DETAILED ACTION
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 December 15, 2025 has been entered.
Claims 1, 13, 18, 21 and 23 are currently amended. Claims 1-9 and 11-23 are pending review in this action. The previous objections to the claims are withdrawn in light of Applicant’s corresponding amendments.
New grounds of rejection necessitated by Applicant’s amendments are presented below.
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.
Claims 1-4, 8, 11-13, 16-21 and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2011/0200856, hereinafter Yasui ‘856 in view of U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2012/0270097, hereinafter Yasui ‘097.
Regarding claim 1, Yasui ‘856 teaches a battery pack (400/500, “battery device”). The battery pack (400/500, “battery device”) includes four battery modules (100) (paragraph [0094] and figures 13A and 13B).
Each battery module (100) includes a module housing (50) and a plurality of battery cells (paragraph [0054]). The module housing (50) comprises a bottom wall (“base element”) and side walls (“frame element”). The side walls together form a surrounding wall. The surrounding wall surrounds all of the plurality of battery cells.
The battery modules (100) are arranged along a stacking direction (figures 13A and 13B).
In an embodiment, Yasui ‘856 teaches a cooling pipe (70A), which serves as the housing (paragraph [0088] and figure 10). In this embodiment, the cooling pipe (70A) is the surrounding wall. The cooling pipe (70A) conveys a circulating cooling medium and thus is a temperature control device comprising a temperature control channel for conveying a temperature control medium.
The temperature control channel is delimited by the surrounding wall.
An inner surface of the surrounding wall is curved inwardly in a radial direction towards the battery cells to form receptacles accommodating the battery cells (figure 10). The radial direction is transverse to the stacking direction.
Yasui ‘856 fails to teach a receptacle, wherein a clamping element or a screw is guidable through the receptacle for clamping or screwing the battery modules together.
Yasui ‘097 shares inventors with Yasui ‘856. Yasui ‘097 teaches a plurality of battery modules (100) stacked along a stacking direction and jointed together via joints (40, “receptacles”) (paragraph [0032] and figures 2 and 3). The joints (40, “receptacle”) are shown to have openings (figure 2) – therefore a screw is guidable through them for screwing the battery modules (100) together.
Therefore it would have been obvious to the ordinarily skilled artist before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement joints (“receptacles”) for the purpose of securely holding Yasui ‘856’s battery modules (100) together.
In the combination of Yasui ‘856 and Yasui ‘097, the surrounding wall would be curved inwardly at a portion of the surrounding wall where the joint (“receptacles”) are attached.
Regarding claim 2, Yasui ‘856 teaches that the side walls (“frame element”) of each battery module (100) form housing portions of the battery pack (400/500, “battery device”) (figures 13A and 13B).
Regarding claim 3, Yasui ‘856 teaches that the longitudinal axes of the battery cells in each battery module (100) are arranged substantially parallel to the stacking direction of the battery modules (100) (figure 13B).
Regarding claim 4, Yasui ‘856 teaches that the battery cells are cylindrical (“round”) battery cells (paragraph [0042] and figure 1).
Regarding claim 8, Yasui ‘856 teaches that each battery module (100) includes a sealing element (paragraphs [0070, 0071]).
Regarding claim 11, Yasui ‘856 teaches that each battery module (100) includes a degassing opening (26, “degassing element”) for degassing an exhaust chamber (24) of the battery module (100) (paragraph [0056]).
Regarding claim 12, Yasui ‘856 teaches that the battery modules (100) have identical design (figures 13A and 13B).
Regarding claim 13, Yasui ‘856 teaches that the housing (50) is made of insulating resin for electrical insulation (paragraph [0053]). An electrically insulating element prevents the propagation of electrical current, therefore the resin is a “propagation protection element”.
Regarding claim 16, Yasui ‘856 teaches that the “frame element” is made of resin (paragraph [0088]).
Regarding claim 17, Yasui ‘856 teaches that each battery module (100) includes connection member (450) by means of which adjacent battery modules are connected in series when stacked along the stacking direction (paragraph [0094] and figures 13A and 13B).
Regarding claim 18, Yasui ‘856 as modified by Yasui ‘097 teaches joints (40, “receptacles”), which have flanged elements (Yasui ‘097’s figure 1A).
The flanged elements extend perpendicular to the surrounding wall of each battery module and thus serve as “spacers” creating space adjacent to the surrounding wall of each battery module.
The flanged elements (“spacers”) extend substantially parallel to the bottom walls (“base elements”) of the battery modules (Yasui ‘097’s figure 3) and thus by means of the flanged elements (“spacers”), the battery modules can be arranged substantially parallel to one another.
Regarding claim 19, Yasui ‘856 teaches that each battery module (100) includes a voltage detection device for detecting the cell voltages of the battery cells and a temperature detection device for detecting the temperature of the battery cells (paragraph [0081]).
Regarding claim 20, Yasui ‘856 teaches that each battery module (100) includes connection member (450) by means of which adjacent battery modules are connected in series when stacked along the stacking direction (paragraph [0094] and figures 13A and 13B).
Regarding claim 21, Yasui ‘856 teaches a battery pack (400/500, “battery device”). The battery pack (400/500, “battery device”) includes four battery modules (100) (paragraph [0094] and figures 13A and 13B).
Each battery module (100) includes a module housing (50) and a plurality of battery cells (paragraph [0054]). The module housing (50) comprises a bottom wall (“base element”) and four side walls (“frame element”). The side walls together form a surrounding wall. The surrounding wall surrounds all of the plurality of battery cells. The bottom wall (“base element”) and the four side walls (“frame element”) are a one-piece part (figure 3).
The battery modules (100) are arranged along a stacking direction (figures 13A and 13B).
In an embodiment, Yasui ‘856 teaches a cooling pipe (70A), which serves as the housing (paragraph [0088] and figure 10). In this embodiment, the cooling pipe (70A) is the surrounding wall. The cooling pipe (70A) conveys a circulating cooling medium and thus the interior of the cooling pipe (70A) is a “temperature control space”. The amount of the cooling medium circulating in the cooling pipe is variable (paragraph [0088]).
A pipe circulating a fluid with a variable amount necessarily must have an inlet opening into its interior (“temperature control space”) to introduce the fluid and an outlet opening into its interior (“temperature control space”) to guide the fluid out. Yasui ‘856’s figure 10 appears to show such an inlet and such an outlet.
The “temperature control space” is delimited by the surrounding wall and the cooling medium is guided along the surrounding wall.
An inner surface of the surrounding wall is curved inwardly in a radial direction towards the battery cells to form receptacles accommodating the battery cells (figure 10). The radial direction is transverse to the stacking direction.
Yasui ‘856 fails to teach a receptacle, wherein a clamping element or screw is guidable through the receptacle for clamping or screwing the battery modules together.
Yasui ‘097 shares inventors with Yasui ‘856. Yasui ‘097 teaches a plurality of battery modules (100) stacked along a stacking direction and jointed together via joints (40, “receptacles”) (paragraph [0032] and figures 2 and 3). The joints (40, “receptacle”) are shown to have openings (figure 2) – therefore a screw is guidable through them for screwing the battery modules (100) together.
Therefore it would have been obvious to the ordinarily skilled artist before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement joints (“receptacles”) for the purpose of securely holding Yasui ‘856’s battery modules (100) together.
In the combination of Yasui ‘856 and Yasui ‘097, the surrounding wall would be curved inwardly at a portion of the surrounding wall where the joint (“receptacles”) are attached.
Regarding claim 23, Yasui ‘856 teaches a battery module housing (50, “base-and-frame unit”). The battery module housing (50) comprises a bottom wall (“base element”) and side walls (“frame element”) (paragraph [0054] and figure 3). The side walls together form a surrounding wall.
In an embodiment, Yasui ‘856 teaches a cooling pipe (70A), which serves as the housing (paragraph [0088] and figure 10). In this embodiment, the cooling pipe (70A) is the surrounding wall.
The cooling pipe (70A) includes a temperature control channel for conveying a cooling medium. The interior of the cooling pipe (70A) is a “temperature control space”. The cooling pipe (70A) is a temperature control device comprising the temperature control channel.
The battery module housing (“base-and-frame unit”) is arrangeable with further modules housings (“base-and-frame units”) of identical design along a stacking direction (paragraph [0094] and figures 13A and 13B).
The cooling pipe (70A) conveys a variable amount of circulating cooling medium (paragraph [0088]).
A pipe circulating a fluid with a variable amount necessarily must have an inlet opening into its interior (“temperature control space”) to introduce the fluid and an outlet opening into its interior (“temperature control space”) to guide the fluid out. Yasui ‘856’s figure 10 appears to show such an inlet and such an outlet.
The temperature control channel of the cooling pipe (70A) connects the inlet and the outlet.
Yasui ‘856 fails to teach a receptacle, wherein a clamping element or screw is guidable through the receptacle for clamping or screwing the battery modules together.
Yasui ‘097 shares inventors with Yasui ‘856. Yasui ‘097 teaches a plurality of battery modules (100) stacked along a stacking direction and jointed together via joints (40, “receptacles”) (paragraph [0032] and figures 2 and 3). The joints (40, “receptacle”) are shown to have openings (figure 2) – therefore a screw is guidable through them for screwing the battery modules (100) together.
Therefore it would have been obvious to the ordinarily skilled artist before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement joints (“receptacles”) for the purpose of securely holding the battery modules (100) together.
In the combination of Yasui ‘856 and Yasui ‘097, the surrounding wall would be curved inwardly at a portion of the surrounding wall where the joint (“receptacles”) are attached.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2011/0200856, hereinafter Yasui ‘856 and U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2012/0270097, hereinafter Yasui ‘097 as applied to claim 3 above, and further in view of U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2019/0148681, hereinafter Park.
Regarding claim 5, Yasui ‘856 teaches a battery pack (500, “battery device”). The battery pack (500, “battery device”) includes four battery modules (100) (paragraphs [0094] and figure 13B). Yasui ‘856 teaches that the battery pack (500, “battery pack”) is used in a vehicle (paragraph [0097]).
Yasui ‘856 fails to teach that the battery pack (500, “battery device”) includes two end bodies with the battery modules arranged along the stacking direction between the two end bodies.
Park teaches a battery pack (1000) comprising multiple battery modules (200-203) for use in a vehicle (paragraphs [0005, 0156] and figure 14). Park teaches supporting the multiple battery modules on a tray (270) (paragraph [0122]). The tray (270) includes two oppositely arranged sidewalls (274, “end bodies”) (paragraph [0123] and figures 10 and 11). The battery modules (200-203) are arranged between the two opposing sidewalls (274, “end bodies”) (figure 10).
Therefore it would have been obvious to the ordinarily skilled artist before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a tray with two oppositely arranged sidewalls (274, “end bodies”) and to position Yasui ‘856’s battery modules between the two oppositely arranged sidewalls (274, “end bodies”) as taught by Park for the purpose of supporting Yasui 856’s battery modules (200).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2011/0200856, hereinafter Yasui ‘856, U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2012/0270097, hereinafter Yasui ‘097 and U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2019/0148681, hereinafter Park as applied to claim 5 above, and further in view of U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2012/0018238, hereinafter Mizoguchi.
Regarding claim 6, Yasui ‘856 as modified by Park teaches a battery pack including four battery modules supported on a tray having sidewalls (“end bodies”). The battery pack of Yasui ‘856 as modified by Park is used in a vehicle (Yasui 856’s paragraph [0097]).
Yasui ‘856 as modified by Park fails to teach fastening elements on the sidewalls (274, “end bodies”).
It is well-known in the art to include flanges with fasteners in battery pack support trays for the purpose of attaching the battery pack to a support structure within a vehicle – see, e.g. Mizoguchi (paragraph [0026] and figure 3).
Therefore it would have been obvious to the ordinarily skilled artist before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include flanges with fasteners to the sidewalls (“end bodies”) of the tray in the combination of Yasui ‘856 and Park for the purpose of securing the battery pack to the vehicle.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2011/0200856, hereinafter Yasui ‘856 and U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2012/0270097, hereinafter Yasui ‘097 as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2019/0273231, hereinafter Günther.
Regarding claim 7, Yasui ‘856 as modified by Yasui ‘097 teaches flanged joints (40, “receptacles”) intended for securing adjacent battery modules together.
Yasui ‘856 as modified by Yasui ‘097 fails to teach a “clamping element”.
The use of clamping fasteners in securing together flanged elements is well-known in the art – see, e.g. Günther (paragraph [0024], claim 25 and figures 1-3).
Therefore it would have been obvious to the ordinarily skilled artist before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use clamping elements to secure together the flanged joints (40, “receptacles”) in the assembly of Yasui ‘856 as modified by Yasui ‘097 without undue experimentation and with a reasonable expectation of success.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2011/0200856, hereinafter Yasui ‘856 and U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2012/0270097, hereinafter Yasui ‘097 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2012/0164490, hereinafter Itoi.
Regarding claim 9, Yasui ‘856 teaches a plurality of battery cells positioned onto the bottom wall (“base element”) of the module housing.
Yasui ‘856 fails to teach that the battery cells are fixed to the bottom wall (“base element”) of module housing.
The Itoi reference is commonly owned with Yasui ‘856 and shares inventors with Yasui ‘856. Itoi teaches an analogous battery module (200) comprising a plurality of battery cells (100) accommodated within module housing (20) (paragraph [0048, 0049] and figure 2). Itoi teaches fixing the battery cells (100) at positions restricted by ribs (24) formed in the bottom (23) of the housing (20) (paragraph [0049] and figure 2).
Therefore it would have been obvious to the ordinarily skilled artist before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to fix the battery cells to the bottom wall (“base element”) of the module housing via ribs (24) as taught by Itoi for the purpose of restricting the motion of the battery cells within the housing.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2011/0200856, hereinafter Yasui ‘856 and U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2012/0270097, hereinafter Yasui ‘097 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2013/0040174, hereinafter Takasaki.
Regarding claim 14, Yasui ‘856 teaches a plurality of stacked battery modules (fig. 13A and 13B).
Each of the battery modules includes a gas exhaust chamber (24) (paragraph [0056]).
Yasui ‘856 fails to teach a temperature control element between two adjacent battery modules.
Takasaki is commonly owned with Yasui ‘856 and shares inventors with Yasui ‘856. Takasaki teaches forming a common hot exhaust gas pathway for stacked battery modules. The pathway includes connecting members (57) located between adjacent battery modules and connecting the adjacent battery modules (abstract, figures 8 and 9b). The connecting members (57) allow for the exhaustion of hot gas from a battery module and thus are “temperature control elements”.
Therefore it would have been obvious to the ordinarily skilled artist before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to position connecting members (57, “temperature control elements”) between adjacent battery modules in Yasui ‘856’s assembly for the purpose of efficiently releasing hot exhaust gas from the battery modules as taught by Takasaki.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2011/0200856, hereinafter Yasui ‘856 and U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2012/0270097, hereinafter Yasui ‘097 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2011/0212348, hereinafter Yasui.
Regarding claim 15, Yasui ‘856 teaches a bottom wall (“base element”).
Yasui ‘856 fails to teach that the bottom wall (“base element”) is produced from a metallic material.
The Yasui reference is commonly owned with Yasui ‘856 and shares inventors with Yasui ‘856. Yasui teaches a housing including a bottom wall (“base element”) and produced from metal (paragraph [0090]).
It would have been obvious to the ordinarily skilled artist before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the bottom wall (“base element”) in Yasui ‘856’s assembly out of metal for the purpose of providing rigidity and stability to the bottom of the battery module.
Claim 22 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2011/0200856, hereinafter Yasui ‘856 and U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2012/0270097, hereinafter Yasui ‘097 as applied to claim 21 above, and further in view of U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2014/0087220, hereinafter Seiler-Thull.
Regarding claim 22, Yasui ’856 teaches a one-piece housing that is a cooling pipe.
Yasui ‘856 fails to teach that the one-piece housing is a die-cast aluminum part.
The use of aluminum for forming a one-piece battery cell housing which is also used to convey cooling fluid is well-known in the art. See, e.g. Seiler-Thull who teaches a module body (100) used to mount electrochemical cells and further including cooling inlet (110a), cooling outlet (111b) and internal coolant channels (150) (paragraphs [0028, 0030, 0046]. The module body is a one-piece part formed of aluminum (paragraph [0040]).
Therefore it would have been obvious to the ordinarily skilled artist before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form Yasui ‘856’s one-piece housing from aluminum as it has the requisite mechanical strength and thermally conductive properties.
The examiner notes that the claim recites a product, but also includes a limitation directed to a particular method for obtaining the structure of the claimed product. Specifically, claim 22 recites that the one-piece part is formed by die-casting. Patentability of product-by-process claims is based on the product itself. If the product in the product-by-process claim is the same as or obvious from the product of the prior art, the claim is unpatentable even though the prior product was made by a different process. MPEP 2113 citing In re Thorpe, 777 F.2d 695,698, 227 USPQ964, 966 (Fed. Cir. 1985).
In the present case, the one-piece housing of the combination of Yasui ‘856 and Seiler-Thull includes all of the claimed structural limitations and is therefore considered to meet the claim.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s newly added limitations have been considered. However, after further search and consideration, the combination of the Yasui ‘856 and Yasui ‘097 references have been provided, as recited above, to address the amended claims.
Conclusion
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LILIA V. NEDIALKOVA
Examiner
Art Unit 1724
/MIRIAM STAGG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1724