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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 1-16 were elected without traverse, with non-elected claims 17-20 canceled in the reply filed on 12/17/2025.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-3 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by over Kobayashi et al (JP 11-329514 and its machine translation).
Kobayashi et al disclose a battery pack comprising a plurality of cylindrical batteries 100-109, wherein the batteries include a coolant flow channel 13 (or 130) which contacts each of the batteries, and wherein the batteries are detachable from each other and electrically connected (see figures, [0031], [0032]). The reference teaches that the batteries 100 to 109 and 110 to 119 (one or more batteries) each form a battery unit with a cooling tube passing through each battery, and that the modules are connected in and end-to-end series with the coolant flow path through each being in communication with each other as required by the instant claims 1 and 2.
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With respect to the instant claim 3, given the drawing and description in the reference, each of the plurality of batteries have a hollow core wherein the cooling path is installed in the axial direction (abstract, see drawing above), each battery (100 to 109 or 110 to 119) capable of being rotated around the axis of the hollow core having the cooling path as shown in the drawing above, wherein the batteries 100 to 109 may be rotated around the cooling path 13.
With respect to the instant claim 16, the reference teaches that the end batteries, 100 and 109 for example as seen above in the figure, as connected to an inlet module 15 through to the outlet module 16, and recirculated via pressurized pump 17 and cooled by radiator 18 before flowing through inlet 15 back through the cooling path 13, meeting the limitations of the instant claim 16 for the end batteries being connected to the path inlet and outlet, respectively.
Therefore, the reference teaches the invention as described by the instant claims 1-3 and 16.
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, 12-14, and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kobayashi et al in view of Poller et al ((2015/0303422)
Kobayashi et al has been discussed above. The reference teaches battery cells/ unit connected in series and connected via a cooling through tube through each battery.
As disclosed above, the reference teaches a battery pack comprising a plurality of cylindrical batteries 100-109, wherein the batteries include a coolant flow channel 13 (or 130) which contacts each of the batteries, and wherein the batteries are detachable from each other and electrically connected (see figures, [0031], [0032]).
The reference further teaches that the batteries 100 to 109 and 110-119 together may form a battery unit/module with a cooling tube, and that the modules are connected in series to form up to 300 batteries constitute 30 battery modules, for use in an electric vehicle ([0002]-[0005]).
The reference further teaches the pack/ module, and further teaches that each battery module is connected in series, thus teaching that multiple modules (instant battery units; [0030]-[0032]) are contemplated by the reference, and wherein there are additional modules and they are connected in series as taught by the reference (in an end-to-end series and may be rotated as discussed above; instant claims 1-3).
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Poller et al teach a broad example of a battery module comprising battery units of cells (abstract). The reference teaches that it is known to accommodate battery cells and units in a housing which may have sidewalls having cooling channels ([0029]) which may be introduced to the cells through a multi-purpose sidewall, wherein the module comprises multiple modules stacked vertically and horizontally (figures 3 and 4) separated by the sidewalls 8 and 9, which are attached to a base 28 to form a housing (figures 2 and 4), wherein the base of the adjacent units are connected to each other.
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While the reference teaches that the sidewalls may include cooling mechanisms, the reference doesn’t teach the specific mechanismand battery arrangement as claimed, or taught by Kobayashi et al, however, the reference teaches that variations and modification may be made as long as the sidewalls provide cooling channels.
As discussed above, Kobayasi et al teach an arrangement of battery cells for a module, and teaches cooling plates as sidewalls with a channel/ path through the space.
While Kobayashi et al fails to specify that the batteries are in a casing / housing, the batteries are to be used in applications such as in electric vehicles for the batteries, wherein large numbers of batteries are integrated. While the reference is silent to the casing, one of ordinary skill in the art would have envisaged the batteries being places in a housing or casing for use as it convnetional in the art.
Therefore, given the teachings of the references, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the instant invention to prepare the device of Kobayashi et al, wherein the device further includes a housing and side walls accomondating the batteries for use in a vehicle and wherein the battery arragement and cooling mechanism intergrated into the sidewalls as taught to be known and advantages for connecting batteries electrically for use in a vehicle application as taught by Poller et al. The resultant device would include battery units accomodated into a housing having walls and a base, and wherein the coolant flows between the hosung and base when the strucutre of Kobyashi et al is included in the module as required by the instant claim 4.
With respect to the instant claim 12, the cavities would not be in communication with the coolant flow channels, as the channels contain the flow and the channel is not open into and through the battery housing.
The device of Poller et al include latching and fixing elements ([0017], [0028]) to attach and closing elements to secure and close the housing and batteries as required by the instant claims 13 and 14.
Claim(s) 1-3 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Singer et al (11,329,332).
Singer et al disclose a battery structure with internal thermal control wherein the batteries each includes a casing and a thermal control feature comprising an internal tube for controlling the battery temperature (abstract, claim 1). The tube defines a central axial hole (figure 1), wherein the feature 140 can direct coolant through to remove heat from the battery, but may also direct heating fluid (column 3, line23 to column 4, line 24).
Multiple batteries (battery units in a casing 110) are preferably present, and may be arranged in a line (end-to-end; instant claim 2) in series, wherein the thermal control feature 140 is in communication with the central axial hole of multiple battery structures configured to control the temperatures of multiple batteries (figure 4, column 4, lines 41-48). They are electrically connected to each other and detachably connected to one another as required by the instant claim 1.
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With respect to the instant claim 3, given the drawing and description in the reference, each of the plurality of batteries have a hollow central portion wherein the tube 140 is installed in the axial direction (see drawing above), each battery (101) capable of being rotated around the axis of the hollow core having the tube 140 as shown in the drawing above, wherein the batteries 101 may be rotated around the thermal control tube 140.
With respect to the instant claim 16, there reference teaches that each tube 140 includes an inlet 141 and outlet 142 (shows for the embodiment with the alternate arrangement but 140 includes the inlet and outlet regardless of whether the arrangement is per figure 3 or figure 4), and the batteries at each end would be connected with either the inlet or outlet as required by the instant claim 16).
Given the teachings of the reference, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the instant invention to prepare the device of Singer et al, choosing as the battery unit arrangement, that as depicted and described by figure 4, wherein the thermal control tube is in communication with each of the multiple battery units in an end-to-end series, which also meets the limitations of the instant claims.
Claim(s) 1-4, 12-14, and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Singer et al in view of Poller et al
Both references have been discussed above.
Singer et al teach a battery structure with internal thermal control wherein the batteries each includes a casing and a thermal control feature comprising an internal tube for controlling the battery temperature. Singer et al further teach that the reference battery are usable in a variety in a variety of known applications.
Poller et al teach a broad example of a battery module comprising battery units of cells (abstract). The reference teaches that it is known to accommodate battery cells and units in a housing which may have sidewalls having cooling channels ([0029]) which may be introduced to the cells through a multi-purpose sidewalls.
While Singer et al fails to specify that the batteries are in a casing / housing, the batteries are to be used in applications for the batteries where containment/protection is necessary, and nthe inlet and outlet are connected to ends of the aseembly as seen in figures 3 and 4. While the reference is silent to the casing, one of ordinary skill in the art would have envisaged the batteries being places in a housing or casing for use as it convnetional in the art.
Therefore, given the teachings of the references, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the instant invention to prepare the device of Singer et al, wherein the device further includes a housing and side walls accomondating the batteries for use in a vehicle and wherein the battery arragement and cooling mechanism intergrated into the sidewalls as taught to be known and advantages for connecting batteries electrically for use in a vehicle application as taught by Poller et al. The resultant device would include battery units accomodated into a housing having walls and a base, and wherein the coolant flows between the hosung and base when the strucutre of Singer et al is included in the module as required by the instant claim 4.
With respect to the instant claim 12, the cavities would not be in communication with the coolant flow channels, as the channels contain the flow and the channel is not open into and through the battery housing.
The device of Poller et al include latching and fixing elements ([0017], [0028]) to attach and closing elements to secure and close the housing and batteries as required by the instant claims 13 and 14.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-11 and 15 are 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.
The cited prior art of record fails to fairly teach or suggest to one of ordinary skill in the art to prepare a device as claimed, wherein the device incudes the claimed structure having base recesses and protrusions, or wherein the battery units are attached via a flexible connecting members as the references teach inflexible structures.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AMANDA C WALKE whose telephone number is (571)272-1337. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Thursday 5:30am to 4pm.
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/AMANDA C. WALKE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1722