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
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 1-6 and 13-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by US2021/0249725A1 (He).
Regarding claims 1 and 4, He teaches a battery pack comprises a battery module comprising a plurality of cells stacked together (Fig. 4 and 15); a first and a second side plate 209 and 210 (Fig. 12 and [0209]), which are connected to a first connection panel 212 on the upper part of the battery pack, and a second panel 211 on the lower part of the battery cell pack (Fig. 12 and [0213]), which meet the limitation of connection members; a pack tray 4 (Fig. 12, [0069]-[0070]); a heat exchange plate 219 provided on the upper surface of the connecting panel 212 of the battery pack with a cooling structure, and a cooling liquid is provided inside the heat exchange plate 219 ([0240], Fig. 12); and the first and second side plates are connected to side beams 203 and 204, respectively on the tray ([0210], [0213] and Figs. 12, 13).
Regarding claims 2 and 3, He illustrates the connection panel 212 is paced apart along a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction (Fig. 9 and 12), and the heat exchange plate is disposed between two adjacent panels (Fig. 12).
Regarding claim 5, He teaches a plurality of battery modules with at least two disposed along a stacking direction (Figs. 15, 20 and 22).
Regarding claims 13 and 14, He teaches that the first side plate 209 includes a side plate body 234 a second connecting plate 233 connected to the side plate body 234 and protruding toward the third side beam 203, the second side plate 210 includes a side plate body 234 and a second connecting plate 234 connected to the end plate body 234 and protruding toward the fourth side beam 204, the second connecting plate 234 corresponding to the first side plate 209 is connected to the third connecting surface 236 of side beam 203, and the second connecting plate 234 of the second side plate 210 is connected to the fourth connecting surface 235 of side beam 204 ([0206], [0210] and Figs. 6 and 13).
Regarding claims 15 and 17, He teaches a plurality of battery modules with at least two disposed along a direction perpendicular to a stacking direction (Fig 22), wherein a partition plate 800 is disposed between the stacks, and the partition plate 800 may be heat insulation foam ([0137]-[0138]).
Regarding claim 16, He illustrates that the side plates extend to cover both one side of the first battery cell pack and the second battery cell pack , respectively (203 and 204 of Fig. 22, [0084], [0122] and [0209])
Regarding claims 6 and 18, He illustrates a plurality of cooling parts disposed on the upper surface of the connecting panel over a plurality of the battery modules (Fig. 15 and Fig. 19).
Claims 1-3, 5-9, 11, 12, 15, 16 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by GB2593187A(Newham), which is listed in Applicant’s information disclosure statement.
Regarding claim 1, Newham teaches a battery pack comprises a battery module comprising a plurality battery cells stacked together side by side, two side plates 26 are provided on each side of the module facing each other and are held together by a plurality of steel bands 28 disposed on upper part of the battery cell stack (p11, line 20-30 and Fig. 2), which meets the claimed connecting member; a surround frame 20 with a bottom panel 22 housing the battery module (p11, line 5-20, Fig. 1), which meets the claimed pack tray, a plurality of cooling plates 14 positioned at a lower part of the battery module that are hollow to allow the flow of coolant (p11, line 5-20, Fig. 1), which meets the claimed heat sink.
Newham teaches that the side plates 26 are fixed to the bottom of the battery module (p17,line 18-20 and Fig. 12), and the cooling plate is positioned at the bottom side of the steel bands (Figs. 1, 4 and 12).
Regarding claims 2 and 3 , Newham illustrates that the connection steel band 28 are spaced apart along a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction (Fig. 2), and the cooling plates are disposed in a space between two adjacent connection members (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 6, Newham illustrates that the cooling plate is placed under two adjacent battery module (Fig. 1 and p11, line 10-15), which passes one side of the connection members.
Regarding claims 5 and 15 , Newham illustrates a plurality of battery modules disposed to be spaced apart from each other, some are along the stacking direction, and some are along a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction (p 11,line 5-10 and Figs. 1 and 8).
Regarding claims 7-9, Newham teaches that the cooling plates run from side to side across the battery pack in a direction parallel to the stacking direction, and are connected together via ports which allow a cooling fluid to pass from one cooling plate to another, and input and output ports are used to provide cooling fluid to and from the battery pack (p14, line 10-20, p18,line 10-20 and Fig. 1).
Regarding claims 11-12, Newham teaches the battery module comprises a gap pad 54 between the bottom of the battery pack and the cooling plate (p8, line 10-30, p18, line 35 to p19 line 5, Figs. 4 and 13), wherein the pad comprises a layer of thermally conductive plastic material (p8,line 10-30), which meets the claimed thermal resin layer.
Regarding claim 16 , Newham illustrates the side plates 26 cover a plurality of battery stacks (Figs. 1 , 2, 8 and 12).
Regarding claim 18 , Newham teaches that the cooling plate is placed at the bottom part of the connecting member that can be used for two or more battery modules (p3, line 10-12, p11,line 10-15 and Fig. 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.
Claims 7-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over He in view of US20200076019A1(Ohkuma).
The teachings of He are set forth above.
While teachings a cooling liquid inside the heat exchange plate 219 ([0240]), which extend along a direction parallel to the cell stacking direction (Fig. 12), He does not teach a first cooling part and a second cooling part extend along a first direction, an inflow part connected to the first cooling part, a discharge part that is connected to the second part , and a connection part that connect the first cooling part and the second cooling part.
Ohkuma teaches a battery cooling structure that can provide efficient cooling of battery pack comprises two cooling plates 36A and 36 B extending along a direction parallel to the cell stacking direction ([0013], Figs. 2 and 7), a cooling water inflow port 36a connected to the first cooling jacket 36A, a discharge port 36b connected to the second cooling jacket 36B, each cooling jacket has two cooling plate that connects on the opposite side of the input/output port ([0047] and Fig. 7), wherein the cooling water circulate along inflow port 36a, cooling jacket 36A, connection part, cooling jacket 36B and discharge port 36b (Fig. 7), which meets the claimed cooling part and configuration.
At the time the invention was made it would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the cooling structure if Ohkuma in the battery pack of He. The rationale to do so would have been the motivation provided by the teachings of Ohkuma that to do so would provide efficient cooling of multiple battery pack ([0013]), and further since it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to apply a known technique to a known device (method, or product) to yield predictable results. In the instant case, a known cooling structure for battery packs. See MPEP 2143 (D).
Claims 11 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over He in view of Newham.
The teachings of He are set forth above.
He further teaches a heat-conducting plate 218 made of good heat conducting material may be disposed between the heat exchange plate 219 and the cell 100 ([0215] and [0240]).
He does not teach a thermal resin layer.
Newman teaches that a thermally conductive pad comprising a layer of thermally conductive plastic material can ensure good thermal contact between cooling systema and battery module while maintaining creepage and clearance values (p8,line 15-25).
At the time the invention was made it would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the thermally conductive plastic material of Newham as the heat-conducting plate of He. The rationale to do so would have been the motivation provided by the teachings of Newham that to do so would provide good thermal contact between cooling systema and battery module while maintaining creepage and clearance values (p8,line 15-25).
Claims 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over He.
The teachings of He are set forth above.
He further teaches an elastic apparatus 205 may be disposed between the third side beam 203 and the cell 100 adjacent to the third side beam 203, and/or a second elastic apparatus 206 may be disposed between the fourth side beam 204 and the cell 100 adjacent to the fourth side beam 204 (Fig. 12 and 13, [0206] and [0214]), which meets the claimed compression pad.
He teaches the elastic apparatus/the side plate provide a function of limiting expansive deformation of the plurality of cells 100 ([0084], [0122], [0175], [0214] and [0229]), and the cell has sufficient rigidity([0068], [0078], [0113], [0119], [0157], [0158] and [0174]).
He does not expressly disclose the deformation ratio, the pressure applied to the battery cells in an EOL, or a module stiffness curve of the battery pack, however, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to adjust the deformation ratio and surface pressure in order to obtain a workable product.
Claims 4, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Newham.
The teachings of Newham are set forth above.
Regarding claim 4, Newham illustrates more than one connection steel bands (Fig. 2), however, it would be obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to adjust the number of connection bands based on the number of battery cell stacks in the battery module.
Regarding claims 19 and 20, Newham further teaches that a compression foam expansion pad 36 is disposed between each adjacent cell units to apply pressure to each cell, the required pressure is maintained against the cells in the module, the size and shape of the battery module is maintained under pressure (p11, line 35 and p13. Line 1-10), and the battery has improved structural stiffness (p15, line 20-25).
Newham does not expressly disclose the deformation ratio, the pressure applied to the battery cells in an EOL, or a module stiffness curve of the battery pack, however, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to adjust the deformation ratio and surface pressure in order to obtain a workable product.
Conclusion
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/AIQUN LI/ Ph.D., Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1766
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