DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination (RCE) 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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 07/16/2016 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed on 07/16/2016 has been entered. Support is found in Fig. 2.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 rejection of record, and with respect to the instantly amended and new claims, have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. No specific arguments were made against Hashimoto, which is the only teaching reference maintained below from the most recent rejection of record. Arguments were mainly directed to the housing / cover structure 26 of the secondary reference Omura; while these arguments were not found particularly persuasive, the combination of Omura with Ogino is no longer relied upon in the below rejections. The new grounds were necessitated by the amendment and further searching in response to the RCE.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1, 3-4, 8-9, 12, and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Geskes et al. (US 2020/0112071 A1) in view of Asai et al. (US 2011/0206948 A1) and Pflueger at al. (US 2018/0219198 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Geskes teaches a battery module (battery block 2 within accumulator arrangement 1, [0038] and Fig. 3) comprising:
a battery cell laminated body including a plurality of stacked battery cells (individual battery cells 3 are stacked against one another in stacking direction 4 in the respective battery block 2, [0032] and Fig. 3);
a lower plate defined by a flat upper surface and a flat lower surface (cooling device 5 includes cooling plate 6 and cover plate 7 that lies against cooling plate 6, [0033, 0040] and Fig. 6, in view of Figs. 1 and 3 showing: device 5 having flat upper surface above 6 and flat lower surface below 7), the battery cell laminated body being mounted on the lower plate (respective battery block 2 is secured on the cooling plate 6 of device 5 by side screws 9, [0032] and Figs. 3-5); and
a module frame defined by a single plate-shaped structure bent (trough-shaped housing part 14, Fig. 3; 14 is continuous and appears bent at upper left and right corners to be substantially an inverted U-shape) to be coupled to the lower plate (bottom of 14 at flange 16 is coupled to 5/6 by fasteners 15/25 as shown in Figs. 3-5; examiner also notes that “bent to be coupled” is a product-by-process limitation which is met by the trough-shaped structure of 14 shown by Geskes), the module frame including two side parts facing each other (left and right sidewalls of 14 in Fig. 3) and an upper part connecting the two side parts to continuously cover three surfaces of the battery cell laminated body (upper horizontal portion of 14, such that 14 covers each respective block 2 on at least three sides thereof, as shown in the cross section of Fig. 3), and
wherein a single cooling path is disposed in the lower plate (individual cooling channel 10 in plate 7 at left of Fig. 6, [0040]), the single cooling path … within the flat upper surface and the flat lower surface of the lower plate (10 is between the upper and lower surfaces of 5, Fig. 3), the single cooling path defining a continuous fluid path reciprocating between one side and an opposite side of the entire lower plate (in the cover plate 7 shown on the left, the individual cooling channel 10 is configured in a meandering shape and connects the inlet connection 11 with the outlet connection 12; [0040] and Fig. 6).
Geskes fails to teach:
a thermally conductive resin layer disposed between the lower plate and the battery cell laminated body,
wherein the entire thermally conductive resin layer is in direct contact with the lower plate and the battery cell laminated body,
the single cooling path being formed by extrusion such that the single cooling path is an extruded channel integrally formed within the flat upper surface and the flat lower surface of the lower plate.
Asai is analogous in the art of battery modules with cooling plates and teaches a cooling plate 7 having a single cooling path therein (Fig. 20) and mounted below a battery module (Fig. 14). Asai further teaches a thermally conductive resin layer disposed between the lower plate and the battery cell laminated body (the electrically insulating layer 18 is material with superior electrical insulating properties and thermal conductivity characteristics for efficient heat transfer between the battery cells 1 and the cooling plate 7, and silicon resin sheet can be used as the electrically insulating layer 18; [0066]), wherein the entire thermally conductive resin layer is in direct contact with the lower plate and the battery cell laminated body (18 directly contacting cooling plate 7 and battery cells 1 in Fig. 14, when thermal transfer compound layer 19 such as silicone layer 19 is optional per [0066]). Asai teaches such positioning of the silicone resin sheet beneficially prevents short circuit between battery stack 10 and cooling plate 7, while simultaneously desirably improving thermal conduction therebetween ([0066]). Geskes does teach in [0032] that thermally conductive paste can be between plate 6 and conductive structures 8 located below cells 3, such that it is an inventive goal of Geskes to improve heat transfer between the battery cells and the cooling plate.
It would have been obvious, at the time of filing, for a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the battery module of Geskes to include a silicone resin sheet which, is electrically insulating but thermally conductive, to be disposed between the lower plate and the battery cell laminated body such that the entire thermally conductive resin layer is in direct contact with the lower plate and the battery cell laminated body as taught by Asai with the motivation of improving thermal conductivity but preventing short circuit between the lower plate and the battery cell laminated body of modified Geskes.
Pflueger is also analogous in the art of battery modules with cooling plates and teaches a housing plate 15 having a cooling path therein reciprocating between inlet 16.1 and outlet 16.2 (Fig. 6c) and mounted below a battery module 10 (Fig. 4). Pflueger teaches the cooling path (a cooling fluid can be conducted through the cooling ducts, wherein the cooling ducts are configured in such a manner that a cooling fluid can be introduced through at least a first connection piece and discharged through a second connection piece, wherein the connection pieces, in particular, are arranged on at least one housing plate; [0008]) being formed by extrusion such that the cooling path is an extruded channel integrally formed within the flat upper surface and the flat lower surface of the lower plate (the housing plates may exhibit aluminum and/or sheet steel and particularly be configured as extruded profiles, [0006]; the extruded profiles may be made of lightweight metal aluminum, [0006]; the housing plates can be produced as continuous profiles, [0006]). Pflueger therefore teaches toward extrusion as a method to form cooling duct profiles integrally within the lightweight aluminum plate. Regarding the claimed “single” channel, Pflueger teaches in [0008] generally toward a meandering manner of cooling ducts and shows in Figs. 6c such an exemplary meandering coolant path extending between 16.1 and 16.2 within plate 15. Additionally, Geskes Fig. 6 at the left shows the use of a singular meandering coolant channel 10 extending between inlet connection 11 and outlet connection 12. Geskes also teaches that the cooling plate can be formed of aluminum (Geskes [0008]), that aluminum is a heat-conducting material (Geskes [0003, 0009]), and that extrusion profiles are known for use in aluminum cooling plates (Geskes [0004]).
It would have been obvious, at the time of filing, for a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the aluminum cooling plate with the single cooling path therein of modified Geskes was formed via extrusion such that such that the single cooling path was an extruded channel integrally formed within the flat upper surface and the flat lower surface of the lower plate, as taught by Pflueger, and expect easy manufacturing of the extruded continuous profiles, a lightweight aluminum design, and still function as the cooling plate within modified Geskes. Simple substitution of one known element for another to achieve predictable results is obvious per MPEP 2143 I B.
Thus, all limitations of instant claim 1 are rendered obvious.
Regarding claim 3, modified Geskes teaches the limitations of claim 1 above and the single cooling path includes an inlet connected to one side of the lower plate, and an outlet connected to an opposite side of the lower plate (inlet connection 11 and outlet connection 12 within the left plate shown in Geskes Fig. 6). As noted above, the extruded aluminum profile of plate 15 in Pflueger, as applied to modified Geskes above, also teaches inlet and outlet on opposite sides (16.1 and 16.2, Pflueger Fig. 6c).
Regarding claim 4, modified Geskes teaches the limitations of claim 3 above and the single cooling path extends across the lower plate between the inlet and the outlet (single / individual cooling channel 10 extending from 11 to 12, Geskes [0040] and Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 8, modified Geskes teaches the limitations of claim 1 above and a battery pack (accumulator arrangement 1, Geskes fig. 3) comprising: at least one battery module according to claim 1 (multiple blocks 2 shown in Geske Fig. 3); and a pack case for packing the at least one battery module (protection arrangement 37 has a protective cover 29 which follows the housing part 14 in its shape and surrounds the latter, and protection arrangement 37 can alternatively or additionally have a further protective cover 30 as indicated by dashed lines, Geskes [0038] and Fig. 3; frame 24 further surrounds the housing as shown in Geskes Fig. 3 so that the housing is additionally protected laterally in the case of an impact, per Geskes [0036]).
Regarding claim 9, modified Geskes teaches the limitations of claim 8 above but fails to yet teach (in the above citations) the lower plate of the at least one battery module is fixed to the pack case, the pack case being a flat plate. However, Geskes does teach and underride protection plate 31 of the protection arrangement 37 further protects the housing 13 of the accumulator arrangement 1, facing away from the vehicle floor (Geskes [0038] and Fig. 3) and teaches in Fig. 4 that 31 is in the form of a flat plate that is fixed to plate 6 via fastener 25. Therefore, claim 9 is satisfied by the Fig. 3 embodiment of Geskes as cited above regarding claims 1 and 8, and further detailed by Geskes Fig. 4.
Examiner also notes that Geskes also teaches an alternate embodiment in which the housing 13 of the accumulator arrangement 1 is supported onto a transverse beam 28, which rests onto the side edge 26 of the supporting frame 24, and a third fastener 25 then secures the housing 13 on the supporting frame 24 and transverse beam 28 held therebetween (Geskes [0037] and Fig. 2). Geskes [0042] teaches that along with the exemplary embodiments of their disclosure, various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Therefore, combining embodiments to include the transverse beam 28 taught by toward Geskes [0037] within the embodiment of modified Geskes (as generally represented by Geskes Fig. 3 in the above citations) would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art with the expectation of additional support and protection of the internal battery components when the lower plate of the at least one battery module (i.e., 5 in Geskes) is fixed to the pack case (5 fixed between 14 and 28 by 25 within Geskes), the pack case being a flat plate (28 in Geskes).
Regarding claim 12, modified Geskes teaches the limitations of claim 8 above and a device comprising at least one battery pack of claim 8 (hybrid or electric vehicle using the accumulator arrangement, Geskes Abstract).
Regarding claim 14, Geskes teaches a battery module (battery block 2 within accumulator arrangement 1, [0038] and Fig. 3) comprising:
a battery cell laminated body including a plurality of stacked battery cells (individual battery cells 3 are stacked against one another in stacking direction 4 in the respective battery block 2, [0032] and Fig. 3);
a lower plate defined by a flat upper surface and a flat lower surface (cooling device 5 includes cooling plate 6 and cover plate 7 that lies against cooling plate 6, [0033, 0040] and Fig. 6, in view of Figs. 1 and 3 showing: device 5 having flat upper surface above 6 and flat lower surface below 7), the battery cell laminated body being mounted on the lower plate (respective battery block 2 is secured on the cooling plate 6 of device 5 by side screws 9, [0032] and Figs. 3-5); and
a module frame defined by a single plate-shaped structure bent (trough-shaped housing part 14, Fig. 3; 14 is continuous and appears bent at upper left and right corners to be substantially an inverted U-shape) to be coupled to the lower plate (bottom of 14 at flange 16 is coupled to 5/6 by fasteners 15/25 as shown in Figs. 3-5; examiner also notes that “bent to be coupled” is a product-by-process limitation which is met by the trough-shaped structure of 14 shown by Geskes)
such that module frame and the lower plate are bonded to each other at corresponding corners thereof (14 and 5 are bonded at left and right lower corners when flange 16 is fastened by 15 and 25, as shown in Fig. 3; see also [0038-0039] and Figs. 4-5 showing bonding techniques between 14 and 6 – where 6 is part of 5),
the module frame including two side parts facing each other (left and right sidewalls of 14 in Fig. 3) and an upper part connecting the two side parts to continuously cover three surfaces of the battery cell laminated body (upper horizontal portion of 14, such that 14 covers each respective block 2 on at least three sides thereof, as shown in the cross section of Fig. 3), and
wherein a single cooling path is disposed in the lower plate (individual cooling channel 10 in plate 7 at left of Fig. 6, [0040]), the single cooling path … within the flat upper surface and the flat lower surface of the lower plate (10 is between the upper and lower surfaces of 5, Fig. 3), the single cooling path defining a continuous fluid path reciprocating between one side and an opposite side of the entire lower plate (in the cover plate 7 shown on the left, the individual cooling channel 10 is configured in a meandering shape and connects the inlet connection 11 with the outlet connection 12; [0040] and Fig. 6).
Geskes fails to teach:
a thermally conductive resin layer disposed between the lower plate and the battery cell laminated body,
wherein the entire thermally conductive resin layer is in direct contact with the lower plate and the battery cell laminated body,
the single cooling path being formed by extrusion such that the single cooling path is an extruded channel integrally formed within the flat upper surface and the flat lower surface of the lower plate.
Asai is analogous in the art of battery modules with cooling plates and teaches a cooling plate 7 having a single cooling path therein (Fig. 20) and mounted below a battery module (Fig. 14). Asai further teaches a thermally conductive resin layer disposed between the lower plate and the battery cell laminated body (the electrically insulating layer 18 is material with superior electrical insulating properties and thermal conductivity characteristics for efficient heat transfer between the battery cells 1 and the cooling plate 7, and silicon resin sheet can be used as the electrically insulating layer 18; [0066]), wherein the entire thermally conductive resin layer is in direct contact with the lower plate and the battery cell laminated body (18 directly contacting cooling plate 7 and battery cells 1 in Fig. 14, when thermal transfer compound layer 19 such as silicone layer 19 is optional per [0066]). Asai teaches such positioning of the silicone resin sheet beneficially prevents short circuit between battery stack 10 and cooling plate 7, while simultaneously desirably improving thermal conduction therebetween ([0066]). Geskes does teach in [0032] that thermally conductive paste can be between plate 6 and conductive structures 8 located below cells 3, such that it is an inventive goal of Geskes to improve heat transfer between the battery cells and the cooling plate.
It would have been obvious, at the time of filing, for a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the battery module of Geskes to include a silicone resin sheet which, is electrically insulating but thermally conductive, to be disposed between the lower plate and the battery cell laminated body such that the entire thermally conductive resin layer is in direct contact with the lower plate and the battery cell laminated body as taught by Asai with the motivation of improving thermal conductivity but preventing short circuit between the lower plate and the battery cell laminated body of modified Geskes.
Pflueger is also analogous in the art of battery modules with cooling plates and teaches a housing plate 15 having a cooling path therein reciprocating between inlet 16.1 and outlet 16.2 (Fig. 6c) and mounted below a battery module 10 (Fig. 4). Pflueger teaches the cooling path (a cooling fluid can be conducted through the cooling ducts, wherein the cooling ducts are configured in such a manner that a cooling fluid can be introduced through at least a first connection piece and discharged through a second connection piece, wherein the connection pieces, in particular, are arranged on at least one housing plate; [0008]) being formed by extrusion such that the cooling path is an extruded channel integrally formed within the flat upper surface and the flat lower surface of the lower plate (the housing plates may exhibit aluminum and/or sheet steel and particularly be configured as extruded profiles, [0006]; the extruded profiles may be made of lightweight metal aluminum, [0006]; the housing plates can be produced as continuous profiles, [0006]). Pflueger therefore teaches toward extrusion as a method to form cooling duct profiles integrally within the lightweight aluminum plate. Regarding the claimed “single” channel, Pflueger teaches in [0008] generally toward a meandering manner of cooling ducts and shows in Figs. 6c such an exemplary meandering coolant path extending between 16.1 and 16.2 within plate 15. Additionally, Geskes Fig. 6 at the left shows the use of a singular meandering coolant channel 10 extending between inlet connection 11 and outlet connection 12. Geskes also teaches that the cooling plate can be formed of aluminum (Geskes [0008]), that aluminum is a heat-conducting material (Geskes [0003, 0009]), and that extrusion profiles are known for use in aluminum cooling plates (Geskes [0004]).
It would have been obvious, at the time of filing, for a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the aluminum cooling plate with the single cooling path therein of modified Geskes was formed via extrusion such that such that the single cooling path was an extruded channel integrally formed within the flat upper surface and the flat lower surface of the lower plate, as taught by Pflueger, and expect easy manufacturing of the extruded continuous profiles, a lightweight aluminum design, and still function as the cooling plate within modified Geskes. Simple substitution of one known element for another to achieve predictable results is obvious per MPEP 2143 I B.
Thus, all limitations of instant claim 14 are rendered obvious.
Claim(s) 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Geskes et al. (US 2020/0112071 A1) in view of Asai et al. (US 2011/0206948 A1) and Pflueger at al. (US 2018/0219198 A1) as applied to claim 8 above, and further in view of Hashimoto et al. (US 2013/0004822 A1, cited in the 04/22/2022 IDS and previous Office actions) and Bourke et al. (US 20070087266 A1).
Regarding claim 10, modified Geskes teaches the limitations of claim 8 above but fails to explicitly teach further comprising a connection part that connects the cooling paths of each of the battery modules such that the cooling paths are in fluid communication with each other.
Hashimoto is analogous in the art of battery modules comprising battery cell stacks atop cooling structures with intervening thermally conductive resin sheets (see Hashimoto at least Fig. 5 and [0010- 0011, 0054, 0075]) and teaches a battery pack comprising multiple battery modules (battery pack 10 having multiple battery assembly units therein, Hashimoto [0056] and Fig. 1). Hashimoto further teaches two battery assembly units 10B each having two battery assemblies 5 (reading on modules) with cooling plates 61 underneath (Fig. 20, in view of Figs. 1-4), whereby the cooling paths 60 are interconnected between the plates 61. Hashimoto thus teaches connection parts portions of pipes 60 (which connect between cooling plates 61 of adjacent battery assemblies 5 within packs 10 of device 100, Hashimoto [0101-0102] and fig. 20 in view of fig. 1), thus connecting the cooling paths of each of the battery modules such that the cooling paths are in fluid communication with each other (two separate plates 61 under adjacent assemblies 5 shown in one connected cooling path / loop with cooling mechanism 69 which circulates coolant, per Hashimoto [0101-0102] and fig 20). Hashimoto Fig. 20 teaches such connection parts being part of the reciprocating/meandering cooling path.
Bourke is analogous in the art of cooling flow paths for battery modules and teaches a modular battery system having a cooling manifold which provides a system wherein coolant flows into and out of each battery module; preferably the manifold comprises an interlocking system of flow channels, and that any number of subsystems nay be incorporated with coolant jumpers connecting the respective cooling manifolds of the subsystems to allow coolant to flow in series from the first subsystem to the last subsystem, wherein each subsystem may be disposed in a system housing, and wherein the system housing has a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet which are in flow communication with the manifolds (Bourke [0013]). Bourke Figs. 5A-5B show coolant jumper 129 used to connect the coolant channels of the arrays ([0051]).
Geskes does teach embodiments in Figs. 2 and 6 wherein multiple battery blocks 2 have respective cooling devices 5 thereunder, and Geskes [0013-0014] welcomes multiple cooling plates. In view of the teachings of both Hashimoto and Bourke as explained above, a person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious before the effective filing date to further modify Geskes to include connection parts for fluidly interconnecting the coolant paths of the adjacent cooling plates among the plurality of cooling plates underneath the plurality of adjacent battery modules, using flow path connecting portions such as the coolant jumper taught toward in the above-cited prior art. As taught by Hashimoto and Bourke, interconnecting the coolant flow paths in such a manner is beneficial to only require one overall inlet and one overall outlet for the circulating coolant from an external coolant source, while still achieving the desired cooling effects underneath multiple interconnected battery modules within an overall battery pack/modular system. The use of known technique to improve similar devices in the same way supports a conclusion of obviousness per MPEP 2143 I C, such that it would have been obvious to include a connection part that connects the cooling paths of each of the battery modules such that the cooling paths are in fluid communication with each other.
Regarding claim 11, modified Geskes teaches the limitations of claim 10 above and teaches the connection part includes a flexible material (cooling pipe 60 - including connection parts between adjacent plates 61 as shown in fig 20 and described above - is a "relatively flexible aluminum pipe", Hashimoto [0109]; also preferably, the flow channels 112 are constructed of a light weight material, such as any known polymer, per Bourke [0051]). Thus in view of both Hashimoto and Bourke, when modifying Geskes in regards to claim 10 above, selecting a flexible material such as flexible aluminum or a polymer for the connection part would have been obvious (see also MPEP 2144.07), especially to achieve the curved, reciprocating flow path connection as shown in the cited figures in the above-cited prior art (i.e., Geskes Fig. 6 in view of Hashimoto Fig. 20 and Bourke Fig. 5).
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Geskes et al. (US 2020/0112071 A1) in view of Asai et al. (US 2011/0206948 A1), Pflueger at al. (US 2018/0219198 A1) and Bourke et al. (US 20070087266 A1) and Hashimoto et al. (US 2013/0004822 A1, cited in the 04/22/2022 IDS and previous Office actions).
Regarding claim 13, Geskes teaches a battery pack (accumulator arrangement 1, Geskes fig. 1-3) comprising:
a plurality of battery modules (multiple battery blocks 2, fig. 1-3); and
a pack case for packing the plurality of battery modules (protection arrangement 37 has a protective cover 29 which follows the housing part 14 in its shape and surrounds the latter, and protection arrangement 37 can alternatively or additionally have a further protective cover 30 as indicated by dashed lines, Geskes [0038] and Fig. 3; Geskes [0038] and Fig. 3 also teach underride protection plate 31 of the protection arrangement 37 further protects the housing 13 of the accumulator arrangement 1, such that 29+31 make up 37 which reads on pack case),
wherein each battery module of the plurality of battery modules comprises:
a battery cell laminated body including a plurality of stacked battery cells (individual battery cells 3 are stacked against one another in stacking direction 4 in the respective battery block 2, [0032] and Fig. 3);
a lower plate (cooling device 5 includes cooling plate 6, [0033, 0040] and Fig. 6, in view of Figs. 1-3), the battery cell laminated body being mounted on the lower plate (respective battery block 2 is secured on the cooling plate 6 of device 5 by side screws 9, [0032] and Figs. 3-5); and
a module frame (trough-shaped housing part 14, Fig. 3) coupled to the lower plate (bottom of 14 at flange 16 is coupled to 5/6 by fasteners 15/25 as shown in Figs. 3-5) and including two side parts facing each other (left and right sidewalls of 14 in Fig. 3) and an upper part connecting the two side parts to continuously cover three surfaces of the battery cell laminated body (upper horizontal portion of 14, such that 14 covers each respective block 2 on at least three sides thereof, as shown in the cross section of Fig. 3), and
wherein a cooling path is disposed in the lower plate (individual cooling channel 10 in plate 7 at left of Fig. 6, [0040]),
wherein the lower plate of each of the battery modules of the plurality of battery modules is fixed to the pack case (5/6 fixed to 31 by fasteners 15 and 25, Geskes Fig. 4 in view of Fig. 3 and [0038-0039]), the pack case being a flat plate (31 as cited above is a flat plate, Geskes Figs. 3-4 and [0038]),
wherein the cooling path includes an inlet connected to one side of the lower plate, and an outlet connected to an opposite side of the lower plate (the cooling channels 10 are formed, which can be connected toward the exterior by the inlet connections 11 and the outlet connections 12, such that in the cover plate 7 shown on the left, the individual cooling channel is configured in a meandering shape and connects the inlet connection 11 with the outlet connection 12; Geskes [0040] and left of Fig. 6 – where 11 and 12 are on opposite side of 7).
Geskes fails to teach:
a thermally conductive resin layer disposed between the lower plate and the battery cell laminated body,
wherein the thermally conductive resin layer is in contact with the lower plate and the battery cell laminated body,
wherein the cooling path is formed by extrusion in a metal material when forming the lower plate;
wherein each battery module includes a connection part that connects the cooling paths of each of the battery modules such that the cooling paths are in fluid communication with each other, and
wherein the connection part connects the outlet of the battery module to the inlet of an adjacent battery module, thereby connecting the cooling path within the plurality of battery modules into a single path throughout the entire battery pack.
Asai is analogous in the art of battery modules with cooling plates and teaches a cooling plate 7 having a single cooling path therein (Fig. 20) and mounted below a battery module (Fig. 14). Asai further teaches a thermally conductive resin layer disposed between the lower plate and the battery cell laminated body (the electrically insulating layer 18 is material with superior electrical insulating properties and thermal conductivity characteristics for efficient heat transfer between the battery cells 1 and the cooling plate 7, and silicon resin sheet can be used as the electrically insulating layer 18; [0066]), wherein the entire thermally conductive resin layer is in direct contact with the lower plate and the battery cell laminated body (18 directly contacting cooling plate 7 and battery cells 1 in Fig. 14, when thermal transfer compound layer 19 such as silicone layer 19 is optional per [0066]). Asai teaches such positioning of the silicone resin sheet beneficially prevents short circuit between battery stack 10 and cooling plate 7, while simultaneously desirably improving thermal conduction therebetween ([0066]). Geskes does teach in [0032] that thermally conductive paste can be between plate 6 and conductive structures 8 located below cells 3, such that it is an inventive goal of Geskes to improve heat transfer between the battery cells and the cooling plate.
It would have been obvious, at the time of filing, for a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the battery module of Geskes to include a silicone resin sheet which, is electrically insulating but thermally conductive, to be disposed between the lower plate and the battery cell laminated body such that the entire thermally conductive resin layer is in direct contact with the lower plate and the battery cell laminated body as taught by Asai with the motivation of improving thermal conductivity but preventing short circuit between the lower plate and the battery cell laminated body of modified Geskes.
Pflueger is also analogous in the art of battery modules with cooling plates and teaches a housing plate 15 having a cooling path therein reciprocating between inlet 16.1 and outlet 16.2 (Fig. 6c) and mounted below a battery module 10 (Fig. 4). Pflueger teaches the cooling path (a cooling fluid can be conducted through the cooling ducts, wherein the cooling ducts are configured in such a manner that a cooling fluid can be introduced through at least a first connection piece and discharged through a second connection piece, wherein the connection pieces, in particular, are arranged on at least one housing plate; [0008]) being formed by extrusion such that the cooling path is an extruded channel integrally formed within the flat upper surface and the flat lower surface of the lower plate (the housing plates may exhibit aluminum and/or sheet steel and particularly be configured as extruded profiles, [0006]; the extruded profiles may be made of lightweight metal aluminum, [0006]; the housing plates can be produced as continuous profiles, [0006]). Pflueger therefore teaches toward extrusion as a method to form cooling duct profiles integrally within the lightweight aluminum plate. Regarding the claimed “single” channel, Pflueger teaches in [0008] generally toward a meandering manner of cooling ducts and shows in Figs. 6c such an exemplary meandering coolant path extending between 16.1 and 16.2 within plate 15. Additionally, Geskes Fig. 6 at the left shows the use of a singular meandering coolant channel 10 extending between inlet connection 11 and outlet connection 12. Geskes also teaches that the cooling plate can be formed of aluminum (Geskes [0008]), that aluminum is a heat-conducting material (Geskes [0003, 0009]), and that extrusion profiles are known for use in aluminum cooling plates (Geskes [0004]).
It would have been obvious, at the time of filing, for a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the aluminum cooling plate with the single cooling path therein of modified Geskes was formed via extrusion such that such that the single cooling path was an extruded channel integrally formed within the flat upper surface and the flat lower surface of the lower plate, as taught by Pflueger, and expect easy manufacturing of the extruded continuous profiles, a lightweight aluminum design, and still function as the cooling plate within modified Geskes. Simple substitution of one known element for another to achieve predictable results is obvious per MPEP 2143 I B.
Bourke is analogous in the art of cooling flow paths for battery modules and teaches a modular battery system having a cooling manifold which provides a system wherein coolant flows into and out of each battery module; preferably the manifold comprises an interlocking system of flow channels, and that any number of subsystems nay be incorporated with coolant jumpers connecting the respective cooling manifolds of the subsystems to allow coolant to flow in series from the first subsystem to the last subsystem, wherein each subsystem may be disposed in a system housing, and wherein the system housing has a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet which are in flow communication with the manifolds (Bourke [0013]). Bourke Figs. 5A-5B show coolant jumper 129 used to connect the coolant channels of the arrays ([0051]). Therefore, Bourke teaches: each battery module includes a connection part that connects the cooling paths of each of the battery modules such that the cooling paths are in fluid communication with each other (two halves of 129, each connecting from 112 of the two subsystems of Bourke Fig. 5B), and the connection part connects the outlet of the battery module to the inlet of an adjacent battery module, thereby connecting the cooling path within the plurality of battery modules into a single path throughout the entire battery pack (coolant inlet and coolant outlet which are in flow communication with the manifolds of all of plurality of subsystems per Bourke [0013] cited above).
Hashimoto is analogous in the art of battery modules comprising battery cell stacks atop cooling structures with intervening thermally conductive resin sheets (see Hashimoto at least Fig. 5 and [0010- 0011, 0054, 0075]) and teaches a battery pack comprising multiple battery modules (battery pack 10 having multiple battery assembly units therein, Hashimoto [0056] and Fig. 1). Hashimoto further teaches two battery assembly units 10B each having two battery assemblies 5 (reading on modules) with cooling plates 61 underneath (Fig. 20, in view of Figs. 1-4), whereby the cooling paths 60 are interconnected between the plates 61. Hashimoto thus teaches connection parts portions of pipes 60 (which connect between cooling plates 61 of adjacent battery assemblies 5 within packs 10 of device 100, Hashimoto [0101-0102] and fig. 20 in view of fig. 1), thus connecting the cooling paths of each of the battery modules such that the cooling paths are in fluid communication with each other (two separate plates 61 under adjacent assemblies 5 shown in one connected cooling path / loop with cooling mechanism 69 which circulates coolant, per Hashimoto [0101-0102] and fig 20). Hashimoto Fig. 20 teaches such connection parts being part of the reciprocating/meandering cooling path. Therefore, Hashimoto teaches: the connection part connects the outlet of the battery module to the inlet of an adjacent battery module (dashed arrow connecting outlet of upper 10B to inlet of lower 10B, Fig. 20), thereby connecting the cooling path within the plurality of battery modules into a single path throughout the entire battery pack (single path 60 throughout plates 61 of each 10B, Fig. 20).
Geskes does teach embodiments in Figs. 2 and 6 wherein multiple battery blocks 2 have respective cooling devices 5 thereunder, and Geskes [0013-0014] welcomes multiple cooling plates. In view of the teachings of Bourke as explained above, a person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious before the effective filing date to further modify Geskes to include connection parts for fluidly interconnecting the coolant paths of the adjacent cooling plates among the plurality of cooling plates underneath the plurality of adjacent battery modules, using flow path connecting portions such as the coolant jumper taught toward in the above-cited prior arts. As taught by Bourke and Hashimoto, interconnecting the coolant flow paths in such a manner is beneficial to only require one overall inlet and one overall outlet for the circulating coolant (see especially the coolant system 69 in Hashimoto Fig. 20, having only one inlet and one outlet to circulate coolant to path 60 within each interconnected plate 61), while still achieving the desired cooling effects underneath multiple interconnected battery modules within an overall battery pack/modular system. The use of known technique to improve similar devices in the same way supports a conclusion of obviousness per MPEP 2143 I C, such that it would have been obvious to include, in each battery module, a connection part that connects the cooling paths of each of the battery modules such that the cooling paths are in fluid communication with each other, wherein the connection part connects the outlet of the battery module to the inlet of an adjacent battery module, thereby connecting the cooling path within the plurality of battery modules into a single path throughout the entire battery pack.
Thus, all limitations of instant claim 13 are rendered obvious.
Conclusion
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/JESSIE WALLS-MURRAY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1728
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