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 § 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nam et al. US 8785018 in view of Watanabe et al. US 7361428.
Regarding claim 1, Nam a battery power station [Fig. 1] comprising:
a top panel [Fig. 1, upper cover 10], a base [base 30], and side panels [Fig. 4, side covers 50] defining a structure [col. 3 line 62 to col. 4 line 6];
an electronics compartment within the structure including at least one printed circuit board [Fig. 8, circuit board 72. Col. 10 lines 41-51];
a battery compartment within the structure configured to receive a battery pack module [Fig. 8, battery module 71. Col. 10 lines 41-56]; and
a first removable end panel [Figs 1-2, 7; front cover 20] and a second removable end panel [rear cover 40];
wherein the base [Figs. 4, 5, 7; base 30] includes lateral protrusions [bottom side plates 33] having a structure [Figs. 4, 5; first lower insert end 321 + coupling plate 34] configured to interdigitate [Fig. 5, the mated stepped interface between 321+34 and 511 can be considered as interdigitated] with corresponding structure [corresponding side insert end 511] of the side panels forming a seal between the base and the side panels [col. 6 lines 53-63, col. 7 lines 24-36];
wherein the first removable end panel [Figs 1-2, 7; front cover 20] and second removable end panel [rear cover 40] include a shell having protrusions [Fig. 7, stepped portions 211 and 411 formed on the front cover 20 and rear cover 40] extending from an inner surface of the shell and around a periphery of the shell, the protrusions configured to create a seal with the structure forming a seal between the structure and the first removable end panel and second removable end panel [col. 1 lines 28-36, col. 9 lines 50-61].
Nam does not disclose: wherein the base includes lateral protrusions having a hook structure configured to interdigitate with corresponding hook structure.
Watanabe discloses: wherein the base [equivalently lower cover 24] includes lateral protrusions having a hook structure [Fig. 1, hooks 34] configured to interdigitate [Fig. 1, the placement of hooks 34 on the lower cover 24 mated with corresponding 36/38 can be considered as interlocked fingers and therefore interdigitated] with corresponding hook structure [Fig. 1, 36, 38, 38a. Col. 4 line 54 to col. 5 lines 19, col. 7 lines 46-67].
Nam and Watanabe are analogous battery casings with fasteners and therefore in the same field of endeavor. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the missing hook, as taught by Watanabe, into Nam’s fastening structure to provide structural integrity during assembly (e.g. prior to the installation of Nam’s band 80) as well as additional rigidity (e.g. in the vertical, “pulling apart” direction) after final assembly.
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Nam and Watanabe discloses the battery power station of claim 1, wherein the top panel [Nam, Fig. 1, upper cover 10] comprises lateral protrusions having a hook structure [Nam, Fig. 5, 131+132 combined in the same manner above with Watanabe, upper case 23 (Fig. 1 hooks 33, col. 5 lines 7-19)] configured to interdigitate with corresponding hook structure of the side panels [511] forming a seal between the top and the side panels [Nam, col. 6 lines 53-63, col. 7 lines 24-36].
Regarding claim 3, Nam discloses: wherein the first removable end panel and the second removable end panel [20 and 40] further comprise a support plate [Fig. 2, the 4 rectangular pieces shown upper/lower and left/right] embedded within the shell configured to add structural rigidity to the shell [inherent].
Regarding claim 4, Nam discloses: wherein the support plate [Fig. 2, the 4 rectangular pieces shown upper/lower and left/right] further comprises a gusset [Fig. 2, e.g., the protrusion shown below the lower rectangular piece] positioned in close proximity to the top panel, the gusset defines a lower position and an upper portion [the protrusion has upper portion above the rectangular piece and lower portion below the rectangular piece], wherein the lower portion of the gusset is angled with respect to the support plate [e.g. the 90 degree angled face of the protrusion].
Regarding claim 5, Nam discloses wherein the first removable end panel and the second removable end panel [20 and 40] are configured to be removed from the structure [as shown in Fig. 7].
Regarding claim 6, Nam discloses wherein the first removable end panel and the second removable end panel [20 and 40] each further comprise a plurality of apertures [Fig. 4, the gap depicted between 131, 132] configured to each receive a fastener [511], the fastener is configured to interface with at least a portion of the structure, wherein each of the plurality of apertures defines an aperture seal configured to seal the structure [col. 6 lines 53-63, col. 7 lines 24-36].
Regarding claim 7, Nam discloses wherein the structure further comprises an electrical connector, the electrical connector is in electrical communication with the at least one printed circuit board [col. 10 lines 34-40. See claim 8].
Regarding claims 8 and 9, the combination of Nam and Watanabe discloses the battery power station of claim 7, but is silent on: wherein the structure further comprises a cover mounted with respect to the electrical connector and is configurable between a first position and a second position with respect to the electrical connector; wherein the cover is over-molded around the electrical connector.
Examiner takes Official Notice, IAW MPEP 2144.03, as to the common knowledge of the recited subject matter.
Utilizing an over-molded cover over a power connector, movable between two positions, is well-known in the art of battery charging. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to add such a cover to the combination of Nam and Watanabe for the intrinsic benefit of preventing dust and moisture to enter the power connector.
Regarding claims 10-12, the combination of Nam and Watanabe discloses the battery power station of claim 1, but is silent regarding a thermal interface pad mounted with respect to the battery pack module and the side panel, such that heat generated from the battery pack module is dissipated to the side panel to passively cool the battery pack module; mounted with respect to the at least one printed circuit board and the side panel; attached to the plurality of stacked battery cells, to dissipate heat from to the e side panels to passively cool the plurality of stacked battery cells.
Examiner takes Official Notice, IAW MPEP 2144.03, as to the common knowledge of the recited subject matter.
Utilizing a thermal interface pad to provide cooling for the battery and PCB is well-known in the art of battery charging. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide such a known pad to the combination of Nam and Watanabe for the intrinsic benefit of providing additional cooling as needed, to any existing means already provided.
Regarding claim 13, Nam discloses: wherein the shell of the first and second removable end panels is fabricated from a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) [col. 4 lines 19-22].
Regarding claim 14, Nam discloses: wherein the structure is a rectangular structure [as seen in Fig. 4].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 20240396114 belongs to the instant assignee and is cited for background relevance.
US 10680213 belongs to the art of battery supplies with housings.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RICHARD V MURALIDAR whose telephone number is (571)272-8933. The examiner can normally be reached M - W 9:30 am to 6:30 PM.
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RICHARD V. MURALIDAR
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2859
/RICHARD V MURALIDAR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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