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 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.
DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to application 18/269950 filed on 06/27/23.
Summary of claims
Claims 1-17 are pending.
Claims 1-17 are rejected.
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.
Claims 1-17 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nishikawa et al. (US Pub. 2019/0259984).
As to claim 1 the prior art teaches an electrical apparatus comprising an electrical apparatus main body alternatively connectable to a first battery pack (see fig 1 element 15) capable of selectively outputting a high voltage or a low voltage and a second battery pack capable of outputting only the low voltage, wherein the high voltage is supplied from the first battery pack to the electrical apparatus main body in a case where the first battery pack is connected to the electrical apparatus main body, and the low voltage is supplied from the second battery pack to the electrical apparatus main body in a case where the second battery pack is connected to the electrical apparatus main body (see fig 1-2 paragraph 0151-0155).
As to claim 2 the prior art teaches comprising a voltage switching part which switches a voltage supplied from a battery pack to the electrical apparatus main body, wherein the voltage switching part is configured to switch the voltage supplied to the electrical apparatus main body from the first battery pack to the high voltage in a case where the first battery pack is connected to the electrical apparatus main body (see fig 1-2 paragraph 0158-0165).
As to claim 3 the prior art teaches wherein the voltage switching part is configured to maintain the voltage supplied to the electrical apparatus main body from the second battery pack at the low voltage in a case where the second battery pack is connected to the electrical apparatus main body (see fig 3-4 paragraph 0154-0160).
As to claim 4 the prior art teaches wherein the voltage switching part is configured such that a plurality of cells included in the first battery pack are connected to each other via the voltage switching part, and a plurality of cells included in the second battery pack are not connected to each other via the voltage switching part (see fig 3-6 paragraph 0164-0167).
As to claim 5 the prior art teaches wherein the voltage switching part comprises a first switch part configured to be capable of connecting the plurality of cells included in the first battery pack to each other, and the first switch part is turned on in a case where the first battery pack is connected to the electrical apparatus main body and is turned off in a case where the second battery pack is connected to the electrical apparatus main body (see fig 4-6 paragraph 0165-0170).
As to claim 6 the prior art teaches comprising a motor having a plurality of coils, wherein the electrical apparatus connects the plurality of coils to each other in a first connection configuration in a case where the first battery pack is connected to the electrical apparatus main body, and connects the plurality of coils to each other in a second connection configuration different from the first connection configuration in a case where the second battery pack is connected to the electrical apparatus main body (see fig 4-6 paragraph 0168-0173).
As to claim 7 the prior art teaches wherein the first connection configuration is suitable for high voltage driving and the second connection configuration is suitable for low voltage driving (see fig 5-7 paragraph 0181-0185).
As to claim 8 the prior art teaches wherein in a case where a same voltage is applied to the motor, comparing the first connection configuration and the second connection configuration, the second connection configuration allows a large current to flow more easily (see fig 1-2 paragraph 0151-0155).
As to claim 10 the prior art teaches comprising a control part connected to the first switch part, wherein the control part is configured to switch on and off the first switch part depending on a battery pack connected (see fig 4-8 paragraph 0189-0193).
As to claim 11 the prior art teaches comprising: a second switch part provided between the first negative electrode terminal and a ground line; and a third switch part provided between the second positive electrode terminal and a positive power line, wherein the control part disconnects the second switch part and the third switch part in a case where the first battery pack is connected, and connects the second switch part and the third switch part in a case where the second battery pack is connected (see fig 4-8 paragraph 0191-0195).
As to claim 12 the prior art teaches an electrical apparatus comprising an electrical apparatus main body alternatively connectable to a first battery pack (see fig 1 element 15) capable of selectively outputting a high voltage or a low voltage and a second battery pack (see fig 1 element 100) capable of outputting only the low voltage, the electrical apparatus main body comprising a motor having a plurality of coils, wherein the plurality of coils are connected to each other in a first connection configuration in a case where the first battery pack is connected to the electrical apparatus main body, and the plurality of coils are connected to each other in a second connection configuration different from the first connection configuration in a case where the second battery pack is connected to the electrical apparatus main body (see fig 1-2 paragraph 0152-0157).
As to claim 13 the prior art teaches wherein the first connection configuration is a star connection of the plurality of coils, and the second connection configuration is a delta connection of the plurality of coils (see fig 1-2 paragraph 0154-0159).
As to claim 14, 16 and 17 the prior art teaches comprising at least one of the first battery pack and the second battery pack (see fig 1-2 paragraph 0198-0203).
As to claim 15 the prior art teaches an electrical apparatus comprising an electrical apparatus main body alternatively connectable to a first battery pack and a second battery pack (see fig 1 element 15 and element 100) different from the first battery pack, the electrical apparatus main body comprising a motor having a plurality of coils, wherein the plurality of coils are connected to each other in a first connection configuration in a case where the first battery pack is connected to the electrical apparatus main body, and the plurality of coils are connected to each other in a second connection configuration different from the first connection configuration in a case where the second battery pack is connected to the electrical apparatus main body (see fig 1-2 paragraph 0152-0157).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BINH C TAT whose telephone number is 571 272-1908. The examiner can normally be reached on flex 7:00Am-8PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jack Chiang can be reached on 571 272-7483. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 703-872-9306.
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/BINH C TAT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2851
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