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 .
Response to Amendment
In response to the amendment received on 06/09/2026:
Claims 1-8, 10-11, and 13-22 are pending in the current application. Claims 1, 10, and 14 have been amended. Claims 19-22 are newly added.
The previous prior art-based rejection have been withdrawn in light of the amendments to the claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks Page 6, filed 06/09/2026, with respect to the objection to claim 10 have been fully considered. The objection has been withdrawn in light of the amendments to claim 10.
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks Page 6, filed 06/09/2026, with respect to the rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) have been fully considered. The rejection has been withdrawn in light of the amendments to claim 14.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been considered but are moot due to the amendment to the claims.
The Examiner notes that claims 5 and 14 were previously 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.
However, in light of further search and consideration, new prior art has been found and claims 5 and 14 are rejected below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, 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.
Claims 1-4, 6, 8, 13-17, and 19-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al (US 20200067040 A1, as given in the 10/23/2023 IDS) in view of Park et al (US 20180358592 A1) in view of Start et al (US 8703536 B2).
Regarding claims 1 and 15, Kim discloses a battery pack (see entire disclosure and especially P68) including a battery module (1 in Figs. 1-2 and 8, see entire disclosure and especially P63) comprising: a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked (plurality of battery cells 111 in Figs. 2 and 8, see entire disclosure and especially P63-64);
a plate-shaped lower plate located under the battery cell stack (cooling plate 20 in Figs. 1-2 and 8, see entire disclosure and especially P63-64);
a module frame for covering an upper surface and opposite side surfaces of the battery cell stack (case 30 including upper cover 310 and side covers 320 in Figs. 1-2 and 8, see entire disclosure and especially P63); and
a thermal conductive adhesive layer located between the lower plate and the battery cell stack (thermally conductive adhesive, see entire disclosure and especially P76, 78).
However, Kim does not state the thermal conductive adhesive layer is resin-based.
In a similar field of endeavor, Park discloses thermally conductive resin components generally known to be usable as adhesives can include acrylic resins, urethane resins, and silicone resins (see entire disclosure and especially P38).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have utilized the teaching of Park and modified the thermal conductive adhesive layer to include an acrylic resin, urethane resin, and/or silicone resin in order to provide wherein the thermal conductive adhesive layer is a thermal conductive resin layer, given Park discloses these as known thermally conductive adhesive materials and the selection of a known material, which is based upon its suitability for the intended use, is within the ambit of one of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416 (CCPA 1960) (see MPEP § 2144.07).
However, modified Kim does not meet the limitation wherein the battery module further comprises a compression pad on a top surface of the lower plate and covered by the battery cell stack and surrounding an entire perimeter of the thermal conductive resin layer.
Start teaches a heat sink (12 in Fig. 2) can be thermally coupled to an integrated circuit (24 in Fig. 2) via a metallic layer (38 in Fig. 2) (C3 / L36-38). Start teaches a thermal interface material (41 in Fig. 2), such as an acrylic thermal adhesive, can be deposited on the metallic layer to decrease thermal resistance in the pathway from the integrated circuit (C3 / L44-54). Start teaches, in this way, the heatsink may be thermally coupled to the integrated circuit via the metallic layer as well as via the thermal interface material (C3 / L54-56).
Start teaches a foam material may be used to encapsulate the thermal interface material (C4 / L45-49). Start teaches the foam material can act as a gasket around the thermal interface material, preventing pump-out of the thermal interface material (C5 / L36-38).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have utilized the teaching of Start and provided to modified Kim a foam material encapsulating the thermal conductive resin layer, such as a providing a foam material surrounding an entire perimeter of the thermal conductive resin adhesive layer of modified Kim, given Start teaches this can prevent pump-out of a thermal interface material and one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize it could prevent pump-out of the thermal conductive resin layer of modified Kim. The use of a known technique to improve similar devices (methods or products) in the same way is likely to be obvious. See KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395-97 (2007) (see MPEP § 2143, C.).
The foam material of modified Kim can be drawn to a compression pad, given foam is a known compressible material. Further, in modified Kim, the battery cells sit on a top surface of the lower plate and the thermal conductive resin layer of modified Kim is between the battery cells and the lower plate. Therefore, the compression pad (foam material) which would encapsulate the thermal conductive resin layer (surround the entire perimeter of the thermal conductive resin layer) would also sit on the top surface of the lower plate and be covered, at least partially, by the battery cell stack.
Regarding claim 2, Kim discloses wherein: the module frame comprises: a first side surface and a second side surface for covering the opposite side surfaces of the battery cell stack (side covers 320); and a ceiling for covering the upper surface of the battery cell stack (upper cover 310; see Figs. 1-2 and 8, see entire disclosure and especially P63).
Regarding claim 3, Kim discloses wherein: the first side surface, the second side surface, and the ceiling are integrally formed (see entire disclosure and especially P66).
Regarding claim 4, Kim discloses wherein: a first edge and a second edge of the lower plate opposite each other are joined to the first side surface and the second side surface, respectively (see Figs. 1-2 and 8 wherein the side covers 320 mate with the edges of the lower plate; see entire disclosure and especially P115).
Regarding claim 6, Kim discloses wherein: the lower plate comprises a mounting part, and the mounting part is formed on a first edge and a second edge of the lower plate facing each other (there are two interpretations. The first interpretation is that the mounting part is drawn to mounting groove 210 in Figs. 2 and 8; as seen in Fig. 8, mounting groove 210 is shown on the first edge as rectangle ‘cut outs’ or spaces; there are similar rectangles on the second edge, therefore, those too can be counted as ‘mounting parts’ formed on the second edge. The second interpretation is that the mounting part is the part of the cooling plate that is bent upward at both the first and second side edge in Figs. 2 and 8).
Regarding claim 8, modified Kim meets the limitation wherein: the thermal conductive resin layer is formed by applying a thermal conductive resin to the lower plate (P76-78 of Kim; see the rejection of claim 1 above).
Regarding claim 13, modified Kim does not meet the limitation wherein: the thermal conductive resin layer comprises a first thermal conductive resin layer and a second thermal conductive resin layer that are located apart from each other. However, this is merely separating the thermal conductive resin layer into at least two different layers.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have separated the thermal conductive resin layer into at least two layers located apart from each other in order to, for example, provide localized adhesion of battery subgroups (110) between barriers (120) while reducing the amount of resin needed to be used, thereby lowering costs, because the Courts have held that making known elements separable is within the skill of a person of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Dulberg, 129 USPQ 348 (CCPA 1961) (see MPEP § 2144.04).
See Examiner’s interpretation below:
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Regarding claim 14, modified Kim includes a foam material that encapsulates the thermal conductive resin layers of modified Kim. Given the thermal conductive resin layer of modified Kim has been modified to be a plurality of thermal conductive resin layers, and that claim 14 does not prevent the first compression pad and second compression pad from being integrally formed with one another, it can be said that the thermal compression pad comprises a first compression pad surrounding the first thermal conductive resin layer and a second compression pad surrounding the second thermal conductive resin layer. See the annotated Fig. below of the Examiner’s interpretation of modified Kim in view of claim 14.
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Regarding claim 16, Kim discloses wherein the lower plate comprises a first side edge, a second side edge, a first end edge and a second end edge, and wherein the lower plate is planar (see Fig. 8; the lower plate can be considered planar as a majority of the plate is a flat structure and the top and bottom faces of the plate lie along a single geometric plane).
Regarding claim 17, Kim / modified Kim does not meet the limitation wherein the plurality of battery cells are stacked in a first direction, and wherein the first thermal conductive resin layer and a second thermal conductive resin layer are located apart from each other in a second direction. However, this is merely separating the first thermal conductive resin layer and a second thermal conductive resin layer such that each layer is made of two sections.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have separated the first thermal conductive resin layer and a second thermal conductive resin layer such that each layer is made of two sections, in order to, for example, provide adhesion at both ends of each battery subgroups between barriers while reducing the amount of resin needed to be used, thereby lowering costs, because the Courts have held that making known elements separable is within the skill of a person of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Dulberg, 129 USPQ 348 (CCPA 1961) (see MPEP § 2144.04).
See Examiner’s interpretation below:
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Regarding claim 19, modified Kim meets the limitation wherein the compression pad is located inwardly of an outer edge of the lower plate (in modified Kim, given two outer edges of the lower plate (long side outer edges) are bent upward, the foam material (compression pad) would be located inwardly of these outer edges).
Regarding claim 20, modified Kim meets the limitation wherein a lower surface of the lower plate forms an exterior surface of the battery module (see Kim Figs. 1-2 and 8).
Regarding claim 21, modified Kim meets the limitation wherein a lowermost surface of the compression pad is above the top surface of the lower plate (given the foam material drawn to the compression pad would sit on the top surface of the lower).
Regarding claim 22, modified Kim meets the limitation wherein the compression pad is a ring with an open central portion, and wherein an inner surface of the ring directly contacts an outer surface of the thermal conductive resin layer (given the foam material drawn to the compression pad would encapsulate the thermal conductive resin layer, the foam material would surround the entire perimeter of the thermal conductive resin layer such that the compression pad would be in a ring-shape that would have an open central portion wherein the thermal conductive resin layer would sit; given the foam disclosed by Start is an in-situ material, one of ordinary skill in the art would necessarily recognize it would directly contact an outer surface of the thermal conductive adhesive (resin) layer; alternatively, if enough heat reaches the thermal conductive adhesive (resin) layer, it would become flowable/meltable and risk pumping out, which would be stopped by the foam layer, therefore, in that instance, one of ordinary skill in the art would necessarily recognize it would directly contact an outer surface of the thermal conductive adhesive (resin) layer).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over in view of Kim et al (US 20200067040 A1, as given in the 10/23/2023 IDS) in view of Park et al (US 20180358592 A1) in view of Start et al (US 8703536 B2) as applied to claim 4, further in view of Cicero (US 20120156543 A1).
Regarding claim 5, modified Kim does not meet the limitation wherein: the first edge and the second edge are weld-joined to the first side surface and the second side surface, respectively.
In a similar field of endeavor, Cicero teaches an upper frame and lower frame can be welded together to join (P33, 47).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have utilized the teaching of Cicero and modified modified Kim such that the first edge and the second edge are weld-joined to the first side surface and the second side surface, respectively, given Cicero teaches welding is a way to join two structures together. Further, the combination of familiar elements is likely to be obvious when it does no more than yield predictable results (see MPEP § 2143, A.).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al (US 20200067040 A1, as given in the 10/23/2023 IDS) in view of Park et al (US 20180358592 A1) in view of Start et al (US 8703536 B2) as applied to claim 6, further in view of Gendlin et al (US 20130202940 A1).
Regarding claim 7, Kim discloses wherein the mounting part extends parallel to one surface of the lower plate (Using the first interpretation that the mounting part is drawn to mounting groove 210, the grooves extend parallel to the surface at which the batteries are stacked upon given the grooves are rectangles elongated in that direction).
However, modified Kim does not meet the limitation wherein: a mounting hole is formed in the mounting part.
In a similar field of endeavor, Gendlin teaches rails can have holes to receive screws such that the rails can be fixed by means to screws from the upper side of a cooling plate (P12). Gendlin teaches the rails and a battery module can be fixed by the screws through the holes into an upper side of the cooling plate (P24). Gendlin teaches this makes a firm and durable fixing of the rails by simple means and with a high additional contact pressure. (P12).
While Gendlin teaches rails and a battery module being fixed to a cooling plate rather than Kim’s busbar being mounted into the mounting part (mounting groove 210, P72), if a technique has been used to improve one device (providing mounting holes for screws to go therein), and a person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that it would improve similar devices in the same way (fix structures together firmly and durably), using the technique is obvious unless its actual application is beyond his or her skill. SEE MPEP § 2141 (III) Rationale C, KSR v. Teleflex (Supreme Court 2007).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have utilized the teaching of Gendlin and provided mounting holes formed in the mounting part, given this would allows screws to fix the busbar of Kim into the mounting part to provide a firm and durable fixing of the two.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10-11 and 18 are allowed.
Regarding claim 10, the claim recites “wherein each of the plurality of battery cells comprises electrode leads protruding in a first direction and a protrusion part formed on one edge of the battery cell, and wherein the protrusion part is located closer to a first end of the lower plate in the first direction than the compression pad so that the protrusion part is between the first end and the compression pad.”
Previously cited Kim discloses wherein each of the plurality of battery cells comprises electrode leads protruding in a first direction (see Fig. 2 and 4A). However, Kim does not disclose a protrusion part formed on one edge of the battery cells.
Previously cited Choi discloses a battery cell (11 in Fig. 3) including extension parts (152 in Fig. 3, P88). Choi teaches the extension parts serve to maintain an arrangement of the battery cell with respect to a cooling housing (P95).
However, while Kim could be modified by Choi to include protrusion parts (extension parts) on one edge of the battery cells, there is nothing in Choi to suggest wherein the protrusion part would be located closer to a first end of the lower plate in the first direction than the compression pad so that the protrusion part is between the first end and the compression pad.
Previously cited Kim ‘139 teaches battery cells (110 in Fig. 4) include protrusion portions (110p in Fig. 4, P79). Kim ‘139 teaches first regions (311a and 311b in Figs. 2 and 8) of a module frame (300b, P75) can include recessed grooves (340a, 340b in Figs. 2 and 8) that do not include a thermal conductive resin so that the protrusion portions of the battery cells can be mounted (P79).
However, the subject matter of Kim ‘139 is owned by the same Assignee as the instant application, LG Energy Solution, Ltd., and has an effective filing date of 01/16/2020, therefore, is not prior art under 102(a)(2).
After further search and consideration of previously cited and newly found prior art, no prior art has been found to teach “wherein the protrusion part is located closer to a first end of the lower plate in the first direction than the compression pad so that the protrusion part is between the first end and the compression pad.”
Claim 11 is also allowed to due to its dependence on claim 10.
Regarding claim 18, the claim recites “wherein each of the plurality of battery cells comprises a pair of protrusion parts formed on opposite edges of the battery cell, the pair of protrusion parts spaced from one another by a first distance and extending downwardly by a second distance, and wherein a combined width of the thermal conductive resin layer and compression pad is less than the first distance and a height of the thermal conductive resin layer is greater than the second distance.”
After further search and consideration of previously cited and newly found prior art, no prior art has been found to teach “wherein a combined width of the thermal conductive resin layer and compression pad is less than the first distance and a height of the thermal conductive resin layer is greater than the second distance”.
Conclusion
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/MARY GRACE BYRAM/Examiner, Art Unit 1729
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