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 Interpretation
Claim 24 recites “…a sensor configured to detect heat, pressure, or a fire in the plurality of module regions, wherein as the sensor detects an anomaly exceeding a preset temperature or pressure value or detects the occurrence of a fire, the at least one sealing plate is separated from the at least one discharge port or ruptures.” The current claim language does not require a causal connection between the sensor’s function and the separation/rupture of the sealing plate. It only requires that they happen at the same time. Therefore, prior art that discloses/teaches a system where a sensor detects an anomaly and a sealing plate ruptures simultaneously may sustain a prior art rejection.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 12, 14, 15, and 17-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Liang (US 2023/0282918 A1).
Regarding claims 12, 22, and 23, Liang discloses a pack case comprising a base plate (310b), a side wall (310a), a partition wall (310c) that partitions the base plate to form a plurality of module regions capable of holding battery cells, and an upper cover (310d, as required by claim 22). See Fig. 3 below.
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Liang continues to disclose that the side-wall, including a region enclosed by the circle above, may comprise a second chamber filled with a fire-fighting agent [0109], such as gaseous carbon dioxide, as required by claim 23 [0112]. These walls have discharge ports (3104, Fig. 12) that allow the second chamber to communicate with module regions and there is at least one sealing plate (Liang’s “weak member”; Fig. 12, 3105) coupled to the discharge port (Fig. 12, [0146]). This sealing plate may separate from the discharge port when the pressure in the second chamber reaches a certain threshold which occurs when the battery cells undergo thermal runaway [0146]. Therefore, the separation, albeit indirectly, is caused by a temperature change in the module regions containing the battery cell.
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Regarding claims 14 and 15, Liang teaches that the sealing plate may also be a plastic hot-melt part (316, Fig. 23) that melts when the batteries experience thermal runaway ([0162], [0164], and Fig. 23).
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Regarding claims 17 and 18, Liang discloses that a side wall may be provided with a plurality of second chambers in order to release an extinguishing gas in multiple locations [0116]. The partition wall 310c in Fig. 3 above separates the inner space of the pack case into two module regions. In order to supply both regions with extinguishing gas in the case of thermal runaway, there must be multiple discharge ports and sealing plates in the side wall to ensure that each module region is able to receive extinguishing gas (as required by claim 17). Furthermore, based on this teaching, each module region may have a second chamber (the claimed gas-filled part) that corresponds with each region, each with its own discharge port and sealing part (as required by claim 18). Therefore, Liang discloses a plurality of both discharge ports and sealing plates to ensure that extinguishing gas is able to be supplied in every part of the pack case that may hold battery cells.
Regarding claim 19, the side wall of Liang’s pack case further comprises a front frame, side frame, and rear frame as seen in the figure below.
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As mentioned above, each module region may have a second chamber that corresponds with each region, and each second chamber would have its own discharge port and sealing plate the corresponds with said region.
Regarding claims 20 and 21, Liang discloses that the inner space of the side wall is used to store the extinguishing gas [0096]. This “inner space” corresponds with the “second chamber(s)” mentioned throughout their disclosure. The side wall, and by extension, the second chamber(s), extend(s) in the lengthwise direction. As mentioned above, each module region may have a second chamber that corresponds with each region (as required by claim 20), meaning that they would be formed separately from each other (as required by claim 21).
Regarding claim 24, Liang discloses that the battery cells may contain a sensor that can detect temperature/heat in the module regions [0114]. Since the sealing plate ruptures/separates at a certain temperature and/or pressure, the detection of a specific temperature and the rupture/separation of the sealing plate may happen simultaneously.
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.
Claims 13 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liang and further in view of Mitchell (US 2003/0232236 A1). Liang does not explicitly teach a sealing plate coupled to the discharge port by a thermoplastic that would be separated from the discharge port as the thermoplastic is melted. Liang also does not explicitly teach a thermoplastic sealing resin interposed between the sealing plate and the discharge port where the sealing plate is separated from the discharge port as the sealing resin is melted. However, Liang discloses that the weak member (corresponding with the claimed sealing plate; Fig. 12, 3105) can be located outside the communication port (corresponding with the claimed discharge port; Fig. 12, 3104) as seen in the figure below and can be connected to the side wall through a connecting member.
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Mitchell is analogous art to Liang because both teach batteries (Mitchell, title; Liang, title). Mitchell teaches that thermoplastic materials can be used as a sealant and/or adhesive [0039], including “hot-melt” adhesives [0040]. These materials melt at elevated temperatures; Mitchell provides a range of 100 °C – 200 °C as an example [0038]. Such a thermoplastic material is suitable to be used as a connecting member between the communication port and the weak member, as required by claim 13. The selection of a known material based on its suitability for its intended use supports a prima facie obviousness determination. See MPEP 2144.07. Additionally, when the thermoplastic melts, the sealing plate will separate from the discharge port. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to use Mitchell’s hot-melt adhesive to couple Liang’s sealing member to their discharge port.
Furthermore, since the adhesive is heated to soften in order to securely adhere the weak member to the discharge port, it is natural that some of the thermoplastic may contact the edge of the sealing plate, as required by claim 16. As mentioned above, the thermoplastic is situated between the discharge port and the sealing plate and the sealing plate will separate from the discharge port when the thermoplastic is melted.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RYAN K BLACKWELL-RUDASILL whose telephone number is (571)270-0563. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
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/R.B.R./Examiner, Art Unit 1722
/ANCA EOFF/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1722
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