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 .
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.
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.
Claims 1, 3, 5-9, 11-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim, et. al. (US 20180114961 A1), in view of Xu, et. al. (CN 112397806 A), and Gong, et. al. (CN207021355U), Park, et. al. (US 20230070149 A1), and Li, et. al. (CN108448205A).
Regarding Claim 1, Kim teaches a battery pack (battery pack 100) comprising a laminate including a plurality of electrode assemblies each having a structure in which an electrode and a separation membrane are alternately arranged, the plurality of electrode assemblies being laminated in a first direction (“[0034] Also, a unit cell with the lamination/stack-type structure may be manufactured by: applying an electrode mixture onto each of metallic current collectors; then performing drying and pressing processes; and cutting the resultant into a predetermined size and laminating, successively from the bottom, a negative electrode, a separator above the negative electrode, a positive electrode, and a separator above the positive electrode.”). Kim teaches “a cooling assembly that is disposed between the base plate and bottom portions of the battery modules, and through which a refrigerant flows so as to cool the battery modules.” Kim at [0012]. Kim teaches a refrigerant conduit 421 at [0078], but is silent as to the inlet and outlet of said conduit.
Xu teaches an accommodation member having an inner space in which a battery stack is accommodated (“battery pack box”) and including an inlet (fluid inlet pipe 314), through which a cooling fluid is introduced, and an outlet through which the cooling fluid is discharged (fluid outlet pipe 315). Xu at Fig. 2, [p.3]. Based upon the location of the inlet and outlet within Fig. 2, this is in a “second direction” from the direction of stacking. Id. Xu teaches a distribution member spaced from the laminate in a third direction (i.e., vertically) crossing the first direction and the second direction and configured to change a flow direction of the cooling fluid , wherein the distribution member has a shape extending in the one direction (“[p.1] To this end, according to one aspect of the present invention, a battery cold plate with integrated heating function is provided. The battery cold plate is attached to the battery module and includes a cover plate and a bottom plate. The cover plate and/or the bottom plate are provided with heat sinks . . . wherein the heat dissipation flow channel is a plurality of rows of flow channels arranged in parallel . . . some optional forms, the heat dissipation fins are arranged on the inner side of the cover plate and/or the bottom plate and match the size of the heating element, and the heat dissipation fins include the heat dissipation fins that are connected to the cover plate and/or the bottom plate.” Id. at [p.1-2], Fig. 2, 5c – e.
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Fig. 2, 5c - e.
Xu teaches a benefit to temperature uniformity (“However, [in the prior art] the general liquid-cooled plates are all direct current channels, and the temperature gradient shows a tendency to attenuate in the flow direction, which does not meet the requirements of the temperature uniformity of the battery system. The present invention aims to overcome the above-mentioned defects in the prior art and propose a more efficient battery cold plate solution, which can achieve the same temperature field gradient in both heating and heat dissipation modes.”)
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would find it obvious to modify the laminate of Kim, to comprise the accommodation member and distribution member(s) of Xu, such that it comprises “an accommodation member having an inner space in which the laminate is accommodated and including an inlet . . . through which a cooling fluid is introduced, and an outlet . . . through which the cooling fluid is discharged; and a distribution member spaced from the laminate in a third direction crossing the first direction and the second direction and configured to change a flow direction of the cooling fluid, wherein the distribution member has a shape extending in the one direction,” because Xu teaches a benefit to greater temperature uniformity. MPEP 2144 (II) (“The expectation of some advantage is the strongest rationale for combining references.”).
However, modified Kim is silent as to “an inlet provided on one side thereof . . . and an outlet provided on another side thereof.”)
Gong teaches a housing 10, comprising a plurality of battery cells 3, wherein “[p.3] cooling fluid can enter the housing 10 from the fluid inlet and exit the housing 10 from the fluid outlet. It will be readily understood that the inlet and outlet ports may be arranged upside down, and in alternate embodiments there may be multiple inlet ports and/or multiple outlet ports.” Gong at p.3, Fig. 1-3. This indicates Gong teaches or at least suggests that the location of the inlet/outlet ports of a cooling apparatus is selected according to use, and that this selection would provide a benefit by “[p.1] defin[ing] a cooling fluid flow path so that the cooling fluid is more directly in direct contact with the battery cell.” Id. at p.1.
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Fig. 1-3 of Gong.
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would find it obvious to further modify the battery pack of modified Kim, such that it comprises an inlet provided on one side [of the accommodation member] thereof, and an outlet provided on another side thereof, the another side opposing the one side in a second direction crossing the first direction, because Gong teaches or at least suggests a benefit to further defining the fluid flow path to improve contact with the laminate.
However, Park is silent as to tabs, as well as “an open upper area,” and “and an upper cover coupled to the accommodation member and configured to cover the upper area, wherein the distribution member includes a plurality of upper distribution members fixed to a lower surface of the upper cover and protruding downward towards the laminate, the plurality of upper distribution members are spaced apart from each other in the second direction, each of the plurality of upper distribution members extends continuously in the first direction while entirely contacting the upper cover, and the electrode tab is disposed to face a front surface and a rear surface of the accommodation member along the second direction.”
Park teaches a battery pack, having a case which may include a “[0185] heatsink. Here, the heatsink refers to an object that absorbs and radiates heat from other objects through direct or indirect thermal contact. The pack case 20 may serve as a heatsink in itself, or may be configured in a form in which a heatsink having a flow path F 1 is provided inside or outside to allow cooling water to flow.” Further, the lower end of each cell may comprise a heatsink, such that “[0186] In this embodiment, the heatsink may include an upper heatsink 520 and a lower heatsink 510 , and as shown in FIG. 25 , the upper heatsink 520 may be provided in the pack cover 22 and the lower heatsink 510 may be provided in the pack tray 21.” These may allow the cell cover or sleeves containing the cells to slot into the spaces between the heatsinks, corresponding to protrusions of the cells 601, such that “[0196] In the embodiment in which the cell cover or sleeve 600 as configured above is provided, the pack tray 21 may have a coupling groove 21 Ba configured to allow the protrusion 601 to be inserted as shown in FIG. 27 . Here, the coupling groove 21 Ba may be formed in a position and shape corresponding to the protrusion 601.” While this is not a direct teaching that the heatsink upon the bottom portion comprises fins, these coupling grooves form a network of depressions (i.e. grooves) and protrusions (portions which are not depressed.” Further, this configuration provides a benefit in that “[0190] In particular, when compared with a battery pack including a conventional battery module, the battery pack of the present disclosure has a configuration in which the lower edge portion E 2 of the pouch-type battery cells directly faces the lower heatsink 510 and the cell cover or sleeve 430 is seated on the lower heatsink 510 , and thus there are no thermal contact resistance elements (such as a module case of a battery module) between the heatsinks in the pouch-type battery cells, and the heat conduction distance is short, thereby further improving cooling performance.” While this is disposed upon the “lower” heatsink, Park does not indicate free flowing liquids which would be impacted by orientation, indicating this devices “lower heatsink 510” also reads upon a cover when the prismatic cell is inverted. These grooves read upon distribution members, which if fixed to a cover would read upon “distribution member includes a plurality of upper distribution members fixed to a lower surface of the upper cover and protruding downward towards the laminate, the plurality of upper distribution members are spaced apart from each other in the second direction, each of the plurality of upper distribution members extends continuously in the first direction while entirely contacting the upper cover.” The area between the members that accepts the cell covers is the “open area.”
Park teaches an electrode tab, wherein first electrode tabs extend in the z plane, meeting the term “and the electrode tab is disposed to face a front surface and a rear surface of the accommodation member along the second direction.” Park at Fig. 12, [0133].
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Fig. 12 of Park.
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would find it obvious to further modify the battery pack of modified Kim, such that it comprises a heatsink having the grooves of Park, and an electrode tab 1210 of Park, such that it meets “an electrode tab electrically connected to the electrode,” an “open upper area,” and “and an upper cover coupled to the accommodation member and configured to cover the upper area, the distribution member includes a plurality of upper distribution members fixed to a lower surface of the upper cover and protruding downward towards the laminate, the plurality of upper distribution members are spaced apart from each other in the second direction, each of the plurality of upper distribution members extends continuously in the first direction while entirely contacting the upper cover, and the electrode tab is disposed to face a front surface and a rear surface of the accommodation member along the second direction,” by disposing the lower heatsink 510 and the cover of Park to Kim, meeting the electrode assemblies of modified Kim because Park teaches a benefit to cooling performance by shrinking the heat conduction distance, as well as general thermal management. Park at [0190].
As amended, Claim 1 now requires “each of the plurality of upper distribution members extends continuously from one edge of the upper cover to another edge of the upper cover in the first direction while entirely contacting the upper cover.” The flow channels of Xu are arranged in continuous columns, but are silent as to the upper distribution members extend continuously from one edge of the upper cover to another edge of the cover specifically.
Li teaches a heat dissipation device for a battery module, the heat dissipation device comprising a cover plate 1, sealing plate 2, and a heat dissipation plate 3 having heat sing grooves 31, which proceed in columns continuously across the entire cover plate 1. Li at Fig. 1, [p.3, 5]. Further, these are textually indicated as extending to the edge of the cover, because “As shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, as a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the edge of the sealing plate 2 is stamped upwardly and downwardly to form a punching buckle structure 7, an upper punching buckle structure 7 and a lower punching buckle. The punching positions are not overlapped, and the edges of the cover plate 1 and the heat dissipation plate 3 are provided with a buckle corresponding to the punching buckle structure 7.” Li at [p.5].
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Fig. 1-2, 5-6 of Li.
This configuration is beneficial because “the punching buckles . . . are respectively used for fastening . . . providing positioning and limiting for welding of the cover plate 1 . . . [t]he intermediate structure stamping and fastening structure ensures the overall rigidity and strength, which is conducive to the stability of the subsequent strong forming process.” Id.
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would find it obvious to further modify the battery pack of modified Kim such that each of the plurality of upper distribution members extends continuously from one edge of the upper cover to another edge of the upper cover in the first direction, because Li teaches its fastening structure at the edge improves the rigidity and strength of the assembly, and thereby the plurality of the upper distribution members.
Claim 1 is obvious over Kim, in view of Xu, Gong, Park, and Li.
Regarding Claim 3, Claim 3 relies upon Claim 2. Claim 2 is obvious over modified Kim.
Xu teaches the accommodation member has an open lower area, the battery pack further includes a lower cover (bottom plate 32) coupled to the accommodation member and configured to cover the lower area, and the distribution member includes a lower distribution member fixed to an upper surface of the lower cover and protruding upward towards the laminate. Xu at Fig. 2, p. 2.
Claim 3 is obvious over Kim, in view of Xu, Gong, Park, and Li.
Regarding Claim 5, Claim 5 relies upon Claim 4. Claim 4 is obvious over modified Kim.
Gong teaches the inlet and the outlet are provided at a center of the accommodation member in the first direction. Gong at Fig. 1-3.
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Fig. 1-3 of Gong.
Modified Kim is silent as to a ratio s/L of an interval "s" between the plurality of distribution members in the second direction to a length "L" of the upper cover or the lower cover in the second direction is 0.02 or more and 0.24 or less.
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would find it obvious to further modify the battery pack of modified Kim such that it comprises a ratio s/L of an interval "s" between the plurality of distribution members in the second direction to a length "L" of the upper cover or the lower cover in the second direction is 0.02 or more and 0.24 or less, because where the only difference between the prior art and the claims is a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device is not patentably distinct from the prior art device. MPEP 2144.04 (IV)(A). Here, the plurality of distribution members shown by Xu would not be expected to perform differently based on this interval, given that the distribution members of modified Kim are already spaced uniformly and cover the entirety of the upper and lower cover.
Claim 5 is obvious over Kim, in view of Xu, Gong, Park, and Li.
Regarding Claim 6, Claim 6 relies upon Claim 4. Claim 4 is obvious over modified Kim.
Gong teaches the inlet and the outlet are provided at a center of the accommodation member in the first direction. Gong at Fig. 1-3.
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Fig. 1-3 of Gong.
Modified Kim is silent as to “the inlet is provided at a position at which a ratio of a distance from one end of the accommodation member in the first direction to a distance from the other end thereof in the first direction is 1:5, the outlet is provided at a position at which a ratio of the distance from the one end of the accommodation member in the first direction to the distance from the other end thereof in the first direction is 5:1, and a ratio s/L of an interval "s" between the plurality of distribution members in the second direction to a length "L" of the upper cover or the lower cover in the second direction is 0.02 or more and 0.20 or less.”
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would find it obvious to further modify the battery pack of modified Kim such that it comprises “the inlet is provided at a position at which a ratio of a distance from one end of the accommodation member in the first direction to a distance from the other end thereof in the first direction is 1:5, the outlet is provided at a position at which a ratio of the distance from the one end of the accommodation member in the first direction to the distance from the other end thereof in the first direction is 5:1, and a ratio s/L of an interval "s" between the plurality of distribution members in the second direction to a length "L" of the upper cover or the lower cover in the second direction is 0.02 or more and 0.20 or less,” because where the only difference between the prior art and the claims is a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device is not patentably distinct from the prior art device. MPEP 2144.04 (IV)(A). Here, the plurality of distribution members shown by Xu would not be expected to perform differently based on the interval or the relative shift of the inlet and outlet within the center of the accommodation member, given that the distribution members of modified Kim are already spaced uniformly and cover the entirety of the upper and lower cover.
Claim 6 is obvious over Kim, in view of Xu, Gong, Park, and Li.
Regarding Claim 7, Claim 7 relies upon Claim 4. Claim 4 is obvious over modified Kim.
Gong teaches the inlet and the outlet are provided at a center of the accommodation member in the first direction. Gong at Fig. 1-3.
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Fig. 1-3 of Gong.
Modified Kim is silent as to “wherein the inlet and the outlet are provided at a position at which a ratio of a distance from one end of the accommodation member in the first direction to a distance from the other end thereof in the first direction is 1:5, and a ratio s/L of an interval "s" between the plurality of distribution members in the second direction to a length "L" of the upper cover or the lower cover in the second direction is 0.02 or more and 0.17 or less.”
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would find it obvious to further modify the battery pack of modified Kim such that it comprises “wherein the inlet and the outlet are provided at a position at which a ratio of a distance from one end of the accommodation member in the first direction to a distance from the other end thereof in the first direction is 1:5, and a ratio s/L of an interval "s" between the plurality of distribution members in the second direction to a length "L" of the upper cover or the lower cover in the second direction is 0.02 or more and 0.17 or less,” because where the only difference between the prior art and the claims is a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device is not patentably distinct from the prior art device. MPEP 2144.04 (IV)(A). Here, the plurality of distribution members shown by Xu would not be expected to perform differently based on the interval or the relative shift of the inlet and outlet within the center of the accommodation member, given that the distribution members of modified Kim are already spaced uniformly and cover the entirety of the upper and lower cover.
Claim 7 is obvious over Kim, in view of Xu, Gong, Park, and Li.
Regarding Claim 8, Claim 8 relies upon Claim 4. Claim 4 is obvious over modified Kim.
Gong teaches the inlet and the outlet are provided at a center of the accommodation member in the first direction. Gong at Fig. 1-3.
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Fig. 1-3 of Gong.
Modified Kim is silent as to “wherein the inlet is provided at a position at which a ratio of a distance from one end of the accommodation member in the first direction to a distance from the other end thereof in the first direction is 1:5,the outlet is provided at a center of the accommodation member in the first direction, and a ratio s/L of an interval "s" between the plurality of distribution members in the second direction to a length "L" of the upper cover or the lower cover in the second direction is 0.02 or more and 0.24 or less.”
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would find it obvious to further modify the battery pack of modified Kim such that it comprises “wherein the inlet is provided at a position at which a ratio of a distance from one end of the accommodation member in the first direction to a distance from the other end thereof in the first direction is 1:5,the outlet is provided at a center of the accommodation member in the first direction, and a ratio s/L of an interval "s" between the plurality of distribution members in the second direction to a length "L" of the upper cover or the lower cover in the second direction is 0.02 or more and 0.24 or less,” because where the only difference between the prior art and the claims is a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device is not patentably distinct from the prior art device. MPEP 2144.04 (IV)(A). Here, the plurality of distribution members shown by Xu would not be expected to perform differently based on the interval or the relative shift of the inlet and outlet within the center of the accommodation member, given that the distribution members of modified Kim are already spaced uniformly and cover the entirety of the upper and lower cover.
Claim 8 is obvious over Kim, in view of Xu, Gong, Park, and Li
Regarding Claim 9, Claim 9 relies upon Claim 3. Claim 3 is obvious over modified Kim.
Xu teaches “the heat dissipation fins include a base connected to the inner side surface of the bottom plate 32, and a plurality of heat dissipation parts extending from the base. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5a, the heat dissipation portion 341a extending substantially vertically on the base portion 34a has a rectangular cross-section, and optionally has a corrugated integrated structure along the longitudinal direction.” Xu at [p.4]. This “integrated structure” combined with “connected to the inner side surface of the bottom plate 32,” indicates or at least suggests that the lower cover and the lower distribution member are integral. Further, MPEP 2144.04 (V)(AB) indicates that making two components integral is obvious where the results would not be unexpected and the use of a one piece construction is a matter of obvious design choice. For this reason, Modified Kim teaches the lower cover and the lower distribution member are integral.
Claim 9 is obvious over Kim, in view of Xu, Gong, Park, and Li.
Regarding Claim 11, Claim 11 relies upon Claim 1. Claim 1 is obvious over modified Kim.
Xu teaches or at least suggests in a second direction-third direction cross-section, the distribution member has a triangular shape. Xu at Fig. 5e. Examiner notes a slight rounding of the triangle of Xu. However, a “triangular shape” under the broadest reasonable interpretation includes triangles having three sides and a minor curvature along the vertices of the triangle. This reads upon one of the plurality of upper distribution members has a quadrangular shape.
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Claim 11 is obvious over Kim, in view of Xu, Gong, Park, and Li
Regarding Claim 12, Claim 12 relies upon Claim 1. Claim 1 is obvious over modified Kim.
Xu teaches in a second direction-third direction cross-section, one of the plurality of upper distribution members has a quadrangular shape. Xu at Fig. 5d.
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Claim 12 is obvious over Kim, in view of Xu, Gong, and Park.
Regarding Claim 13, Claim 13 relies upon Claim 1. Claim 1 is obvious over modified Kim.
Xu teaches wherein in a second direction-third direction cross-section, t one of the plurality of upper distribution members has a quadrangular shape has a shape in which a width in the second direction decreases in a direction towards the laminate (i.e., a triangular shape terminating towards the laminate). Xu at Fig. 5e..
Claim 13 is obvious over Kim, in view of Xu, Gong, Park, and Li.
Regarding Claim 14, Claim 14 relies upon Claim 1. Claim 1 is obvious over modified Kim.
Xu teaches wherein in a second direction-third direction cross-section, one of the plurality of upper distribution members has a quadrangular shape has a shape in which a width in the second direction is constant (i.e., a quadrangular shape terminating towards the laminate). Xu at Fig. 5d.
Claim 14 is obvious over Kim, in view of Xu, Gong, Park, and Li.
Regarding Claim 15, Claim 15 relies upon Claim 1. Claim 1 is obvious over modified Kim.
Xu teaches wherein in a second direction-third direction cross-section, one of the plurality of upper distribution members has a quadrangular shape includes a curved surface convexly protruding in the second direction. (i.e., the curve of the triangular shapes of Fig. 5e “protruding” in a wave-like repetition of the shapes, back towards the cover or bottom plate and in the longitudinal direction simultaneously). Xu at Fig. 5d.
Claim 15 is obvious over Kim, in view of Xu, Gong, Park, and Li.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 3, 5-9, 11-15 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KRISHNA RAJAN HAMMOND whose telephone number is (571)272-9997. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 - 6:30 PM M-F.
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/K.R.H./Examiner, Art Unit 1725
/NICOLE M. BUIE-HATCHER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1725
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