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 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(s) 4-10 is/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 4 recites the limitation "the elongate body" in lines 2-3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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) 1-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lili et al. US 2019/0322508 in view of Pavlovic et al. US 2021/0344132.
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Lili discloses a materials handling vehicle (P) comprising a materials handling mechanism (8), a drive mechanism (4), a battery receiving space (219), and a removable battery assembly (2), wherein: the materials handling mechanism is configured to engage goods in a warehouse environment and cooperates with the drive mechanism, under power from the removable battery assembly, to move goods along an inventory transit surface in the warehouse environment; the removable battery assembly and the battery receiving space cooperate to define a battery insertion and removal axis along which the removable battery assembly is inserted into and removed from the battery receiving space (see Fig. 1); the removable battery assembly (2) comprises a battery-side connector assembly (210, 211); the battery receiving space comprises a vehicle-side connector assembly (213, 215); the battery-side connector assembly and the vehicle-side connector assembly are configured to electrically couple the removable battery assembly and an electrical system of the materials handling vehicle (¶0033); the battery-side connector assembly and the vehicle-side connector assembly each comprises a connector housing (212’ and 219’) and an electrical coupler (210 and 213) corresponding to and secured within the connector housing (¶0033); the respective electrical coupler of the battery-side connector assembly and the respective electrical coupler of the vehicle-side connector assembly are configured to couple together electrically as a result of relative movement along a coupler pairing axis that is parallel to the battery insertion and removal axis (see Fig. 2).
Lili does not specify wherein at least one of the electrical coupler of the battery-side connector assembly or the electrical coupler of the vehicle-side connector assembly, or both, is an omnidirectional biasing coupler, wherein the omnidirectional biasing coupler comprises an omnidirectional biasing element; and the omnidirectional biasing element secures the omnidirectional biasing coupler against the respective connector housing of the omnidirectional biasing coupler to: limit axial movement of the omnidirectional biasing coupler relative to the respective connector housing of the omnidirectional biasing coupler in a decoupling direction along the pairing axis, and permit omnidirectional spring-loaded deflection of the omnidirectional biasing coupler between a resting position and a spring-loaded deflected position.
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Pavlovic, however, teaches a shielded electrical connector system (200, 600) wherein the electrical connector/coupler assembly comprises an omnidirectional biasing coupler (430), wherein the omnidirectional biasing coupler comprises an omnidirectional biasing element (440a, 470; ¶0091-94); and the omnidirectional biasing element secures the omnidirectional biasing coupler against the respective connector (600, 800) housing of the omnidirectional biasing coupler to: limit axial movement of the omnidirectional biasing coupler relative to the respective connector housing of the omnidirectional biasing coupler in a decoupling direction along the pairing axis, and permit omnidirectional spring-loaded deflection of the omnidirectional biasing coupler between a resting position and a spring-loaded deflected position (¶0134-135).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify and/or substitute the electrical coupler assembly of Lili to an omnidirectional biasing coupler as taught by Pavlovic in order to provide a means for properly securing the battery assembly to the battery receiving space for efficient quick connection and disconnection while providing a strong and protected connection from exterior environments
As for claim 2, the modified Lili teaches wherein: the resting position forms a resting angle between the pairing axis and the omnidirectional biasing coupler; and the spring-loaded deflected position is one of a plurality of angled spring-loaded deflected positions, wherein: each of the angled spring-loaded deflected positions forms one of a plurality of deflected angles (Pavlovic, 0.1º to 16º, ¶0100) between the pairing axis and the battery-side electrical coupler, the vehicle-side electrical coupler, or both, and each deflected angle of the plurality of deflected angles is greater than the resting angle (Pavlovic, ¶0100).
As for claim 3, the modified Lili teaches wherein the omnidirectional biasing element is a flexible skirt (Pavlovic, 440a, 470).
As for claim 4, the modified Lili teaches wherein: the omnidirectional biasing element (Pavlovic, 440a, 470) is disposed around a circumference of the elongate body (Pavlovic, 442) of the omnidirectional biasing coupler; and the omnidirectional biasing element extends outwardly to an outer end (Pavlovic, 264).
As for claim 5, the modified Lili teaches wherein: the respective housing (621) of the omnidirectional biasing coupler comprises a housing space (653), the housing space comprising a housing wall (642a-642d, 651); when the omnidirectional biasing coupler is in the spring-loaded deflected position, the outer end is configured to, when in contact with the housing wall, impart upon the omnidirectional biasing coupler a restorative force, wherein the restorative force biases the omnidirectional biasing coupler toward the resting position of the omnidirectional biasing coupler (¶0121).
As for claim 6, the modified Lili teaches wherein: the respective housing (621) of the omnidirectional biasing coupler comprises a housing space (653), the housing space comprising a housing wall (642a-642d); the housing wall comprises an inner shoulder (651); and the outer end of the omnidirectional biasing element is configured to limit axial movement of the omnidirectional biasing coupler relative to the respective housing of the omnidirectional biasing coupler in a decoupling direction along the pairing axis by contacting the inner shoulder (¶0121 and ¶0135).
As for claim 7, the modified Lili teaches wherein: the inner shoulder (651) of the housing wall defines a shoulder diameter; the outer end of the omnidirectional biasing element defines an outer end diameter; and the outer end diameter is greater than or equal to the shoulder diameter (see Pavlovic, Figs. 54-55, circular shape for male and female terminals).
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As for claim 8, the modified Lili teaches wherein: the electrical coupler of the vehicle-side connector assembly is a plug coupler (see Lili, Fig. 2); the electrical coupler of the battery-side connector assembly is a socket coupler (see Lili, Fig. 2); the socket coupler is configured to receive the plug coupler.
As for claim 9, the modified Lili teaches wherein the outer end of the omnidirectional biasing element extends continuously about the circumference of the elongate body of the omnidirectional biasing coupler (see Pavlovic, Figs. 54-55).
As for claim 10, the modified Lili teaches wherein the outer end extends discontinuously about the circumference of the elongate body (see Pavlovic, Figs. 54-55).
As for claim 11, the modified Lili teaches wherein: at least one of the electrical coupler of the vehicle-side connector assembly and the electrical coupler of the battery-side connector assembly is a plug coupler (see Lili, Fig. 2); at least one of the electrical coupler of the vehicle-side connector assembly and the electrical coupler of the battery-side connector assembly is a socket coupler; the connector housing of the battery-side connector assembly or the connector housing of the vehicle-side connector assembly comprises a housing space, the housing space comprising a housing wall; the housing wall comprises an outer lip, the outer lip extending around a distal end of a socket of the socket coupler; and the outer lip is configured to guide a corresponding one of the electrical couplers into the socket (see claim 5 and 8 rejections above).
As for claim 12, the modified Lili teaches wherein: the battery-side connector assembly comprises a plurality of battery-side electrical couplers (Lili, 208, 209); the vehicle-side connector assembly comprises a plurality of vehicle-side electrical couplers (Lili, 214, 216); each of the battery-side electrical couplers corresponds to a corresponding vehicle-side electrical coupler of the plurality of vehicle-side electrical couplers, each battery-side electrical coupler and corresponding vehicle-side electrical coupler forming a coupler pair; and each coupler pair is configured to couple along a respective pairing axis that is parallel to the battery insertion and removal axis (see Lili, Fig. 2).
As for claim 13, the modified Lili teaches wherein: the omnidirectional biasing coupler (100) comprises an elongate body (200); the omnidirectional biasing coupler comprises a flexible o-ring (552) disposed about the elongate body.
As for claim 14, the modified Lili teaches wherein: the respective connector housing of the omnidirectional biasing coupler comprises a housing space, the housing space comprising a housing wall; the flexible o-ring is configured to, when in contact with the housing wall, provide a frictional force that limits axial movement of the omnidirectional biasing coupler relative to the respective connector housing of the omnidirectional biasing coupler in a decoupling direction along the pairing axis (Pavlovic, ¶0112-113).
As for claim 15, the modified Lili teaches wherein: the elongate body (Pavlovic, 200) comprises a ring-housing groove (Pavlovic, 554, 556); and the ring-housing groove houses the flexible o-ring (Pavlovic, 552).
As for claim 16, the modified Lili teaches wherein: the respective connector housing (280) of the omnidirectional biasing coupler comprises a housing space, the housing space comprising a housing wall (556); and the flexible o-ring (552) creates a seal between the elongate body and the housing wall.
As for claim 17, the modified Lili teaches wherein the omnidirectional biasing coupler is a power coupler (Lili, 2, battery power assembly; Pavlovic, ¶0003).
As for claim 18, the modified Lili teaches wherein the omnidirectional biasing coupler is a control coupler (Lili, 6, controller assembly; Pavlovic, ¶0003, control signal).
As for claim 19, the modified Lili teaches, see claim 1 rejection above, wherein: the battery-side connector assembly comprises a battery-side omnidirectional biasing element; the battery-side omnidirectional biasing element secures the electrical coupler of the battery-side connector assembly to the connector housing of the battery-side connector assembly to: limit axial movement of the electrical coupler of the battery-side connector assembly relative to the connector housing of the battery-side connector assembly in a decoupling direction along the pairing axis, and permit omnidirectional spring-loaded deflection of the electrical coupler of the battery-side connector assembly between a battery-side resting position and a spring-loaded battery-side deflected position; the vehicle-side connector assembly comprises a vehicle-side omnidirectional biasing element; the vehicle-side omnidirectional biasing element secures the electrical coupler of the vehicle-side connector assembly to the connector housing of the vehicle-side connector assembly to: limit axial movement of the electrical coupler of the vehicle-side connector assembly relative to the connector housing of the vehicle-side connector assembly in a decoupling direction along the pairing axis, and permit omnidirectional spring-loaded deflection of the electrical coupler of the vehicle-side connector assembly between a vehicle-side resting position and a spring-loaded vehicle-side deflected position. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify the battery side connector assembly and the vehicle side connector assembly to an omnidirectional connector assembly as taught by Pavlovic.
As for claim 20, see claim 2 rejection.
As for claim 21, see claim 2 rejection.
As for claim 22, the modified Lili teaches wherein permitting omnidirectional spring-loaded deflection of the omnidirectional biasing coupler between the resting position and the spring-loaded deflected position comprises permitting a spring-loaded deflective force directed toward the pairing axis at a deflective angle substantially aligned with a radial angle of the resting position relative to the pairing axis, wherein the radial angle is any radial angle relative to the pairing axis (Pavlovic, ¶0100) .
As for claim 23, the modified Lili teaches wherein the deflective angle is an angle within 30 degrees (Pavlovic, 0.1º to 16º, ¶0100) of the radial angle of the resting position.
As for claim 24, see claim 1 rejection. The difference between claim 1 and 24 is the recitation of a “bidirectional biasing coupler”. Any omnidirectional coupler would provide more than 1 direction thus would anticipate or render obvious a coupler providing two directions as claimed.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TYRONE V HALL JR whose telephone number is (571)270-5948. The examiner can normally be reached Mon.-Fri. 7:30am-3:30pm.
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/TYRONE V HALL JR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723