DETAILED ACTION
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on May 27, 2026 has been entered.
Claims 1, 2, and 4 are pending, as Applicant has canceled claim 3.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
The phrase “surface-modifying” as a verb is confusing and should be corrected.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1, 2, and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pearson et al. (“Pearson”, US 2021/0362580 A1) in view of Enright et al. (“Enright”, US 2020/0089293 A1) and Iida et al. (“Iida”, US 2012/0295085 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Pearson discloses thermal management fluid systems (abstract) and teaches such systems are useful in cooling electronic devices such as lithium-ion batteries ([0001]) or a battery pack ([0045]). Fig. 1B depict a housing 150 of electrical component 140 (i.e. battery pack / plurality of battery cells) contains a reservoir of first thermal management fluid 120 (i.e. circulation space).
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The squiggly lines show thermal energy moving from the electrical component 140 to the thermal management fluid 120.
The housing 150 corresponds to Applicant’s claimed thermal conducting shell, which contains the battery cells and the convection [sic] space (see 112 rejection above).
Pearson teaches the first thermal management fluid may comprises one or more dielectric fluids ([0053]). Fig. 1B depicts electrical component 140 (i.e. battery pack/cells) immersed in the first thermal management fluid 120 (dielectric fluid) and shows natural circulation for transferring heat (fluid path 122). Pearson teaches batteries may be cooled by direct or indirect cooling ([0004]). Direct cooling advantageously allows the thermal management fluid (i.e. cooling fluid) to come into direct contact with the ”hot” components ([0004]).
Pearson teaches the first thermal management fluids can also include a variety of other components (i.e. fillers) such as viscosity index modifiers and surfactants, inter alia ([0073]), which are both known in the art to control viscosity. Pearson also teaches adding halocarbons, which can also generally have advantageously low viscosities ([0052]).
Pearson does not teach vacuuming the battery pack.
However, Enright discloses a liquid immersion cooling system (title) and teaches that by operating the computing and immersion cooling system under a vacuum, the components may be maintained at the reduced, low-pressure boiling point of the dielectric fluid ([0038]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to operate under a vacuum as this has the benefit of increased cooling resulting in greater performance of the components ([0038]), as taught by Enright.
Further regarding claim 1, the above references do not teach a silane coupling agent to modify surfaces of fillers.
However, modifying surfaces of fillers with a silane coupling agent in chemical compositions is well known. For example, Iida teaches examples of the surface modifier include a silane coupling agent, which may be used for treating the surface of the filler to improve the compatibility and control the agglomeration and dispersion of the filler ([0077]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to add a silane coupling agent in Pearson and Enright to modify the surface of the fillers to control agglomeration and dispersion of the filler, as taught by Iida.
As to claim 2, Pearson teaches an expansion chamber is configured to receive a vapor from the first thermal management fluid ([0041]). See Fig. 3A, which shows expansion chamber 354 configured to receive a vapor component 325 from the first thermal management fluid ([0041]). Pearson teaches vaporization-based cooling in ([0052]).
As to claim 4, Pearson teaches the synergistic combination of halocarbon (filler) with dielectric fluid and teaches both provide the dielectric properties necessary for direct cooling of electrical devices and systems ([0052]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments have been fully considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection.
Applicant argues that the prior art does not teach a silane coupling agent.
However, Iida has been applied and teaches a silane coupling agent to modify surfaces of the filler to control agglomeration and dispersion.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL H. LEE whose telephone number is (571)272-2548. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Orlando can be reached at 5712705038. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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DANIEL H. LEE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1746
/DANIEL H LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1746
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