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
Acknowledgement has been made of applicant’s claim for priority under 35 USC 119 (a-d). The certified copy has been filed on 7/25/2023.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) filed 6/14/2023 has been placed in the application file and the information referred to therein has been considered.
Drawings
The drawings received 6/14/2023 are acceptable for examination purposes.
Claims Analysis
The limitation “configured to” has been interpreted to mean “capable of” as long as structure is present to meet the capabilities of the function. In particular,
In claim 1:
a first flow path configured to allow a coolant to flow therein to the first storage battery simply requires a flow path,
a connector configured to couple the first storage battery to an electric power device of an external apparatus comprising the electric power device and a second flow path simply requires an electric power device and a second flow path,
the second flow path being configured to allow the coolant to flow therein to the second storage battery simply requires a flow path,
a pump provided on the first flow path and configured to control a flow rate and a flowing direction of the coolant is simply met by a presence of a pump,
a controller configured to control an operation of the pump is simply met by a controller connected to a pump,
the controller is configured to switch the flowing direction of the coolant multiple times after the first flow path and the second flow path are coupled to each other via the connector is met by a controller that is programmed to switch the flowing direction of the coolant multiple times.
In claim 2, the controller is configured to set the flow rate of the coolant to a first flow rate in a first period, and to set the flow rate of the coolant to a second flow rate in a second period, the first period being a period after the first flow path and the second flow path are coupled to each other via the connector, the second period being a period after the first period, the second flow rate being higher than the first flow rate is simply met by a controller connected to a pump.
In claims 3 and 4, the configured to language is met by a controller capable of measuring a temperature on the first flow path and a second flow path.
In claim 5, the power storage apparatus is provided in a first vehicle, and the electric power device comprises a second storage battery, the external apparatus is provided in a second vehicle, have been interpreted as intended use and is met by prior art that is capable of being used in a first vehicle, as a second storage battery, and in a second vehicle.
In claim 6:
a first flow path configured to allow a coolant to flow therein to the first storage battery simply requires a flow path;
a connector configured to couple the first storage battery to a second storage battery of a second vehicle comprising the second storage battery and a second flow path simply requires an electric power device and a second flow path,
the second flow path being configured to allow the coolant to flow therein to the second storage battery simply requires a flow path,
a pump provided on the first flow path and configured to control a flow rate and a flowing direction of the coolant is simply met by a presence of a pump.
In claim 7:
a first flow path configured to allow a coolant to flow therein to the first storage battery simply requires a flow path;
a connector configured to couple the first storage battery to an electric power device of an external apparatus comprising the electric power device and a second flow path simply requires an electric power device and a second flow path,
the second flow path being configured to allow the coolant to flow therein simply requires a flow path;
a pump provided on the first flow path and configured to control a flow rate and a flowing direction of the coolant is simply met by a presence of a pump; and
circuitry configured to control an operation of the pump, wherein
the circuitry is configured to switch the flowing direction of the coolant multiple times after the first flow path and the second flow path are coupled to each other via the connector is met by a controller that is programmed to switch the flowing direction of the coolant multiple times.
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.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Matsumoto (JP 2020-054058).
Regarding claim 6, a power storage apparatus comprising:
a first storage battery 11 provided in a first vehicle;
a first flow path 61 configured to allow a coolant to flow therein to the first storage battery 11;
a connector 30 configured to couple the first storage battery 11 to a second storage battery 21 of a second vehicle comprising the second storage battery 21 and a second flow path 62, and to couple the first flow path 61 to the second flow path 62 and thereby allow the first flow path 61 and the second flow path 62 to form a circulatory flow path, the second flow path being configured to allow the coolant to flow therein to the second storage battery; and
a pump 52 provided on the first flow path 61 and configured to control a flow rate and a flowing direction of the coolant.
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, 2, 5, 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumoto (JP 2020-054058) in view of Jaura (US 2004/0137313).
Regarding claim 1, Matsumoto discloses a power storage apparatus comprising:
a first storage battery 11;
a first flow path 61 configured to allow a coolant to flow therein to the first storage battery;
a connector 30 configured to couple the first storage battery 11 to an electric power device 21 of an external apparatus 20 comprising the electric power device 21 and a second flow path 62, and to couple the first flow path 61 to the second flow path 62 and thereby allow the first flow path 61 and the second flow path 62 to form a circulatory flow path, the second flow path being configured to allow the coolant to flow therein [0043];
a pump 52 provided on the first flow path 61 and configured to control a flow rate and a flowing direction of the coolant; and
a controller 22 configured to control an operation of the pump, wherein
Regarding claim 2, the controller is configured to set the flow rate of the coolant to a first flow rate in a first period, and to set the flow rate of the coolant to a second flow rate in a second period, the first period being a period after the first flow path and the second flow path are coupled to each other via the connector, the second period being a period after the first period, the second flow rate being higher than the first flow rate [0039].
Regarding claim 5, Matsumoto disclose that the power storage apparatus is provided in a first vehicle, and the electric power device comprises a second storage battery, the external apparatus is provided in a second vehicle, it is noted that Matsumoto is capable of being used for their intended purposes.
Regarding claim 7, a power storage apparatus comprising:
a first storage battery 11;
a first flow path 61 configured to allow a coolant to flow therein to the first storage battery;
a connector 30 configured to couple the first storage battery 11 to an electric power device 21 of an external apparatus 20 comprising the electric power device 21 and a second flow path 62, and to couple the first flow path 61 to the second flow path 62 and thereby allow the first flow path 61 and the second flow path 62 to form a circulatory flow path, the second flow path 62 being configured to allow the coolant to flow therein;
a pump 52 provided on the first flow path 61 and configured to control a flow rate and a flowing direction of the coolant; and
circuitry 22 configured to control an operation of the pump.
Regarding claim 1, Matsumoto’s controller 22 is not configured to switch the flowing direction of the coolant multiple times after the first flow path and the second flow path are coupled to each other via the connector. Regarding claim 7, Matsumoto’s circuitry 22 is not configured to switch the flowing direction of the coolant multiple times after the first flow path and the second flow path are coupled to each other via the connector. Jaura teaches a battery system for automotive vehicle that periodically reverses the direction of flow through coolant passages so as to minimize the differential temperature arising between various cells of the battery stack (Abstract). Jaura teaches a method for cooling a battery system having a plurality of individual cells contained within a common battery case comprises the steps of circulating coolant in a first direction through a plurality of coolant passages extending about the cells for a first period of time, and circulating coolant in a second direction through the coolant passages for a second period of time. The durations of the first and second periods of time may be determined through an iterative process, and it is expected that the periods will normally be equal. In any event, the first and second periods of time will be adjusted until the temperature differential between the warmest cell and the coolest cell within the battery approaches a minimum value [0010].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art at the time the invention was made to reverse the coolant flow of Matsumoto, as taught by Jaura, for the benefit of minimizing any temperature differences within Matsumoto’s battery.
Claims 3, 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumoto (JP 2020-054058) in view of Jaura (US 2004/0137313) as applied to claim 1, in view of Wei (WO 2021/249301, using US 2023/0236614 as translation).
Matsumoto modified by Jaura teaches all the elements of claim 1.
Regarding claim 3, the controller is configured to determine a pattern of the operation of the pump based on a temperature difference between a temperature of the coolant in the first flow path and a temperature of the coolant in the second flow path, regarding claim 4, the controller is configured to determine a pattern of the operation of the pump based on a temperature difference between a temperature of the coolant in the first flow path and a temperature of the coolant in the second flow path, Matsumoto modified by Jaura determines the reverse flow cooling based on a temperature distribution as a function of distance across a battery stack (see [0023] of Jaura). Goto teaches a fuel cell system comprising cooling water circulating through a cooling water flow path. Goto determines the distribution of the internal temperature of the fuel cells 22, based on a difference deltaT between the inlet cooling water temperature T1 and the outlet cooling water temperature T2. The value of the difference deltaT represents the temperature gradient in the fuel cells 22. This value is decreased by enhancing the flow rate of the cooling water and equalizing the temperature of the cooling water flowing through the fuel cells 22. The enhanced flow rate of the cooling water reduces the temperature gradient in the whole fuel cells 22 and equalizes the internal temperature of the fuel cells 22. The enhanced flow rate of the cooling water equalizes not only the temperature of the cooling water flowing through the fuel cells 22 but also the temperature of a specific unit cell, which shows a different temperature behavior from those of the peripheral unit cells, among the unit cells 48 constituting the fuel cells 22. The flow rate of the cooling water is regulated to make the value of the difference deltaT sufficiently small and thereby equalize the temperature distribution in the fuel cells 22 (13:20-35). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art at the time the invention was made to measure the difference in the coolant at the inlet and the outlet of the coolant flow of the battery of Matsumoto modified by Jaura to control the coolant flow, as taught by Goto, for the benefit of further controlling Matsumoto’s coolant flow.
Pertinent Prior Art
Wainwright (US 2020/0338998)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CYNTHIA KYUNG SOO WALLS whose telephone number is (571)272-8699. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F until 5pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jonathan Leong can be reached at 571-270-1292. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CYNTHIA K WALLS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1751