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 .
DETAILED 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 of this title, 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
Claims 20-38 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sekino et al. (“Sekino”, US 20120308873 A1, disclosed in IDS) in view of Omura et al. (“Omura”, US 20130337310 A1, disclosed in IDS).
Regarding claim 20, Sekino teaches a method of manufacturing a battery module (Sekino, Title), comprising:
aligning terminal ends of a first, a second, and a third electrochemical cell such that all the terminal ends are disposed in a single plane (Sekino, Figs. 1-3 and 6-19, [0061], [0068], e.g., in the upper case 18, at the bottom of each of the engagement grooves 54, the rectangular penetrating openings 56a, 56b respectively corresponding to the positive electrode terminal 32a and the negative electrode terminal 32b of the battery cell 12 are formed; in case that the sizes of the battery cells are different, it becomes possible to align the heights of the upper surfaces to which the terminals of the battery cells are fitted);
adhering the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells to one another (Sekino, Abstract, [0067], Figs. 3, 8, 11-13 and 17-19, e.g., adhesive agent which adheres to the battery cells; as shown in FIG. 13, the adhesive agent 100 may be applied to the battery cell 12 (applied to at not less than three places));
disposing a layer of compliant thermal epoxy on a bottom wall of a housing of the battery module (Sekino, Figs. 1-3, 8, 11-14 and 17-19, [0033], [0050], [0087]-[0089], e.g., the case 10 have three divided members; they are a rectangular frame shaped center case 14 whose top and bottom portions are opened, a lower case 16 which is formed of a rectangular plate shape and composes a bottom wall, and an upper case 18 which is formed of a rectangular plate shape and composes a ceiling wall; adhesive agents obtained by mixing adhesive agents which are curable using organic polymer having hydrolyzable silicon-containing group and epoxy adhesives can increase adhesive strengths while maintaining rubber elasticity and weatherability; adhesive agent 100 (which is being interpreted as compliant thermal epoxy); the battery cell 12 is bonded to the lower case via the adhesive agent);
placing the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells into the housing (Sekino, Figs. 1-3 and 6-19, [0032], e.g., a secondary battery apparatus is provided with a case (housing) 10 with an approximately rectangular box shape, and a plurality of, ten, for example, battery cells (secondary batteries) 12 housed in the case, and is thereby composed as an assembled battery); and
the compliant thermal epoxy which is expected to be capable of transferring a thermal energy from at least one of the electrochemical cells to the housing (the burden shifts to the applicant to show an unobvious difference (see MPEP 2112 V)) (Sekino, Figs. 1-3 and 6-19, [0033], [0041], [0050], [0087]-[0089], e.g., the case 10 have three divided members; they are a rectangular frame shaped center case 14 whose top and bottom portions are opened, a lower case 16 which is formed of a rectangular plate shape and composes a bottom wall, and an upper case 18 which is formed of a rectangular plate shape and composes a ceiling wall; each of the battery cells 12 is housed in a housing chamber of the case 10 for each cell unit C The lower end portion of each of the battery cells 12 is fitted in the engagement groove 38 of the lower case 16, and is fixed to the lower case 16 with adhesive agent 100; adhesive agents obtained by mixing adhesive agents which are curable using organic polymer having hydrolyzable silicon-containing group and epoxy adhesives can increase adhesive strengths while maintaining rubber elasticity and weatherability; adhesive agent 100 (which is being interpreted as compliant thermal epoxy and is expected to be capable of transferring a thermal energy from at least one of the electrochemical cells to the housing (the burden shifts to the applicant to show an unobvious difference (see MPEP 2112 V)); the battery cell 12 is bonded to the upper case via the adhesive agent applied to the circumference surfaces thereof and is bonded to the lower case via the adhesive agent applied to the lower end surface and the circumference surfaces thereof).
Sekino does not teach disposing base ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells onto the layer of compliant thermal epoxy such that the layer of compliant thermal epoxy equalizes forces exerted by, and against, the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells to align the terminal ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells in the single plane.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Omura teaches a method of manufacturing a battery module comprising disposing base ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells onto the layer of compliant thermal epoxy such that the layer of compliant thermal epoxy equalizes forces exerted by, and against, the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells to align the terminal ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells in the single plane (Omura, Title, Figs. 1-2 and 6A-6B, [0044]-[0049], [0059], [0060], [0070], e.g., the intervening layer 80 is arranged between the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70 so as to bond each cell 30 of the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70; the intervening layer 80 (which is being interpreted as complaint thermal epoxy) is formed of a cold-curing adhesive agent including epoxy resin; the intervening layer 80 may be configured to function as an elastic layer (which is being interpreted as that the layer of compliant thermal epoxy is expected capable of equalizing forces exerted by, and against, the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells to align the terminal ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells in the single plane; the burden shifts to the applicant to show an unobvious difference (see MPEP 2112 V)) after curing; by introducing the intervening layer 80 between the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70, such an arrangement suppresses a relative displacement between the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70; the terminal formation faces 33a of the cells 30 are all positioned on approximately the same single plane (which is being interpreted as aligning the terminal ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells in the single plane); the phrase "the faces are positioned on approximately the same single plane" include a case in which the faces deviate from the same plane, in addition to a case in which the faces are perfectly positioned on the same plane; there is a difference in the position of the bottom face 31a between at least a part of the cells 30 and the other cells 30; a portion of each cell 30 of the cell stack 20 is embedded in the intervening layer 80; that is to say, the irregularities that occur due to the differences in the length from the terminal formation face 33a of each cell 30 to the bottom face 31a are absorbed by the intervening layer 80; the bottom face of the cell stack 20, which is the side opposite to the side on which the bus bars 40 are fixedly mounted, i.e., the bottom face 31a of each cell 30, is pressed into contact with the intervening layer 80 (which is being interpreted as disposing base ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells onto the layer of compliant thermal epoxy such that the layer of compliant thermal epoxy equalizes forces exerted by, and against, the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells to align the terminal ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells in the single plane); a portion of each cell 30 is embedded in the intervening layer 80; the intervening layer 80 is arranged between the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70 in order to suppress a relative displacement between the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the method comprising disposing base ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells onto the layer of compliant thermal epoxy such that the layer of compliant thermal epoxy equalizes forces exerted by, and against, the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells to align the terminal ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells in the single plane, for the purpose of reducing or preventing a risk of collision/propagation of the vibration (Omura, [0017], [0044]).
Regarding claim 21, Sekino teaches wherein adhering the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells to one another comprises disposing a first double sided adhesive on a first face of the first electrochemical cell, disposing a second double sided adhesive on a second face of the first electrochemical cell opposite to the first face, and adhering the second electrochemical cell to the first double sided adhesive and the third electrochemical cell to the second double sided adhesive (Sekino, Abstract, [0047], [0067], Figs. 3, 8, 11-13 and 17-19, e.g., adhesive agent which adheres to the battery cells; as the adhesive agent, adhesive agents which are curable using organic polymer having hydrolyzable silicon-containing group (hydrolyzable silyl group, as a representative example), acrylic resin adhesives, and polyurethane resin adhesives are excellent in weatherability; as shown in FIG. 13, the adhesive agent 100 may be applied to the battery cell 12 (applied to at not less than three places); (adhesive agent 100 used in places as shown in Fig. 10-13 may be interpreted as double sided adhesive)).
Adhesive agent 100 of the same or different material used between battery cells or between bottom wall of the housing or the battery module is known in Sekino and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. (see MPEP §§ 2143 and 2143.02).
Regarding claim 22, Sekino in view of Omura teaches the method of claim 20 above. Sekino does not explicitly teaches electrically coupling the first electrochemical cell with the second electrochemical cell via a bus bar that spans between a first terminal extending from the terminal end of the first electrochemical cell and a second terminal extending from the terminal end of the second electrochemical cell.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Omura teach electrically coupling the first electrochemical cell with the second electrochemical cell via a bus bar that spans between a first terminal extending from the terminal end of the first electrochemical cell and a second terminal extending from the terminal end of the second electrochemical cell (Omura, Title, Figs. 1-2, [0031], e.g., each pair of adjacent cells 30 are arranged such that the negative electrode terminal 60 of one cell 30 is connected to the positive electrode terminal 50 of the other cell 30 by means of the bus bar 40, thereby connecting the four cells 30 in series.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to electrically coupling the first electrochemical cell with the second electrochemical cell via a bus bar that spans between a first terminal extending from the terminal end of the first electrochemical cell and a second terminal extending from the terminal end of the second electrochemical cell, for the purpose of connecting cells in series (Omura, [0031]) and/or conducting and distributing electrical power.
Regarding claim 23, Sekino teaches disposing the bus bar on a bus bar carrier and disposing the bus bar carrier over the terminal ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells (Sekino, Figs. 1-2, [0066], e.g., the positive electrode terminal 32a and the negative electrode terminal 32b of the battery cell 12 are penetrated through the penetrating openings 56a, 56b, and protrude outside the upper surface of the upper case 18, respectively; and the cell units of each row are connected by a bus bar (not shown) to thereby form an assembled battery).
Regarding claim 24, Sekino teaches extending at least one of the bus bar and the first and the second terminals through one or more openings of the bus bar carrier to facilitate coupling of the bus bar with the first and the second terminals (Sekino, Figs. 1-2, [0066], e.g., the positive electrode terminal 32a and the negative electrode terminal 32b of the battery cell 12 are penetrated through the penetrating openings 56a, 56b, and protrude outside the upper surface of the upper case 18, respectively; and the cell units of each row are connected by a bus bar (not shown) to thereby form an assembled battery).
Regarding claim 25, Sekino in view of Omura teaches the method of claims 20 and 22 including their recited structure of the battery as disclosed above. Therefore, the method and its battery structure as taught by Sekino in view of Omura is expected to be capable of facilitating the electrical coupling between the bus bar and at least one of the first terminal and the second terminal through the disposing of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells onto the thermal epoxy layer, the burden shifts to the applicant to show an unobvious difference (see MPEP 2112 V).
Regarding claim 26, Sekino in view of Omura teaches the method of claim 20 above. Sekino does not explicitly teaches wherein the disposing of the base ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells onto the thermal epoxy layer provides for the terminal ends of the first, the second and the third electrochemical cells remaining in the single plane.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Omura teach wherein the disposing of the base ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells onto the thermal epoxy layer provides for the terminal ends of the first, the second and the third electrochemical cells remaining in the single plane (Omura, Title, Figs. 1-2 and 6A-6B, [0044], [0059], [0070], e.g., the intervening layer 80 is arranged between the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70 so as to bond each cell 30 of the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70; the intervening layer 80 (which is being interpreted as complaint thermal epoxy) is formed of a cold-curing adhesive agent including epoxy resin; the bottom face of the cell stack 20, which is the side opposite to the side on which the bus bars 40 are fixedly mounted, i.e., the bottom face 31a of each cell 30, is pressed into contact with the intervening layer 80).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have wherein the disposing of the base ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells onto the thermal epoxy layer provides for the terminal ends of the first, the second and the third electrochemical cells remaining in the single plane, for the purpose of reducing or preventing a risk of collision/propagation of the vibration (Omura, [0017], [0044]).
Regarding claim 27, Sekino in view of Omura teaches the method of claim 20 above. Sekino does not explicitly teaches conforming the thermal epoxy layer to the base ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells, wherein the base ends are disposed in a plurality of planes.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Omura teach conforming the thermal epoxy layer to the base ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells, wherein the base ends are disposed in a plurality of planes (Omura, Title, Figs. 1-2 and 6A-6B, [0044], [0059], [0070], e.g., the intervening layer 80 is arranged between the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70 so as to bond each cell 30 of the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70; the intervening layer 80 (which is being interpreted as complaint thermal epoxy) is formed of a cold-curing adhesive agent including epoxy resin; the bottom face of the cell stack 20, which is the side opposite to the side on which the bus bars 40 are fixedly mounted, i.e., the bottom face 31a of each cell 30, is pressed into contact with the intervening layer 80).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to conforming the thermal epoxy layer to the base ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells, wherein the base ends are disposed in a plurality of planes, for the purpose of reducing or preventing a risk of collision/propagation of the vibration (Omura, [0017], [0044]).
Regarding claim 28, Sekino in view of Omura teaches the method of claim 27 above. Sekino does not explicitly teaches wherein the conforming of the thermal epoxy layer to the first electrochemical cell and the second electrochemical cell compensates for a difference between heights of the first electrochemical cell and the second electrochemical cell, with the height of each of the first electrochemical cell and the second electrochemical cell defined by the terminal end and the base end of the respective electrochemical cell.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Omura teach wherein the conforming of the thermal epoxy layer to the first electrochemical cell and the second electrochemical cell compensates for a difference between heights of the first electrochemical cell and the second electrochemical cell, with the height of each of the first electrochemical cell and the second electrochemical cell defined by the terminal end and the base end of the respective electrochemical cell (Omura, Title, Figs. 1-2 and 6A-6B, [0044], [0059], [0070], e.g., the intervening layer 80 is arranged between the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70 so as to bond each cell 30 of the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70; the intervening layer 80 (which is being interpreted as complaint thermal epoxy) is formed of a cold-curing adhesive agent including epoxy resin; the bottom face of the cell stack 20, which is the side opposite to the side on which the bus bars 40 are fixedly mounted, i.e., the bottom face 31a of each cell 30, is pressed into contact with the intervening layer 80).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to wherein the conforming of the thermal epoxy layer to the first electrochemical cell and the second electrochemical cell compensates for a difference between heights of the first electrochemical cell and the second electrochemical cell, with the height of each of the first electrochemical cell and the second electrochemical cell defined by the terminal end and the base end of the respective electrochemical cell, for the purpose of reducing or preventing a risk of collision/propagation of the vibration (Omura, [0017], [0044]).
Regarding claim 29, Sekino in view of Omura teaches the method of claim 28 above. Sekino does not explicitly teaches wherein the conforming of the thermal epoxy layer provides for at least one of a varying and constant thickness of the thermal epoxy layer pursuant to the difference between the heights.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Omura teach wherein the conforming of the thermal epoxy layer provides for at least one of a varying and constant thickness of the thermal epoxy layer pursuant to the difference between the heights (Omura, Title, Figs. 1-2 and 6A-6B, [0044], [0059], [0070], e.g., the intervening layer 80 is arranged between the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70 so as to bond each cell 30 of the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70; the intervening layer 80 (which is being interpreted as complaint thermal epoxy) is formed of a cold-curing adhesive agent including epoxy resin; the bottom face of the cell stack 20, which is the side opposite to the side on which the bus bars 40 are fixedly mounted, i.e., the bottom face 31a of each cell 30, is pressed into contact with the intervening layer 80).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to wherein the conforming of the thermal epoxy layer provides for at least one of a varying and constant thickness of the thermal epoxy layer pursuant to the difference between the heights, for the purpose of reducing or preventing a risk of collision/propagation of the vibration (Omura, [0017], [0044]).
Regarding claim 30, Sekino in view of Omura teaches the method of claims 20 and 27-29 including their recited structure of the battery having the thickness as disclosed above. Therefore, the method and its battery structure as taught by Sekino in view of Omura is expected to have wherein the thickness capable of providing for the transferring of the thermal energy, the burden shifts to the applicant to show an unobvious difference (see MPEP 2112 V).
Regarding claim 31, Sekino in view of Omura teaches the method of claim 20 including their recited structure of the battery having wherein the disposing the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells onto the thermal epoxy layer and the thermal epoxy layeron the bottom wall of the housing as disclosed above. Therefore, the method and its battery structure as taught by Sekino in view of Omura is expected to have wherein the disposing the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells onto the thermal epoxy layer capable of providing for the transferring of the thermal energy from at least one of the electrochemical cells to the bottom wall of the housing, the burden shifts to the applicant to show an unobvious difference (see MPEP 2112 V).
Regarding claim 32, Sekino in view of Omura teaches the method of claim 20 above. Sekino does not explicitly teaches wherein the disposing the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells onto the thermal epoxy layer provides for the transferring of the thermal energy from at least one of the electrochemical cells to a heat sink.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Omura teach wherein the disposing the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells onto the thermal epoxy layer provides for the transferring of the thermal energy from at least one of the electrochemical cells to a heat sink (Omura, Title, Abstract, Figs. 1-2 and 6A-6B, [0044], [0059], [0070], e.g., a plate-shaped heat dissipating member 70 arranged such that it extends along a direction in which the multiple cells 30 are arranged, and such that it is thermally connected to the multiple cells 30; and an intervening layer 80 arranged between the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70, and configured to allow heat to propagate from the cell stack 20 to the heat dissipating member 70, and to suppress a relative displacement between the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70; the intervening layer 80 is arranged between the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70 so as to bond each cell 30 of the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70; the intervening layer 80 (which is being interpreted as complaint thermal epoxy) is formed of a cold-curing adhesive agent including epoxy resin; the bottom face of the cell stack 20, which is the side opposite to the side on which the bus bars 40 are fixedly mounted, i.e., the bottom face 31a of each cell 30, is pressed into contact with the intervening layer 80).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to wherein the disposing the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells onto the thermal epoxy layer provides for the transferring of the thermal energy from at least one of the electrochemical cells to a heat sink, for the purpose of reducing or preventing a risk of collision/propagation of the vibration (Omura, [0017], [0044]) and/or providing a cell stack with improved heat dissipation performance (Omura, [0017]).
Regarding claim 33, Sekino in view of Omura teaches the method of claim 32 above. Sekino teaches a housing 10 accommodating the battery cells 12 along with adhesive agent 100; wherein the battery cells 12 along with adhesive agent 100 are disposed on the bottom wall of the housing 10 (Sekino, Figs. 1-3 and 6-19). Sekino does not explicitly teaches wherein the heat sink is at least one of disposed on the bottom wall of the housing and overmolded with respect to the bottom wall of the housing.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Omura teach the electrochemical cells disposed onto the thermal epoxy layer which disposed onto a heat sink (Omura, Title, Abstract, Figs. 1-2 and 6A-6B, [0044], [0059], [0070], e.g., a plate-shaped heat dissipating member 70 arranged such that it extends along a direction in which the multiple cells 30 are arranged, and such that it is thermally connected to the multiple cells 30; and an intervening layer 80 arranged between the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70, and configured to allow heat to propagate from the cell stack 20 to the heat dissipating member 70, and to suppress a relative displacement between the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70; the intervening layer 80 is arranged between the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70 so as to bond each cell 30 of the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70; the intervening layer 80 (which is being interpreted as complaint thermal epoxy) is formed of a cold-curing adhesive agent including epoxy resin; the bottom face of the cell stack 20, which is the side opposite to the side on which the bus bars 40 are fixedly mounted, i.e., the bottom face 31a of each cell 30, is pressed into contact with the intervening layer 80).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to having wherein the heat sink is at least one of disposed on the bottom wall of the housing, for the purpose of reducing or preventing a risk of collision/propagation of the vibration (Omura, [0017], [0044]) and/or providing a cell stack with improved heat dissipation performance (Omura, [0017]).
Regarding claim 34, Sekino in view of Omura teaches the method of claims 20 and 32 including their recited structure of the battery having wherein the disposing the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells onto the thermal epoxy layer and the thermal epoxy layer on the bottom wall of the housing as disclosed above. Therefore, the method and its battery structure as taught by Sekino in view of Omura is expected to have wherein the disposing the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells onto the thermal epoxy layer capable of providing for the transferring of the thermal energy from at least one of the electrochemical cells to the bottom wall of the housing, the burden shifts to the applicant to show an unobvious difference (see MPEP 2112 V).
Sekino in view of Omura teaches the method of claim 32 as disclosed above, which is claiming “wherein the disposing the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells onto the thermal epoxy layer provides for the transferring of the thermal energy from at least one of the electrochemical cells to a heat sink.”
Regarding claim 35, Sekino in view of Omura teaches the method of claim 32 above. Sekino does not explicitly teaches wherein the disposing of the thermal epoxy layer between at least one of the electrochemical cells and the heat sink.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Omura teach wherein the disposing of the thermal epoxy layer between at least one of the electrochemical cells and the heat sink (Omura, Title, Abstract, Figs. 1-2 and 6A-6B, [0044], [0059], [0070], e.g., a plate-shaped heat dissipating member 70 arranged such that it extends along a direction in which the multiple cells 30 are arranged, and such that it is thermally connected to the multiple cells 30; and an intervening layer 80 arranged between the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70, and configured to allow heat to propagate from the cell stack 20 to the heat dissipating member 70, and to suppress a relative displacement between the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70; the intervening layer 80 is arranged between the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70 so as to bond each cell 30 of the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70; the intervening layer 80 (which is being interpreted as complaint thermal epoxy) is formed of a cold-curing adhesive agent including epoxy resin; the bottom face of the cell stack 20, which is the side opposite to the side on which the bus bars 40 are fixedly mounted, i.e., the bottom face 31a of each cell 30, is pressed into contact with the intervening layer 80).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to wherein the disposing of the thermal epoxy layer between at least one of the electrochemical cells and the heat sink, for the purpose of reducing or preventing a risk of collision/propagation of the vibration (Omura, [0017], [0044]) and/or providing a cell stack with improved heat dissipation performance (Omura, [0017]).
Regarding claim 36, Sekino teaches wherein the electrochemical cell is a lithium-ion cell (Sekino, [0034], e.g., each of the battery cells 12 is a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery such as a lithium-ion battery).
Regarding claim 37, Sekino in view of Omura teaches disposing a layer of compliant thermal epoxy on a bottom wall of a housing of the battery module; and disposing base ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells onto the layer of compliant thermal epoxy such that the layer of compliant thermal epoxy equalizes forces exerted by, and against, the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells to align the terminal ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells in the single plane as disclosed in claim 20 above.
Sekino in view of Omura does not teach wherein a volume of the layer of compliant thermal epoxy ranges from five to fifteen cubic centimeters, seven to thirteen cubic centimeters, or eight to twelve cubic centimeters.
However, it is obvious to scale the size of the battery cell and/or the number of battery cells and this value changes based on the size of the battery cell and/or the number of battery cells therefore the claimed range is obvious (see MPEP 2144.04 IV and V).
A layer of compliant thermal epoxy having relative dimensions would not perform differently than the layer of compliant thermal epoxy taught by Sekino in view of Omura, the claimed layer of compliant thermal epoxy is not patentably distinct from the prior art device (see MPEP 2144.04 IV).
Change in shape or size of the layer of compliant thermal epoxy, without any new or unexpected results, is an obvious engineering design (see MPEP 2144.04 IV).
Adjusting the number of battery cells to meet the desire amount of output energy is obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art (see MPEP 2144.04 V).
Regarding claim 38, Sekino in view of Omura teaches disposing a layer of compliant thermal epoxy on a bottom wall of a housing of the battery module; and disposing base ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells onto the layer of compliant thermal epoxy such that the layer of compliant thermal epoxy equalizes forces exerted by, and against, the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells to align the terminal ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells in the single plane as disclosed in claim 20 above.
Sekino in view of Omura does not teach wherein for each of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells, a cell-specific volume of the layer of compliant thermal epoxy ranges from 0.83 to 2.5 cubic centimeters, 1.17 to 2.17 cubic centimeters, or 1.33 to 2 cubic centimeters.
However, it is obvious to scale the size of the battery cell and this value changes based on the size of the battery cell therefore the claimed range is obvious (see MPEP 2144.04 IV and V).
A layer of compliant thermal epoxy having relative dimensions would not perform differently than the layer of compliant thermal epoxy taught by Sekino in view of Omura, the claimed layer of compliant thermal epoxy is not patentably distinct from the prior art device (see MPEP 2144.04 IV).
Change in shape or size of the layer of compliant thermal epoxy, without any new or unexpected results, is an obvious engineering design (see MPEP 2144.04 IV).
Adjusting the size of battery cells to meet the desire amount of output energy is obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art (see MPEP 2144.04 V).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 11/26/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that “Omura does not disclose disposing base ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells onto the layer of compliant thermal epoxy such that the layer of compliant thermal epoxy equalizes forces exerted by, and against, the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells to align the terminal ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells in the single plane. Instead, as previously mentioned, the intervening layer 80 (which is being interpreted as compliant thermal epoxy) is configured to reduce vibration of the heat dissipating member 70 to the cells after curing. Additionally, during the manufacturing process, Omura only teaches that the depth to which the cell stack 20 is embedded in the intervening layer 80 is adjusted such that no cell 30 passes through the intervening layer 80. In other words, intervening layer 80 does not equalize forces exerted by, and against, the electrochemical cells to align terminal ends of the electrochemical cells. Rather, intervening layer 80 is merely an intervening layer provided to prevent cells 30 from contacting the heat dissipating member 70. Accordingly, Applicant asserts amended claim 20 is patentable over Sekino in view of Omura and earnestly requests indication of the same. Claims 21-38 depend, either directly or indirectly, from claim 20 and are thus patentable for at least the same reasons as claim 20. In particular, new claims 37 and 38 relate to a respective volume and a respective cell-specific volume of the layer compliant thermal epoxy upon which the electrochemical cells are disposed. Neither of the cited references appear to disclose the limitations of these claims.” (Remarks, Pages 7-8).
Applicant’s argument is not persuasive.
Omura teaches a method of manufacturing a battery module comprising disposing base ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells onto the layer of compliant thermal epoxy such that the layer of compliant thermal epoxy equalizes forces exerted by, and against, the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells to align the terminal ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells in the single plane (Omura, Title, Figs. 1-2 and 6A-6B, [0044]-[0049], [0059], [0060], [0070], e.g., the intervening layer 80 is arranged between the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70 so as to bond each cell 30 of the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70; the intervening layer 80 (which is being interpreted as complaint thermal epoxy) is formed of a cold-curing adhesive agent including epoxy resin; the intervening layer 80 may be configured to function as an elastic layer (which is being interpreted as that the layer of compliant thermal epoxy is expected capable of equalizing forces exerted by, and against, the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells to align the terminal ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells in the single plane; the burden shifts to the applicant to show an unobvious difference (see MPEP 2112 V)) after curing; by introducing the intervening layer 80 between the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70, such an arrangement suppresses a relative displacement between the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70; the terminal formation faces 33a of the cells 30 are all positioned on approximately the same single plane (which is being interpreted as aligning the terminal ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells in the single plane); the phrase "the faces are positioned on approximately the same single plane" include a case in which the faces deviate from the same plane, in addition to a case in which the faces are perfectly positioned on the same plane; there is a difference in the position of the bottom face 31a between at least a part of the cells 30 and the other cells 30; a portion of each cell 30 of the cell stack 20 is embedded in the intervening layer 80; that is to say, the irregularities that occur due to the differences in the length from the terminal formation face 33a of each cell 30 to the bottom face 31a are absorbed by the intervening layer 80; the bottom face of the cell stack 20, which is the side opposite to the side on which the bus bars 40 are fixedly mounted, i.e., the bottom face 31a of each cell 30, is pressed into contact with the intervening layer 80 (which is being interpreted as disposing base ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells onto the layer of compliant thermal epoxy such that the layer of compliant thermal epoxy equalizes forces exerted by, and against, the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells to align the terminal ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells in the single plane); a portion of each cell 30 is embedded in the intervening layer 80; the intervening layer 80 is arranged between the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70 in order to suppress a relative displacement between the cell stack 20 and the heat dissipating member 70).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the method comprising disposing base ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells onto the layer of compliant thermal epoxy such that the layer of compliant thermal epoxy equalizes forces exerted by, and against, the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells to align the terminal ends of the first, the second, and the third electrochemical cells in the single plane, for the purpose of reducing or preventing a risk of collision/propagation of the vibration (Omura, [0017], [0044]).
Regarding claims 37-38, it is obvious to scale the size of the battery cell and/or the number of battery cells and this value changes based on the size of the battery cell and/or the number of battery cells therefore the claimed range is obvious (see MPEP 2144.04 IV and V).
A layer of compliant thermal epoxy having relative dimensions would not perform differently than the layer of compliant thermal epoxy taught by Sekino in view of Omura, the claimed layer of compliant thermal epoxy is not patentably distinct from the prior art device (see MPEP 2144.04 IV).
Change in shape or size of the layer of compliant thermal epoxy, without any new or unexpected results, is an obvious engineering design (see MPEP 2144.04 IV).
Adjusting the number of battery cells to meet the desire amount of output energy is obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art (see MPEP 2144.04 V).
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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/HAIXIA ZHANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1723