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 statements (IDS) submitted on 7/29/23, 9/27/23, 8/7/24 and 7/30/25 have been considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 1-9 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 1 recites “a water-cooling medium flow path formed outside a bottom surface of the battery pack”, which is indefinite. It is unclear what constitutes “outside” of a bottom surface. Furthermore, it does not appear the “flow path” is made of an Al-based plated steel sheet. It appears the “member” of claim 3 forms the “flow path” and the “member” is made of an Al-based plated steel sheet. See also the Figures of the present specification wherein reference numeral 25 indicated the “flow path”. See also claim 9.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "the water-cooling medium flow paths" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 1 previously recites “a water-cooling medium flow path” (singular).
Claim 3 recites the limitation "an Al-based plated steel sheet" in lines 2-3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Examiner notes the limitation “an Al sheet”, which was deleted from claim 1, is present in claim 3.
Claim 3 recites “the water-cooling medium flow path is in direct contact with the bottom surface of the battery pack”, which is indefinite as claim 1 requires the water-cooling medium flow path be formed “outside a bottom surface of the battery pack”.
Claim 4 recites the limitation "an Al-based plated steel sheet" in lines 2-3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Examiner notes the limitation “an Al sheet”, which was deleted from claim 1, is present in claim 4.
Claim 4 recites “the water-cooling medium flow path is joined to the bottom surface of the battery pack via the flow path upper lid”, which is indefinite as claim 1 requires the water-cooling medium flow path be formed “outside a bottom surface of the battery pack”.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "the water-cooling medium flow paths" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 1 previously recites “a water-cooling medium flow path” (singular). See also claim 6.
Regarding claim 6, it is unclear how a joint is between the bottom surface of the battery pack and the water cooling medium flow path. Claim 1 requires the water-cooling medium flow path be formed “outside a bottom surface of the battery pack”. Furthermore, it is unclear how a joint is formed with a “flow path”.
Claim 7 recites “wherein Si is contained in a plating layer of the Al-based plated steel sheet”, which is indefinite. It is unclear if the claim is reciting a Si-plating layer plated on an Al-based plated steel sheet or an Al-based plated steel sheet wherein the Al-based layer further comprises Si. See also claim 8.
Claim 9 recites “as a main component”, which is indefinite as it is unclear what component is being referenced by the limitation. It is suggested that “as a main component” be deleted from the claim.
To the extent the claims are understood in view of the 35 USC 112 rejections above, note the following prior art rejections.
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(s) 1-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yang et al., CN 110311069 A.
Yang teaches a power battery pack comprising a battery pack and an aluminum steel cooling plate being a U-shaped aluminum-steel composite plate forming a cooling channel. The cooling channel is filled with cooling liquid, to form a battery pack, the battery pack circumferential periphery and bottom is set with insulating layer; the outer side of the insulating layer is equipped with a module end plate. The power battery pack has good anti-deformation capacity, light weight and has good heat dissipation property wherein the service life of the battery pack is prolonged, which greatly saves resource, energy-saving and environment-friendly, and has good social and economic benefit (abstract). Figure 1 depicts the aluminum steel composite plate. Figure 3 depicts the battery pack of Yang:
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Figure 3 shows a battery unit comprising a battery pack that houses a battery cell 5 and an aluminum-steel cooling clapboard lower part cooling passage 2 at a bottom surface of the battery pack. The aluminum is pure aluminum or an aluminum alloy. The thickness of the aluminum steel composite plate is not less than 0.5 mm. The metal material to be welded includes polishing the surface of the aluminum plate and the steel punching plate to make the joint surface smooth.
Thus, the claims are anticipated.
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.
Claim(s) 1-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yan et al., CN 107464902 A.
Yan teaches a vehicle battery pack structure for battery pack of the electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle for cooling, comprising: a tray main body of the battery module for supporting said battery pack is fixed connected with the tray main body of the cover plate; said cover plate and said tray main body jointly define at least one flow channel, at least one sealing element, the material of the sealing member is selected to be an elastic material, each sealing component arranged in a compressed state between the tray main body and the cover plate; to enable the sealing element to seal the gap of between the tray main body and the cover plate, to prevent the liquid in the flow channel along the gap. The invention tightly combined with the tray main body and a cover plate, and the pre-compressed seal to improve the sealing performance of the cooling liquid in the battery pack (abstract). Yan teaches prior art battery packs shown by Figures 1-2:
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and the inventive battery packs of Yan as shown by Figures 3-4:
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In the Figures, the battery pack 50 has a tray main body 10 and a cover plate 20. The cover plate 20 and the tray main body 10 together define at least one flow channel 60. The material of the cover plate may be aluminum, steel or a composite material of aluminum and steel (claim 4). The flow channel (cooling-medium flow path) is located at a bottom surface of the battery pack. The battery pack structure includes a sealing element 30 selected to be an elastic material that joins the tray main body 10 and the cover plate 20. One of skill in the art would have considered a composite material of aluminum and steel to inherently teach, and at least suggest, the Al-based plated steel sheet of at least claim 1.
Yan does not explicitly teach the interval between the flow channels 60. However, Yan clearly teaches and suggests the interval between the flow channels 60 may be varied depending on the desired structure of the tray main body 10 and/or the cover plate 20. The prior art figures of Yan further teach the interval between flow channels may be varied. One of skill in the art would have known that the interval between flow channels depends on the structure and size of the battery pack for use in the vehicle.
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Claim(s) 7-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al., CN 110311069 A in view of Kim et al., US 2017/0002450 A1 and/or in view of Maki et al., US 20150044499 A1.
Yang teaches a power battery pack comprising a battery pack and an aluminum steel cooling plate being a U-shaped aluminum-steel composite plate forming a cooling channel. The cooling channel is filled with cooling liquid, to form a battery pack, the battery pack circumferential periphery and bottom is set with insulating layer; the outer side of the insulating layer is equipped with a module end plate. The power battery pack has good anti-deformation capacity, light weight and has good heat dissipation property wherein the service life of the battery pack is prolonged, which greatly saves resource, energy-saving and environment-friendly, and has good social and economic benefit (abstract). Figure 1 depicts the aluminum steel composite plate. Figure 3 depicts the battery pack of Yang:
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Figure 3 shows a battery unit comprising a battery pack that houses a battery cell 5 and an aluminum-steel cooling clapboard lower part cooling passage 2 at a bottom surface of the battery pack. The aluminum is pure aluminum or an aluminum alloy. The thickness of the aluminum steel composite plate is not less than 0.5 mm. The metal material to be welded includes polishing the surface of the aluminum plate and the steel punching plate to make the joint surface smooth.
Yang does not explicitly teach the aluminum alloy of the aluminum steel composite plate contains Si in an amount of 2.0-15 mass%. However, Kim teaches a steel sheet with excellent corrosion resistance and weldability [abstract]. The sheet includes a base steel sheet and an Al-Si-Mg alloy plating layer wherein the silicon is in an amount of 10% or less [0023; 0042]. One of skill in the art would have been motivated to use the Al-Si-Mg alloy plating layer of Kim for the aluminum alloy steel composite plate of Yang to provide excellent corrosion resistance and weldability, as disclosed by Kim. Kim further teaches the steel sheet is used for a vehicle component [0001]. The battery pack of Yang is used for a vehicle [paragraph after (10)]. Kim teaches an aluminum-silicon alloy-plated steel sheet has excellent corrosion resistance. Kim teaches the steel sheet may further include titanium, in addition to the steel sheet elements, in order to improve mechanical properties such as strength, toughness, weldability and the like of steel [0020]. Kim further teaches the alloy plating layer may further include silicon wherein a portion of silicon may be included inside an oxide film layer formed in an upper part of the alloy plating layer [0050; Figure 1].
Maki teaches an Al-plated steel sheet 10 includes: a steel sheet 11; an Al plating layer 12 which is formed on one surface or both surfaces of the steel sheet and contains at least 85% or more of Al by mass %; and a surface coating layer 13 which is laminated on the surface of the Al plating layer and contains ZnO and one or more lubricity improving compounds [abstract]. Maki teaches the Al plating layer 12 preferably contains silicon (Si) in an amount of 3-15 mass% [0065-0066]. Maki provides an Al-plated steel sheet having more satisfactory lubricity than the conventional one, and capable of improving formability during hot pressing and productivity, a method for hot-pressing the Al-plated steel sheet, and an automotive part produced by the hot pressing method [0029]. Maki teaches a steel sheet with an Al-based metal coating is known to be coated with an inorganic compound coating including at least one of Si, Zr, Ti and P to prevent processing defects in the steel sheet and improve formability of the steel sheet [0019-0020]. Therefore, one of skill would have been motivated to use the Al-plated steel sheet including the inorganic coating compound of Maki for the aluminum alloy steel composite of Yang to prevent processing defects and improve formability, as taught by Maki. The Al-plated steel sheet of Maki prevents corrosion of the sheet, improves workability/formability of the sheet and is used as an automotive part.
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Claim(s) 7-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yan et al., CN 107464902 A in view of Kim et al., US 2017/0002450 A1.
Regarding the teachings of claim 1, see the discussion of Yan above.
Yan does not explicitly teach the aluminum of the composite material of aluminum-steel of the cover plate is an aluminum alloy containing Si in an amount of 2.0-15 mass%. However, Kim teaches a steel sheet with excellent corrosion resistance and weldability [abstract]. The sheet includes a base steel sheet and an Al-Si-Mg alloy plating layer wherein the silicon is in an amount of 10% or less [0023; 0042]. One of skill in the art would have been motivated to use the Al-Si-Mg alloy plating layer of Kim for the aluminum-steel composite plate of Yan to provide excellent corrosion resistance and weldability, as disclosed by Kim. Kim further teaches the steel sheet is used for a vehicle component [0001]. The steel sheet of Yan is used for vehicle parts [abstract; 0002; 0008]. Kim teaches an aluminum-silicon alloy-plated steel sheet has excellent corrosion resistance. Kim teaches the steel sheet may further include titanium, in addition to the steel sheet elements, in order to improve mechanical properties such as strength, toughness, weldability and the like of steel [0020]. Kim further teaches the alloy plating layer may further include silicon wherein a portion of silicon may be included inside an oxide film layer formed in an upper part of the alloy plating layer [0050; Figure 1].
Conclusion
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/TRACY M DOVE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725