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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of group 1, claims 1-9 and 17-20 in the reply
filed on 8/29/2025 is acknowledged. Claims 21-26 are newly added.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/26/2022,2/13/2023, 2/29/2024, 4/15/2024, 12/10/2024, 4/30/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Preliminary Amendment
The preliminary amendment to the claims received on 8/29/2025 is acceptable and made of record in accordance with MPEP 714.01 (e). Applicant’s statement of “no new matter entered” is acknowledged.
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.
Claim(s) 1-9 and 21-26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by McClymond US 20180312069.
Regarding claim 1 (Currently Amended), McClymond discloses a system [Fig. 1, unmanned aerial vehicle 108] comprising:
a battery holder [Figs. 1-5, battery holding tube 102, par. 0059] configured to store a first battery [Fig. 5, 528A-D], wherein the battery holder further includes a retainer member [first cover 120 + second cover 124] positioned proximate a front end [Fig. 1, e.g. 120 at the left-most side of 102] and a rear end of the battery holder [Fig. 1, e.g. 124 at the right-most side of 102], the retainer member having a first position [120 + 124 closed, as seen in Figs. 4-5] and a second position [120 + 124 open, as seen in Figs. 2-3] such that the retainer member, in the first position [locked or extended position], is configured to engage the first battery in order to dispose the first battery in a storage position in the battery holder and, in the second position [released or retracted position], is configured to disengage from the first battery to allow the first battery to move from the storage position [pars. 0061-0064]; and
a cartridge [Figs. 1 and 6-11; battery loader 104 + battery collector 164] having a tip end [Fig. 6, e.g. right-side of piston 130] and an actuator end [Fig. 6, e.g. left-side of piston 130] configured to couple to at least one of the front end and the rear end of the battery holder [via slide 136] and further configured to hold a second battery [628] in an enclosure, wherein when the cartridge is decoupled from the battery holder, the retainer member of the battery holder is in the first position [120 + 124 closed, as seen in Figs. 4-5], and when the cartridge is coupled to the battery holder, the retainer member of the battery holder is in the second position [pars. 0066, 0068, 0071, 0093. See also: pars. 0017, 0022-0024, 0073-0074, 0076].
Regarding claim 2 (Currently Amended), McClymond discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the retainer member [first cover 120 + second cover 124] comprises an electrically conductive material, and the retainer member is positioned within the battery holder to engage terminals of the first battery in the storage position [pars. 0062, 0064-0065 … the battery holding tube 102 includes a first cover 120 with a first electrical contact 122 and a second cover 124 with a second electrical contact 126. Each electrical contact may be located on an inner surface of its corresponding cover, such as in FIG. 3 with electrical contact 126 on an inner surface 127 of the second cover 124].
Regarding claim 3 (Currently Amended), McClymond discloses the system of claim 1, further comprising: one or more electrical leads coupled to the retainer member [first cover 120 + second cover 124; par. 0065 The battery holding tube's configuration may also include the electrical wiring, features, and connections to enable electricity from the batteries to be transported from the batteries to the motors and other electrical components of the UAV].
Regarding claim 4 (Currently Amended), McClymond discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the tip end [e.g. indicated at figs. 7 and 7, slide 136] comprises an opening including two first opposite sidewalls [Fig. 6, e.g., the portion of the inner space of 104 that is above 628 is opposite the portion of the inner space of 104 that is below 628] in the opening, an interior portion distal to the actuator end comprises two second opposite sidewalls in the interior portion, and a cartridge opening frame width between the two first opposite sidewalls in the opening is less than a cartridge interior width between the two second opposite sidewalls in the interior portion [as seen in Figs. 6 and 7. Pars. 0070].
Regarding claim 5 (Currently Amended), McClymond discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the one or more cartridges [Figs. 1 and 6-11; battery loader 104 + battery collector 164] receives the first battery from the battery holder into the one or more cartridges [par. 0093].
Regarding claim 6 (Currently Amended), McClymond discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the cartridge comprises an actuator [Fig. 6, piston 130] configured to push the second battery into the battery holder [par. 0068].
Regarding claim 7 (Currently Amended), McClymond discloses the system of claim 6, wherein the actuator [Fig. 6, piston 130] is configured to guide the first battery into the enclosure of the cartridges [par. 0068].
Regarding claim 8 (Currently Amended), McClymond discloses the system of claim 1, further comprising a second cartridge wherein: the tip end of the cartridge [slide 136] couples to the front end of the battery holder [battery loader 104]; and a second tip end of the second cartridge couples to the rear end of the battery holder and a second actuator end of the second cartridge comprises an actuator configured to push through at least a portion of the second cartridge in a direction from the second actuator end toward the second tip end of the second cartridge [Fig. 1, both battery loader 104 and 163 have slides 136 to accommodate the battery being pushed into and out of 102. Par. 0093].
Regarding claim 9 (Currently Amended), McClymond discloses the system of claim 1, further comprising a cartridge array including one or more cartridges [Figs. 1 and 6-11; battery loader 104 + battery collector 164], the cartridge array configured to move any one of the one or more cartridges in the cartridge array to align and couple with at least one of the front end or the rear end of the battery holder [par. 0093].
Regarding claim 21 (New), McClymond discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the battery holder comprises an electrical lead, and the retainer member comprises electrically conductive material coupled to the electrical lead [pars. 0062, 0064-0065 … the battery holding tube 102 includes a first cover 120 with a first electrical contact 122 and a second cover 124 with a second electrical contact 126. Each electrical contact may be located on an inner surface of its corresponding cover, such as in FIG. 3 with electrical contact 126 on an inner surface 127 of the second cover 124].
Regarding claim 22 (New), McClymond discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the retainer member is hingedly coupled to the battery holder at the tip end of the retainer member [par. 0062 Each cover may be physically connected to the battery holding tube by, for example, a hinge -type mechanism, by threaded connections, or by magnets].
Regarding claim 23 (New), McClymond discloses the system of claim 1, wherein, in the first position, the retainer member is configured to electrically couple with battery terminals of the first battery when the first battery is in the storage position [pars. 0062, 0064-0065].
Regarding claim 24 (New), McClymond discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the retainer member is biased towards the first position [par. 0066: the cover actuator may include springs or pistons that are attached to each cover and a part of the battery holding tube 102 and configured to mechanically cause (e.g., using the spring or piston energy) each cover to move between positions].
Regarding claim 25 (New), McClymond discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the retainer member is spring loaded to permit the retainer member to move between the first position and the second position [par. 0066: the cover actuator may include springs or pistons that are attached to each cover and a part of the battery holding tube 102 and configured to mechanically cause (e.g., using the spring or piston energy) each cover to move between positions].
Regarding claim 26 (New), McClymond discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the battery holder comprises a housing extending between the front end and the rear end in a longitudinal direction [Fig. 4, center axis 132, par. 0064].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 17-20 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The prior art does not disclose or suggest, “17. (Currently Amended) A method comprising:
aligning a first cartridge to couple to a battery holder, the battery holder comprising:
a first housing storing a first battery, the first housing extending longitudinally between a front end and a rear end and having an inner surface that defines an interior space,
retainer member receptacles, each retainer member receptacle of the retainer member receptacles comprising a perimeter wall extending away from the inner surface and defining a chamber, and
a front retainer member proximate the front end and a rear retainer member proximate the rear end of the first housing, each of the front retainer member and the rear retainer member comprising a first retainer end and a second retainer end, and configured to move between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position, each of the front retainer member and the rear retainer member taper outward and away from the interior space in a longitudinal direction from the first retainer end to the second retainer end, and in the second position, each of the front retainer member and the rear retainer member is at least partially recessed within respective chambers of the retainer member receptacles;
coupling the first cartridge to the battery holder such that a portion of the first cartridge engages the front retainer member and moves the front retainer member from the first position the second position; and
pushing, from a second cartridge comprising a second housing storing a second battery, the second battery into the first housing at the rear end and moving the first battery into the first cartridge, wherein the second battery engages the rear retainer member and moves the rear retainer member from the first position to the second position [see also: pars. 0022-0024]” as recited in independent claim 17. Claims 18-20 depends from 17 and are allowable for the same reasons.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Re asons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 20090198372 discloses a battery transfer and charging system for electric vehicles is described. A station removes one or more spent batteries of electric vehicles having multiple batteries. The receiving system includes an engagement device for engaging with engagement structures of the batteries, in order to assist the removal of spent batteries. Spent batteries removed from vehicles may be tested and charged as they progress through the system in an assembly-line fashion. Following recharge, batteries may be transferred to the displacement station for installation within later vehicles. Batteries which cannot adequately be recharged can be automatically removed from the system.
US 20160039300 discloses a UAV energy provision station, the energy provision station may comprise: a UAV landing area configured to support a UAV when the UAV is resting on the station, said UAV being coupled to a battery that provides power to the UAV; a battery replacement member configured to decouple the battery from the UAV, such that the battery no longer provides power to said UAV; a power unit configured to provide power to the UAV prior to or concurrent with said decoupling, and thereby cause the UAV to remain powered, before, during, and after the battery is decoupled from the UAV. In some instances the energy provision station may further comprise a power unit configured to provide power to the UAV for an entire time that no battery is coupled to the UAV. The power unit may be an electrical line from an electrical energy source. The electrical energy source may be a renewable energy generation power source. The electrical energy source may be a power grid. The power unit may be another battery. The other battery may be on board the energy provision station supporting the UAV. The other battery may be on board the UAV.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RICHARD V MURALIDAR whose telephone number is (571)272-8933. The examiner can normally be reached M - W 9:30 am to 6:30 PM.
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RICHARD V. MURALIDAR
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2859
/RICHARD V MURALIDAR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859