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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Information Disclosure Statement
3. The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 2/23/2023 and 10/3/2023 has/have been received and complies with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97, 1.98 and MPEP § 609. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement(s) is/are being considered by the examiner, and a copy with initials is attached herewith.
Drawings
4. The drawings were received on 2/23/2023. These drawings are acceptable.
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. Claim(s) 1-3 and 11-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi et al (US 20220037726 A1)
Regarding claim 1, Choi discloses a battery device comprising a plurality of cell assemblies (210) each including a plurality of battery cells; a housing including an accommodation space in which the plurality of cell assemblies are accommodated; and a cooling plate (150) installed in the housing to cool the plurality of cell assemblies, wherein the cooling plate includes a plurality of seating portions (115) on which the cell assemblies are seated, respectively, and a heat transfer delay portion (130) disposed between the plurality of seating portions and preventing or reducing heat transfer between the seating portions adjacent to each other [Fig. 3, 5, 7; paragraph 0054-0057, 0078-0081, 0083-0084, 0095-0098]. Therefore, the claim would have been obvious because a particular known technique was recognized as part of the ordinary capabilities of one skilled in the art (KSR v. Teleflex, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 127 S. Ct. 1727 (2007)).
Regarding claim 2, Choi teaches that the heat transfer delay portion (130) is disposed in a direction intersecting a region between the plurality of seating portions adjacent to each other [Fig. 3, 5].
Regarding claim 3, Choi teaches that a width of the heat transfer delay portion disposed between seating portions adjacent to each other has a value of 1/2 or more of an opposing width of the seating portions adjacent to each other [Fig. 3, 5].
Regarding claim 11, Choi teaches that the cooling plate (150) is disposed on a lower side of the first housing (110) to cover a lower portion of the accommodation space [Fig. 3, 5].
Regarding claim 12, Choi teaches that the first housing includes a sidewall (113) forming an edge of the housing and a partition wall (250) intersecting the accommodation space to divide the accommodation space into a plurality of spaces in which the cell assemblies are accommodated, respectively, and wherein the sidewall and the partition wall are fastened to the cooling plate [Fig. 3, 5].
Regarding claims 13-15, providing fastening members and heat transfer member in a battery system is common in the art and is within the technical grasp of a skilled artisan and would be obvious.
9. Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi et al (US 20220037726 A1) as applied in claim 1 and further in view of Nemesh et al (US 20160079637 A1).
Regarding claim 4, Choi teaches a cooling member (150) for cooling the battery [paragraph 0095-0096], however, remains silent about refrigerant as a cooling media. However, it is known in the art to utilize refrigerant as a cooling media for cooling battery system as taught by Nemesh [Fig. 2-3; paragraph 0005, 0009, 0022, 0030]. And it would be obvious to dispose heat transfer delay portion in a region of the cooling plate in which the cooling passage is not disposed for safe operation. Therefore, the claim would have been obvious because a particular known technique was recognized as part of the ordinary capabilities of one skilled in the art (KSR v. Teleflex, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 127 S. Ct. 1727 (2007)) and an ordinarily skilled artisan would have recognized such a substitution without undue experimentation and with a reasonable expectation of success.
Regarding claim 5, Choi teaches that the heat transfer delay portion (130) includes at least one opening (131) formed in the cooling plate [Fig. 3, 5].
10. Claim(s) 6-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi et al (US 20220037726 A1) and Nemesh et al (US 20160079637 A1) as applied in claim 4 and further in view of Hantschel et al (US 20230015836 A1).
Regarding claims 6-10, Choi/Nemesh remains silent about filler; however, it is known in the art to utilize filler such as mica for propagation protection element of a battery module as taught by Hantschel [paragraph 0141-0145]. It is well known that cooling passage is provided between two opposing plates and providing the openings therein is within the technical grasp of an ordinary skilled artisan and would be obvious. Therefore, the claim would have been obvious because a particular known technique was recognized as part of the ordinary capabilities of one skilled in the art (KSR v. Teleflex, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 127 S. Ct. 1727 (2007)) and an ordinarily skilled artisan would have recognized such a substitution without undue experimentation and with a reasonable expectation of success.
11. Claim(s) 16-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi et al (US 20220037726 A1) as applied in claim 1 and further in view of Shin et al (US 20220115737 A1).
Regarding claims 16-19, Choi remains silent about gas channel/gas outlet, however, in a battery system comprising plurality of battery modules having plurality of batteries is supplied with gas channel/gas outlet for safer operation by removing the gas generated within the system as taught by Shin [Fig. 1-7; paragraph 0016-0017, 0089-0091, 0104-0110]. Therefore, the claim would have been obvious because a particular known technique was recognized as part of the ordinary capabilities of one skilled in the art (KSR v. Teleflex, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 127 S. Ct. 1727 (2007)) and an ordinarily skilled artisan would have recognized such a substitution without undue experimentation and with a reasonable expectation of success.
12. Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi et al (US 20220037726 A1)
Regarding claim 20, Choi discloses a battery device, comprising a plurality of cell assemblies (210) each including a plurality of battery cells; a housing (110) including sidewalls forming an accommodation space (115) in which the plurality of cell assemblies (210) are accommodated, and a plurality of partition walls (250) intersecting the accommodation space to divide the accommodation space into a plurality of spaces in which the cell assemblies are accommodated, respectively; and a cooling plate (150) covering a lower portion of the accommodation space and fixed to the sidewall and the partition wall to cool the plurality of cell assemblies, wherein the plurality of cell assembly includes a casing (260) configured to cover the plurality of battery cells (220) in a state in which at least a portion of lower surfaces of the plurality of battery cells are exposed, and wherein the cooling plate (150) includes a plurality of seating portions on which lower surfaces of the cell assemblies are seated, respectively, and a heat transfer delay portion (130) disposed below the partition wall (250) and preventing or reducing heat transfer between the seating portions adjacent to each other [Fig. 3, 5, 7, 12; paragraph 0054-0057, 0078-0081, 0083-0084, 0095-0098, 0114-0119]. Therefore, the claim would have been obvious because a particular known technique was recognized as part of the ordinary capabilities of one skilled in the art (KSR v. Teleflex, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 127 S. Ct. 1727 (2007)).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MUHAMMAD S SIDDIQUEE whose telephone number is (571)270-3719. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tong Guo can be reached at (571) 272-3066. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MUHAMMAD S SIDDIQUEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1723