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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
• [0005] “single cooling device 3” should be ““single cooling device 93”
• [0034] “cooling face 3A” should be “cooling surface 3A”
• [0034] “discharge face 3B” should be “discharge surface 3B”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 and 6 are objected to because of the following informalities:
• Claim 1: Remove all “respective” in order to make the claim more clear.
• Claim 3: In line 6 “an insulating heat-conductive sheets” and in line 9 “the insulating heat-conductive sheets” should be “an electrically insulating heat-conductive sheets” and “the electrically insulating heat-conductive sheets”, respectively, in order to provide more clarity on the insulation.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-10 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.
Claim 1 recites “the bottom surfaces of the respective groups of the cylindrical batteries being flush with the respective planes on the respective one end surfaces of the plurality of battery blocks” in lines 10-12. It is not clear what “being flush with the respective planes on the respective one end surfaces” is indicating. For examination purposes, this phrase has been treated as any surface that is on the same plane as the bottom surface. Claims 2-10 are rejected for being dependent from claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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) 1-2, 4-5, and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ryu et al. (EP 3531500 A1) (Cited in IDS).
Regarding claim 1, Ryu teaches a battery module comprising:
a battery assembly (Fig. 4, 100, [0037]) including a plurality of battery blocks including respective groups of cylindrical batteries having bottom surfaces flush with respective planes (Fig. 2, 110, [0037]), the plurality of battery blocks being connected to one another in an axial direction of each of the cylindrical batteries (Fig 14, 520, see figure below. The axial direction is along the x-axis), and
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cooling plates configured to cool the respective groups of the cylindrical batteries of the plurality of battery blocks (Fig. 4, 200, [0052]), wherein
the plurality of battery blocks have: respective cooling surfaces constituted by respective one end surfaces of the plurality of battery blocks (Fig 4, 210, [0061]), the bottom surfaces of the respective groups of the cylindrical batteries being flush with the respective planes on the respective one end surfaces of the plurality of battery blocks (Fig 4, 210, [0061]); and
respective discharge surfaces constituted by respective opposite end surfaces of the plurality of battery blocks (Fig. 4, 210, [0061]), the respective groups of the cylindrical batteries including respective discharge valves having respective openings at the respective opposite end surfaces of the plurality of battery blocks (Fig. 3, 113, [0042]-[0044]),
the battery assembly includes a duct gap for discharge between adjoining battery blocks out of the plurality of battery blocks such that a cooling surface of one of the adjoining battery blocks out of the respective cooling surfaces of the plurality of battery blocks faces, across the duct gap, a discharge surface of another of the adjoining battery blocks out of the respective discharge surfaces of the plurality of battery blocks (Fig. 14, see figure below),
the cooling plates have respective L-shapes (Fig. 4, 200, [0052]) including respective heat-absorption plate portions (Fig 4, 220, [0061]) and respective heat-dissipation plate portions ((Fig 4, 210, [0061]) connected perpendicularly and unitarily to the respective heat-absorption plate portions (Fig. 4, 210, 220 [0054]),
one of the respective heat-absorption plate portions of one of the cooling plates is disposed on and thermally coupled to the cooling surface of the one of the adjoining battery blocks (Fig. 4, 220, 200 [0054])
the respective heat-dissipation plate portions are disposed on an outer surface of the battery assembly (Figure 14, see figure below), and
a gap functioning as the duct gap is provided between the one of the respective heat-absorption plate portions and the discharge surface of the another of the adjoining battery blocks of the battery assembly (Figure 14, see figure below).
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Regarding claim 2, Ryu teaches the battery module according to claim 1, wherein the battery assembly includes a plurality of duct gaps including the duct gap of the battery assembly (Fig 14 gaps), and
the cooling plates are disposed on the respective cooling surfaces in the plurality of duct gaps, the respective heat-dissipation plate portions of the cooling plates being flush with one another (Figs 2 and 14, see Fig. 2 below and Fig. 14 above).
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Regarding claim 4, Ryu teaches the battery module according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of battery blocks include respective battery holders positioning the respective groups of the cylindrical batteries of the plurality of battery blocks such that the respective groups of the cylindrical batteries are parallel to one another, and the duct gap of the battery assembly is provided between the battery blocks through one of the respective battery holders (Fig. 2, 401, [0122]).
Regarding claim 5, Ryu teaches the battery module according to claim 1, further comprising an active cooling device thermally coupled to the respective heat-dissipation plate portions (Fig. 4, 10 [0035]).
Regarding claim 8, Ryu teaches the battery module according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of battery blocks include respective battery holders positioning the respective groups of the cylindrical batteries such that the respective groups of the cylindrical batteries are parallel to one another, and the cooling plates (Fig 2, 210, [0061]) are fixed to the respective battery holders (Fig. 2, 401, [0122]).
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) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ryu et al. in view of Fukukawa et al. (EP2784869B1).
Regarding claim 3, Ryu teaches the battery module according to claim 1 but does not specifically teach that the battery module further comprises
a lead plate electrically connected to bottom surfaces of one group of cylindrical batteries out of the respective groups of the cylindrical batteries of the plurality of battery blocks; and
an insulating heat-conductive sheet is disposed between the lead plate and the one of the respective heat-absorption plate portions, wherein
the one of the respective heat-absorption plate portions is thermally coupled to the bottom surfaces of the one group of the cylindrical batteries via the insulating heat-conductive sheet and the lead plate.
Fukukawa, however, teaches a battery module that includes a plurality of battery cells [0007] that further comprises
a lead plate electrically connected to bottom surfaces of one group of cylindrical batteries out of the respective groups of the cylindrical batteries of the plurality of battery blocks (Fig. 7, lead plate 5, [0031]); and
an insulating heat-conductive sheet is disposed between the lead plate and the one of the respective heat-absorption plate portions (Fig 9B, 11, 32, [0038]-[0039], see figure below), wherein
the one of the respective heat-absorption plate portions is thermally coupled to the bottom surfaces of the one group of the cylindrical batteries via the insulating heat-conductive sheet and the lead plate (Fig. 9B, heat-radiating plates 14, [0038] see figure below).
Therefore, it would be obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date to modify the Ryu battery to include a lead plate and an insulating heat-conductive sheet in between the battery and the heat absorption plate because the lead plate connects the battery in parallel (Fukukawa et al. [0031]) and the insulating heat conductive sheet allows heat generated by the battery cells to be transferred through the battery holder and efficiently dissipated outside the battery pack while also preventing electricity from being conducted to the outside of the case (Fukukawa et al. [0039]).
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Claim(s) 6 and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ryu et al. in view of Rodriguez et al. (US 20030059676 A1).
Regarding claim 6, Ryu teaches the battery module according to claim 1, but does not specifically teach that the battery module further comprises
an outer case accommodating the battery assembly therein, wherein
the outer case includes:
a pair of end-surface plates disposed at opposite end surfaces of the battery assembly,
side plates disposed at respective opposite sides of the battery assembly, each of the side plates being connected to corresponding one sides of both sides of the end- surface plates; and
a bottom plate disposed on a bottom surface of the battery assembly,
the bottom plate has exposure openings therein for the respective heat-dissipation plate portions, and
each of the respective heat-dissipation plate portions are exposed through a corresponding one of the exposure openings.
Rodriguez, however, teaches a battery module that includes rechargeable battery cells [0001], the battery module further comprises
an outer case accommodating the battery assembly therein, wherein
the outer case includes:
a pair of end-surface plates disposed at opposite end surfaces of the battery assembly (Fig. 18, 41, [0056]),
side plates disposed at respective opposite sides of the battery assembly, each of the side plates being connected to corresponding one sides of both sides of the end- surface plates (Fig. 18, 41, [0056]); and
a bottom plate disposed on a bottom surface of the battery assembly.
the bottom plate has exposure openings therein for the respective heat-dissipation plate portions (Fig 19. 50, 51, [0060]).
Therefore, it would be obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date to modify the battery module to have an outer case with all of the features stated above because the case allows the battery blocks to be fixed and immobile (Rodriguez et al. [0056]). In addition, the openings at the bottom of the case will permit a greater passing of refrigerating fluids, air, water, and others through them (Rodriguez et al. [0060]).
This modified Ryu battery module teaches that the heat-dissipation plate portions are exposed through a corresponding one of the exposure openings. Since the heat dissipation plate is located at the bottom of the Ryu battery module (Ryu et al. Fig. 1, 10, [0034]), it will be exposed through the exposure openings located at the bottom of the case.
Regarding claim 7, the modified Ryu battery module teaches that the plurality of battery blocks include respective battery holders positioning the respective groups of the cylindrical batteries such that the respective groups of the cylindrical batteries are parallel to one another (Ryu et al. Fig. 2 , 401, [0122]) , and the side plates are fixed to the respective battery holders (Rodriguez et al. Fig. 18, 41, [0056]).
Claim(s) 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ryu et al. in view of Tatebayashi et al (US 20100072950 A1).
Regarding claim 9, Ryu teaches the battery module according to claim 1, but does not specifically teach that each of the battery blocks includes a plurality of parallel blocks each including plural cylindrical batteries of a corresponding one group of the respective groups of the cylindrical batteries such that the plural cylindrical batteries are connected in parallel to one another, the plurality of parallel blocks being connected in series to one another.
Tateybayashi, however, teaches a battery module with multiple blocks of batteries, with each battery block containing multiple battery units (Abstract). Tateybayashi also teaches that each of the battery blocks includes a plurality of parallel blocks each including plural cylindrical batteries of a corresponding one group of the respective groups of the cylindrical batteries such that the plural cylindrical batteries are connected in parallel to one another, the plurality of parallel blocks being connected in series to one another [0009].
Therefore, it would be obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date to modify the Ryu battery module to make it so that the battery units in the battery blocks are connected in parallel and the battery blocks are connected in series. This is because the parallel battery block can be considered as one battery in view of a battery voltage, and hence battery voltage measurement can be achieved by only measuring the voltage for the number of series connections, thereby offering an advantage that the protection circuit can be made relatively simple (Tateybayashi et al. [0010]).
Regarding claim 10, Ryu teaches the battery module according to claim 1, but does not specifically teach that the adjoining battery blocks of the battery assembly are connected in series to each other.
Tateybayashi, however, teaches that the adjoining battery blocks of the battery assembly are connected in series to each other [0009].
Therefore, it would be obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date to modify the Ryu battery module to make it so that the battery blocks are connected in series to one another because the battery block can be considered as one battery in view of a battery voltage, and hence battery voltage measurement can be achieved by only measuring the voltage for the number of series connections, thereby offering an advantage that the protection circuit can be made relatively simple (Tateybayashi et al. [0010]).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YVONNE WEI whose telephone number is (571)270-0870. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 7:30am-5pm, Friday 7:30am-4pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Niki Bakhtiari can be reached at (571) 272-3433. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/YVONNE WEI/ Examiner, Art Unit 1722
/NIKI BAKHTIARI/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1722
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