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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on June 3, 2025 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendment filed June 3, 2025 has been entered. Claims 9-11 are new; support for the new claims can be found at least in paragraphs [0021], [0033], [0035], and [0055] and in Figures 2 and 3(A)-3(B) of the Instant Specification. Claims 1-2, 4-7, and 9-11 remain pending and have been examined on their merits in this office action.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed June 3, 2025 have been fully considered. Applicant argues that a) Kakimura in view of Fuji fails to provide for the aspects of parent claim 1 regarding "in an arrangement direction in which the battery stack and the cooling plate are aligned with respect to each other" and related requirements involving the cooling plate and b) Kakimura in view of Fuji fails to provide for the aspects of parent claim because, specifically, the alleged protrusion of Kakimura is not "spaced apart from an end of the first part of the side separator."
Regarding argument A, Applicant’s argument has been fully considered but are considered moot in view of the new grounds of rejection below.
Regarding argument B, Applicant argues that if one were to modify the convex part of Kakimura to meet the claim limitation of being spaced apart from an end of the first part of the side separator would contradict the intended purpose of Kakimura's protrusion to block water movement toward the battery stack. Kakimura further teaches when the energy storage apparatus is disposed with the drain portion positioned at a lower end portion of the energy storage apparatus, water of condensation or the like occurring on each of the faces of the retaining member facing the energy storage device is drained outside through the drain portion and therefore the water is less likely to be accumulated in the retaining member (see e.g., paragraph [0028]), and teaches even if the water remains undrained from an end portion in the second direction of the retaining member through the drain portion, the water is prevented by the convex part from flowing toward the energy storage device (see e.g., paragraph [0030]). Therefore, Kakimura's intended purpose of blocking water movement toward the battery stack caused by condensation and the like is not in direct contradiction of the possible modification of the convex part to meet Applicant's claim limitation as the water movement would be able to drain between the space between the retaining members and the modified convex part of Kakimura. Therefore, Applicant's argument B has been fully considered but is not persuasive.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-2, 4-7, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kakimura (Published U.S. Patent Application US 2019/0051871 A1) in view of Asai et al. (WO 2012133709 A1), hereinafter referred to as Asai.
Regarding claim 1, Kakimura teaches an energy storage apparatus (“a battery module”) (see e.g., Abstract). Kakimura teaches the energy storage apparatus 1 include a plurality of energy storage devices 10 arranged in a predetermined direction (X-axis direction) (“a battery stack having a plurality of batteries that are stacked”) (see e.g., paragraph [0039]). Kakimura teaches a retaining member 4 that includes coupling members 42 (see e.g., paragraph [0052]) that are disposed on opposite sides of the plurality of energy storage devices 10 in the Y-axis direction (“a restraint member that sandwiches the plurality of batteries in a stacking direction of the batteries”) (see e.g., paragraph [0054]). Kakimura teaches the coupling member 42 includes a main body portion 420 facing the energy storage devices 10 in the Y-axis direction (“a flat surface elongated in the stacking direction along the battery stack”) and a second extending portion 422 (“a pair of arms protruding from an end of the flat surface toward the battery stack and facing each other in the arrangement direction”) (see e.g., paragraph [0054]). Kakimura teaches insulators disposed between each of the coupling members 42 and the plurality of energy storage devices 10 arranged in the X-axis direction (“the battery module further comprising a side separator”) (see e.g., paragraph [0063]). Kakimura teaches the insulators 6 include a main body cover portion 60 that covers the face of the main body portion 420 facing the energy storage devices 10 (“a first part elongated along the battery stack in the stacking direction and interposed between the battery stack and the flat surface of the restraint member”) (see e.g., paragraph [0064]), a second cover 62 that extends from a boundary positive between the second extending portion 422 and the main body portion 420 to a tip end (“a second part protruding from the first part toward the battery stack”) (see e.g., paragraph [0066] and Figure 1), and a first cover portion 61 that covers at least a face of the first extending portion 421 facing the energy storage devices 10 (“a third part protruding from the first part toward the battery stack and interposed between the battery stack and other arm of the pair of arms of the restraint member”) (see e.g., paragraph [0065] and Figure 1). Kakimura teaches each of the insulators 6 has a convex part 65 positioned astride the main body portion 420 and the second extending portion 422 between each of the end members 41 and the energy storage device 10 adjacent to the end member 41 (“a protrusion protruding from an end of the second part in the stacking direction toward the battery stack”) (see e.g., paragraph [0069]).
Kakimura does not explicitly teach a cooling plate thermally connected to the battery stack, the restraint member that sandwiches the battery stack and the cooling plate in an arrangement direction in which the battery stack and the cooling plate are aligned with respect to each other, the second part is interposed between the cooling plate and one arm of the pair of arms of the restraint member, wherein when viewed from the stacking direction, the protrusion overlaps with the cooling plate, and the protrusion is spaced apart from an end of the first part of the side separator.
However, Asai teaches a power source device provided with a battery stack formed by stacking a plurality of square battery cells (see e.g., Abstract). Asai teaches the power source device includes a heat transfer member such as a heat conductive sheet 12 that is excellent in heat conduction (see e.g., paragraph [0068]) and disposed below the stack of battery cells (see e.g., Figure 5). The heat conductive sheet of Asai meets the claim limitation of “a cooling plate thermally connected to the battery stack” because the heat conductive sheet is excellent in heat conduction as is the cooling plate described in the Instant Specification paragraph [0026]). Asai teaches the heat conductive sheet is sandwiched between the battery stack and fastening members 4 that are arranged on both side surfaces of the battery stack (see e.g., Figure 12). Asai teaches the heat conductive sheet excellent in heat conduction enhances the safety and reliability of the power source device (see e.g., paragraph [0068]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that one of ordinary skill would modify the energy storage apparatus of Kakimura to include a heat conductive sheet disposed between the battery stack and fastening members, as taught by Asai, in order to enhance the safety and reliability of the power source device (see e.g., paragraph [0068]).
Thus, Kakimura, as modified by Asai, would teach the heat conductive sheet disposed on the bottom of the battery stack and, thus, sandwiched between the battery stack and the coupling members (“the restraint member that sandwiches the battery stack and the cooling plate in an arrangement direction in which the battery stack and the cooling plate are aligned with respect to each other”) (see e.g., Kakimura paragraph [0054]). Kakimura, as modified by Asai, teaches the second cover 62 is interposed between the cooling plate that extends from a boundary positive between the second extending portion 422 and the main body portion 420 to a tip end and the second extending portion 422 (“the second part is interposed between the cooling plate and one arm of the pair of arms of the restraint member”). Kakimura, as modified by Asai, teaches the convex part 65 overlaps with the cooling plate (“wherein when viewed from the stacking direction, the protrusion overlaps with the cooling plate”).
Kakimura, as modified by Asai, teaches the convex part 65 protrudes from the second cover portion 62 and is inline with the main body 60 in the stacking direction (see e.g., Figures 8-9). It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that one of ordinary skill would modify the convex part of Kakimura, as modified by Asai, to be spaced apart from the face of the main body portion (“the protrusion is spaced apart from an end of the first part of the side separator”) as the convex part of Kakimura, as modified by Asai, performs functionally the same as the protrusion as taught by the Instant Application as the convex part would prevent the movement of the cooling plate of Kakimura, as modified by Asai, along the stacking direction and because it has been held that is a claimed invention reads on the prior art except with regard to the position of a component of a device, the invention is unpatentable if switching the position of the component would have not modified the operation of the device. In re Japikse, 181, F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950) (see MPEP 2144.04).
Regarding claim 2, Kakimura, as modified by Asai, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 1, as previously described.
Kakimura teaches the retaining member 4 includes paired end members (end portions) 41 disposed on opposite sides of the energy storage devices 10 in the X-axis direction and coupling member (coupling portions) 42 for coupling the paired end members (“a pair of end plates disposed at both ends of the battery stack in the stacking direction”) (see e.g., paragraph [0052]). Kakimura teaches the end extending portions 423 extending along the end members 41 from the main body portion 420 sandwiching the battery stack in the stacking direction (“wherein the restraint member sandwiches the plurality of batteries with both ends in the stacking direction of the flat surface being engaged with the pair of end plates”) (see e.g., paragraph [0054] and Figure 2).
Kakimura, as modified by Asai, teaches the coupling members 42 that are disposed on opposite sides of the plurality of energy storage devices 10 in the Y-axis direction sandwiches the battery stack and the cooling plate with the second extending portion 422 (“wherein the restraint member sandwiches the battery stack and the cooling plate with the pair of arms”) (see e.g., paragraph [0054]).
Regarding claim 4, Kakimura, as modified by Asai, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 1, as previously described.
Kakimura teaches the second cover portion 62 is elongated in the stacking direction (“wherein the second part is elongated in the stacking direction”) (see e.g., Figure 7).
Regarding claim 5, Kakimura, as modified by Asai, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 1, as previously described.
Kakimura, as modified by Asai, does not explicitly teach the battery module further comprising a heat conductive layer having insulating properties interposed between the battery stack and the cooling plate.
Asai teaches an additional insulating film can be interposed on the heat conductive sheet in order to reliably maintain the insulating properties (“the battery module further comprising a heat conductive layer having insulating properties interposed between the battery stack and the cooling plate”) (see e.g., paragraph [0068]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that one of ordinary skill would modify the heat conductive sheet in the energy storage apparatus of Kakimura, as modified by Asai, to include an additional insulating film, as taught by Asai, in order to reliably maintain the insulating properties (see e.g., paragraph [0068]).
Regarding claim 6, Kakimura, as modified by Asai, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 5, as previously described.
Kakimura, as modified by Asai, does not explicitly teach the heat conductive layer is pressed by the battery stack and the cooling plate and then is elastically deformed or plastically deformed.
However, Asai teaches the heat conductive layer with the additional insulating film has a certain degree of elasticity to conform the battery cells to improve the insulation (see e.g., paragraph [0068]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that one of ordinary skill would modify the heat conductive sheet of Kakimura, as modified by Asai, to have elasticity to conform to the shape of the battery stack, as taught by Asai, in order to improve the insulation (see e.g., paragraph [0068]).
Regarding claim 7, Kakimura, as modified by Asai, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 1, as previously described.
As previously described in claim 1, Asai teaches the heat conductive sheet is sandwiched between the fastening members and the bottom surface of the battery pack and does not include a screw to connect the heat conductive sheet and the fastening members (“the battery stack and the cooling plate are fastened together by the restrain member with a screw directly connecting the battery stack and the cooling plate”) (see e.g., Figure 5).
Regarding claim 9, Kakimura, as modified by Asai, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 1, as previously described.
Kakimura, as modified by Asai, does not explicitly teach the battery module further comprising a heat conductive layer having insulating properties interposed between the battery stack and the cooling plate, wherein the protrusion overlaps the heat conductive layer when viewed from the stacking direction.
Asai teaches an additional insulating film can be interposed on the heat conductive sheet in order to reliably maintain the insulating properties (“the battery module further comprising a heat conductive layer having insulating properties interposed between the battery stack and the cooling plate”) (see e.g., paragraph [0068]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that one of ordinary skill would modify the heat conductive sheet in the energy storage apparatus of Kakimura, as modified by Asai, to include an additional insulating film, as taught by Asai, in order to reliably maintain the insulating properties (see e.g., paragraph [0068]).
Thus, Kakimura, as modified by Asai, would teach the additional insulation layer on the heat conductive sheet disposed on the bottom of the battery stack and, thus, sandwiched between the battery stack and the coupling members (see e.g., Kakimura paragraph [0054]). Kakimura, as modified by Asai, teaches the convex part 65 overlaps with the cooling plate (“wherein the protrusion overlaps the heat conductive layer when viewed from the stacking direction”).
Regarding claim 11, Kakimura, as modified by Asai, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 1, as previously described.
Kakimura, as modified by Asai, teaches the second extending portion 422 of the coupling member 42 face each other and sandwich the battery stack and the heat conduction sheet (see e.g., paragraph [0054] and Figure 2).
Claims 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kakimura (Published U.S. Patent Application US 2019/0051871 A1) in view of Asai et al. (WO 2012133709 A1), and further in view of Sakurai (Published U.S. Patent Application US 20160240827 A1).
Regarding claim 10, Kakimura, as modified by Asai, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 1, as previously described.
Kakimura teaches a pair of end members 41 disposed on the end of the battery stack (“a pair of end plate disposed at both ends of the battery stack in the stacking direction”) (see e.g., paragraph [0053] and Figure 2).
Kakimura, as modified by Asai, does not explicitly teach
However, Sakurai teaches a power storage module 60 includes end plates 62a and 62b (see e.g., paragraph [0038]). Sakurai teaches the end plates include bended end portions 66a that are bent in the stacking direction that include a plurality of screw holes 68a orthogonal to the stacking direction (“wherein each end plate has fastening holes on a surface facing in an orthogonal direction orthogonal to the stacking direction”) (see e.g., paragraph [0038] and Figure 6). Sakurai teaches the power storage module 60 includes a pair of connection bars 70a and 70b that has a tubular shape extending in the stacking direction (“a contact plate is fixed to a region of the flat surface facing each end plate”) wherein there are a plurality of hole portion 72a and 72b (“the contact plate is provided with first through holes that penetrate the contact plate in the orthogonal direction at positions corresponding to the fastening holes, the flat surface has second through holes penetrating the flat surface in the orthogonal direction at positions corresponding to the first through holes”) (see e.g., paragraph [0040]). Sakurai teaches screws 74a and 74b are inserted into holes 72a and 72b and are screwed into screw holes 68a and 68b so as to fix the connection bars 70a and 70b and the end plates 62a and 62b to each other (“the pair of end plates and the restraint member are aligned with each other such that the fastening holes, the first through holes, and the second through holes overlap each other, and fastening members are inserted into the second through holes and the first through holes and fastened into the fastening holes, and, as a result, the pair of end plates and the restraint member are fixed to each other”) (see e.g., paragraph [0040]) in order to prevent the creation of local stress on the power storage module with a simple and economical configuration (see e.g., paragraph [0041]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that one of ordinary skill would modify the end members and fastening members of Kakimura, as modified by Asai, to fasten the restraining members with the end plates by modifying the end plates to have holes orthogonal to the stacking direction and the restraining members have holes facing the surface of the stacking direction, as taught by Sakurai, in order to prevent the creation of local stress on the power storage module with a simple and economical configuration (see e.g., paragraph [0041]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Katherine N Higgins whose telephone number is (703)756-1196. The examiner can normally be reached Mondays - Thursdays 7:30-4:30 EST, Fridays 7:30 - 11:30 EST.
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/KATHERINE N HIGGINS/Examiner, Art Unit 1728
/MATTHEW T MARTIN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1728
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