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 § 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 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Pucher et al. (US 20210013565 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Pucher discloses a secondary battery (paragraphs 0006, 0010), comprising: a metal housing (paragraph 0065, aluminum); at least one battery cell within the housing (paragraph 0066); and a coolant, wherein the housing comprises an inner surface facing the at least one battery cell and an outer surface spaced apart from the inner surface, and wherein the coolant is stored in a hollow portion formed between the inner surface and the outer surface (paragraphs 0065-0070, figures 1-2, coolant ducts 54).
Regarding claim 2, Pucher discloses the limitations of claim 1. Pucher further discloses wherein: the hollow portion is provided with a pair of openings on both sides of the housing (paragraphs 0024, 0075, ducts connected to inlets on both lateral walls).
Regarding claim 3, Pucher discloses the limitations of claim 2. Pucher further discloses a pair of side adapters on both sides of the housing that seal the pair of openings of the hollow portion (paragraphs 0025-0027, 0071-0076, figures 3-4, coolant distributor 10 attached to both sides).
Regarding claim 4, Pucher discloses the limitations of claim 3. Pucher further discloses wherein: the hollow portion is provided in plural (paragraph 0065, figure 2), each of the side adapters includes a groove for coupling to the inner and outer surfaces of the housing (paragraphs 0073-0077, junction separators 152 and flange portions 161), and the openings of the hollow portions in one side of the housing communicate with each other within the groove (paragraphs 0076 coolant inlet 131).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-15 are 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 5 would be allowable for disclosing wherein: each the side adapters includes a spigot hole exposing part of the openings of the hollow portions in one side of the housing to allow for spigotting from the outside, and the spigot hole is sealed by a stopper. Claims 6-15 would be allowable for their dependency upon claim 5.
Pucher discloses a secondary battery, comprising: a metal housing and a coolant, wherein the housing comprises an inner surface facing the at least one battery cell and an outer surface spaced apart from the inner surface, and wherein the coolant is stored in a hollow portion formed between the inner surface and the outer surface. Pucher further discloses the side adapters including the groove as required by claim 4 (See claims 1 and 4 rejections). However, Pucher is silent regarding a spigot hole included in the side adapters, wherein the spigot hole is sealed by a stopper as required by claim 5. Additionally, Pucher teaches away from a spigot hole being sealed by a stopper as the embodiment of the disclosure requires the coolant distributor to remain open in order to connect pipes and distribute cooling (paragraph 0086, figures 3 and 9).
Mummigatti et al. (US 20200036067 A1) is cited of being of interest for disclosing a battery module including at least one wall defining an outer periphery and an opposing inner periphery. A fluid interchange system includes one or more channels formed in and extending at least partially through the at least one wall, at least one inlet portion defined in and extending at least partially through the at least one wall (Mummigatti paragraphs 0003, 0045, figures 2-3, channels 42A-D). Mummigatti further discloses side adapters (paragraph 0052, figure 2, closures 50). However, Mummigatti is silent regarding the claimed spigot hole and stopper configuration of claim 5.
Park et al. (US 20200411930 A1) is cited of being of interest for disclosing a module housing having at least one sidewall and configured to accommodate the cell assembly in an inner space defined by the sidewall, the sidewall having at least one coolant flow path, at least one injection hole being formed in an outer surface of the sidewall to be perforated to the inner space (Mummigatti paragraph 0018, figures 2-6). However, Mummigatti fails to disclose the side adapters or the claimed spigot hole exposing the openings formed in the side adapters. Therefore, none of the cited prior art discloses the limitations of claim 5, and there is no teaching, suggestion, or motivation for the skilled artisan to arrive at the claimed configuration.
Conclusion
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/B.T.L./Examiner, Art Unit 1727
/Maria Laios/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1727
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