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 Objections
Claim 1 and 8 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1
line 1: Replace “An electric vehicle, EV,” with “An electric vehicle (EV)”
Claim 8
The claim recites the limitation “an integrated mounting structure.” The applicant has not clearly described the same phrase with a definition in the specification. In ¶13 of the specification, it appears applicant intended to recite “integrated mounting plates” which is confusing with the phrase “an integrated mounting structure” in the claim.
Appropriate correction is required.
Specification
35 U.S.C. 112(a) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, requires the specification to be written in “full, clear, concise, and exact terms.” The specification is replete with terms which are not clear, concise and exact. The specification should be revised carefully in order to comply with 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112. Examples of some unclear, inexact or verbose terms used in the specification are:
In ¶20, numeral 100 is referred to both “the EV charging system” and “the EV charging station.” The applicant should amend numeral 100 to 102 for “the EV charging station,” or alternatively, amend “station” to “system.”
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference character “111” has been used to designate both “ladder-type cable trays” and “mesh-type cable trays.” Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
Claims 1, 2, 4, 6-8, 10 and 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bianco et al. (US 20110074351 A1) in view of Podedworny et al. (US 3618882 A; hereinafter Pode).
Independent claim 1, Bianco teaches
an electric vehicle, EV, charging system (Abstract, Fig.1, electric vehicle charging system 10; Fig. 11, overhead charging facility 210) comprising:
a number of cable trays comprising EV charger mounting (Fig.1, electric vehicle charging system 10; Fig. 11, overhead charging facility 210),
a number of feeder cables (Figs. 3, 4, power cable 70; Figs.11-16 charging cable 214) electrically connected to a load center (Fig. 1, load center 90, ¶79) and supported by the number of cable trays, and
a number of EV charging stations (Figs. 1, 5, 6, multiple charging stations 14, ¶89) connected to the number of power feeder line cables (Figs. 3, 4, power cable 70; Figs.11-16 charging cable 214) and mounted to the EV charger mounting (Fig.1, electric vehicle charging system 10; Fig. 11, overhead charging facility 210), each EV charging station comprising:
a console (Figs. 2, 3, 4, control box 100; Fig. 19, control console 290),
an EV charging cable (Figs.11-16 charging cable 214, ¶89) connected to the console; and
an EV charging handle (Figs. 11-16, charging handle 216, ¶89) electrically connected to the EV charging cable, the EV charging handle being structured to electrically connect to an electric vehicle,
wherein the number of cable trays are structured to be overhead-mounted to the ceiling of a building (Abstract, Figs. 5, 6, 26, 29A, 29B, ¶89, overhead power cable, ¶102, overhead retractable power cable).
Bianco teaches EV charger mountings (see Figs. cited above, esp. Fig.1, electric vehicle charging system 10; Fig. 11, overhead charging facility 210)
Bianco is silent to a number of cable trays comprising cable mountings for power provision.
Pode teaches a number of cable trays comprising cable mountings for power provision (Fig. 1, horizontal cross section 12, splicer plates 13, straight cable tray sections 14).
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 Bianco to incorporate the teachings of Pode and provide a number of cable trays comprising EV charger mounting. The claimed invention supplements this structure by connecting cable trays which could be used to install the electric cables to a ceiling of a building, which prevents EV charging cables and handles being dropped on floor areas. The basic technique of putting cable trays yields no more than the predictable outcome which one of ordinary skill is expected to achieve with the cable trays connected with EV charger mountings and is therefore an obvious expedient. Further it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have cable management devices in order to provide improved safety in an analogous way to what is shown in Bianco (see e.g., Figs. 8, 9, where the tray of Pode would provide further support and so keep the cable safely suspended above the vehicles).
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Fig. 1 (Bianco)
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Dependent claim 2, the combination of Bianco in view of Pode teaches the EV charging system as claimed in claim 1,
Bianco teaches a section with an allotment of EV charger mounting (Figs. 2, 8, 9, charger mounting),
wherein at least one EV charging station is coupled to the at least one drop-out section (Figs. 1, 5, 6, charging station 14),
wherein the allotment of the EV charger mounting comprises a mounting plate coupled to the at least one drop-out section (Figs. 11, 12, 13, 14, overhead support member 250),
wherein the console of the at least one EV charging station is mounted on the mounting plate (Figs. 2, 3, 4, control box 100; Figs. 11, 19, control console 290, ¶93).
Bianco fails to explicitly teach the number of cable trays includes a number of drop-out sections.
However, Pode teaches the number of cable trays (Fig. 1, horizontal cross section 12, splicer plates 13, straight cable tray sections 14) includes a number of drop-out sections (Fig. 1, dropout 28).
Bianco fails to explicitly teach at least one drop-out section comprising an allotment of mountings.
However, Pode teaches at least one drop-out section (Fig. 1, dropout 28) comprises an allotment of mountings (Fig. 1, allotment of mountings coming from the dropout sections 28 where each cable 15 is interpreted as an allotment of mountings).
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 Bianco to incorporate the teachings of Pode and provide the number of cable trays including a number of drop-out sections and allotments of mountings. The claimed invention supplements this technique by connecting drop-out sections of cable trays which could be used to install the electric cable trays with allotments of mountings to a ceiling of a building, which prevents EV charging cables and handles being dropped on floor areas. The basic technique of putting drop-out sections of cable trays yields no more than the predictable outcome which one of ordinary skill is expected to achieve with the drop-out sections of cable trays connected with allotments of EV charger mountings and is therefore an obvious expedient. Further it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have cable management devices in order to provide improved safety in an analogous way to what is shown in Bianco (see e.g., Figs. 8, 9, where the tray of Pode would provide further support and so keep the cable safely suspended above the vehicles).
Dependent claim 4, the combination of Bianco in view of Pode teaches the EV charging system as claimed in claim 2,
Bianco teaches
for each EV charging station, an associated cable weight-balancer, with each cable weight-balancer comprising a cable attachment support means (Figs. 8, 9, fixed pulley 52; Fig. 15, idle pulley 261), and
wherein each EV cable weight-balancer is configured to prevent the EV charging handle and the EV charging cable (Figs. 2, 3, connector 110, cable 70; Figs. 13, 14, 15, 16, terminal connector 216, overhead power cable 214) of its associated EV charging station from dropping onto a floor of the building (Figs. 30A, 30B, 31A, 31B, 32A, 32B, 33, 34, 35, 36A, 36B, 36C, 37, 37A, retractable power cable mechanism).
Dependent claim 6, the combination of Bianco in view of Pode teaches the EV charging system as claimed in claim 2,
Bianco fails to explicitly teach
wherein the number of cable trays further includes a number of feeder routing trays,
wherein each feeder routing tray comprises a plurality of entry/exit points through which any given feeder cable can enter or exit the feeder routing tray,
wherein each drop-out section is associated with and coupled to one of the entry/exit points of one feeder routing tray,
wherein, for each drop-out section, the drop-out section receives whichever feeder cable of the number of feeder cables that exits the associated entry/exit point.
However, Pode teaches
wherein the number of cable trays further includes a number of feeder routing trays (Fig. 1, horizontal cross section 12, splicer plates 13, straight cable tray sections 14),
wherein each feeder routing tray comprises a plurality of entry/exit points through which any given feeder cable can enter or exit the feeder routing tray (Fig. 1, horizontal cross section 12, splicer plates 13, straight cable tray sections 14),
wherein each drop-out section is associated with and coupled to one of the entry/exit points of one feeder routing tray (Fig. 1, dropout 28; Fig. 9, a cross form of cable tray; Fig. 8, an inside riser tray; Fig. 10, a horizontally curved section),
wherein, for each drop-out section, the drop-out section receives whichever feeder cable of the number of feeder cables that exits the associated entry/exit point (Fig. 1, dropout 28, cables 15).
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 Bianco to incorporate the teachings of Pode and provide a number of feeder routing trays comprising a plurality of entry/exit points. The claimed invention supplements this structure by connecting feeder routing trays which could be used to install the electric cables to a ceiling of a building, which results in a predictable outcome that prevents EV charging cables and handles being dropped on floor areas.
Dependent claim 7, the combination of Bianco in view of Pode teaches the EV charging system as claimed in claim 6,
Bianco fails to explicitly teach
wherein each of the feeder routing trays is structured such that, if a given entry/exit point is unconnected such that the given entry/exit point is not coupled to one of the drop-out sections, an additional drop-out section can be added to the EV charging system and coupled to whichever feeder routing tray has the unconnected entry/exit point.
However, Pode teaches
wherein each of the feeder routing trays is structured such that, if a given entry/exit point is unconnected such that the given entry/exit point is not coupled to one of the drop-out sections, an additional drop-out section can be added to the EV charging system and coupled to whichever feeder routing tray has the unconnected entry/exit point (Fig. 1; Col. 1, lines 22-25, teaches an drop-out section can be readily disconnected and relocated).
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 Bianco to incorporate the teachings of Pode and provide unconnected entry/exit points of feeder routing trays. The claimed invention supplements this structure by not connecting the entry/exit points of feeder routing trays which could be used to install an additional drop-out section to be mounted with another EV charging station, which is a predictable outcome.
Dependent claim 8, the combination of Bianco in view of Pode teaches the EV charging system as claimed in claim 1,
Bianco teaches a section with an integrated mounting structure (Fig. 1, charging station 14; Figs. 2, 7, rail-like track 30, control module 60, ¶72; Figs. 11, 12, charging stations 212, stanchion unit 220, ¶9).
wherein at least one EV charging station is coupled to the at least one drop-out section (Figs. 1, 5, 6, charging station 14),
wherein the console of the at least one EV charging station is mounted to the integrated mounting structure of the at least one drop-out section (Figs. 2, 3, 4, control box 100; Fig. 19, control console 290, ¶93).
Bianco fails to explicitly teach the number of cable trays includes a number of drop-out sections.
However, Pode teaches the number of cable trays (Fig. 1, horizontal cross section 12, splicer plates 13, straight cable tray sections 14) includes a number of drop-out sections (Fig. 1, dropout 28).
Bianco fails to explicitly teach at least one drop-out section comprising a mounting structure.
However, Pode teaches at least one drop-out section (Fig. 1, dropout 28) comprises a mounting structure (Fig. 1, sections of mountings coming from the dropout sections 28 where each cable 15 is interpreted for a section of mountings).
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 Bianco to incorporate the teachings of Pode and provide the number of cable trays including a number of drop-out sections. The claimed invention supplements this structure by connecting drop-out sections of cable trays which could be used to install the electric cables to a ceiling of a building, which prevents EV charging cables and handles being dropped on floor areas. The basic technique of putting drop-out sections of cable trays yields no more than the predictable outcome which one of ordinary skill is expected to achieve with the drop-out sections of cable trays connected with EV charger mountings and is therefore an obvious expedient. Further it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have cable management devices in order to provide improved safety in an analogous way to what is shown in Bianco (see e.g., Figs. 8, 9, where the tray of Pode would provide further support and so keep the cable safely suspended above the vehicles).
Dependent claim 10, the combination of Bianco in view of Pode teaches the EV charging system as claimed in claim 8,
Bianco teaches
for each EV charging station, an associated cable weight-balancer, with each cable weight-balancer comprising a cable attachment support means (Figs. 8, 9, fixed pulley 52; Figs. 15, idle pulley 261), and
wherein each EV cable weight-balancer is configured to prevent the EV charging handle and the EV charging cable (Figs. 2, 3, connector 110, cable 70; Figs. 13, 14, 15, 16, terminal connector 216, overhead power cable 214) of its associated EV charging station from dropping onto a floor of the building (Figs. 30A, 30B, 31A, 31B, 32A, 32B, 33, 34, 35, 36A, 36B, 36C, 37, 37A, retractable power cable mechanism).
Dependent claim 12, the combination of Bianco in view of Pode teaches the EV charging system as claimed in claim 8,
Bianco fails to explicitly teach
wherein the number of cable trays further includes a number of feeder routing trays,
wherein each feeder routing tray comprises a plurality of entry/exit points through which any given feeder cable can enter or exit the feeder routing tray,
wherein each drop-out section is associated with and coupled to one of the entry/exit points of one feeder routing tray,
wherein, for each drop-out section, the drop-out section receives whichever feeder cable of the number of feeder cables that exits the associated entry/exit point.
However, Pode teaches
wherein the number of cable trays further includes a number of feeder routing trays (Fig. 1, horizontal cross section 12, splicer plates 13, straight cable tray sections 14),
wherein each feeder routing tray comprises a plurality of entry/exit points through which any given feeder cable can enter or exit the feeder routing tray (Fig. 1, horizontal cross section 12, splicer plates 13, straight cable tray sections 14),
wherein each drop-out section is associated with and coupled to one of the entry/exit points of one feeder routing tray (Fig. 1, dropout 28; Fig. 9, a cross form of cable tray; Fig. 8, an inside riser tray; Fig. 10, a horizontally curved section),
wherein, for each drop-out section, the drop-out section receives whichever feeder cable of the number of feeder cables that exits the associated entry/exit point (Fig. 1, dropout 28, cables 15).
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 Bianco to incorporate the teachings of Pode and provide a number of feeder routing trays comprising a plurality of entry/exit points. The claimed invention supplements this structure by connecting feeder routing trays which could be used to install the electric cables to a ceiling of a building, which results in a predictable outcome that prevents EV charging cables and handles being dropped on floor areas.
Dependent claim 13, the combination of Bianco in view of Pode teaches the EV charging system as claimed in claim 12,
Bianco fails to explicitly teach
wherein each of the feeder routing trays is structured such that, if a given entry/exit point is unconnected such that the given entry/exit point is not coupled to one of the drop-out sections, an additional drop-out section can be added to the EV charging system and coupled to whichever feeder routing tray has the unconnected entry/exit point.
However, Pode teaches
wherein each of the feeder routing trays is structured such that, if a given entry/exit point is unconnected such that the given entry/exit point is not coupled to one of the drop-out sections, an additional drop-out section can be added to the EV charging system and coupled to whichever feeder routing tray has the unconnected entry/exit point (Fig. 1; Col. 1, lines 22-25, teaches an drop-out section can be readily disconnected and relocated).
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 Bianco to incorporate the teachings of Pode and provide unconnected entry/exit points of feeder routing trays. The claimed invention supplements this structure by not connecting the entry/exit points of feeder routing trays which could be used to install an additional drop-out section to be mounted with another EV charging station, which is a predictable outcome.
Dependent claim 14, the combination of Bianco in view of Pode teaches the EV charging system as claimed in claim 1,
Bianco fails to explicitly teach
wherein the number of cable trays are single-sided or multi-sided.
However, Pode teaches
wherein the number of cable trays are single-sided or multi-sided (Pode, Fig. 1, horizontal cross section 12, splicer plates 13, straight cable tray sections 14; Fig. 9, a cross form of cable tray).
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 Bianco to incorporate the teachings of Pode and provide single-sided or multi-sided cable trays. The claimed invention supplements this structure by connecting the single-sided or multi-sided trays which could be used to install different types of cable trays in the EV charging system, which is a predictable outcome.
Claims 3, 5, 9, 11 and 15-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bianco in view of Pode, further in view of Kwon (KR 101970594 B1).
Dependent claim 3, the combination of Bianco in view of Pode teaches the EV charging system as claimed in claim 2,
Bianco fails to explicitly teaches
a number of struts coupled to the at least one drop-out section, and
a number of suspension components coupled to each strut of the number of struts and structured to be coupled to a ceiling.
However, Kwon teaches
a number of struts coupled to the at least one drop-out section (Figs. 3, 4, support frame 2), and
a number of suspension components coupled to each strut of the number of struts and structured to be coupled to a ceiling (Figs. 1, 3, cable tray hanger apparatus 100, the first support rod 3, the second support rod 4).
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 Bianco to incorporate the teachings of Pode and Kwon and provide electric cable trays being connected with struts and suspension components. The claimed invention supplements this structure by connecting struts and suspension components which could be used to install the electric cable trays to a ceiling of a building, which results in a predictable outcome that provides further support and so keep the cable safely suspended above the vehicles.
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Fig. 1 (Kwon)
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Fig. 3 (Kwon)
Dependent claim 5, the combination of Bianco in view of Pode teaches the EV charging system as claimed in claim 4,
Bianco teaches
wherein each cable weight-balancer is coupled to at least one strut of the number of struts (Figs. 8, 9, fixed pulley 52; Figs. 15, idle pulley 261).
Bianco fails to explicitly teach
a number of struts coupled to the at least one drop-out section, and
a number of suspension components coupled to each strut of the number of struts and structured to be coupled to a ceiling,
However, Kwon teaches
a number of struts coupled to the at least one drop-out section (Kwon, Figs. 3, 4, support frame 2), and
a number of suspension components coupled to each strut of the number of struts and structured to be coupled to a ceiling (Figs. 1, 3, cable tray hanger apparatus 100, the first support rod 3, the second support rod 4)
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 Bianco to incorporate the teachings of Pode and Kwon and provide electric cable trays being connected with struts, suspension components and cable weight-balancer. The claimed invention supplements this structure by connecting struts, suspension components and weight-balancer which could be used to install the electric cable trays to a ceiling or overhead level of a building, which results in a predictable outcome that provides further support and so keep the cable safely suspended above the vehicles and prevents EV charging cables and handles being dropped on floor areas.
Dependent claim 9, the combination of Bianco in view of Pode teaches the EV charging system as claimed in claim 8,
Bianco fails to explicitly teaches
a number of struts coupled to the at least one drop-out section, and
a number of suspension components coupled to each strut of the number of struts and structured to be coupled to a ceiling.
However, Kwon teaches
a number of struts coupled to the at least one drop-out section (Figs. 3, 4, support frame 2), and
a number of suspension components coupled to each strut of the number of struts and structured to be coupled to a ceiling (Figs. 1, 3, cable tray hanger apparatus 100, the first support rod 3, the second support rod 4).
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 Bianco to incorporate the teachings of Pode and Kwon and provide electric cable trays being connected with struts and suspension components. The claimed invention supplements this structure by connecting struts and suspension components which could be used to install the electric cable trays to a ceiling of a building, which results in a predictable outcome that provides further support and so keep the cable safely suspended above the vehicles.
Dependent claim 11, the combination of Bianco in view of Pode teaches the EV charging system as claimed in claim 10,
Bianco teaches
wherein each cable weight-balancer is coupled to at least one strut of the number of struts (Figs. 8, 9, fixed pulley 52; Figs. 15, idle pulley 261).
Bianco fails to explicitly teach
a number of struts coupled to the at least one drop-out section, and
a number of suspension components coupled to each strut of the number of struts and structured to be coupled to a ceiling,
However, Kwon teaches
a number of struts coupled to the at least one drop-out section (Kwon, Figs. 3, 4, support frame 2), and
a number of suspension components coupled to each strut of the number of struts and structured to be coupled to a ceiling (Figs. 1, 3, cable tray hanger apparatus 100, the first support rod 3, the second support rod 4)
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 Bianco to incorporate the teachings of Pode and Kwon and provide electric cable trays being connected with struts, suspension components and cable weight-balancer. The claimed invention supplements this structure by connecting struts, suspension components and weight-balancer which could be used to install the electric cable trays to a ceiling or overhead level of a building, which results in a predictable outcome that provides further support and so keep the cable safely suspended above the vehicles and prevents EV charging cables and handles being dropped on floor areas.
Dependent claims 15-18,
Bianco fails to explicitly teach
the number of suspension components includes seismic bracing components.
However, Kwon teaches
the number of suspension components includes seismic bracing components (Figs. 1, 3, Seismic portion 30).
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 Bianco to incorporate the teachings of Pode and Kwon and provide electric cable trays being connected with seismic bracing components. The claimed invention supplements this structure by connecting seismic bracing components which could be used to install the electric cable trays coupled with seismic bracing components, which results in a predictable outcome that prevents possible physical damages from any kinds of vibration or shaking, e.g., earthquake.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Samuel S. Park whose telephone number is 571-270-3327. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday, 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM ET.
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/SAMUEL S. PARK/Examiner, Art Unit 2859 06/25/2026
/DREW A DUNN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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