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 filed 5 November 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Specifically, as seen in the updated rejection below, the thermal contact portions 124 may also be considered part of the cooling fins as now claimed, and the busbar frame 160 of the Shin et al. prior art includes many elements which may be considered “slots” as claimed which are used to connect the busbars to the cooling fins in the assembly of battery module.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1 or 2) as being anticipated by Shin et al. (US Pub 2019/0074557 cited in IDS).
In regard to claim 1 and 11, Shin et al. teach a battery pack (such as for an electric vehicle - paragraph [0004]) including a battery module 100 comprising: a battery cell stack 110 comprising a plurality of battery cells 140, a housing (control circuit panel 130) for the battery cell stack, a pair of busbar frames 160, 160 (one each front and back side, only front side illustrated) covering a portion of the battery cell stack not covered by the housing, a pair of busbars 150, wherein each of the pair of busbars is connected to an electrode lead 142, 142 protruding from the battery cell stack via a first slot 162 (figure 8) formed in the respective busbar frame 160, and a plurality of cooling fins (thermal contact portions 124 of cooling plate 120, thermally conductive insulating members 172 and/or gap fillers 180 or 182) wherein each of the cooling fins is located between adjacent battery cells (leads 142) among the plurality of battery cells, wherein each of the busbars 150 is connected to the plurality of cooling fins 124, 172, 180, 182 via a second slot in the respective bus bar frame 160 (paragraphs [0037-0052], figures 1-7 – note all the components of the prior art battery module are considered “connected” and “in contact” – annotated figure 8 below).
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In regard to claim 2, a heat transfer member (member 172) between each of the pair of busbars 150 and the cooling fin 124, 180, 182 connected to respective busbar (paragraph [0049], figure 7).
In regard to claim 3, each of the pair of busbar frames 160 further comprises a second slot (multiple slots 164 are shown, corresponding to each electrode lead 142, area above and below coupling protrusion 166), and the heat transfer member 172 is located adjacent to the second slot and the heat transfer member 172 is in contact with the respective busbar (figure 7 – as noted above all components are in contact).
In regard to claim 4, each cooling fin 124, 180,182 is inserted into each of the second slot (around coupling protrusion 166) such that the cooling fin 180, 182 is in contact with the heat transfer member 172.
In regard to claim 5, the heat transfer member 172 comprises a material having electrical insulating properties and thermal conductivity (paragraph [0049]).
In regard to claim 6, the heat transfer member 172 is surface joined with the pair of busbars (figure 7, paragraph [0049]).
In regard to claim 7, each cooling fin 180, 182 is surface-joined with the heat transfer member 172 (figure 7, paragraph [0049]).
In regard to claim 8, a thermal conductive resin layer (gap filler 180) on a bottom part of the housing, wherein the cooling fin 182 is in contact with the thermal conductive resin layer, and the heat generated by the pair of busbars 150 is sequentially transferred to the heat transfer member 172, the cooling fin 182, and the thermal conductive resin layer 180 (figure 4 and 7, paragraph [0049]).
In regard to claim 9, the housing (130, unlabeled portions identified below) covers all side surfaces of the battery cell stack and does not cover upper and lower surfaces of the battery cell stack (figure 2 annotated below).
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In regard to claim 10, a cooling plate 120 under the thermal conductive resin layer 180, wherein the thermal conductive resin layer is in contact with the cooling plate, and the thermal conductive resin layer transfers heat to the cooling plate (paragraphs [0039-0049]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US PG Pub 2013/0189560 teaches busbars with attached cooling fins (see abstract) relevant to the claimed invention. US Pub 2022/0140447 newly cited – teaches cooling arrangements with busbar frames.
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 Nicholas P D'Aniello whose telephone number is (571)270-3635. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tong Guo can be reached at 571-272-3066. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NICHOLAS P D'ANIELLO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1723