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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 19 recites the limitation "the battery management system" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1-3, 10-11, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipate by Zhou et al. (CN 210866417 U). It is noted that the disclosures of Zhou et al. are based on a machine translation of the reference included with this action.
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Figure 1- Zhou et al.
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Figure 2- Zhou et al.
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Figure 4- Zhou et al.
Regarding claim 1:
Zhou et al. teaches in Figure 1 above, multiple individual battery cells 10, i.e. a battery body, can be installed in the housing composed of the module pressure plate 80 and the module pressure plate side plate 90, forming a whole, i.e. a housing surrounding a part of a surface of the battery body ([0036]).
Further, Zhou et al. teaches in Figure 1 and 2 above, a metal heat sink 50 comprising lower dissipation shell 51 and radiating upper shell 52 ([0032], Figure 5), where the positive electrode tabs 11 of multiple individual battery cells 10 are connected to each other through a second busbar, and the negative electrode tabs 11 of multiple individual battery cells 10 are connected to each other through a third busbar, thus connecting multiple individual battery cells 10 in parallel, i.e. the heat sink is in thermal contact with a module electrode of the bus board ([0045])
Regarding claims 2-3:
Zhou et al. teaches in Figure 1 above, a plurality of thermally conductive insulating pads 20 ([0032]), which all abut between a lower surface of the bus board and the battery body.
Further, Zhou et al. teaches in Figure 1 and 2 above, the bus board is provided with at least one second thermally conductive pad, an upper end of the battery body is provided with a positive electrode tab 11, and the at least one second thermally conductive pad abuts between the positive electrode tab 11 and the metal heat sink 50 ([0032]).
Regarding claim 10:
Zhou et al. teaches in Figure 1 above, Zhou et al. teaches in Figure 1 above, an insulating pad 40 disposed between the bus board and the metal heat sink 50 and a thermally conductive aluminum plate 30 disposed between the busbars and the metal heat sink 50 ([0032]), and therefore, aluminum, i.e. heat conducting medium, is filled between the insulation plate 40 and the busbars.
Regarding claim 11:
Zhou et al. teaches in Figure 1 and 4 above, a module pressure plate 80, a module pressure plate side plate 90 ([0036]) and a metal heat sink 50 ([0032]), i.e. the housing comprises: a bottom plate disposed below the battery body; a front plate disposed in front of the battery body; a rear plate disposed behind the battery body; and two side plates disposed on two sides of the battery body. Further, the housing necessarily has an accommodation cavity for accommodating the battery body enclosed in the housing.
Regarding claim 20:
Zhou et al. teaches in Figure 1 above, an upper heat dissipation housing 52, i.e. upper cover disposed on the heat sink ([0037]), which necessarily has an interface.
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.
Claims 4-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou et al. (CN 210866417 U) in view of Li et al. (US 20200274211 A1). It is noted that the disclosures of Li et al. are based on a machine translation of the reference included with this action.
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Figure 6- Li et al.
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Figure 8a- Li et al.
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Figure 9- Li et al.
Regarding claims 4-6:
Zhou et al. teaches a battery module as set forth above.
However, Zhou et al. does not teach the battery body comprises at least two battery modules and at least two central thermally conductive plates correspondingly disposed on the outsides of the at least two battery modules.
Further, Zhou et al. does not teach the central thermally conductive plate is U-shaped, the central thermally conductive plate surrounds at least three surfaces of the battery module, and an inner surface of the central thermally conductive plate is connected with the battery module by means of a heat conductive adhesive.
Li et al. teaches in Figure 6 and 8a above, a U-shaped first thermally conductive component 14, i.e. central thermally conductive plate, is disposed on the outsides of at least two battery modules ([0055]); two of the first thermally conductive components 14 are all U-shaped, and the two of the first thermally conductive components 14 oppositely arranged and are engaged with each other, so that the adjacent two cells are disposed between the two first thermally conductive components 14 disposed opposite each other ([0056]). Li et al. also teaches that the battery pack including the U-shaped first thermally conductive component 14 can be assembled in units of each battery, which reduces weight and improves convenience of assembly ([0027]).
Further, Li et al. teaches the battery includes a thermally conductive adhesive arranged between the second thermally conductive component 16 and each of the plurality of first thermally conductive components 14, i.e. an inner surface of the central thermally conductive plate is connected with the battery module by means of a heat conductive adhesive and bottoms of the central thermally conductive plates between the two battery modules are connected by means of the heat conductive adhesive ([0012], [0064]). Li et al. also teaches that since the first thermally conductive components 14 on the surface of each cell is in contact with the second thermally conductive component 16, the heat concentration effect at the center of the battery when working and the temperature difference between the cell 12 at the center and the cell 12 at the edge may be reduced, causing the temperature between the plurality of cells 12 of the battery 10 more balanced, thereby improving the life of the cell ([0046]).
In light of the motivation for using a U-shaped first thermally conductive component and a thermally conductive adhesive disclosed by Li et al. as set forth above, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a U-shaped first thermally conductive component and a thermally conductive adhesive in the battery module of Zhou et al. in order to reduce weight, improve convenience of assembly, and improve the life of the cell.
Regarding claim 7:
Zhou et al. teaches a battery module as set forth above.
However, Zhou et al. does not teach the battery module comprises a plurality of battery cells and a plurality of heat conduction sheets respectively corresponding to the plurality of battery cells, the plurality of battery cells are stacked abreast, each of the heat conduction sheet surrounds at least three surfaces of the corresponding battery cell, and two adjacent heat conduction sheets in the plurality of heat conduction sheets are oppositely disposed.
Li et al. teaches in Figure 9 above, the battery module comprises a plurality of battery cells 12 and a plurality of second thermally conductive components 16, i.e. heat conduction sheets, respectively corresponding to the plurality of battery cells, the plurality of battery cells are stacked abreast, the second thermally conductive component 16 is in a U-shaped configuration ([0057]), i.e. each of the heat conduction sheets surrounds at least three surfaces of the corresponding battery cell, and two adjacent second thermally conductive components in the plurality of second thermally conductive components are oppositely disposed.
Further, Li et al. teaches that by providing the second thermally conductive component 16 in a U-shaped configuration, the heat dissipation efficiency of the plurality of cells of the battery may be enhanced ([0051]).
In light of the motivation for providing the second thermally conductive component 16 in a U-shaped configuration disclosed by Li et al. as set forth above, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the second thermally conductive component 16 in a U-shaped configuration in the battery module of Zhou et al. in order to enhance the heat dissipation efficiency.
Regarding claim 8:
Zhou et al. teaches a battery module as set forth above.
However, Zhou et al. does not teach an elastic member is further provided between the two adjacent heat conduction sheets.
Li et al. teaches a second buffer sheet 30 is located between the plurality of batteries 10, i.e. between two adjacent heat conduction sheets and the second buffer sheet 30 may be a material having a cushioning effect such as foam, i.e. an elastic member ([0064]).
Further, Li et al. teaches the connection between the batteries 10 is achieved by providing the second buffer sheet 30 between the adjacent two batteries 10 ([0064]).
In light of the motivation for providing a second buffer sheet disclosed by Li et al. as set forth above, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a second buffer sheet in the battery module of Zhou et al. in order to have a cushioning effect and to facilitate connection between the adjacent batteries.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou et al. (CN 210866417 U) in view of Qi et al. (CN 209804785 U). It is noted that the disclosures of Qi et al. are based on a machine translation of the reference included with this action.
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Figure 3- Qi et al.
Regarding claim 9:
Zhou et al. teaches a battery module as set forth above.
However, Zhou et al. does not teach the bus board is provided with a plurality of through slots in which a plurality of the second thermally conductive pads are embedded respectively, and the plurality of the second thermally conductive pads are respectively attached to a plurality of the tabs disposed at the upper ends of the plurality of battery cells.
Qi et al. discloses in Figure 3 above, a battery module ([0006]) comprising heat conducting boxes, i.e. thermally conductive pads, and busbar support assembly, i.e. bus board, with through-holes, i.e. through slot ([0007]). The busbar support assembly works in conjunction with the heat-conducting box, and the busbar support assembly is connected to the heat-conducting box by means of an embedded slot ([0010]). Each heat-conducting box 2 is attached to a tab 7 ([0021, Fig 3]). The heat-conducting box contains a metal material with good thermal conductivity, which can conduct heat from the battery cell ([0029]).
In light of the motivation for providing heat conducting boxes, a busbar support assembly with through-holes in which the busbar support assembly is connected to the heat-conducting box by means of an embedded slot, and each heat conducting box is attached to a tab disclosed by Qi et al. as set forth above, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide such structure in the battery module of Zhou et al. in order to have good thermal conductivity and a fast-heat dissipation battery.
Claims 12-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou et al. (CN 210866417 U) in view of Lee (US 20210257693 A1).
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Figure 8- Lee et al.
Regarding claims 12-15:
Zhou et al. teaches a battery module as set forth above.
However, Zhou et al. does not teach a bottom plate is provided with a heat dissipation fin, at least one of the two side plates is provided with a heat dissipation fin, a front plate is provided with a heat dissipation fin, and a rear plate is provided with a heat dissipation fin.
Lee teaches in Figure 8 above, heat dissipation fins 170 are applied toward the end plate 190. During the electronic cooling, a heat dissipation surface area further increases by the heat dissipation fins 170, thereby maximizing the effect of the electronic cooling ([0023], [0082]).
In light of the motivation for providing heat dissipation fins applied toward the end plate disclosed by Lee as set forth above, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide heat dissipation fins applied toward the end plate in the battery module of Zhou et al. in order to maximize the effect of the electronic cooling.
Claims 16-17 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou et al. (CN 210866417 U) in view of Shen (CN 204348862 U). It is noted that the disclosures of Shen are based on a machine translation of the reference included with this action.
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Figure 1- Shen
Regarding claims 16-17:
Zhou et al. teaches a battery module as set forth above.
Further, Zhou et al. teaches in Figure 1 above, the heat sink 50 is disposed on the housing composed of the module pressure plate 80 and the module pressure plate side plate 90, forming a whole ([0036]).
However, Zhou et al. does not teach the heat sink is provided with a plurality of ventilation holes.
Shen teaches in Figure 1 above, the heat sink A6 is provided with a plurality of ventilation holes 61 ([0019]). Furthermore, since the heat sink A6 has several ventilation holes 61, the ventilation inside the electric vehicle allows heat sink A6 to pass through these holes, increasing the efficiency of heat removal ([0021]). The ventilation holes would necessarily penetrate through two side faces of the heat sink.
In light of the motivation for providing the heat sink with a plurality of ventilation holes disclosed by Shen as set forth above, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the heat sink with a plurality of ventilation holes in the battery module of Zhou et al. in order to increase the efficiency of heat removal.
Regarding claim 19:
Zhou et al. teaches a battery module as set forth above.
However, Zhou et al. does not teach
Shen teaches in Figure 1 above, a cavity box 2, i.e. concave cavity, is provided on the top surface of the heat dissipation cover 1, i.e. heat sink, ([0018]) and the cavity box would necessarily be used for containing the battery.
Shen also teaches in Figure 1 above, a bottom of the cavity box is adjacent to and isolated from a top of the ventilation hole.
Further, Shen teaches the device including a cavity box on the top surface of the heat dissipation cover and a bottom of the cavity box is adjacent to and isolated from a top of the ventilation hole is easy to operate and quickly dissipates heat ([0006]).
In light of the motivation for providing a cavity box on the top surface of the heat dissipation cover and a bottom of the cavity box adjacent to and isolated from a top of the ventilation hole disclosed by Shen as set forth above, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a cavity box on the top surface of the heat dissipation cover and a bottom of the cavity box adjacent to and isolated from a top of the ventilation hole in the battery module of Zhou et al. in order to ease operation and quickly dissipate heat.
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou et al. (CN 210866417 U) in view of Jung et al. (KR 20100101488 A). It is noted that the disclosures of Jung et al. are based on a machine translation of the reference included with this action.
Regarding claim 18:
Zhou et al. teaches a battery module as set forth above.
However, Zhou et al. does not teach at least one of the ventilation holes is provided with at least one inner fin, and the inner fin extend along the extending direction of the ventilation hole.
Jung discloses a cooling device of dissipating heat generated by a heat-generated device where cooling device comprises a heat sink having a plurality of air circulation holes (page 3, lines 10-16). The air circulation holes comprises a plurality of heat dissipation fins protruding from the inner circumference, i.e. inner fins (page 7, lines 15-17). The fins increase heat dissipation efficiency (page 7, lines 18-19).
In light of the motivation for providing air circulation holes comprising a plurality of heat dissipation fins protruding from the inner circumference disclosed by Shen as set forth above, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide air circulation holes comprising a plurality of heat dissipation fins protruding from the inner circumference in the battery module of Zhou et al. in order to increase heat dissipation efficiency.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MADISON E. BROWN whose telephone number is (571)775-5984. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 8am-6pm.
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/MADISON ELIZABETH BROWN/Examiner, Art Unit 1787
/CALLIE E SHOSHO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1787
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