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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-13 is 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.
Regarding claim 1, Applicant recites, “an extension of the sloping surface passing above the blocking part for the front battery receiving portion”. It is unclear whether the extension is a physical item, as would be implied from the claim language, or an imaginary extension of the plane of the sloping element as described in the specification and drawings. Appropriate action is required.
Claims 2-13, depend from claim 1 and are therefore indefinite for the same reason.
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.
Claims 1-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by WO2022/075430A1 to Matsumoto (machine translation relied upon herein).
Regarding claim 1, Matsumoto teaches a battery case 10 comprising
An outer case 10 housing multiple inner cases 14 (Figs. 1, 2 show the outer battery case 10 housing multiple identical inner case assemblies 14 positioned one behind another in a longitudinal direction (along the – Z axis direction) defining a front battery receiving portion and a rear battery receiving portion, each configured to receive a battery 12 therein, from a perspective view and a cross-sectional view)
PNG
media_image1.png
793
1442
media_image1.png
Greyscale
An inner case assembly 14 (Fig. 45 clearly shows that each inner case assembly 14 has an upper opening 26c for passing the battery 12 into and out of each battery receiving portion, a fixing device 30 configured to selectively retain the batteries, and a sloping surface 26a that extends between the front and rear battery receiving portions)
PNG
media_image2.png
759
1404
media_image2.png
Greyscale
A fixing device 30 that is configured to selectively retain the batteries 12 in the respective battery receiving portions, including blocking parts 30b, 30b2 which extend across upper ends 12a of the batteries 12 received in the respective battery receiving portions (Fig. 8 clearly shows the fixing device 30 in a locked state, where blocking parts 30b project inward of an upper case 23 and engage with the upper end 12a of the mobile battery 12, restricting movement of the mobile battery 12 in the Z axis direction.
PNG
media_image3.png
751
1114
media_image3.png
Greyscale
A sloping surface 26a extending between the two battery receiving portions and sloping downward from the front battery receiving portion to the rear battery receiving portion (Figs. 1, 2 clearly show that the sloping surface 26a extends between the front and rear battery receiving portions, and that the sloping surface 26a slopes downward from the front battery receiving portion to the rear battery receiving portion; Fig. 22 clearly shows the sloping surface 26a, from a perspective view)
PNG
media_image4.png
827
937
media_image4.png
Greyscale
An extension 26a2 of the sloping surface 26a that passes above the blocking parts 30b, 30b2 for the front battery receiving portion (Figs. 1, 2 clearly shows that the extension 26a2 passes above the blocking parts 30b, 30b2 of the battery received in the front battery receiving portion; Fig. 25 clearly shows that the extension 26a2 extends from the sloping surface 26a, from a cross-sectional view). Alternatively, an extension of the plane of sloping surface 26a would also pass above the blocking parts 30b and 30b2 of the battery received in the front battery receiving portion.
PNG
media_image5.png
669
801
media_image5.png
Greyscale
Per claim 2, Matsumoto teaches the limitations of claim 1. The sloping surface 26a further comprises a front part that is formed at the end of the sloping surface 26a on the + Z axis direction side and a rear part that is formed on the inner surface of the sloping surface 26a which extends in the -Z-axis direction (Figs. 45, 22 clearly show the front part and the rear part of the sloping surface 26a, the rear part being steeper in inclination than the front part).
Per claim 3, Matsumoto teaches the limitations of claim 1. The sloping surface 26a is further provided with a plurality of ribs 28d, 28d1 extending in the Z-axis direction (Fig. 14).
PNG
media_image6.png
818
976
media_image6.png
Greyscale
Per claim 4, Matsumoto teaches the limitations of claim 1. The front battery receiving portion further comprises a front edge that is provided with an additional sloping surface 40a sloping downward from a front part thereof to a rear part thereof (Fig.45, 25 clearly show an additional sloping surface 40a sloping downward from a front part thereof toward a rear part thereof).
Per claim 5, Matsumoto teaches the limitations of claim 1. On a rear edge, the rear battery receiving portion is provided with a yet additional sloping surface which slopes upward from a front thereof to a rear thereof. (Fig. 45 clearly shows the yet additional sloping surface, from a side cross-sectional view).
PNG
media_image7.png
837
1295
media_image7.png
Greyscale
Per claim 6, Matsumoto teaches the limitations of claim 5. The yet additional sloping surface is provided with a plurality of ribs 50 extending in the longitudinal Z axis direction (Fig. 45, 36A clearly show the plurality of ribs 50 provided with the yet additional sloping surface and extending in the longitudinal direction; Fig. 36A clearly shows ribs 64e1 which pass through the connector insertion hole 42b and are inserted into the terminal hole 50a of the battery 12 when in the connection position.).
PNG
media_image8.png
796
730
media_image8.png
Greyscale
Per claim 7, Matsumoto teaches the limitations of claim 1. The front battery receiving portion and the rear battery receiving portion are each configured to receive a battery 12 in a forwardly tilted altitude (Fig. 45 clearly shows the battery 12 received in the case assembly 14 in a forwardly tilted altitude).
Per claim 8, Matsumoto teaches the limitations of claim 7. Matsumoto further teaches that a rear part of a bottom end of each battery receiving portion is fitted with an electric connector 64. (Fig. 45 clearly shows that the rear part of each battery receiving portion is fitted with an electric connector unit 64.).
Per claim 9, Matsumoto teaches the limitations of claim 1. The blocking parts 30b, 30b2 further include a handle bar 30b2 portion extending across an upper end 12a of the battery received in each battery receiving portion (Figs. 42A and 42B clearly show that the blocking parts 30b, 30b2 include a handle bar 30b2 portion which forms the main body of the blocking parts 30b, 30b2, in an unlock position and a lock position of the fixing device 30, respectively).
PNG
media_image9.png
603
1275
media_image9.png
Greyscale
Per claim 10, Matsumoto teaches the limitations of claim 9. The handle bar 30b2 is configured to extend across an upper end 12a of the battery 12 in a lock position of the fixing device 30, and tilt upward away from the upper end 12a of the battery 12 in an unlock position of the fixing device 30 (Figs. 8, 42B (above) clearly show the blocking parts 30b, 30b2 including the handle bar 30b2 which extend across the upper end 12a of the battery 12 in a lock position of the fixing device 30; Figs. 42A, 43 clearly show the unlock position of the fixing device 30, where the handle bar 30b2 tilts upward away from the upper end 12a of the battery 12 in the unlock position).
PNG
media_image10.png
613
891
media_image10.png
Greyscale
Per claim 11, Matsumoto teaches the limitations of claim 1. The battery case 10 further comprises
an outer case 10 having an open top 26c
a pair of inner cases 14 each having open tops which are received in the outer case 10 to define the front battery receiving portion and the rear battery receiving portion therein
an upper case 23 positioned on top of each of the inner cases 14 and the outer case 10, each defining openings for providing access to the battery receiving portions
(Figs. 1, 2 clearly show the outer case 10 and the pair of inner cases 14 that define the front battery receiving portion and the rear battery receiving portions therein; Fig. 3 clearly shows the upper case positioned on top of the inner cases and the outer case 10, each defining openings for providing access to the battery receiving portions, from a perspective view; Fig. 45 clearly shows the upper case 23, from a side cross-sectional view).
PNG
media_image1.png
793
1442
media_image1.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image11.png
659
999
media_image11.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image12.png
801
1431
media_image12.png
Greyscale
Per claim 12, Matsumoto teaches the limitations of claim 11. The upper case 23 further includes
an upper case main body 23b,
a peripheral cover 56 that is positioned on top of a peripheral part of the upper case main body 23b of the upper case 23,
a flap door 24 fitted with the upper case main body 23b for each of the openings thereof which is pivotable between an upper closed position and a lower open position, and resiliently urged to the closed position.
The upper case 23 is recessed in the + Y axis direction to provide an opening for the flap door 24 in the upper case main body 23b and to allow access into each inner case. A torsion spring 46 provided on a shaft 44 urges the flap door 24 in a direction that rotates counterclockwise about the shaft 44 when viewed from the −X axis direction. When the mobile battery 12 is pulled out from the outer case 10, the flap door 24 is pushed in the closing direction from the torsion spring 46. Therefore, the flap door 24 can reliably close the insertion port 22c. (Fig. 45 clearly shows the flap door 24 in the open position; Figs. 31, 13 clearly show the flap door 24 in the closed position; Fig. 19 clearly shows the peripheral cover 56 that is positioned on top of a peripheral part of the upper case main body 23b of the upper case 23, from a perspective view).
PNG
media_image13.png
710
1445
media_image13.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image14.png
769
484
media_image14.png
Greyscale
Per claim 13, Matsumoto teaches the limitations of claim 11. The outer case 10 further comprises a top cover 24 that covers an open end 22c of the upper case 23 in a liquid tight manner. With the flap door 24 closed, a seal member 58 comes into contact with the surface of the flap door 24 on the + Z axis direction side, which covers an open end 22c of the upper case 23 in a liquid tight manner (Figs. 31, 13 clearly show the flap door 24 in a closed position, contacting the seal member 58, and forming a top cover 24 for the open end 22c of the upper case 23). As a result, it is possible to prevent liquid from entering the inside of the inner cases (Lines 397-400 of translation).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JEROME J NASH whose telephone number is (571)272-3025. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jeffrey Barton can be reached at (571) 272-1307. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/J.J.N./Examiner, Art Unit 1726
/JEFFREY T BARTON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1726 4 December 2025