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 .
Status
This Office Action is in response to the remarks and amendments filed on 02/14/2025.
Claims 1-15 are pending for consideration in this Office Action.
Further recognition:
The objections to the claims are withdrawn in in light of the amendments.
The objections to the abstract have been withdrawn in in light of the amendments.
The rejections pursuant to 112(b) are withdrawn in light of the
amendments.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1-3 and 12-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cheadle et al.( US2019/0366876A1) and in view of Vakilimoghaddam et al. (US2021/0254895A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Cheadle teaches a battery cooling unit [ at least 300; 0161 ] capable of cooling a battery [at least 312] by a heat medium [0176 “a liquid heat transfer fluid (also referred to herein as “coolant”)”], the battery cooling unit [300] comprising:
an inlet [334] through which the heat medium flows in from an outside of the battery cooling unit [0163“a front end plate 332 having fluid fittings” see also fig.21 clearly showing the heat medium flowing from an outside of the battery cooling unit];
an outlet [336] through which the heat medium flows out to the outside of the battery cooling unit [0163 “a front end plate 332 having fluid fittings” see also fig.21 clearly showing the heat medium flowing from an outside of the battery cooling unit];
a plurality of heat exchange portions [120 or 310; see also fig. 223 where a polarity of heat exchangers are shown] configured to be thermally connected to the battery [0087 “heat transfer surface”]; and
a distribution flow path [326 and 328] configured to distribute the heat medium flowing in from the inlet to the plurality of heat exchange portions [0162 “flow communication with internal fluid flow passages”], wherein when any two of the heat exchange portions [at least 310] among the heat exchange portions are defined as an upstream heat exchange [fig. 23 where two heat exchangers (310) would be considered up stream N number of heat exchangers] portion and a downstream heat exchange portion disposed downstream of the upstream heat exchange portion [fig. 23 where two heat exchangers (310) would be considered downstream N number of heat exchangers].
Cheadle does not explicitly teach, with reference to a flow direction of the heat medium, the distribution flow path includes; a branch portion configured to branch into an introduction path through which a part of the heat medium flowing in from the inlet flows toward the upstream heat exchange portions and a bypass path that bypasses the upstream heat exchange portions, and a join portion configured to join a part or all of the heat medium flowing through the bypass path with the heat medium flowing through the upstream heat exchange portions and flow the joined heat medium to the downstream heat exchange portions, the bypass path being configured to bypass the heat exchange portions before a part or all of the heat medium flowing through the bypass path flows to the join portion.
However, Vakilimoghaddam teaches a flow direction of the heat medium [see fig. 6], the distribution flow path [64 and 66 corresponding to of 326 and 328 Cheadle] includes;
a branch portion [58] configured to branch into an introduction path [66] through which a part [fig. 6 where clearly some of the heat medium flows into (66)] of the heat medium flowing in from the inlet [85 corresponding to 334 of Cheadle] flows toward the upstream heat exchange portions [fig. 6; 54] and a bypass path [64] that bypasses the upstream heat exchange portions [fig. 6], and
a join portion [57] configured to join a part or all of the heat medium [fig.6] flowing through the bypass path with the heat medium flowing through the upstream heat exchange portions [fig. 6; illustrating 64 joining with 66 at 57 which joins with 54] and flow the joined heat medium to the downstream heat exchange portions [fig. 6 illustrating downstream flow], the bypass path [64] being configured to bypass the heat exchange portions [fig. 6 clearly showing different heat exchange portions corresponding to 120 or 310 of Cheadle] before a part or all of the heat medium flowing through the bypass [64] path flows to the join portion [fig. 6].
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Cheadle to have with reference to a flow direction of the heat medium, the distribution flow path includes; a branch portion configured to branch into an introduction path through which a part of the heat medium flowing in from the inlet flows toward the upstream heat exchange portions and a bypass path that bypasses the upstream heat exchange portions, and a join portion configured to join a part or all of the heat medium flowing through the bypass path with the heat medium flowing through the upstream heat exchange portions and flow the joined heat medium to the downstream heat exchange portions, the bypass path being configured to bypass the heat exchange portions before a part or all of the heat medium flowing through the bypass path flows to the join portion in view of the teachings of Vakilimoghaddam where the elements could have been combined by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded predictable results,
i.e. secures a battery cooling unit where a bypass flow incrementally joins with a heat exchange flow which ensures adequate plow passing through the heat exchanger [Vakilimoghaddam; 0008].
Regarding Claim 2, Cheadle teaches a battery cooling unit [ at least 300; 0161 ] capable of cooling a battery [at least 312] by a heat medium [0176 “a liquid heat transfer fluid (also referred to herein as “coolant”)”], the battery cooling unit [300] comprising:
an inlet [334] through which the heat medium flows in from an outside of the battery cooling unit [0163“a front end plate 332 having fluid fittings” see also fig.21 clearly showing the heat medium flowing from an outside of the battery cooling unit];
an outlet [336] through which the heat medium flows out to the outside of the battery cooling unit [0163 “a front end plate 332 having fluid fittings” see also fig.21 clearly showing the heat medium flowing from an outside of the battery cooling unit]; and
a distribution flow path [326 and 328] configured to distribute to a plurality of heat exchange portions [120 or 310; see also fig. 23 where a polarity of heat exchangers are shown] configured to be thermally connected to the battery [0087 “heat transfer surface”], wherein when the number of heat exchange portions provided is N [0161 where one or more indicates an Nth number of heat exchangers], a first heat exchange portion [fig. 23 where there is first heat exchanger (310)] and a second heat exchange portion [fig. 23 where there is a second heat exchanger (310)] up to the Nth heat exchange portion [0161 where one or more indicates an Nth number of heat exchangers] are disposed in an order from upstream to downstream [fig. 23 where one or more heat exchangers (310) would be disposed in an order from upstream to downstream].
Cheadle does not explicitly teach, with reference to a flow direction of the heat medium, the distribution flow path includes: a first branch portion configured to branch into a first introduction path through which a part of the heat medium flowing in from the inlet flows toward the first heat exchange portion and a bypass path that bypasses the first heat exchange portion, and(N-1) join portions from a first join portion, the first join portion being configured to join a part of the heat medium flowing through the bypass path with the heat medium flowing through the first heat exchange portion and flow the joined heat medium to the second heat exchange portion, to the (N-1)th join portion, the (N-1)th join portion being configured to join all of the heat medium flowing through the bypass path with the heat medium flowing through the (N-1)th heat exchange portion and flow the joined heat medium to the Nth heat exchange portion, the bypass path being configured to bypass the heat exchange portions before a part or all of the heat medium flowing through the bypass path flows to the join portion.
However, Vakilimoghaddam teaches with reference to a flow direction of the heat medium [fig. 6], the distribution flow path [64 and 66 corresponding to of 326 and 328 Cheadle] includes:
a first branch portion [58] configured to branch into a first introduction path [66] through which a part of the heat medium flowing in [fig. 6 where clearly some of the heat medium flows into (66)] from the inlet [85 corresponding to 334 of Cheadle] flows toward the first heat exchange portion [fig. 6; 54] and a bypass [64] path that bypasses the first heat exchange portion [fig. 6 clearly showing different heat exchange portions corresponding to 120 or 310 of Cheadle], and (N-1) [54] join portions from a first join portion [57], the first join portion [57] being configured to join a part of the heat medium flowing through the bypass path [fig. 6] with the heat medium flowing through the first heat exchange portion [fig. 6; illustrating 64 joining with 66 at 57 which joins with 54] and flow the joined heat medium to the second heat exchange portion [fig. 6 showing flow joined at the second heat exchange portion (the portion directly downstream of 57 where it is joined at 54) corresponding to 310 of Cheadle], to the (N-1)th join portion [54], the (N-1)th join portion [54] being configured to join all of the heat medium flowing through the bypass path [64] with the heat medium flowing through the (N-1)th heat exchange portion and flow the joined heat medium to the Nth heat exchange portion [fig. 6], the bypass path [64] being configured to bypass the heat exchange portions [fig. 6 clearly showing different heat exchange portions corresponding to 120 or 310 of Cheadle] before a part or all of the heat medium flowing through the bypass [64] path flows to the join portion [fig. 6].
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the assembly of Cheadle to have with reference to a flow direction of the heat medium, the distribution flow path includes: a first branch portion configured to branch into a first introduction path through which a part of the heat medium flowing in from the inlet flows toward the first heat exchange portion and a bypass path that bypasses the first heat exchange portion, and(N-1) join portions from a first join portion, the first join portion being configured to join a part of the heat medium flowing through the bypass path with the heat medium flowing through the first heat exchange portion and flow the joined heat medium to the second heat exchange portion, to the (N-1)th join portion, the (N-1)th join portion being configured to join all of the heat medium flowing through the bypass path with the heat medium flowing through the (N-1)th heat exchange portion and flow the joined heat medium to the Nth heat exchange portion, the bypass path being configured to bypass the heat exchange portions before a part or all of the heat medium flowing through the bypass path flows to the join portion in view of the teachings of Vakilimoghaddam where the elements could have been combined by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded predictable results
i.e. secures a battery cooling unit where a bypass flow incrementally joins with a heat exchange flow through many join portions which ensures adequate plow passing through the heat exchanger [Vakilimoghaddam; 0008].
Regarding Claim 3, modified Cheadle teaches the battery cooling unit according to claim 2 and Vakilimoghaddam teach wherein an amount of the heat medium [heat medium; Cheadle] introduced from the first introduction path [66; Vakilimoghaddam] to the first heat exchange portion [first heat exchange portion; Cheadle] is the same as an amount of the heat medium [heat medium; Cheadle] distributed from the bypass path [64; Vakilimoghaddam] and joined to each of the heat exchange portions [heat exchange portions; Cheadle] from the second heat exchange portion [second heat exchange portions; Cheadle] to the Nth heat exchange portion [fig. 6; 54; Vakilimoghaddam ].
Regarding Claim 7, modified Cheadle teaches the battery cooling unit of claim 1 and Vakilimoghaddam teaches wherein the battery cooling unit [Cheadle; 300] comprises a lower plate [18] and an upper plate [12], where the lower plate [18] is configured to be brazed [0023 “brazing”] to the upper plate [12] such that the lower plate and the upper plate are rigidly connected [0023 “joined together”].
Regarding Claim 12, modified Cheadle teaches the battery cooling unit of claim 2 and Cheadle teaches wherein a local flow rate [0132 “flow rate”] of the heat medium introduced into the first introduction path [Vakilimoghaddam; 66] is equal to an inlet flow rate [where the flow rate would be equal at the inlet], measured at the inlet, divided by the number of heat exchange portions N [0132 where it would be apparent to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application that the flow rate would be equal to an inlet flow rate measured at the inlet, divided by the number of heat exchange portions N].
Regarding Claim 13, modified Cheadle teaches the battery cooling unit of claim 2 and Vakilimoghaddam teaches wherein a joint flow rate [fig. 6] of the heat medium that joins at the first join portion [57] is equal to a bypass flow rate of the heat medium that passes through the first heat exchange portion [fig. 6].
Regarding Claim 14, modified Cheadle teaches the battery cooling unit of claim 2 and Cheadle teaches wherein a flow rate of the heat medium at the inlet is equal to a flow rate of the heat medium at an Nth introduction path for the Nth heat exchange portion [0132 where the flow rate would be the same because the heat medium is considered incompressible.].
Regarding Claim 15, modified Cheadle teaches the batter cooling unit of claim 1 and Vakilimoghaddam teaches wherein a temperature of the heat medium increases as the heat medium flows from the upstream heat exchanger to the downstream heat exchanger [0007 “temperature of the heat transfer fluid will increase as it travels through the heat exchanger”].
Claim(s) 4-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cheadle et al.( US2019/0366876A1) and Vakilimoghaddam et al. (US2021/0254895A1) as applied to claim 1 above and in view of Iwasa et al. (US2013/0027882A1).
Regarding Claim 4, modified Cheadle teaches the battery cooling unit according to claim 1 and Cheadle teaches a battery cooling system [200] on which the battery cooling unit according to claim 1 is mounted [fig. 19].
Modified Cheadle does not explicitly teach the battery cooling system comprising: a refrigeration cycle in which a refrigerant circulates; a cooling water cycle which is thermally coupled to the refrigeration cycle and in which cooling water circulates; and a chiller which is thermally coupled the refrigeration cycle and the cooling water cycle and configured to perform heat exchange between the refrigerant and the cooling water, wherein the refrigeration cycle includes; a compressor configured to compress and discharge the refrigerant heated in the chiller, a radiator configured to radiate heat from the refrigerant discharged from the compressor, and a decompression device configured to decompress the refrigerant flowing out from the radiator, and the cooling water cycle includes; a pump configured to pump the cooling water, and the battery cooing unit into which water cooled in the chiller flows to cool the battery.
However, Iwasa teaches the battery cooling system comprising [fig. 16 corresponding to 200 of Cheadle]:
a refrigeration cycle [20] in which a refrigerant circulates [at least 0066; refrigerant, which is discharged, clearly shows a refrigerant that circulates];
a cooling water cycle [ 1; fig. 1; 0060] which is thermally coupled to the refrigeration cycle [fig. 1; 0060] and in which cooling water [40] circulates [0060]; and
a chiller [21; 0060] which is thermally coupled the refrigeration cycle [20; 0060] and the cooling water cycle [1; 0060] and configured to perform heat exchange between the refrigerant and the cooling water [0060], wherein the refrigeration cycle [20] includes:
a compressor [22; fig. 1] configured to compress and discharge the refrigerant heated in the chiller [0068], a radiator [23] configured to radiate heat from the refrigerant discharged from the compressor [0066], and
a decompression device [24a] configured to decompress the refrigerant flowing out from the condenser [0066], and
the cooling water cycle includes [1]:
a pump [5; fig. 1] configured to pump the cooling water [0063], and
the battery cooling unit [taught by the combination above in at least claim 1] into which water cooled in the chiller flows to cool the battery [fig. 1; 0060-0065].
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of the modified Cheadle teaching with Iwasa by combining the battery cooling system comprising: a refrigeration cycle in which a refrigerant circulates; a cooling water cycle which is thermally coupled to the refrigeration cycle and in which cooling water circulates; and a chiller which is thermally coupled the refrigeration cycle and the cooling water cycle and configured to perform heat exchange between the refrigerant and the cooling water, wherein the refrigeration cycle includes; a compressor configured to compress and discharge the refrigerant heated in the chiller, a radiator configured to radiate heat from the refrigerant discharged from the compressor, and a decompression device configured to decompress the refrigerant flowing out from the radiator, and the cooling water cycle includes; a pump configured to pump the cooling water, and the battery cooing unit into which water cooled in the chiller flows to cool the battery where the elements could have been combined by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded predictable results,
i.e. secures a battery cooling system that includes a thermal management system which improves the cooling performance [Iwasa; 0004].
Regarding Claim 5, modified Cheadle teaches the battery cooling unit of claim 1 and Cheadle teaches the heat medium [0176 “a liquid heat transfer fluid (also referred to herein as “coolant”)”].
Modified Cheadle does not explicitly teach wherein the heat medium comprises a cooling water and further comprises a refrigerant or oil.
However, Iwasa teaches wherein the heat medium [heat medium corresponding to heat medium of Cheadle] comprises a cooling water [0060 “water”] and further comprises a refrigerant (0066 “refrigerant”).
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of the modified Cheadle teaching with Iwasa by combining wherein the heat medium comprises a cooling water and further comprises a refrigerant or oil where the elements could have been combined by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded predictable results,
i.e. secures a battery cooling unit with cooling water and a refrigerant which has specific thermal properties.
Regarding Claim 6, modified Cheadle teaches the battery cooling unit of claim 5 and Iwasa teaches wherein the cooling water [0060] further comprises an antifreeze liquid [0060 “antifreeze”].
Claim(s) 8 -11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cheadle et al.( US2019/0366876A1) and Vakilimoghaddam et al. (US2021/0254895A1) as applied to claim 4 above and in view of Jin et al. (US2022/0097487A1).
Regarding Claim 8, modified Cheadle teaches the battery cooling system of claim 4 and Iwasa teaches the refrigeration cycle [20].
Modified Cheadle does not explicitly teach the refrigeration cycle further comprises an accumulator disposed between the chiller and the compressor.
However Jin teaches the refrigeration cycle [fig. 6 corresponding to 20 of Iwasa] further comprises an accumulator [260] disposed between the chiller [252 corresponding to 21 of Iwasa] and the compressor[210 corresponding to 22 of Iwasa].
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of the modified Cheadle teaching with Jin by combining the refrigeration cycle further comprises an accumulator disposed between the chiller and the compressor where the elements could have been combined by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded predictable results,
i.e. secures a battery cooling system with refrigeration cycle components which improves the efficiency of the system [Jin; 0080].
Regarding Claim 9, modified Cheadle teaches the battery cooling system of claim 4and Iwasa teaches the radiator.
Modified Cheadle does not explicitly teach further comprising a receiver tank, connected to the radiator, that is configured to store liquid refrigerant.
However, Jin teaches further comprising a receiver tank [370], connected to the radiator [310 corresponding to 23 of Iwasa], that is configured to store liquid refrigerant [0104 “store the cooling water”].
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of the modified Cheadle teaching with Jin by combining further comprising a receiver tank, connected to the radiator, that is configured to store liquid refrigerant where the elements could have been combined by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded predictable results,
i.e. secures a battery cooling system with a receiver tank connected to the radiator which improves the efficiency of the system [Jin; 0080].
Regarding Claim 10, modified Cheadle teaches the battery cooling system of claim 9 and Iwasa wherein the compressor [22], the radiator [23], the receiver tank [Jin; 370], and the decompression device [24a] are connected via a refrigerant flow path [0060].
Regarding Claim 11, modified Cheadle teaches the battery cooling system of claim 10 and Iwasa teaches wherein the refrigerant circulates in the refrigerant flow path [fig. 1].
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 Adam D Moore whose telephone number is (703)756-1932. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday: 09:00AM-07:00PM (Eastern).
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/ADAM DORREL MOORE/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/ELIZABETH J MARTIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763