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 Objections
Claim 8 is objected to because of the following informalities: in line 11, “a battery” should be “the battery”. Appropriate correction is required.
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)(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, 2, 4, 5, 7-9, 11, 12, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hartmann et al (US 20250030195). Regarding claims 1 and 8, the reference teaches a power tool (20) and a battery pack therefor (10). The power tool comprises a mechanism for coupling the battery pack including a base (shown near “20,” Fig. 2), a carrier (80) elastically biased in a first direction and movable within the base, and an exterior electrode (40) provided on the carrier and extending in the first direction (Figs. 2, 8a, 8b). A slot/indent is defined in the base and structured to receive elastically biased structure from the battery (biased structure is the dark tapered protrusion best shown in Fig. 5; slot/indent is space shown to the right of “20” where protrusion rests). The elastic bias of the carrier is structured to position the exterior electrode to receive the battery. Although the reference does not expressly teach that the elastic bias of the carrier “is structured to position the exterior electrode in at least a first position to receive a first battery, and a second position to receive a second battery,” the position is taken that the structure of Hartmann is capable of performing the claimed function and thus meets the claim (MPEP 2114). In other words, if a second battery were to be employed and it had slight dimensional variations from a first battery, the structure of Hartmann would be fully capable of positioning the exterior electrode in a first position to receive the first battery and in a second (different) position to receive the second battery. Such positions could be very close together. Accordingly the language of claims 1 and 8 is met. Regarding claims 2 and 9, the carrier (80) is an elastic member housing that receives an elastic member (60, 62), the elastic member providing the elastic bias (Figs. 5 and 8). Regarding claims 4 and 10, the “slot” (referenced above) is structured to receive an elastically-biased protrusion from the battery. The claimed “indent” is optionally recited in parent claims 1 and 8, and this limitation is therefore met in claims 4 and 10. Regarding claims 5 and 11, the mechanism further comprises an interior electrode (best shown as + and – in element “20” in Figure 8) coupled to the exterior electrode and coupled to provided power to the power tool. Regarding claims 7 and 14, the carrier includes a channel and the exterior electrode extends through the channel (Figs. 5 and 8). Thus, the instant claims are anticipated.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 15-20 are allowed.
Claims 3, 6, 10 and 13 are objected to and would be allowable if rewritten to include all the limitations of the base claim(s).
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Dependent claims 3 and 10 recite a bracket coupled to the base and having a guide, and the elastic member housing (carrier) rides along the guide. Hartmann, applied above, does not teach or fairly suggest this subject matter.
Dependent claims 6 and 13 recite a bracket coupled to the base and movably retaining the carrier, and are distinguishable for the same reasons.
Independent claim 15 recites a method of coupling a first battery and a second battery to a power tool, the method comprising, among other steps: inserting a second battery farther against the elastic bias of the carrier as compared to the first battery. Hartmann, the closest prior art, does not teach or suggest a step of actively inserting a second battery farther than a first battery against the elastic bias. As noted above, Hartmann’s structure has this capability but there is no reasonable suggestion of actively performing a method involving the claimed steps. Hartmann does not teach a second battery that is materially different from a first battery usable with the power tool.
Further references made of record herein:
Murray (US 11495929), Nishikawa (US 20240106052) Ota et al (US 20200127251) and Thanner et al (US 20170312903) are all directed to slide-type adapters for power tool battery packs.
Kubale et al (US 7339350) and Knight (US 20150188270) are directed to post-type adapters for power tool battery packs.
Meixner et al (US 11289842) is directed to a power tool battery pack having a spring contact inside the battery pack.
Turner et al (US 6729413) is directed to a power tool with a battery pack ejector. The ejector comprises springs 62, 64 biasing the battery.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jonathan Crepeau whose telephone number is (571) 272-1299. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday from 9:30 AM - 6:00 PM EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Nicole Buie-Hatcher, can be reached at (571) 270-3879. The phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 272-1700. Documents may be faxed to the central fax server at (571) 273-8300.
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/Jonathan Crepeau/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725
September 11, 2026
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