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 .
Receipt is acknowledged of IDS filed on 02/1/2024.
Claims 1-20 are presented for examination.
This application is a CIP of 18/411,514 filed on 01/12/2024.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Examiner’s Remarks
There is a typo in the abstract “incldues” (see 4th line in the abstract).
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) 1-10 and 12-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Livk (EP 3629425 B1).
Re Claim 1: Livk teaches contact housing for a charging socket of a motor vehicle and method for producing a charging socket of a motor vehicle, which includes a core element {herein interpreted as contact housing 14} having a charging plug side for receiving a charging plug {herein the plug interface 10 includes a charging plug} and an inner side substantially opposite the charging plug side, the core element including a first current section with a housing (see fig.# 1; page 5 of translated document); and an interface module {herein interface 12} mountable to the inner side of the core element for electrically engaging with the first current section {herein the contact pin 28 can be, for example, a positive pole of a direct current connection and the contact pin 30 can be a negative pole of the direct current connection}, wherein the interface module is configured to establish an electrical connection between one or more inner vehicle terminals and the first current section (see figs.# 1 & 2; page 5 last paragraph & page 6+).
Re Claim 2: Livk teaches system and method, 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 10 for receiving one or more inner vehicle terminals (see pages 5-6+).
Re Claim 3: Livk teaches system and method, 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 {herein the main body of which is made of a first component, and at least sealing areas forming respective borders of the receiving openings…; also includes two further receiving openings 16 for receiving respective contact pins} of the first current section (see page 2, 11th paragraph+; page 5, 6th paragraph+).
Re Claims 4-5 and 10: Livk teaches system and method, 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 50% of the length of the one or more outer interface terminals, 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. (see fig.# 3-4).
Re Claim 6: Livk teaches system and method, wherein the one or more outer interface terminals and/or the one or more inner interface sockets have a substantially circular shape (see page 5, 7th paragraph).
Re Claim 7: Livk teaches system and method, wherein the interface module includes a fitting part for engaging with the housing of the first current section, optionally wherein the housing defines an opening, and wherein the fitting part {herein the geometry of the receiving openings 16, 36 and thus also of the sealing areas 42 is adapted to the cross-sectional shape of the contact pins 18 to 26, 28, 30 and the light guide 34 in order to achieve a form fit} at least partially extends into the opening and preferably contacts at least partially an inner circumference of the opening when mounted (see page 6, 4th paragraph+).
Re Claim 8: Livk teaches system and method, wherein the housing 14 defines an opening 16, and wherein the fitting part at least partially extends into the opening (see page 5, 6th paragraph+).
Re Claim 9: Livk teaches system and method, wherein the fitting part contacts at least partially an inner circumference of the opening {herein a plurality of contact pins 18 , 20 , 22 , 24 , 26 received by means of the receiving opening 16 can be seen in the circular upper area of the connector interface 12} when mounted (see page 5, 7th paragraph +).
Re Claim 12: wherein the interface module includes a plurality of slits {herein interpreted as receiving openings 36} for receiving corresponding ribs included by the first current section when mounted (see page 6+).
Re Claim 13: Livk teaches system and method, wherein the interface module is mountable to the housing of the first current section via fastening means extending through a mounting hole {herein the mounted contact pins can be reliably enclosed in order to achieve an adequate sealing effect in this area of the charging socket} arranged on the interface module the between two outer interface terminals and between two inner interface sockets when mounted (see fig.# 1 & 4; see page 4, 4th paragraph).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Livk (EP 3629425 B1) in view of Wang (CN 112895930 A).
The teachings of Livk have been discussed above.
Livk fails to specifically teach that he 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.
Wang teaches a new energy automobile self-cleaning charging port and using method, connection arrangement and means of transport for traction energy transmission, which 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 (see page 4, 6th paragraph +).
In view of Wang’s teachings, it would have been obvious to an artisan of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ into the teachings of Livk 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 so as to provide a secure attachment of the charging plug into the vehicle while charging.
Claim(s) 14-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Livk (EP 3629425 B1) in view of Wolfe (CA-3218091-A1).
The teachings of Livk have been discussed above.
Livk fails to specifically teach that the first current section is a direct current section configured to provide an electrical current of at least 300 A, at least 100A; and 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, at least 1500 kW.
Wolfe teaches systems and method for electric vehicle charging power distribution, wherein the first current section is a direct current section configured to provide an electrical current of at least 300 A, at least 100A; and 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, at least 1500 kW (see paragraph 56+).
In view of Wolfe’s teachings, it would have been obvious to an artisan of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ into the teachings of Livk that the first current section is a direct current section configured to provide an electrical current of at least 300 A, at least 100A; and 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, at least 1500 kW so as to enable fast charging operation by optimizing the distribution of energy and minimizing the charging time from the charging station.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 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.
Claim 20 is allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art of record fails to specifically teach the interface module is a first interface module; and 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. These limitations in conjunction with other limitations in the claimed invention were not shown by the prior art of record.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Ernst et al. (US 2018/0158572) teaches heavy-current cable and power supply with heavy-current cable.
Beimdieck et al. (US 2018/0269619) teaches car charging plug-in connector.
Ning (CN 108598776 A) teaches DC charging socket meets the IP67 protection.
Frer (CN 113196586 A) teaches plug-in connector with temperature monitoring device.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDWYN LABAZE whose telephone number is (571)272-2395. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30AM-5:00PM.
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/EDWYN LABAZE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
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