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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hom et al. (US 10,110,033) in view of Sung et a. (USPUB 2015/0311572).
As to Claim 1, Hom discloses a system, comprising: a battery pack having a first sub-pack and a second sub-pack, the first sub-pack having a first cell group and a second cell group, and the second sub-pack having a third cell group (Column 3, lines 27-54); a cooling system (Figure 8). Hom does not expressly disclose a cooling system that is configured to supply a liquid coolant; and a heat exchanger that is in thermal communication with the battery pack, the heat exchanger including a coolant inlet, a coolant outlet, a first section, a second section, and a third section that are physically arranged sequentially in a flow direction of the liquid coolant between the coolant inlet and the coolant outlet, wherein the first section of the heat exchanger is positioned adjacent to the first cell group of the first sub-pack, the second section of the heat exchanger is positioned adjacent to the third cell group of the second sub-pack, and the third section of the heat exchanger is positioned adjacent to the second cell group of the first sub-pack. Sung discloses a cooling system that is configured to supply a liquid coolant; and a heat exchanger that is in thermal communication with the battery pack, the heat exchanger including a coolant inlet, a coolant outlet, a first section, a second section, and a third section that are physically arranged sequentially in a flow direction of the liquid coolant between the coolant inlet and the coolant outlet (Element 180), wherein the first section of the heat exchanger is positioned adjacent to the first cell group of the first sub-pack, the second section of the heat exchanger is positioned adjacent to the third cell group of the second sub-pack, and the third section of the heat exchanger is positioned adjacent to the second cell group of the first sub-pack (Paragraph 52). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of this invention to take the teachings of Sung’s cooling system and add it to the charger of Hom in order to have greater control of the cooling of specific cells.
As to Claim 2, Hom and Sung disclose the system of claim 1, further comprising: a charging system that is configured to control charging of the first sub-pack and the second sub-pack independently (Hom Column 5, Lines 14-40).
As to Claim 3, Hom and Sung disclose the system of claim 2, wherein the charging system is configured to control charging of the first sub-pack so that a temperature of the third cell group of the second sub-pack is lower than a temperature of the first cell group of the first sub-pack and lower than a temperature of the second cell group of the first sub-pack (Sung Paragraphs 34-36, system can be designed to cool variably).
As to Claim 4, Hom and Sung disclose the system of claim 3, wherein, during charging of the first sub-pack, the liquid coolant flows from the coolant inlet to the coolant outlet in the flow direction of the liquid coolant, the liquid coolant in the first section of the heat exchanger absorbs heat from the first cell group, the third cell group absorbs heat from the liquid coolant in the second section of the heat exchanger, and the liquid coolant in the third section of the heat exchanger absorbs heat from the second cell group (Sung Figure 3B, Elements 160, 170, 180).
As to Claim 5, Hom and Sung disclose the system of claim 3, wherein the charging system controls charging of the first sub-pack such that the second sub-pack is not charged during charging of the first sub-pack (Hom Column 3, lines 35-54).
As to Claim 6, Hom and Sung disclose the system of claim 3, wherein the charging system controls charging of the first sub-pack such that the first sub-pack is charged at a first charging rate while the second sub-pack is charged at a second charging rate that is lower than the first charging rate (Hom Column 3, lines 35-54).
As to Claim 7, Hom and Sung discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the first cell group and the second cell group of the first sub-pack are electrically connected in series, and the second sub-pack is not directly electrically connected to the first sub-pack (Connecting cells in series or parallel is a matter of design choice to achieve the desired power output).
As to Claim 8, Hom and Sung disclose the system of claim 1, wherein the first sub-pack is configured to output electrical power at a first voltage, the second sub-pack is configured to output electrical power at a second voltage that is lower than the first voltage (Hom Column Column 3, lines 4-17).
As to Claim 9, Hom and Sung disclose the system of claim 1, wherein the first cell group and the second cell group each include at least five times as many individual cells as the third cell group (The amount of cells is a matter of design choice in order to achieve the desired power output).
As to Claim 10, Hom and Sung disclose the system of claim 1, wherein the cooling system includes a refrigeration cycle thermal system that is configured to lower a temperature of the liquid coolant (Sung Figure 3B, Elements 160 and 170).
As to Claim 11, Hom discloses a system, comprising: a battery pack having a first sub-pack and a second sub-pack, the first sub-pack having a first cell group and a second cell group, and the second sub-pack having a third cell group (Column 3, lines 27-54 and Figure 8). Hom does not expressly discloses a heat exchanger that is in thermal communication with the battery pack and is configured to cool the battery pack by flow of a liquid coolant from a coolant inlet to a coolant outlet in a flow direction of the liquid coolant, wherein the first cell group, the third cell group, and the second cell group are physically arranged sequentially along the heat exchanger in the flow direction of the liquid coolant with the third cell group located between the first cell group and the second cell group; and a charging system that is configured to control charging of the first sub-pack so that the liquid coolant, during flow from the coolant inlet to the coolant outlet, absorbs heat from the first cell group of the first sub-pack, supplies heat to the third cell group of the second sub-pack, and absorbs heat from the second cell group of the first sub-pack. Sung discloses a heat exchanger that is in thermal communication with the battery pack and is configured to cool the battery pack by flow of a liquid coolant from a coolant inlet to a coolant outlet in a flow direction of the liquid coolant, wherein the first cell group, the third cell group, and the second cell group are physically arranged sequentially along the heat exchanger in the flow direction of the liquid coolant with the third cell group located between the first cell group and the second cell group; and a charging system that is configured to control charging of the first sub-pack so that the liquid coolant, during flow from the coolant inlet to the coolant outlet, absorbs heat from the first cell group of the first sub-pack, supplies heat to the third cell group of the second sub-pack, and absorbs heat from the second cell group of the first sub-pack (Sung Figure 3B, 160-180 and Paragraph 52). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of this invention to take the teachings of Sung’s cooling system and add it to the charger of Hom in order to have greater control of the cooling of specific cells.
As to Claim 12, Hom and Sung disclose the system of claim 11, wherein the charging system controls charging of the first sub-pack such that the second sub-pack is not charged during charging of the first sub-pack (Hom Column 3, lines 35-54).
As to Claim 13, Hom and Sung disclose the system of claim 11, wherein the charging system controls charging of the first sub-pack such that the first sub-pack is charged at a first charging rate while the second sub-pack is charged at a second charging rate that is lower than the first charging rate (Hom Column 3, lines 35-54).
As to Claim 14, Hom and Sung disclose the system of claim 11, wherein the first cell group and the second cell group of the first sub-pack are electrically connected in series, and the second sub-pack is not directly electrically connected to the first sub-pack (Connecting cells in series or parallel is a matter of design choice to achieve the desired power output).
As to Claim 15, Hom and Sung disclose the system of claim 11, wherein the first sub-pack is configured to output electrical power at a first voltage, the second sub-pack is configured to output electrical power at a second voltage that is lower than the first voltage, and the first cell group and the second cell group each include at least five times as many individual cells as the third cell group (Hom Column 3, lines 35-54, the amount of cells is a matter of design choice in order to achieve the desired power output).
As to Claim 16, Hom discloses a system, comprising: a battery pack that extends in a first direction between a first end of the battery pack and a second end of the battery pack, the battery pack having a first sub-pack and a second sub-pack, the first sub-pack having a first cell group and a second cell group, and the second sub-pack having a third cell group, wherein the second sub-pack is not directly electrically connected to the first sub-pack (Figure 8, Column 3, lines 27-54). Hom does not expressly disclose a heat exchanger that is in thermal communication with the battery pack and is configured to cool the battery pack by flow of a liquid coolant from a coolant inlet to a coolant outlet in a flow direction of the liquid coolant, the heat exchanger having a first portion that extends from the first end of the battery pack to the second end of the battery pack, a second portion that extends from the first end of the battery pack to the second end of the battery pack, and an intermediate portion that is located at the second end of the battery pack and extends from the first portion to the second portion, wherein the liquid coolant flows sequentially through the first portion, the intermediate portion, and the second portion during flow from the coolant inlet to the coolant outlet, the first cell group of the first sub-pack is adjacent to the first portion of the heat exchanger, the third cell group of the second sub-pack is adjacent to the first portion of the heat exchanger, and the second cell group of the first sub-pack is adjacent to the second portion of the heat exchanger. Sung discloses a heat exchanger that is in thermal communication with the battery pack and is configured to cool the battery pack by flow of a liquid coolant from a coolant inlet to a coolant outlet in a flow direction of the liquid coolant, the heat exchanger having a first portion that extends from the first end of the battery pack to the second end of the battery pack, a second portion that extends from the first end of the battery pack to the second end of the battery pack, and an intermediate portion that is located at the second end of the battery pack and extends from the first portion to the second portion, wherein the liquid coolant flows sequentially through the first portion, the intermediate portion, and the second portion during flow from the coolant inlet to the coolant outlet, the first cell group of the first sub-pack is adjacent to the first portion of the heat exchanger, the third cell group of the second sub-pack is adjacent to the first portion of the heat exchanger, and the second cell group of the first sub-pack is adjacent to the second portion of the heat exchanger (Figure 3B, Elements 160-180 and Paragraph 52). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of this invention to take the teachings of Sung’s cooling system and add it to the charger of Hom in order to have greater control of the cooling of specific cells.
As to Claim 17, Hom and Sung disclose the system of claim 16, wherein the first portion of the heat exchanger and the second portion of the heat exchanger are spaced in a second direction that is transverse to the first direction (Sung Figure 3B).
As to Claim 18, Hom and Sung disclose the system of claim 16, wherein the coolant inlet is connected to the first portion of the heat exchanger at the first end of the battery pack, and the coolant outlet is connected to the second portion of the heat exchanger at the first end of the battery pack (Sung Figure 3B).
As to Claim 19, Hom and Sung disclose the system of claim 16, wherein the third cell group of the second sub-pack is located at the second end of the battery pack (Sung Figure 3B).
As to Claim 20, Hom and Sung disclose the system of claim 16, further comprising: a charging system that is configured to control charging of the first sub-pack and the second sub-pack independently, wherein the charging system is configured to control charging of the first sub-pack so that a temperature of the third cell group of the second sub-pack is lower than a temperature of the first cell group of the first sub-pack and lower than a temperature of the second cell group of the first sub-pack (Hom Column 3, Lines 27-54).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT J GRANT whose telephone number is (571)270-5820. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9am - 5:30pm.
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/ROBERT GRANT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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