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 .
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)(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.
(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.
Claims 1-4, 8-10 and 12-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lahr (US2023/0141131).
With regard to claims 1-4, 8-10 and 12-15, Lahr (US2023/0141131) teaches a battery system comprising a first battery cell and a second battery cell and a housing accommodating the first and second battery cells and a cooling plate (heat sink, see figures 1-2 and the corresponding text and [0006-0025]). A cell spacer is between the first battery cell and the second battery cell. The cell spacer comprises a first insulating layer, a second insulating layer, and a metal fin between the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer ([0042, 0046-0055, 0069] and the figures). The insulating material may be used in other manners then in between the conductive fin sheets ([0055]). A gap filler layer may be included between a cooling plate and the battery cells, which would have a first surface facing the first and second battery cells and a second surface facing away from the first and second battery cells (see [0060-0065]). The gap filler (conductive paste) is thermally conductive and enhances heat transfer. When included in the gap between the heat sink and the conductive separator, the first and second battery cells contact the gap filler (figure 3b for example) and the cooling plate contacts a second surface of the gap filler layer. The metal fin penetrates the gap filler layer so that an end portion of the metal fin extends toward the cooling plate (figures). The battery may be used in vehicles ([0003]).
With regard to claim 2, the Lahr reference teaches that the end portion of the metal fin protrudes beyond the first and second insulating layers in a direction toward the cooling plate (see figure 1, for example).
With regard to claim 3, the Lahr reference teaches that the end portion of the metal fin penetrates the gap filler layer in a direction toward the cooling plate such that is adjacent the cooling plate, which reads upon the range of 50% to 90% of a thickness of the gap filler layer.
With regard to claim 4, the Lahr reference teaches the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer respectively have surfaces facing toward the cooling plate and contacting the first surface of the gap filler layer without penetrating the gap filler layer (see figure 1 for example).
With regard to claim 8, the Lahr reference teaches the end portion of the metal fin has side surfaces contacting side surfaces of the gap filler layer.
With regard to claim 9. the Lahr reference teaches that the metal fins in the second portion of the separator may be coated with a material that reduce the contact resistance of the sheets ([0054, 0065]) and discloses conductive paste to join the metal fin to the heat sink/cooling plate ([0060-65]). When coated, the end portion of the metal fin is spatially separated from the surface of the cooling plate by a separation layer of the gap filler layer.
With regard to claim 10, the Lahr reference show that the first and second battery cells may be prismatic battery cells (figures).
With regard to claims 12-14, Lahr teaches battery system as disclosed above. Lahr teaches compressing the metal fin (sheets) and the heat sink/cooling plate. Lahr further teaches that conductive paste may be used to join the metal fin to the heat sink/cooling plate ([0060-65]). When the gap filler conductive paste is included, the end portion of the metal fin is spatially separated from the surface of the cooling plate by a separation layer of the gap filler layer. This would meet the limitation of pressing the metal fin onto the gap filler layer until the metal fin at least partially penetrates the gap filler layer so that the end portion of the metal fin extends toward the cooling plate. Lahr teaches providing the cell spacer prior to the pressing of the metal fin by connecting the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer with the metal fin therebetween such that the end portion of the metal fin protrudes from the first and second insulating layers ([0048]). Lahr teaches that the pressing of the metal fin is performed such that end portions of the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer end at the battery side portion of the arrangement. When the conductive paste is added in the gap between the cooling plate and the batteries, the edge of the insulating layers contact the first surface of the gap filler layer without penetrating the gap filler layer as described and shown in figure 1.
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.
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 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lahr (US2023/0141131) as applied to the claims above.
With regard to claims 5-6, Lahr teaches that the metal sheet/fins in the second portion of the separator may be coated with a material that reduce the contact resistance of the sheets ([0054, 0065]) and discloses conductive paste to join the metal fin to the heat sink/cooling plate ([0060-65]). When coated, the end portion of the metal fin is spatially separated from the surface of the cooling plate by a separation layer of the gap filler layer. Lahr does not explicitly teach a first distance from the end portion of the metal fin to the surface of the cooling plate is in a range of 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm or that the first distance is shorter than a second distance from the end portion of the metal fin to the first or second battery cell. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to choose an appropriate distance between the metal fin and the cooling plate in order to effectively provide thermal transfer to the cooling plate. Lahr explains that the thermally conductive paste is used to join the second portion of the sheet 108 to the heat sink. The thickness of the thermally conductive paste would be small in order thermally conduct heat, promote the contact between the metal fin and the cooling plate and to not overuse space in the battery pack in order to allow for high capacity.
Claims 7 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lahr (US2023/0141131) as applied to the claims above and further in view of Evans et al. (US 2023/0032529).
With regard to claims 7 and 11, Lahr (US2023/0141131) teaches a battery system comprising a first battery cell and a second battery cell and a housing accommodating the first and second battery cells and a cooling plate (heat sink, see figures 1-2 and the corresponding text and [0006-0025]). A cell spacer is between the first battery cell and the second battery cell. The cell spacer comprises a first insulating layer, a second insulating layer, and a metal fin between the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer ([0042, 0046-0055, 0069] and the figures).
Lahr does not teach the first insulating layer and/or the second insulating layer comprises silica aerogel or mica. It is well known in the heat insulating arts that mica and silica aerogels are effective heat insulators. For example, Evans et al. (US 20230032529) teaches a battery thermal management member that uses heat protection materials including silica aerogel and mica in it’s heat protection layers to protect and separate battery calls and insulate battery components ([0002], claims 16-24). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to choose an appropriate material, including silica aerogel and/or mica for the insulating materials in Lahr. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize the effectiveness of these materials based on the teaching of Evans and the general knowledge of these materials in the thermal insulating arts.
Conclusion
Additional prior art is cited in the Notice of References Cited form 892. These references are related to the claimed invention and teach a variety of thermal transfer arrangements in batteries.
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/MARK RUTHKOSKY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1785
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