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 Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see page 8, filed 08/06/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1 under 35 USC 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Malcolm et al. (US 2015/0037626), herein after Malcolm.
The applicant arguments on page 8, regarding the amendments of the claim 1, are persuasive. The new ground of rejection is applied.
The applicant argument regarding heat sink pad are not persuasive. The applicant argue on page 9, “ it is evident that the thermal interface member of Phlegm is configured to suppress heat transfer between both adjacent battery cells while facilitating heat transfer down to the underlying heat sink.”
The examiner respectfully disagrees. the examiner wants to point out that thermal interface member is considered as the heat sink pad (https://www.laird.com/knowledge-center/thermal-interface-materials; clearly shows that the thermal interface materials are used as the heat sink pad and have the thermal conduction properties). The thermal interface member conduct heat between the battery cells through the other thermal interface member 36 (fig. 8; he second polymer foam pad 36 (shown in FIG. 8) may be used to advantageously establish direction of the second pad's thermal conductivity for most effective dissipation of thermal energy from the first thermal interface member 24 to the heat sink 22 via the second thermal interface member 34, paragraph [0056]).
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).
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.
Claim(s) 1, 4,6-12, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ejiri (US 2015/0270589), Phlegm (US 2020/0161727) and Malcolm (US 2015/0037626).
Regarding claim 1, Ejiri discloses a secondary battery charging and discharging system comprising:
a tray configured to accommodate a plurality of battery cells (The battery block 1 further includes a pair of end plates 5 to hold the battery, paragraph [0026]; A battery block according to the present invention that solves the problems includes a plurality of arranged battery cells; paragraph [0007]), the tray having perforated side surfaces (the block 1 has the perforated side surface 10, fig. 9);
an insulation pad (spacer pad 38, paragraph [0035]) disposed in the tray, the insulation pad being disposable between the tray and an outermost battery cell among the plurality of battery cells so as to be contactable with one surface of the outermost battery cell (second spacers respectively disposed between the battery cells and each end plate and having a thermal insulating property for suppressing heat transmission between the battery cells and each end plate, paragraph [0007]);
a charging and discharging part configured to be electrically connected to first and second electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells ((The plurality of battery cells 2 is disposed with positive electrode external terminals 2a and negative electrode external terminals 2b being alternately continuous along the arranged direction, paragraph [0027])) protruding through the side surfaces of the tray (the terminals 2a and 2b is covered with the terminal caps 12 and protruding through the side surface 10, fig. 9; paragraph [0027], [0064]); and although Ejiri discloses a cooler to cool the plurality of battery cell in the tray (a plurality of first spacers respectively disposed between the plurality of battery cells and having a space allowing a flow of cooling gas, paragraph [0007]). However, Ejiri is silent about heat sink pads disposed in the tray, the heat sink pads being arranged to separate adjacent battery cells of the plurality of battery cells and to allow heat to move between the adjacent battery cells to each other and the cooler spaced apart from the tray.
Phlegm discloses the battery module having heat sink pads (thermal interface member 24, fig. 2) disposed in the tray, the heat sink pads being arranged to separate adjacent battery cells of the plurality of battery cells (The energy storage system 18 also includes a first thermal interface member 24 disposed between the first cell 20-1 and the second cell 20-2, paragraph [0042], fig. 2) and to allow heat to move between the adjacent battery cells to each other (the thermal interface member 24 is made up of foaming silicone (heat sink pad) has the inherent property of the heat flow between the battery cells, paragraph [0047]).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ejiri to have the heat sink pad arranged to separate the adjacent battery cells as taught by Phlegm, in order to improve thermal management by efficiently moving heat away, preventing dangerous hotspots, ensuring uniform cell temperatures for stable performance, extending battery life, and reducing stress that causes failures, all by filling air gaps for better conduction to a cooling system.
Malcolm discloses the forced cooling vents 356 may allow an external cooling feature (e.g., fan) to pass a flow of coolant, such as air, into the battery module 22 (paragraph [0191] shows that the cooler is spaced apart from the tray).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art, before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify Ejiri’s system to include a fan as a cooler spaced a part from the tray as taught by Malcom, in order to enhance the temperature control of the battery module.
Regarding claim 4, Ejiri further discloses wherein the insulation pad is configured to be in contact with 80% or more of an area of the one surface of the outermost battery cell (the insulator 3B cover more than 80% of the battery cell 2, fig. 7).
Regarding claim 6, Ejiri in view Phlegm and Malcom discloses the system of claim 1. Although Ejiri discloses the cooler system of the battery, however, they are silent over wherein the cooler includes: a blowing fan located above the tray; and n perforated plates located on a blowing path from the blowing fan, where n is an integer greater than or equal to two, and the perforated plates define a stacked structure.
Malcolm discloses wherein the cooler includes: a blowing fan located above the tray; and n perforated plates located on a blowing path from the blowing fan, where n is an integer greater than or equal to two, and the perforated plates define a stacked structure (The forced cooling vents 356 may allow an external cooling feature (e.g., fan) to pass a flow of coolant, such as air, into the battery module 22 so that the coolant may flow through the thermal interfaces 352 between the battery cells 116, paragraph [0191], fig. 20).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art, before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify Ejiri’s system to include a fan as a cooler as taught by Malcom, in order to enhance the temperature control of the battery module.
Regarding claim 7, Ejiri in view of phlegm and Malcom discloses the system of claim 1. However, they silent over a sensor configured to measure an inner temperature of the secondary battery charging and discharging system.
Malcolm discloses a sensor configured to measure an inner temperature of the secondary battery charging and discharging system (the number of cables 74 has the temperature sensor to measure the temperature of the battery module, fig. 6, paragraph [0130]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art, before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify Ejiri’s system to include a temperature sensor as taught by Malcolm, in order to improve the functionality of the battery module (paragraph [0152]).
Regarding claim 8, Ejiri in view of phlegm and Malcom discloses the system of claim 1. However, they are silent over the system further comprising a controller configured to: receive the inner temperature of the secondary battery charging and discharging system measured by the sensor; and control driving of the cooler.
Malcolm discloses a controller configured to: receive the inner temperature of the secondary battery charging and discharging system measured by the sensor; and control driving of the cooler (the cables 74 may communicatively couple the BCM 72 of the battery module 22 to the VCM 36 of an xEV 10 such that the two control modules may work in tandem to, for example, regulate power usage in the vehicle 10, regulate power output of the battery module 22, regulate the temperature of the battery module 22, or other suitable control activities with respect to the battery module 22, paragraph [0126]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art, before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify Ejiri’s system to include a controller to control the temperature of the battery as taught by Malcolm, in order to enhance the temperature control of the battery module.
Regarding claim 9, Ejiri further discloses wherein the plurality of battery cells accommodated in the tray are vertically arranged (battery cells 2, fig. 2).
Regarding claim 10, Ejiri in view of phlegm and Malcom discloses the system of claim 1. However, they are silent over wherein the tray has a structure in which a side surface is open, and wherein the cooler includes a sub blowing fan configured to blow cooled air from a side surface of the tray to the plurality of battery cells.
Malcolm discloses wherein the tray has a structure in which a side surface is open (fig. 20 the one side is open), and wherein the cooler includes a sub blowing fan configured to blow cooled air from a side surface of the tray to the plurality of battery cells (The forced cooling vents 356 may allow an external cooling feature (e.g., fan) to pass a flow of coolant, such as air, into the battery module 22 so that the coolant may flow through the thermal interfaces 352 between the battery cells 116, paragraph [0191])).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art, before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify Ejiri’s system to include fan as a cooler as taught by Malcom, in order to enhance the temperature control of the battery module.
Regarding claim 11, Ejiri further discloses a temperature control method of a secondary battery charging and discharging system that uses the secondary battery charging and discharging system of claim 1 (Abstract and see the rejection of claim 1).
Regarding claim 12, Ejiri in view of phlegm and Malcom discloses the system of claim 11. However, they are silent over the system further comprising charging and discharging a battery cell accommodated in the tray, wherein the charging and discharging of the battery cell includes: measuring an inner temperature of the secondary battery charging and discharging system; and controlling, by a controller, the cooler according to the measured inner temperature of the secondary battery charging and discharging system.
Malcom discloses charging and discharging a battery cell accommodated in the housing, wherein the charging and discharging of the battery cell includes: measuring an inner temperature of the secondary battery charging and discharging system; and controlling, by a controller, the cooler according to the measured inner temperature of the secondary battery charging and discharging system (paragraph [0126]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art, before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify Ejiri’s system to include a temperature sensor as taught by Malcolm, in order to enhance the temperature control of the battery module.
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ejiri (US 2015/0270589), Phlegm (US 2020/0161727), and Malcolm (US 2015/0037626) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Zhu et al. (US 2010/0021810), herein after Zhu.
Regarding claim 2, Ejiri in view of Phlegm and Malcom discloses the system of claim 1. Although Ejiri does disclose the insulating plate is made of foam material, however, they are silent about the insulating plate is made of more specifically at least one material of nitrile butadiene rubber, natural rubber, fluorine rubber, high-cis polybutadiene rubber (HBR), styrene butadiene rubber, chloroprene rubber, ethylene propylene rubber (ethylene propylene terpolymers (EPDM)), or silicone rubber.
Zhu discloses the insulating plate is made of more specifically at least one material of nitrile butadiene rubber, natural rubber, fluorine rubber, high-cis polybutadiene rubber (HBR), styrene butadiene rubber, chloroprene rubber, ethylene propylene rubber (ethylene propylene terpolymers (EPDM)), or silicone rubber (the insulating layer may be formed from a plastic (e.g., PFA, PES, modified PP, or the like), rubber (e.g., EPDM, styrene-butadiene rubber, or the like), resin (epoxy resin, phenolic aldehyde modified epoxy resin, phenolic modified epoxy resin, or the like), paragraph [0165]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify Ejiri’s system to have an insulating plate made of rubber material as taught by Zhu, in order to have thermal stability in battery storage module.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ejiri (US 2015/0270589), Phlegm (US 2020/0161727), and Malcolm (US 2015/0037626) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Chae et al. (US 2022/0216459), herein after Chae.
Regarding claim 3, Ejiri in view of Phlegm and Malcolm discloses the system of claim 1. However, Ejiri is silent about the thickness of insulating plate.
Chae discloses an average thickness of the insulation pad ranges from 1 mm to 20 mm (insulating plate (thickness: 5 mm), paragraph [0146]).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art, before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify Ejiri’s system to have an insulating plate from 1mm to 20mm in thickness since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233. Doing so would provide a desired balance between size and thermal resistance.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ejiri (US 2015/0270589), Phlegm (US 2020/0161727), and Malcolm (US 2015/0037626) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Yoo et al. (US 2020/0388805), herein after Yoo.
Regarding claim 5, Ejiri in view of Phlegm and Malcolm discloses the system of claim 1. Phlegm does disclose the heat sink pad between the battery cells to manage the thermal property of the battery module.
However, they do not explicitly disclose the system wherein the pads are disposed such that three to ten battery cells of the plurality of battery cells are interposable therebetween.
Yoo discloses the system wherein the pads are disposed such that three to ten battery cells of the plurality of battery cells are interposable therebetween (the cell assembly 100 may include a buffering pad 120 interposed between the plurality of secondary batteries 110, paragraph [0125], fig. 5; the position of the pads is chosen so that to achieve the uniform pressure in the battery assembly).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ejiri’s system in view of Phlegm to have the sink pad at the specific position as taught by Yoo, in order to have the uniform and stable heat all across the battery module.
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ejiri (US 2015/0270589), Phlegm (US 2020/0161727), and Malcolm (US 2015/0037626) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Seimiya et al. (US 2015/0217659), herein after Seimiya.
Regarding claim 13, Ejiri in view of Phlegm and Malcom discloses the system of claim 1. However, they are silent over wherein the cooler includes: a blowing fan located above the tray; and a sub blowing fan configured to blow cooled air from a side surface of the tray to the plurality of battery cells.
Seimiya discloses wherein the cooler includes: a blowing fan located above the tray; and a sub blowing fan configured to blow cooled air from a side surface of the tray to the plurality of battery cells (plurality of the fans 31 are disposed on upper and lower surface of the case to cool the battery in the case, fig. 8, paragraph [0052]-[0053]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art, before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify Ejiri’s system to include a plurality of fans along multiple surfaces of the battery module as taught by Seimiya, in order to cool down the battery efficiently (paragraph [0004]).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SADIA KOUSAR whose telephone number is (571)272-3386. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 7:30am-5:30pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Julian Huffman can be reached at (571) 272-2147. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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SADIA . KOUSAR
Examiner
Art Unit 2859
/JULIAN D HUFFMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859
