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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Group I, claims 1-11 in the reply filed on 6/26/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that there is no undue search burden to examine all of the claims in the application, as evidenced by the fact that the examiner of the international PCT application examined all of the claims [Remarks, pg. 2].. This is not found persuasive because search burden does not appear to be a factor in a Un.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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 3 recites the limitation "the first edge" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim are 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 9 recites the limitation “an upper plate portion” in line 3 and the limitation “a gas vent hole” in line 10. Claim 7, upon which claim 9 depends, already recites “a gas vent hole” and “an upper plate portion”. Therefore, it is unclear whether the upper plate portion and gas vent hole recited in claim 9 are the same as those of claim 7, thus rendering the claim indefinite. For compact prosecution purposes, claim 9 will be interpreted as reading “the upper plate portion” in line 3 and “the gas vent hole” in line 10.
Claims 10-11 are rejected for their dependency on a rejected base claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun et al. (US 2023/0041540, hereinafter "Sun") in view of Lee et al. (KR 20190023917, referring to previously-provided translation thereof, hereinafter "Lee").
Regarding claim 1, Sun teaches a battery pack comprising multiple electrode core strings (“battery modules”) located in a housing (“pack case”), the housing comprising a bottom plate and a first, second, third, and fourth side frame (“bottom cover”), and a top plate [Sun Figs. 1-2, Abstract, 0056, 0070]. Sun does not specifically teach cooling fins protruding from a bottom surface of the top plate.
Lee teaches analogous art of a secondary battery module comprising a plurality of cylindrical secondary battery cells, a cell frame (200) (“bottom cover”), and a heat dissipation member [Lee Fig. 4, 0033]. Lee teaches that the heat dissipation member may be coupled to the cell frame on at least one of the upper and lower sides of the cell frame [Lee Fig. 4, 0040]. Lee teaches that the heat dissipation member may comprise a heat sink (320) (“top plate”) with protrusions (321) (“cooling fins”) from a bottom surface of the heat sink facing the inside of the cell frame, in contact with a thermal pad and coupled to the cell frame so that an upper portion of the battery module is covered [Lee Fig. 4, 0047]. Lee teaches that the heat sink discharges heat transmitted from the battery cells through the thermal pad to the outside, therefore the protrusions of the heat sink act as cooling fins [0046]. Lee discloses that the protrusions form a groove to provide a space through which gas generated in the battery cells is discharged [0047]. Fig. 2 of Lee is a perspective view of the secondary battery module, showing the spaces between the protrusions through which the gas generated in the battery cells may be discharged to outside the cell frame.
Lee teaches that by venting gas ejected from the battery cells into the spaces between the protrusions, the gas does not pressurize or explode, and therefore chain ignition or explosion of neighboring cells may be prevented [0040, pgs. 25-26].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the top plate of the battery pack taught by Sun to include cooling fins protruding from a bottom surface of the top plate and coupled to the bottom cover with empty spaces between the cooling fins as taught by Lee, in order to prevent chain ignition or explosion of the battery modules.
Further regarding claim 2, Sun as modified by Lee teaches the battery pack including cooling fins protruding from the top plate as described above.
Lee further teaches that the protrusions (“cooling fins”) are provided in plurality from a first edge to a second edge of the heat sink along a first direction of the heat sink [Lee Figs. 2-4, wherein the “first edge” is the edge in the left-to-right direction of Fig. 4].
As described above, Lee teaches that by venting gas ejected from the battery cells into the spaces between the protrusions, the gas does not pressurize or explode, and therefore chain ignition or explosion of neighboring cells may be prevented [0040, pgs. 25-26].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the top plate of the battery pack taught by modified Sun to provide the cooling fins in plurality from a first edge to a second edge of the top plate with empty spaces in between the cooling fins as taught by Lee, in order to prevent chain ignition or explosion of the battery modules.
Further regarding claim 3, Sun as modified by Lee teaches the battery pack including cooling fins protruding from the top plate as described above.
Lee further teaches that the protrusions (“cooling fins”) provided on the edges of the heat sink in the left-to-right direction of Fig. 4 are vertically connected to the cell frame (“bottom cover”) [Lee Fig. 4].
Lee teaches that the heat sink releases heat transferred from the battery cells to the outside through the thermal pad, which connects the protrusions of the heat sink and the cell frame [0046]. Lee teaches that if heat generated by the cells is not released, it may lead to ignition or explosion of the battery [0009].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the top plate of the battery pack taught by modified Sun to connect the cooling fins to the bottom cover as taught by Lee, in order to prevent ignition or explosion of the battery modules.
Further regarding claim 4, as described previously, Sun teaches that the housing comprises a bottom plate (130) (“base plate”), and a first, second, third, and fourth side frame (“wall frame”) forming a wall along a perimeter of the bottom plate [Sun Figs. 1-2, 0037, 0056, 0070]. Sun also teaches that the housing includes at least one structural beam (“first cross beam”) partitioning the interior of the housing [Sun Fig. 2, 0037].
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun (US 2023/0041540) in view of Lee (KR 20190023917) as applied to claim 4 above, and further in view of Nishioka et al. (US 2013/0057775, hereinafter "Nishioka").
Regarding claim 5, modified Sun teaches the battery pack of claim 4, as described in the rejection of instant claim 4. Sun further teaches that the battery pack may include a multiple electrode core strings (“battery modules”) [0005]. Sun teaches that at least one electrode core string is provided in at least one accommodating cavity [Sun Fig. 2, 0006]. Sun teaches that the structural beam divides the housing into multiple accommodating cavities [0009]. Sun discloses that the structural beam is connected to the top plate and the bottom plate [0009]. Sun does not specifically teach that the top plate comprises a separate second cross beam vertically in face-to-face contact with the structural beam of the bottom plate.
Nishioka teaches analogous art of a battery unit including a plurality of battery cells and a case (“pack case”) [0074]. Nishioka teaches that the case includes a base (64) (“bottom cover”) and a cover (65) (“top plate”) [0078]. Nishioka teaches that the cover may include a first portion (71) including a beam portion (71b) (“second cross beam”) [Nishioka Fig. 18, 0084]. Nishioka teaches that the beam portion 71b is positioned so as to correspond, in vertical face-to-face contact, with a beam portion (64b) (“first cross beam”) of the base [Nishioka Fig. 18, 0085].
Nishioka teaches that when external pressure is applied to the case, the beam portion (71b) of the cover is supported by the beam portion (64b) of the base, forming a gap between a second portion (71bb) of the beam portion (71b) and the battery cell [0087], thus avoiding applying load to the battery cells.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the structural beam taught by Sun to be comprised of a first cross beam and a second cross beam disposed vertically in face-to-face contact with each other as taught by Nishioka, in order to avoid applying load to the battery modules under external pressure. Furthermore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have made the structural beam separable to provide two separate cross beams. See the following case law in MPEP 2144.04(V)(C):
In re Dulberg, 289 F.2d 522, 523, 129 USPQ 348, 349 (CCPA 1961) (The claimed structure, a lipstick holder with a removable cap, was fully met by the prior art except that in the prior art the cap is "press fitted" and therefore not manually removable. The court held that "if it were considered desirable for any reason to obtain access to the end of [the prior art’s] holder to which the cap is applied, it would be obvious to make the cap removable for that purpose.")
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun (US 2023/0041540) in view of Lee (KR 20190023917) and Nishioka (US 2013/0057775) as applied to claim 5 above, and further in view of Lu et al. (CN 106207312, referring to examiner-provided translation thereof, hereinafter "Lu").
Regarding claim 6, modified Sun teaches the battery pack of claim 5 as described in the rejection of instant claim 5.
Lu teaches analogous art of a battery box (100) including an upper shell (110) and a lower shell (120) cooperating together to form a box [Lu Fig. 6, 0076-0078]. Lu teaches that an air guide shroud (30) (“top plate”) is disposed on top of the battery box [Lu Fig. 6, 0080]. Lu teaches that the air guide shroud comprises heat dissipation ribs (21) (“cooling fins”), protruding from the bottom surface of the air guide shroud towards the battery box with gas channels in between the ribs [Lu Figs. 2 and 6, 0069]. Fig. 6 of Lu shows that the protruding edges of the air guide shroud (“second cross beam”) have a height greater than a height of the heat dissipation ribs.
The height of the second cross beam may be greater than, equal to, or less than the height of the cooling fins. Therefore, the height of the second cross beam relative to the height of the cooling fins has a finite number of identified, predictable solutions. Lu’s disclosure shows that having a structural support, such as an air guide shroud or a cross beam, protruding from a top plate with a height greater than that of heat dissipation ribs or cooling fins protruding from the same top plate, yields a predictable result. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the second cross beam taught by modified Sun to have a height greater than a height of the cooling fins [MPEP 2143(I)(E)]. Furthermore, "A person of ordinary skill in the art is also a person of ordinary creativity, not an automaton." KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 421, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1397 (2007) [MPEP 2141.03(I)].
Claims 7 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun (US 2023/0041540) in view of Lee (KR 20190023917) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of KR '708 (KR 20200041708, referring to examiner-provided translation thereof, hereinafter "KR '708").
Regarding claim 7, modified Sun teaches the battery pack of claim 1 as described in the rejection of instant claim 1. Sun teaches that the electrode core string includes multiple electrode core assemblies (“battery cells”) [0037]. Sun is silent regarding a module case accommodating the plurality of battery cells.
KR ‘708 teaches analogous art of a battery module comprising a plurality of battery cells and a module case accommodating the plurality of battery cells, wherein the module case has internal cooling channels (“upper plate portion”) formed on both sides of the plurality of battery cells and an opening (“gas vent hole”) formed in the internal cooling channels [KR ‘708 Fig. 5, 0010]. Fig. 5 of KR ‘708 shows that two opposite sides of the plurality of battery cells (100) are covered by an internal cooling channel (250) [0029]. While KR ‘708 does not specifically teach that one of the sides is an “upper portion” of the battery cells, when the battery module of KR ‘708 Fig. 5 is rotated left or right 90 degrees, one of the internal cooling channels would be disposed on an “upper portion” of the battery cells. KR ‘708 further discloses that gas can be discharged through the openings (400, 600) [KR ‘708 Fig. 5, 0053, 0058].
KR ‘708 teaches that by providing the internal cooling channels with the openings, high-temperature gas and flames generated in a thermal runaway event can be rapidly discharged, and explosion of the battery module can be prevented [0053-0054].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the battery modules taught by modified Sun to include a module case having internal cooling channels with openings covering the plurality of battery cells as taught by KR ‘708, in order to rapidly discharge high-temperature gas and flames during a thermal runaway event and prevent explosion of the battery module.
Further regarding claim 8, modified Sun teaches the battery pack of claim 7. KR ‘708 further discloses that the openings may be provided in a mesh shape [KR ‘708 Fig. 7, 0014, 0060].
KR ‘708 teaches that when the openings are provided in a mesh shape, high-temperature gas and flames can be discharged more quickly to the outside [0061]. As explained previously, by rapidly discharging high-temperature gas and flames, explosion of the battery module may be prevented [0053].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the openings taught by modified Sun to be provided in a mesh shape as taught by KR ‘708, in order to rapidly discharge high-temperature gas and flames during a thermal runaway event and prevent explosion of the battery module.
Claims 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun (US 2023/0041540) in view of Lee (KR 20190023917) and KR '708 (KR 20200041708) as applied to claim 7 above, and further in view of Han et al. (KR 20170069003, hereinafter "Han").
Regarding claim 9, modified Sun teaches the battery pack of claim 1 as described in the rejection of instant claim 1. Sun does not specifically teach an upper plate portion or a lower plate portion.
As described in the rejection of claim 7 above, KR ‘708 teaches that the module case has internal cooling channels (“upper plate portion/lower plate portion”) formed on both sides of the plurality of battery cells and [KR ‘708 Fig. 5, 0010]. While KR ‘708 does not specifically teach that one of the sides is an “upper portion” of the battery cells and that one of the sides is a “lower portion” of the battery cells, when the battery module of KR ‘708 Fig. 5 is rotated left or right 90 degrees, one of the internal cooling channels would be disposed on an “upper portion” of the battery cells while the other internal cooling channel would be disposed on a “lower portion” of the battery cells. KR ‘708 further teaches that the internal cooling channels have cooling air (“coolant”) flowing through the internal cooling channels (“flow path”) [0046]. KR ‘708 teaches that the internal cooling channel have openings (“gas vent hole”) capable of discharging gas to the outside [KR ‘708 Fig. 5, 0052-0054]. KR ‘708 teaches that the openings may be sealed by film members (500) (“vent hole cap”) that melt above a predetermined temperature [KR ‘708 Fig. 2, 0041]. Figs. 2, 4, 5, 7, and 9 of KR ‘708 show that the openings are provided in a surface of the internal cooling channels opposite a surface of the internal cooling channels in contact with the battery cells (“second upper plate”).
KR ‘708 teaches that by providing the internal cooling channels with the openings, high-temperature gas and flames generated in a thermal runaway event can be rapidly discharged, and explosion of the battery module can be prevented [0053-0054]. KR ‘708 further discloses that by providing the film members covering the openings, it is possible to guide the formation of a cooling path for cooling the battery cells in a normal operating environment [0054]
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the battery modules taught by modified Sun to include a module case having internal cooling channels with openings and film members covering the plurality of battery cells as taught by KR ‘708, in order to both guide the formation of a cooling path in a normal operating environment and rapidly discharge high-temperature gas and flames during a thermal runaway event to prevent explosion of the battery module.
Han teaches analogous art of a battery module comprising at least one battery cell and a first duct (“upper plate portion”) having a first coupling hole (“first melting spot”) coupled to the first region of the battery cells (“top of the plurality of battery cells”) and a first duct hole connected to the first coupling hole [0005]. Han teaches that the first duct (120) includes a first upper surface (121) (“second upper plate”) and a first lower surface (122) (“first upper plate”) in contact with the battery cells facing the first upper surface [Han Fig. 1b, 0036]. Han teaches that the first coupling hole (124) is included in the first lower surface [Han Fig. 1b, 0037]. Han teaches that flames or smoke discharged from the battery cells are guided to the first duct hole (126) through the first coupling hole [Han Fig. 1b, 0060]. Han further discloses that the first duct hole may comprise a fire extinguishing material placed inside a plastic bag easily melted by heat from the flames or smoke [0062]. Since the flames/smoke are discharged through the first coupling hole, the first coupling hole forms a melting spot capable of being thermally melted [Han Fig. 3].
Han teaches that by providing a fire extinguishing material within a plastic bag easily melted by heat, internal flames in the battery module may be extinguished more quickly [0062]. Han teaches that by extinguishing internal flames, secondary fires may be prevented [0061].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the battery module taught by modified Sun to include a first melting spot on a first upper plate in contact with the battery cells as taught by Han, in order to quickly extinguish internal flames in the battery module and prevent secondary fires.
Further regarding claim 10, modified Sun teaches the battery pack of claim 9.
Han teaches that the battery module may comprise a second duct (“lower plate portion”) having a second coupling hole (“second melting spot”) coupled to the second region of the battery cells (“bottom of the plurality of battery cells”) and a second duct hole connected to the first coupling hole [0005]. Han teaches that the second duct (130) includes a second lower surface (132) (“second lower plate”) and a second upper surface (131) (“first lower plate”) in contact with the battery cells facing the second lower surface [Han Fig. 1b, 0044]. Han teaches that the second coupling hole (134) is included in the second upper surface [Han Fig. 1b, 0045]. Han teaches that flames or smoke discharged from the battery cells are guided to the second duct hole (136) through the second coupling hole [Han Fig. 1b, 0059]. Han further discloses that the second duct hole may comprise a fire extinguishing material placed inside a plastic bag easily melted by heat from the flames or smoke [0062]. Since the flames/smoke are discharged through the second coupling hole, the second coupling hole forms a melting spot capable of being thermally melted [Han Fig. 3].
Han teaches that by providing a fire extinguishing material within a plastic bag easily melted by heat, internal flames in the battery module may be extinguished more quickly [0062]. Han teaches that by extinguishing internal flames, secondary fires may be prevented [0061].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the battery module taught by modified Sun to include a second melting spot on a first lower plate in contact with the battery cells as taught by Han, in order to quickly extinguish internal flames in the battery module and prevent secondary fires.
Further regarding claim 11, modified Sun teaches the battery pack of claim 10.
Fig. 1b of Han shows that the first coupling hole (124) and the second coupling hole (134) are vertically aligned, with a battery cell (110a) interposed therebetween.
As described above, Han teaches that by providing a fire extinguishing material within a plastic bag easily melted by heat, internal flames in the battery module may be extinguished more quickly [0062]. Han teaches that by extinguishing internal flames, secondary fires may be prevented [0061].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the battery module taught by modified Sun to include a first melting spot and a second melting spot vertically aligned with a battery cell interposed therebetween as taught by Han, in order to quickly extinguish internal flames in the battery module and prevent secondary fires.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARIA F OROZCO whose telephone number is (571)272-0172. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-6.
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/M.F.O./Examiner, Art Unit 1729
/ULA C RUDDOCK/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1729
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