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 .
The Applicant amended independent claims 1 and 11. The pending claims are claims 1-11.
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.
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) 1-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim Gwan Woo et al., KR 20180038310.
Regarding claim 1, Woo et al., teaches a battery module (abstract) comprising: a battery cell stack (0079) including a plurality of stacked battery cells (0059; 0079); a module frame (part 313) for accommodating the battery cell stack (0009-0010) (battery module 110); and a heat sink (heat sink 120) coupled to the module frame (0001) to cool the plurality of battery cells (0008), wherein the heat sink comprises a plate (0017); including a flow path for a refrigerant (0013-0014), the flow path being defined as a continuous channel extending from an inlet through which the refrigerant flows into the flow path (0018) to an outlet through which the refrigerant flows out of the flow path (0018), the flow path including a partition wall (refrigerant guide) (0018; 0034-0035) formed in the flow path part along the flow path (0018; 0102), partition wall (refrigerant guide) (0018) formed in the flow path (0018; 0034-0035), partition wall (refrigerant guide) extending along the flow path from the inlet to the outlet (0018; 0034-0035), wherein the partition wall (refrigerant guide) (124b) (321c) is configured to divide the flow path (refrigerant flow space 321a) into a first flow path (Fig. 1-3) and a second flow path (Fig. 1-3), each of the first and second flow paths extending from the inlet (refrigerant inlet 322, 326) to the outlet (refrigerant outlet (discharge) 323, 327), and wherein the plate is coupled to the module frame (0024). Woo et al., teaches wherein the refrigerant flows in a first direction (refrigerant inlet 121 to refrigerant outlet 122) (0014), a second direction different from the first direction (refrigerant circulates and flows throughout all areas of the refrigerant flow space 124a) (0018), and a third direction different from the first direction and the second direction (refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant path mixing with the refrigerant flowing through an adjacent refrigerant path or the refrigerant flow reversing as a result) (0036; 0050; 0054), the partition wall defining a first curve where the refrigerant flow changes from the first direction to the second direction (0013-0014) and a second curve where the refrigerant flow changes from the second direction to the third direction (0050; 0054) (refrigerant inlet pipe and outlet pipe connected in direction of outer surface of the cooling plate constituting the heat sink) (0032-0033); a first flow path (Fig. 1-3) and a second flow path (Fig. 1-3), each of the first and second flow paths extending from the inlet (refrigerant inlet 322, 326) to the outlet (refrigerant outlet (discharge) 323, 327), and wherein the plate is coupled to the module frame (0024). Woo et al., teaches wherein the refrigerant flows in a first direction (refrigerant inlet 121 to refrigerant outlet 122) (0014), a second direction different from the first direction (refrigerant circulates and flows throughout all areas of the refrigerant flow space 124a) (0018), and a third direction different from the first direction and the second direction (refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant path mixing with the refrigerant flowing through an adjacent refrigerant path or the refrigerant flow reversing as a result) (0036; 0050; 0054), the partition wall defining a first curve where the refrigerant flow changes from the first direction to the second direction (0013-0014) and a second curve where the refrigerant flow changes from the second direction to the third direction (0050; 0054) (refrigerant inlet pipe and outlet pipe connected in direction of outer surface of the cooling plate constituting the heat sink) (0032-0033).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to insert the teachings of Woo because Woo et al., teaches wherein the refrigerant flows in a first direction (refrigerant inlet 121 to refrigerant outlet 122) (0014), a second direction different from the first direction (refrigerant circulates and flows throughout all areas of the refrigerant flow space 124a) (0018), and a third direction different from the first direction and the second direction (refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant path mixing with the refrigerant flowing through an adjacent refrigerant path or the refrigerant flow reversing as a result) (0036; 0050; 0054).
Regarding claim 2, Woo et al., teaches wherein: the partition wall (refrigerant guide) is coupled to the module frame (0102).
Regarding claim 3, Woo et al., teaches wherein a lower surface of the flow path is defined by a recess of the plate (0017) and an upper surface of the flow path (0092) is defined by a bottom part of the module frame (module 310), the refrigerant flowing in a space between the lower and upper surfaces (refrigerant flow space 124a).
Regarding claim 4, Woo et al., teaches wherein the heat sink (heat sink 120) includes an inlet (refrigerant inlet 121) through which the refrigerant flows into the flow path (refrigerant path) (refrigerant flow space 124a), and an outlet (discharge/outlet 122) through which the refrigerant flows out of the flow path (refrigerant outlet) (0045), a first end of the partition wall is formed away from the inlet (partition wall 320b) (0102).
Regarding claim 5, Woo et al., teaches the refrigerant flowing into the flow path through the inlet (refrigerant inlet 121) is split into a first flow path and a second flow the first end of the partition wall (partition wall 320b) (0102).
Regarding claim 6, Woo et al., teaches wherein: the first and second flow paths define a constant width from the inlet (inlet 121) to the outlet (discharge/outlet 122) (0018) (Fig. 2, 4):
“In the refrigerant flow space (124a) of the cooling plate (124), a refrigerant path is formed by a refrigerant guide (124b) having a protruding structure so that the refrigerant can flow while circulating throughout the entire area of the refrigerant flow space (124a), thereby enabling the refrigerant to flow while circulating uniformly throughout the entire area of the heat sink (120), and thus uniform cooling of the battery module (110) is possible. (0018);”
Thus, Woo et al., teaches a constant width from inlet to outlet because it teaches that the “refrigerant can flow while circulating throughout the entire area of the refrigerant flow space, enabling refrigerant to flow while circulating uniformly throughout the entire area of the heat sink,” which would therefore provide a constant width.
Regarding claim 7, Woo et al., teaches wherein: the partition wall (partition wall 320b) extends from the inlet (refrigerant inlet 121) (0013) to the outlet (refrigerant outlet/discharge port 122) along a center of the flow path (0017-0018).
Regarding claim 8, Woo et al., teaches wherein: the flow path (coolant/refrigerant path 321b) (0034) includes curved portion (0034), the curved portion being formed by a curved surface (Fig. 2-3).
Regarding claim 9, Woo et al., teaches wherein a projected area (protruding structure) of the plate (0018) is the same as a projected area of the module frame (0034-0037).
Regarding claim 10, Woo et al., teaches a battery pack (0007-0008) comprising the battery module of claim 1 (0007-0008; 0010).
Regarding claim 11, Woo et al., teaches a battery module (0001; 0018) comprising:
a battery cell stack (0008) including a plurality of stacked battery cells (0061; 0105);
a module frame (0011) for accommodating the battery cell stack (0010); and
a heat sink (0013; 0024) coupled to the module frame to cool the plurality of battery cells (0024), wherein the heat sink comprises a plate including a flow path for a refrigerant (0017-0018), the flow path being defined as a continuous channel extending from an inlet (0018) through which the refrigerant flows into the flow path (0018) to an outlet through which the refrigerant flows out of the flow path (0045; 0049), the flow path including a partition wall formed in the flow path (0018), the partition wall extending along the flow path from the inlet to the outlet (0018; 0035; 0094), the partition wall being disposed within the plate (0018; 0035) and extending continuously from a location adjacent to the inlet to a location adjacent to the outlet along the entire length of the flow path, and wherein the plate is coupled to the module frame (0014; 0020; 0039).
Woo et al., teaches wherein the refrigerant flows in a first direction (refrigerant inlet 121 to refrigerant outlet 122) (0014), a second direction different from the first direction (refrigerant circulates and flows throughout all areas of the refrigerant flow space 124a) (0018), and a third direction different from the first direction and the second direction (refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant path mixing with the refrigerant flowing through an adjacent refrigerant path or the refrigerant flow reversing as a result) (0036; 0050; 0054), the partition wall defining a first curve where the refrigerant flow changes from the first direction to the second direction (0013-0014) and a second curve where the refrigerant flow changes from the second direction to the third direction (0050; 0054) (refrigerant inlet pipe and outlet pipe connected in direction of outer surface of the cooling plate constituting the heat sink) (0032-0033).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to insert the teachings of Woo because Woo et al., teaches wherein the refrigerant flows in a first direction (refrigerant inlet 121 to refrigerant outlet 122) (0014), a second direction different from the first direction (refrigerant circulates and flows throughout all areas of the refrigerant flow space 124a) (0018), and a third direction different from the first direction and the second direction (refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant path mixing with the refrigerant flowing through an adjacent refrigerant path or the refrigerant flow reversing as a result) (0036; 0050; 0054).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 3/19/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The Applicant argues that “Woo merely discloses a simple baffle (refrigerant guide 321c) and does not teach a partition wall defining a first curve and a second curve to route fluid in three distinct directions.”
However, Woo teaches a flow path for a refrigerant (Refrigerant Guide (321c); Refrigerant Flow Path (321b); Refrigerant Flow Space (321a); and Cooling Plate (321), from an inlet (121a) to an outlet (122a), and the flow path includes a partition wall (320b) formed in the flow path (321b), wherein the wall divides the flow path into first and second flow paths (Fig. 1-3).
Additionally, Woo et al., teaches wherein the refrigerant flows in a first direction (refrigerant inlet 121 to refrigerant outlet 122) (0014), a second direction different from the first direction (refrigerant circulates and flows throughout all areas of the refrigerant flow space 124a) (0018), and a third direction different from the first direction and the second direction (refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant path mixing with the refrigerant flowing through an adjacent refrigerant path or the refrigerant flow reversing as a result) (0036; 0050; 0054), the partition wall defining a first curve where the refrigerant flow changes from the first direction to the second direction (0013-0014) and a second curve where the refrigerant flow changes from the second direction to the third direction (0050; 0054) (refrigerant inlet pipe and outlet pipe connected in direction of outer surface of the cooling plate constituting the heat sink) (0032-0033).
Conclusion
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ANGELA J. MARTIN
Examiner
Art Unit 1727
/ANGELA J MARTIN/Examiner, Art Unit 1727
/BARBARA L GILLIAM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1727
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