DETAILED ACTION
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 Statements (IDS) filed 06/10/2024 and 01/29/2026 have been placed in the application file and the information referred to therein has been considered.
Drawings
The drawings received on 06/10/2024 are acceptable for examination purposes.
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.
Claims 1-4, 6-10, 14-16 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2011/0293982 to Martz (Matz).
Regarding claim 1, Martz discloses an integrated battery cooling system (cooling module, Abstract) comprising: a battery enclosure configured for housing one or more battery cells therein (Fig. 1. Para 25), a plate attached to the battery enclosure; a coolant path defined by the battery enclosure and the plate (para 25, 31), wherein one of the battery enclosure and the plate has a wave-like structure that combines with the other of the battery enclosure and the plate to define the coolant path between the plate and the battery enclosure ((the corrugated plate 62 and the plates 64, 66 form a plurality of fluid flow channels 70 through an interior of the cooling fin 60. Fig. 5 shows that corrugated plate 62 is wave-like and forms fluid pathways 70 between its corrugated peaks and flat plate 66, which are all enclosed within cooling module 18; para 31, Fig. 5 5).
Regarding claim 2, Martz discloses wherein the battery enclosure includes the wave-like structure and the plate is a planar cover plate attached to the top of the wave-like structure to form a plurality of channels and define the coolant path (Fig. 11, para 41).
Regarding claim 3, Martz discloses wherein the cover plate is aluminum (para 31).
Regarding claim 4, Martz discloses wherein the battery enclosure is aluminum (para 25,30-31).
Regarding claim 6, Martz discloses wherein the cover plate is sandwiched between the battery enclosure and a battery cell (para 25,30, Fig. 1, Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 7, Martz discloses wherein the cover plate is steel (para 31).
Regarding claim 8, Martz discloses wherein the battery enclosure is steel (para 25, 30-31).
Regarding claim 9, Martz discloses wherein the plate is a single plate without enclosed channels and is directly attached to the battery enclosure to form channels for the coolant path by combining the plate with the battery enclosure (cooling module 18 includes plate 66 which is shown in Fig.5 to be a flat plate pressed against corrugated plate 62 which is also part of cooling module 18, the corrugated plate 62 and the plates 64, 66 form a plurality of fluid flow channels 70 through an interior of the cooling fin 60, Fig, 5 shows that the channels 70 are formed in the space between the corrugated plate 62 and plate 66, para 3, para 25, para 30, Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 10, Martz discloses wherein the plate Is a lower plate and includes the wave-like structure, wherein the lower plate is attached to the bottom of the battery enclosure to define a plurality of channels and the coolant path (para 30-31, para 25, Fig. 1, Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 14, Martz discloses wherein , wherein the innermost of the battery enclosure or the plate is aluminum and is disposed adjacent the battery cells when the battery cells are placed within the battery enclosure (para 25,para 31, Fig. 1, Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 15, Martz discloses a method of integrating a cooling channel with a battery enclosure (the corrugated plate 62 and the plates 64, 66 form a plurality of fluid flow channels 70 through an interior of the cooling fin 60, which is included in the cooling module 18 of the battery pack assembly 10, para 25,31), the method comprising the steps of: providing a battery enclosure for housing one or more battery cells therein (the cooling modules 18 are arranged to enclose in a stacked relation a pair of battery cells 100 disposed therebetween para 25), attaching a plate to the battery enclosure (cooling modules 18 have a cooling fin 60, the cooling fin 60 includes a corrugated separator plate 62 interposed between a first plate 64 and a second plate 66, para 25, para), and defining a coolant channel between the plate and the •battery enclosure (The corrugated plate 62 and the plates 64,66, form a plurality of fluid flow channels 70, through an interior of the cooling fin 60, which is part of the cooling module 18, para 25, para 31), wherein the coolant channel is configured to remove heat from the battery cells (para 35), wherein one of the battery enclosure or the plate includes a wave-like structure, and attaching the plate to the battery enclosure defines the coolant channel within the wave-like structure (the corrugated plate 62 and the plates 64, 66 form a plurality of fluid flow channels 70 through an interior of the cooling fin 60, the corrugated plate 62 is wave-like and forms fluid pathways 70 between its corrugated peaks and flat plate 66, which are all enclosed within cooling module 18. Para 31, Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 16, Martz discloses wherein the battery enclosure includes the wave-like structure and the plate is a cover plate, wherein the method includes attaching the cover plate to the top of the wave-like-structure within the battery enclosure to define the coolant channels, such that the cover plate is disposed between the battery cells and the battery enclosure (para 41, Fig. 11).
Regarding claim 18, Martz discloses wherein the plate is a single plate and does not define enclosed channels until being attached directly to the battery enclosure (para 25, para 31).
Regarding claim 19, Martz discloses wherein one of the battery enclosures or the plate is adjacent to the battery cell and defines a heat-transferring adjacent component (para 34).
Regarding claim 20, Martz discloses wherein the heat-transferring adjacent component is steel or aluminum (para 31, para 34).
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.
This application is currently called 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.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2011/0293982 to Martz in view of US 2019/0334140 to Linde (Linde).
Regarding claim 5, Martz discloses the invention discussed above as applied to claim 3 and is incorporated therein. Matz does not expressly disclose wherein the battery enclosure is plastic or fiber reinforced plastic.
Linde teaches battery holding device having a support made from a solid foam and continuous-fiber-reinforced plastic material . Therefore, such structural design is well known in the art. It would have been obvious to one or ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Martz with the battery enclosure made from the solid foam and continuous-fiber-reinforced plastic material as taught by Linde, in order to reduce weight and insulate the batteries.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2011/0293982 to Martz in view US 2012/0315528 to Rajaie (Rajaie).
Regarding claim 17, Martz discloses the invention discussed above as applied to claim 15 and incorporated therein. Matz does not expressly disclose wherein the plate is a lower plate and includes the wave-like structure, and the method includes attaching the lower plate to an exterior surface of the bottom of the battery enclosure to define the coolant channels, such that the bottom of the battery enclosure is disposed between the battery cells and the lower plate.
Rajaie teaches wherein the plate is a lower plate and includes the wavelike structure, and the method includes attaching the lower plate to an exterior surface of the bottom of the battery enclosure to define the coolant channels, such that the bottom of the battery enclosure is disposed between the battery cells and the lower plate (The battery 22 has a battery case 24 and is supported within the vehicle by a battery tray 30; the battery tray 30 also includes a plurality of fins 42 arranged on the support surface of the base plate 34, and perpendicular thereto. The number and arrangement of the fins 42 on the base plate 32 are selectively determined to provide a pathway for the transfer of heat away from the battery 22 by directing the flow path of conditioned air around the battery case 24 (para 20-24, Fig. 4). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was filed, to modify the method of Martz to include wherein the plate is a lower plate and includes the wavelike structure, and the method includes attaching the lower plate to an exterior surface of the bottom of the battery enclosure to define the coolant channels, such that the bottom of the battery enclosure is disposed between the battery cells and the lower plate, as taught by Rajaie, in order to improving cooling of the battery system.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 11 is allowed. The closest prior art of record-US 2011/0293982, US 2012/0315528, US 2019/0334140, US 20190044203, US 20110293982, US 20120315528 - fail to teach or suggest each and every limitation of claim 11. Claims 12 and 13 depend from claim 11 directly or indirectly and allowed as well.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEXANDER USYATINSKY whose telephone number is (571)270-7703. The examiner can normally be reached IFP.
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/Alexander Usyatinsky/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1751
