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 § 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.
Claim 13: it is unclear what is meant by “the interface module the between two outer interface terminals and between two inner interface sockets when mounted”
Claim 7: the term "optionally" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the term are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Claim 8: “the sides” lacks antecedent basis. Dependent claim 19 is/are also rejected for inheriting the flaws from the parent claim(s).
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, 6, 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Cole (US 20210021070)
Cole discloses
1. An electrical connection system for charging a battery of a vehicle, the system comprising:
a core element (housing 260) having a charging plug side for receiving a charging plug and an inner side substantially opposite the charging plug side, the core element (260) including a first current section (263) with a housing (fig. 2-7); and
an interface module (fig. 2B & 3: sealing body 270, terminals 220) mountable to the inner side of the core element for electrically engaging with the first current section,
wherein the interface module (sealing body 270, terminals 220) is configured to establish an electrical connection between one or more inner vehicle terminals and the first current section.
2.1, wherein the interface module has one or more outer interface terminals facing the first current section of the core element when mounted and one or more inner interface sockets for receiving one or more inner vehicle terminals (fig 3, 9: outer i/f terminals as terminal bodies 220; fig 8: inner i/f sockets 273).
3.2, wherein the one or more outer interface terminals are configured to engage with the first current section and to protrude at least partially into one or more corresponding recesses of the first current section (fig 3, 8, par. 50).
6.2, wherein the one or more outer interface terminals and/or the one or more inner interface sockets have a substantially circular shape (Fig. 3)
11.1, wherein the interface module includes a plurality of locking members arranged on a periphery of the interface module for engaging with corresponding latching members of a terminal housing of the one or more inner vehicle terminals (Fig. 3, par. 29, 46).
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.
Claim(s) 4-5, 12-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cole (US 20210021070)
Re claim 4.2, wherein the one or more inner interface sockets (273) are protruding in an opposite direction than the one or more outer interface terminals (220) by a length of at most 50% of the length of the one or more outer interface terminals (Fig. 3, 8: there is opposing protrusion; Cole is silent to the protrusion at most 50%; however, this is considered a design choice and obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as also recognized by the courts; MPEP2144.04)
5.4, wherein the one or more inner interface sockets are protruding in an opposite direction than the one or more outer interface terminals by a length of at most 25% of the length of the one or more outer interface terminals (Fig. 3, 8: there is opposing protrusion; Cole is silent to the protrusion at most 25%; however, this is considered a design choice and obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as also recognized by the courts; MPEP2144.04)
12.1, Cole discloses wherein the interface module includes a plurality of slits for receiving corresponding ribs included by the first current section when mounted (Fig. 7-8, par. 48: alignment structure of the mounting body 267 (such as, e.g., the locating strut 269 shown in FIG . 7B ) may be configured to interact with the locating feature of the terminal bodies 220 (e.g. the slotted locating ring 228) of the terminal bodies 220; par. 50: different engagement, e.g., via a snap fit, interference fit, cam fit , etc.; thus, although silent to multiple slits and ribs; this feature would have been an obvious extension of the prior art teachings)
13.1, Cole discloses wherein the interface module (270, 220) is mountable to the housing of the first current section via fastening means extending through a mounting hole when mounted (Fig. 8, par. 50)
Cole is silent to the mounting hole being arranged on the interface module the between two outer interface terminals and between two inner interface sockets
However, Cole also discloses any number of other engagement structures and/or arrangements via which the sealing body 270 may be attached to the liquid-cooled charging port internal portion 263b
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date the invention was made to extend the teachings of Cole by arranging the engagement structures between two outer interface terminals and between two inner interface sockets as a design choice. Furthermore, it is well recognized that sizing and rearrangement of parts are obvious modifications; MPEP 2144.04.
14.1, wherein the first current section is a direct current section configured to provide an electrical current of at least 300 A. (par. 28: DC fast charging … specifically in excess of 100A; although silent to at least 300A, this would have been an obvious extension of Cole’s teachings)
15.14, wherein the first current section is a direct current section configured to provide an electrical current of at least 1000 A (par. 28: DC fast charging … specifically in excess of 100A; although silent to at least 1000A, this would have been an obvious extension of Cole’s teachings)
16.1, wherein the core element further includes an alternating current section, wherein the core element is part of a combined charging system, wherein the electrical connection system is configured to provide charging power of at least 100 kW (par. 28: DC fast charging … specifically in excess of 150 kW).
17.16, wherein the electrical connection system is configured to provide charging power of at least 1500 kW (par. 28: DC fast charging … specifically in excess of 150 kW; although silent to at least 1500 kW, this would have been an obvious extension of Cole’s teachings.
Claim(s) 7-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cole (US 20210021070) in view of Wang (US 20250065737)
Re claim 7.1, Cole is silent to wherein the interface module (270, 220) includes a fitting part for engaging with the housing of the first current section (263), optionally wherein the housing [of the first current section] defines an opening, and wherein the fitting part at least partially extends into the opening and preferably contacts at least partially an inner circumference of the opening when mounted.
Wang discloses [0098] In an embodiment of the high-voltage interlock structure for the electric vehicle charging socket of the present disclosure, a sealing device 7 is disposed between the connector 2, the rear cover 3 and the charging socket body 1.
[0099] During implementation, by disposing the sealing device 7, it is possible to prevent dust and impurities from entering the charging socket body 1, and prolong the service life of the charging socket.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date the invention was made to incorporate the teachings of Wang for protection from dirt and unwanted matters.
8.7, wherein the housing defines an opening, and wherein the fitting part at least partially extends into the opening (Wang, Figs. 1-2, par. 98-99)
9.8, wherein the fitting part contacts at least partially an inner circumference of the opening when mounted (Wang, Figs. 1-2, par. 98-99)
10.7, wherein the fitting part has a thickness in a mounting direction of the interface module of at most 40% of its width or height perpendicular to the thickness (Wang, Fig. 1-2)
Claim(s) 18-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cole (US 20210021070)/ Wang (US 20250065737) in view of Feldner (US 20220102904)
Cole discloses
18. An assembly, comprising:
the electrical connection system according to claim 7, wherein the interface module (270, 220) is a first interface module; and
a second interface module (216, par. 37),
Cole is silent to wherein the sides of the first interface module and of the second interface module facing the first current section when mounted are substantially the same and wherein the respective opposite sides of the first interface module and of the second interface module are different, so as to allow to establish an electrical connection between at least two different inner vehicle terminals and the first current section.
Feldner discloses the first and second interface modules comprise common connector housing parts such as cover 53 and frame part 52 such that their sides are the same but the opposite sides the interface modules are different (see all Figs.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date the invention was made to incorporate the teachings of Feldner so that all of the electrical contacts can be protected in a single connector housing
19.18, wherein one or more outer interface terminals of the first interface module and of the second interface module are substantially the same and wherein the fitting part of the first interface module and of the second interface module are substantially the same (Cole, Fig. 3: outer interface modules 220 are the same,
wherein one or more inner interface sockets of the first interface module and of the second interface module are different in one or more of the following aspects: a shape, a diameter, an arrangement, a protrusion length, and a mounting means for electrically connecting to respective inner vehicle terminals (Cole, Figs. 2-3, 7-8, Feldner, Fig. 3; furthermore, It is well recognized that sizing and shaping parts are obvious modifications; MPEP 2144.04.)
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cole (US 20210021070) in view of Feldner (US 20220102904)
Cole discloses
20. A method of assembling an electrical connection system for charging a battery of a vehicle, comprising:
providing a core element (housing 260) having a charging plug side for receiving a charging plug and an inner side substantially opposite the charging plug side, the core element including a first current section (i.e. 264, 263) with a housing (Fig. 3-8);
attaching a first interface module (fig. 2B & 3: sealing body 270, terminals 220) mountable to the inner side of the core element for electrically engaging with the first current section, wherein the interface module is configured to establish an electrical connection between one or more inner vehicle terminals and the first current section; and
Cole is silent to attaching a second interface module, wherein the sides of the first interface module and of the second interface module facing the first current section when mounted are substantially the same and wherein the respective opposite sides of the first interface module and of the second interface module are different, so as to allow to establish an electrical connection between at least two different inner vehicle terminals and the first current section.
Feldner discloses the first and second interface modules comprise common connector housing parts such as cover 53 and frame part 52 such that their sides are the same but the opposite sides the interface modules are different (see all Figs.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date the invention was made to incorporate the teachings of Feldner so that all of the electrical contacts can be protected in a single connector housing
Conclusion
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/THIEN T MAI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
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