DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 11/21/2025 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
In response to applicant’s amendment received 11/21/2025, the following objections and rejections have been withdrawn from the previous office action:
Objections to the claims
35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejections of claims 10-21
35 U.S.C. 102 rejections of claims 10-14, 18-21 and 27
35 U.S.C. 103 rejections of claims 15-17
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 22-29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Published Application US20210296728A1, hereafter Kim.
Regarding claim 22, Kim discloses a housing element (Fig 6) for a storage housing of an electrical energy store of a motor vehicle ([0091] battery case), the electrical energy store having a plurality of storage cells arrangeable in a receiving space of the storage housing (Fig 4, [0106], 8 battery modules mounted therein), the housing element comprising:
a baseplate (300) made of a light metal ([0477] cooling block 300 made of aluminum);
at least in a subregion (370) of the base plate (Fig 6), a reinforcing plate (200) made of steel ([0460] heat dissipation plate 200 made of stainless steel), wherein the base plate (300) is reinforced by the reinforcing plate (200); and
an elastomer intermediate layer (600) by which the reinforcing plate (200) is adhesively bonded to the subregion (370) of the baseplate (300) ([0149] heat dissipation plate 200 coupled to stepped part 370 formed on bottom inside the sidewall 360 of the cooling block by adhesive 600; Figs 9a, 9b, [0164] heat dissipation plate coupled with adhesive 600 to step 370 near inner frame 110; [0465] EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) adhesive), wherein the elastomer intermediate layer (600) covers an entire lower surface of the reinforcing plate (200) (Fig 20, [0234] adhesive layer 600 has a shape corresponding to that of the heat dissipation plate 200).
Regarding claim 23, Kim further discloses wherein the at least one reinforcing plate is separated galvanically from the baseplate by the elastomer intermediate layer (600) ([0149] heat dissipation plate 200 coupled to stepped part 370 formed on bottom inside the sidewall 360 of the cooling block 300 by adhesive 600; [0465] EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) adhesive; since the adhesive 600 lies between the cooling block 300 and the heat dissipation plate 200, and the adhesive is electrically non-conductive, the heat dissipation plate and cooling block 300 are therefore galvanically separated).
Regarding claim 24, Kim further discloses wherein a maximum wall thickness of the baseplate (300) is less than 5 millimeters ([0513] thickness of cooling block 300 is 2 to 5 mm). "If the prior art discloses a point within the claimed range, the prior art anticipates the claim." (MPEP 2131.03 (I)).
Regarding claim 25, Kim further discloses wherein the baseplate (300) has a further subregion which adjoins the subregion and the reinforcing plate (200) (see annotated Fig 7), extends entirely around the subregion and the entire reinforcing plate (200) (see Figs 4, 6, & 7; [0119] sidewall 360 of cooling block 300 extends upward from edge portion of cooling block 300, sidewall 360 is formed at height to enclose heat dissipation plate 200, inner frame 100, and battery module), and is free from a reinforcing plate.
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Regarding claim 26, Kim further discloses wherein the housing element has sidewalls (360) which protrude over the baseplate (300) and the reinforcing plate (200), such that the sidewalls (360) and the reinforcing plate (200) at least partially delimit the receiving space (Figs 6 & 7), at least one strut (inner frame 110) is arranged between the sidewalls (360) and the baseplate (300) (Fig 6), the at least one strut (110) extends continuously from one of the sidewalls (360) as far as the other sidewall (360) and thereby divides the receiving space into two subspaces (Fig 1), and the at least one strut (110) is connected to the sidewalls (360) (Fig 1, Fig 6), wherein the sidewalls (360) are connected to one another via the at least one strut (Fig 1).
Regarding claim 27, Kim further discloses wherein the housing element has sidewalls (360) which protrude over the baseplate (300) and the reinforcing plate (200), such that the sidewalls (360) and the reinforcing plate (200) at least partially delimit the receiving space (Figs 6 & 7), at least one strut (inner frame 110) is arranged between the sidewalls (360) and the baseplate (300) (Fig 6), the at least one strut (110) extends continuously from one of the sidewalls (360) as far as the other sidewall (360) and thereby divides the receiving space into two subspaces (Fig 1), and the at least one strut (110) is connected to the sidewalls (360) (Fig 1, Fig 6), wherein the sidewalls (360) are connected to one another via the at least one strut (Fig 1).
Regarding claim 28, Kim further discloses wherein the reinforcing plate (200) is connected to the baseplate (300) exclusively by adhesive bonding brought about by way of the elastomer intermediate layer (Fig 7, heat dissipation plate 200 connected to cooling block 300 only by adhesive 600).
Regarding claim 29, Kim further discloses a motor vehicle comprising the housing element according to claim 22 ([0140] battery case for an electric car).
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.
Claim(s) 10-21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Published Application US20210296728A1, hereafter Kim in view of Published Application US20180337377A1, hereafter Stephens.
Regarding claim 10, Kim discloses a housing element (Fig 6) for a storage housing of an electrical energy store of a motor vehicle ([0091] battery case), the electrical energy store having a plurality of storage cells arrangeable in a receiving space of the storage housing (Fig 4, [0106], 8 battery modules mounted therein), the housing element comprising:
a baseplate (300) made of a light metal ([0477] cooling block 300 made of aluminum), the baseplate having a plurality of subregions, each subregion being configured to receive a storage cell of the plurality of storage cells (Fig 4, [0106] battery modules arranged in separate regions);
a reinforcing plate (200) made of steel ([0460] heat dissipation plate 200 made of stainless steel) positioned in each of the plurality of subregions (370) of the base plate (Fig 6), wherein the base plate (300) is reinforced by the reinforcing plate (200); and
an elastomer intermediate layer (600) by which the reinforcing plate (200) is adhesively bonded to each subregion (370) of the baseplate (300) ([0149] heat dissipation plate 200 coupled to stepped part 370 formed on bottom inside the sidewall 360 of the cooling block by adhesive 600; Figs 9a, 9b, [0164] heat dissipation plate coupled with adhesive 600 to step 370 near inner frame 110; [0465] EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) adhesive).
Kim further discloses the heat dissipation plate 200 has an unformed part 240 in areas through which the cooling block 300 connects to the inner frame 110, by which it is possible to save a material and further reduce a weight (Fig 11, [0130]).
Kim is silent on the reinforcing plate being a plurality of reinforcing plates, each reinforcing plate disposed in a respective one of the plurality of subregions of the baseplate.
In the analogous art of electric vehicle battery trays, Stephens discloses the use of a plurality of separate reinforcing plates (147), each reinforcing plate (147) disposed in a respective one of the plurality of subregions (128) of the baseplate (120) where each battery module (114) is placed ([0069] Fig 8, cold plate 147 between floor portion 128 and battery module 114).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the present invention, to modify the invention of Kim to separate the heat dissipation plate under each module into separate plates as disclosed by Stephens, in order to reduce material costs and to reduce the weight of the battery case, as suggested by Kim, while still providing support, mechanical strength, and heat dissipation to the batteries during operation.
Regarding claim 11, modified Kim further discloses wherein the reinforcing plates are galvanically separated from the baseplate by the elastomer intermediate layer ([0149] heat dissipation plate 200 coupled to stepped part 370 formed on bottom inside the sidewall 360 of the cooling block 300 by adhesive 600; [0465] EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) adhesive; since the adhesive 600 lies between the cooling block 300 and the heat dissipation plate 200, and the adhesive is electrically non-conductive, the heat dissipation plate and cooling block 300 are therefore galvanically separated).
Regarding claims 12 and 13, Kim further discloses wherein a maximum wall thickness of the baseplate (300) is less than 5 millimeters ([0513] thickness of cooling block 300 is 2 to 5 mm). "If the prior art discloses a point within the claimed range, the prior art anticipates the claim." (MPEP 2131.03 (I)).
Regarding claim 14, modified Kim further discloses wherein the baseplate (300) has at least one further subregion which adjoins the plurality of subregions and the reinforcing plates (200) (see annotated Fig 7), extends entirely around the plurality of subregions and the entirety of the reinforcing plates (200) (see Figs 4, 6, & 7; [0119] sidewall 360 of cooling block 300 extends upward from edge portion of cooling block 300, sidewall 360 is formed at height to enclose heat dissipation plate 200, inner frame 100, and battery module), and is free from any of the reinforcing plates (200).
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Regarding claims 15 and 17, modified Kim further discloses wherein the housing element has sidewalls (360) which protrude over the baseplate (300) and the reinforcing plates (200), such that the sidewalls (360) and the reinforcing plates (200) at least partially delimit the receiving space (Figs 6 & 7), at least one strut (inner frame 110) is arranged between the sidewalls (360) and the baseplate (300) (Fig 6), and between respective ones of the reinforcing plates (200) (Fig 1), the at least one strut (110) extends continuously from one of the sidewalls (360) as far as the other sidewall (360) and thereby divides the receiving space into subspaces (Fig 1), and the at least one strut (110) is connected to the sidewalls (360) (Fig 1, Fig 6), wherein the sidewalls (360) are connected to one another via the at least one strut (Fig 1).
Regarding claim 16, Kim further discloses wherein the at least one strut (110) is arranged on one part of the at least one further subregion (see annotated Fig 6).
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Regarding claim 18, modified Kim further discloses wherein the reinforcing plates (200) are connected to the baseplate (300) exclusively by adhesive bonding brought about by way of the elastomer intermediate layer (600) (Fig 7, heat dissipation plate 200 connected to cooling block 300 only by adhesive 600).
Regarding claim 19, Kim further discloses wherein the light metal is aluminum ([0477] cooling block 300 made of aluminum).
Regarding claim 20, modified Kim further discloses a motor vehicle comprising the housing element according to claim 10 ([0140] battery case for an electric car), wherein the plurality of storage cells are arranged in the receiving space of the storage housing, the at reinforcing plates at least partially delimiting the receiving space (Fig 1, [0092] battery module (not shown) in battery case 10, Fig 4 heat dissipation plate 200 delimiting spaces with inner frame 100).
Regarding claim 21, Kim discloses wherein the elastomer intermediate layer (600) covers an entire lower surface of the reinforcing plates (200) (Fig 20, [0234] adhesive layer 600 has a shape corresponding to that of the heat dissipation plate 200).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 11 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant’s arguments regarding claim 10 on pages 8-9 and claim 21 on page 10 of applicant’s remarks that relate to the newly amended plurality of reinforcing plates limitation or to the previous rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102, these arguments are rendered moot in view of the new 35 U.S.C. 103 rejection of claim 10.
In response to applicant’s argument regarding claim 10 on pages 8-9 of applicant’s remarks that the present claims are directed to a baseplate architecture with subregions configured “at the cell level” and locally reinforced accordingly, whereas Kim’s “module-level” compartmentalization does not disclose baseplate “subregions” each configured to receive a storage cell, the examiner disagrees, and notes that while Kim does not use the word “cell”, the present claim states only that each subregion is configured to receive a storage cell, and does not limit the claim to a ratio of a single storage cell to a single subregion. Furthermore, the present specification explains in [0034] that the housing element includes transverse struts that subdivide the receiving space TB into multiple lower parts UT, which are the subspaces where each storage module of multiple cells are to be placed, as is also the case with Kim.
In response to applicant’s argument regarding claim 14 on page 10 of applicant’s remarks that Kim’s sidewall 360 is a wall extending up from an edge region of the cooling block and is not a “further subregion”, the examiner disagrees, and notes, as stated in the rejection of claim 14 above, that the further subregion is found at the base of the sidewall – the rejection did not map the further subregion to the sidewall itself, as shown in the annotated figure, reproduced below:
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In response to applicant’s argument regarding claim 22 on pages 10-11 of applicant’s remarks that Kim does not clearly and unambiguously disclose the combination of (1) a light-metal baseplate; (2) a steel reinforcing plate; and (3) an elastomer intermediate layer covering the entire lower surface of that plate, the examiner disagrees, and notes that although there are multiple possible combinations of materials for these three elements, the possibilities are limited, and the claimed combination could easily have been at once envisaged by one skilled in the art (see MPEP 2131.02 (III)). As stated by applicant, [0477] of Kim discloses three materials for the cooling block 300, while [0460] of Kim discloses the metal of the heat dissipation plate 200 “may be any one selected from a group consisting of, particularly, iron, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, brass, nickel, zinc, and alloy thereof”. Finally, the adhesive is disclosed by Kim to be any of a number of polymeric materials all of which may be elastomers ([0465]).
In response to applicant’s argument regarding claims 15 and 17 on page 12 of applicant’s remarks that Kim teaches away from segmenting the plate into separate pieces interspersed with structural struts as it would undermine Kim’s stated goal of providing a continuous heat transfer interface for module cooling, complicate sealing of the cooling paths, and degrade structural and thermal performance, the examiner disagrees. First, the cited paragraphs of [0105] and [0109] of Kim do not recite any such need for the heat transfer interface needing to be continuous, nor does Kim disclose this principle elsewhere, and thus there further is no need for the plate to remain monolithic, as heat from the battery modules will spread from the battery modules to the cooling block as intended, whether the dissipation plate is in one piece or separate pieces under each battery module. Second [0173] of Kim refers to the sidewall, which would remain intact, and [0239-0246] of Kim are a discussion of the basic function and structure of the cooling path, and do not recite any statements that indicate sealing of the cooling paths would be “complicated” by a splitting of the plate (even if this were the case, a complication of a modification such as this is not out of the realm of ordinary skill for one skilled in the art to manage). Lastly, there appears to be no evidence provided by applicant or present in Kim or elsewhere that indicates splitting the plate of Kim would result in degraded structural and thermal performance. Thus, Kim does not teach away from making such a modification (see MPEP 2145 (X) (D)).
In response to applicant’s argument regarding claims 15 and 17 on page 12 of applicant’s remarks that Kim lacks both the discrete plate architecture and any strut placement between such plates, the examiner notes that in view of the new 35 U.S.C. 103 rejection of claim 10, this limitation is met when the modification is made to Kim with Stephens for the plate to be discrete plates under each battery module.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TIMOTHY HEMINGWAY whose telephone number is (571)272-0235. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 6-4.
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/T.G.H./Examiner, Art Unit 1754
/SUSAN D LEONG/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1754