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 .
Claim Status
This Office action is in response to the amendment and remarks filed on 5/23/2025.
Claims 1 and 8 have been amended.
Claims 1-6, and 8-18 are currently pending.
Claim 7 is cancelled.
Claim 1 still stands rejected under the provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection dated 10/22/2024.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 11 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant's arguments against the references individually, one cannot show nonobviousness by attacking references individually where the rejections are based on combinations of references. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., 800 F.2d 1091, 231 USPQ 375 (Fed. Cir. 1986).
Furthermore, applicant is reminded that the use of a one-piece, integrated construction instead of the structure disclosed or taught in the prior art would be within the ambit of a person of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Larson, 340 F.2d 965, 968, 144 USPQ 347, 349 (CCPA 1965) (see MPEP § 2144.04).
Applicant’s arguments on pages 9 and 10 regarding the integral nature of the “upper” plate of the heat sink with the “bottom” of the housing is not persuasive because the annotated figure of HE shows that when the figure is inverted the “upper” plate of the heatsink is an integral part of the “bottom” plate of the case of the battery. It should be noted that the examiner believes that the applicant is attempting to argue that the upper plate of the heat is a unibody construction that also contains two of the sidewalls of the battery case, but the broad terminology of claim 1 does not capture that limitation of the instantly claimed invention.
Applicant’s argument on the bottom of page 10 concerning the rejection of claim 8 is also not persuasive. The applicant argues that the protruding portions disclosed by YUM is not compatible with the shared wall feature disclosed by HE, the office disagrees with this assertion. It is the office’s position that this feature is compatible with YUM, and that joining the two plates into one integral plate is within the gambit of one of ordinary skill in the art.
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 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20160164148 A1, YUM et al. in view of US 20210175572 A1, HE et al.
Claim: 1. A battery module comprising:
a battery cell stack comprising a plurality of battery cells (450-480), (YUM Fig 1 and 2)
a housing (40, 42, 44, 46-support plate) accommodating the battery cell stack,
a cooling port supplying a coolant to the heat sink, (first and second tubular ports 90, 92)
wherein the housing comprises a housing protrusion portion formed at the bottom portion of the housing,(see annotated fig 5 below)
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wherein the housing protrusion portion comprises a first housing protrusion portion and a second housing protrusion portion that are spaced apart from each other on one side of the housing (annotated fig 5), and
wherein the cooling port comprises a coolant inlet port (90-inlet) and a coolant outlet port (92-outlet, [0045]), and the coolant inlet port and the coolant outlet port are disposed on the first housing protrusion portion and the second housing protrusion portion, respectively (fig 2).
Annotated figure 4 below depicts the lower plate (80) of the heat sink includes recessed portion formed on a lower side thereof, wherein
the recessed portion and the bottom portion of the housing form a coolant flow passage, and
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wherein the heat sink (22) comprises a protruding pattern (first and second corrugated support members 82, 84 fig 5), and the protruding pattern comprises a plurality of protrusions protruding toward the bottom portion of the housing (the individual corrugations protrude upwards toward the housing of the first and second corrugated support members 82, 84).
YUM does not teach a heat sink integrally formed with the housing, where a bottom portion of a housing constitutes an upper plate of the heat sink and is joined to a lower plate of the heat sink.
HE discloses in the annotate figure depicted below a battery pack, vehicle and energy storage device and teaches a heat sink integrally formed with the case by combining the sealing cover (220) [0094] as shown in figure 12 with the heat exchange plate (219) [0180-0182] to form the heat sink surface in contact with the cells. It should be noted that the figure is inverted because the up and down directions are interchangeable when in use.
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HE also teaches that the integrated features of a battery module in order to have a “module-frame-free battery pack” [0015] and that [0018] “the number of elements and assembly procedures are reduced, and costs are reduced.”
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have combined the integrally formed heat sink case taught by HE with the battery module of YUM in order to reduce the number of elements and assembly procedures in production thereby reducing the cost.
Claim: 2. Modified YUM teaches the battery module according to claim 1,
wherein the bottom part of the housing comes into contact with the coolant (cooling plate assembly 22 fig 4).
Claim: 3. The battery module according to claim 2,
wherein the heat sink comprises a heat sink protrusion portion that protrudes from the heat sink and being positioned under the housing protrusion portion (the protrusion portion in annotated fig 10 below is located under a cover plate 86 in fig 4).
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Claim: 4. The battery module according to claim 3,
wherein an inlet and an outlet corresponding to each of the coolant inlet port and the coolant outlet port, respectively, are formed on the heat sink protrusion portion (fig 9 depicts openings for inlets and outlets on each of the tubes; inlet 90, outlet 92).
Claim: 5. The battery module according to claim 4,
wherein the coolant inlet port and the coolant outlet port have a shape protruding upward from an upper surface (86) of the housing protrusion portion (fig 3 inlet 90, outlet 92).
Claim: 6. The battery module according to claim 1,
wherein the battery module further comprises end plates (40 42 end support plates) covering front and rear surfaces of the battery cell stack (fig 1 40, 42), wherein the housing protrusion portion extends to pass through the end plate (the protrusion portion in annotated fig 1).
Claims 8, 9 and 11-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over YUM (in view of US 20210175572 A1, HE et al.) in further view of US 20180241102 A1 KIM et al.
Regarding claim 8 : YUM discloses, A battery pack (10) comprising:
a plurality of battery modules (24), wherein each of the plurality of battery modules (fig 1) comprises a battery cell stack (fig 11) comprising a plurality of battery cells (battery cells 450-480), a housing for the battery cell stack (40, 42, 44, 46-support plate), and a cooling port comprising a coolant inlet port for supplying a coolant to the heat sink and a coolant discharge outlet port for discharging the coolant from the heat sink (inlet and outlet respectively tubular ports 90, 92).
wherein the heat sink (22) comprises a protruding pattern (first and second corrugated support members 82, 84 fig 5), and the protruding pattern comprises a plurality of protrusions protruding toward the bottom portion of the housing (the individual corrugations protrude upwards toward the housing of the first and second corrugated support members 82, 84).
YUM does not disclose a heat sink integrally formed on a bottom portion of the housing (the cooling plate assembly 22 modified by HE),
HE discloses a battery pack, vehicle and energy storage device and teaches a heat sink integrally formed with the case by combining the sealing cover (220) [0094] as shown in figure 12 with the heat exchange plate (219) [0180-0182] to form the heat sink surface in contact with the cells.
HE does not specifically disclose the heat sink includes a lower plate including recessed portion formed on a lower side thereof, wherein the recessed portion and the bottom portion of the housing form a coolant flow passage, however HE is also silent as to what direction, if any the battery must function in. The terms top, bottom, up and down are not relevant if the device is oriented differently while in use as opposed to the view in the current drawing.
The mere rearrangement of parts, without any new or unexpected results, is within the ambit of one of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950) (see MPEP § 2144.04).
HE also teaches that the integrated features of a battery module in order to have a “module-frame-free battery pack”[0015] and that [0018] “the number of elements and assembly procedures are reduced, and costs are reduced.”
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have combined the integrally formed heat sink case taught by HE with the battery module of YUM in order to reduce the number of elements and assembly procedures in production thereby reducing the cost.
YUM also does not disclose a pack coolant tube comprising a pack coolant inlet tube and a pack coolant discharge outlet tube connected to the coolant injection inlet port and the coolant outlet port, respectively, and spaced apart from each other,
wherein the pack coolant tube is disposed between battery modules adjacent to each other.
KIM et al discloses a coolant system for a battery pack and teaches
a pack coolant tube (100) comprising a pack coolant inlet tube (131) and a pack coolant discharge outlet tube (132) connected to the coolant injection inlet port (includes a refrigerant introduction port 102 depicted in fig 1) and the coolant outlet port (a refrigerant discharge port 104 depicted in fig 1), respectively, and spaced apart from each other,
wherein the pack coolant tube ([0123] through which the liquid refrigerant is discharged, a plurality of refrigerant pipes 131, 132, 140a, 140b, 142a, 142b, 150a, 150b, 152a, 152b, 154a, 154b, 156a, and 156b configured to communicate with the refrigerant introduction port 102 and the refrigerant discharge port 104 depicted in fig 1) is disposed between battery modules adjacent to each other ([0178] a plurality of battery modules 321, 322, 323, and 324 depicted in fig 10).
KIM further teaches [0017] “In addition, the divided streams of liquid refrigerant are introduced into the respective cooling plates to independently cool the battery modules mounted on the respective cooling plates, thereby achieving high uniformity of cooling of the battery modules.”
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to include the coolant tube system of Kim to the battery pack of modified Yum because this would independently cool the battery modules mounted on the respective cooling plates and thereby achieving high uniformity of cooling of the battery module.
Regarding claim 9: The battery pack according to claim 8,
wherein the battery pack further comprises:
a space between adjacent battery modules (KIM a plurality of battery modules 321, 322, 323, 324 depicted in fig 10)
wherein cooling ports of battery modules adjacent to each other and the pack coolant tube are disposed in the space between the battery modules (in fig 10 [0123]).
KIM further teaches [0017] “In addition, the divided streams of liquid refrigerant are introduced into the respective cooling plates to independently cool the battery modules mounted on the respective cooling plates, thereby achieving high uniformity of cooling of the battery modules.”
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to include the coolant tube system of Kim to the battery pack of Yum because this would independently cool the battery modules mounted on the respective cooling plates and thereby achieving high uniformity of cooling of the battery module.
Claim: 11. The battery pack according to claim 8,
Kim discloses wherein the plurality of battery modules comprises a first battery module (323) and a second battery module (324),
wherein the first battery module (323) comprises a first plurality of battery modules(323a-c) arranged in a row in a direction in which the battery cells are stacked (fig 10), and the second battery module (324) comprises a second plurality of battery modules (324a-c) arranged in a row in a direction in which the battery cells are stacked(fig 10), and
wherein the first plurality of battery modules and the second plurality of battery modules face each other in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the battery cells are stacked (323 and 324 are arranged in figure 10 where the cells are perpendicular to each other), and
wherein the coolant inlet port (156a) and the coolant outlet port (156b) are disposed between the first battery module (110 is the base of the first battery module) and the second battery module (112 is the base for the second battery module in KIM annotated figure 1 below).
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Regarding claim 12: Modified YUM discloses the battery pack according to claim 8, wherein:
the battery module further comprises end plates that cover front and rear surfaces of the battery cell stack (YUM [0015] end support plates 40, 42) and are coupled to the housing, (YUM via top support plates 44, 46)
the housing protrusion portion extends to pass through the end plate (YUM 86 figure 3 extends past the end support plate 40 in figure 1)
Modified YUM does not disclose
the housing protrusion portion is located in a space between adjacent battery modules in which the pack coolant tube is disposed.
KIM discloses the housing protrusion portion is located in a space between adjacent battery modules in which the pack coolant tube is disposed in the annotated figure 2 below.
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to configure the cooling system arranged in this way in order to allow the liquid to rapidly flow and be distributed in each of the cooling plates (KIM [0062])
Claim: 13. The battery pack according to claim 8,
wherein the pack coolant inlet tube and the pack coolant outlet tube comprise portions which are extended while overlapping with each other (KIM figure 1 shows outlet and inlet tubing extended and overlapping each other).
Claim: 14. The battery pack according to claim 13,
wherein a height of the pack coolant inlet tube and a height of the pack coolant outlet tube are different from each other (KIM figure 1 shows 142a and 142b differing in height).
Claim: 15. The battery pack according to claim 8,
which further comprises a pack coolant housing for the pack coolant tube (KIM 391 in figure 11 depicts a housing containing the cooling tubes).
Claim: 16. The battery pack according to claim 8,
wherein the pack coolant inlet tube and the pack coolant outlet tube comprise portions which are extended without overlapping with each other (KIM annotated figure 1 below shows portions of inlet and outlet tubing that does not overlapping each other).
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Claim: 17. The battery pack according to claim 8,
wherein the pack coolant inlet tube and the pack coolant outlet tube comprise portions which are extended while crossing each other.
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Claim: 18. The battery pack according to claim 8,
wherein the battery pack comprises 10 or less of the battery modules (KIM figure 10 teaches eight battery modules 321, 322, 323a,b,c and 324a,b, and c).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over modified YUM et al in view of US 20180241102 A1 KIM et al as applied to claims 8, 9 above, and in further view of US 20190366876 A1, CHEADLE; BRIAN E.
Claim: 10. The battery pack according to claim 9, wherein the coolant inlet port of a first battery module is positioned to face the coolant outlet port of a second battery module facing the first battery module.
Modified YUM in view of KIM teaches all the limitations of claim 9
Modified YUM and KIM do not teach the coolant inlet port of a first battery module is positioned to face the coolant outlet port of a second battery module facing the first battery module.
CHEADLE discloses a battery pack and teaches the coolant inlet port of a first battery module is positioned to face the coolant outlet port of a second battery module facing the first battery module in as indicated by the arrows in figure 31. CHEADLE further teaches that the arrangement is parallel service [0200] and that this arrangement allows for a lower pressure drop between exchangers [0203].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to arrange the heat exchangers in parallel service in which the outlet port and inlet port of different module face each other in order to minimize the pressure drop across the system.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 20120156543 A1, CICERO; Marke S, and US 20200067155 A1, HWANG; Jae Il.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAWRENCE LA RAIA III whose telephone number is (703)756-5441. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thur 6:00am-4:00pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Barbara Gilliam can be reached at (571) 272-1330. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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LAWRENCE LA RAIA III
Examiner
Art Unit 1727
/L.L./Examiner, Art Unit 1727
/Maria Laios/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1727
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