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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takeshi (JP 2010034002 A), and further in view of Jin et al. (CN 108199113 A).
As claim 1, Takeshi discloses a battery module comprising:
a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells is stacked (see e.g. battery cell 10 in annotated Fig. 2, and “the lead frames 110 and 120 of the plurality of battery cells 10 are connected to each other so that the battery cells 10 are connected in series” in Par. [0016]);
a container (see e.g. element 20 in annotated Fig. 2, and , and “The liquid filled in the container 20 is oil 40” In Par. [0021]) filled with a liquid (see e.g. element 40 in annotated Fig. 2, and “The liquid filled in the container 20 is oil 40” In Par. [0021]) and containing the battery cell stack (see e.g. “a container 20 that contains the battery cell 10 and is filled with a liquid, and a pressurizing unit that pressurizes the battery cell 10 through the liquid filled in the container 20” in Par. [0014]); and
a pressurizer (see e.g. element 30 in annotated Fig. 2) for pressurizing the liquid that is filled in the container (see e.g. “a container 20 that contains the battery cell 10 and is filled with a liquid, and a pressurizing unit that pressurizes the battery cell 10 through the liquid filled in the container 20” in Par. [0014]),
wherein the battery cells are solid-state battery cells (see e.g. “The solid electrolyte 105 is a sulfide-based solid electrolyte having lithium ion conductivity, and is formed in a layer shape.” in Par. [0015]),
the battery cell stack is packaged with a packaging material (see e.g. “the battery cell 10 includes the battery element 100 of the present invention, lead frames 110 and 120, and a packaging material 130.” in Par. [0015]),
the liquid contains an oil and a heat-absorbing material (see e.g. “The liquid filled in the container 20 is oil 40, and any liquid that can transmit pressure can be used. As the oil 40, for example, a normal hydraulic fluid can be used, and either a petroleum-based hydraulic fluid or a flame-retardant hydraulic fluid may be used.” in Par. [0021]).
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Annotated Fig. 2 from Takeshi (JP 2008197642 A)
Takeshi discloses a pressurized battery module, immersed in oil, that prevents the exposure of the solid electrolyte with undesired external chemicals, and suppress the generation of flammable gases inside the battery (see e.g. “The lithium battery and the lithium battery mounting device of the present invention can perform desired pressurization on the battery element, and can stabilize the power output. In addition, the exposure of the solid electrolyte can be reliably prevented, and the generation of combustible gas can be reliably suppressed.” in Par. [0012]). However, Takeshi does not disclose the heat absorbing material with an endothermic reaction initiation temperature of 80°C or greater and 190°C or less.
Jin et al. discloses a battery pack and a phase change material for thermal management of the battery cells to avoid the battery pack overheat (see e.g. “The phase change material-based thermal management material of the invention has good thermal conductivity and temperature control function, and can be used for battery pack thermal management of power batteries, communication base station batteries and other batteries, and thermal management when the battery cells in the battery pack are overheated” in Par. [0030]) The phase change material is understood as a heat-absorbing material, and it has an endothermic reaction temperature above 170 oC (see e.g. “the high melting point HDPE (melting point above 170 °C)” in Par. [0049]). Additionally, Jin et al. discloses a high-molecular-weight compound (see e.g. “The heat management material component of the present invention may or may not be added with an oil absorbing agent, when a high oil absorbing resin such as hydrogenated styrene-butadiene-styrene elastomer (SEBS) and/or high density polyethylene (HDPE) is used” in Par. [0035]), which is understood as a phase changing material, to avoid large flow after melt phase transformation of the phase change material.
Both Takeshi and Jin et al. are analogous in the field of thermal management of batteries, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skills in the art to modify the oil containing liquid of Takeshi et al. (see e.g. “The liquid filled in the container 20 is oil 40, and any liquid that can transmit pressure can be used. As the oil 40, for example, a normal hydraulic fluid can be used, and either a petroleum-based hydraulic fluid or a flame-retardant hydraulic fluid may be used” in Par. [0021] from Takeshi et al.) in the container of Takeshi to include a fluid with a phase change material (see e.g. “The heat management material component of the present invention may or may not be added with an oil absorbing agent, when a high oil absorbing resin such as hydrogenated styrene-butadiene-styrene elastomer (SEBS) and/or high density polyethylene (HDPE) is used.” in Par. [0035] from Jin et al.) as taught by Jin et al. for effectively absorbing heat and conduct diffusion rapidly, ensuring temperature uniformity between the individual cells in the battery pack, avoiding battery pack overheat as suggested by Jin et al.(see e.g. in Par. [0030]).
As claim 2, Takeshi in view of Jin et al. disclose the battery module according to claim 1,
Jin et al. discloses a high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which is a high-molecular-weight compound (see e.g. “The heat management material component of the present invention may or may not be added with an oil absorbing agent, when a high oil absorbing resin such as hydrogenated styrene-butadiene-styrene elastomer (SEBS) and/or high density polyethylene (HDPE) is used.” In Par. [0035]) to avoid the battery pack overheating. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is a phase change material with an endothermic reaction temperature above 170 oC (see e.g. “the high melting point HDPE (melting point above 170 °C)” in Par. [0049]), for effectively absorbing heat and conduct diffusion rapidly, ensuring temperature uniformity between the individual cells in the battery pack, avoiding battery pack overheat as suggested by Jin et al. (see e.g. in Par. [0030]).
As claim 3, Takeshi in view of Jin et al. disclose the battery module according to claim 1,
Takeshi discloses a laminate film formed by bonding three layers of polyethylene terephthalate / aluminum foil / polyethylene (see e.g. “The packaging material 130 of the present embodiment is a laminate film, and for example, a film in which a polyester resin layer or a polyamide resin layer / metal foil (or metal layer) / thermoadhesive resin layer or the like is bonded is usually used. In the present embodiment, for example, a laminate film formed by bonding three layers of polyethylene terephthalate / aluminum foil / polyethylene in this order is used” in Par. [0017]) for an easy manufacturing process.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Ryu et al. (US 20210083342 A1) discloses a battery thermal management system for a battery module, which comprises a modified phase change material with a transition temperature range between 90 and 120 oC.
Son et al. (US 20190288351 A1) discloses a cooling system for a battery module, which may use any one from the group consisting of inorganic substances in the form of hydrates, paraffinic hydrocarbons and organic acids, or a mixture thereof.
Zhou et al. (CN 111261974 A) discloses a battery cooling system that uses a phase change material which may be composed of one type of phase change material (PCM) or two or more types of PCMs selected among an organic PCM, an inorganic PCM, and an eutectic PCM.
Hartmann et al. (US 20160223269 A1) discloses a method for manufacturing a polymeric film with thermal management capabilities, where the selection of a phase change material (PCM) depends upon the transition temperature that is desired for a particular application.
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/I.T.D./ Examiner, Art Unit 1723
/TONG GUO/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1723
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