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 .
Drawings
Color photographs and color drawings are not accepted in utility applications unless a petition filed under 37 CFR 1.84(a)(2) is granted. Any such petition must be accompanied by the appropriate fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(h), one set of color drawings or color photographs, as appropriate, if submitted via the USPTO patent electronic filing system or three sets of color drawings or color photographs, as appropriate, if not submitted via the via USPTO patent electronic filing system, and, unless already present, an amendment to include the following language as the first paragraph of the brief description of the drawings section of the specification:
The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee.
Color photographs will be accepted if the conditions for accepting color drawings and black and white photographs have been satisfied. See 37 CFR 1.84(b)(2).
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 7 and 9 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.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "the defined fastening order" in line 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
As to claim 9 refer to claim 7 rejection.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: unit in claims 1-3.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth 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) 1, 5, 7, 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of SEKIYA (US 20200331128 A1) and TSUBAKI YUTA (JP 2022038020 A).
As to claim 1, SEKIYA discloses a fastening work management system for managing a fastening work of fastening a fastened member in a predefined fastening order to a plurality of fastening positions of a target member by using a fastening tool that is grasped and operated by an operator [As shown in Fig. 1 an industrial article 2 (such as a vehicle or precision equipment) includes a plurality of threaded holes 3 (target member) into which the screws 200 (fastened member) are to be tightened (fastened), and the sequence (order) in which the screws 200 are to be tightened into the threaded holes 3 is specified beforehand using a screwdriver 1 (fastening tool that is grasped and operated by an operator) (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5; par. [0039]-[0040])], the fastening work management system comprising:
a storage unit configured to store fastening work management information including the fastening order of the fastened members for each of the plurality of fastening positions [a basic information registration section 101 (storage unit) that registers a sequence (order) in which screws 200 are to be tightened, the plural pieces of basic information 300, that is, image information regarding respective threaded holes 3 in the tightening sequence (order) and surroundings of the threaded holes 3, torques to be applied upon tightening the screws 200 into the respective threaded holes 3 as predetermined locations, and types of the screws 200 to be tightened into the respective threaded holes 3 are registered in association with one another for every threaded hole 3 in the information 400 (work management information) as presented in FIG. 8. Therefore, in the basic information registration section 101, the plural pieces of basic information 300 are registered corresponding to the sequence (order) in which the screws 200 are to be tightened into the threaded holes 3, and the torques to be applied upon tightening the screws 200 into the threaded holes 3 are registered corresponding to the Plural pieces of basic information 300 (Fig. 8; and par. [0051]).] ;
an image acquisition unit configured to acquire an inspection image including a position defined as a current fastening position in the fastening order included in the fastening work management information when the fastening work of a predetermined fastened member is completed [Shortly before the screwdriver 1 tightens the screw 200 into the threaded hole 3 (i.e., when the fastening work of a predetermined fastened member is completed), the determination section 102 determines whether or not a new image information 501 or 502 (an example of which is presented in FIG. 10 or 11) (inspection image), which has been acquired by newly imaging the threaded hole 3(position defined as a current fastening position in the fastening order) and the surroundings of the threaded hole 3 with the camera 30, coincide with the corresponding piece of basic information 300. Described specifically, when, shortly before the screwdriver 1 tightens the screw 200 into each threaded hole 3, the start button 40 is operated by the operator and the bit 10 is rotated, the camera 30 captures a movie or captures still images periodically (every constant period of time), and the movie or one of the still images (inspection images), in which the threaded hole 3 (position defined as a current fastening position in the fastening order) is captured, is acquired as the above-mentioned new image information 501 or 502 (par. [0052])];
SEKIYA does not disclose,
a detection unit configured to detect whether or not the fastened member, which has been fastened, is present at the current fastening position included in the inspection image; and
a determination unit configured to determine that the fastening work at the current fastening position is normal when the fastened member is detected.
TSUBAKI YUTA discloses an inspection system in an article assembly process. A determination unit 323 analyzes the captured image data acquired as the inspection data. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a state to be inspected. In FIG. 7, the presence or absence of a nut (indicated by hatching) attached to the bolt is taken as an example of the state to be inspected, the state in which the nut is attached (the state with the nut) is the desired state (work at the current fastening position is normal) and the state with the nut is present (page 4, par. 6).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to use the teachings of TSUBAKI YUTA to modify the system of SEKIYA by detecting whether or not the fastened member, which has been fastened, is present at the current fastening position included in the inspection image; and determining that the fastening work at the current fastening position is normal when the fastened member is detected in order to allow a worker to recognize and perform quality determination for determining whether an inspection object is in a desired state (Abstract).
As to claim 5, SEKIYA further discloses wherein in the fastening work management information, identification information about the target member is associated with the fastening order of the fastened member [information 400 (work management information) presented in FIG. 8, for example, plural pieces of basic information 300 are registered in the basic information registration section 101. In the basic information registration section 101, a sequence (order) in which screws 200 are to be tightened, the plural pieces of basic information 300, that is, image information regarding respective threaded holes 3 in the tightening sequence (order) and surroundings of the threaded holes 3, torques to be applied upon tightening the screws 200 into the respective threaded holes 3 as predetermined locations, and types of the screws 200 to be tightened into the respective threaded holes 3 (identification information) are registered in association with one another for every threaded hole 3 in the information 400 as presented in FIG. 8 (par. [0051] and Fig. 8)].
As to claim 7, SEKIYA discloses a fastening work management method for managing a fastening work of fastening a fastened member in a predefined fastening order to a plurality of fastening positions of a target member by using a fastening tool that is grasped and operated by an operator [As shown in Fig. 1 an industrial article 2 (such as a vehicle or precision equipment) includes a plurality of threaded holes 3 (target member) into which the screws 200 (fastened member) are to be tightened (fastened), and the sequence (order) in which the screws 200 are to be tightened into the threaded holes 3 is specified beforehand using a screwdriver 1 (fastening tool that is grasped and operated by an operator) (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5; par. [0039]-[0040])], the fastening work management method comprising:
acquiring an inspection image including a position specified as a current fastening position in the defined fastening order when the fastening work of a predetermined fastened member is completed [Shortly before the screwdriver 1 tightens the screw 200 into the threaded hole 3 (i.e., when the fastening work of a predetermined fastened member is completed), the determination section 102 determines whether or not a new image information 501 or 502 (an example of which is presented in FIG. 10 or 11) (inspection image), which has been acquired by newly imaging the threaded hole 3(position defined as a current fastening position in the fastening order) and the surroundings of the threaded hole 3 with the camera 30, coincide with the corresponding piece of basic information 300. Described specifically, when, shortly before the screwdriver 1 tightens the screw 200 into each threaded hole 3, the start button 40 is operated by the operator and the bit 10 is rotated, the camera 30 captures a movie or captures still images periodically (every constant period of time), and the movie or one of the still images (inspection images), in which the threaded hole 3 (position defined as a current fastening position in the fastening order) is captured, is acquired as the above-mentioned new image information 501 or 502 (par. [0052])];
SEKIYA does not disclose,
detecting whether or not the fastened member, which has been fastened, is present at the current fastening position included in the inspection image.
TSUBAKI YUTA discloses an inspection system in an article assembly process. A determination unit 323 analyzes the captured image data acquired as the inspection data. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a state to be inspected. In FIG. 7, the presence or absence of a nut (fastening member) (indicated by hatching) attached to the bolt is taken as an example of the state to be inspected, the state in which the nut is attached (the state with the nut) is the desired state and the state with the nut is present (page 4, par. 6).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to use the teachings of TSUBAKI YUTA to modify the method of SEKIYA by detecting whether or not the fastened member, which has been fastened, is present at the current fastening position included in the inspection image in order to allow a worker to recognize and perform quality determination for determining whether an inspection object is in a desired state (Abstract).
In claim 9, “a cover member to be attached to a battery” is recited in the preamble that is not limiting because the body of the claim describes a complete invention and the language recited solely in the preamble does not provide any distinct definition of any of the claimed invention' s limitations. Thus, the preamble of the claim(s) is not considered a limitation and is of no significance to claim construction. See Pitney Bowes, Inc. v. Hewlett-Packard Co., 182 F.3d 1298, 1305, 51 USPQ2d 1161, 1165 (Fed. Cir. 1999). See MPEP § 2111.02.
As to claim 9 refer to claim 7 rejection.
Claim(s) 2 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of SEKIYA (US 20200331128 A1) and TSUBAKI YUTA (JP 2022038020 A) as applied to claims 1 and 7 above, and further in view of TOKITA KATSUO (JP 2013000852 A).
As to claim 2, neither SEKIYA nor TSUBAKI YUTA discloses, wherein the image acquisition unit acquires the inspection image by trimming a partial image including the current fastening position from a whole image including all of the fastening positions defined as positions of the target member where the fastened members are to be fastened.
TOKITA KATSUO discloses as shown in FIG. 1, a tightening work support device 1 includes a camera 4, a data processing unit 5 (par. [0026]). The camera 4 captures an image of an area where the fastening operation is to be performed on the workpiece 2 and generates image data. During the fastening operation, the camera 4 and the workpiece 2 do not move relative to each other. In the present embodiment, the camera 4 is fixed above the workpiece 2 and captures an image an area including the entire workpiece 2 (par. [0027]). As shown in FIG. 2, the workpiece 2 has a hole 2a formed in the upper surface thereof receiving bolts (par. [0028]). As shown in FIG. 2, the detection region R includes each of the holes 2a of the workpiece 2 within the image data of the camera 4 (par. [0036]). Then, the detection area setting unit 5b of the data processing unit 5 calculates the position and size of the detection area R and sets the detection area R (par. [0037]). When setting this detection area R, the position of the detection area R is automatically calculated by the detection area setting unit 5b of the data processing means 5 from the position of the workpiece 2 on the image data detected by the data processing means 5 from the image data of the camera 4 and the input design data of the position of the hole 2a in the workpiece 2. Moreover, the size of the detection region R is automatically calculated by the detection region setting unit 5b of the data processing means 5 from the input parameters that determine the size of the detection region. In this embodiment, the detection region R is a square, and the center of each detection region R coincides with the center of each hole 2a (par. [0038]), i.e., the inspection image (the region R of each hole 2a) is acquired by cropping the whole workpiece 2 image including all the holes 2a into partial regions R of each hole 2a using a square.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to use the teachings of TOKITA KATSUO to modify the combined system of TSUBAKI YUTA and SEKIYA by acquiring the inspection image by trimming a partial image including the current fastening position from a whole image including all of the fastening positions defined as positions of the target member where the fastened members are to be fastened in order to improve detection accuracy of a fastening tool, while reducing a manufacturing cost, as regards a fastening work support device using a camera (Abstract).
As to claim 8 refer to claim 2 rejection.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of SEKIYA (US 20200331128 A1) and TSUBAKI YUTA (JP 2022038020 A) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of HATTORI TETSUYA et al. (JP 2019193283 A).
As to claim 3, neither SEKIYA nor TSUBAKI YUTA discloses, wherein when the determination unit determines that the detection of the fastened member is indeterminable, the image acquisition unit re-acquires the inspection image after a predetermined period of time, and the detection unit re-executes detection processing based on the re-acquired inspection image.
HATTORI TETSUYA discloses a system for monitoring various troubles occur in machine tools. For example, there is a case where a trouble such as a screw falling or a screw falling down occurs in a screw fastening line (page 2, 2nd paragraph from the bottom). An imaging system 1 of the present embodiment is a system that records an image of a machine tool 2 (inspection image) in order to monitor the work content of the machine tool 2 operating in a manufacturing line of a factory. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of an imaging system 1 together with a machine tool 2 (page 2, last paragraph-page3, first paragraph). In this example, it is assumed that the machine tool 2 to be monitored performs a screw tightening operation in a manufacturing line. The machine tool 2 repeatedly executes the screw tightening operation with a predetermined operation time (for example, 30 seconds) as one cycle. When the machine tool 2 detects a failure in the work performed by the machine tool 2 (i.e., a screw falling or a screw falling down occurs and detection of the fastened member is indeterminable), an abnormality of the device, or the like, the machine tool 2 outputs an alarm signal indicating the occurrence of the abnormality. It is assumed that a series of processes after the detection of the failure is completed within the operation cycle in which the failure of the machine tool 2 is detected. In the imaging system 1, the occurrence of an event is detected from the state change of the alarm signal, and images before and after the occurrence of the event are captured (page 3, par. 2). As described above, when a failure occurs in the work performed by the machine tool 2 in a state where the moving image is constantly captured, the machine tool 2 detects the failure and changes the state of the alarm signal from low to high. The CPU110 performs control to store, in the memory card 200, high frame rate images captured by the imaging unit 120 from a predetermined time before the time at which the event occurs to a predetermined time after the event occurrence time (page 5, par. 6). The above described "predetermined time" is one cycle of the operation time of the machine tool 2. In this way, regardless of the occurrence timing of the event in one cycle of the operation time, it is possible to store the image data including the period from the start to the end of the cycle in which the event occurs. Since the image data photographed from the start to the end of the cycle including the time when the event occurs can be stored without omission, the cause of the work mistake and the subsequent processing can be easily confirmed. That is, it is possible to grasp the cause of the work error by checking the image before the occurrence of the event in the cycle in which the event occurs. Further, by checking the image after the occurrence of the event (i.e., a screw falling or a screw falling down occurs and detection of the fastened member is indeterminable) in the cycle in which the event has occurred, it is possible to check whether the process after the occurrence of the event has been appropriately performed (page 6, par. 2). After the predetermined time has elapsed from the time at which the event has occurred, a moving image is constantly captured again (re-acquire the inspection image), and while the image data from the predetermined time ago to the latest image data is temporarily stored at a high frame rate in the memory card 200 inserted into each of the memory card slots 160, the image data after the predetermined time has elapsed from the time of imaging is thinned out at a low frame rate as needed and stored in the memory card 200. In this way, it is possible to roughly confirm the content of the image data captured in the time period in which the event does not occur, and it is possible to confirm the content of the image data in detail when the event occurs (re-execute detection processing based on the re-acquired inspection images). In addition, it is possible to store an image at a time when an event does not occur while suppressing the size of a file storing image data (page 6, last paragraph).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to use the teachings of HATTORI TETSUYA to modify the combined system of TSUBAKI YUTA and SEKIYA by re-acquiring the inspection image after a predetermined period of time, and re-executing detection processing based on the re-acquired inspection image when determining that the detection of the fastened member is indeterminable in order to facilitate checking content of imaging before and after occurrence of an event (Abstract).
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of SEKIYA (US 20200331128 A1) and TSUBAKI YUTA (JP 2022038020 A) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of KOBAYASHI KOJI (JP 6544700 B2).
As to claim 4, neither SEKIYA nor TSUBAKI YUTA discloses, wherein in response to receiving, from the fastening tool, a completion signal transmitted when the fastening with a predetermined torque is completed, the image acquisition unit starts executing processing for acquiring the inspection image.
KOBAYASHI KOJI discloses, a control apparatus 2 which concerns on embodiment of this invention is provided with the communication part 23 and the process part 24 as shown to FIG. 1, FIG. The communication unit 23 communicates with the tool 3 used in the operation of tightening the fastening part (for example, the screw 10) and with the imaging device 41 which images the work location where the operation is performed. The processing unit 24 performs a determination process of determining whether the work is normally performed based on the tightening torque applied to the fastening part by the tool 3 and the captured image captured by the imaging device 41 (page 2, par. 5 from the bottom). the processing unit 24 determines whether the work by the worker W1 is normally performed based on the tightening torque applied to the fastening part by the tool 3 and the captured image captured by the wearable terminal 4 Execute judgment processing (page 3, par. 5). The worker W1 starts work using the tool 3 by looking at the image or message projected on the display device 42 (S8). Here, the worker W 1 uses the tool 3 to fasten the screw 10 to the work 11. At this time, when the screw 10 is tightened, the measuring unit 31 of the tool 3 measures the tightening torque applied to the screw 10. When the operation is completed, the communication unit 32 of the tool 3 executes a process of transmitting data of the tightening torque measured by the measurement unit 31 to the control device 2 (S9) (page 8, par. 4). When the data of the tightening torque is received, the processing unit 24 of the control device 2 determines that the work by the worker W1 is finished, and the wearable terminal instructs the worker W1 to image the working place after the work is completed ( page 8, par. 5).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to use the teachings of KOBAYASHI KOJI to modify the combined system of TSUBAKI YUTA and SEKIYA by wherein in response to receiving, from the fastening tool, a completion signal transmitted when the fastening with a predetermined torque is completed, the image acquisition unit starts executing processing for acquiring the inspection image in order to manage work using a tool and a work management system that manages the acquired tightening position information and the tightening torque (see background).
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of SEKIYA (US 20200331128 A1) and TSUBAKI YUTA (JP 2022038020 A) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of ZHANG, PING (CN 212587675 U).
As to claim 6, SEKIYA further discloses that in an article that requires high safety and accuracy, such as a vehicle or precision equipment, however, the safety of the article itself may be impaired if even a piece of screw is tightened in a turn different from its turn specified beforehand (par. [0004]). Neither SEKIYA nor TSUBAKI YUTA discloses, wherein the target member is a cover member attached to a battery.
However, ZHANG discloses an automobile battery cover assembly, the fixing block, slot, anti- wear gasket and cover matched with the automobile battery is fixed in the cover body, improving the automobile battery stability, at the same time, anti-wear gasket can avoid automobile battery abrasion, improve the safety of the automobile battery (page 3, par. 8). Provided with a connecting sheet, a connecting bolt, a bolt groove and a fastening bolt; the convenient battery cover is fixedly connected with the automobile frame body because it is convenient to install and disassemble, and it is convenient to use (page 3, par. 9).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to use the teachings of ZHANG to modify the combined system of TSUBAKI YUTA and SEKIYA by using a target member that is a cover member attached to a battery in because it is convenient to install and disassemble, convenient to use and improve the safety of the automobile battery.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAMIR ANWAR AHMED whose telephone number is (571)272-7413. The examiner can normally be reached flex.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Edward Urban can be reached at (571)272-7899. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SAMIR A AHMED/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2665