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 Objections
Claim10-19 objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 10- 18 recites “case body, and along….gas exhaust channel, and the gas”, the second “and” is not required in the claims.
Claim 19 recites “the gas exhaust opening … at the bottom”, correct it to “ the gas exhaust opening… at a bottom”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 and 4-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hong (US PG Pub. 2024/0136652 A1) in view of Lu (CN214898754 U, for prior art discussion see the cited machine translation)
Hong discloses a battery case (ref. 10A, figure 2) comprising a case body (ref. 200 A, figure 2), a first baffle plate (ref. 350A, figure 3, ref. 350C, figure 23) and a baffle cover (ref. 320A, figure 3, ref. 320C, figure 23), and the first baffle plate and the baffle cover are both connected to an outer surface of the wall of the case body ( first barrier, ref. 310 A, para. 0011, 0014, figure 2, 4). Hong discloses along a gas exhaust direction of the gas exhaust channel (ref. 330A, figure 4) which extends through the first barrier (ref. 310 A) for discharging vent gas from inside the pack, the gas exhaust channel comprises a gas inlet i.e., the inner opening of the vent hole (ref. 330 A) facing the battery cell, located upstream and a gas outlet i.e. the outer opening of the vent hole (ref. 330A) facing the space S (figure 8) located downstream and the first baffle (ref. 350 A, figure 2, 4) is located on one side of the gas outlet away from the gas outlet (figure 2-4). Hong discloses that the vent gas travels from the battery enclosure through vent holes (figure 8 and 9) and into space S (para. 0087-0089). Hong discloses the baffle cover (second barrier, ref. 320 A), covers the gas outlet and the first baffle plate (figure 2-4, para. 0011) and there is a gas passage between an inner surface of the baffle cover and the first baffle plate (ref. space S, figure 2, 4, 8 , para. 0072) and the gas exhaust opening is located on one side of the baffle plate away from the gas inlet (figure 8); gas inside the case body is able to be discharged out from the gas exhaust opening (ref. 346A, figure 5, para. 0074) after flowing through the gas exhaust channel and the gas passage (figure 8-10, para. 0087-0090).
Hong fails to disclose a gas exhaust channel is obliquely penetrated through a wall of the case body.
Lu discloses a battery case (ref.3, figure 1) with a front end cover and rear end cover (ref. 1 and 2, para. 014). Lu discloses exhaust holes (ref. 11, figure 2) on the front end and the rear end covers ( figure 2, para. 014 ). Lu further discloses the exhaust hole is obliquely downward from the inner wall of the front end cover to the outer wall, and the second exhaust hole is obliquely downward from the inner wall of the rear end cover to the outer wall (para.019-020). Lu further discloses such a setting makes sure the smoke and dust after burning plastic parts can automatically slide out to prevent the dust from blocking the first and second exhaust holes and ensure that the gas in the battery module can be discharged in time. (para.019-020)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the gas exhaust channel of Hong to be obliquely downward as taught by Lu. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification so that the gas in the battery module can be discharged in time.
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Regarding claim 4, the battery case of modified Hong has a first direction, perpendicular to the gas exhaust direction of the gas exhaust channel, and parallel to the outer surface of the wall (figure 3, 23) of the case body on which the first baffle plate (ref. 350A, 350 C) is located as discussed above with respect to claim 1. Hong discloses in another embodiment the pair of baffles (ref. 350 C) surround the plurality of vent holes (ref. 330 C, para. 0172, figure 22-25) and the first baffle (ref. 350 C) blocks flame or spark generated from the battery cell (para. 0178). Therefore, the modified battery case of Hong meets the limitation along the first direction, two opposite ends of the first baffle plate extend beyond two opposite sides of the gas outlet, respectively.
Regarding claim 5 Hong discloses in an embodiment blocking baffles (ref. 350 C, figure 23, 30) disposed of space S adjacent to vent holes (330C, figure 23, 30) where in the blocking baffles (ref. 350 C) may be inclined at predetermined angles and may be arranged together in an approximate trapezoidal configuration surrounding the vent holes (para. 0168, 0171). Hong discloses first baffle plate (ref. 350C) comprises a flat portion and two sloping portions connected to two opposite ends of the flat portion (ref. 360C, figure 23, 30). Hong discloses the flat portion extends along the first direction, and an angle formed between the sloping portion and the flat portion is an obtuse angle (figure 23, 30, para. 0010, 0171), The sloping portions are inclined relative to the flat portion such that the angles on the side facing the vent holes (ref. 330C) are obtuse (figure 23, 25 and 30, examiner figure B), thereby meeting the limitation obtuse angle is located on one side of the first baffle plate near the gas outlet.
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Regarding claim 6, Hong discloses the battery case has a first direction, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the gas exhaust direction of the gas exhaust channel, and the first direction is parallel to the outer surface of the wall of the case body on which the first baffle plate is located as discussed with respect to claim 1 and 4. Hong discloses the vent holes (ref. 330 A, para. 0071) may be provided in plurality and that the blocking baffles (350 Am para. 0077) may likewise be provided in plurality. Hong discloses the case body is provided with multiple gas exhaust channel groups by disclosing plurality of vent holes (ref. 330 A, figure 3, para. 0075) and a pair of blocking baffles (ref. 350A, para. 0017, 0077) associated with plurality of vent holes (ref. 330 A, para.0075). Each respective blocking baffle (ref. 350A) together with one or more vent holes (ref. 350A) constitutes the claimed gas exhaust channel group, such that the multiple gas exhaust channel groups are arranged and spaced apart along the first direction (figure 3) that is parallel to the first barrier (ref. 310A) and perpendicular to the gas exhaust direction through the modified Hong’s vent holes (330A). Hong further discloses the first baffle plates may be spaced apart from each other (para. 0077, figure 4) by disclosing the pair of blocking baffles (ref. 350A), when viewed from the top and bottom directions of the battery pack, may be disposed to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance to form a predetermined interval in the space S (para. 0078). Therefore, respective baffle/vent hole arrangements define a plurality of adjacent gas exhaust groups spaced from one another along the first direction (figure 4).
Additionally, Lu discloses two groups of exhaust holes each of them having gas exhaust channel are arranged side by side and top and bottom containing multiple exhaust holes(ref. 11, figure 2, para. 043) forming the gas exhaust channel group. Therefore, the modification of Hong as taught by Lu would result in each gas exhaust channel group comprising one first baffle plate and at least one gas exhaust channel.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the battery case of Hong as taught by Lu. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification so that the gas in the battery module can be discharged in time.
Regarding claim 7, Hong discloses the single baffle cover (ref. 320 A) and the baffle cover (ref. 320A) is coupled to first barrier (ref. 310A) and covers the blocking baffle (350A, para. 0066) and the vent holes (figure 3). As discussed above with respect to claim 6 additionally the combination of Hong and Lu discloses organizing the exhaust hole of Lu (ref. 11) into multiple gas exhaust channel group. The modification would result in the baffle cover of Hong covering multiple adjacent gas exhaust channel groups.
Claim 2 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over over Hong (US PG Pub. 2024/0136652 A1) in view of Lu (CN214898754 U, for prior art discussion see the cited machine translation) as applied to claim1, and 4-7 above, and further in view of Tao (CN 215070305U, for prior art discussion see the cited machine translation).
Hong and Lu are relied upon as discussed above.
Regarding claim 2, Hong discloses the baffle cover (ref. 320 A) comprises an outer cover plate and a side cover plate (figure 3, examiner figure A), the outer surface of the wall of the body is spaced from the outer cover plate (ref. space S, para. 0067), the side cover plate is connected to the outer cover plate (figure 3, and examiner figure A), and the outer cover plate is connected to the outer surface of the wall of the case body through the side cover plate (para. 0069, figure 1, 3, 4, examiner figure A);
Hong fails to disclose one side of the first baffle plate away from the case body abuts against an inner surface of the outer cover plate.
Tao discloses a battery box cover which includes two layers of cover plate (ref. 120 and 110) arranged at intervals along the height direction of the battery box body (figure 3 and 4) and guide plates are arranged between the cover plates ( ref. 200, figure 3 and 4, para.n0042 ) forming the exhaust channel (ref. 300, figure 4). Tao further discloses two sides of the guide plates (ref. 200) are respectively connected to the corresponding cover plates (ref. 100, figure 4, para. n0008 , n0050).
Tao further discloses due to the design, when the battery is out of control due to thermal runaway and flame penetrates through the cover plate, high-temperature gas can penetrate through the cover plate and enter the exhaust channel to be discharged, and the cover plate above the exhaust channel can block the flame from entering the passenger cabin, so that the flame and the gas are prevented from penetrating through the battery box cover and entering the passenger cabin (para. n0020).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the gas exhaust channel of modified Hong for the baffle to the connected to the inner surface of the outer cover plate as taught by Tao. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification so that the flame and the gas are prevented from penetrating through the battery box cover and entering the passenger cabin.
Regarding claim 3, Hong discloses the vent gas passing through the vent holes (ref. 330 A) enters space S and is discharged through discharge opening (ref. 340 A) such that space S provides a gas flow passage around the blocking baffle towards the discharge opening (figure 8 and 9, para. 0087-0089 ). Lu discloses a gas exhaust channel that is obliquely downward as discussed with respect to claim 1 and Tao discloses the first baffle plate connected to the cover plate as discussed with respect to claim 2. Therefore the structure resulting from the combination of Hong, Lu and Tao as discussed with respect to claims 1 and 2 would disclose the battery case has a first direction, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the gas exhaust direction of the gas exhaust channel, and the first direction is parallel to the outer surface of the wall of the case body on which the first baffle plate is located. The combination discloses the along the first direction, the gas passage is formed between an inner surface of the side cover plate and the first baffle plate and the abutment of the baffle plate to the inner surface of the baffle cover forces flow around.
Claim 8 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hong (US PG Pub. 2024/0136652 A1) in view of Lu (CN214898754 U, for prior art discussion see the cited machine translation) as applied to claim 1, 4-7 above, and further in view of Prohasaka (US PG Pub. 2017/0150642)
Hong and Lu are relied upon as discussed above.
Regarding claim 8, the “limitation the battery case of claim 1 has a second direction, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, and the second direction is parallel to the outer surface of the wall of the case body on which the first baffle plate is located”, this limitation does not add any further structure to the battery case and therefore the modified battery case of Hong with respect to claim 1 would meet the limitation. As discussed above with respect to claim 6, the combination of Hong and Lu discloses organizing the exhaust hole into multiple gas exhaust channel group.
Hong fails to disclose the multiple gas exhaust channels in each gas exhaust channel group are sequentially arranged along the second direction.
Lu discloses the two sets of first exhaust holes (ref. 11) are arranged side by side and top to bottom, and each group of first exhaust holes is provided with two first exhaust holes (ref. 11, para. 0043, figure 2). Lu thereby discloses that each group comprises the multiple gas exhaust channels in each gas exhaust channel group are sequentially arranged along the second direction.
The combination of Hong and Lu fails to disclose along the gas exhaust direction of the gas exhaust channel; the first baffle plate is arranged at the most downstream gas exhaust channel of the gas exhaust channel group.
Prohaska discloses a electrical enclosure (ref. 10) including a cabinet (ref. 14) having vent opening (ref. 19), a baffle box (ref. 16) and the baffle box (ref.16) is received over the vent openings (ref.19) in the cabinet (ref.14), and has an outlet opening (ref. 21, figure 3) communicating the vent openings (ref. 19) with the exterior environment (para. 0012). Prohaska further discloses the baffle box (ref.16) further includes an inner wall panel configured as a baffle (ref. 80). The baffle in the illustrated example reaches fully or substantially fully throughout the height of the box 16 between the top and bottom wall panels (ref.50) and (ref.52), and partially across the width of the box 16 between the open (ref. 61) and closed sides (ref. 54) (figure 4, 5, para. 0017). A baffle plate extending along the second direction across the plurality of gas exhaust channels of its group is therefore arranged at each channel of that group, including the most downstream gas exhaust channel of the gas exhaust channel group.
Prohaska further discloses the baffle box and the baffle together define a convoluted air flow path flowing outward from the vent openings (ref. 19) to the outlet opening for ventilating heat generated by the electrical equipment mounted in the storage compartment (ref. 25, para. 0021). The baffle box and the baffle likewise define a corresponding convoluted air flow path flowing oppositely inward from the outlet opening to the vent openings (ref. 19). This helps to block water, debris, and other environmental contaminants from entering the storage compartment through the vent openings (ref. 19, 0021).
Prohaska is analogues prior art to the controlling gas flow through an enclosure vent using an external cover and baffle to provide non-direct flow path between the interior of the enclosure to the exterior.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to arrange the first baffle plate at the most downstream of the gas exhaust channel as taught by Prohaska. Such a modification would result in along the gas exhaust direction of the gas exhaust channel; the first baffle plate is arranged at the most downstream gas exhaust channel of the gas exhaust channel group. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification for a convoluted air flow path flowing outward from the vent openings to the outlet opening for ventilating the generated heat inside the enclosure.
Regarding claim 9, as discussed with respect to claim 8, Prohaska discloses a electrical enclosure (ref. 10) including a cabinet (ref. 14) having vent opening (ref. 19, 71). Prohaska further discloses the baffle box (ref. 16) includes a second baffle (shelf structures, ref. 96, figure 3 and 6) spaced apart vertically between top and bottom panels. Therefore Prohaska discloses where multiple gas discharge openings is arranged vertically in a wall of an enclosure and the covered by a box structure and mounted on the exterior of the wall , additional baffle plates can be disposed within the box structure and spaced vertically. Prohaska further discloses the shelf structures (ref. 96) collect debris that might otherwise accumulate at the bottom of the baffle box (para. 0019). As discussed for claim 8 such a baffle box and the baffle define a corresponding convoluted air flow path flowing oppositely inward from the outlet opening to the vent openings (0021).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to arrange the second baffle as taught by Prohaska. Such a modification would result in a second baffle plate arranged between adjacent two gas exhaust channels of the gas exhaust channel group. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification for a convoluted air flow path flowing outward from the vent openings to the outlet opening for ventilating the generated heat inside the enclosure and prevents accumulation of debris at the bottom of the baffle box.
Claims 10, 13-16 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hong (US PG Pub. 2024/0136652 A1) in view of Lu (CN214898754 U, for prior art discussion see the cited machine translation) as applied to claim1, 4-7 above, and further in view of Kim (US PG Pub. 2024/0356148 A1).
Hong and Lu are relied up on as discussed above.
Regarding claim 10, as discussed with respect to claim 1 Lu discloses the exhaust hole is obliquely downward from the inner wall of the front end cover to the outer wall, and the second exhaust hole is obliquely downward from the inner wall of the rear end cover to the outer wall (para.019-020). Therefore, modified battery case of Hong discloses the gas exhaust channel is provided, along the gas exhaust direction of the gas exhaust channel, and the gas exhaust channel is sloped downwards.
Hong fails to disclose the gas exhaust channel is provided on a side wall of the battery case.
Kim discloses a battery pack housing including a side frame (ref. 112, figure 1, para. 0013) in which a gas venting channel (ref. H, figure 2-3, para. 0085) is formed and of which an inner wall facing the battery cell or battery module is provided with a venting inlet (ref. I, , figure 3, para. 0086) communicating with the gas venting channel (para. 0074) and a gas outlet (ref. O, figure 1, para. 0107). Kim discloses such a battery pack with the venting on the side frame efficiently discharge a venting gas to an outside of a battery pack and prevent a venting gas of a gas venting channel from flowing back into the battery pack, thereby preventing thermal runaway from propagating to an adjacent battery module.(para. 0029-0030).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to provide the gas exhaust channel of modified Hong on a side wall of the case body as taught by Kim. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to prevent thermal runaway from propagating to an adjacent battery module.
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Hong, Lu and Kim discloses the gas exhaust channel is provided on a side wall of the case body, along the gas exhaust direction of the gas exhaust channel, and the gas exhaust channel is sloped downwards as discussed above with respect to claim 1, 4 and 10.
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Hong, Lu and Kim as discussed above with respect to claim 1, 5 and 10 discloses the gas exhaust channel is provided on a side wall of the case body, along the gas exhaust direction of the gas exhaust channel, and the gas exhaust channel is sloped downwards.
Regarding claim 15, the combination of Hong, Lu and Kim as discussed above with respect to claim 1, 6 and 10 discloses the gas exhaust channel is provided on a side wall of the case body, along the gas exhaust direction of the gas exhaust channel, and the gas exhaust channel is sloped downwards.
Regarding claim 16, the combination of Hong, Lu and Kim as discussed above with respect to claim 1, 7 and 10 discloses the gas exhaust channel is provided on a side wall of the case body, along with the gas exhaust direction of the gas exhaust channel, and the gas exhaust channel is sloped downwards..
Regarding claim 20, modified Hong fails to disclose a guiding tab is located inside the case body and obliquely connected to an inner surface of the side wall of the case body, and the gas exhaust channel is formed along the guiding tab.
Kim discloses venting plate (ref. 120) coupled to the inner surface of the side frame (ref. 112) which forms the inner surface of the battery enclosure (para. 0074). The venting plate includes a plate cut out portion (ref. 121, figure 3, para. 0093) having one side (reef. 121a) connected to plate body portion (122). Kim further discloses the plate cutout portion (ref. 121) may be moved toward the venting inlet I or an opposite side using the one side (ref. 121 a) as a support axis (figure 4, para. 0094) and the venting inlet I is open in the inner wall of the side frame (ref. 112) to face the inside of the battery pack (ref. 100, para. 0095).Therefore during venting, the plate cut out portion (ref. 121) assumes an inclined tab configuration extending from the inner-wall-mounted venting plate towards the gas venting guiding tab thereby meeting the limitation obliquely connected to an inner surface of the side wall of the case body and a gas exhaust channel is formed along the guiding (para. 0095, figure 4, 5). Kim further discloses such a battery pack can efficiently discharge a venting gas to an outside of a battery pack and prevent a venting gas of a gas venting channel from flowing back into the battery pack, thereby preventing thermal runaway from propagating to an adjacent battery module (para. 0029-0030)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to provide a guiding tab in the modified battery case of Hong as taught by Kim. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification for proper venting of the battery case and prevent thermal runway from propagating to an adjacent battery module.
Claims 11 and 12, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hong (US PG Pub. 2024/0136652 A1) in view of Lu (CN214898754 U, for prior art discussion see the cited machine translation) and Tao (CN 215070305U, for prior art discussion see the cited machine translation) as applied to claims 1 -3 above, and further in view of Kim (US PG Pub. 2024/0356148 A1).
Hong, Lu and Tao are relied upon as discussed above.
Regarding claim 11 and 12, the combination of Hong, Lu and Tao as discussed above with respect to claim 1 and 2 would disclose, along the gas exhaust direction of the gas exhaust channel the gas exhaust channel is sloped downwards and the first baffle plate away from the case body abuts against an inner surface of the outer cover plate.
As discussed with respect to claim 10 above Kim discloses the gas exhaust channel is provided on a side wall of the case body.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to provide the gas exhaust channel of modified Hong on a side wall of the case body as taught by Kim. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to prevent thermal runaway from propagating to an adjacent battery module.
Claims 17 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hong (US PG Pub. 2024/0136652 A1) in view of Lu (CN214898754 U, for prior art discussion see the cited machine translation) and Prohasaka (US PG Pub. 2017/0150642) as applied to claim 1, 6, 8, and 9 above, and further in view of Kim (US PG Pub. 2024/0356148 A1).
Regarding claim 17, as discussed above with respect to claim 8, the combination of Hong, Lu, Prohaska, and Kim discloses the gas exhaust channel is provided on a side wall of the case body, along with the gas exhaust direction of the gas exhaust channel, and the gas exhaust channel is sloped downwards.
Regarding claim 18, as discussed above with respect to claim 9, the combination of Hong, Lu, Prohaska, and Kim discloses the gas exhaust channel is provided on a side wall of the case body, along with the gas exhaust direction of the gas exhaust channel, and the gas exhaust channel is sloped downwards.
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hong (US PG Pub. 2024/0136652 A1) in view of Lu (CN214898754 U, for prior art discussion see the cited machine translation ) and Kim (US PG Pub. 2024/0356148 A1) as applied to claim 1 and 10, and further in view of Savchenko (US PG Pub. 20140011440A1).
Hong Lu and Kim are relied upon as discussed above
Regarding claim 19, as discussed with respect to claim 10, modified battery case of Hong in combination with Kim discloses the gas exhaust channel is provided on a side wall of the case body. Hong discloses gas exhaust opening (ref 346 A, para. 0073-0074, figure 5, 10) located at the bottom of the baffle cover (ref. 320A).
Combination of Hong, Lu, and Kim failed to disclose the first baffle plate is located under the gas outlet of the gas exhaust channel.
Savchenko discloses a vent cover (ref. 208 ) that is mounted over a vent opening (ref. 207, figure 3) on an exterior wall of an enclosure which include buildings or electrical enclosures (para. 0032). Savchenko discloses a hood (ref. 220, figure 3 and 4) mounted over a vent opening (ref. 207) and a baffle (deflector, ref. 213) comprising a first wall (ref. 226) and a second wall (ref. 225), the second wall being spaced from the outlet (ref. 227) of the hood so as to substantially block air flow from an exterior of the vent cover into the outlet in a substantially perpendicular direction to the outlet plane, the first and second wall defining an air channel in communication with the outlet and substantially parallel to the inlet and outlet planes.(para. 0013). Savchenko discloses the area perpendicular to the outlet covered by the second wall (ref. 225) of the deflector is substantially the same as the area perpendicular to the outlet covered by the hood (para. 0042) and air flow travelling out of the enclosure in direction C may also travel through the vent (ref. 218) and out of either of the pair of openings (ref. 215, para. 0038). Savchenko thereby discloses the first baffle plate (deflector, ref. 213) being disposed under the gas exhaust channel (figure 3 and 4). Savchenko discloses such an arrangement prevent direct wind and wind deflected from a surface of an enclosure from entering the interior of the enclosure through a vent and thus preventing precipitate or other particulate matter up into the hood and through vent (para. 0012, 0036).
Savchenko is analogues prior art to the controlling gas flow through an enclosure vent using an external cover and baffle/deflector to provide non-direct flow path between the interior of the enclosure to the exterior.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to arrange the first baffle plate under the outlet of the gas exhaust channel as taught by Savchenko. Such a modification would result in first baffle plate located under the outlet of gas exhaust channel; the first baffle plate is arranged at the most downstream gas exhaust channel of the gas exhaust channel group. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification for preventing precipitate or other particulate matter up into the enclosure.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ISWARYA MATHEW whose telephone number is (571)272-9515. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM.
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/I.M./
Iswarya MathewExaminer, Art Unit 1788
09/02/2026
/ALEXANDRE F FERRE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1788
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