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 .
Drawings
The applicant is advised to submit drawing(s) illustrating the leads in light of the openings of the accommodation unit. Applicant is required to furnish a drawing under 37 CFR 1.81(c). No new matter may be introduced in the required drawing. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d).
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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
The factual inquiries 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.
Claim(s) 1-5, 12-14 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ju et al. (US 2019/0260099) in view of Choi et al. (US 2016/0141712) and further in view of Park et al. (US 2007/0231678).
Regarding claims 1, Ju et al. teaches a secondary battery charging and discharging system comprising: an accommodation unit (100, 200) configured to accommodate a battery cell (100); first and second electrode leads (abstract, element 111, para 0064, para 0077) of the battery cell accommodated in the accommodation unit; and wherein the accommodation unit includes openings configured to expose the first and second electrode leads in (see figs. 1-22, wherein the leads (111) are exposed via openings in front of the accommodation unit).
Ju fails to teach charging/discharging systems to be coupled to electrical termina for charging and discharging.
Choi teaches a secondary battery enclosure wherein battery cells of battery modules can be packed together in a housing wherein electrical leads or terminals can be connected to a charging/discharging for charging and discharging of power in (see figs. 1, 4-16, see para 0091).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Choi into that of Ju to allow charging and discharging of battery cells or modules via leads or terminals to keep batteries fully charged to power loads or to keep loads active.
The combination of Ju and Cho fails to teach a cooling structure for cooling the secondary batteries, the cooler including: a blower fan; a heat sink; and a Peltier element positioned between the blower fan and the heat sink.
Park et al. teaches a heat cooling system for battery packs or cells in (see para 0029) wherein a cooling system for battery packs or cells would be used to cool down battery packs or cells in light of heat in the housing. Park et al. teaches a secondary battery charging and discharging system comprising in (see figs.): an accommodation unit configured to accommodate a battery cell (see housing for the battery cells, see 400 of fig. 1); and a cooling unit configured to supply cooled air to the battery cell accommodated in the accommodation unit, wherein the cooling unit comprises a blower fan, a heat sink, and a Peltier element positioned between the blower fan and the heat sink in (see figs. wherein a first heat conductive element (140), a second heat conductive element (141) and a Peltier element (130) can be mounted in between). Note that according to in (see para 0032), element (141) can be a heat sink with plurality of fins creating a heat sink while the possibility of a blowing fan mounted in front or the back of a peltier material is taught in (see para 0014).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Park into the combination thus making it possible to cool down batteries when they are overheated to mitigate the degradation of batteries in an enclosed settings when they are charged or discharged.
Regarding claim 2, The combination including Park et al. teaches a peltier element (130), which by definition includes a heat absorbing element and a heat dissipating element, as known in the art. According to the combination including Park et al. in (see para 0014), the fan can be mounted in the vicinity of the peltier element either in front or the back of it. The heat sink (141) would be at the back of the peltier thus in a position of being in the vicinity of the heat dissipating area.
Regarding claim 3, The combination as set forth regarding claim 1 fails to address a sensor unit configured to measure the internal temperature of the secondary battery charging and discharging system.
However, Park et al. teaches a battery assembly in (see para 0015-0018 of Park et al.). wherein a sensor unit can be used to measure the internal temperature of the secondary battery charging and discharging system.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Park in order to determine the temperature in a battery housing so as to be able to regulate the heat associated with the battery cells/packs uniformly to mitigate degradation to the batteries.
Regarding claim 4, The combination teaches a control unit configured to receive the internal temperature of the secondary battery charging and discharging system measured by the sensor unit and control the driving of the cooling unit in (see para 0015-0018 of Park et al.).
Regarding claim 5, The combination including Park teaches wherein the control unit performs control so that the cooling unit is driven when the internal temperature of the secondary battery charging and discharging system measured by the sensor unit is higher than a reference temperature (see para 0015-0018, 0034).
Regarding claim 12, see the rejection as set forth regarding claim 1.
Regarding claims 13-14, see the rejection as set forth in the rejection of claims 3-5.
Regarding claim 16, see the explanation as set forth regarding claim. The limitation a single heat sink is taught by the combination including Part et al. which teaches a single heat sink inside the inlet port while the other may not be, i.e. outside the inlet port. Also, a plurality of parts can be narrowed down to a single part given space consideration and weight as well.
Claim(s) 6 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ju et al. (US 2019/0260099) in view of Choi et al. (US 2016/0141712) and further in view of Park et al. (US 2007/0231678) and further in view of Marchal et al. (US 2016/0082860).
Regarding claims 6 and 15, The combination teaches a control unit and a cooling unit which can make decision based on detected temperature but fails to teach stop cooling of a battery module made of cells when a detected threshold is lower.
Marchal teaches a method for managing the temperature of a battery in (see para 0006) that detection of temperature can be used in determining when cooling should be stopped in (para 0006).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Marchal into that of the combination thus making it possible to cool down battery device when needed or warranted based on detected parameters such as the temperature within the housing or batteries.
Claims 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ju et al. (US 2019/0260099) in view of Choi et al. (US 2016/0141712) and further in view of Park et al. (US 2007/0231678) and further in view of Hellmann et al. (US 6,512,347).
Regarding claims 7 and 8, The combination teaches a cooling means in (see explanation) as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 wherein a cooling means can include a plurality of elements but fails to teach a cooling unit disposed on the upper portion of a battery housing unit.
Hellman et al. teaches a battery having integral cooling system comprising of battery cells (12) with a plurality of cooling units formed independently by units (26, 36) and appears to be equidistant from each other disposed at the upper portion of the housing.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Hellmann et al. into that of the combination thus making it possible to cool down batteries and avoid damaging batteries when in an operational state.
Claims 9 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ju et al. (US 2019/0260099) in view of Choi et al. (US 2016/0141712) and further in view of Park et al. (US 2007/0231678) and further in view of Kouzu et al. (US 6,225,788)
Regarding claims 9 and 10, The combination teaches a cooling fan that can be used to cool down battery cells in (see rejection of claim 1) but fails to teach stacked perforated cooling plates mounted on battery cells.
Sarkar teaches a battery unit in (see fig. 1) with a possibility of a plurality of stacked cooling plates in (see para 0082) on top of battery cells.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Sarkar into the combination thus making it possible to cool down a battery unit from being overheated and prevented from being damaged.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 11 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Option I: Furthermore, incorporation of the multiple cooling units mounted at an upper portion of the housing unit (accommodation unit) equidistant as claimed in claim 7 composed with the identical elements namely a peltier element, cooling fan and a heat sink in the arranged order claimed in addition to the perforated plates in which multiple holes are formed in the central regions of the plates with the perforated plates placed under the cooling units shown in (see figs. 5-6) into claim 1 would overcome the rejection of record.
Option II: Also, the subject matter of claims 7, 8 and 9 into claim 1 would better define the claimed invention (figs. 5 and 6).
Response to Arguments
The applicant’s arguments in regard to Park and Choi were considered but found to be not persuasive, both references are directed to a battery module and it’s known to charge/discharge batteries to loads. Furthermore, the idea of being able to cool batteries packs or cells with the claimed elements including a fan, peltier and a heat sink is rendered obvious by Park et al. and Choi teaches a battery module of secondary batteries relevant to the claimed subject matter for housing a plurality of secondary battery cells.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Jin (US 2020/0099034) teaches in (see para 0084-0085) passing leads of battery cells through openings.
Shin et al. (US 2020/0006741) teaches a battery housing unit with leads which are inserted through openings of a housing unit in (see para 0090-0091).
WO 2020/116825 teaches a battery module for housing battery cells with a cooling element (200) disposed at the upper housing and electrode leads (112) protruding through openings.
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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/REXFORD N BARNIE/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2836