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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 6-8, filed on 07/15/2026, with respect to prior art Lasson and amended claim 1 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of claim 1 in view of Lasson alone has been withdrawn. The new grounds of rejection of Lasson (US 12482874 B2) in view of Sugiyama (US 20120130576 A1) or Tofukuji (US 20220320622 A1) and In re Japikse or In re Kuhle. Examiner agrees that Lasson discloses pipes (pipes of regulation system 1, fig.2) connected to battery unit (intake manifold 10 and output manifold 12, fig.2) on both sides and heat exchanger (cooling device EXCH05 and heating device HEAT06) being disposed on a side opposite to the output manifold (12), but fails to disclose the intake and outtake on the same side. Sugiyama discloses intake and output pipes on the same side (connection ports 62a-66a, figs.5-6). Tofukuji (US 20220320622 A1) also discloses intake and output pipes on the same side (5, figs.1-2). In re Japikse and In re Kuhle disclose that the prior art of Lasson in combination with Sugiyama or Tofukuji read on claim 1 except with regard to the position of the heat exchanger were held unpatentable because shifting the position of the head exchanger in relation to the pipes would not have modified the operation of the device. Also, the particular placement of the heat exchanger was held to be an obvious matter of design choice.
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.
Claim(s) 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lasson (US 12482874 B2) in view of Sugiyama (US 20120130576 A1) or Tofukuji (US 20220320622 A1); and In re Japikse or In re Kuhle.
Regarding claim 1, Lasson discloses a work machine (vehicle 4, column 6, lines 48-56, fig.1) comprising: a battery unit (battery 3, figs.2-3); a pipe (thermal regulation system 1 has pipes with fluid network 6 as seen in figure 2) which is connected to the battery unit and through which a heat exchange medium flows (fluid network 6, fig.2); and a heat exchanger (cooling device EXCH05 and heating device HEAT06, figs.1-4) to which the pipe is connected, wherein the heat exchanger is disposed on a side opposite to a side of the battery unit which is connected to the pipe (cooling device EXCH05 and heating device HEAT06 are opposite the side of the output manifold 12, fig.3-4), with respect to the battery unit. Lasson discloses pipes (pipes of regulation system 1, fig.2) connected to battery unit (intake manifold 10 and output manifold 12, fig.2) on both sides and heat exchanger (cooling device EXCH05 and heating device HEAT06) being disposed on a side opposite to the output manifold (12), but fails to disclose the intake and outtake on the same side.
However, Sugiyama discloses intake and output pipes on the same side (connection ports 62a-66a, figs.5-6). Tofukuji (US 20220320622 A1) also discloses intake and output pipes on the same side (5, figs.1-2). In re Japikse and In re Kuhle disclose that the prior art of Lasson in combination with Sugiyama or Tofukuji read on claim 1 except with regard to the position of the heat exchanger were held unpatentable because shifting the position of the head exchanger in relation to the pipes would not have modified the operation of the device. Also, the particular placement of the heat exchanger was held to be an obvious matter of design choice
Lasson and Sugiyama or Tofukuji are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of vehicles. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lasson with the inlet and output pipes on one side as taught by both Sugiyama and Tofuki with a reasonable expectation of success because it would have combined prior art elements yielding predictable results of allowing the inlet connection and outlet connections on the same side to have reduced flow resistance, less stress on the pump, and better system efficiency.
Regarding claim 2, Lasson in combination with Sugiyama or Tofukuji, Lasson discloses wherein the battery unit has a connection port (connection portion associated with the from pipes from the inlet manifold 10 and outlet manifold 12, figs.2-4), to which the pipe is connected, on one side surface thereof, and the heat exchanger is disposed on a side surface side opposite to the one side surface of the battery unit (cooling device EXCH05 and heating device HEAT06 are opposite the output manifold 12, fig.3-4).
Regarding claim 3, Lasson in combination with Sugiyama or Tofukuji, Lasson discloses wherein the connection port includes a first connection port (pipes leaving inlet manifold 10 into battery 3 create inlet connection ports, figs.2-4) and a second connection port (pipes connected to outlet manifold 12 and battery 3 have outlet connection ports, figs.2-4), and the first connection port and the second connection port are connected to one end and the other end of a circuit for circulating the heat exchange medium in the battery unit (fluid network 6, figs.2-4), respectively.
Regarding claim 4, Lasson in combination with Sugiyama or Tofukuji, Lasson discloses comprising a plurality of the battery units (battery 3 has battery modules 7, figs.2-3), wherein the plurality of battery units are disposed such that the respective one side surfaces are directed in the same direction (figs.2-3).
Regarding claim 5, Lasson in combination with Sugiyama or Tofukuji, Lasson discloses wherein the pipe has: a first common pipe (pipe connected downstream from the cooling device EXCH05, figs.2-4) that extends from the heat exchanger; first individual pipes (three pipes leaving the inlet manifold 10 as seen in figures 2-3) that are connected to the first common pipe via a branch part (inlet manifold 10, figs.2-3), and extend from the respective first connection ports of a plurality of the battery units (figs.2-3); a second common pipe (pipe connected upstream from the cooling device EXCH05, figs.2-4) that extends from the heat exchanger; and second individual pipes (three pipes entering the outlet manifold 12 as seen in figures 2-3) that are connected to the second common pipe via a merge part (outlet manifold 12, figs.2-3), and extend from the respective second connection ports of the plurality of battery units (figs.2-3).
Regarding claim 6, Lasson in combination with Sugiyama or Tofukuji, Sugiyama discloses wherein the second connection ports are located above the first connection ports (connection ports 62a-66a with one disposed above the other, fig.5), and the second common pipe is disposed above the battery units (having the second common pipe disposed above the battery units would be merely shifting the position of the common pipe and would not have modified the operation of the device, In reJapikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70). Tofukuji discloses wherein the second connection ports are located above the first connection ports (connector portions 10, fig.2), and the second common pipe is disposed above the battery units (connector portions 10, fig.2).
Regarding claim 7, Lasson in combination with Sugiyama or Tofukuji, Lasson discloses wherein the first common pipe is routed to pass through outside of the battery units as viewed from above (pipe connected downstream from the cooling device EXCH05 is outside the battery 3, figs.2-4).
Regarding claim 8, Lasson in combination with Sugiyama or Tofukuji, Lasson discloses further comprising a circulation pump (pump PUMP01, figs.2-4) disposed in a middle of the pipe (fig.2), wherein the circulation pump is disposed on a downstream side in a flow direction of the heat exchange medium with respect to the heat exchanger (pump PUMP01 is downstream from EXCH05 and HEAT06, figs.2-4).
Regarding claim 9, Lasson in combination with Sugiyama or Tofukuji, Lasson discloses further comprising a heater (heating element HEAT06, figs.2-4) disposed in a middle of the pipe (figs.2-4).
Regarding claim 10, Lasson in combination with Sugiyama or Tofukuji, Lasson discloses comprising: a first battery group (battery 3 has three battery modules 7 with storage cells 9, figs.2-3) having a plurality of the battery units (battery 3 has three battery modules 7 with storage cells 9, figs.2-3); a second battery group (battery 3 has three battery modules 7 with storage cells 9, figs.2-3) having a plurality of the battery units (battery 3 has three battery modules 7 with storage cells 9, figs.2-3); and a temperature adjustment circuit (fluid network 6 has several temperature sensing elements T01, T02, T03, T04; cooling device EXCH05, heating device HEAT06, figs.2-4) that adjusts a temperature of the heat exchange medium, wherein all the battery units included in the first battery group and the second battery group are disposed such that the respective one side surfaces are directed in the same direction (figs.2-3), and the pipe includes: a first pipe (pipe entering the inlet manifold 10 as seen in figures 2-3) that connects any of the battery units included in the first battery group and any of the battery units included in the second battery group to the temperature adjustment circuit; a second pipe (there are three pipes between the inlet manifold 10 and outlet manifold 12 for the three battery modules 7 that connect the cells 9 in series, figs,2-3) that connects the plurality of battery units included in the first battery group in series; a third pipe (there are three pipes between the inlet manifold 10 and outlet manifold 12 for the three battery modules 7 that connect the cells 9 in series, figs,2-3) that connects the plurality of battery units included in the second battery group in series; and a fourth pipe (pipe leaving the outlet manifold 12 as seen in figures 2-3) that connects an other battery unit included in the first battery group and an other battery unit included in the second battery group to the temperature adjustment circuit.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11-13 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 11 depends upon claim 10 which is rejected, but claim 11 has the limitation of “wherein the temperature adjustment circuit includes the heat exchanger, and a heater, and when the battery unit to which the first pipe is connected among the plurality of battery units included in the first battery group and the battery unit to which the first pipe is connected among the plurality of battery units included in the second battery group are each defined as a first pipe connection battery unit, and an other battery unit to which the fourth pipe is connected among the plurality of battery units included in the first battery group and an other battery unit to which the fourth pipe is connected among the plurality of battery units included in the second battery group are each defined as a fourth pipe connection battery unit, the two first pipe connection battery units are disposed between the two fourth pipe connection battery units.” Lasson discloses wherein the temperature adjustment circuit includes the heat exchanger (EXCH05, fig.2), and a heater (HEAT06, fig.2). Lasson fails to disclose the orientation of the two first pipe connection battery units in relation to the two fourth pipe connection battery units. Modifying the orientation and arrangement of the battery units in combination with the pipes would require serious modification and would be hindsight. The prior art either alone or in combination fail to disclose or fairly suggest at this time all of the limitations of claim 11. For the reasons above claim 11 has allowable subject matter.
Claims 12-13 depend upon claim 11 giving them the same allowable subject matter as discussed above.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to IAN BRYCE SHELTON whose telephone number is (571)272-6501. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Allen Shriver can be reached at (303)-297-4337. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/IAN BRYCE SHELTON/Examiner, Art Unit 3613
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