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 .
Response to Amendment
This Office Action is responsive to the amendment filed on 8/26/2026. Claim 12 has been canceled and claim 21 has been added. Claims 1-11, 13-17, 19-21 are pending. Claims 14-17, 19, 20 are withdrawn from further consideration as being drawn to a non-elected invention, in accordance with 37 CFR 1.142(b). Applicant’s arguments have been considered. Claims 1-11, 13, 21 are finally rejected for reasons necessitated by applicant’s amendment.
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.
Claims 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Kwon (US 2011/0052960) in view of Feuillard (WO 2013/037469).
Regarding claim 1, Kwon discloses an expansion panel for installation against a battery cell in a battery assembly, the expansion panel comprising: two plates 12, wherein at least one plate is arranged to face the battery cell; and a spring layer 17 between the two plates. Figure 4.
Regarding claim 2, the spring layer is arranged to store elastic potential energy when it is compressed [0055].
Regarding claim 3, the expansion panel is arranged to apply a predetermined pressure to the battery cell [0067].
Regarding claim 4, the expansion panel is arranged to accommodate expansion and contraction of the battery cell during a charge/discharge cycle [0067].
Regarding claim 5, the spring layer comprises a mechanical spring mechanism [0067].
Regarding claim 6, the spring layer comprises a corrugated layer of elastic material having corrugations extending from the first side to a second side of the two plates opposite the first side (fig. 8A).
Regarding claim 7, the spring layer comprises an array of springs, each of the disc springs having a conical shape and including an apex and a base, wherein (i) the bases of a first portion of the disc springs abut a first plate of the two plates and the apexes of the first portion of disc springs abut a second plate of the two plates and (ii) the bases of a second portion of disc springs abut the second plate and the apexes of the second portion of disc springs abut the first plate ([0067-0070] and fig 8C).
Regarding claim 8, the spring layer is comprises an array of disc springs, the array of disc springs including:
a first zone having a first density of disc springs, and
a second zone having a second density of disc springs, the first density of disc springs being greater than the second density of disc springs, wherein the first zone applies a first pressure to a first area of a surface of the battery cell and the second zone applies a second pressure to a second area of the surface of the battery cell, the first pressure being greater than the second pressure and the first area being different pressures from the second area ([0079] and figures 10A, 10B, 11A, 11B). Kwon discloses that elastic spacers may have a spring shape, an uneven shape, a curved shape, a folded shape, a bent shape, a hollow shape, a curved surface or curved line shape, or a shape formed on a combination of shapes thereof, in order to have high elasticity [0070]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art at the time the invention was made to form the spacers in a variety of shapes, such as a disc shape, as long as it has high elasticity.
Regarding claim 9, each plate comprises a sheet of metal [0056, 0080].
Regarding claim 10, the two plates 12 are at least partially connected to at least partially enclose the spring layer. Fig. 4.
Regarding claim 11, the corrugations form channels which allow a flow of coolant through an interior of the expansion panel [0057].
Regarding claim 14, the expansion panel is arranged to provide a flame barrier between battery cells in the battery assembly, it is noted that the cooling conduit 12 is a barrier and hence, its presence naturally forms to provide a flame barrier between battery cells.
Regarding claim 21, the spring layer comprises an array of disc springs having a conical shape and including an apex and a base, and wherein the apex is directly attached to a respective one of the two plates (fig. 4 or 8A).
Regarding claim 1, Kwon discloses two plates being connected along perimeter edges, but does not disclose to form sidewalls extending between the two plates, wherein a sidewall of the sidewalls at least partially defines:
a coolant inlet port extending outwards from a first side of the two plates; and
a coolant outlet port extending outwards from the first side of the two plates. Kwon discloses the coolant inlet port and the coolant outlet port extends outwards from the same side of the of two plates. See figure 1.
Feuillard teaches two plates being connected along perimeter edges thereof to form sidewalls extending between the two plates, wherein a sidewall of the sidewalls at least partially defines a coolant inlet port extending outwards from a first side of the two plates; and a coolant outlet port extending outwards from the first side of the two plates. See figure 4. Feuillard teaches a heat exchanger for controlling the temperature of a battery module comprising a perturbation plate 13 in between two plates 25a and 25b. The coolant fluid inlet opening 30 and the outlet opening 31a can be arranged on the same side or on opposite sides of the two plates (see pg 7 of translation). The perturbation plate 13 as disturbers 19 that create turbulence in the flow of the fluid passing through the disturbers 19. The perturbation plate 13 further comprises partition walls 23 in the form of separation rods to delimit one or more circuits of the fluid, and define an internal volume of circulation of the fluid (page 5 of translation). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art at the time the invention was made to form the cooling inlet and outlet of Kwon on the same side, as taught by Feuillard, should space requirement for the battery module and the expansion plate allow for cooling flow path to be disposed only on one side of the battery module.
Response to Arguments
Arguments dated 8/26/2026 are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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
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