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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 12/04/2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Election/Restriction
During a telephone conversation with Benjamin J. Coon (248-988-8360) on 07/01/2026 a provisional election was made without traverse to prosecute the invention of group I (drawn to a battery pack), claims 1-10. Affirmation of this election must be made by applicant in replying to this Office action. Claim 11-18 withdrawn from further consideration by the examiner, 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a non-elected invention.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 12/04/2023. These drawings are acceptable.
Specification
The specification received on 12/04/2023. The specification is acceptable.
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 2 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.
Regarding claim 2, claim 2 teaches “that the first coolant is less conductive than the second coolant”. The claim does not specify if it is referring to the thermal or electrical conductivity.
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.
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 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Hofer (U.S Patent No 11, 038, 225 B2; Hofer hereinafter) in view of Marcicki et al. (US10164303B2; Marcicki hereinafter)
Regarding claim 1, Hofer teaches a battery pack (a battery that includes a battery module , abstract), comprising: an enclosure assembly (a container, abstract & figure 1) providing an interior (fluid space, abstract); at least one cell stack housed within the interior (see for example fig. 5), the at least one cell stack including a plurality of battery cells ( the container includes a cell holder including openings through which respective end sides of the battery cell protrude into the fluid space of the container, abstract); a first coolant that manages thermal energy within the interior and a temperature control system, abstract; electrically non-conductive liquid col. 1 lines 54 and further discloses later in the specification “an advantageous form of the present disclosure provides that the liquid is a transformer oil”, col. 3, lines 43-46). Hofer does not explicitly disclose the use of a second coolant. Marcicki teaches the use of a first and second thermal fluid and further discloses a liquid containing ethylene glycol as a liquid with a relatively high thermal conductivity ([0022]). Marcicki further discloses a second, different fluid. Marcicki teaches that air is being used as a different fluid ([0023]). Before the effective filing date of the current invention, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to apply an ethylene glycol containing second coolant stream to the structure disclosed by Hofer to promote heat transfer between the battery cells and the external environment as doing so would amount to nothing more than to use a known material for its intended use in a known environment to accomplish an entirely predictable result.
Regarding claim 2, Hofer discloses the battery pack of claim 1 but fails to disclose that the first coolant is less conductive than the second coolant. Hofer discloses a no-electrically conductive liquid such as transformer oil as coolant. Marcicki teaches an ethylene glycol containing second coolant stream that would, due to its chemical composition necessarily have a larger electrical conductivity than transformer oil.
Regarding claim 3, Hofer discloses the battery pack of claim 2 and further discloses that the at least one cell stack includes conductive features that are submerged within the first coolant (The liquid serving in particular as a cooling medium, inside the container of the temperature control system can thus wash around the battery cells at their end sides as well as the connecting device, serving as current collector, which is also disposed in the liquid space of the container, and thus improving the discharge of heat emanating from the battery cells, col. 3 lines 8-15).
Regarding claim 4, Hofer discloses the battery pack of claim 3, and further discloses that the conductive features include terminals of the plurality of battery cells within the at least one cell stack. (…it is possible for the poles of the end sides of the battery cells to contact each other by the contacting device also disposed in the fluid space of the container and serving as current collector, and the end sides of the battery cells protrude into the fluid space of the container (Col 2. Lines 37-41, and fig. 5 and 8).
Regarding claim 5, Hofer discloses the battery pack according to claim 2 and teaches that the first coolant is a dielectric coolant (electrically non-conductive liquid, col. 1, line 54).
Regarding claim 6, Hofer discloses the traction battery pack of claim 1, and further discloses that the first and second coolants are first and second liquid coolants.
Regarding claim 7, Hofer discloses the traction battery pack of claim 1, and further discloses a sealing system within the interior (The second plastic component thus acts as an elastic seal that acts radially on the battery cells and the contact element. A particularly reliable sealing effect can thereby be realized on the outer surfaces of the battery cells and on the at least one contact element, col. 3, line 65 – col. 4 line 1), the sealing system separating the interior into a first volume that contains the first coolant and a different, second volume that contains the second coolant (see fig. 5, In pairs, the mentioned battery modules can thus divide the container of the temperature control system, which in this case is composed of two of the cell holders col. 5, lines 29-31).
Regarding claim 8, Hofer discloses the traction battery pack of claim 7, wherein the plurality of battery cells are configured to vent into the first volume. Hofer discloses that degassing valves are often attached on the cell heads/anode side. It is possible for the cell heads to protrude into the fluid space and that appropriate pressure reduction must be ensured for cell degassing in the event of a fault/failure.
Regarding claim 9, Hofer teaches the traction battery pack of claim 7, and further discloses the sealing system includes at least one sealing ring circumscribing one or more of the battery cells within the plurality of battery cells. (The second plastic component thus acts as an elastic seal that acts radially on the battery cells and the contact element, fig. 4.)
Regarding claim 10, Hofer teaches the traction battery pack of claim 9 and further discloses that wherein the at least one sealing ring seals an interface between a surface of at least one of the battery cells within the plurality of battery cells and the enclosure assembly. (The softer plastic component serves in turn as an elastic seal and surrounds the small and large openings, so that the battery cells and the cylindrical contact elements are enclosed in a liquid-tight manner on the respective outer surfaces. Col. 8, 43-47)
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAMANTHA LEE HANYON whose telephone number is (571)272-8881. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri. 7:30am-5pm.
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, Nicole Buie-Hatcher can be reached at (571) 270-3879. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/S.L.H./Examiner, Art Unit 1725
/NICOLE M. BUIE-HATCHER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1725
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