6DETAILED 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 .
Election/Restrictions
2. Applicant’s election of Invention II (claims 13-20), with traverse, and Species 1 (claim 14), without traverse, is acknowledged. Applicant identifies the groupings in the response as follows:
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Applicant then states that claims 1-14 and 16-20 encompass the elected invention and species which is not correct. Claims 13-20 belong to Invention II; claims 1-12 belong to Invention I. Species I pertains to claim 14; claim 15 is withdrawn as a non-elected Species 2.
Applicant argues that, “Notably, claim 1 is generic as to the “heat exchanger” and should thus be examined together with independent claim 13.” It is not clear how claim 1 is generic as to the heat exchanger as it does not include any recitation thereof. A search for the subject matter of claim 1 does not require any search query for a heat exchanger. An analysis with respect to double patenting for claim 1 does not require the compared claims to include a heat exchanger. Any allowability aspect with respect to a heat exchanger is not found in claim 1. Accordingly, the argument is not persuasive. Arguendo, even if the heat exchanger could be persuasively argued as such, the Examiner outlined the vast differences between Group I and Group II in the restriction requirement mailed 4/23/2026 that demonstrate that Invention I and II can have a material different design, mode of operation, function and/or effect; the Inventions do not overlap in scope; and the Inventions are not obvious variants. The Examiner also outlined the serious search and examination burden created by the independent and distinct inventions. Accordingly, the restriction mailed 4/23/2026 is considered proper, whether or not the heat exchanger is considered generic to the claim groupings or not.
Applicant’s election of Invention II and Species I reads on claims 13-14 and 16-20. Claims 1-12 are withdrawn as to being a non-elected Invention, and claim 15 is withdrawn as to being a non-elected Species.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
3. 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.
4. Claims 13-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oya et al. (WO 2010/032313) (copy provided with machine translation; no US family member) in view of Addanki et al. (US 2018/0040930).
Regarding claim 13, Oya teaches a traction battery pack [Fig. 2; page 4, paragraph 3 (“P4/P3”)], comprising:
First Interpretation
a first row of battery arrays (1-1, 1-2, 1-3);
a “vent manifold” (portion of first duct 3 extending between valve 14 and exhaust portion 4) extending adjacent the first row of battery arrays (1-1, 1-2, 1-3) and configured to communicate a battery vent byproduct (page 3);
a “main coolant passage” (the portion of duct 3 extending between cooling gas cylinder 13 and valve 14) configured to communicate a coolant (page 4); and
a radiator 17 (“a heat exchanger”) fluidly connected to the vent manifold and the main coolant passage and configured to facilitate a heat transfer between the battery vent byproduct and the coolant (i.e., mixing of the cooling gas cylinder gas and the vented byproduct is able to mix in the area of cooling portion of the radiator 17 – page 4).
Second Interpretation
a first row of battery arrays (1-1, 1-2, 1-3);
a vent manifold (first duct 3) extending adjacent the first row of battery arrays and the second row of battery arrays (1-1, 1-2, 1-3) and configured to communicate a battery vent byproduct (page 3);
a main coolant passage (second duct 9) configured to communicate a coolant (air via fan 8); and
a radiator 17 (“a heat exchanger”) fluidly connected to the vent manifold 3 and the main coolant passage 9 (Fig. 2) and configured to facilitate a heat transfer between the battery vent byproduct and the coolant (pages 3-4).
Third Interpretation
a first row of battery arrays (1-1, 1-2, 1-3);
a vent manifold (at least the portion of first duct 3 that exists across from safety valves 6-1, 6-2, 6-3) extending adjacent the first row of battery arrays and the second row of battery arrays (1-1, 1-2, 1-3) and configured to communicate a battery vent byproduct (page 3);
a main coolant passage (water-cooling circuit including pump illustrated as part of radiator 17) configured to communicate a coolant (water); and
a radiator 17 (“heat exchanger”) fluidly connected to the vent manifold 3 and the main coolant passage (Fig. 2) and configured to facilitate a heat transfer between the battery vent byproduct and the coolant (pages 3-4).
In any of the above interpretations, Oya teaches a first row of battery arrays (1-1, 1-2, 1-3) and a vent manifold (first duct 3 or a portion thereof- see interpretations above) extending adjacent the first row of battery arrays configured to communicate a battery vent byproduct (1-1, 1-2, 1-3), but fails to disclose a second row of battery arrays with the vent manifold (first duct 3 or a portion thereof- see interpretations above) extending between the first row of battery arrays (1-1, 1-2, 1-3) and the second row of battery arrays as claimed.
In the same field of endeavor, Addanki teaches analogous art of a traction battery pack 24 (Figs. 1-2; P32) that includes a first battery assembly 25A and second battery assembly 25B disposed so as to have the respective vents of the cells of the assemblies 25A, 25B face one another across a shared comment vent chamber 60, wherein while only two assemblies are shown in Figs. 2-3, Addanki teaches that a great number of battery assemblies is within the scope of the disclosure (P46-48) (i.e., what would be respective rows each including multiple battery assemblies 25A, 25A', 25A''; 25B, 25B', 25B''), wherein one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize the predictable result achieved by the use of more assemblies being increased voltage, current, and/or power output of the traction battery pack.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to provide Oya’s traction battery pack with the configuration of Addanki in which a second row of battery arrays (2-1, 2-2, 2-3) may be provided across from the first row of battery arrays (1-1, 1-2, 1-3) with the arrays sharing the vent manifold (first duct 3 or a portion thereof- see interpretations above) given the configuration is known in the art and provides the predictable results of allowing for additional battery arrays that can increased the voltage, current, and/or power output of the traction battery pack, Addanki teaching the configuration of sharing a common vent chamber and the assemblies facing one another allowing for the battery pack 24 to be efficiently packaged into a vehicle space such that has sufficient vertical room but may be limited in the horizontal direction (P47).
Regarding claim 14, Oya teaches wherein the heat exchanger 17 is disposed inside (at least partially) an enclosure assembly (see Fig. 2 -the illustrated mounting mobile unit that includes all components) of the traction battery pack (Fig. 2; all interpretations).
Regarding claim 16, Oya teaches wherein the heat exchanger 17 is configured to facilitate the heat transfer prior to discharging the battery vent byproduct (via exhaust port 4) from the traction battery pack (pages 3-4; all interpretations).
Regarding claim 17, Oya teaches wherein the heat exchanger is configured to cool the battery vent byproduct with the coolant prior to discharging the battery vent byproduct (via exhaust port 4) from the traction battery pack (pages 3-4; all interpretations).
Regarding claim 18, modified Oya/Annaki teaches the first and second rows of battery arrays as detailed in the rejection of claim 1. There is intrinsically a channel formed between the arrays where the shared vent manifold (interpretations outlined above) exists between the first row of battery arrays (1-1, 1-2, 1-3) and the second row of battery arrays (2-1, 2-2, 2-3), wherein the vent manifold (see respective interpretations outlined above) and the main coolant passage (see respective interpretations outlined above) are concentrically arranged (i.e., share a common axis) within said channel between the first row of battery arrays and the second row of battery arrays.
In alternative interpretations: Oya teaches (First interpretation) wherein the vent manifold (portion of first duct 3 extending between valve 14 and exhaust portion 4) and the main coolant passage (the portion of duct 3 extending between cooling gas cylinder 13 and valve 14) are concentrically arranged (i.e., share a common axis) within a channel (the overall first duct 3) that extends between the first row of battery arrays and the second row of battery arrays (within modified Oya/Addanki).
Oya teaches (Third interpretation) wherein the vent manifold (at least the portion of first duct 3 that exists across from safety valves 6-1, 6-2, 6-3) and the main coolant passage (water-cooling circuit including pump illustrated as part of radiator 17)) are concentrically arranged (i.e., share a common axis) within a channel (the portion of duct 3 where the cooling portion of the radiator exists) that extends between the first row of battery arrays and the second row of battery arrays within modified Oya/Addanki).
Regarding claim 19, Oya teaches (all interpretations) the traction battery comprising ejection port 2-1 (“a first runner”) (see connecting pipe where safety valve 6-1 exists) that fluidly connects a first battery array (1-1) of the first row of battery arrays (1-1, 1-2, 1-3) to the vent manifold 3 (Fig. 2; pages 3-4). In providing a duplicated second row of battery arrays (2-1, 2-2, 2-3) sharing the vent manifold 3 (as taught by modified Oya/Annaki), one of ordinary skill in the art would provide the same construct to the duplicated second row of battery arrays (2-1, 2-2, 2-3) including a duplicated ejection port (2-1') (“a second runner”) that fluidly connects a second battery array (2-1) of the second row of battery arrays (2-1, 2-2, 2-3) to the shared common vent manifold 3 in order that the duplicated second row of battery arrays can function in the same form and manner as that of the first row of battery arrays (1-1, 1-2, 1-3) to eject exhaust gas into the duct 3 (page 3).
Regarding claim 20, Oya teaches (Second interpretation) the main coolant passage (second duct 9- specifically at least the passage defined from air intake port 7 through second duct portion 9A to the horizontally extending passage along the first row of battery arrays (1-1, 1-2, 1-3, to second duct portion 9B, and out second exhaust portion 12 ). The traction battery further comprises “a first secondary coolant passage” (see vertical passage) extending between a first battery array 1-1 and a second battery array of 1-2 of the first row of battery arrays (1-1, 1-2, 1-3).
In providing a duplicated second row of battery arrays (2-1, 2-2, 2-3) sharing the vent manifold 3 (as taught by modified Oya/Annaki), one of ordinary skill in the art would provide the same construct to the duplicated second row of battery arrays (2-1, 2-2, 2-3) including what would be “a second secondary coolant passage” fluidly connected the main coolant passage and extending between a third battery array (2-1) and a fourth battery array (2-2) of the second row of battery arrays (2-1, 2-2, 2-3) in order that the duplicated second row of battery arrays can function in the same form and manner as that of the first row of battery arrays (1-1, 1-2, 1-3) to be cooled in the same manner and configuration.
Conclusion
5. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Prior art pertaining to a vent manifold of a battery array that is sent to a heat exchanger using liquid coolant flowing therethrough:
Chen et al. (WO 2021/174951) (copy provided with machine translation; no US family member)
Murata et al. (US 2014/0356666)
Kurosawa (US 2011/0020676)
Prior art pertaining to Off-gas from a venting battery module sent to a heat exchanger construct (fins, expansion means, etc.):
Leffert et al. (US 2022/0102692)
Zhang et al. (US 2022/0407177)
Lorenz et al. (US 2024/0339718)
Lorenz et al. (US 2024/0347853)
Aligned battery arrays with venting channel in the middle:
Poller et al. (US 2015/0303422)
Fujii et al. (US 2010/0297486)
Other noteworthy prior art:
Eisenhour et al. (US 2012/0003510)
Moores, Jr. et al. (US 6,407,533)
Kokubo et al. (US 6,106,972)
6. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AMANDA J BARROW whose telephone number is (571)270-7867. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am - 6pm CST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ula Ruddock can be reached at (571) 272-1481. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AMANDA J BARROW/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1729
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