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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1-2 and 6, drawn to a battery pack and method of using the battery pack in the reply filed on 6-22-2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 3-5 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species drawn to a battery power tool, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 6-22-2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 1-2 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Claims 1 and 6 are rejected to because it is unclear where is the first opening and second opening in the housing. Claim 2 is rejected because it is unclear how many battery cells comprise “a plurality of battery cells”. Claim 6 is rejected because there does not seem to be method steps for operating the battery operated system.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kataoka et al. (US 2022/0123569). Kataoka et al. teaches a charger (1) which a battery pack is detachably attached, a fan (30) for cooling; a first opening portion (5) for intake and a second opening portion (6) for exhaust. Kataoka et al. teaches in Figure 4, the charging device (1) and Figure 5 shows the battery pack (60) in the battery charger.
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. Kataoka et al. shows in Figure 1, a battery case (61) for the charger (60). Kataoka et al. teaches in [0030], that the battery pack case 61 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a suction port 64 for taking the outside air into the battery pack case 61 is formed on the front surface. In addition, a connection terminal portion (not shown in the diagram) is arranged on the upper surface (lower side in FIG. 1, because it is mounted on the charging device 1 in an inverted state) of the battery pack case 61. A discharge port (corresponding to the opening of the battery pack and not shown in the diagram) for discharging the outside air taken in from the suction port 64 is formed on the upper surface of the battery pack case 61.
Claim(s) 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Namiki (US 2018/0191183).
Namiki teaches [0096], referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, the charging apparatus 1 includes, in a case 2, a charge circuit portion 4 for charging the battery pack 3, and a plurality of fans, a first fan 5 and a second fan 6, for cooling the charge circuit portion 4 and the battery pack 3 and teaches in [0097], the case 2 is substantially cuboidal, and includes a top face 21 which is an upper portion of the case 2. A front side portion of the top face 21 is provided with a battery attachment portion 7 to which the battery pack 3 is attached to be charged. The battery attachment portion 7 is provided with a plurality of terminals 70 used to charge the battery pack 3, and with an opening 71 through which air flows for cooling the battery pack 3. In addition, the case 2 also includes four side faces 22, 23, 24, and 25 which surround the top face 21; and a bottom face 27 which is a bottom portion of the case 202 and is placed opposite to the top face 21. The side faces 22 and 23 which are adjacent to each other are joined with each other via a corner portion 26. The side faces 22 and 24 face each other, and the side faces 23 and 25 face each other. In the case 2, a direction extending from the bottom face 27 toward the top face 21 is defined as an upward direction of the charging apparatus 1, that is, a first direction crossing the top face. Namiki teaches in [0098] in FIG. 4, the first fan 5 is disposed near the corner portion 26, the opening 71, and the side face 22 in the case 2. The first fan 5 has a first rotational axis 5a. A portion of the side face 22 which the first fan 5 faces is provided with a first outlet 22a. The first outlet 22a is constituted by a plurality of ventilating windows. When driven, the first fan 5 generates a first cooling airflow toward a direction in which the first rotational axis 5a extends. The first cooling airflow flows toward the first outlet 22a, and is discharged from the case 2 through the first outlet 22a and teaches in [0099] in FIG. 4, the second fan 6 is disposed near the corner portion 26, the opening 71, and the side face 23 in the case 2. The second fan 6 has a second rotational axis 6a. The second fan 6 is disposed such that a direction in which the second rotational axis 6a extends crosses the direction in which the first rotational axis 5a extends. A portion of the side face 23 which the second fan 6 faces is provided with a second outlet 23a. The second outlet 23a is constituted by a plurality of ventilating windows. When driven, the second fan 6 generates a second cooling airflow toward the direction in which the second rotational axis 6a extends. The second cooling airflow flows toward the second outlet 23a, and is discharged from the case 2 through the second outlet 23a. Thus, the plurality of fans (the first fan 5 and the second fan 6) can increase cooling efficiency for heat-producing elements of the charging apparatus 1. In addition, since the fans 5 and 6 are disposed along the side faces of the case 2 (specifically, the side faces 22 and 23), a mounting space for a board 40, which serves as a circuit board, can be secured in the case 2, making it possible to effectively use the board 40. It is particularly effective to dispose the fans 5 and 6 in the vicinity of a corner portion that joins side faces of the case 2. Namiki teaches in [0133], FIG. 9, the charging apparatus 1 includes an electric power supply circuit 48, an auxiliary power supply circuit 53, a switching power supply circuit 54, the charge control portion 45, a voltage-setting control circuit 55, a current setting circuit 56, a current control circuit 57, a first control-signal-transmission portion 61, a second control-signal-transmission portion 62, a fan portion 58 and the temperature detecting element 44.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Laura Weiner whose telephone number is (571)272-1294. The examiner can normally be reached 9 am-5 pm EST M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tong Guo can be reached at 571-272-3066. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LAURA S. WEINER/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1723
/Laura Weiner/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1723
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