
`1.1.) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.2) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.1.) Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been receivedin this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`*“ See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`1) [[] Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`2) (J Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3)
`
`4)
`
`(LJ Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`(Qj Other:
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20240131
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/634,047
`Art Unit: 1721
`
`Page 2
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`Notice of Pre-AlA orAIA Status
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`The presentapplication,filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first
`
`inventorto file provisions of the AIA.
`
`Status of Claims
`
`e Claim6 has been amendedby Applicant
`
`e
`
`Claims 6, 7, and 10 are under examination
`
`Response to Arguments
`
`Applicant's argumentsfiled 1/3/2024 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
`
`Applicant has added limitations to Claim 6 that require the fire extinguishing agent sheet be comprised
`
`of “asheet-shaped product made from fire extinguishing agent powders, wherein the sheet-shaped
`
`product has athrough hole.” Regarding the art of record, Applicant argues “Tang does not teach that
`
`fire extinguishing powders are shaped in a sheet-shaped product having a through hole.”
`
`Tang discloses the powderedfire extinguishing agent is applied to the cavities of the ceramic
`
`honeycomb sheet and absorbedin the cavities (Tang, [0040]), therefore the powder would correspond
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`to the same structure of the sheet. Examiner has added a drawing of Tang’s sheet tothe rejection
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`below. Examiner also notes Tang discloses the sheet-shaped product has at least one through hole, as
`
`Tang’s honeycomb ceramic sheet has porosity of 75% to 90% ([0039]).
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a
`
`prior Office action.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/634,047
`Art Unit: 1721
`
`Page 3
`
`Claims 6, 7, and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al., US
`
`20190097192 A1, and further in view of Tang et al., CN 107887550 A.
`
`Regarding Claim 6, Kim discloses a power storage pack (battery module 10 comprising a case
`
`frame 200 and a case cover 300 [0032, 0067], Fig. 5) comprising at least one storage device that
`
`discharges a gas producedinside the exterior body (battery cells 100, gas g shown to be discharged from
`
`battery cells during ignition [0060], as shown in Fig. 5);
`
`a fire extinguishing agent sheet having a through hole (flame retardant member 380 disclosed as
`
`a filter [0076]; claims also read on pre-filter 390 [0067-0068]; both elements shown in Fig. 5); and
`
`a case that stores the storage device and thefire extinguishing agent sheet (case cover 300 and
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`case frame 200 are coupled together [0037-0039], Fig. 5), wherein the fire extinguishing agent sheetis
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`provided such that the gas flows in the through hole (gas g passes through the flame-retardant member
`
`380 [0071], Fig. 5).
`
`Kim is silent to explicitly disclosing the storage device includes a gas discharging part. However,
`
`this aspect is disclosed by Tanget al.
`
`Tang discloses a battery module comprising numerous battery cells, with an explosion-proof
`
`hole 32 on each battery cell (Tang, [0025, 0043], Fig. 5). Tang discloses during an event such as thermal
`
`runaway, the explosion-proof hole provides a direction for the gas and high temperature material to exit
`
`the battery cell ({0026]).
`
`It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to put a gas
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`discharging part on each battery of Kim, in order to provide direction for gas and high temperature
`
`material to exit the battery cell.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/634,047
`Art Unit: 1721
`
`Page 4
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`Kim is also silent to explicitly disclosing the fire extinguishing agent sheet is comprised of a
`
`sheet-shaped product made from a plurality of fire extinguishing agent powders, wherein the sheet-
`
`shaped product has a through hole. However, these limitations are disclosed by Tang.
`
`Tang discloses a sheet-shaped honeycomb ceramic layer 11 for a battery module, wherein a
`
`owdered fire extinguishing agent is stored in cavities of the honeycomb (Tang,
`
`[0038-0040],
`
`Fig. 2).
`
`Tang discloses the honeycomb plate the sheet-shaped honeycomb plate has a through hole (sheet has
`
`orosity of 75% to 90% [0039])
`
`and placed above an explosion-proof hole of a battery
`
`([0025]). Tan
`
`discloses the honeycomb plate has good mechanical and insulating fire-proof properties, reduces the
`
`likelinood_ of thermal runaway, and is compact ([0027, 0045)).
`
`It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effectivefiling date
`
`of the claimed invention to have a sheet-shapedfire extinguishing agent comprised of a plurality of fire
`
`extinguishing agent powders, with a through-hole, as disclosed by Tang, in the power storage pack of
`
`modified Kim, in order to provide mechanical structure and fire-proof the gas coming from the
`
`explosion-proof hole of the batteries.
`
`
`
`Tang et al., CN 1078875504 — Fig. 2
`
`See marked up figures of Kim with modifications of Tang below.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/634,047
`Art Unit: 1721
`
`Page5S
`
`wee
`
`oll
`
`
`
`Honeycomb
`of Tang
`
`oreotvalves
`of Tang
`
`Kim et al., US 20190097192 A1 — Fig. 5 (left), and Modified Kim (right)
`
`Regarding Claim 7, Modified Kim discloses all limitations as set forth above. Modified Kim
`
`discloses the case has an opening that opens at least after the gas is discharged and connects spaces
`
`inside and outside the case (cover outlet 350 allows the gas generated during the ignition of the battery
`
`cells to be discharged out of the battery module [0057], Fig. 5), and a gas flow passage leading fromthe
`
`gas discharging part tothe openingis formed in the case (gas follows a path from guide opening 325
`
`[0044] to cover outlet 350 [0044-0057], path includes second guide barrier 330 and third guide barrier
`
`340 [0047, 0051]), gas path shown byarrowsin Fig. 5), and thefire extinguishing agent sheetis provided
`
`in the gas flow passage (flame-retardant member 380 may be disposed between the second guide
`
`barrier 330 and the third guide barrier 340 [0063], Fig. 5).
`
`Regarding Claim 10, Modified Kim disclosesall limitations as set forth above. Modified Kim
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`discloses the power storage packincludes a plurality of storage devices(plurality of battery cells 100
`
`[0034]), the case has a commongas discharging area that the gas discharging part of each storage device
`
`communicates with (guide opening 325 directs gas fromthe plurality of battery cells [0044], Fig. 5), and
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/634,047
`Art Unit: 1721
`
`Page 6
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`the fire extinguishing agent sheet is provided in the commongas discharging area (gas g passes through
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`the flame-retardant member 380 [0071], Fig. 5).
`
`Conclusion
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`Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presentedin this Office
`
`action. Accordingly, THIS ACTIONIS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the
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`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
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`the mailing date of this action.
`
`In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS ofthe mailing date
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`of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH
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`shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory
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`action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing
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`date of the advisory action.
`
`In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than
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`SIX MONTHS from the date ofthis final action.
`
`Anyinquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner
`
`should be directed to BETHANY C GARCIA whose telephone number is (571)272-2475. The examiner can
`
`normally be reached Mon-Fri, 0800 - 1730 MT.
`
`Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a
`
`USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use
`
`the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
`
`If attempts to reachthe examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor,
`
`Allison Bourke can be reached on 303-297-4684. The fax phone number for the organization wherethis
`
`application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/634,047
`Art Unit: 1721
`
`Page 7
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`
`/BETHANY C GARCIA/
`Examiner, Art Unit 1721
`
`/MAYLA GONZALEZ RAMOS/
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1721
`
`