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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Haupler (2025/0219228).
Consider Claim 1, Haupler discloses a stackable battery comprising: a plurality of battery cases (12) stacked in a height direction of a vehicle, each of the battery cases (12) comprising: a side member (18) on an outer side thereof extending in a length direction of the vehicle; and a mounting portion (flanges of 18) comprising a plurality of hollows (holes for 16 and 48) penetrating vertically in the side member (18), wherein the mounting portion (flanges of 18) of a bottommost battery case is configured to be engaged to a roof of the vehicle (Para 0026) by penetration of first engaging members (48) into first hollows (holes for 48) of the plurality of hollows (holes for 16 and 48).
Consider Claim 2, Haupler discloses all the limitations of the claimed invention, as described above, and further discloses comprising second engaging members (16) inserted into second hollows (holes for 16) of the plurality of hollows (holes for 16 and 48), wherein the second hollows (holes for 16) are adjacent to the first hollows (holes for 48) in the mounting portion (flanges of 18), and wherein the second engaging members (16) have a longer length than the first engaging members (48).
Consider Claim 3, Haupler discloses all the limitations of the claimed invention, as described above, and further discloses comprising: a rear member (rear of 18) extending in a width direction of the vehicle provided at a front side or a rear side of the battery case; and a second mounting portion (flanges of rear side of 18) comprising a second plurality of hollows (holes for 16 and 48 in rear side of 18) penetrating vertically in the rear member (rear of 18).
Consider Claim 4, Haupler discloses all the limitations of the claimed invention, as described above, and further discloses comprising seating surfaces (50) provided in an inner lower portion of the mounting portion (flanges of 18), wherein upper end surfaces of the first engaging members (48) are seated on the seating surfaces (50).
Consider Claim 5, Haupler discloses a stackable battery comprising: a plurality of battery cases (12) stacked in a height direction of a vehicle, the plurality of battery cases (12) comprising a first battery case (bottom 12) positioned in a relatively lower portion of the stackable battery and a second battery case (second 12 from the bottom) positioned in a relatively upper portion of the stackable battery, each of the plurality of battery cases (12) comprising: a side member (18) on an outer side thereof extending in a length direction of the vehicle; and a mounting portion (flanges of 18) comprising a plurality of hollows (holes for 16 and 48) penetrating vertically in the side member (18), wherein the mounting portion (flanges of 18) of the first battery case (bottom 12) is configured to be engaged to a roof of the vehicle by penetration of first engaging members (48) into first hollows (holes for 48) of the plurality of hollows (holes for 16 and 48) and by penetration of second engaging members (16) into second hollows (holes for 16) of the plurality of hollows (holes for 16 and 48), wherein the second hollows (holes for 16) are adjacent to the first hollows (holes for 48) in the mounting portion (flanges of 18).
Consider Claim 6, Haupler discloses all the limitations of the claimed invention, as described above, and further discloses wherein: the first engaging members (48) have a relatively shorter length; and the second engaging members (16) have a relatively longer length.
Consider Claim 7, Haupler discloses all the limitations of the claimed invention, as described above, and further discloses wherein the first engaging members (48) and the second engaging members (16) are inserted crosswise (in as much as the claimed engaging members are inserted crosswise) into the plurality of hollows (holes for 16 and 48) provided in the mounting portion (flanges of 18).
Consider Claim 8, Haupler discloses all the limitations of the claimed invention, as described above, and further discloses wherein the second battery case (second 12 from the bottom) is configured to be stacked on the first battery case (bottom 12) and engaged to the roof of the vehicle after the first battery case (bottom 12) is disposed on the roof of the vehicle and engaged to the roof of the vehicle.
Consider Claim 9, Haupler discloses all the limitations of the claimed invention, as described above, and further discloses comprising: a rear member (rear of 18) extending in a width direction of the vehicle provided at a front side or a rear side of the battery case; and a second mounting portion (flanges of rear side of 18) comprising a second plurality of hollows (holes for 16 and 48 in rear side of 18) penetrating vertically in the rear member (rear of 18).
Consider Claim 10, Haupler discloses all the limitations of the claimed invention, as described above, and further discloses comprising seating surfaces (50) provided in an inner lower portion of the mounting portions (flanges of 18), wherein upper end surfaces of the engaging members are seated on the seating surfaces (50).
Consider Claim 11, Haupler discloses a vehicle comprising: a vehicle body comprising a roof; a first battery case (bottom 12) mounted directly on the roof and engaged to the roof by first engaging members (48); and a second battery case (second 12 from the bottom) mounted on the first battery case (bottom 12) in a height direction of the vehicle and engaged to the first battery case (bottom 12) and to the roof by second engaging members (16); wherein each of the first battery case (bottom 12) and the second battery case (second 12 from the bottom) comprises: a side member (18) on an outer side thereof extending in a length direction of the vehicle; and a mounting portion (flanges of 18) comprising a plurality of hollows (holes for 16 and 48) penetrating vertically in the side member (18); wherein the first engaging members (48) penetrate first hollows (holes for 48) of the plurality of hollows (holes for 16 and 48) provided in the mounting portion (flanges of 18) of the first battery case (bottom 12); and wherein the second engaging members (16) penetrate first hollows (holes for 48) of the plurality of hollows (holes for 16 and 48) provided in the mounting portion (flanges of 18) of the second battery case (second 12 from the bottom) and penetrate second hollows (holes for 16) of the plurality of hollows (holes for 16 and 48) provided in the mounting portion (flanges of 18) of the first battery case (bottom 12), wherein the second hollows (holes for 16) of the plurality of hollows (holes for 16 and 48) provided in the mounting portion (flanges of 18) of the first battery case (bottom 12) are adjacent to the first hollows (holes for 48) of the plurality of hollows (holes for 16 and 48) provided in the mounting portion (flanges of 18) of the first battery case (bottom 12).
Consider Claim 12, Haupler discloses all the limitations of the claimed invention, as described above, and further discloses wherein the second engaging members (16) have a longer length than the first engaging members (48).
Consider Claim 13, Haupler discloses all the limitations of the claimed invention, as described above, and further discloses wherein each of the first battery case (bottom 12) and the second battery case (second 12 from the bottom) further comprises: a rear member (rear of 18) extending in a width direction of the vehicle provided at a front side or a rear side of the battery case; and a second mounting portion (flanges of rear side of 18) comprising a second plurality of hollows (holes for 16 and 48 in rear side of 18) penetrating vertically in the rear member (rear of 18).
Consider Claim 14, Haupler discloses all the limitations of the claimed invention, as described above, and further discloses comprising seating surfaces (50) provided in an inner lower portion of the mounting portion (flanges of 18) of the first battery case (bottom 12), wherein upper end surfaces of the first engaging members (48) are seated on the seating surfaces (50).
Consider Claim 15, Haupler discloses all the limitations of the claimed invention, as described above, and further discloses wherein the first engaging members (48) and the second engaging members (16) are inserted crosswise (in as much as the claimed engaging members are inserted crosswise) into the plurality of hollows (holes for 16 and 48) provided in the mounting portion (flanges of 18) of the first battery case (bottom 12).
Consider Claim 16, Haupler discloses all the limitations of the claimed invention, as described above, and further discloses wherein the second battery case (second 12 from the bottom) is configured to be stacked on the first battery case (bottom 12) and engaged to the roof of the vehicle by the second engaging members (16) after the first battery case (bottom 12) is disposed on the roof of the vehicle and engaged to the roof of the vehicle by the first engaging members (48).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRYAN A EVANS whose telephone number is (571)270-7022. The examiner can normally be reached 9-4 EST Monday-Friday.
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/BRYAN A EVANS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3613