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 .
Acknowledgement is made of application #18/187,869 filed on 03/22/2023 in which claims 1-20 have been presented for prosecution in a first action on the merits.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) filed on 01/17/2024 has been considered and placed of record. An initialed copy is attached herewith.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
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) 1,10,13,15-18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Suzuki USPAT 8,813,866 (also cited by applicants).
Regarding claim 1: Suzuki at least discloses and shows in Figs. 1-5 and 21: A power tool(100/70)(Figs. 1, 5 and 21), comprising: a power tool body(102/72) configured to be adapted(via adapters 200,300) to a first battery pack(low-voltage battery pack 10) having a first nominal voltage(18V) and a first output terminal set(24a,24b) and a second battery pack(high-voltage battery pack 30)(see Fig. 1) having a second nominal voltage(36V), different than the first nominal volage(18V), and a second output terminal set(44a,44b)(see Fig. 21); wherein the power tool body(102/72) comprises a first input terminal set(134a,134b/84a,84b)(see Figs. 5,22) configured to be selectively electrically connected to one of the first output terminal set(24a,24b)(see Fig. 5) and the second output terminal set(44a,44b)(see Fig. 21) to supply power to the power tool body(102/72)(see col. 4, lines 45-65; col. 5, lines 1-15; col. 6, lines 30-67).
Regarding claim 16: Suzuki discloses and shows in Figs. 1-5,21 and 22: A power tool system(100/70)(Figs. 1, 5 and 21), comprising a power tool body(102/72)(see Figs. 5 and 21-22) and a plurality of battery packs(10,30) having different nominal voltages(18V,36V respectively); wherein the plurality of battery packs having different nominal voltages have at least two different output terminal sets(24a,24b;44a,44b see Figs. 5 and 22); and the power tool body(102/72) comprises a first input terminal set(134a,134b/84a,84b)(see Figs. 5,22) configured to be selectively electrically connected to one of the at least two different output terminal sets(24a,24b;44a,44b see Figs. 5 and 22)to supply power to the power tool body(102/72)(see col. 4, lines 45-65; col. 5, lines 1-15; col. 6, lines 30-67).
Regarding claim 17: Suzuki discloses and shows in Figs. 1-5,21 and 22: A power tool system(100/70)(Figs. 1, 5 and 21), comprising: a power tool body(102/72); and a first battery pack(low-voltage battery pack 10) having a first nominal voltage(18V) and a first output terminal set(24a,24b); wherein the power tool body(102/702) is configured to be further adapted(via adapters 200,300) to a second battery pack(high-voltage battery pack 30)(see Fig. 1) having a second nominal voltage(36V) and a second output terminal set(44a,44b)(see Fig. 21), the first nominal voltage(18V) is different from the second nominal voltage(36V), and the power tool body(102/72) comprises a first input terminal set(134a,134b/84a,84b)(see Figs. 5,22) configured to be selectively electrically connected to one of the first output terminal set(24a,24b)(see Fig. 5) and the second output terminal set(44a,44b)(see Fig. 21) to supply power to the power tool body(102/72)(see col. 4, lines 45-65; col. 5, lines 1-15; col. 6, lines 30-67).
Regarding claims 10, Suzuki discloses all the claimed invention as discussed and set forth above in claim 1. Suzuki further discloses, wherein the first output terminal set(24a,24b) is different from the second output terminal set(44a,44b), and the first input terminal set(134a,134b/84a,84b)(see Figs. 5,22) is configured to be selectively electrically connected to one of the first output terminal set(24a,24b) and the second output terminal set(44a,44b) to supply power to the power tool body.
Regarding claims 13 and 18, Suzuki discloses all the claimed invention as discussed and set forth above in claims 1 and 17 respectively. Suzuki further discloses, wherein the power tool body is a lighting device(see col. 2, lines 60-col. 3, line 7)(note: the cordless power tool can be electric flashlights).
Regarding claims 15 and 20, Suzuki discloses all the claimed invention as discussed and set forth above in claims 1 and 17 respectively. Suzuki further discloses, wherein the power tool body comprises an electric motor(176) and a controller(speed adjusting circuit 190; see col. 9, lines 33-50) for controlling the electric motor(176).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-9,11-12,14 and 19 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.
Regarding claim 2, the prior art of record either taken alone or in combination thereof fails to teach or reasonably suggest, “wherein the power tool body comprises a controller configured to acquire a connection state of a preset terminal in the first input terminal set and determine, according to the connection state of the preset terminal, that the first battery pack or the second battery pack is connected to the power tool body”.
Regarding claim 9, the prior art of record either taken alone or in combination thereof fails to teach or reasonably suggest, “…an over-discharge protection circuit … and a compatible circuit configured to enable the over-discharge protection circuit to be adapted to the first preset voltage of the first battery pack and the second preset voltage of the second battery pack”.
Regarding claims 14 and 19, the prior art of record either taken alone or in combination thereof fails to teach or reasonably suggest,, “…wherein the lighting device is used for standing on a ground and illuminating a work region and comprises: a support mechanism; a lighting mechanism comprising a lamp head for emitting light; and a connection mechanism for supporting the lamp head connected to the support mechanism; wherein the lighting device has a standing mode and a storage mode, in the standing mode the lighting device is configured to be supported by a resting surface of the support mechanism, the support mechanism comprises a base and a single support leg, and, when the lighting device is in the standing mode, a first end of the support leg is connected to the base, a second end of the support leg is away from the base, and a projection of the second end on the resting surface is at least partially outside a projection of the base on the resting surface”.
Claims 2-8,11 and 12 depend either directly or indirectly from claim 1 and thus are also allowed for the same reasons.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to M'BAYE DIAO whose telephone number is (571)272-6127. The examiner can normally be reached M-F; 10:00AM-6:30PM and OFF most of the time Friday when working IFP.
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M'BAYE DIAO
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2859
/M BAYE DIAO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859 January 12, 2026