DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Drawings
2. The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: 121d as shown in figure 5. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
3. The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
A) Within paragraph [50], the port is described with both reference numbers 127 and 129, it is unclear if this is a typographical error and these reference numbers are being used to designate the same port or if these are two different ports as the drawings do not include reference number 127.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
4. 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.
5. Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bitsche et al. (US-20090220850-A1, provided in IDS mailed on 24 June 2025).
As to claim 1, Bitsche discloses a battery module (figure 1, battery 1), comprising:
at least one battery cell (figure 1, storage cells 2) having a vent part (figure 5, safety valve 12); and
a heat dissipation part (figure 1, cooler 3), which is disposed to face the vent part of the at least one battery cell, for dissipating heat from the battery cell (figure 5, cooler 3), wherein
the heat dissipation part comprises a heat dissipation film (figure 5, film 11), one side of which is attached to the battery cell to face the vent part of the battery cell (figure 5, film 11), and a heat dissipation case (figure 5, cooler 3), which is coupled to the other side opposite to one side of the heat dissipation film (figure 5, cooler 3), having a cooling flow passage through which cooling water flows (figure 5, [0025]).
As to claim 2, Bitsche discloses the battery module as disclosed within claim 1, wherein the heat dissipation film is configured to be damaged when the vent part of the battery cell is ignited (figure 6, [0031]).
As to claim 3, Bitsche discloses the battery module as disclosed within claim 2, wherein the heat dissipation part is provided so that the cooling water flowing through the cooling flow passage passes through the damaged portion of the heat dissipation film and flows to the vent part of the battery cell (figure 6, abstract).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
6. 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.
7. Claims 4 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bitsche et al. (US-20090220850-A1, provided in IDS mailed on 24 June 2025) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Williams et al. (US-20240313302-A1).
As to claim 4, Bitsche discloses the battery module as disclosed within claim 1, however, Bitsche does not disclose wherein the heat dissipation film is a film in which a polymer resin film is compressed to an aluminum film.
Williams discloses an insulation layer used to assist in preventing thermal runaway, wherein the insulation layer is a film in which a polymer resin film [0076] is compressed to an aluminum film [0076] to receive a battery cell when the battery cell expands during operation [0073].
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the battery module as disclosed within Bitsche to further require that the heat dissipation film be constructed from a polymer resin film compressed to an aluminum film to receive a battery cell when the battery cell expands during operation as disclosed within Williams.
As to claim 5, Bitsche discloses the battery module as disclosed within claim 1, however, Bitsche does not disclose wherein the heat dissipation film comprises a polypropylene (PP) film, an aluminum film, a nylon film, and a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film.
Williams discloses an insulation layer used to assist in preventing thermal runaway, wherein the heat dissipation film comprises a polypropylene (PP) film [0076], an aluminum film [0076], a nylon film [0076] and a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film [0076] to receive a battery cell when the battery cell expands during operation [0073].
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the battery module as disclosed within Bitsche to further require that the heat dissipation film comprises a polypropylene (PP) film, an aluminum film, a nylon film, and a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film to receive a battery cell when the battery cell expands during operation as disclosed within Williams.
8. Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bitsche et al. (US-20090220850-A1, provided in IDS mailed on 24 June 2025) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Tasiopoulos et al. (US-20190229384-A1, provided in IDS mailed on 24 June 2025).
As to claim 6, Bitsche discloses the battery module as disclosed within claim 1, and further discloses wherein the heat dissipation case has a film coupling part coupled to the heat dissipation film (figure 5, opening 9). However, Bitsche does not disclose wherein the heat dissipation case further has at least one flow passage groove provided stepwise with respect to the film coupling part, wherein the heat dissipation film surrounds the at least one flow passage groove, and the cooling flow passage is provided in a space between the at least one flow passage groove and the head dissipation film.
Tasiopoulos discloses a battery cooling plate with integrated air vents, wherein the battery cooling plate has a heat dissipation case that has at least one flow passage groove provided stepwise with respect to the film coupling part (figure 2, fluid surface 30, [0020]), wherein the heat dissipation film surrounds the at least one flow passage groove (figure 2, fluid surface 34, [0020]), and the cooling flow passage is provided in a space between the at least one flow passage groove and the head dissipation film (figure 2, chamber 22, [0021-0022]) to form a space for cooling fluid to flow to maintain the temperature of the battery.
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the battery module as disclosed within Bitsche to further require that the heat dissipation case further has at least one flow passage groove provided stepwise with respect to the film coupling part, wherein the heat dissipation film surrounds the at least one flow passage groove, and the cooling flow passage is provided in a space between the at least one flow passage groove and the head dissipation film to form a space for cooling fluid to flow and maintain the temperature of the battery as disclosed within Tasiopoulos.
9. Claims 7 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bitsche et al. (US-20090220850-A1, provided in IDS mailed on 24 June 2025) in view of Tasiopoulos et al. (US-20190229384-A1, provided in IDS mailed on 24 June 2025) as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Obasih et al. (US-20120263988-A1, equivalent for US-9070958-B2 provided in IDS mailed on 24 June 2025).
As to claim 7, modified Bitsche discloses the battery module as disclosed within claim 6, however, Bitsche does not disclose wherein the at least one flow passage groove comprises a reference groove, and a plurality of branch grooves branched from the reference groove.
Obasih discloses a battery system having an external thermal management system, wherein at least one flow passage groove comprises a reference groove (figure 3, manifold 26, [0036]), and a plurality of branch grooves branched from the reference groove (figure 3, passageways 50 and 52, [0034]) so that thermal management fluid can enter the reference groove before being directed into the branch grooves to cool the batteries.
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the battery module as disclosed within Bitsche to additionally require that the at least one flow passage groove comprises a reference groove, and a plurality of branch grooves branched from the reference groove so that thermal management fluid can enter the reference groove before being directed into the branch grooves to cool the batteries as disclosed within Obasih.
As to claim 8, modified Bitsche discloses the battery module as disclosed within claim 7, and further discloses wherein the heat dissipation part further comprises a port provided in the heat dissipation case (figure 2, supply line 7). However, while Bitsche does disclose the supply line being a source of cooling fluid into the system, Bitsche does not disclose wherein the port is connected to the at least one flow passage groove to enable fluid migration, and a cooling unit connected to the port and provided to supply or recover cooling water through the port.
Tasiopoulos discloses a battery cooling plate with integrated air vents, wherein the battery cooling plate has a port that is connected to the at least one flow passage groove to enable fluid migration (figure 2, chamber 22, [0018]), and a cooling unit connected to the port and provided to supply or recover cooling water through the port [0018] to provide a source of cooling fluid for the system.
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the battery module as disclosed within Bitsche to additionally require that the port is connected to the at least one flow passage groove to enable fluid migration, and a cooling unit connected to the port and provided to supply or recover cooling water through the port to provide a source of cooling fluid for the system as disclosed within Tasiopoulos.
10. Claims 9 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bitsche et al. (US-20090220850-A1, provided in IDS mailed on 24 June 2025) in view of Hermann et al. (US-20100136404-A1) as applied to claim 5 above, and further in view of Yasui et al. (US-20110200856-A1, equivalent for US-8475952-B2 provided in IDS mailed on 23 January 2024).
As to claim 9, modified Bitsche discloses the battery module as disclosed within claim 5, however, Bitsche does not disclose wherein the heat dissipation case is formed of a synthetic resin.
Yasui discloses a battery module having a system for maintaining the temperature of batteries stored within, wherein a heat dissipation case is formed of a synthetic resin (figure 10, [0088]) so that the resin can melt at high temperatures to release cooling medium onto the batteries [0076] and [0088].
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the battery module as disclosed within Bitsche to additionally require that a heat dissipation case is formed of a synthetic resin so that the resin can melt at high temperatures to release cooling medium onto the batteries as disclosed within Yasui.
As to claim 10, modified Bitsche discloses the battery module as disclosed within claim 9, however, Bitsche does not disclose wherein the synthetic resin comprises a polypropylene (PP)-based resin.
Yasui discloses a battery module having a system for maintaining the temperature of batteries stored within, wherein the synthetic resin used for a heat dissipation case comprises a polypropylene (PP)-based resin (figure 10, [0088]) so that the resin can melt at high temperatures to release cooling medium onto the batteries [0076] and [0088].
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the battery module as disclosed within Bitsche to additionally require that the synthetic resin used for the heat dissipation case comprises a polypropylene (PP)-based resin so that the resin can melt at high temperatures to release cooling medium onto the batteries as disclosed within Yasui.
11. Claims 11, 12, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bitsche et al. (US-20090220850-A1, provided in IDS mailed on 24 June 2025) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Yasui et al. (US-20110200856-A1, equivalent for US-8475952-B2 provided in IDS mailed on 23 January 2024) and Hermann et al. (US-20100136404-A1).
As to claim 11, Bitsche discloses the battery module as disclosed within claim 1, and further discloses thermally compressing a heat dissipation film to the heat dissipation case [0028-0029]. However, Bitsche does not disclose wherein the method for manufacturing the battery module comprises steps of: molding a heat dissipation case having a cooling flow passage by a vacuum injection method.
Yasui discloses a battery module having a system for maintaining the temperature of batteries stored within, wherein the method of manufacturing the battery module comprises steps of molding a heat dissipation case having a cooling flow passage (figure 10, [0088]) to create a housing to receive a battery module. However, while Yasui does disclose other molding techniques to form the heat dissipation case, Yasui does not disclose wherein the molding is done using a vacuum injection method, or thermally compressing a heat dissipation film to the heat dissipation case.
Hermann discloses a thermal barrier structure for containing thermal runaway within a battery pack, wherein the thermal barrier is molded using a vacuum injection method [0038] and it is appreciated that the use of a known technique to improve similar devices (methods or products) in the same way is likely to be obvious. see MPEP § 2143, C.). However, neither Yasui or Hermann, disclose thermally compressing a heat dissipation film to the heat dissipation case.
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the battery module as disclosed within Bitsche to further require that the heat dissipation case having a cooling flow passage be formed by molding as disclosed within Yasui, that the molding be performed using a vacuum injection method as disclosed within Hermann.
As to claim 12, modified Bitsche discloses the battery module as disclosed within claim 11, and further discloses a step of coupling a heat dissipation film to the battery cell (figure 5, [0028]) such that a partial region of the vent part of the battery cell is located on the cooling flow passage (figure 5, [0028]).
As to claim 14, modified Bitsche discloses the battery module as disclosed within claim 12, however, Bitsche does not disclose wherein the heat dissipation case comprises a polypropylene (PP)-based resin.
Yasui discloses a battery module having a system for maintaining the temperature of batteries stored within, wherein the synthetic resin used for a heat dissipation case comprises a polypropylene (PP)-based resin (figure 10, [0088]) so that the resin can melt at high temperatures to release cooling medium onto the batteries [0076] and [0088].
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the battery module as disclosed within Bitsche to additionally require that the synthetic resin used for the heat dissipation case comprises a polypropylene (PP)-based resin so that the resin can melt at high temperatures to release cooling medium onto the batteries as disclosed within Yasui.
12. Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bitsche et al. (US-20090220850-A1, provided in IDS mailed on 24 June 2025) in view of Yasui et al. (US-20110200856-A1, equivalent for US-8475952-B2 provided in IDS mailed on 23 January 2024) and Hermann et al. (US-20100136404-A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Williams et al. (US-20240313302-A1).
As to claim 13, modified Bitsche discloses the battery module as disclosed within claim 11, however, Bitsche does not disclose wherein the heat dissipation film comprises a polypropylene (PP) film, an aluminum film, a nylon film, and a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film.
Williams discloses an insulation layer used to assist in preventing thermal runaway, wherein the heat dissipation film comprises a polypropylene (PP) film [0076], an aluminum film [0076], a nylon film [0076] and a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film [0076] to receive a battery cell when the battery cell expands during operation [0073].
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the battery module as disclosed within Bitsche to further require that the heat dissipation film comprises a polypropylene (PP) film, an aluminum film, a nylon film, and a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film to receive a battery cell when the battery cell expands during operation as disclosed within Williams.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JACOB JEROME SCHULER whose telephone number is (571)272-8487. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri. 7:30am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Barbara Gilliam can be reached at 5712721330. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/J.J.S./Examiner, Art Unit 1727
/Maria Laios/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1727
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