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 . The instant application with Application Number 18/395,520 filed on 12/23/2023 is presented for examination. Claims 1-130 are pending.
Information Disclosure Statment
The Information Disclosure Statement dated 12/23/2023 is acknowledged and the cited references have been considered in this examination.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Double Patenting
The non-statutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A non-statutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on non-statutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a non-statutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claim 1 is provisionally rejected on the ground of non-statutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim of co-pending Application No. 18/644,958. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they both claim similar system/a fluid channel assembly for a connector of an Electric Vehicle (EV) charging gun, comprising: a fluid channel network for cooling a contact pin of the EV charging gun. This is a provisional non-statutory double patenting rejection because the patentably indistinct claims have not in fact been patented.
Claim 1 of instant application 18/395,520
Claim 1, of co-pending application: 18/664,958
A fluid channel assembly for a connector of an Electric Vehicle (EV) charging gun, comprising: a fluid channel network for cooling a contact pin of the EV charging gun; a fluid inlet connected to the fluid channel network, the fluid inlet being configured to receive a coolant through an EV charging cable and to inject the coolant into the fluid channel network; a fluid outlet connected to the fluid channel network, the fluid outlet being configured to receive the coolant from the fluid channel network and to inject the coolant into the EV charging cable; wherein the fluid channel network is arranged around the contact pin and wherein the fluid in the channel network is in direct or indirect contact with the contact pin.
A system for a connector of a charging gun for an electric vehicle, the system comprising: a contact pin of the charging gun and a fluid channel assembly, the fluid channel assembly comprising: a fluid channel network for cooling configured to cool a contact pin of the charging gun, wherein the fluid channel network is arranged around the contact pin and is in direct or indirect contact with the contact pin; a fluid inlet connected to the fluid channel network via a first single fluid transfer channel, the fluid inlet being configured to receive a coolant through a charging cable and to inject the coolant into the fluid channel network; a fluid outlet connected to the fluid channel network via a second single fluid transfer channel, the fluid outlet being configured to receive the coolant from the fluid channel network and to inject the coolant into the charging cable…
Claims 2-8 are dependent on rejected claim 1 above, hence rejected.
Claim 9 is provisionally rejected on the ground of non-statutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim of co-pending Application No. 18/644,958. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they both claim similar connector for an electric vehicle charging station, the connector comprising: a system comprising a contact pin of a charging gun for an electric vehicle and a fluid channel assembly. This is a provisional non-statutory double patenting rejection because the patentably indistinct claims have not in fact been patented.
Claim 9 of instant application 18/395,520
Claim 10, of co-pending application: 18/664,958
A connector for an Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station, comprising: a fluid channel assembly comprising: a fluid channel network for cooling a contact pin of the EV charging gun; a fluid inlet connected to the fluid channel network, the fluid inlet being configured to receive a coolant through an EV charging cable and to inject the coolant into the fluid channel network; a fluid outlet connected to the fluid channel network, the fluid outlet being configured to receive the coolant from the fluid channel network and to inject the coolant into the EV charging cable; wherein the fluid channel network is arranged around the contact pin and wherein the fluid in the channel network is in direct or indirect contact with the contact pin; an inlet; an outlet; transfer channels; a fluid channel network; a contact pin (330); a contact terminal comprising an outlet for connecting outflow tubes, an inlet for connecting an inflow tube, and structures for connecting the at least one copper conductor on a first side and means for connecting the contact pin on a second side; wherein the contact terminal is configured to accommodate the first and the second single fluid transfer channels; and wherein the fluid channel network is arranged around the contact pin and the fluid in the channel network is in thermal contact with the DC contact pin.
A connector for an electric vehicle charging station, the connector comprising: a system comprising a contact pin of a charging gun for an electric vehicle and a fluid channel assembly, the contact pin comprising: a fluid channel network configured to cool a contact pin of the charging gun, wherein the fluid channel network is arranged around the contact pin and is in direct or indirect contact with the contact pin; a fluid inlet connected to the fluid channel network via a first single fluid transfer channel, the fluid inlet being configured to receive a coolant through a charging cable and to inject the coolant into the fluid channel network; a fluid outlet connected to the fluid channel network via a second single fluid transfer channel, the fluid outlet being configured to receive the coolant from the fluid channel network and to inject the coolant into the charging cable; and a flow balancing device configured to tune a flow rate of the coolant from the first single fluid transfer channel into the second single fluid transfer channel; and a contact terminal comprising the fluid outlet configured to connect outflow tubes, the fluid inlet configured to connect an inflow tube, and means for connecting at least one copper conductor on a first side and means for connecting the contact pinon a second side; wherein the contact terminal is configured to accommodate at least a portion of the first single fluid transfer channel and at least a portion of the second single fluid transfer channel; and wherein the fluid channel network is arranged around the contact pin and the fluid in the channel network is in direct or indirect contact with the contact pin.
Claims 11-13 are dependent on rejected claim 9 above, hence rejected.
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 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 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Zarges (DE 102016206300).
With respect to claim 1, Zarges discloses a fluid channel assembly for a connector of an Electric Vehicle (EV) charging gun (Para. # 0010-0012; 0033: the power contact cooling device has a cooling fluid inlet connection and a cooling fluid outlet connection which is fluid-connected to it by means of a cooling fluid channel arranged), comprising: a fluid channel network for cooling a contact pin of the EV charging gun (Para. # 0059: the cooling element 22 of the power contact cooling device 20 has a cooling fluid inlet connection 23 and a cooling fluid outlet connection 24. The cooling fluid inlet connection 23 is fluidly connected to the bypass supply line 130, and the cooling fluid outlet connection 24 is fluidly connected to the bypass return line 131); a fluid inlet connected to the fluid channel network, the fluid inlet being configured to receive a coolant through an EV charging cable and to inject the coolant into the fluid channel network (Para. # 0059: cooling fluid inlet connection 23 is fluidly connected to);
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a fluid outlet connected to the fluid channel network, the fluid outlet being configured to receive the coolant from the fluid channel network and to inject the coolant into the EV charging cable (see reproduced figures; para.# 59: a cooling fluid outlet connection 24. The cooling fluid inlet connection 23 is fluidly connected to the bypass supply line 130, and the cooling fluid outlet connection 24 is fluidly connected to the bypass return line 131. Both the cooling fluid inlet connection 23 and outlet connection 24 are fluidly connected to the bypass supply line 130), wherein the fluid channel network is arranged around the contact pin and wherein the fluid in the channel network is in direct or indirect contact with the contact pin (Para. # 0044: vehicle-side pin, the so-called inlet, and the 100-charging plug).
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With respect to claim 2, Zarges discloses the fluid channel assembly for the connector of the Electric Vehicle as described above, wherein the inlet is connected via a first single fluid transfer channel with the fluid channel network (Para. # 0052).
With respect to claim 3, Zarges discloses the fluid channel assembly for the connector of the Electric Vehicle as described above, wherein the at least one outlet is connected via a second single fluid transfer channel with the fluid channel network (Para. # 0057/0059: cooling element 22 of the power contact cooling device 20 has a cooling fluid inlet connection 23 and a cooling fluid outlet connection 24. The cooling fluid inlet connection 23 is fluidly connected to the bypass supply line 130).
With respect to claim 4, Zarges discloses the fluid channel assembly for the connector of the Electric Vehicle as described above, wherein the fluid channel network has main channels parallel to the axis of the contact pin and cross-link channels between the main channels (Para. # 0033).
With respect to claims 5 and 6, Zarges discloses the fluid channel assembly for the connector of the Electric Vehicle as described above, wherein each transfer channel splits into two main channels, and a part of the cross-link channels connects one of the main channels of the first single fluid transfer channel with a neighboring main channel of the second single fluid transfer channel (Fig. 3; Para. # 0052).
With respect to claims 7 and 8, Zarges discloses the fluid channel assembly for the connector of the Electric Vehicle as described above, further comprising a contact terminal, wherein the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet are mounted on a first side of the contact terminal, and the first and second single fluid transfer channels are mounted on a second side of the contact terminal (See reproduced drawing above; para. # 0057-0059: The power contacts 10 are connected to a power contact cooling device 20 of the charging plug 100 by means of a fastening device 16).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 9 is objected to be allowable if overcoming the non-statutory double patenting rejection sated above. Claims 10-13 are dependent on the above objected claim 9.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YALKEW FANTU whose telephone number is (571)272-8928. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:00AM-4:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, DREW A DUNN can be reached at 571-272-2312. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/YALKEW FANTU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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