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 .
2. The Applicant's amendments filed on February 23, 2026, were received. Claims 1 and 8 have been amended. Claims 6-7 have been cancelled. Claims 14-16 have been added as new. Therefore, Claims 1-5 and 8-16 are pending in this office action.
3. The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S.C. code not included in this action can be found in the prior Office Action issued on December 22, 2025.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
4. The rejection of Claims 1, 3-5 and 10-12 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Im (KR20130078953A), has been overcome based on the amendments to the Claims and the arguments presented on pages 5-6 of the Remarks dated February 23, 2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. Claims 1-5, 8-9, 11-12 and 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Roh et al. (US 2016/0087319 A1) in view of Wang et al. (CN 112448066 A).
With regard to Claim 1, Roh et al. disclose in Figures 1, 3 and 7, a battery pack (100) comprising: at least one battery module housing (150) configured to receive a plurality of battery cells (120) (paragraphs 0049-0053; Figure 3); a battery pack case (110) configured to receive the at least one module housing (150/102a) (paragraphs 0049-0053; Figure 1); a water tank, called a first case member (610), located on a surface of the at least one battery module housing (as illustrated) (paragraph 0064; Figure 7); wherein at lest one battery module housing (150/102a) is configured to wrap outer surfaces of the plurality of battery cells (120) (as illustrated in Figure 3). Roh et al. do not specifically disclose wherein a preexisting through-hole is formed in a first surface of the water tank that faces the at least one battery module housing, wherein a sealing member is added to the preexisting through-hole, and wherein the sealing member is made of a material that is melted by high-temperature gas or sparks discharged from the plurality of battery cells.
Wang et al. disclose in Figure 1, a battery pack (10) comprising: a water tank (21) located above the at least one battery module (10) (as illustrated); wherein a preexisting through-hole, called a drainage opening (212), is formed in a first surface of the water tank (21) that faces the at least one battery module (10) in order to provide more direct and rapid cooling of the battery cells, wherein a sealing member, called a thermosensitive component (213), is added to the preexisting through-hole (212), and wherein the sealing member, or thermosensitive component (213), is made of a material that is melted by high-temperature gas (page 5, 4th paragraph) or sparks discharged from the at least one battery module housing. Before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing for the invention to replace the water tank in Roh et al. with that of Wang et al. such that the water tank comprises a preexisting through-hole that is formed in a first surface of the water tank that faces the at least one module housing, wherein a sealing member is added to the preexisting through-hole, and wherein the sealing member is made of a material that is melted by high-temperature gas or sparks discharged from the plurality of battery cells in order to provide more direct and rapid cooling of the battery cells.
With regard to Claim 2, Roh et al. disclose in Figure 7, wherein the water tank (610) is integrated with a heat sink, called a second case member (612), and wherein a flow path, called a refrigerant channel (not shown), configured to guide flow of the coolant, or refrigerant, introduced into inlet port (630) and discharged from outlet port (632) from the water tank (610) is formed in the water tank (610) (paragraph 0064).
With regard to Claim 3, Roh et al. disclose in Figure 7, wherein the water tank (610) is configured to have a size that covers an upper surface of the at least one battery module housing (150) (paragraph 0064; as illustrated).
With regard to Claim 4, Roh et al. in view of Wang et al. would require that the water tank (21) (of Wang et al.) would need to be attached to an inside of an upper surface of the battery pack housing (110) (Figure 1) (of Roh et al.) in order to allow for the cooling liquid exiting the preexisting holes (212) to directly contact the battery modules (102). Therefore, before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to attach the water tank of Wang et al. to an inside of an upper surface of the battery pack housing in Roh et al. in order to allow for the cooling liquid exiting the preexisting holes (212) to directly contact the battery modules.
With regard to Claim 5, Roh et al. disclose in Figures 7-8, wherein the battery pack case (outer housing not numbered) is configured to have a structure in which an upper part of the battery pack case is open (as illustrated), and wherein the water tank (610) is coupled to the battery pack case, or the outer housing not numbered, so as to cover the open upper surface of the battery pack case, or outer housing (as illustrated).
With regard to Claim 8, Wang et al. further disclose wherein the preexisting through-hole (212) is opened as a result of melting of the sealing member, or thermosensitive component (213) (as illustrated), and wherein a coolant received in the water tank (21) is sprayed to an outer surface of the at least one battery module housing through the through-hole (212) (page 5, 4th paragraph).
With regard to Claim 9, Wang et al. further disclose wherein the preexisting through-hole (212) is a plurality of holes (212) formed in the first surface so as to be uniformly dispersed (as illustrated in Figure1).
With regard to Claim 11, Wang et al. further disclose wherein the preexisting through-hole (212) is filled/covered with the sealing member, or thermosensitive component (213) (Figure 1), and wherein the sealing member, or thermosensitive component (213), comprises an extension portion having a width that appear to be equal to a circumference/dimension of the preexisting through-hole (212) (page 5, 4th paragraph). Before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to adjust the height and width of the sealing member, or thermosensitive component (213) in Wang et al. such that the sealing member, or thermosensitive component (213), comprises an extension portion having a width that is greater than a circumference of the preexisting through-hole (212) in order optimize and control the coolant flow from the water tank to the battery modules. Further, change in size and shape is not patently distinct over the prior art absent persuasive evidence that the particular configuration of the claimed invention is significant. See In re Rose, 220 F.2d 459, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955); In re Rinehart, 531 F.2d 1048, 189 USPQ 143 (CCPA 1976); In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966). MPEP 2144.04 IVA.(size) MPEP 2144.04 IV B (Shape).
With regard to Claim 12, Roh et al. disclose in Figure 1, wherein each of the plurality of battery cells (104) is a pouch-shaped battery cell, a prismatic battery cell (as illustrated), or a cylindrical battery cell.
With regard to Claims 14-15 , the recitation “wherein, when a temperature of the at least one battery module housing exceeds a predetermined temperature, the coolant received in the water tank is evaporated and transformed into a high pressure state, the sealing member is melted by exceeding the predetermined temperature, and the coolant is sprayed on an outer surface of the at least one battery module housing through the preexisting through-hole due to the high pressure state of the coolant; wherein the predetermined temperature is about 200°C or less”, is considered a contingent limitation. A contingent limitation requires only those limitations that must be performed and does not include limitations or given patentable weight to limitations that are not required to be performed because the condition(s) precedent are not met. See MPEP 2111.04.
With regard to Claim 16, Roh et al. disclose in Figures 1, 3 and 7, a battery pack (100) comprising: at least one battery module housing (150) configured to receive a plurality of battery cells (120) (paragraphs 0049-0053; Figure 3); a battery pack case (110) configured to receive the at least one module housing (150/102a) (paragraphs 0049-0053; Figure 1); a water tank, called a first case member (610), located on a surface of the at least one battery module housing (as illustrated), the water tank being configured to receive a coolant, called a refrigerant (paragraph 0064; Figure 7); wherein at least one battery module housing (150/102a) is configured to wrap outer surfaces of the plurality of battery cells (120) (as illustrated in Figure 3), wherein the water tank (610) is integrated with a heat sink, called a second case member (612), and wherein a flow path, called a refrigerant channel (not shown), configured to guide flow of the coolant, or refrigerant, introduced into inlet port (630) and discharged from outlet port (632) from the water tank (610) is formed in the water tank (610) (paragraph 0064). Roh et al. do not specifically disclose wherein a preexisting through-hole is formed in a first surface of the water tank that faces the at least one battery module housing, wherein a sealing member is added to the preexisting through-hole.
Wang et al. disclose in Figure 1, a battery pack (10) comprising: a water tank (21) located above the at least one battery module (10) (as illustrated); wherein a preexisting through-hole, called a drainage opening (212), is formed in a first surface of the water tank (21) that faces the at least one battery module (10) in order to provide more direct and rapid cooling of the battery cells, wherein a sealing member, called a thermosensitive component (213), is added to the preexisting through-hole (212), and wherein the sealing member, or thermosensitive component (213), is made of a material that is melted by high-temperature gas (page 5, 4th paragraph) or sparks discharged from the at least one battery module housing. Before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing for the invention to replace the water tank in Roh et al. with that of Wang et al. such that the water tank comprises a preexisting through-hole that is formed in a first surface of the water tank that faces the at least one module housing, wherein a sealing member is added to the preexisting through-hole, in order to provide more direct and rapid cooling of the battery cells.
9. Claims 10 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Roh et al. (US 20160087319 A1) in view of Wang et al. (CN 112448066 A), as applied to Claims 1-5, 8-9, 11-12 and 14-16 above, and further in view of Champagne et al. (US 2018/0337433 A1).
With regard to Claim 10, Roh et al. disclose all claim limitations as set forth above in paragraph 8 above, including wherein the at least one battery module housing (150) is a plurality of module housings (as illustrated in Figures 1 and 6), but Roh et al. do not specifically disclose wherein a partition wall is added between the plurality of battery module housings (150).
Champagne et al. disclose a plurality of battery modules (10) (Figure 2) wherein each battery module comprises a housing (14), and wherein a partition wall, called a cooling plate (22), is added between the plurality of battery module housings (14) in order to provide a cooling mechanism in-between the battery modules and help prevent damage due to thermal-runaway (paragraph 0020). Before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to provide a partition wall between the plurality of battery module housings of Roh et al., as taught by Champagne et al., in order to provide a cooling mechanism in between the battery modules and help prevent damage due to thermal-runaway.
With regard to Claim 13, Wang et al. further disclose wherein the preexisting through-hole (212) is one of a plurality of preexisting through-holes (212) formed in the first surface of the water tank (21) (as illustrated in Figure 1), and wherein the plurality of preexisting through-holes (212) are uniformly dispersed to overlap the plurality of battery module housings (10) (as illustrated) and not overlap the partition wall. Before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to have the preexisting through-holes (212) not overlap the partition wall in modified Roh et al. since the purpose of the pre-existing through holes (212) is to provide liquid to directly contact and cool the battery modules (10) (as illustrated).
Response to Arguments
10. Applicant’s arguments, see pages 5-7, filed February 23, 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of Claims 1, 3-5 and 10-12 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Im (KR20130078953A), 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 Roh et al. (US 20160087319 A1) in view of Wang et al. (CN 112448066 A).
Conclusion
11. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KARIE O APICELLA whose telephone number is (571)272-8614. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday; 8:00AM to 5:00PM EST.
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/KARIE O'NEILL APICELLA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725