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 .
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
35 U.S.C. 103 Rejections
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) 12-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kauffmann (US 20190009681) in view of Prosser et al. (US 20120303213).
Regarding claim 12, Kuffmann shows a column charging system (Kuffmann figs. 1, 20) for electric vehicles (100) comprising:
- a base portion (Kuffmann figs. 1a-1b: element 104) fastened on a plane resting on a ground and configured to receive a terminal portion of a main power supply (9086: in the ground and is connected to a power source);
-a charging device (Kuffmann fig. 1b: 112) having a top body (118, 800 in fig. 8A), configured to be connected to an electric vehicle (100), and a bottom end (400), opposite to said top body (118), the bottom end (400) being positioned close to said base portion (104) and configured to convey electricity from said base portion (104) to said top body (108);
-at least a
wherein said
- positioning devices (116, 108, 202, 306) for positioning said charging device (112) with respect to said base portion (104, 106);
and
- further comprising a casing (114, 106) surrounding said positioning devices (116, 118, 202, 306) and interposed in contact between said top body (118) and said base portion (104);
said charging device (112) being movable from an inactive position (308 and 408 are disengaged), wherein said bottom end (400) is moved away from said base portion (104), and an operating position (308 and 408 are engaged), wherein said
an overall configuration being such that, during a passage from the inactive position (308 and 408 are disengaged) to the operating position (308 and 408 are engaged), said charging device (112) is guided by said positioning devices (116, 108, 202, 306), said
wherein said positioning devices (116, 108, 202, 306) comprises a plurality of longitudinal elements (116, 118, 202, 306) having side walls (side walls of 116, 118 etc. and side walls creating slots where 1200, 1202 are sliding on figs. 12-13) carrying a sliding surface on which said charging device (112) is constrained to slide in the passage (guided by 116, 108, 202, 306) from said inactive position (308 and 408 are disengaged) to said operating position (308 and 408 are engaged), and wherein said longitudinal elements (116, 108, 202, 306) are fastened to said base portion (104) to be placed around said
wherein said longitudinal elements (116, 108, 202, 306) extend outgoing from said base portion (104) for a length so that, in said operating position (308 and 408 are engaged), they are at least partially (upper portion 116 in fig. 1b; 10078: a scissor mechanism 116 mounted to the inside of the container 118) inserted in said top body (118),
wherein said charging device (112) comprises an elongated body (body 114) carrying said bottom end (400), said elongated body (114) having a smaller cross section (cross section of 114, see fig. 1b) than the cross section (cross section of 800 in figs. 8a and 1b) of said top body (118, 800 in fig. 8a) at a junction point between said elongated body (116, 108, 202, 306) and said top body (118),
wherein said elongated body (116, 108, 202, 306) comprises an internal surface configured to slide on said sliding surface (see mechanism 108, 116 and slots on figs. 12-13) in the passage from said inactive position (308 and 408 are disengaged) to said operating position (308 and 408 are engaged).
Kauffmann differs from the claimed invention in that the female and male connectors (308, 408) are in reverse position. However, it is notoriously well known that the positions of female and male connectors are interchangeable, this is taught by Prosser's vehicle charging plug/port (140140). Hence, it would have been obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the present application to recognize that Kauffmann female and male connectors can be interchangeable applied as taught by Prosser because there is no operational difference when the female and male connectors are swapped in positions.
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Kuffmann and Prossor shows that the elongated body has a quadrilateral cross section (see each section of Kuffmann's rectangular shaped scissor mechanism 108, 116 in fig. 12).
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Kuffmann and Prossor shows devices (Kuffmann 202, 306 in figs. 2, 3a) for tightening said longitudinal elements (i.e. 108) to said top body (118).
Regarding claim 15, the combination of Kuffmann and Prossor shows that said female connector and said male connector comprise each one a contact edge complementary to each other (Kuffmann: 308 in fig. 3a, 408 in fig. 4a: male connector is complementarily inserted into female connect; Prossor: figs 11c and 11b, male connector is complementarily inserted into female connector).
Regarding claim 16, the combination of Kuffmann and Prossor shows at least one between said female connector and said male connector comprises a gasket-like element (Prossor figs. 11b-11c, such as insertable locking edge) interposed in contact between said contact edges, the configuration being such that in said operating position said contact edges transmit compression forces on said gasket-like element.
Regarding claim 17, the combination of Kuffmann and Prossor shows that said base portion (Kuffmann: 104 in fig. 1b) comprises a supporting stirrup (706 in fig. 7) thereon said female connector is fixed, raised with respect to said resting plane (bottom of 104) and configured to transmit load stresses from said female connector to said resting plane.
Regarding claim 18, the combination of Kuffmann and Prossor shows that said supporting stirrup has an overturned U-like shape (see Kuffmann: 706 in fig. 7).
Response to Arguments
On the Remarks (pages 4-5), applicant has described both the current application, such as the plurality of longitudinal elements (8) having side walls carrying a sliding surface (9) … etc.; and the Kauffmann reference, such as the scissor mechanism (116) etc. The examiner agrees with applicant’s description on pages 4-5 of the Remarks.
On page 6, applicant argues that Kauffmann’s scissor mechanisms (116, 108) cannot reasonably be equated to the “plurality of longitudinal elements (8) having side walls carrying a sliding surface (9) on which said charging device (3) is constrained to slide in the passage from said inactive position to said operating position.
The examiner disagrees. First, Kauffmann’s scissor (i.e. fig. 12: 116, 108, 1200, 1204) is a feature of the bellows (fig. 1B: 114, 106) and the container (104), all these elements work together to move the charging device.
Noted that applicant broadly claims that “the positioning devices comprising a plurality of longitudinal elements having side walls carrying a sliding surface on which said charging device is constrained to slide …”. Applicants do entitle to have broad claims, but the claimed languages are far from defining a structure resembling what applicants show on their fig. 1. Giving the claimed languages the reasonable broad reading, they are not distinct from the Kauffmann reference as laid out on the rejection, in Kauffmann, it is clear that Kauffmann’s elements (116, 108, 202, 306) are functioning as the claimed position devices because these elements move the charging device from an inactive position to an operation charging position. Also, Kauffmann’s position device (elements 116, 108, 202, 306) clearly having side walls (fig. 12: slots with 1200, 1202) carrying a sliding surface (figs. 12-13: from extended position to a retracted position when 1204, 1206 of 116 slide within the slots 1200, 1202); this arrangement sets up the charging device which is constrained to slide in the passage (guided by figs. 12-13; figs. 1-3: 116, 108, 202, 306). Kauffmann clearly met the claimed limitations, and applicants hadn’t explained how Kauffmann’s above mapping in the original rejection was erred with respect to the claimed limitation on claim 12.
On page 7, second paragraph, applicant argues that Kauffmann does not disclose “… an elongated body carrying said bottom end, … having a smaller cross section than the cross section of said top body at a junction point between said elongated body and said top body, … an internal surface configured to slide on said sliding surface in the passage ….”.
The examiner disagrees. On the rejection, the examiner had mapped Kauffmann’s bellow section (i.e. 114, 116) as the claimed elongated body which is carrying the bottom end (400), said elongated body (body of the bellow 114) having a smaller cross section (cross section of body 114, see fig. 1b) than the cross section (cross section of crown 800 in figs. 8a and 1b) of said top body (118, 800 in fig. 8a) at a junction point between said elongated body (116, 108, 202, 306) and said top body (118). On Kauffmann’s paragraph 0079: it states ” … the bellows (114) are deployed out of the crown (800) by the scissor mechanism (116)”. This clearly shows that the bellow (the elongated body 114) is clearly smaller than cross section of the top body (the body of crown 800; see fig. 1b and figs. 8A-8B).
In addition, the elongated body (bellow 114, scissor 116 etc.) comprises an internal surface configured to slide on said sliding surface (see mechanism 108, 116 and slots on figs. 12-13 as explained above) in the passage from said inactive position (308 and 408 are disengaged) to said operating position (308 and 408 are engaged).
Again, applicants hadn’t explained how Kauffmann’s above mapping in the original rejection was erred with respect to these claimed limitation on claim 12.
Regarding the Prosser arguments on last two paragraphs of page 7, Prosser is primarily used to show interchangeable positions for male and female connectors in the charging environment, see rejections above.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 JACK CHIANG whose telephone number is (571)272-7483. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm ET.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kiesha Bryant, can be reached at telephone number 571 -272- 3606. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JACK CHIANG/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2851
