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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The IDS filed on 1/16/2024 and 1/2/2025 have been considered by Examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 2 recites “where the first side wall is disposed separately from the top wall, the bottom wall and the second side wall” in lines 1-2. It is unclear what is meant by “disposed separately”, if it is referring to the manner in which the first side wall is connected to the top wall, bottom wall, or second side wall, or if it is referring to the general position of the first side wall, or if it meant to indicate a gap between the first wall and the walls to which it is connected to, rendering the claim indefinite.
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.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-2 and 4-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jin et al. (US 2020/0212386, hereinafter "Jin") in view of Park et al. (US 2020/0411930, hereinafter "Park) and further in view of Song et al. (US 2022/0131237, hereinafter "Song").
Regarding claim 1, Jin teaches a battery pack (200) comprising a tray, or lower box body (210), forming an accommodation space, or accommodating chamber (250) [Jin Fig. 1, 0077, “Battery pack 200 can include a box body 20 and a plurality of battery modules 100. Box body 20 can include a lower box body 210 and an upper box cover 220, 0078, “Lower box body 210 and upper box cover 220 can cooperate with each other to form an enclosed box body having accommodating chamber 250”]. While Jin does not specifically teach a base plate and a guard beam surrounding the base plate, it can be seen from Jin. Fig. 1 that the lower box body comprises a base surface, or plate, and raised edges, or a guard beam, around the base to provide an enclosure for the components in the battery pack. Jin also teaches a plurality of cell stack, or battery modules (100), arranged side by side in the accommodating chamber [Jin. Fig. 1, The plurality of battery modules 100 may be arranged side by side along the length direction of battery pack 200”]. The battery modules comprise a cell array comprising a plurality of cell groups comprising one cell (1) stacked vertically [Jin Fig. 4, 0078, “Battery module 100 can have a plurality of battery cells 1”]. The large surface of the cells is parallel to the base surface of the tray [Jin Figs. 1 and 4]. Jin further teaches that the battery modules have an end cover, or end plate (2), disposed at each end of the module [Jin Fig. 10, 0104, “battery module 100 can further include two end plates 2, which can be respectively disposed at two ends in the horizontal direction of the plurality of battery cells”]. Jin is silent regarding the cell stack comprising a housing, a cooling channel, an output electrode, and a tab.
Park teaches analogous art of a battery pack including a cell stack, or battery module, with a plurality of cells [Abstract, “A battery module and a battery pack having a module housing capable of effectively increasing an energy density while enhancing the heat dissipation efficiency, includes a cell assembly having a plurality of secondary batteries”]. Park teaches that the battery module comprises a plurality of cells, or batteries, in a cell array, or cell assembly, inside a module housing [Park Fig. 2, 0054, “a battery module 400 according to the present disclosure may include a cell assembly 100 and a module housing 300”]. Park teaches that the module housing has a plurality of side walls, specifically a top wall (“upper wall”), a bottom wall (“lower wall”), and a first and second side wall (“left and right walls”) [Park Fig. 2, the sidewalls 301, 302, 303, 304 may include an upper wall 301, a lower wall 302, a left wall 303 and a right wall 304”]. Park further teaches a cooling channel, or coolant flow path, may be formed in at the sidewalls, such as the left and right walls [Park Fig. 2, “three coolant flow paths 310 may be formed in each of the left wall 303 and the right wall 304”].
Park teaches that the module housing provides structural stability to the battery module and can protect the components inside from external impacts [0064, “the module housing 300 provides structural stability to the battery module 400 and protects components accommodated in the cell assembly 100 from external physical elements such as impact or material”]. Park also teaches that by forming a cooling flow path on the side walls instead of adding a separate heat sink, heat can be effectively discharged from the cell assembly, reducing the manufacturing cost and decreasing the volume of the battery module [0083].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the battery modules taught by Jin to include a housing with four side walls, and a coolant flow path on at least one of the side walls as taught by Park, in order to provide structural stability and protection to the battery module, and to make heat discharge more effective to reduce costs and battery module volume.
Song teaches analogous art of a battery pack comprising a plurality of battery cells arranged side by side [Abstract, “The battery pack comprises a plurality of battery cells and electrical connection components. the plurality of battery cells are arranged side by side”]. Song teaches that a plurality of battery cell are arranged side by side in a length direction of the battery pack [Song. Fig. 1, 0029, “ The plurality of battery cells 1 may be arranged side by side closely in the length direction or width direction of the battery pack”]. Song teaches that at the ends of the plurality of battery cells, an output electrode, or electrode receiving socket (21), is disposed [Song Fig. 2, “electrical connection components 2 are provided in the battery pack and arranged on the ends of a plurality of battery cells 1, so as to connect the battery cells 1 closely and avoid excessive space occupation; wherein, the electrical connection components 2 have electrode receiving sockets 21”]. Song further teaches that the tabs of the cell arrays, or electrode posts, are connected to the electrode receiving socket [Song. Fig. 2, The electrode posts of the battery cell 1 may be socket-jointed with the electrode receiving sockets 21 to facilitate installation”]. As can be seen in Song Figs. 1-2, the electrode receiving sockets at each end of a cell are arranged in a coplanar manner.
Song teaches that by disposing the electrode receiving sockets on the ends of the battery cells arranged side by side, rather than between the battery cells, the amount of space needed to connect the battery cells to each other is reduced, which improves the energy density of the battery pack, as well as saving assembly time and costs [0016, “ the electrical connection components are arranged on the ends of the battery cells, so as to effectively reduce the clearance between the battery cells, thereby effectively improve the energy density of the battery pack; moreover, the electrical connection components can be mounted automatically, and thereby the assembling time and cost are reduced”].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the battery modules taught by Jin to include electrode receiving sockets connected to the electrode posts on the end covers arranged in a coplanar manner as taught by Song, in order to reduce the amount of space, costs, and time needed to assemble the battery pack and increase its energy density.
Regarding claim 2, as best understood in light of the 112(b) issue mentioned above, Jin, modified by Park and Song, teaches the battery pack of claim 1 as described in the rejection for instant claim 1. Jin is silent regarding the battery module housing including side walls.
Park teaches that the left and right walls (first and second side walls) of the housing can have a coolant flow path placed inboard of the walls [Park. Fig. 6]. The coolant flow path 310 is located on the inside of the left wall and the right wall, thus separating the left or right wall from the rest of the side walls.
Park discloses that when a heat sink, or cooling member, is disposed on the upper or lower side of a battery pack vertical height is added to the battery pack, thereby limiting the volume of the battery modules themselves if they are placed in a device with limited space available, such as a vehicle [0012]. Park teaches that that by forming a cooling flow path on the side walls instead of adding a separate heat sink, heat can be effectively discharged from the cell assembly, reducing the manufacturing cost and decreasing the volume of the battery module [0083].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the battery modules taught by modified Jin to include a coolant flow path on a separately disposed left or right wall as taught by Park, in order to make heat discharge more efficient to reduce costs and battery module volume.
Regarding claim 4, Jin, modified by Park and Song, teaches the battery pack of claim 1 as described in the rejection for instant claim 1. Jin is silent regarding walls of a module housing and a cooling channel.
Park teaches that the at least one coolant flow path may be formed in at least one of the four sidewalls, which includes the upper wall and lower wall [0078, “at least one coolant flow path 310 may be formed in at least one of the plurality of sidewalls 301, 302, 303, 304 of the module housing”]. Park further teaches that the upper wall and lower wall may be in contact with at least one outer surface of the cell assembly [0071, “the sidewalls 301, 302, 303, 304 of the module housing 300 may be formed such that the upper and lower surfaces of the cell assembly 100 contact the upper wall 301 and the lower wall 302”].
Park teaches that when the upper wall and lower wall are in contact with at least one outer surface of the cell assembly, the heat generated in the in the cell assembly can be more effectively conducted to the module housing [0071, “That is, as the area where the sidewalls 301, 302, 303, 304 of the module housing 300 directly contact the outer surface of the cell assembly 100 increases, the heat generated in the cell assembly 100 may be more effectively conducted to the module housing 300”]. Park also teaches that as the number of coolant flow paths increases in the four side walls, the cooling effect also increases [0079, “as the number of coolant flow paths 310 formed at each of the sidewalls 301, 302, 303, 304 increases, the cooling effect of the cell assembly 100 increases”].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the battery modules taught by modified Jin by having a coolant flow path on the upper or lower wall as well, as taught by Park, in order to effectively conduct heat to the housing and provide an increased cooling effect.
Regarding claim 5, Jin, modified by Park and Song, teaches the battery pack of claim 1 as described in the rejection for instant claim 1. Jin is silent regarding a heat-conducting structural adhesive filled between the cell array and the inner surface of the module housing.
Park teaches that the battery module may include a thermally conductive material inserted into the inner space of the module housing between the cell assembly and the inner surface of the sidewall [0093]. Park teaches that the thermally conductive material may be a thermally conductive adhesive, or heat-conducting structural adhesive”) [0096, “Here, the thermally conductive adhesive 320”].
Park teaches that by inserting thermally conductive adhesive into the module housing, the heat transfer distance through which heat is discharged can be minimized, which improves the cooling efficiency [0091, “Accordingly, in the present disclosure, it may be very easy to minimize the heat transfer distance along which heat is discharged out through the thermally conductive material 320. In addition, the present disclosure may provide a battery module 400 with improved cooling efficiency”].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the battery modules taught by modified Jin by filling a thermally conductive adhesive between the cell assembly and the inner surface of the side walls as taught by Park, in order to minimize the heat transfer distance through which heat is discharged and improve the cooling efficiency.
Regarding claim 6, Jin, modified by Park and Song, teaches the battery pack of claim 5 as described in the rejection for instant claim 5. Jin is silent regarding a heat-conducting structural adhesive filled between the cell array and the side wall.
Park teaches that the battery module may include a thermally conductive material inserted into the inner space of the module housing between the cell assembly and the inner surface of the sidewall at which the coolant flow path is formed [0091, “the thermally conductive material 320 may be very easily injected through the sidewall 304 of the module housing 300 at which the coolant flow path 310 is formed”].
Park teaches that by inserting thermally conductive adhesive into the module housing, the heat transfer distance through which heat is discharged can be minimized, which improves the cooling efficiency [0091, “Accordingly, in the present disclosure, it may be very easy to minimize the heat transfer distance along which heat is discharged out through the thermally conductive material 320. In addition, the present disclosure may provide a battery module 400 with improved cooling efficiency”].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the battery modules taught by modified Jin by filling a thermally conductive adhesive between the cell assembly and the inner surface of the side wall with a coolant flow path as taught by Park, in order to minimize the heat transfer distance through which heat is discharged and improve the cooling efficiency.
Claims 3, 7, and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jin in view of Park and Song as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Shi et al. (US 2020/0212518, referring to second named inventor due to first named inventor also being named Jin, hereinafter "Shi").
Regarding claim 3, Jin, modified by Park and Song, teaches the battery pack of claim 1 as described in the rejection for instant claim 1. Jin is silent regarding a liquid inlet and outlet disposed on one end of a side wall.
Shi teaches analogous art of a battery module comprising battery groups arranged side by side, with a cooling channel, or cooling plate, arranged at a side of the battery groups, between adjacent battery groups [Abstract, “The cooling plate is placed between the first battery group and the second battery group, and the two surfaces of the cooling plate are respectively bonded onto the first battery group and the second battery group”]. Shi teaches that the cooling plate includes a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, or fluid passage inlet and outlet communicated with the cooling plate at the same end of the cooling plate [Shi Fig. 8, 0081, “inlet 311 and outlet 312 of fluid passage 31 can be arranged at the same end of cooling plate 3”].
Shi teaches that by arranging the inlet and outlet on the same end of the cooling plate, the cooling medium is more evenly distributed in the cooling plate, guaranteeing a small temperature difference at both ends of the cooling plate, which improves its cooling effect [0081].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the battery modules taught by modified Jin by including a liquid inlet and outlet on one end of the side wall with the cooling channel communicated with the cooling channel as taught by Shi, in order to guarantee a small temperature difference at both ends of the wall and improve the cooling effect of the cooling channel.
Regarding claim 7, Jin, modified by Park, Song, and Shi, teaches the battery pack of claim 3, as described in the rejection for instant claim 3. Jin is silent regarding an extending portion.
Shi teaches that the cooling plate includes a fluid passage inlet and outlet communicated with the cooling plate at the same end of the cooling plate on an extending portion, or joint end plate [Shi Figs. 7-8, 0012, “the cooling plate can include a joint end plate, which can include an inlet joint and an outlet joint arranged side by side along the vertical direction”].
Shi teaches that the joint end plate protrudes past the edge of the battery module, which allows the liquid inlet and outlet to be disposed in a way that adjacent inlet and outlets can be connected to form a continuous pipeline [0013, “the battery module can include a conveying pipe coupled to the inlet joint of the joint end plate so as to establish a connection between the conveying pipe and the inlet”, 0014, “the battery module can include a return pipe coupled to the outlet joint of the joint end plate so as to establish a connection between the return pipe and the inlet”]. Shi discloses that by having a circulatory loop for the inlets and outlets, continuous cooling of the battery module is enabled, increasing the cooling efficiency [0061, “Conveying pipe 5 can convey the cooling medium to cooling plate 3, while the cooling medium outputted by cooling plate 3 can be recovered through the return pipe, and then cooled and re-input into conveying pipe 5, forming a circulatory loop among conveying pipe 5, cooling plate 3 and return pipe 6, which can enable continuous cooling of the battery module and increases the cooling efficiency”].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the battery modules taught by modified Jin by including a liquid inlet and outlet on a joint end plate that extends past the ends of the battery module as taught by Shi, in order to be able to connect the liquid inlets and outlets of the battery modules in a circulatory loop to enable continuous cooling and increase the cooling efficiency of the battery module.
Regarding claim 8, Jin, modified by Park, Song, and Shi, teaches the battery pack of claim 7, as described in the rejection for instant claim 7. Jin is silent regarding a main liquid inlet and outlet pipeline.
Shi teaches that the inlets are connected to form a main liquid pipeline, or conveying pipe, and the outlets are connected to form a main liquid outlet pipeline, or return pipe [0013-0014]. Fig. 1 of Shi shows that the conveying pipe and return pipe are disposed close to one side of the battery module ends.
Shi teaches that by having a circulatory loop for the inlets and outlets, continuous cooling of the battery module is enabled, increasing the cooling efficiency [0061, “Conveying pipe 5 can convey the cooling medium to cooling plate 3, while the cooling medium outputted by cooling plate 3 can be recovered through the return pipe, and then cooled and re-input into conveying pipe 5, forming a circulatory loop among conveying pipe 5, cooling plate 3 and return pipe 6, which can enable continuous cooling of the battery module and increases the cooling efficiency”].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the battery modules taught by modified Jin by including a conveying pipe and a return pipe as taught by Shi, in order to be able to connect the liquid inlets and outlets of the battery modules in a circulatory loop to enable continuous cooling and increase the cooling efficiency of the battery module.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jin in view of Park, Song, and Shi as applied to claim 8 above, and further in view of Qu et al. (CN 111564589, referring to Examiner-provided English translation thereof, hereinafter "Qu").
Regarding claim 9, Jin, modified by Park, Song, and Shi, teaches the battery pack of claim 8, as described in the rejection for instant claim 8. Jin teaches a structural adhesive, or bottom glue, disposed between the bottom portion of the battery module and the lower box body. Jin is silent regarding a heat-conducting structural adhesive filled between the adjacent battery modules.
Qu teaches analogous art of a battery pack comprising multiple battery modules and a cooling mechanism [Qu Fig. 2, 0008]. Qu teaches that a heat-conducting structural adhesive, or a thermal conductive glue/adhesive, is provided between adjacent battery modules [0011, “thermal conductive glue is provided between any two adjacent battery modules in each column of the module assemblies”].
Qu teaches that the thermal conductive adhesive can bond adjacent battery modules together, providing structural strength to the module assembly [0066, “The thermal conductive adhesive can bond the two adjacent battery modules 20 together, thereby improving the structural strength of the module assembly 208”]. Furthermore, Qu teaches that the thermal conductive adhesive transfers heat between battery modules so that heat can be dissipated from both ends [0066, “the thermal conductive adhesive can transfer heat between the two battery modules 20, so that the heat in the module assembly 208 can be transferred to the two battery modules 20 located at both ends of the module assembly 208, so that the heat in the module assembly 208 can be dissipated from both ends”].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the battery modules taught by modified Jin by filling a thermal conductive adhesive between adjacent battery modules as taught by Qu, in order to improve the structural strength and heat dissipation of the module assembly.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jin in view of Park, Song, Shi, and Qu as applied to claim 9 above, and further in view of Newnham (GB 2593187, hereinafter "Newnham").
Regarding claim 10, Jin, modified by Park, Song, Shi, and Qu, teaches the battery pack of claim 9, as described in the rejection for instant claim 9. Jin is silent regarding a hot-pressing film between the battery modules and structural adhesive.
Newnham teaches analogous art of a battery pack comprising a plurality of battery modules and cooling plates [Newnham Fig. 1, page 11, lines 6-7]. Newnham teaches a hot-pressing film, or thermally conductive pad (54), disposed at the bottom of a battery module [Newnham Fig. 4, page 14, lines 5-9]. Newnham teaches that the thermally conductive pad comprises a thermally conductive putty material on the top of the pad, and that the pad is non-tacky, allowing it to be removed [page 22, lines 5-10].
Newnham teaches that the thermally conductive pad is deformable, allowing it to conform to the underside of the battery module [page 22, lines 11-14]. Newnham also discloses that the pad can conduct heat away from electrical components [page 22, lines 6-7, “Such pads are known in the art and are typically used to aid the conduction of heat away from CPUs”], which can aid with cooling the battery modules. Furthermore, by making the pad removable, it is easier and more cost effective to service and repair the battery module [page 22, lines 30-32].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the battery modules taught by modified Jin by adding a removable thermally conductive pad in between the battery module and the structural adhesive as taught by Newnham, in order to provide some cushioning between the battery module and the battery pack tray, make servicing and repair easier and more cost effective, and improve the heat conduction away from the battery module.
Conclusion
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/M.F.O./Examiner, Art Unit 1729
/ULA C RUDDOCK/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1729