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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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.
Claims 1-6 and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brotz (US 2002/0184908) in view of Sangwan (US 6,691,523).
As to claim 1, Brotz teaches a vehicle temperature control assembly, comprising:
a heat exchanger 6;
a battery temperature control circuit 2; and
a vehicle air conditioning circuit 3 having a compressor 14;
wherein the heat exchanger 6 comprises a first fluid channel in communication with the battery temperature control circuit 2 and a second fluid channel in fluid communication with the air conditioning circuit 3 so as transfer heat therebetween (for example see Fig. 1).
Brotz is silent regarding how compressor 14 is driven, and thus does not explicitly teach that the compressor 14 is an engine-drive compressor. However, Sangwan teaches that it is known to utilize an engine-driven compressor in a vehicle (Fig. 1; col. 1, lines 64-67). Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify the compressor 14 of Brotz to be an engine-driven compressor as claimed and taught by Sangwan in order to provide reliable drive power for operating the compressor.
As to claim 2, the engine-driven compressor of the modified apparatus comprises an engine coupling (Sangwan, col. 1, lines 64-67).
As to claim 3, Brotz teaches controlling flow from the air conditioning circuit 3 to the heat exchanger 6 via valve 16 and expansion valve 10 (Fig. 1).
As to claim 4, Brotz teaches the battery temperature control circuit 2 extending around and/or through a battery housing (Fig. 1; paragraph 39).
As to claim 5, the claim is merely a recitation of intended use. The air conditioner of Brotz is operable within a range of temperatures wherein a vehicle is used, and thus is capable of performing the intended use of being operable within an ambient temperature range of 5-122 degrees F.
As to claim 6, Brotz teaches a battery circuit pump 5.
As to claims 17-20, the modified apparatus includes most of the claimed limitations as discussed in the rejections above, but does not explicitly teach a DC/DC converter mounted on an inclined surface as claimed. However, Official Notice is taken that use of a DC/DC converter mounted at an incline to dissipate heat is a common and typical feature of a battery system that would have been obvious to use in conjunction with the system of Brotz for the purpose of providing desired electricity conditioning while preventing unwanted heating of the battery.
Claims 7-10 and 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brotz and Sangwan as applied in the rejections above, and further in view of Li (US 2021/0370799).
As to claim 7, the modified apparatus does not explicitly teach a processor, battery temperature sensor, or battery temperature control circuit configured to operate in the manner as claimed. However, Li teaches using a controller to increase pump speed based on a measured battery temperature (paragraph 95). Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify Brotz to utilize a processor, battery temperature sensor, and controller as claimed and taught by Li in order to maintain a proper battery temperature.
As to claim 8, the modified apparatus of Brotz teaches the limitations of the claims for the same reasons as set forth above.
As to claim 9, the modified apparatus teaches entering a battery cooling mode by sending a request to control the valve 16 to convey refrigerant through the heat exchanger 6 (paragraph 44).
As to claim 10, Li teaches entering the battery cooling mode when the battery temperature exceeds an upper threshold (paragraph 95).
As to claim 15-16, the modified apparatus does not explicitly teach performing a heating operation as claimed. However, Official Notice is taken that performing battery heating during conditions wherein the battery temperature is relatively low and ambient temperature is relatively low is a common and typical feature of a vehicle battery temperature control system that would have been obvious to use in conjunction with the system of Brotz for the purpose of maintaining proper battery temperatures.
Claims 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brotz, Sangwan, and Li as applied in the rejections above, and further in view of Jalilevand (US 2017/0217279).
As to claim 11, the modified apparatus does not explicitly include an ambient temperature sensor as claimed. However, Jalilevand teaches using an ambient temperature sensor to control chiller operation to effect efficient radiator cooling of vehicle battery when possible (Fig. 2, steps 104-106). Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify Brotz to utilize an ambient temperature sensor as claimed and taught by Jalilevand in order to utilize available free-cooling of the battery when a relatively cool ambient temperature condition exists.
As to claim 12, the valve 16 of the modified apparatus is controlled if the ambient temperature is within a predetermined temperature range (Jalilevand, Fig. 2).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 13-14 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JONATHAN BRADFORD whose telephone number is (571)270-5199. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00 - 4:00 ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jerry-Daryl Fletcher can be reached at (571)270-5054. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JONATHAN BRADFORD/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763