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 .
Summary
This is the initial Office Action based on Application 18/410,642 filed 01/11/2024 by Chaofeng Ban, Fangyu Huang, Haonan Yan, and Zhihui Wang.
Claims 1-14 are currently pending and have been fully considered.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 10-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by ZHANG (CN 109308784 A).
With respect to claims 1 and 12. ZHANG teaches a charging rack 10 (paragraph 0073) taken to be the claimed energy storage system. The rack then includes a plurality of battery packs 20 (paragraph 0075) which are taken to be the claimed storage assembly. The rack 10 includes a plurality of charging positions 100 (paragraph 0073). Each charging station 100 is equipped with a smoke detection device 110 and a temperature detection device 120 (paragraph 0073). The charging position includes a signal processing host 200 and an alarm device 300 (paragraph 0073). The temperature detection device 120 is a fiber optic temperature sensing device (paragraph 0077). The charging rack 10 includes a horizontal baffle 130 which are smoke proof and fireproof baffles (paragraph 0078). The smoke detection device 110 and the temperature detection device 120 are installed on the smoke proof and fireproof baffle, specifically the horizontal baffle 130 (paragraph 0080). The baffle 130 is taken to be the claimed plate of the fire prevention assembly. The temperature detection device 120 is a fiber optic temperature sensing device including multiple fiber gratings 121 connected by an optical fiber 122 (paragraph 0077). This optical fiber then follows a curved path along the plate (Figure 4). The signal processing host 200 receives smoke detection signals from the devices 110 of the charging station and the temperature detection signals from the temperature detection device 120 (paragraph 0082). The host 200 then determines if the temperature detection signal is abnormal (paragraph 0083 and 0085).
With respect to claims 2-3. ZHANG teaches the temperature detection device 120 is embedded or adhered to the smoke and fire barrier (paragraph 0080) which is taken to be the baffle (paragraph 0079). The adhesion is taken to be the claimed fixing pieces. These fixing pieces then fix the temperature detection device which is the fiber optic temperature sensing device (paragraph 0077 and Figure 4).
With respect to claim 10. ZHANG teaches the charging rack 10 includes a plurality of charging positions 100 (paragraph 0073 and Figure 2). These charging positions are taken to include the claimed partition plates and pallet (Figure 2).
With respect to claim 11. ZHANG teaches the charging rack 10 includes a plurality of charging positions 100 (paragraph 0073 and Figure 2). These charging positions are taken to include the claimed shelf (Figure 2) the fire prevention assemblies are disposed in each of the charging positions (Figure 2).
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.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZHANG (CN 109308784 A) in view of ZHANG (CN 111494841 A).
Claim 4 is dependent upon claim 1 which is rejected above under 35 U.S.C. 102 in view of ZHANG ‘784. ZHANG ‘784 does not teach a fire protection assembly including a sprinkler head configured to spray a fire extinguishing liquid to the battery cell.
ZHANG ‘841 teaches a fire early warning system for a lithium battery which includes a heat sensing fiber optic fire detector (paragraph 0010). There is included a control valve which uses a fire extinguishing system in a fire extinguishing zone by spraying an extinguishing agent to cool down the battery (paragraph 0010). The fire extinguishing system may spray fine water mist to extinguish a fire (paragraph 0010). The extinguishing is sprayed form a nozzle 55 or 65 (paragraph 0021).
At the time the invention was filed one having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the fire extinguishing system of ZHANG ‘841 for the charging rack of ZHANG ‘784 as this is a combination of known prior art elements in order to achieve predictable results, as both ZHANG ‘784 and ZHANG ‘841 teaches detecting fires in batteries, then ZHANG ‘841 teaches a method of extinguishing the fire which includes obtaining a signal from the heat sensing fiber optic fire detector to control the spray to extinguish the fire (paragraph 0010). Then LI teaches when the battery pack overheats the battery pack can be moved into the fire tank by a lifting tool, and submerge the battery (paragraph 0080).
Claim(s) 5-6 and 13-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZHANG (CN 109308784 A) in view of ZHANG (CN 111494841 A) as applied to claim 4 above, and further in view of LI (WO 2022/166471 A1).
Claim 5 is dependent upon claim 4 which is rejected above under 35 U.S.C. 103 in view of ZHANG ‘784 and ZHANG ‘841. However, neither ZHANG ‘784 or ZHANG ‘841 explicitly teaches a fire protection tank configured to accommodate a liquid and receive the storage assembly that contains an abnormal temperature battery cell so as to submerge the cell in the liquid.
LI teaches a lifting appliance and a battery swapping station for a battery pack (abstract). The battery swapping station includes a fire protection system which includes a smoke detector, an alarm, and a fire water tank 9 (paragraph 0080). When the battery pack in the station overheats or catches fire, the battery pack 1 can be moved into the fire water tank 9 by a lifting tool (paragraph 0080). The fire water tank 9 then can receive and submerge the overheated or burning battery pack thereby eliminating the fire hazard (paragraph 0080).
At the time the invention was filed one having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the fire protection and battery swapping of LI for the battery charging rack of ZHANG ‘784 and ZHANG ‘841, as this is a combination of known prior art elements in order to achieve predictable results, as all three deal with fire protection, and then LI teaches a way to fully submerge the burning battery pack in order to eliminate the fire hazard.
With respect to claim 6. LI teaches the fire protection tank includes the tank body 9, and a moving assembly, which includes the transfer device 5 (abstract) and the lifting tool 6 (paragraph 0080). As seen in Figure 1 the moving assembly 6 is connected to the tank body and movable along an extension direction of the tank body.
With respect to claims 13-14. The rejection of claims 4 and 5 in view of ZHANG ‘784, ZHANG ‘841, and LI from above is repeated here. ZHANG ‘841
Claim(s) 7-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZHANG (CN 109308784 A) in view of ZHANG (CN 111494841 A) and LI (WO 2022/166471 A1) as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of LEI (CN 214589045 U).
Claim 7 is dependent upon claim 6 which is rejected above under 35 U.S.C. 103 in view of ZHANG ‘784, ZHANG ‘841, and LI. LI teaches a battery swapping station that includes a fire water tank 9 (paragraph 0080) but does not explicitly teach that the water tank includes a temperature sensor.
LEI teaches a lithium battery that includes a method of immersing the battery in a heat conducting liquid to prevent the fire (paragraph 0020-0021). There is a temperature sensor provided inside the battery canister to monitor the temperature of the heat conducting absorbent liquid inside the battery canister (paragraphs 0021 and 0024).
At the time the invention was filed one having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to include temperature sensor inside the water tank as taught by LEI for the water tank of LI, as this is a combination of known prior art elements in order to achieve predictable results.
With respect to claim 8. LI teaches the battery pack is moved by a forklift or a lifting tool 6 (paragraph 0080) and is part of the transfer device 5 (paragraph 0038 and Figure 1).
With respect to claim 9. ZHANG ‘784 teaches a signal processing host, taken to be a controller, which receives the signals from the temperature detection signals (paragraph 0028-0029). ZHANG ‘841 then similarly teaches the control system that is connected to the fire detection system to control the fire extinguishing system (paragraph 0010). LI then teaches a control system that controls the battery swapping station that is configured to move the battery pack into the fire tank (paragraph 0080).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. JUNG (US 2024/0266629 A1) – JUNG teaches a fire extinguishing equipment for a secondary battery, and an early detection and extinguishing system for reducing the risk of fire spreading in the battery (abstract). Including is a flooding type sprinkler system for use in the fire extinguishing equipment (paragraph 0006). There may be an optical fiber temperature system to determine when flames are present (paragraph 0066).
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/JONATHAN G JELSMA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1722
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