DETAILED ACTION
Summary
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This is a first Office Action on the merits.
Claims 1-20 are currently pending.
Claim Objections
Claims 3 and 12 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 3, lines 2-3, please amend “the signal received from the short range communication device” to recite “a signal received from the short range communication device” for correct antecedent basis.
In claim 12, lines 2-3, please amend “the signal received from the short range communication device” to recite “a signal received from the short range communication device” for correct antecedent basis.
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-7, 9, 11-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by BIANCO et al, US 2017/0267114.
Re claim 1:
BIANCO teaches a charging device for charging a vehicle, the charging device comprising:
A frame (100) adapted to be mounted to an overhead structure of a garage having a garage door (i.e., ceiling mounted EVSE 100 has a housing or enclosure that includes a bottom cover 103 and top cover 104 [0097] [0099] [0102] [0144] [Figures 1, 4-6, 28]);
A cable holder rotatably mounted on the frame (i.e., cable reel assembly 300 mounted within enclosure 100 [0146] [Figure 10]);
An electric cable (101) wound around the cable holder and including a first end electrically connected to a power supply equipment [0096] [Figures 10 and 12];
A charger adapted to be removably connected to the vehicle to charge the vehicle and connected to a second end of the electric cable and configured to move between an up position and a down position (i.e., power connector 102 [0096] [Figure 1]);
An actuator operatively coupled with the cable holder to operate the cable holder to wound the electrical cable on the cable holder and unwound the electrical cable from the cable holder to move the charger between the up position and the down position (i.e., drive motor 302A [0123] [Figure 13]); and
A controller configured to determine an approach of the vehicle to the garage and control the actuator to lower the charger to the down position in response to the determination of the approach of the vehicle to the garage (i.e., central processing unit 500C determines an approach of a vehicle based on input from a garage door opener or input from vehicle sensor module 505 and controls the actuator to lower the power cable to the ADA height 108 [0159] [0161] [0169] [0170]).
Re claim 11:
BIANCO discloses a method, comprising:
Providing a charging device including:
A frame (100) adapted to be mounted to an overhead structure of a garage having a garage door (i.e., ceiling mounted EVSE 100 has a housing or enclosure that includes a bottom cover 103 and top cover 104 [0097] [0099] [0102] [0144] [Figures 1, 4-6, 28]);
A cable holder rotatably mounted on the frame (i.e., cable reel assembly 300 mounted within enclosure 100 [0146] [Figure 10]);
An electric cable (101) wound around the cable holder and including a first end electrically connected to a power supply equipment [0096] [Figures 10 and 12];
A charger adapted to be removably connected to the vehicle to charge the vehicle and connected to a second end of the electric cable and configured to move between an up position and a down position (i.e., power connector 102 [0096] [Figure 1]);
Determining, by a controller of the charging device, an approach of a vehicle to the garage (i.e., CPU 500A determines an approach of a vehicle based on input from a garage door opener or input from vehicle sensor module 505 [0161] [0170]); and
Controlling the cable holder to lower the charger to the down position in response to the determination of the approach of the vehicle to the garage [0169] [0170] [Figures 34B].
Re claim 17:
BIANCO teaches a charging device for charging a vehicle, the charging device comprising:
A frame (100) adapted to be mounted to an overhead structure of a garage having a garage door (i.e., ceiling mounted EVSE 100 has a housing or enclosure that includes a bottom cover 103 and top cover 104 [0097] [0099] [0102] [0144] [Figures 1, 4-6, 28]);
A cable holder rotatably mounted on the frame (i.e., cable reel assembly 300 mounted within enclosure 100 [0146] [Figure 10]);
An electric cable (101) wound around the cable holder and including a first end electrically connected to a power supply equipment [0096] [Figures 10 and 12];
A charger adapted to be removably connected to the vehicle to charge the vehicle and connected to a second end of the electric cable and configured to move between an up position and a down position, the charger includes a switch adapted to be actuated by a user (i.e., power connector 102 and latch button 102A [0096] [Figure 1]);
An actuator operatively coupled with the cable holder to operate the cable holder to wound the electrical cable on the cable holder and unwound the electrical cable from the cable holder to move the charger between the up position and the down position (i.e., drive motor 302A [0123]); and
A controller (500C) configured to:
Determine an approach of the vehicle to the garage and control the actuator to lower the charger to the down position in response to the determination of the approach of the vehicle to the garage (i.e., central processing unit 500C determines an approach of a vehicle based on input from a garage door opener or input from vehicle sensor module 505 [0159] [0161] [0169] [0170]), and
Control the actuator to raise the charger to the up position from the down position in response to the actuation of the switch (i.e., depression of latch button 102A initiates a cable retraction timer and power cable 101 is wound up on the cable reel [0142]-[0143] [Figure 34B]).
Re claims 2, 12, and 18:
BIANCO discloses the charging device of claims 1 and 17 and method of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to determine the approach of the vehicle based on a signal received from the vehicle (i.e., signal from garage door opener 604 located inside vehicle 600 [0161] [0170] [Figure 6]).
Re claims 3 and 13:
BIANCO discloses the charging device of claim 2 and method of claim 11, wherein the vehicle includes a short-range communication device and the controller determines the approach of the vehicle based on a signal received from the short-range communication device (i.e., garage door opener 604 located inside vehicle 600 is a short-range communication device [0161] [0170] [Figure 6]).
Re claims 4, 14, and 19:
BIANCO discloses the charging device of claims 1 and 17 and method of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to determine an opening of the garage door and determine the approach of the vehicle based on the opening of the garage door (i.e., signal from garage door opener 604 located inside vehicle 600 [0161] [0170] [Figure 6]).
Re claim 5:
BIANCO discloses the charging device of claim 4, wherein the garage includes a garage door opener configured to open the garage door and the controller is arranged in communication with the garage door opener and determines the approach of the vehicle based on input from the garage door opener (i.e., signal from garage door opener 604 located inside vehicle 600 [0161] [0170] [Figure 6]).
Re claims 6, 15, and 20:
BIANCO teaches the charging device of claims 1 and 17 and method of claim 11, further comprising a sensor to detect an approach of the vehicle and the controller operates the actuator based on input from the sensor (i.e., vehicle sensor module 505 [0169] [Figure 37]).
Re claims 7 and 16:
BIANCO discloses the charging device of claim 1 and method of claim 11, wherein the charger includes a switch (102A) adapted to be operated by a user to actuate the actuator to raise the charger to the up position (i.e., depression of latch button 102A initiates a cable retraction timer and power cable 101 is wound up on the cable reel [0142]-[0143] [Figure 34B]).
Re claim 9:
BIANCO discloses the charging device of claim 1, further comprising a drive assembly operatively coupling the actuator with the cable holder to rotate the cable holder in response to the actuation of the actuator [0108] [0123] [0124] [0147] [0148] [Figures 13-14].
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) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over BIANCO et al, US 2017/0267114 in view of COOK et al, US 10,974,605.
Re claim 8:
BIANCO discloses the charging device of claim 1, but does not teach the controller is arranged to communicate with a vehicle controller to open a charging lid of the vehicle upon actuation of the actuator to lower the charger to the down position.
COOK teaches a charging device (280) configured to charge vehicle (200), wherein the charging device is arranged to communicate with a vehicle controller to open a charging lid of the vehicle upon un-stowing of the charging plug from the charging device (column 11, lines 47-67; column 12, lines 1-16; Figure 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to further incorporate the teachings of COOK in the charging device of BIANCO such that the controller communicates with a vehicle to open a charging lid of the vehicle upon actuation of the actuator for the purpose of reducing the need for the user to manually open the charging lid, further streamlining the charging process of the vehicle.
Claim(s 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over BIANCO et al, US 2017/0267114 in view of JUNG, KR 202101010682.
Re claim 10:
BIANCO discloses the charging device of claim 1, but does not teach the drive assembly includes a belt-pulley assembly having a driven pulley operatively coupled to the cable holder and a drive pully operatively coupled to the actuator and configured to rotate the driven pully.
JUNG teaches a charging device comprising a drive assembly (15) operatively coupled to an actuator (15a) with a cable holder (13) to rotate the cable holder in response to actuation of the actuator; wherein the drive assembly includes a belt-pulley assembly having a driven pulley operatively coupled to the cable holder and a drive pulley operatively coupled to the actuator and configured to rotate the driven pulley [0035] [0036] [0040] [Figures 2, 4, and 6].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to further incorporate the teachings of JUNG in the device of BIANCO such that the drive assembly is a belt-pulley assembly. Belt-pulley assemblies are well-known alternatives to chain-based drive assemblies, such as the chain drive assembly taught in BIANCO. Providing BIANCO with a drive assembly having a belt-pulley assembly would merely provide a common alternative drive assembly.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
GEIST et al, US 2022/0355682, teaches an overhead charging device for charging a vehicle, comprising a frame adapted to be mounted to an overhead structure of a garage; a cable holder rotatably mounted on the frame [Figure 1]; an electrical cable wound around the cable holder and including a first end electrically connected to a power supply equipment [Figure 1]; a charger adapted to be removably connected to the vehicle to charge the vehicle and connected to a second end of the electrical cable and configured to move between an up position and a down position [Figure 2]; an actuator operatively coupled with the cable holder to operate the cable holder to wound the electrical cable on the cable holder and unwound the electrical cable from the cable holder to move the charger between the up position and the down position [Figure 2]; and a controller configured to determine an approach of the vehicle to the garage and control the actuator to lower the charger to the down position in response to the determination of the approach of the vehicle to the garage (steps 102 and 104 of figure 3).
SHIBATA, JP 2011-160615, teaches a charging device and method for charging a vehicle, comprising a sensor to detect an approach of the vehicle and a controller operates an actuator to lower a charging cable from an up position to a down position (i.e., camera 52 detect whether vehicle 14 enters the garage and is at a predetermined position and a connection position is detected. Based on the information determined from the camera, control device 32 operates reel 22 to lower charging cable 18 to the height of the connection portion of the vehicle [0067] [0080] [0082] [0083] [Figures 8-9]).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAURA A GUDORF whose telephone number is (571)270-7607. If the Examiner cannot be reached by telephone, she can be reached through the following e-mail address: laura.gudorf@uspto.gov. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 6:00-4:00 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thomas Pham, can be reached at telephone number (571)272-3689. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LAURA A GUDORF/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
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