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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s amendments and arguments, filed 07/12/2026, with respect to the rejection of claim 10 under Pasqua (US 10,239,579) have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground of rejection is made in view of Mitsuyasu (US 2019/0229307).
Claim Objections
Claim 14, lines 2 is objected to because of the following informalities: “a inclined surface” should read, “an inclined surface”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 10-11, 13-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mitsuyasu (DE 102019/104238) in view of Mitsuyasu (US 2019/0229307), hereinafter Mitsuyasu 2.
Regarding claim 10, Mitsuyasu discloses a battery holder {1} comprising: a holder body {DT} including a holder space {DT1} in which a battery {60} is configured to be at least partially provided, the holder space {DT1} including an insertion opening {DT2} through which the battery {60} is configured to pass in a first direction {DZ towards DT (direction perpendicular to DX and DY in Fig. 3)}; a holder lid {69} attachable to the holder body {DT} to cover the insertion opening {DT2} at least partially; and a second biasing structure {80 (Fig. 24)} coupled to the holder body {DT (via 12)} to bias the battery {60} in a second direction {DX (Figs. 3, 24)} in a battery insertion state where the battery {60} is at least partially provided in the holder space {DT1}, the second direction {DX} intersecting with the first direction {DZ (direction perpendicular to DX and DY in Fig. 3)}, the biasing structure {80} includes a biasing member {85} and a movable member {86: elastically deformable biasing portion 86} movably coupled to the holder body {DT}, the biasing member {85} is configured to bias the movable member {86} in the second direction {DX (Figs. 3, 24)}, and the biasing member {85} is a spring {coil spring 85}, and the movable member {86} includes a surface contactable with the battery {60 (Fig. 20)}.
However, Mitsuyasu does not explicitly disclose the biasing member and the movable member are separate elements.
Mitsuyasu 2 teaches {Figs. 8-9} a biasing member {55C} and a movable member {55A+55B} are separate elements {Fig. 8}, and the movable member {55A+55B} includes a surface contactable with the battery {60 (Fig. 9)}.
In light of these teachings, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the battery holder, as disclosed by Mitsuyasu, such that the biasing member and the movable member are separate elements, as taught by Mitsuyasu 2, so that “in a state in which the second end surface 66A of the battery unit 60 is out of contact with the inclined surface 55B, the contact portion 55 is moved to the first position by force received from the biasing member 55C, and the supported portion 68 of the battery unit 60 is supported by the support surface 55A” [0114].
Regarding claim 11, Mitsuyasu and Mitsuyasu 2 disclose all the aspects of claim 10. Mitsuyasu further discloses the biasing structure {80 (Fig. 24)} is at least partially provided in the holder space {DT1} in a state where the battery {60} is provided outside the holder space {DT1}.
Regarding claim 13, Mitsuyasu and Mitsuyasu 2 disclose all the aspects of claim 10. Mitsuyasu further discloses the biasing member {80} is configured to bias the battery {60} in the second direction {DX (Figs. 3, 24)} via the movable member {86} in the battery insertion state {Figs. 13, 24}.
Regarding claim 14, Mitsuyasu and Mitsuyasu 2 disclose all the aspects of claim 10. Mitsuyasu further discloses the movable member {55A+55B (as modified by Mitsuyasu 2 in claim 10)} includes a inclined surface {55B} contactable with the battery {60: “More specifically, in a process of attaching the battery unit 60 to the battery holder 10, the second end surface 66A comes into contact with the inclined surface 55B so that the battery unit 60 pushes the contact portion 5” [0114]}, and the inclined surface {55B (Fig. 9)} is non-perpendicular and non-parallel to the second direction {DX}.
Regarding claim 15, Mitsuyasu and Mitsuyasu 2 disclose all the aspects of claim 14. Mitsuyasu further discloses the inclined surface {55B (as modified by Mitsuyasu 2 in the claim 10 rejection)} is contactable with the battery {60} to move the movable member {55A+55B} relative to the holder body {DT} in response to insertion of the battery {60} into the holder space {DT1: “More specifically, in a process of attaching the battery unit 60 to the battery holder 10, the second end surface 66A comes into contact with the inclined surface 55B so that the battery unit 60 pushes the contact portion 55. Accordingly, the contact portion 55 moves toward the second position” [0114]}.
Regarding claim 16, Mitsuyasu and Mitsuyasu 2 disclose all the aspects of claim 10. Mitsuyasu further discloses the second direction {DX} is perpendicular to the first direction {DZ (direction perpendicular to DX and DY in Fig. 3)}.
Regarding claim 17, Mitsuyasu and Mitsuyasu 2 disclose all the aspects of claim 10. Mitsuyasu further discloses the holder body {DT} includes a cable holder {SP (Fig. 16)} configured to hold an electrical cable {99}, and the biasing structure {80} is provided to the cable holder {SP (Fig. 16)}.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-9, 18-36, and 38 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claim 1, none of the prior art of record, either alone or in obvious combination, discloses a battery holder for a human-powered vehicle comprising: a holder body including a holder space in which a battery is configured to be at least partially provided, the holder space including an end portion and an insertion opening through which the battery is configured to pass in a first direction; an electrical contact provided to the end portion of the holder space; a holder lid attachable to the holder body to cover the insertion opening at least partially; and a first biasing structure coupled to the holder lid to bias the battery toward the end portion in a battery holding state where the battery is provided in the holder space and where the holder lid is attached to the holder body, the first biasing structure being configured to bias the battery toward the electrical contact in a state where the battery is provided in the holder space (emphasis added).
Claims 2-9, 18, 20-34 and 36 are allowable by virtue of dependence from claim 1.
Regarding claim 19, none of the prior art of record, either alone or in obvious combination, discloses a battery holder for a human-powered vehicle comprising: a holder body including a holder space in which a battery is configured to be at least partially provided, the holder space including an end portion and an insertion opening through which the battery is configured to pass in a first direction; a holder lid attachable to the holder body to cover the insertion opening at least partially; and a first biasing structure coupled to the holder lid to bias the battery toward the end portion in a battery holding state where the battery is provided in the holder space and where the holder lid is attached to the holder body, the holder lid being attachable to the holder body in a third direction intersecting with the first direction, and the third direction being perpendicular to the first direction (emphasis added).
Regarding claim 35, none of the prior art of record filed before the effective filing date, either alone or in obvious combination, discloses a bicycle component comprising: a base member; a movable member movable relative to the base member; a linkage structure movably coupling the base member and the movable member; and a battery holder provided to the linkage structure, the battery holder comprising: a holder body including a holder space in which a battery is configured to be at least partially provided, the holder space including an end portion and an insertion opening through which the battery is configured to pass in a first direction; a holder lid attachable to the holder body to cover the insertion opening at least partially; and a first biasing structure coupled to the holder lid to bias the battery toward the end portion in a battery holding state where the battery is provided in the holder space and where the holder lid is attached to the holder body, the insertion opening being configured to face downward when the base member is fastened to a vehicle body with a derailleur fastener in a mounting state (emphasis added).
Accordingly, claim 38 is allowable by virtue of dependence from claim 35.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Daniel M Keck whose telephone number is (571)272-5947. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 8:00-4:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jason Shanske can be reached at (571)270-5985. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Daniel M. Keck/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3614
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