DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
In the amendment dated 9/2/26, the following has occurred: Claims 1-8 have been amended.
Regarding the rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(b), Applicant’s amendments introducing “A battery” in claim 1 and referring to “The battery” in dependent claims are acknowledged and the 112(b) rejection has been withdrawn.
Claims 1-8 are pending. This communication is a Final Rejection in response to the "Amendment" and "Remarks" filed on 9/2/26.
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 Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claims 1-4 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20090208829 A1 (US'829) in view of US 20210005943 A1 (US'943) and US 20190334134 A1 (US'134).
As to Claim 1: US’829 discloses a battery pack system comprising a plurality of battery cells (accumulators) (US’829 [0023]–[0028]); discloses that an evaporation section of a heat pipe is arranged to thermally contact a conducting plate (strip) of the battery pack that is in thermal contact with a plurality of battery cells (US’829 [0033]–[0037]); teaches that a thermal interface material (thermal pad) is disposed between each heat pipe and the conducting plate to improve the contact surface and ensure thermal conduction (US’829 [0037]); and teaches one or more heat pipes each having an evaporation section and a condensation section containing a working fluid (heat transfer fluid) ensuring the transport of thermal energy, wherein the condensation section is coupled to an external cold plate (heat exchanger) cooled by liquid circulation allowing to cool or heat the fluid loop (US’829 [0034]–[0041]).
However, US’829 does not explicitly disclose that the accumulator is in contact at one of its ends via a vertical layer stack featuring a separate, distinct structural thermal interface plate positioned downstream of the thermal pad, nor does it explicitly disclose that one end of the accumulator is maintained by an electrically insulating mechanical maintaining plate to avoid lateral sliding of the accumulator.
US’943 discloses a multi-layer end-cooling stack configuration that explicitly incorporates separate metal cooling plates (thermal interface plates) running directly between a thermal interface material layer and a primary heatsink loop (US’943 [0039]–[0045], [0048]–[0052]). Within this vertical interface layout, US’943 teaches that a heat transfer member (thermal pad) is positioned directly between the cell’s electrical bus bar (strip) and the separate cooling plate (thermal interface plate) in order to optimize boundary contact surfaces and maximize thermal conduction pathways (US’943 [0041]–[0045], [0050]–[0052]). Furthermore, US’134 discloses a modular battery housing that incorporates a dedicated cell holder (mechanical maintaining plate) positioned directly on the cell end faces. This cell holder features individual structural receptacles that receive the battery cells in a tight form-fit to secure them and completely prevent mechanical shifting or lateral sliding during operation. US’134 explicitly teaches that this cell holder acting as the end maintaining assembly is manufactured out of an inherently electrically insulating plastics material (US’134 [0027], [0030]–[0032]).
US’829, US’943, and US’134 are analogous arts because each reference belongs to the same field of endeavor, namely the electrical and mechanical engineering design field of multi-cell battery packs and associated structural containment enclosures configured for supporting, protecting, and actively managing the operational deployment and temperature regulation of secondary electrochemical cells (US’829 [0002]–[0004], [0021]–[0028], [0033]–[0041]; US’943 [0002]–[0020]; US’134 [0003]–[0022]).
It would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to modify the primary end-cooling battery configuration of US’829 by introducing the separate metal cooling plates (thermal interface plates) taught by US’943 between the thermal pad and the flat heat pipe body to act as a rigid structural buffer that shields the thin vacuum envelope of the heat pipe from direct mechanical stresses while expanding thermal spreading pathways across the terminal interface (US’829 [0034]–[0037]; US’943 [0041]–[0045], [0050]–[0052]). It would have been further obvious to incorporate the plastic, electrically insulating end-face cell holder (mechanical maintaining plate) taught by US’134 to capture the cell ends in a secure form-fit configuration. A POSITA would be motivated to make these structural additions to create a highly streamlined mechanical containment design that completely arrests lateral cell sliding under heavy operational vibrations, while inherently utilizing the electrical insulation of the plastic material to prevent hazardous short-circuiting between adjacent high-voltage terminals and neighboring metallic cooling elements (US’134 [0027], [0030]–[0032], [0037]).
As to Claim 2:US’829 discloses a battery according to claim 1, see the rejection of claim 1; and teaches that a plurality of battery cells are organized inside a housing framework (US’829 [0002]–[0008], [0060]–[0062]).
However, US’829 does not explicitly disclose the core limitations of claim 1 as set forth in the rejection of claim 1, and further fails to disclose that a mechanical maintaining plate is disposed at each end of an accumulator.
US’134 discloses a modular battery module design where cell contact points are situated on opposite longitudinal sides or end faces of the respective battery module, and explicitly teaches providing a cell holder acting as an insulating mechanical maintaining plate at an end face of the cell assembly (US’134 [0015], [0021], [0027]). Furthermore, US’134 in view of US’943 discloses a balanced bilateral enclosure design wherein structural components—such as opposite end cases, cell holders, or bus bar housing frames—are symmetrically mirrored and disposed at each opposite end of an accumulator cell module to provide total mechanical containment and longitudinal stability (US’134 [0015], [0021], [0027], [0037]–[0038]; US’943 [0010]–[0015], [0038]–[0045], [0075]–[0084]).
It would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to modify the primary battery configuration of US’829 as modified by the thermal stack and insulating end-plate features of US’943 and US’134 as applied to claim 1, and to further duplicate and dispose the insulating mechanical maintaining plate (cell holder) at each end of the accumulator cell. A POSITA would be motivated to provide this bilateral maintaining plate configuration based on the balanced double-sided housing layouts taught by US’134 and US’943 to secure comprehensive structural stabilization of individual cells against multi-directional operational shock and heavy vibrations, while predictably ensuring safe physical containment and robust electrical isolation of high-voltage terminal poles at both longitudinal extremities of the cell module (US’134 [0015], [0021], [0027], [0037]–[0038]; US’943 [0010]–[0015], [0038]–[0045], [0075]–[0084]).
As to Claim 3: US’829 discloses a battery according to claim 1, see the rejection of claim 1; and discloses that battery cells have a positive terminal and a negative terminal located at opposite ends (US’829 [0003], [0060]–[0062], [0078]). However, US’829 does not explicitly disclose the core limitations of claim 1 as set forth in the rejection of claim 1, and further fails to disclose that an assembly of a heat pipe, a strip, a thermal pad, and a thermal interface plate is disposed at each end of an accumulator.
US’943 discloses a dual-sided symmetric cooling profile for a battery module where a bus bar assembly (comprising a connection bus bar and a heat transfer member) and a cooling plate are mounted to both side surfaces of the battery cells (US’943 [0010]–[0015], [0035]–[0045], [0050]–[0052]). Specifically, US’943 teaches providing duplicate sets of these thermal layers symmetrically at each longitudinal extremity of the battery cells to interface with a corresponding pair of upper and lower heatsinks to effectively manage cell temperatures uniformly (US’943 [0075]–[0084]).
It would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to modify the primary battery configuration of US’829 as modified by the thermal stack and insulating end-plate features of US’943 and US’134 as applied to claim 1, and to further duplicate and dispose the cooling assembly—comprising the heat pipe, strip, thermal pad, and thermal interface plate—at each end of the accumulator cell. A POSITA would be motivated to deploy this bilateral symmetric cooling stack configuration based on the dual upper/lower heatsink design taught by US’943 to effectively prevent severe cooling temperature deviations inside individual cells, thereby significantly reducing thermal gradients across the length of the accumulators to maximize overall battery module energy capacity and delay cell aging (US’943 [0050]–[0054], [0075]–[0084]; US’134 [0027]–[0032], [0037]).
As to Claim 4: US’829 discloses a battery according to claim 3, see the rejection of the claim that this claim is depended on; and teaches that a plurality of battery cells are arranged inside a housing framework (US’829 [0058]–[0062]). However, US’829 does not explicitly disclose the core limitations of claim 1 and claim 3 as set forth in the rejections of claims 1 and 3, and further fails to disclose a maintaining rod, means for maintaining under tension, and two stacks of a strip, a thermal pad and a thermal interface plate, the first stack being in contact with one end of the accumulator and the second stack being in contact with the other end of the accumulator, the maintaining rod being disposed through the two stacks and being associated with the means for maintaining under tension allowing to maintain the accumulator under tension between the two stacks.
US’943 discloses a multi-layer clamping arrangement for a battery module featuring two stacks of bus bars and cooling plates at opposite ends of the battery cells (US’943 [0040]–[0045], [0050]–[0052], [0075]–[0084]). Specifically, US’943 teaches integrating a plurality of elongated module structural screws or tie bolts (maintaining rod) that extend completely through holes or ports in the module assembly profile and are fixed to a structural base to exert continuous clamping pressure (means for maintaining under tension) (US’829 [0064], [0067]). This tensioning layout passes directly through the opposite end stack layers, allowing the tie bolts to hold the battery cell module securely clamped and maintained under tight compressive tension between the two stacks (US’829 [0064], [0067]; US’943 [0075]–[0084]).
It would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to modify the primary battery configuration of US’829 as modified by the thermal stack, insulating end-plate, and double-sided structural cooling features of US’943 and US’134 as applied to claims 1 and 3, and to further incorporate the module structural screws or tie bolts (maintaining rod) and structural compression base fastening assembly (means for maintaining under tension) taught by US’943 (US’829 [0064], [0067]; US’943 [0040]–[0045], [0050]–[0052], [0075]–[0084]; US’134 [0018]–[0022], [0027], [0037]). A POSITA would be motivated to pass these maintaining rods through the opposing end stacks to apply a continuous, uniform clamping tension across the multi-layer sandwich module, which predictably squashes the compressible thermal pads against the face of the electrical strips and interface plates to significantly minimize interfacial thermal contact resistance, prevent structural gapping from material thermal expansion or contraction, and enhance the overall torsional stiffness and mechanical load capacity of the entire battery pack (US’829 [0064], [0067]–[0070]; US’134 [0014], [0018]–[0019], [0027], [0037]).
As to Claim 7:US’829 discloses a battery according to claim 1, see the rejection of the claim that this claim is depended on; and discloses a cooling arrangement where flat heat pipes are coupled to an external cold plate cooled by active liquid circulation to transport heat away from the cells (US’829 [0068]–[0071]). However, US’829 does not explicitly disclose the core limitations of claim 1 as set forth in the rejection of claim 1, and further fails to disclose that a thermal interface plate is provided with a cooling channel in fluid contact with a heat pipe.
US’943 discloses a thermal management design where a pair of separate cooling plates (thermal interface plates) are integrated into a fluid circuit. Specifically, US’943 teaches providing a perimeter tube that at least partially surrounds each cooling plate, wherein the perimeter tube contains an internal flow path (cooling channel) through which liquid coolant flows to place the channel in direct fluid and thermal contact with the cooling plate assembly and communicate with a primary heatsink fluid loop (US’943 [0057]–[0068]).
It would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to modify the primary battery configuration of US’829 as modified by the thermal stack, insulating end-plate, and separate cooling plate features of US’943 and US’134 as applied to claim 1, and to further provide the cooling plate (thermal interface plate) with an internal flow path channel in fluid contact with the fluid circuit as taught by US’943. A POSITA would be motivated to integrate this direct fluid cooling channel into the interface plate profile based on the perimeter tube design of US’943 to carry liquid coolant directly along the heat-spreading plane of the module, thereby minimizing thermal contact resistance, accelerating heat dissipation away from localized hot spots near cell terminals, and maintaining a highly compact, space-efficient fluid layout (US’943 [0048]–[0054], [0057]–[0068]; US’134 [0028]–[0032]).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20090208829 A1 (US'829) in view of US 20210005943 A1 (US'943) and US 20190334134 A1 (US'134), as applied to Claim 1, and further in view of EP 2993435 A1 (EP’435).
As to Claim 5:US’829 discloses a battery according to claim 1, see the rejection of the claim that this claim is depended on; and discloses a flat heat pipe configured adjacent to a conducting plate layout (US’829 [0068]–[0071]).
However, US’829 does not explicitly disclose the core limitations of claim 1 as set forth in the rejection of claim 1, and further fails to disclose that a heat pipe and a thermal interface plate are comprised in the same plane.
EP’435 discloses a heat exchange plate comprising stamped first and second sheets defining internal fluid channels or conduit loop paths integrated flushly within the outer surface profile of the plate structure, thereby teaching a configuration wherein the internal fluid routing lines and the structural interface plate body are comprised in the same plane to maximize available surface contact area and maintain a flat outer mating face (EP’435 p. 1; EP’435 p. 3; EP’435 p. 4); and US’943 and US’134 disclose the missing thermal interface plate, electrical strip, pad, and insulating sliding maintainer limitations of claim 1, see the rejection of claim 1 (US’943 [0039]–[0045], [0050]–[0052]; US’134 [0027]–[0032]).
US’829, US’943, US’134, and EP’435 are analogous arts because each reference belongs to the same field of endeavor, namely the electrical and mechanical engineering field of multi-cell battery systems and accompanying modular containment frames designed for supporting, nesting, and actively managing the operational temperature of battery cells (US’829 [0002]–[0007]; US’943 [0002]–[0020]; US’134 [0003]–[0022]; EP’435 p. 1–3).
It would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to modify the primary end-cooling battery configuration of US’829 as modified by the thermal stack and insulating end-plate features of US’943 and US’134 as applied to claim 1, and to further adapt the flat stamped integration layout taught by EP’435 by co-embedding or integrating the flat heat pipe structures of US’829 directly within the interior flat profile of the separate cooling plates (thermal interface plates) of US’943 (US’829 [0068]–[0071]; US’943 [0044]–[0052]; EP’435 p. 3–4). A POSITA would be motivated to arrange the heat pipe and the thermal interface plate within the same plane to achieve an ultra-low profile, space-saving battery assembly while ensuring a flush outer profile that eliminates localized uneven pressure zones and optimizes the uniform distribution of thermal energy across the cell terminal interface (US’943 [0050]–[0054]; EP’435 p. 2–4).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20090208829 A1 (US'829) in view of US 20210005943 A1 (US'943) and US 20190334134 A1 (US'134), as applied to Claim 1, and further in view of CN 110581325 A (CN’325).
As to Claim 6:US’829 discloses a battery according to claim 1, see the rejection of the claim that this claim is depended on; and discloses a cooling layout configuration where flat heat pipes are arranged adjacent to a conducting plate layout (US’829 [0068]–[0071]).
However, US’829 does not explicitly disclose the core limitations of claim 1 as set forth in the rejection of claim 1, and further fails to disclose that a heat pipe is disposed passing all the way through with respect to a thermal interface plate.
CN’325 discloses a structural cooling frame layout where a fluid conduit pipe is directly inserted into and through aligned mounting holes formed in matching frame pieces (“the said hole pipe is inserted in each of the frame”) to pass completely through the interior profile of the component assembly (CN’325 p. 2–6); and US’943 and US’134 disclose the missing thermal interface plate, electrical strip, pad, and insulating sliding maintainer limitations of claim 1, see the rejection of claim 1 (US’943 [0039]–[0045], [0050]–[0052]; US’134 [0027]–[0032]).
US’829, US’943, US’134, and CN’325 are analogous arts because each reference belongs to the same field of endeavor, namely the mechanical and electrical engineering field of multi-cell electrochemical battery pack systems and accompanying modular structural containment frames designed for securely mounting, supporting, and actively regulating the operational temperature of battery cells (US’829 [0002]–[0007]; US’943 [0002]–[0020]; US’134 [0003]–[0022]; CN’325 p. 2–4).
It would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to modify the primary end-cooling battery configuration of US’829 as modified by the thermal stack and insulating end-plate features of US’943 and US’134 as applied to claim 1, and to further adapt the structural routing layout of CN’325 by routing the phase-change heat pipe of US’829 directly through matching aligned apertures or passages formed through the separate cooling plates (thermal interface plates) of US’943. A POSITA would be motivated to arrange the heat pipe passing all the way through the thermal interface plate to create a rigid, mechanically interlocking component alignment that securely fixes the fluid conduits in place without external fasteners, resists displacement or shifting under heavy operational vibrations, and optimizes internal boundary surface contact to enhance heat transfer away from the accumulator cells (US’829 [0068]–[0071]; US’943 [0044]–[0052]; US’134 [0027]–[0032]; CN’325 p. 4–6).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20090208829 A1 (US'829) in view of US 20210005943 A1 (US'943) and US 20190334134 A1 (US'134), as applied to Claim 1, and further in view of Applicant’s Admitted Prior Art (AAPA).
As to Claim 8:US’829 discloses a battery according to claim 1, see the rejection of the claim that this claim is depended on; and teaches that high-capacity secondary battery packs are configured to supply electrical power to transport and vehicular loads (US’829 [0002]–[0008], [0060]–[0062]).
However, US’829 does not explicitly disclose the core structural limitations of claim 1 as set forth in the rejection of claim 1, and further fails to disclose an aircraft provided with the battery.
AAPA discloses that battery pack modules are standardly and conventionally utilized in the aeronautical field within aircraft to meet electric operational requirements (AAPA, p. 1); and US’943 and US’134 teach the missing structural thermal interface plate, electrical strip, pad, and insulating mechanical maintaining plate elements of claim 1, see the rejection of claim 1 (US’943 [0039]–[0045], [0050]–[0052]; US’134 [0027]–[0032]).
It would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to modify the primary battery configuration of US’829 as modified by the thermal stack and insulating end-plate features of US’943 and US’134 as applied to claim 1, and to further provide this optimized active thermal management battery pack within an aircraft as admitted by AAPA. A POSITA would be motivated to deploy this active heat-pipe stack cooling configuration within an aircraft to solve the acknowledged aeronautical defect on Page 1 of the specification where passive conduction loops introduce severe cell degradation, thereby predictably stabilizing accumulator operating temperatures to maximize charge capacities, delay battery cell aging, and prevent catastrophic thermal runaway propagation events during flight movement (AAPA, p. 1; US’943 [0048]–[0054]; US’134 [0028]–[0032]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 9/2/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Howard does not disclose a thermal interface plate between the thermal interface material and the heat pipe. Howard discloses thermal interface material 902 between anode plate 602 and heat pipe 802 (Howard, [0037]). The rejection, however, relies on the combined teachings of Howard, Park, and Reingruber. Park teaches a separate cooling plate 500 and a heat-transfer member 250 positioned in direct contact with both connection busbar 230 and cooling plate 500. Park further teaches that member 250 comprises thermal interface material and facilitates more rapid transfer of heat from the electrode lead and connection busbar to cooling plate 500 (Park, [0041]–[0045], [0050]–[0052]).
Park therefore teaches the relevant sequence of an electrically connecting busbar, a thermal-interface member, and a separate thermally conductive plate. Applying that arrangement to Howard would provide a separate thermally conductive plate between Howard’s thermal-interface material and heat pipe, while retaining the heat pipe as the downstream heat-removal component. The reason for applying Park’s arrangement is its disclosed improvement in cooling the electrode-lead region and reducing temperature deviation within the battery cell (Park, [0050]–[0054]). Thus, the absence of that separate plate in Howard alone does not establish its absence from the proposed combination.
Applicant further argues that Park is directed to temperature management and is silent regarding mechanical structural reinforcement. Park is relied upon for its thermal-interface and cooling-plate teachings. The mechanical cell-end retaining arrangement is supplied by Reingruber. Accordingly, Park need not independently disclose the retaining structure supplied by the other applied reference.
Regarding the limitation requiring one end of the accumulator to be maintained by a mechanical maintaining plate so as to avoid lateral sliding, Reingruber expressly discloses cell holder 7 at the end face opposite heat-conducting plate 11 (Reingruber, [0021]; Figs. 1–2). Reingruber further discloses that battery cells 4 protrude into holes in holder 7, which receives the cells in a form fit and thereby secures or supports them, providing mechanical stability (Reingruber, [0027]).
Applicant acknowledges that holder 7 is a plastic retaining plate but contends that it cannot prevent lateral sliding because the plate is horizontal while the battery cells are vertical. This argument does not account for the disclosed holes and their form-fitting engagement with the cell ends. The lateral restraint results from the surrounding walls of those holes, which constrain displacement of the received cell ends transverse to the cells’ longitudinal axes. A plate extending across the cell ends can therefore restrain lateral movement even though the plate is perpendicular to those axes. Figure 2 confirms the engagement of holder 7 around the cell-end regions.
Claim 1 does not require the maintaining plate to extend parallel to the accumulator’s longitudinal axis or to cover the accumulator’s entire sidewall. It requires maintenance of one end sufficient to avoid lateral sliding. Reingruber’s form-fitting cell-end holder supplies that structural and functional relationship. The horizontal orientation identified by Applicant does not negate the disclosed restraint.
Regarding electrical insulation, Reingruber specifies that holder 7 is preferably made of plastic (Reingruber, [0027]). In addition, Howard expressly teaches a cell-retaining frame 502 made of insulating material, such as plastic, with holes and deformable beams that hold the cells securely in place (Howard, [0028]). The combination therefore supplies an express teaching of insulating material for a mechanical cell-retaining component; it does not depend on an unsupported assertion that every plastic is electrically insulating.
It would have been obvious to form Reingruber’s plastic end holder from the insulating material taught for Howard’s cell-retaining frame, thereby retaining Reingruber’s disclosed form-fitting mechanical support while providing an insulating cell-retaining structure. Both references apply their retaining structures to battery cells received in openings. The proposed material selection preserves the holder’s disclosed mechanical function while incorporating the insulating property expressly taught by Howard.
Applicant’s discussion of spacers 19 does not establish a deficiency in this mapping. Reingruber identifies spacers 19 as components through which the battery modules are attached to heat-conducting plate 11 using screw connections (Reingruber, [0037]). Holder 7, rather than spacers 19, supplies the cell-end retaining plate discussed above. Consequently, the absence of an express electrical-property description for spacers 19 does not negate the combined teaching of an insulating holder 7.
Likewise, Reingruber’s metal heat-conducting plate 11, which forms load-bearing structural component 10, is distinct from cell holder 7 (Reingruber, [0027]–[0029]). The rejection does not require the metal heat-conducting plate to be electrically insulating. Applicant’s characterization of that plate therefore does not rebut the mapping of the mechanical maintaining plate to holder 7.
The combined teachings are considered as a whole. Applicant’s assertion that the combination lacks the disputed retaining limitation has been addressed substantively through Reingruber’s form-fitting end-holder disclosure and Howard’s insulating cell-retaining material. The determination does not rest merely on a conclusion that Applicant has argued the references individually. See MPEP § 2145, subsection IV.
For the reasons above, applicant's arguments have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
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 JIMMY K VO whose telephone number is (571)272-3242. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8 am to 6 pm EST.
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/JIMMY VO/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1723
/JIMMY VO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1723
Prosecution Insights