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
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.
Claims 1-5 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mazza et al. (US 20200227794 A1) and Taek et al. (KR 20160046474 A).
Regarding claim 1, Mazza teaches a cooling plate with a co-localized, stacked first and second metal substrates adhesively bonded via adhesive layer (Figs. 3-5 and [0003], [0004], [0006], [0013]).
Mazza fails to teach a mechanical fixation.
However, Taek teaches a fastening groove for a heat sink frame as well as fastening holes for the battery tray ([0008]- [0010]).
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to include the fastening grooves of Taek in the cooling plate for a battery system of Mazza to secure two plates together.
Regarding claim 2, Taek teaches a plurality of fastening holes and the battery trays and battery may further comprise a plurality of fastening members ([0010]; meets claimed plurality of mechanical fixations spaced apart).
Regarding claim 3, Mazza teaches the cooling plate 2 can be formed by applying the adhesive to the first substrate 10 to form the adhesive layer 20 and stacking the second substrate 30 onto the adhesive layer 20 and the adhesive can be applied to 50 to 100 area percent of the respective substrate ([0053] and Fig. 1; meets claimed adhesive extends continuously along cooling channel).
Regarding claim 4, Mazza teaches the cooling plate 2 can be formed by applying the adhesive to the first substrate 10 to form the adhesive layer 20 and stacking the second substrate 30 onto the adhesive layer 20 and the adhesive can be applied to 50 to 100 area percent of the respective substrate ([0053] and Fig. 1; meets claimed adhesive extends continuously along both sides of cooling channel).
Regarding claim 5, Taek teaches the fastening members are inserted into the fastening holes 142 ([0034]; meets claimed mechanical fixation is a clinch).
Regarding claim 7, Taek teaches the fastening member may include, for example, a bolt having a thread formed therein and a nut formed on an inner circumferential surface of the screw groove capable of being fastened to the bolt, and the battery tray 100 and the battery 200 being fastened by the bolt and the nut ([0034]; meets claimed at least one mechanical fixation is a mechanical fastener).
Claims 1, 3, 4 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mazza et al. (US 20200227794 A1) in further view of Fujii et al. (US 20060016633 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Mazza teaches a cooling plate with a co-localized, stacked first and second metal substrate adhesively bonded via adhesive layer such as of epoxy (Figs. 3-5 and [0003], [0004], [0006], [0013], [0047]).
Mazza fails to teach a mechanical fixation.
However, Fujii teaches that in making a laminated metal plate using an epoxy type adhesive or the like which can strongly bond a metal plate to another metal plate, and the adhesive is uncured, the metal plates are interposed between welding electrodes from both sides to come in contact with each other, and are spot welded and fixed in this condition. With this structure, the adhesive can be cured in the state in which the metal plates are fixed by the spot welding. Therefore, it is not necessary to wait for the adhesive to be cured, and it is possible to efficiently fix the metal plates which are laminated. ([0023]; meets claimed mechanical fixation).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to join the metal cooling plates of Mazza joined via epoxy adhesive required to be cured to also fix the plates by spot welding as taught by Fujii for the purpose of securely holding the plates together while the adhesive cures.
Regarding claim 3, Mazza teaches the cooling plate 2 can be formed by applying the adhesive to the first substrate 10 to form the adhesive layer 20 and stacking the second substrate 30 onto the adhesive layer 20 and the adhesive can be applied to 50 to 100 area percent of the respective substrate ([0053] and Fig. 1; meets claimed adhesive extends continuously along cooling channel).
Regarding claim 4, Mazza teaches the cooling plate 2 can be formed by applying the adhesive to the first substrate 10 to form the adhesive layer 20 and stacking the second substrate 30 onto the adhesive layer 20 and the adhesive can be applied to 50 to 100 area percent of the respective substrate ([0053] and Fig. 1; meets claimed adhesive extends continuously along both sides of cooling channel).
Regarding claim 6, Fujii teaches the adhesive can be cured in the state in which the metal plates are fixed by the spot welding via electrodes ([0095]; meets claimed mechanical fixation as a resistance spot weld).
Claims 1-5 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mazza et al. (US 20200227794 A1) in further view of Czech et al. (US 20210265695 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Mazza teaches a cooling plate with a co-localized, stacked first and second metal substrate adhesively bonded via adhesive layer such as of epoxy (Figs. 3-5 and [0003], [0004], [0006], [0013], [0047]).
Mazza fails to teach a mechanical fixation as a mechanical fastener.
However, Czech teaches that in bonding two parts of a battery, the two parts can be bonded using adhesive reinforced by means of at least one clinching section. The two joint parts are thus adhesively bonded to one another and include the at least one clinching section. An epoxy resin adhesive can be used here as the adhesive, for example. The clinching section is an area of the layer composite which is formed by means of a clinching method (clinching). In particular, this can also be a combined clinching-riveting method. The two parts are secured on one another during curing of the adhesive by means of the at least one clinching section. Additional fixing of the two joint parts during the curing can thus advantageously be omitted ([0020]; meets claimed at least one mechanical fixation is a mechanical fastener).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to join the cooling plates of Mazza using a clinching-riveting method in addition to the adhesive as taught by Czech for the purpose of securely holding the plates together while the adhesive cures.
Regarding claim 2, Czech teaches at least one clinching section (meets the claimed a plurality of mechanical fixations disposed in spaced relationship with one another).
Regarding claim 3, Mazza teaches the cooling plate 2 can be formed by applying the adhesive to the first substrate 10 to form the adhesive layer 20 and stacking the second substrate 30 onto the adhesive layer 20 and the adhesive can be applied to 50 to 100 area percent of the respective substrate ([0053] and Fig. 1; meets claimed adhesive extends continuously along cooling channel).
Regarding claim 4, Mazza teaches the cooling plate 2 can be formed by applying the adhesive to the first substrate 10 to form the adhesive layer 20 and stacking the second substrate 30 onto the adhesive layer 20 and the adhesive can be applied to 50 to 100 area percent of the respective substrate ([0053] and Fig. 1; meets claimed adhesive extends continuously along both sides of cooling channel).
Regarding claim 5, Czech teaches a combined clinching-riveting method (meets claimed mechanical fixation comprised of a clinch
Regarding claim 7, Czech teaches a combined clinching-riveting method (meets claimed mechanical fixation comprised of a mechanical fastener.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OLIVIA MARGARET EVERITT whose telephone number is (571)270-0240. The examiner can normally be reached 8am - 5pm.
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/OLIVIA MARGARET EVERITT/Examiner, Art Unit 1759
/MELVIN C. MAYES/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1759
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