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 Status
This office action is in response to the amendment filed 2/5/2026.
Claims 36, 39-41 , 45, 50 have been amended; support for claim 36 is in original claims 37 and 38; the other amendments are to correct dependency or language or to include previously allowable subject matter.
Claims 1-35 and 37-38 are cancelled.
Claims 41-44 are allowed claims.
Claims 36, 39-55 are currently pending.
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 –
Claim(s) 36, 39, 40, 45, 47--55 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Liu et al. (US 9,954,205 B2).
As to claim 36, Liu et al. discloses an electrical apparatus (20-lighting device) to which a first battery (A21 or A22) or a second battery (B21 or B22) is detachably attachable, the apparatus comprising:
a body (10-compartment) including an output portion (26-lighting element);
a battery holder having a first surface (D21 and D22 smaller radius holder) and a second surface (D23 and D24 larger radius holder);
a first battery mount on the first surface, the first battery mount including a first guide to allow the first battery to slide on the first battery mount while being guided along the first guide for attachment to and detachment from the first battery mount (the opening would guide the battery into position);
a second battery mount on the second surface, the second battery mount including a second guide to allow the second battery to slide on the second battery mount while being guided along the second guide (the opening would guide the battery into position because of the size of the opening) for attachment to and detachment from the second battery mount; and
a cover configured to define, (removable end cap, col. 7 lines 27-30) with the body, a battery compartment (figure 4),
wherein the first surface faces the battery compartment (see figure below),
the second surface faces the battery compartment (see figure below),
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and
the first battery mount and the second battery mount are positioned relative to each other in accordance with profiles and dimensions of the first battery and the second battery to cause the second battery to be unattachable to the second battery mount when the first battery is attached to the first battery mount and to cause the first battery to be unattachable to the first battery mount when the second battery is attached to the second battery mount (col. 11 lines 12-21).
As to claim 39, Liu et al. disclose the electrical apparatus according to claim 36,further comprising:
a hinge joining the cover to the body (col. 7 lines 30),
wherein a guiding direction of the first guide and a guiding direction of the second guide are each orthogonal to a hinge axis of the hinge (since the hinge connects to the body of the case it will have to be orthogonal to the insertion of the cells otherwise the cells cannot enter the body compartment).
As to claim 40, Lui et al. discloses the electrical apparatus of claim 36, wherein the body includes the first surface and the second surface.
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As to claim 45, Lui et al. discloses the electrical apparatus according to claim 36,further comprising: a linkage joining the cover to the body and defining a pivot range of the cover (col. 7 lines 30).
As to claim 47, Liu et al. discloses the electrical apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the first battery mount is configured to receive the first battery with a first outer dimension (AA size), and the second battery mount is configured to receive the second battery with a second outer dimension (AAA size) different from the first outer dimension.
As to claim 48, Liu discloses the electrical apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the second surface includes a second surface located adjacent to one end of the first surface and a second surface located adjacent to another end of the first surface, the first battery mount is configured to receive the first battery with a first outer dimension, and the second battery mount is configured to receive the second battery with a second outer dimension smaller than the first outer dimension (figure 5b).
As to claim 49, Liu et al. discloses the electrical apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the electrical apparatus comprises two of the first battery mounts, and two of the second battery mounts (figure 5b).
As to claim 50, Liu et al. discloses the electrical apparatus according to claim 49, wherein the two first battery mounts are located on the first surface (smaller diameter), and the second surface includes a pair of second surfaces (larger diameter), one of the two second battery mounts is located on one of the pair of second surfaces, and the other of the two second battery mounts is located on the other of the pair of second surfaces (figure 5b).
As to claim 51, Liu et al. discloses the electrical apparatus according to claim 49, wherein the first battery is attachable to each of the two first battery mounts when the second battery is unattached to each of the two second battery mounts (col. 11 lines 12-15).
As to claim 52, Liu et al. discloses the electrical apparatus according to claim 49, wherein the second battery is attachable to each of the two second battery mounts when the first battery is unattached to each of the two first battery mounts (col. 11 lines 12-15).
As to claim 53, Liu et al. discloses the electrical apparatus according to claim 49, wherein when the first battery (smaller diameter) is unattached to a first battery mount of the two first battery mounts located in a first direction and the second battery (larger diameter) is unattached to a second battery mount of the two second battery mounts located in a second direction, the first battery is attachable to the other first battery mount of the two first battery mounts located in the second direction and the second battery is attachable to the other second battery mount of the two second battery mounts located in the first direction (col. 11 lines 12-15, figure 5b).
As to claim 54, Liu et al discloses the electrical apparatus according to claim 50, wherein one of the pair of second surfaces is connected to a left end of the first surface ( up and down), and the other of the pair of second surfaces is connected to a right end of the first surface (left and right), the pair of second surfaces face each other (figure 5b), the two first battery mounts are arranged in a lateral direction on the first surface (figure 5b), one of the two second battery mounts is located on one of the pair of second surfaces, and the other of the two second battery mounts is located on the other of the pair of second surfaces, and the two first battery mounts and the two second battery mounts are positioned relative to each other in accordance with profiles and dimensions of the first battery and the second battery to cause the second battery to be unattachable to a left second battery mount of the two second battery mounts when the first battery is attached to a left first battery mount of the two first battery mounts (col. 11 lines 12-21), the first battery to be unattachable to the left first battery mount when the second battery is attached to the left second battery mount, the second battery to be unattachable to a right second battery mount of the two second battery mounts when the first battery is attached to a right first battery mount of the two first battery mounts, and the first battery to be unattachable to the right first battery mount when the second battery is attached to the right second battery mount (col. 11 lines 12-21).
As to claim 55, Liu et al. discloses the electrical apparatus according to claim 36, further comprising: the first battery attachable to the first battery mount; and the second battery attachable to the second battery mount (batteries can enter the cavities).
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) 46 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Liu et al. (US 9,954,205 B2) in view Furuyama (US 2014/0240438 A1) and evidenced by Liu et al. (US 2021/0013540).
As to claim 46, Liu et al. discloses the electrical apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the first battery mount (A21,22) is configured to receive the first battery with a first rated voltage, and the second battery mount (B21,22) is configured to receive the second battery with a second rated voltage. However Liu et al. does not disclose that the second rated voltage is different from the first rated voltage.
Furuyama discloses an electronic device that utilizes a 2 types of batteries primary (32) and secondary batteries (33). As seen in figures 6 and 7, the shapes and sizes are different. The rated voltage of the primary battery is different from that of the secondary lithium-ion battery [0003]. Furuyama teaches that a device can be powered by dry and rechargeable batteries.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was effectively filed to have the option of using a dry cell or rechargeable depending on which is available to the user. By using the dry cell or secondary cell the rated voltages are different.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 41-44 are allowed.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) newly amended claim 36 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant argues that Ota and Liu are not combinable and the examiner agrees. The rejection provided rely on Liu. In light of the amendment Liu is used to teach the limitation
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARIA J LAIOS whose telephone number is (571)272-9808. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 10am-6pm.
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/Maria Laios/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1727