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
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.
Claim(s) 1-7, 13-14, and 16-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Rong (CN 117199731 A).
Regarding claim 1, Rong discloses a battery management device (fig.1), comprising: a power distribution unit (21+22+23+4+5); a management control unit (3+84), comprising a first circuit board (part of 83 below 84); a bottom plate (battery pack water cooling plate, paragraph [0017]), wherein the power distribution unit and the management control unit are integrated on the bottom plate (figs.1-17); a second circuit board (rest of 83) electrically connected with the first circuit board and the power distribution unit, and the first circuit board and the second circuit board are integrally formed (fig.6).
Regarding claim 2, Rong discloses comprising a cover body (cover body 11), wherein the cover body is provided on the side of the second circuit board facing away from the power distribution unit, and the cover body is fixedly connected to the power distribution unit and the management control unit (figs.1-17).
Regarding claim 3, Rong discloses wherein the power distribution unit comprises a first housing (body 12) and a plurality of first electrical components (electrical components 21, 22, 23), wherein the first housing is connected to the bottom plate, and the plurality of first electrical devices are assembled in the first housing; an outer surface of the first housing corresponding to the first electrical components is made of insulating material, and at least part of the first electrical components are electrically connected with the second circuit board (figs.1-17).
Regarding claim 4, Rong discloses wherein the power distribution unit comprises an electrical connector (electrical connector 5, fig.3), wherein the electrical connector is electrically connected with the first electrical component, and a bottom wall of the first housing is located at one side of the first housing close to the bottom plate (figs.1-17), and at least part of the electrical connector is provided on the bottom wall of the first housing and exposed relative to the bottom wall of the housing to form a heat conducting area (since 5 is made of copper it forms a heat conducting area).
Regarding claim 5, Rong discloses wherein at least part of the electrical connector and the first housing are integrally injection molded (high-voltage bus cooper 5 is integrated at the bottom of the box 12 by injection molding, paragraph [0046]).
Regarding claim 6, Rong discloses wherein the power distribution unit further comprises an insulating layer (insulating layer 6), wherein the insulating layer covers the heat conducting area.
Regarding claim 7, Rong discloses wherein the power distribution unit further comprises a heat conducting layer (heat conducting layer 7), wherein the heat conducting layer is sandwiched between the insulating layer and the bottom plate.
Regarding claim 13, Rong discloses wherein distances between the first circuit board and the bottom plate and between the second circuit board and the bottom plate are same (paragraph [0017], battery pack water cooling plate, figs.1-17).
Regarding claim 14, Rong discloses comprising an electrical interface, wherein the electrical interface is configured to electrically connect with an outside of the battery, and is integrated in the first circuit board (interface portion for connecting control signals of external devices, paragraph [0047]).
Regarding claim 16, Rong discloses a battery (battery pack, paragraph [0002]), comprising a battery management device (fig.1), comprising: a power distribution unit (21+22+23+4+5); a management control unit (3+84), comprising a first circuit board (part of 83 below 84); a bottom plate (battery pack water cooling plate, paragraph [0017]), wherein the power distribution unit and the management control unit are integrated on the bottom plate (figs.1-17); a second circuit board (rest of 83) electrically connected with the first circuit board and the power distribution unit, and the first circuit board and the second circuit board are integrally formed (fig.6).
Regarding claim 17, Rong discloses a vehicle (vehicle, paragraph [0002]), comprising a battery (battery, paragraph [0002]), wherein the battery comprising a battery management device (fig.1), comprising: a power distribution unit (21+22+23+4+5); a management control unit (3+84), comprising a first circuit board (part of 83 below 84); a bottom plate (battery pack water cooling plate, paragraph [0017]), wherein the power distribution unit and the management control unit are integrated on the bottom plate (figs.1-17); a second circuit board (rest of 83) electrically connected with the first circuit board and the power distribution unit, and the first circuit board and the second circuit board are integrally formed (fig.6).
Regarding claim 18, Rong discloses wherein a channel for circulating coolant is provided inside the bottom plate (water cooling plate inherently has a channel for water, paragraph [0017]).
Regarding claim 19, Rong discloses comprising a cover body (cover body 11), wherein the cover body is provided on the side of the second circuit board facing away from the power distribution unit, and the cover body is fixedly connected to the power distribution unit and the management control unit (figs.1-17).
Regarding claim 20, Rong discloses wherein the power distribution unit comprises a first housing (body 12) and a plurality of first electrical components (electrical components 21, 22, 23), wherein the first housing is connected to the bottom plate, and the plurality of first electrical devices are assembled in the first housing; an outer surface of the first housing corresponding to the first electrical components is made of insulating material, and at least part of the first electrical components are electrically connected with the second circuit board (figs.1-17).
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.
Claim(s) 8-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rong (CN 117199731 A) in view of Song (CN 115642372 A).
Regarding claim 8, Rong discloses wherein the electrical connector (5, fig.3) comprises a plate body (plate body of copper bar 5 as seen in fig.3), and the plate body and the bottom wall of the housing are injection molded (copper bar 5 and body 12 are injection molded, paragraph [0046]), and at least part of the surface of the plate body is exposed from the bottom wall of the housing to form the heat conducting area (since 5 is made of copper it forms a heat conducting area). Rong fails to disclose a column body and the column body is located in the first housing and extends along a direction from the bottom wall of the housing to the second circuit board, the column body is connected between the second circuit board and the plate body.
However, Song discloses a column body (columns of 1 as seen in figures 1-7) and the column body is located in the first housing and extends along a direction from the bottom wall of the housing to the second circuit board (columns of 1 extend from the lower box body 11 to the PCB board 7, figs.1-7), the column body is connected between the second circuit board and the plate body (1 and 7, figs.1-7).
Rong and Song are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of batteries. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Rong with the columns of Song with a reasonable expectation of success because it would have combined prior art elements yielding predictable results of providing structural support and a more secure connection.
Regarding claim 9, Rong in combination with Song discloses wherein the circuit board comprises a plurality of connecting pieces (Song; PCB board 7 has connecting pieces as seen in figures 3-7) arranged at intervals along a circumferential direction of the circuit board (Song, connecting pieces are around the sides of the PCB board 7, figs.3-7), and the electrical connector is provided with a plurality of column bodies (Song, columns of 1, figs.1-7), and at least part of the column bodies are correspondingly connected with the plurality of connecting pieces (fig.3), and joints between part of column bodies and the connecting pieces are configured to form circuit sampling points, and joints between part of column bodies and the connecting pieces are configured to output current externally (figs.1-17 of Rong, figs.1-7 of Song).
Claim(s) 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rong (CN 117199731 A) in view of Niwa (DE 112017005190 B4).
Regarding claim 11, Rong discloses wherein the management control unit comprises a second housing (box body 12 has two housings as seen in figures 1-8) and a second electrical component (module 4, figs.1-8), at least part of the second electrical component is assembled in the second housing (figs.1-8), and a bottom wall of the second housing extends to the bottom of the first housing and is configured as the bottom plate (water cooling plate of box body 12, paragraph [0017]). Rong fails to disclose the housing is made of metal.
However, Niwa discloses case (16, fig.1) for battery unit (10) has base (17) and cover (18) made from a metal material (paragraph [0032]).
Rong and Niwa are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of batteries. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Rong with the case material of Niwa with a reasonable expectation of success because it would have been a simple substitution of materials and metal cases are well known to provide structural protection to the electronics in the case to prevent damage.
Regarding claim 12, Rong in combination with Niwa discloses wherein the management control unit comprises a plurality of pillars (Niwa, pillars 33-35, figs.2-6), and the second electrical component comprises a power board (Rong, module 4, figs.1-8), and the power board is provided in the second housing, and the second housing comprises a metal cover (Niwa, cover 18 is a metal, paragraph [0032]), and the plurality of pillars support the metal cover and the circuit board and are located between the metal cover and the circuit board (Rong, figs.1-17; Niwa, figs.1-6).
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rong (CN 117199731 A) in view of Lin (CN 113629361 A).
Regarding claim 15. Rong discloses wherein the bottom plate as a water-cooling plate (paragraph [0017]), but fails to disclose the material of the plate.
However, Lin discloses heat conducting piece is made from metal material (82, fig.1, paragraph [0089]).
Rong and Lin are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of batteries. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Rong with the metal plate of Lin with a reasonable expectation of success because it would have been a simple change of material obtaining predictable results of allowing the cooling plate to better cool down the electronics as metal is a well-known conductor of thermal energy.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 10 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.
Claim 10 depends upon claim 9 which is rejected, but claim 10 has the limitation of “wherein the power distribution unit comprises a plurality of adapter pieces, wherein the adapter pieces extend in a bending direction, and the plurality of connecting pieces are correspondingly connected with the plurality of column body bodies through the plurality of adapter pieces.” Rong in combination with Song discloses the power distribution unit comprises a plurality of adapter pieces (Rong, module 4, figs.1 and 13-15), wherein the adapter pieces extend in a bending direction (figs.1 and 13-15), but fail to disclose the connecting pieces (Song, connecting bodies on PCB 7, fig.1) are connected with the column bodies (columns of 1, Song) through the adapter pieces (Rong, 4, fig.1 and 13-15). To have the connecting pieces connected with the plurality of column body bodies through the plurality of adapter pieces would require serious modification and hindsight reconstruction. The prior art either alone or in combination fail to teach or fairly suggest at this time all of the limitations of claim 10. For the reasons above claim 10 has allowable subject matter.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The prior art not relied upon but considered pertinent to the applicant’s disclosure is included in the 892 form. The art included has features related to claim limitations, the general structural of the invention, teachings, and other analogous art to the invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to IAN BRYCE SHELTON whose telephone number is (571)272-6501. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Allen Shriver can be reached at (303)-297-4337. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/IAN BRYCE SHELTON/Examiner, Art Unit 3613
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