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 certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) were submitted on 03/01/2023. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse in the reply filed on 10/31/2025 is acknowledged.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-6 and 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by US Patent Application Publication 2022/0363144 to Boddakayala et al.
With respect to claim 1, Boddakayala et al. teach a thermal management system for a traction battery pack, comprising: at least one cell stack 38 having a plurality of battery cells; a thermal exchange device 34 adjacent the at least one cell stack, the thermal exchange device 34 having at least one coolant passageway 80 that communicates a coolant; and a plurality of thermal breaks 82 in the thermal exchange device 34, the plurality of thermal breaks 82 configured to inhibit thermal energy transfer from a first area of the thermal exchange device 34 to a different, second area of the thermal exchange device 34 (Boddakayala et al.: Sections [0046]-[0049]; Fig. 4).
With respect to claim 2, Boddakayala et al. teach the thermal management system, wherein the thermal exchange device 34 includes at least one plate, the plurality of thermal breaks 82 provided at least in part by apertures in the at least one plate (Boddakayala et al.: Sections [0046]-[0049]; Fig. 4).
With respect to claim 3, Boddakayala et al. teach the thermal management system, further comprising an intumescent coating with basalt or glass cloth (a thermally insulative material) within the apertures (Boddakayala et al.: Sections [0046]-[0049]; Fig. 4).
With respect to claim 4, Boddakayala et al. teach the thermal management system, wherein the apertures extend completely through the thermal exchange device 34 (Boddakayala et al.: Sections [0046]-[0049]; Fig. 4).
With respect to claim 5, Boddakayala et al. teach the thermal management system, wherein at least one cell stack 38 includes a plurality of dividers 38A disposed along a cell stack 38 axis with the plurality of battery cells, the dividers 38A separating groups of at least one battery cell along the cell stack 38 axis, the plurality of thermal breaks 82 aligned with the gap between the plurality of dividers 38A along the cell stack axis (Boddakayala et al.: Sections [0046]-[0049]; Fig. 4).
With respect to claim 6, Boddakayala et al. teach the thermal management system, wherein the plurality of thermal breaks 82 extend longitudinally in a direction that is transverse to the cell stack axis (Boddakayala et al.: Sections [0046]-[0049]; Fig. 4).
With respect to claim 10, Boddakayala et al. teach the thermal management system, wherein the plurality of thermal breaks 82 include apertures that open to a first side of the thermal exchange device 34 and to an opposite, second side of the thermal exchange device 34, the first side facing with the at least one cell stack, the second side facing away from the at least one cell stack (Boddakayala et al.: Sections [0046]-[0049]; Fig. 4).
With respect to claim 11, Boddakayala et al. teach the thermal management system, wherein the apertures are filled with an intumescent coating with basalt or glass cloth (a thermally insulative material) (Boddakayala et al.: Sections [0046]-[0049]; Fig. 4).
With respect to claim 12, Boddakayala et al. teach the thermal management system, wherein the at least one cell stack 38 and the thermal exchange device 34 are constituents of a traction battery pack (Boddakayala et al.: Sections [0046]-[0049]; Fig. 4).
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 8 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Application Publication 2022/0363144 to Boddakayala et al.
With respect to claim 8, Boddakayala et al. teach the thermal management system, wherein the thermal exchange device 34 includes a first plate R1 and a second plate R2, wherein the first plate R1 and the second plate R2 are spaced a distance from each other in some areas to provide the at least one coolant passageway 46 (Boddakayala et al.: Sections [0034]; Fig. 4). There is only one coolant path circulates a liquid coolant between the thermal exchange device 34 and the heat exchanger 42, in other words, there is a connecting coolant passageway between the first plate R1 and the second plate R2.
Alternatively, Boddakayala et al. do not specifically disclose the claimed invention except for the first plate R1 and the second plate R2 are two separate plates. It would have been obvious as of the effective filing dated of the claimed invention to have the first plate R1 and the second plate R2 are spaced a distance from each other in some areas to provide the at least one coolant passageway 46, since it has been held that constructing a formerly integral structure in various elements involves only routine skill in the art. Newin v. Erlichman, 168 USPQ 177 (BdPatApp&Int 1969).
With respect to claim 9, Boddakayala et al. teach the thermal management system, wherein the first plate and the second plate are metal or metal alloy (Boddakayala et al.: Sections [0038]; Fig. 4).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Application Publication 2022/0363144 to Boddakayala et al. in view of US Patent Application Publication 2022/0069380 to Dorgan et al.
With respect to claim 7, Boddakayala et al. further teach the at least one coolant passageway form on both sides of each thermal break within the plurality of thermal breaks (Boddakayala et al.: Sections [0046]-[0049]; Fig. 4).
Boddakayala et al. do not specifically teach the thermal management system, wherein the at least one coolant passageway circumferentially surrounds each thermal break within the plurality of thermal breaks.
However, Dorgan et al. teach an energy storage assembly comprising a coolant plate 66 having channels 72 surrounds a slot 86 (Dorgan et al.: Section [0057]; Fig. 4).
It would have been obvious as of the effective filing dated of the claimed invention to have modified Boddakayala et al. with the teaching above from Dorgan et al. with the motivation of having a means such it is a common shape of a coolant channel.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LINGWEN R ZENG whose telephone number is (571)272-6649. The examiner can normally be reached 8am-5pm.
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/LINGWEN R ZENG/Examiner, Art Unit 1723 1/18/2026