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 .
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-5, 8, 13 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (U.S. Patent Publication 2019/0097192) in view of Shin (WO Publication 2021-107336, U.S. Patent Publication 2022/0271387 will be used as an English translation).
Regarding claim 1, a battery module comprising: a battery cell 100, a case frame 200 (cell housing), and a case cover 300 on each end of the case frame (blocking plates), wherein the battery cell may be in plural and comprise a pouch-type battery, wherein the inside of the case covers comprise flame retardant materials, and wherein case outlets are provided on the side of each end of the case frame to discharge gas (Paragraphs 0032-0034, 0036, 0037). As to claim 3, Kim teaches that the flame retardants materials are located adjacent to an electrode lead of the cell (Figs. 2 and 5). Regarding claims 4 and 5, Kim shows that the case frame has four sides to form a rectangular shape with the case outlets on one side (Fig. 2). As to claim 8, Kim shows in Fig. 2 that the case outlet 250 is a through-hole. Regarding claim 14, Kim discloses that at least one battery module is placed in a pack case to form a battery pack, wherein the battery modules are adjacent to one another, wherein the pack case is a quadrangular frame that wraps around the perimeter of the modules, and wherein the pack case does not have an upper cover (Paragraph 0079 and Fig. 6).
Kim fails to disclose that the flame retardant material is a thermal expansion material, such as expandable graphite, that expands when temperature from the battery cell increases, and that the blocking plate has a connector mounted thereto to be connected to the electrode lead.
Regarding claims 1-3, Shin discloses a battery module comprising: a cell assembly 100, a module housing 200, and a mesh member 230 and sealing member 240 on an end of the module housing, wherein the cell assembly includes two or more pouch-type battery cells, and wherein the sealing member can include graphite flakes that expand in volume at a predetermined temperature (Paragraphs 0048, 0069). As to claim 13, Shin discloses that a bus bar can be present at the ends of the battery cell to connect two or more cells (Paragraph 0059).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the present invention that the flame retardant material of Kim could be an expandable graphite material because Shin teaches that this material expands when a predetermined temperature is reached to prevent flames from forming. It also would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that a connector can be mounted in the case covers of Kim because Shin teaches that components, such as bus bars, are connected to the terminals of the batteries to connect adjacent batteries.
Claim(s) 6 and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (U.S. Patent Publication 2019/0097192) in view of Shin (WO Publication 2021-107336, U.S. Patent Publication 2022/0271387 will be used as an English translation) as applied to claims 1-5, 8, 13 and 14 above, and further in view of Lee (U.S. Patent Publication 2011/0189514).
The teachings of Kim and Shin have been discussed in paragraph 3 above.
Kim and Shin fail to disclose that the venting plate has a notch that is broken by pressure of gas discharged from the battery cell.
Regarding claims 6 and 7, Lee discloses a battery pack comprising a plurality of battery modules and support members, wherein a side support member comprises a notch part that ruptures from pressure due to expansion of the modules (Paragraphs 0057, 0061).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the present invention that the battery modules of Kim could include a notch in case cover because Lee teaches that this allows for efficient removal of gas from the module when a high pressure is reached due to gas buildup.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (U.S. Patent Publication 2019/0097192) in view of Shin (WO Publication 2021-107336, U.S. Patent Publication 2022/0271387 will be used as an English translation) as applied to claims 1-5, 8, 13 and 14 above, and further in view of Jeon (U.S. Patent Publication 2022/0052392).
The teachings of Kim and Shin have been discussed in paragraph 3 above.
Kim and Shin fail to disclose that the battery module comprises a plurality of cell housings.
Jeon discloses a battery module comprising: a plurality of cell groups having a battery cell stack, a case, and a bus bar assembly, wherein buffer pads 5 are present between cell groups to act as multiple housings (Paragraphs 0037, 0069).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the present invention that the battery module of Kim and Shin could include a plurality of cell housings because Jeon teaches that this helps to separate adjacent battery groups to aid in keeping the battery cool.
Claim(s) 10 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (U.S. Patent Publication 2019/0097192) in view of Shin (WO Publication 2021-107336, U.S. Patent Publication 2022/0271387 will be used as an English translation) as applied to claims 1-5, 8, 13 and 14 above, and further in view of Kim (WO Publication 2018-135767).
The teachings of Kim and Shin have been discussed in paragraph 3 above.
Kim and Shin fail to disclose that the cell housing comprises an insulative and/or high thermal resistance material, and that the cell housing has a clad structure in which an inner metal portion and outer metal portion are joined to each other, the inner material portion being a high rigidity material and the outer metal portion being a material that exhibits high thermal conductivity.
Regarding claims 10 and 11, Lee discloses a battery case comprising a laminate sheet 100 that has a structure in which an outer coating layer 110, a metal layer 120, and an inner sealant layer 130 are sequentially stacked, and the metal layer 120 is composed of a clad layer consisting of a first metal and a second metal, wherein the first and second metals have different moldability and thermal conductivity (Paragraphs 0043-0044 and claim 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the present invention that the module case of Kim and Shin could contain insulative and a clad structure because Lee teaches that the combination of these layers improves the cooling of the components inside of the module casing.
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (U.S. Patent Publication 2019/0097192) in view of Shin (WO Publication 2021-107336, U.S. Patent Publication 2022/0271387 will be used as an English translation) and Kim (WO Publication 2018-135767) as applied to claims 10 and 11 above, and further in view of Jeon (U.S. Patent Publication 2022/0052392).
The teachings of Kim, Shin and Kim have been discussed in paragraphs 3 and 6 above.
Kim, Shin and Kim fail to disclose that the cell housing includes reinforced plastic.
Jeon teaches a battery module comprising: a plurality of cell groups having a battery cell stack, a case, and a bus bar assembly, wherein the cover of the case can comprise reinforced plastics (Paragraphs 0014, 0037).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the present invention that the case frame of Kim could include a reinforced plastic because Jeon teaches that this material is flame retardant and aids in the prevention of flames in the battery module.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRITTANY L RAYMOND whose telephone number is (571)272-6545. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9 am-6 pm.
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BRITTANY L. RAYMOND
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1722
/BRITTANY L RAYMOND/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1722
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