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 statement filed August 15, 2023 has been placed in the application file and the information referred to therein has been considered as to the merits.
Drawings
The drawings received August 15, 2023 are acceptable for examination purposes.
Specification
The specification received August 15, 2023 has been reviewed for examination purposes.
Claim Objection
Claims 1-4 are objected to because of the following informalities:
The preamble of claim 1 is objected to when read in light of the body of the claim as the preamble recites “A cooling structure for battery modules” but the body of the claim, which includes battery modules, is more than “a cooling structure for battery modules” (the body appears to define a battery pack comprising a cooling structure and battery modules). Therefore the preamble appears to be in disagreement with the body of the claims and should be amended to be more consistent with the body of the claim which includes both a cooling structure and battery modules. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Interpretation
Claims 1-4 have been interpreted to include the battery modules as the body of claim 1 explicitly recites the inclusion of battery modules (see claim 1 line 3, for example). While the preamble recites “A cooling structure for battery modules”, the phrase “for battery modules” (claim 1, line 1) is not held to be intended use since the body of the claims require battery modules therein.
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 4 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 4 recites the limitation "the reinforcing rib" in line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim as claim 2 recites reinforcing ribs (plural) and it is unclear which reinforcing rib(s) the phrase “the reinforcing rib” (singular form) is referring to in the presence of plural reinforcing ribs. It would appear that the features of claim 4 are applied to each of the reinforcing ribs and may then be a plurality of chamber fixing parts under each reinforcing rib and each chamber fixing part then comprising a clip to be removably inserted into a respective mounting hole provided in the battery case. Clarification is respectfully requested.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2020/0321666).
As to claim 1, Kim discloses a cooling structure for battery modules, the cooling structure comprising:
battery modules 200 comprising battery cells 100;
an intake duct 410 configured to allow cooling air to flow to the battery modules; and
a chamber 400 communicating with the intake duct, the chamber being interposed between the battery modules that are adjacent to each other (see annotated Figs. 1, 2 and 6 below),
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wherein the chamber 400 comprises:
a body having a box shape, the body comprising openings respectively at both ends in an arrangement direction in which the battery modules are arranged, the body communicating with each of the battery modules (see annotated Fig. 6 below);
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sealing members each of which is disposed at a coupling area at which the body and a corresponding one of the battery modules are coupled to each other (see annotated Figs. 6 below);
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and a reinforcing rib provided in an internal space of the body, the reinforcing rib being coupled to first and second parts of the body that are apart from each other in a height direction of the body, the reinforcing rib extending between the first and second parts of the body (see annotated Fig. 6 below – where the ribs noted below, between openings 430, attached to a top and bottom part of the body in the height direction effectively function to reinforce the body),
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wherein the body is supported in a state of being held between the battery modules (Figs. 1 and 2 above),
and the cooling air is sent to the battery modules via the chamber (Figs. 1, 2, 6 annotated above and corresponding disclosure of Kim).
As to claim 2, the cooling structure includes plural reinforcing ribs provided a positions in the internal space of the body, coupled to first and second parts of the body and extending between the first and second parts of the body and the internal space of the body is a continuous space that is not divided by the reinforcing ribs (See annotated Fig. 6 below and annotated Figures above).
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Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 3 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims, while also addressing the claim objection stated above.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: none of the cited prior art of record, alone or in combination are held to reasonably teach, suggest or render obvious the invention of claim 3 wherein the battery modules and the chamber are contained in a battery case, a chamber fixing part is provided under the reinforcing rib and the chamber fixing part comprises a clip configured to be removably inserted into a mounting hole provided in the battery case.
Kim teaches of providing the battery modules and cooling structure on base plate and wall including a fan and coupling member (Fig. 1) however there is no reasonable teaching or suggestion to modify the battery pack of Kim to have a chamber fixing part provided under the reinforcing rib with the chamber fixing part comprising a clip configured to be removably inserted into a mounting hole provided in a battery case.
According to the disclosure of the instant invention, with this structure, the body is fixed to the battery case by inserting the clip in the mounting hole . That is, the body can be fixed without performing an operation for fastening it to the battery case by using bolts or the like, whereby a burden on a worker is reduced. In addition, in assembling the body, the clip is positioned under the reinforcing rib, and an insertion force is reliably transmitted to the clip, resulting in improving workability.
Claim 4 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the claim objection and rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: none of the cited prior art of record, alone or in combination are held to reasonably teach, suggest or render obvious the invention of claim 4 wherein the battery modules and the chamber are contained in a battery case, a chamber fixing part is provided under the reinforcing rib (ribs?) and the chamber fixing part comprises a clip configured to be removably inserted into a mounting hole provided in the battery case.
Kim teaches of providing the battery modules and cooling structure on base plate and wall including a fan and coupling member (Fig. 1) however there is no reasonably teaching or suggestion to modify the battery pack of Kim to have a chamber fixing part provided under the reinforcing ribs with the chamber fixing part comprising a clip configured to be removably inserted into a mounting hole provided in a battery case.
According to the disclosure of the instant invention, with this structure, the body is fixed to the battery case by inserting the clip in the mounting hole. That is, the body can be fixed without performing an operation for fastening it to the battery case by using bolts or the like, whereby a burden on a worker is reduced. In addition, in assembling the body, the clip is positioned under the reinforcing rib, and an insertion force is reliably transmitted to the clip, resulting in improving workability.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0302371 discloses a chamber 20 provided between adjacent battery modules defining a cooling duct. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0107378 discloses a cooling duct provided between two battery modules.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GREGG CANTELMO whose telephone number is (571)272-1283. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 7am to 5pm.
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/GREGG CANTELMO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725