DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after 2013/03/16, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 2024/09/09 and 2025/01/13 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
FIG. 1 should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated:
¶s [0056, 0065] describe FIG. 1 as "a conventional charging system," but the sheet lacks the required designation. See MPEP § 608.02(g).
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “first and second communication interfaces” as well as the “heating apparatus” (see claims 3, 5, 8 and 11 and applicant’s specification paragraphs 74, 85, 92 and 106 (not shown)) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: Charging Plug and Socket-Outlet Having Heat Conduction Interfaces for Battery Cooling.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because
the abstract names "a control method" but does not describe any step of it; the temperature-determination/cooling-activation steps of claims 12–15 are not included.
A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
¶[0177]: "710" is used first for both the "processing unit" (consistent with FIG. 7) and for "the apparatus" (FIG. 7 labels the "apparatus 700").
¶[0184]: "processor 1120" doesn't match FIG. 8 or any other paragraph, which consistently use "processor 820".
Appropriate correction is required.
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 4, 6, 9, 11 are 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.
Claims 4, 9 reintroduce "a first/second heat conduction output interface" and "a first/second heat conduction input interface" with indefinite articles, though claims 1, 6 already introduced both. It is unclear whether claims 4, 9 mean the same two interfaces or an additional pair.
Claim 6’s "comprising" clause lists the socket-outlet and the three interfaces as four coordinate elements rather than nesting the interfaces within the socket-outlet, contrasting claim 1's express nesting. It is ambiguous whether the interfaces belong to the socket-outlet, which is material as claims 8 and 9 both presuppose that they do.
Claim 11 recites the limitations "the second cooling system," "the third heat conduction pipeline," or "the fourth heat conduction pipeline". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim: these terms first appear in claim 9, not claim 11’s parent, claim 6.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends.
Claim 8’s preamble recites "The charging socket-outlet according to claim 6," but claim 6 claims "a to-be-charged apparatus," not a socket-outlet standing alone.
Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 4 – 5, 6, 9, 12 – 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by LU et al. (US 2021/0001750 A1).
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In re claim 1, LU discloses a charging apparatus, comprising a charging plug (charging interface 240, coolant output tube 212, and coolant input tube 222, functioning collectively as the charging-side connector assembly), wherein the charging plug comprises:
a first electrical transmission interface, configured to transmit electric energy to a to-be-charged apparatus (¶[0035]: charging interface 240, electrically connected to charging device 130 and connected to the on-board battery 30 through a cable, to charge the on-board battery);
a first heat conduction output interface, configured to output a heat conduction medium to the to-be-charged apparatus (¶[0023]: coolant output tube 212, configured to communicate with the cooling tube of the on-board battery 30 and to input the coolant to the cooling tube of the on-board battery 30); and
a first heat conduction input interface, configured to receive the heat conduction medium input from the to-be-charged apparatus (¶[0023]: coolant input tube 222, configured to communicate with the cooling tube of the on-board battery 30 and to input the coolant in the cooling tube of the on-board battery 30 to the heat exchange tube 111).
In re claims 4 – 5, LU discloses the charging apparatus further comprising: a first cooling system (coolant heat exchange device 110), comprising:
a first cooling apparatus (coolant pump 105, heat exchanger 106),
heat dissipation fan 107, heat dissipation tank 108, auxiliary
liquid tank 109, collectively forming a cooling apparatus), configured to cool a first heat conduction pipeline (FIG. 1: heat exchange tube 111 connected to first interface 210) and a second heat conduction pipeline (FIG. 1: heat exchange tube 111 connected to second interface 220);
the first heat conduction pipeline (FIG. 1: heat exchange tube 111 connected to first interface 210);
the second heat conduction pipeline (FIG. 1: heat exchange tube 111 connected to second interface 220);
wherein one end of the first heat conduction pipeline communicates with one end of the second heat conduction pipeline (FIG. 1: the two heat exchange tube 111 segments joined to each other through coolant heat exchange device 110), and the other end of the first heat conduction pipeline and the other end of the second heat conduction pipeline are respectively connected to a first heat conduction output interface (first interface 210) and a first heat conduction input interface (second interface 220) in the charging plug (FIG. 4).
As to claim 5, LU further discloses a first heating apparatus (heat exchanger 106), configured to heat the first heat conduction pipeline and the second heat conduction pipeline (FIG. 4; ¶s [0028, 0032]: heat exchanger 106 controlled by signal control unit 102 to perform a heating function on the coolant in heat exchange tube 111).
In re claim 6, LU discloses a to-be-charged apparatus, comprising: (on-board battery 30)
a charging socket-outlet; (though the reference discloses 30 being an on-board battery, heat dissipation of a battery pack from an EV (¶s 0022, 0023), 30 essentially operates as a “charging socket having multiple interfaces” (electrical and fluid) and it is further shown in figure 4 as 30 being the structure encompassing the cooling tubes and what is not labeled being the battery pack of the on-board battery 30, functioning collectively as the vehicle-side connector assembly),
a second electrical transmission interface, configured to transmit electric energy to a charging apparatus (¶s [0035, 0037]: the loop of the on-board battery 30, connected to charging interface 240 through a cable to form the charging loop through which electric energy is transmitted to the on-board battery 30);
a second heat conduction output interface, configured to output a heat conduction medium to the charging apparatus (¶[0023]: the cooling tube of the on-board battery 30, configured to communicate with coolant input tube 222 and to have the coolant within it delivered onward to heat exchange tube 111); and
a second heat conduction input interface, configured to receive the heat conduction medium input from the charging apparatus (¶[0023]: the cooling tube of the on-board battery 30, configured to communicate with coolant output tube 212 and to receive the coolant that coolant output tube 212 inputs to it).
In re claim 9, LU discloses a battery (LU: on-board battery 30) and a second cooling system (¶[0014: coolant output tube 212, coolant input tube 222, respectively used to communicate with a cooling tube of on-board battery 30; heat exchange tube 111 and cooling tube of on-board battery 30 form a loop),
wherein the second cooling system comprises a third heat conduction pipeline (FIG. 4; ¶[0022]: segment of cooling tube of on-board battery 30 connected to second interface 220) and a fourth heat conduction pipeline, (FIG. 4; ¶[0022]: segment of cooling tube of on-board battery 30 connected to first interface 210)
wherein one end of the third heat conduction pipeline and one end of the fourth heat conduction pipeline are connected to the battery and communicate with each other (FIG. 4; ¶[0014]: cooling tube of the on-board battery 30 forming a loop with heat exchange tube 111, its two segments meeting within on-board battery 30), and
the other end of the third heat conduction pipeline and the other end of the fourth heat conduction pipeline are respectively connected to a second heat conduction input interface and a second heat conduction output interface in the charging socket-outlet (¶[0023]: cooling tube of the on-board battery 30, connected at its two respective ends to first interface 210 and coolant second interface 220).
In re claims 12 – 13, LU discloses a control method (signal control unit 102), applied to a charging system (charging system 200), wherein a first cooling system of a charging apparatus in the charging system and a second cooling system of a to-be-charged apparatus in the charging system form a heat conduction loop (¶s [0022 – 0023]: coolant heat exchange device 110 of charging pile 100 communicating with the cooling tube of on-board battery 30 through coolant output tube 212 and coolant input tube 222, to form a loop of the coolant tube), and the method comprises:
determining, in a charging process, whether a first temperature of a battery in the to-be-charged apparatus meets a first preset condition (¶[0039]: during a fast-charging process, signal control unit 102 obtains a real-time temperature of the on-board battery 30 and takes it as a feedback control parameter to determine the operating power needed); and
based on the first temperature not meeting the first preset condition, turning on a first cooling apparatus in the first cooling system to cool the battery (¶s [0028, 0039]: signal control unit 102 controls the operating power of heat dissipation tank 108, coolant pump 105, and heat exchanger 106 according to the feedback control parameters, to ensure the on-board battery 30 is always operating within the optimum charging temperature range in the fast charging process).
As to claim 13, LU further discloses wherein the first preset condition comprises: the first temperature is less than a first preset value (¶s [0004, 0039]: signal control unit 102 adjusting cooling apparatus operating power according to the on-board battery 30's real-time temperature to ensure the battery operates within a suitable temperature range).
In re claim 14, LU discloses the method further comprising:
determining, before charging, whether a second temperature of the battery in the to-be-charged apparatus meets a second preset condition (¶s [0040, 0042]: before charging, signal control unit 102 detects the on-board battery 30's temperature via a temperature signal and determines whether it has reached a suitable charging initial temperature of 20° C – 30° C); and
based on the second temperature not meeting the second preset condition, turning on the first cooling apparatus or a first heating apparatus in the first cooling system to cool or heat the battery (¶s [0040, 0042]: when the on-board battery 30's temperature is outside the suitable charging initial temperature range, signal control unit 102 controls heat exchanger 106 and coolant pump 105 to perform rapid heating or rapid cooling on the on-board battery 30 until the suitable charging initial temperature of 20° C – 30° C is reached, after which the heating or cooling process is stopped and charging begins), wherein
the second preset condition comprises: the second temperature falls within a preset temperature range (¶s [0040, 0042]: suitable charging initial temperature range of 20° C – 30° C).
In re claim 15, LU discloses wherein the method further comprising:
determining, after charging, whether a third temperature of the battery in the to-be-charged apparatus meets a third preset condition (¶[0041]: before the charging pile 100 is disconnected from the on-board battery 30, signal control unit 102 determines the battery temperature of the on-board battery 30 relative to the most suitable initial use temperature of 25° C); and
based on the third temperature not meeting the third preset condition, turning on the first cooling apparatus to cool the battery (¶[0041]: signal control unit 102 controls the operating power of heat dissipation fan 107, coolant pump 105, and heat exchanger 106 to adjust the on-board battery 30's temperature to the most suitable initial use temperature of 25° C), wherein
the third preset condition comprises: the third temperature is less than a third preset value (¶[0041]: most suitable initial use temperature of 25° C, within a suitable operating temperature range of 10° C – 50° C).
In re claim 16, LU discloses further comprising:
determining, before charging, whether a second temperature of the battery in the to-be-charged apparatus meets a second preset condition (¶s [0040, 0042]: before charging, signal control unit 102 detects the on-board battery 30's temperature via a temperature signal and determines whether it has reached a suitable charging initial temperature of 20° C – 30° C); and
based on the second temperature not meeting the second preset condition, turning on the first cooling apparatus or a first heating apparatus in the first cooling system to cool or heat the battery (¶s [0040, 0042]: when the on-board battery 30's temperature is outside the suitable charging initial temperature range, signal control unit 102 controls heat exchanger 106 and coolant pump 105 to perform rapid heating or rapid cooling on the on-board battery 30 until the suitable charging initial temperature of 20° C – 30° C is reached, after which the heating or cooling process is stopped and charging begins), wherein
the second preset condition comprises: the second temperature is a second preset value (¶s [0040, 0042]: 20° C lower bound, 30° C upper bound of the suitable charging initial temperature range).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or non-obviousness.
Claims 2 – 3, 7 – 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LU et al. (US 2021/0001750 A1), and further in view of CHEN et al. (CN 211252234 U).
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In re claims 2, 7, LU is silent to wherein the first/second heat conduction output interface and/or the first/second heat conduction input interface use/uses a quick plug in/out anti-overflow interconnection connector.
CHEN teaches wherein the first heat conduction output interface and/or the first heat conduction input interface use/uses a quick plug in/out anti-overflow interconnection connector (FIGS. 2, 5; ¶s [0062, 0068]: in-gun waterway plug connector 110, whose clamping boss 114 "is inserted into the clamping slot" when plugged in, while in-gun return member 130 (a spring) is "compressed to communicate the in-gun heat dissipation flow channel 111 with the in-seat heat dissipation flow channel 211" by that same push, in a configuration that "can effectively prevent the leakage of the coolant").
As to claim 7, CHEN further teaches wherein the second heat conduction output interface and/or the second heat conduction input interface use/uses a quick plug in/out anti-overflow interconnection connector (FIG. 4 – 5; ¶s [0067 – 0068]: in-seat waterway plug connector 210, whose clamping groove 214 "of a charging seat 200" receives clamping boss 114 when plugged in, while in-seat return member 230 (a spring) is "compressed to communicate the in-gun heat dissipation flow channel 111 with the in-seat heat dissipation flow channel 211" by that same push, in a configuration that "can effectively prevent the leakage of the coolant").
It would have been obvious for a PHOSITA to employ a system like CHEN's control valve, normally biased closed by an elastic return member and opened only upon mating with its counterpart connector, as LU's first and second heat conduction input and output interfaces, in enable a well-known easy connect/disconnect system while preventing coolant leakage when the charging apparatus is disconnected from the to-be-charged apparatus.
In re claims 3, 8, LU is silent to wherein the charging plug further comprises a first communication interface; the charging socket-outlet further comprises a second communication interface.
CHEN teaches (see Fig 1) wherein the charging plug further comprises a first communication interface (¶[0037]: communication terminal disposed in charging gun 100).
As to claim 8, CHEN further teaches wherein the charging socket-outlet further comprises a second communication interface (¶[0038]: communication terminal disposed in charging stand 200).
It would have been obvious for a PHOSITA to incorporate CHEN's communication interfaces to LU's charging plug and charging socket-outlet in order to have communication interfaces between the 2 components in order to confirm a proper connection between the charging apparatus and the to-be-charged apparatus before initiating the transfer of electric energy and heat conduction medium between them.
Claims 10 – 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LU et al. (US 2021/0001750 A1), and further in view of ALLEN (US 2012/0295141 A1).
In re claims 10 – 11, LU is silent to wherein the second cooling system further comprises: a second cooling apparatus, configured to cool the third heat conduction pipeline and the fourth heat conduction pipeline; a second heating apparatus, configured to heat the third heat conduction pipeline and the fourth heat conduction pipeline.
ALLEN teaches a second cooling apparatus, configured to cool the heat conduction pipeline (¶[0022]: chiller 30, positioned within the battery thermal management system 24 to reduce the temperature of coolant flowing around or through battery pack 20 when the coolant temperature exceeds a predetermined upper limit).
As to claim 11, ALLEN further teaches a second heating apparatus, configured to heat the heat conduction pipeline (¶s [0006, 0021]: heater 28, disposed in-line within the coolant circulation loop of the battery thermal management system 24, having a coolant inlet 52 and coolant outlet 46, with heating element 88 positioned within the heater housing 86 in a heat transfer relationship with the coolant, energized to heat coolant flowing in a heat transfer relationship to battery pack 20 when the battery temperature is lower than a predetermined lower limit).
ALLEN does not expressly disclose heating two distinct, jointed heat conduction pipeline segments.
It would have been obvious for a PHOSITA to combine ALLEN's cooling and heating apparatuses to LU's heat conduction pipeline, modified as a routine rearrangement into two joined pipeline segments respectively connected to a second heat conduction input interface and a second heat conduction output interface, such that ALLEN’s cooling apparatus, disposed to cool the coolant circulating through the battery's cooling loop, would necessarily cool both resulting pipeline segments, in order to reduce the temperature of the cooling fluid flowing through the battery when the battery's operating temperature exceeds a predetermined upper limit, thereby preventing overheating during high-power charging, and ALLEN's heater, disposed to heat the coolant circulating through the battery's cooling loop, would necessarily heat both resulting pipeline segments, in order to heat the cooling fluid flowing through the battery when the battery's temperature falls below a predetermined lower limit, thereby enabling the battery to reach an optimal charging temperature more quickly in cold conditions.
Prior Art Disclaimer
The prior art applied in this Office Action includes foreign patent documents that were originally published in languages other than English. Machine-generated translations of these documents were utilized to assess their relevance and content.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHANN DJANAL-MANN whose telephone number is (571)272-4697. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 8:00 - 17:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Drew 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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/D. JOHANN DJANAL-MANN/ Examiner, Art Unit 2859
/DREW A DUNN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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