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
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. JP2022-205360, filed on 2022-12-22.
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
6. 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.
7. This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1, 2, 4-6, 9, 10, 13, 14, 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Noritaka et al., (US20190318892A1) in view of Koshi et al., (WO2021230077- provided in the applicant’s Information Disclosure Statement (IDS)).
Regarding Claim 1, Noritaka et al., teaches:
An electric device comprising [0003]:
A housing composed of a metal; ([0038], Fig 2.- “each of the case upper membrane 45 and the case lower membrane 41 is formed from a metal”).
An electric component provided to be separated from the housing; ([0042] Fig 2- “device cover 30” (the device cover isolates the electric component from the housing) “that consists of positive electrode relay 14, and the negative electrode relay 15” (an electric component)).
And a bus bar connected to the electric component, ([0044] Fig 1.- “positive electrode relay 14 and the negative electrode relay 15, one of the first bus bar 20a and one end of the first bus bar 20b are respectively connected to the relay terminal T1”), wherein
The bus bar includes a first portion connected to the electric component, ([0044]- “positive electrode relay 14, and negative electrode relay 15, one end of the bus bar 20a and 20b is connected to relay terminals T1 and T2”).
And a second portion provided at a position close to the housing with respect to the first portion, ([0044]- “on the other end of the first busbar 20a and the other end of the first bus bar 20b are connected to battery side connector terminals T3 and T4” (Fig 3. Shows the close proximity of busbar 20a to part of metal housing 40)).
And a heat transfer portion having an insulating property ([0066] Fig. 5 and 6 – “the first inner heat conductive sheet 66 is an electrically insulating resin sheet having a high heat conductive property, and is sandwiched between a lower end surface of the first bus bar 20a and the cover lower membrane 61”.
Noritaka et al., however, is silent on:
and thermal conductivity higher than thermal conductivity of air is provided between the second portion of the bus bar and the housing.
However, Koshi et al., in a similar field of endeavor teaches:
“the heat conductive sheets 74 and 76 have a flat sheet shape in the vertical direction, and are made of a synthetic resin having a thermal conductivity higher than air [(0044]).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art that the insulating resin taught by Noritaka et al., should be selected to have a thermal conductivity higher than air that Koshi et al., teaches and that the use of such sheets is a known method in the art.
Regarding Claim 2, the combination as applied above teaches the limitations of claim 1, which claim 2 depends upon. Noritaka et al., further teaches:
The electric device according to claim 1, wherein the electric component includes a fuse element or a relay element. ([0007] “relay unit comprising a relay”).
Regarding Claim 5, the combination as applied above teaches the limitations of claim 1, which claim 5 depends upon. Noritaka et al., further teaches:
The electric device according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer portion constituted of a sheet-shaped member ([Abstract]- “the first bus bar is connected to lower membrane via a first inner heat conductive sheet”).
Regarding Claim 6, the combination as applied above teaches the limitations of claim 1, which claim 6 depends upon. Noritaka et al., further teaches:
The electric device according to claim 1, wherein the electric component includes a fuse element or a relay element, and the heat transfer portion is constituted a sheet-shaped member ([0007], [Abstract]).
Regarding Claim 9, the combination as applied above teaches the limitations of claim 1, which claim 9 depends upon. Koshi et al., further teaches:
Wherein the heat transfer portion includes an acrylic-based resin ([0044], Fig 1- “heat conductive sheets 74 and 76 made up of synthetic resin like non-silicone-based acrylic resin”).
Regarding Claim 10, the combination as applied above teaches the limitations of claim 1, which claim 10 depends upon. Noritaka and Koshi et al., further teach:
Wherein, the electric component includes a fuse element or a relay element (Noritaka et al., [007]), and the heat transfer portion includes an acrylic-based resin (Koshi et al., [0044] Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 13, the combination as applied above teaches the limitations of claim 1, which claim 13 depends upon. Noritaka et al., further teaches:
Wherein the electric component has a first terminal and a second terminal, the bus bar has a first bus bar connected to the first terminal and a second bus bar connected to the second terminal, and each of the first bus bar and the second bus bar includes the first portion and the second portion. ([0044]- Fig. 1 “in the positive electrode relay 14 and the negative electrode relay, one end of the second bus bar 20a and one end of the first bus bar 20b are respectively connected to the relay terminal T1 and T2. Furthermore, the OTHER end of the bus bar 20a and the other end of the first bus bar 20b are connected to the battery side connector terminals T3 and T4”).
Regarding Claim 14, the combination as applied above teaches the limitations of claim 1, which claim 14 depends upon. Noritaka et al., further teaches:
Wherein the electric component includes a fuse element or a relay element, the electric component has a first terminal and a second terminal, the bus bar has a first bus bar connected to the first terminal and a second bus bar connected to the second terminal, and each of the first bus bar and the second bus bar includes the first portion and the second portion ([0007], [0044], Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 17, the combination as applied above teaches the limitations of claim 1, which claim 17 depends upon. Koshi et al., further teaches:
Wherein the bus bar constituted of a plate-shaped member, and the first portion and the second portion are formed by performing a bending process onto the plate-shaped member ([0034], Fig 1]- “the energization bus bar 18 is made of a conductive plate material. The energization bus bar is formed by bending a metal plate material).
Regarding Claim 18, the combination as applied above teaches the limitations of claim 1, which claim 18 depends upon. Noritaka et al., further teaches:
The electric device according to claim 1, further comprising a cooling plate attached to the housing, wherein the cooling plate has a coolant path ([0041], Fig. 2- “the battery case 40 is not limited to the structure where the case lower member is exposed to the outside of the vehicle, and alternatively, a structure may be employed, in which, for example, a cooling airflow is supplied around the battery case 40 through a duct”)
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to use the teachings of Noritaka of having a structure employed that has a cooling airflow around the battery case through a duct.
"A person of ordinary skill has good reason to pursue the known option within his or her technical grasp. If this leads to the anticipated success, it is likely the product not of innovation but of ordinary skill and common sense." KSR int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 127 S.Ct. 1727,82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Regarding Claim 19, the combination as applied above teaches the limitations of claim 18, which claim 19 depends upon. Noritaka et al., further teaches:
Wherein a clearance is formed between the housing and the cooling plate, a filling material having a thermal conduction property is provided in the clearance, and the heat transfer portion is provided at a position overlapping with the clearance ([0041], Fig. 2, [0060], Fig. 5- “on the upper surface of the case lower member 41a, a recess 52 is formed at an inner side of the outer circumferential wall 51”, and [0063], Fig. 5- “For example, for the cover lower membrane 61 (above the recess 52)- a material in which filler is filled to improve the thermal conductivity may be used”).
Regarding Claim 20, the combination as applied above teaches the limitations of claim 1, which claim 20 depends upon. Noritaka et al., further teaches:
A battery pack comprising: a battery pack including a plurality of battery cells; and the electric device according to claim 1, the electric device being electrically connected to the battery pack ([0037], Fig. 1- battery module 12 is formed by a plurality of battery cells. [0036]- in addition, a positive electrode (cathode) relay and a negative electrode relay are connected between the battery module 12 and the inverter 50).
Claims 3, 4, 7, 8, 11, 12, 15, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Noritaka et al., (US20190318892A1) in view of Koshi et al., (WO2021230077) and further in view of Isarn et al., (Polymers 2019).
Regarding Claim 3, Noritaka et al., in view of Koshi et al., teaches the limitations of claim 1 on which claim 3 depends upon. However, it is silent upon:
Wherein the heat transfer portion has a thermal conductivity of 1.0 W/m.K or more.
Koshi et al., teaches that heat conductive sheets are made of a synthetic resin like silicone-based resin or ceramic based resin ([0044]).
Isarn et al., in a similar field of endeavor, teaches that to solve the low conductivity of epoxy resins, ceramic fillers are used like Al2O3 with a thermal conductivity of 38-42 W/m.K (Introduction).
It would have been obvious to person having ordinary skill in the art to use the teachings of Noritaka et al., Koshi et al., and Isarn et al., to have a ceramic or other kind of resin that has a higher thermal conductivity known in the art (or a conductivity specially higher than 1.0 W/m.K or more) to use for the heat transfer portion.
The selection of a known material based on its suitability for its intended use supports a prima facie obviousness determination. Sinclair & Carroll Co. v. Interchemical Corp., 325 U.S. 327, 65 USPQ 297 (1945)
Regarding Claim 4, the combination as applied above teaches the limitation of claim 1, which claim 4 depends upon. Noritaka and Isarn et al., further teach:
Wherein the electric component includes a fuse element or a relay element (Noritaka et al., [0007]), and the heat transfer portion has a thermal conductivity of 1.0 W/m.K or more (Isarn et al., Introduction)
Regarding Claim 7, the combination as applied above teaches the limitations of claim 1, which claim 7 depends upon. Koshi et al., and Isarn et al., further teach:
Wherein the heat transfer portion has a thermal conductivity of 1.0 W/m.K or more (Isarn et al., Introduction) and is constituted of a sheet-shaped member (Noritaka et al., Abstract).
Regarding Claim 8, the combination as applied above teaches the limitations of claim 1, which claim 8 depends upon. Noritaka and Isarn et al., further teach:
Wherein the electric component includes a fuse element or a relay element ([0007] Noritaka et al.,), and the heat transfer portion has a thermal conductivity of 1.0W/m.K or more (Isarn et al., Introduction), and is constituted of a sheet-shaped member (Abstract, Noritaka et al.,).
Regarding Claim 11, the combination as applied above teaches the limitations of claim 1, which claim 11 depends upon. Isarn and Koshi et al., further teach:
Wherein the heat transfer portion has a thermal conductivity of 1.0 W/m.K or more (Isarn et al., Introduction) and includes an acrylic-based resin ([0044] Koshi et al.,).
Regarding Claim 12, the combination as applied above teaches the limitations of claim 1, which claim 11 depends upon. Noritaka, Koshi and Isarn et al., further teach:
Wherein the electric component includes a fuse element or a relay element ([0007] Noritaka et al.,), and the heat transfer portion has a thermal conductivity of 1.0 W/m.K or more (Isarn et al., Introduction) and includes an acrylic-based resin ([0044], Koshi et al.,).
Regarding Claim 15, the combination as applied above teaches the limitations of claim 1, which claim 15 depends upon. Koshi et al., in view of Isarn et al., and Noritaka et al., further teach:
Wherein the heat transfer portion has a thermal conductivity of 1.0 W/m.K or more (Isarn et al., Introduction) , the electric component has a first terminal and a second terminal, the bus bar has a first bus bar connected to the first terminal and a second bus bar connected to the second terminal, and each of the first bus bar and the second bus bar includes the first portion and the second portion ([0044], Fig. 1- Noritaka et al.,).
Regarding Claim 16, the combination as applied above teaches the limitations of claim 1 which claim 16 depends upon. Noritaka and Isarn et al., further teach:
Wherein the electric component includes a fuse element or a relay element, ([0007, Noritaka et al.,), the heat transfer portion has a thermal conductivity of 1.0 W/m.K or more (Isarn et al., Introduction), the electric component has a first terminal and a second terminal, the bus bar has a first bus bar connected to the first terminal and a second bus bar connected to the second terminal, and each of the first bus bar and the second bus bar includes the first portion and the second portion ([0044], Noritaka et al.,).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAURAV K JHA whose telephone number is (571)270-5722. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 0730-1700.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Alison L. Hindenlang can be reached at (571) 270-7001. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/S.K.J./Examiner, Art Unit 1741
/ALISON L HINDENLANG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1741
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