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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 22 July 2024 is in compliance with 37 CFR 1.97, 1.98, and have been considered.
Claim Status
Claims 1-17 are pending and under consideration on the merits.
Examiner Notes
It is noted that all references hereinafter to Applicant’s specification are to the published application US 20240380027 A1 unless otherwise stated. Additionally, any italicized, bolded, or underlined text utilized hereinafter is to be interpreted as emphasis placed thereupon.
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper content of an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The abstract of the present disclosure is objected to because it is an undue length. The abstract of the present disclosure is 279 words. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text.
See MPEP § 608.01(b) for guidelines for the preparation of patent abstracts.
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
In paragraph [0001], the specification reads “… and specifically relate to a liquid-cooling pipeline” when it should read “ … and specifically relates to a liquid-cooling pipeline” to be grammatically correct.
The term “an” is unnecessarily recited twice in paragraph [0030] when listing words that do not specifically refer to the singular. The term “comprising” is unnecessarily recited twice in the sentence in paragraph [0030].
The term “below” is unnecessarily recited four consecutive times in paragraph [0032] when describing spatial relationship terminology.
The term “under” is unnecessarily recited twice in paragraph [0032]. The term “below” is unnecessarily recited twice in paragraph [0032]. Furthermore, there are two incomplete sentences in paragraph [0034] that read “Unless otherwise stated, the above words have no special meaning and therefore cannot be understood. To limit the scope of protection of this application.” The examiner politely encourages compressing these sentences, so as to read “Unless otherwise stated, the above words have no special meaning and therefore cannot be understood to limit the scope of protection of this application.”
Appropriate correction is required.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference character “134” has been used to designate both branch pipelines and a tee joint in Figure 5. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance. The tee joint is described in the specification ( “a tee joint 135” in [0046]), however figure 5 has the tee joint numbered as 134. Please see the below figure highlighting the error. Correction is required.
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Figure 5 of the application, annotated by the examiner for clarity
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 7, 8, 15, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding Claims 7, 8, 15, and 16, the term “flexible material” is relative which renders the claim indefinite. The term “flexible material” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. It is unclear as to what degree of flexibility the material needs to have to be considered a flexible material. It is noted that the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claimed term “flexible material” is a material with any degree of flexibility.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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, 7-9, and 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Qing Li (US12562414B2, “ Q. Li”).
Regarding Claims 1, 9, and 17, Q. Li discloses a thermal management system for an energy storage device (i.e. an energy storage system) that includes a plurality of sets of pipeline assemblies connected to a water chilling unit (i.e. a liquid-cooling pipeline) which can deliver cooling liquid to the corresponding battery cabinets (see e.g. [0020]). Q. Li also teaches the battery cabinet pipeline including a battery cabinet inlet pipe (e.g. an inlet pipeline including a main inlet pipe, [0044]-[0046]) which includes a first pipeline located inside the battery cabinet (e.g. at least one battery cluster inlet pipe, [0055]-[0056]) which is provided with a plurality of branch pipes (e.g. at least one battery pack inlet pipe, [0079]). The battery cabinet inlet pipe is equipped with a nylon pipeline (e.g. a liquid inlet, see 226 in figures 2 and 7, [0078] and [0095]) and a pipe joint (e.g. a liquid outlet, [0055]) which is housed in the flange assembly and connects the battery cabinet inlet pipe and the first pipeline (see [0055] for further detail). The first pipeline is equipped with said pipe joint (e.g. a liquid inlet, [0055]) and a plurality of branch pipes (see e.g. figure 3, and the annotated figure 2 below, [0079]) which allows water to enter and escape the battery cooling plate (e.g. each battery pack outlet pipe has a liquid inlet and at least one liquid outlet, see further figure 2 and 3 annotated below, [0079]). The liquid outlet of the battery cabinet inlet pipe is connected via the flange assembly to the liquid inlet of the first pipeline (e.g. the liquid outlet of the main inlet pipe is connected to the liquid inlet of a corresponding cluster inlet pipe, see annotated figure 2, [0053]-[0056]). The plurality of liquid outlets of the first pipeline is connected to a plurality of liquid inlets of the branch pipes (e.g. each liquid outlet of the battery cluster inlet pipe is connected to the liquid inlet of a corresponding battery pack inlet pipe, [0079], see annotated figure 8).
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Figure 2, annotated by the examiner
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Figure 2, annotated by the examiner
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Figure 3, annotated by the examiner
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Figure 8, annotated by the examiner
Q. Li also teaches the battery cabinet pipeline including a battery cabinet outlet pipe (e.g. an outlet pipeline including a battery cabinet outlet pipe, [0047]) which includes the first pipeline which also has a portion acting as an outlet pipe (e.g. at least one battery cluster outlet pipe, see [0055]-[0056], see figures 2, 3, and 8) and has a plurality of branch pipes configured to act as outlet pipes (e.g. at least one battery pack outlet pipe see figure 8, [0079]). The outlet portion of the first pipeline housed within the battery assembly flows into a second pipeline outside of the battery cabinet (e.g. has at least one liquid inlet, see figure 3) which henceforth acts as a main outlet pipe wherein it is connected to the water chilling unit (e.g. has a liquid outlet, [0055] and [0095]).
The outlet portion of the first pipeline flows through the pipe joint into the second pipeline (e.g. each battery cluster outlet pipe has a liquid outlet, [0079], see further figures 2 and 8). The first pipeline is equipped with an exhaust valve located away from the pipe joint (e.g. an exhaust valve located at a top of the battery cluster outlet pipe, [0075], see figure 8) and has at least one liquid inlet via the branch pipes connected to the battery chilling plate (see figures 2, 3, and 8). Each branch pipe has at least one liquid inlet and outlet (see figure 8) wherein the water exiting the battery chilling tray via the branch pipe (e.g. the liquid outlet of each battery pack outlet pipe, see figure 2) is connected to the outlet portion of the first pipeline (see figure 2). The liquid outlet of the outlet portion of the first pipeline is connected to the second pipeline via the pipe joint 2251 (e.g. the liquid outlet of each battery cluster outlet pipe is connected to a corresponding liquid inlet of the main outlet pipe, see figure 2, 3, and 8). The liquid cooling system, as described as above, further comprises a water chilling unit (e.g. a liquid-cooling machine, [0039] and figures 2 and 3). The water chilling unit is connected to the liquid inlet of the battery cabinet inlet pipe and the liquid outlet of the battery cabinet outlet pipe (e.g. connected to the liquid inlet of the main inlet pipe and liquid outlet of the main outlet pipe, [0047], see figure 2). Regarding Claims 7, 8, 15, and 16, Q. Li discloses that the first pipeline and the inlet/outlet pipe from the water chiller are made of nylon pipes (i.e. a flexible material, [0082], figure 2) wherein the first pipeline includes a battery cabinet inlet pipe (i.e. first main inlet pipe, [0053] and figure 2) and a portion of the first pipeline located within the battery cabinet (i.e. a second main inlet pipe. [0053] and figure 2). The liquid inlet of the battery cabinet inlet pipe receives water via the nylon pipe attached to the water chiller and flows into the portion of the first pipeline located within the battery cabinet (i.e. the liquid inlet of the main inlet pipe is located at an end of the first main inlet pipe away from the second main inlet pipe, see figure 2). Q. Li further discloses that the battery cabinet outlet pipe and the nylon pipe connecting to the water chilling unit are made of nylon (e.g. a first main outlet pipe made of flexible material, [0053] and [0082], figure 2). The liquid outlet of the battery cabinet outlet pipe, which feeds into the water chilling unit, is at an end away from the outlet portion of the first pipeline (i.e. the liquid outlet of the main outlet pipe is located at an end of the first main outlet pipe away from the second main outlet pipe, see figure 2).
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.
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 2, 3, 10, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Q. Li in view of Xiangsheng Li et al. (CN111540982A, machine translation used hereafter, “X. Li”). Regarding claims 2 and 10, The liquid-cooling pipeline of Q. Li, as described above, does not disclose at least two cooling flow channels, wherein each cooling flow channel has a liquid inlet connected to the liquid outlet of the battery pack inlet pipe and a liquid outlet connected to the liquid inlet of the battery pack outlet pipe wherein liquid flow directions in adjacent cooling flow channels are opposite. X. Li discloses a bidirectional flow channel battery cooling plate which is fitted with a first flow channel and a second flow channel wherein the flow direction of the liquid cooling medium through the first flow channel and the second flow channel is opposite ([0011], see Figure 3 below). The first flow channel 21 is equipped with an inlet 211 and an outlet 212. The second flow channel 22 is equipped with an inlet 222 and an outlet 221.
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Figure 3 of X. Li, annotated by the examiner
Q. Li and X. Li each constitute prior art which is directly analogous to the claimed invention: a liquid cooling system for batteries. Therefore, in view of the combined teachings of the prior art, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to equip the cooling plates within the liquid cooling pipeline, as discussed above, with the bidirectional flow channel battery cooling plate of X. Li so as to improve thermal management of the battery. Therefore, Q. Li in view of X. Li discloses the two cooling flow channels fixed to allow for liquid flow in opposite directions. The inlet and outlets of the cooling flow channels are fitted with the branch pipes of the first pipeline of Q. Li (i.e. each cooling flow channel has a liquid inlet connected to the liquid outlet of the battery pack inlet pipe and a liquid outlet connected to the battery pack outlet pipe, see figure 3 of X. li, and figure 2 and 8 of Q. Li). Regarding claims 3 and 11, Q. Li in view of X. Li discloses an inner diameter of the liquid inlet of the cooling flow channel as being equal to the inner diameter of the liquid outlet of the cooling flow channel (see figure 3 of X. Li, the diameter of the channels is consistent, and in lieu of further explanation in the specification of X. Li, they are taken to be the same).
Furthermore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to adjust the inner diameter of the cooling flow channels so as to achieve a uniform flow rate to allow for optimal control of the battery temperature (see [0009] of X. Li), since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
Claims 4 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Q. Li in view of Xu et al. (CN109244589A, machine translation used hereafter, “Xu”). Regarding Claims 4 and 12, Q. Li is silent regarding the diameter of the liquid outlets of the first pipeline feeding into the branch pipes.
Xu discloses a liquid-cooling pipeline consisting of a main pipe and six branch pipes that enter the cooling module (see Figure 2, [0035] and [0038] of Xu). The main pipe has a variable diameter design so as to ensure a consistent flow rate is being supplied to the branch pipes. Thus, after the coolant flows in from the inlet guide pipe, it changes diameter through the main pipe and flows into the cooling module from the branch pipe at the same flow rate (see [0038] of Xu). Q. Li and Xu each constitute prior art which is directly analogous to the claimed invention: a liquid cooling system for batteries. Therefore, in view of the combined teachings of the prior art, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to alter the diameter of the inlet pipes before entering the cooling plate so as to achieve a uniform flow rate, regardless of which part of the inlet pipeline acts to change the diameter of the flow, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
Furthermore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to adjust the inner diameter of the inlet pipes so as to achieve a uniform flow rate to allow for optimal control of the battery temperature (see [0009] of X. Li), since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
Claims 5, 6, 13, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Q. Li in view of Zhou et al. (CN213520117U, machine translation used hereafter, “Zhou”).
Regarding Claims 5 and 13, Q. Li is silent regarding the inner diameter of the at least one liquid inlet of the main pipe not being less than a maximum inner diameter of the at least one liquid outlet of the main inlet pipe. Zhou discloses that the diameter of the liquid outlet pipe matches the diameter of the inlet pipe ([0038]). That is, if the diameter of the inlet pipe is small, the corresponding diameter of the outlet pipe is small; if the diameter of the inlet pipe is large, the corresponding diameter of the outlet pipe is large. This allows for a consistent flow rate ([0038]). Q. Li and Zhou each constitute prior art which is directly analogous to the claimed invention: a liquid cooling system for batteries. Therefore, in view of the combined teachings of the prior art, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the pipe joints connecting the inlet and outlet portions of the first pipeline so that they were the same diameter in order to achieve a consistent flow rate throughout the battery cooling plate. Regarding Claims 6 and 14, Q. Li in view of Zhou discloses the inner diameter of the branching pipes (i.e. the liquid outlets) gradually increasing along the direction of liquid flow from the first pipeline (i.e. the main inlet pipe, see [0036] and [0037] of Zhou).
Pertinent Prior Art
The following constitutes a list of prior art which are not relied upon herein, but are considered pertinent to the claimed invention and/or written description thereof. The prior art are purposely made of record hereinafter to facilitate compact/expedient prosecution, and consideration thereof is respectfully suggested.
Liu et al. (CN110890494A, machine translation used hereafter, “Liu”) teaches the inner diameter of the main liquid inlet flow path as gradually increasing from the main liquid inlet to the return connection (i.e. the inner diameter of the cooling flow channel is less than the inner diameter of the liquid outlet of the cooling flow channel).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL P MALONEY whose telephone number is (571)270-1730. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th: 7:30a-5p, F: 7:30a-4p.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Aaron Austin can be reached at (571) 272-8935. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MICHAEL PATRICK MALONEY/Examiner, Art Unit 1782
/AARON AUSTIN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1782
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