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 § 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) 1-3, 5-7, 11, 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN 212950215 U.
In regard to claim 1, CN 212950215 U discloses a charging socket 10 of an electric or hybrid vehicle adapted to connect to a charging plug, comprising:
a socket wall 112; and
at least one heating module shaft 113 extending into the socket wall and adapted to receive a heating module 13.
In regard to claim 2, CN 212950215 U discloses a front side adapted to receive the charging plug and a rear side facing away from the front side, the at least one heating module shaft 113 extends from the rear side to the front side (see fig. 3).
In regard to claim 3, CN 212950215 U discloses the at least one heating module shaft 113 opens towards the rear side (the main shell 11 comprises an inner shell 111 and the outer shell 112, the inner shell 111 and the outer shell 112 defines an annular chamber 113, heating assembly 13 is set in the annular chamber 113, see fig. 3).
In regard to claim 5, CN 212950215 U discloses the at least one heating module shaft 113 has, towards the front side, a bottom closing the at least one heating module shaft.
In regard to claim 6, CN 212950215 U discloses a contact body 121 adapted to receive contact elements (see annotated drawing below) and enclosed by the socket wall.
In regard to claim 7, CN 212950215 U discloses an annular gap 113 is defined between the socket wall 112 and the contact body 111 about a perimeter of the contact body 111.
In regard to claim 11, CN 212950215 U discloses a plurality of contact receptacles (see annotated drawing below) adapted to receive electrical contacts for contacting mating contacts of the charging plug.
In regard to claim 16, CN 212950215 U discloses a charging socket assembly, comprising: a charging socket 10 adapted to be fitted to an electric or hybrid vehicle, including:
a contact body 111 defining a plurality of contact openings; and a socket wall 112 surrounding the contact body 111; and
at least one heating module shaft 113 formed in at least one of the contact body or the
socket wall; and
a heating module 13 arranged in the at least one heating module shaft 113.
[AltContent: textbox (contact elements/contact receptacles)][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector]
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Claim(s) 1, 11, 12, 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN 110247246 A.
In regard to claim 1, CN 110247246 A discloses a charging socket (figures 1 and 2) of an electric or hybrid vehicle adapted to connect to a charging plug, comprising:
a socket wall (see annotated drawing below); and
at least one heating module shaft (see annotated drawing below) extending into the socket wall and adapted to receive a heating module (This shaft is according to its size and shape in principle suitable to receive a heating module, even if this is not explicitly disclosed (see for the interpretation of expressions like "adapted to receive" GL F-IV, 4.13.1, 2nd paragraph, last sentence and F-IV, 4.13.2, 2nd paragraph)).
In regard to claim 11, CN 110247246 A discloses a plurality of contact receptacles 1-1 adapted to receive electrical contacts 2 (see fig. 1) for contacting mating contacts of the charging plug.
In regard to claim 12, CN 110247246 A discloses the at least one heating module shaft extends between at least two contact receptacles 1-1 of the plurality of contact receptacles 1-1 (see fig. 2).
In regard to claim 16, CN 110247246 A discloses a charging socket assembly,
comprising: a charging socket (see figures 1 and 2) adapted to be fitted to an electric or hybrid vehicle, including:
a contact body 1 defining a plurality of contact openings 1-1; and a socket wall (see annotated drawing below) surrounding the contact body; and
at least one heating module shaft (see annotated drawing below) formed in at least one of the contact body or the socket wall; and
a heating module (This shaft is according to its size and shape in principle suitable to receive a heating module, even if this is not explicitly disclosed) arranged in the at least one heating module shaft.
[AltContent: textbox (socket wall)]
[AltContent: textbox (heating module shaft)][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector]
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Claim(s) 1, 10-12, 16, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lyon (US 20210078419 A1).
In regard to claim 1, Lyon discloses a charging socket 100 of an electric or hybrid vehicle adapted to connect to a charging plug (para. [0018]), comprising:
a socket wall (see annotated drawing below); and
at least one heating module shaft (see annotated drawing below) extending into the socket wall and adapted to receive a heating module (these triangular shafts are according to their size and shape each in principle suitable to receive a heating module, even if this is not explicitly disclosed).
In regard to claim 10, Lyon discloses the charging socket defines an AC charging socket 116 and a DC charging socket 118, the at least one heating module shaft arranged proximate the AC charging socket 116.
In regard to claim 11, Lyon discloses a plurality of contact receptacles 132, 134 adapted to receive electrical contacts 112, 114 for contacting mating contacts of the charging plug.
In regard to claim 12, Lyon discloses the at least one heating module shaft extends between at least two contact receptacles 132 of the plurality of contact receptacles (see fig. 1).
In regard to claim 16, Lyon discloses a charging socket assembly 100,
comprising: a charging socket (see figure 1) adapted to be fitted to an electric or hybrid vehicle (para. [0018]), including:
a contact body defining a plurality of contact openings 1321, 134; and a socket wall (see annotated drawing below) surrounding the contact body; and
at least one heating module shaft (see annotated drawing below) formed in at least one of the contact body or the socket wall; and
a heating module (These shafts are according to their size and shape in principle each suitable to receive a heating module, even if this is not explicitly disclosed) arranged in the at least one heating module shaft.
In regard to claim 20, Lyon discloses the charging socket defines an AC charging socket 116 and a DC charging socket 118, the at least one heating module shaft arranged proximate the AC charging socket 116.
[AltContent: textbox (socket wall)][AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (heating module shaft)][AltContent: connector]
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Claim(s) 1, 13, 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN 209738837 U.
In regard to claim 1, CN 209738837 U discloses a charging socket (see fig. 1) of an electric or hybrid vehicle adapted to connect to a charging plug, comprising:
a socket wall 3; and
at least one heating module shaft (between S and 3, see annotated drawing below) extending into the socket wall and adapted to receive a heating module 1.
In regard to claim 13, CN 209738837 U discloses a heating module 1 received in the at least one heating module shaft without play or in a press fit (see fig. 1).
In regard to claim 16, CN 209738837 U discloses a charging socket assembly,
comprising: a charging socket (see figure 1) adapted to be fitted to an electric or hybrid vehicle, including:
a contact body defining a plurality of contact openings and a socket wall (see annotated drawing below) surrounding the contact body; and
at least one heating module shaft (see annotated drawing below) formed in at least one of the contact body or the socket wall; and
a heating module (These shafts are according to their size and shape in principle each suitable to receive a heating module, even if this is not explicitly disclosed) arranged in the at least one heating module shaft.
[AltContent: textbox (S)]
[AltContent: connector]
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Claim(s) 1, 13-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Salter et al. (US 2019/0217713 A1).
In regard to claim 1, Salter et al. discloses a charging socket 62 of an electric or hybrid vehicle 10 adapted to connect to a charging plug, comprising:
a socket wall 66; and
at least one heating module shaft (between outer and inner walls of 66) extending into the socket wall and adapted to receive a heating module 74.
In regard to claim 13, Salter et al. discloses a heating module 74 received in the at least one heating module shaft without play or in a press fit (see fig. 2, para. [0041])).
In regard to claim 14, Salter et al. discloses the heating module 74 includes two heating modules halves 78A, 78B enclosing a heating wire.
In regard to claim 15, Salter et al. discloses the heating wire it bent on a free end (where it connects to 78N in fig. 2) thereof adjacent an open end of the at least one heating module shaft.
In regard to claim 16, Salter et al. discloses a charging socket assembly 26,
comprising: a charging socket 62 adapted to be fitted to an electric or hybrid vehicle 10, including:
a contact body 68 defining a plurality of contact openings and a socket wall 66 surrounding the contact body 68; and
at least one heating module shaft (between outer and inner walls of 66) formed in the socket wall; and
a heating module 74 arranged in the at least one heating module shaft.
Claim(s) 1, 6, 8, 10, 16, 17, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP 2018206771 A.
In regard to claim 1, JP 2018206771 A discloses a charging socket 10 (see fig. 4) of an electric or hybrid vehicle adapted to connect to a charging plug, comprising:
a socket wall 20; and
at least one heating module shaft (where 40 is inserted into 20) extending into the socket wall 20 and adapted to receive a heating module 40.
In regard to claim 6, JP 2018206771 A discloses a contact body 30 adapted to receive contact elements 32 and enclosed by the socket wall 20.
In regard to claim 8, JP 2018206771 A discloses the at least one heating module shaft includes a plurality of heating module shafts, at least one of the plurality of heating modules
shafts provided in the contact body, and a plurality of the heating module shafts provided in the socket wall (see fig. 4).
In regard to claim 10, JP 2018206771 A discloses the charging socket defines an AC charging socket (upper 30) and a DC charging socket (lower 30), the at least one heating module shaft arranged proximate the AC charging socket (see fig. 4).
In regard to claim 16, JP 2018206771 A discloses a charging socket assembly (see fig. 4), comprising: a charging socket 10 adapted to be fitted to an electric or hybrid vehicle, including:
a contact body 30 defining a plurality of contact openings and a socket wall 20 surrounding the contact body 30; and
at least one heating module shaft (where 40 is inserted into 20) formed in the socket wall; and
a heating module 40 arranged in the at least one heating module shaft.
In regard to claim 17, JP 2018206771 A discloses the at least one heating module shaft includes:
a heating module shaft formed in the contact body 30; and
a plurality of heating module shafts formed in the socket wall 20 (see fig. 4).
In regard to claim 20, JP 2018206771 A discloses the charging socket defines an AC charging socket (upper 30) and a DC charging socket (lower 30), the at least one heating module shaft arranged proximate the AC charging socket (see fig. 4).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 9, 18, 19 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.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892 form.
Conclusion
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Tdt
12/7/2025
/THO D TA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834