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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/19/2024 and 05/28/2026 was filed after the mailing date of the application. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 4 is objected to because of the following informalities: line 3 recites, “the respectively adjacent part,” claim should be amended to recite –a respectively adjacent part--. Appropriate correction is required.
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) 1-5, 7, 10 and 12-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wang et al. US 2022/0328988.
Regarding claim 1, Wang discloses a ground contact unit for a vehicle battery charging system, comprising a ground-side base (fig. 5; structure underneath LP1) and an upper outer wall (fig. 5; LP2, LP2 functions as an outer wall), wherein a receiving space (fig. 5; space between LP2 and structure underneath LP1) in which at least one printed circuit board (fig. 5; LP1) is positioned is formed between the base (structure underneath LP1) and the outer wall (LP2), and comprising a plurality of contacts (fig. 5; SP) provided on an outside (tips extend to the outside) of the outer wall (LP2) for contacting vehicle-side mating contacts (this assembly is mounted within a vehicle, therefore contacts that mate with SP would be the vehicle-side mating contacts), the contacts (SP) being electrically conductively connected to the printed circuit board (LP1) by means of electrical lines (fig. 5; FB), wherein the lines are formed, at least in sections, by flexible (FB is a spring part), freely extending contact bridges (FB) which are configured to undergo a spring deflection toward the base (structure underneath LP1).
Regarding claim 2, Wang discloses wherein the contact bridges (FB) are mounted on one of a top side (top surface of LP1) and the a bottom side of the associated printed circuit board (LP1).
Regarding claim 3, Wang discloses wherein, in a side view or a top view of the ground contact unit, the contact bridges (FB) each describe at least one arc (fig. 5; one curve of FB), a shape of which changes (FB shape will change upon deformation since it is a spring) upon a movement of the associated contact (SP) perpendicular (downward/upward) to the upper outer wall (LP2), with the contact bridge (FB) being elastically deformed.
Regarding claim 4, Wang discloses wherein the contact bridges (FB) are fastened by their ends (fig. 5; ends of each FB) to the respectively adjacent part (the adjacent part is LP2) by wire bonding, welding, soldering (fig. 5; LS, LS is the soldering point of each FB), pressing, crimping, clamping or screwing.
Regarding claim 5, Wang discloses further comprising pins (fig. 5; embedded section of SP inside KT) on an inside of the contacts (SP, below the section of SP that is above LP2) on the outer wall (LP2), the pins (embedded section of SP inside KT) being formed as separate parts relative to the contacts or being integrally formed (SP is an integral contact) with the contacts (SP) on a rear side (behind LP2) thereof and projecting (said pins of SP projects to FB) therefrom, the pins (embedded section of SP inside KT) extending toward the associated printed circuit board (LP1) and constituting a section of the respective electrical line (FB), and wherein at least one respective contact bridge (FB) extends between the pins (embedded section of SP inside KT) and the printed circuit board (LP1), the contact bridge (FB) being resiliently spring-like deflectable in the a longitudinal direction (upward/downward direction) of the pins (embedded section of SP inside KT) and electrically connecting the pin (embedded section of SP inside KT) to the printed circuit board (LP1).
Regarding claim 7, Wang discloses wherein a plurality of contact bridges (FB) are jointly bonded or welded or soldered (soldered to LP1) to at least one printed circuit board (LP1) and/or associated pins.
Regarding claim 10, Wang discloses wherein at least some, contact bridges (FB) are received in a mounting holder (fig. 1; KT) which is accommodated within the receiving space (space between LP2 and structure underneath LP1) and which positions the contact bridges (FB) relative to the at least one printed circuit board (LP1) and the pins.
Regarding claim 12, Wang discloses wherein a lateral guide (see mark-up below from fig. 4; LG) is provided for each pin (embedded section of SP inside KT).
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Mark-up
Regarding claim 13, Wang discloses wherein the lateral guide (LG) is formed by a sleeve (mark-up above; 2S) which is attached to or integrally formed with a holding plate (mark-up; HPL), and in wherein the pin (embedded section of SP inside KT) extends into the sleeve (2S).
Regarding claim 14, Wang discloses wherein the holding plate (HPL) is fastened, on the one hand, to the outer wall (LP2, through PS of fig. 4) and, on the other hand, to the at least one printed circuit board (LP1, through POS of fig. 4) in order to hold the printed circuit board (LP1).
Regarding claim 15, Wang discloses wherein the holding plate (HPL) and the outer wall (LP2) are positioned laterally in relation to each other (both extend horizontally) by projections (PS) that engage in recesses (fig. 5; recesses of LP2).
Regarding claim 16, Wang discloses wherein support parts (fig. 5; PS, POS) extend between the outer wall (LP2) and the base (structure underneath LP1), which support the outer wall (LP2) on the base (structure underneath LP1) in the a vertical direction (upward/downward).
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.
Claim(s) 6, 8 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. US 2022/0328988 in view of JP 3983177.
Regarding claims 6, 8 and 17, Wang discloses all of the claim limitations except the pin extends past the associated printed circuit board [claim 6]; wherein the contact bridges are integrated in the associated printed circuit board and are fastened by their respective free end to the associated pin [claim 8]; wherein the support parts are integrally formed with the base [claim 17].
Regarding claims 6, 8 and 17, JP ‘177 teaches the pin (fig. 10; 4a) extends past the associated printed circuit board (fig. 10; 12); the contact bridges (fig. 10; 23) are integrated in the associated printed circuit board (12, 23 is connected to 12 therefore it is integrated) and are fastened by their respective free end to the associated pin (4a, other end is connected to 4a); the support parts (fig. 10; 10) are integrally formed with the base (fig. 10; 3b).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claim invention to incorporate the pin extending past the associated printed circuit board, the contact bridges are integrated in the associated printed circuit board and are fastened by their respective free end to the associated pin and the support parts being integrally formed with the base as suggested by JP ‘177 for the benefit of improving the compactness of the overall electronic device.
Claim(s) 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. US 2022/0328988.
Wang discloses wherein the pins (embedded section of SP inside KT) are monolithic to the contacts (SP) of the outer wall (LP2).
Wang does not disclose the pins being welded to the contacts of the outer wall by contact welding.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claim invention to incorporate the pins being welded to the contacts by contact welding because it would have been an obvious matter of design choice to have the pins welded to the contacts since the applicant has not disclosed that welded contacts and pins establish any criticality of the invention and it appears that the invention would perform equally well with integral monolithic contacts and pins especially since applicant has disclosed that embodiment performing the same function as the welded contact and pin; it also would have been obvious for the benefit of providing improved capable contacts by enhancing the mechanical strength of each welded contact.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9 and 18 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892 form.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARCUS E HARCUM whose telephone number is (571)272-9986. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri. 8am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdullah Riyami can be reached at 571-270-3119. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MARCUS E HARCUM/ Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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