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.
Claims 1-13 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.
Regrading claim 1, the limitation “wherein the impact device can be attached to the housing on a side of a first side and a second side of the impact device protective panel which faces away from the battery” is indefinite. If the impact device is attached to an inner surface of the protective panel, how could the impact member pass through an opening on the protective panel towards the battery?
Regarding claim 9, the phrase "such as" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
The remaining claims are rejected due to their dependence.
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.
Claims 1-6 and 14-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mo (KR20190142513, see attached English translation).
Regarding claim 1, Mo teaches (as best understood by the Examiner) an actuator device for battery testing, comprising: a housing comprising: a rack (Figs.1-5, 110); and at least one protective panel (Figs.1-5, 201) which is mounted on the rack; and at least one impact device (Figs.1-5, 225+223+203+205) which is configured to impact a battery (Figs.1-5, 11) and which is attached to the housing, wherein at least one protective panel of the at least one protective panel is an impact device protective panel comprising an opening (Figs.1-5, 207) through which an impact member (Figs.1-5, 225) of the impact device is passed towards the battery (Paragraphs 70-74), wherein the impact device can be attached to the housing on a side of a first side and a second side of the impact device protective panel which faces away from the battery (As shown in Fig.1).
Regarding claim 2, Mo teaches wherein the housing comprises at least two protective panels (Figs.1-5, 201 and 300), wherein the at least two protective panels are configured to be mounted to various sides of the housing (As shown in Fig.1).
Regarding claim 3, Mo teaches wherein the housing comprises at least two protective panels (Figs.1-5, 201 and 300), wherein at least two of the at least two protective panels are impact device protective panels and wherein the at least one impact device can be interchangeably attached to the first protective panel or the second protective panel (Paragraphs 67 and 75-76).
Regarding claim 4, Mo teaches wherein one panel of the at least two protective panels forms a fixation panel (Figs.1-5, 300), the actuator device further comprising a fixation device optionally attached to the fixation panel and configured to at least fix the battery inside the housing.
Regarding claim 5, Mo teaches wherein one panel of the at least two protective panels forms a fixation panel (Figs.1-5, 300), and wherein the impact device is attached to a first outer side of the housing opposite the fixation panel, and wherein the impact on the battery is performed in a first direction z perpendicular to the fixation panel (As shown in Fig.1).
Regarding claim 6, Mo teaches wherein one panel of the least one protective panels forms a fixation panel (Figs.1-5, 101) and wherein the impact device is attached to a second outer side of the housing that is perpendicular to the fixation panel and wherein the impact on the battery is performed in a second direction x parallel to the fixation panel (As shown in Fig.1).
Regarding claim 14, Mo teaches a support frame, configured to fix a battery (Figs.1-5, 11), comprising: an actuator device having: a housing comprising, a rack (Figs.1-5, 110) and at least one protective panel (Figs.1-5, 201) which is mounted on the rack; and at least one impact device (Figs.1-5, 225+223+203+205) configured to impact a battery and is attached to the housing, wherein at least one protective panel of the at least one protective panel is an impact device protective panel comprising an opening (Figs.1-5, 207) through which an impact member (Figs.1-5, 225) of the impact device is passed towards the battery, wherein the actuator device is attached to the support frame such that the battery can be impacted from one or more directions (As shown in Fig.1).
Regarding claim 15, Mo teaches a support assembly adjustable in a first direction (z), a second direction (x), a third direction (y) (Paragraphs 105-110), and/or a predetermined rotating angle, and configured to allow the impact device of the actuator device to impact the battery from one or more directions.
Regarding claim 16, Mo teaches an actuator device for battery testing, the actuator device comprising: a housing comprising: a rack (Figs.1-5, 110); and at least one protective panel (Figs.1-5, 201) mounted on the rack; and at least one impact device (Figs.1-5, 225+223+203+205) adapted to be removably attached to the at least one protective panel, the impact device is configured to impact a battery attached to the housing, wherein at least one protective panel includes an opening (Figs.1-5, 207) through which an impact member (Figs.1-5, 225) of the impact device is passed towards the battery (As shown in Fig.1).
Regarding claim 17, Mo teaches wherein the housing comprises at least two protective panels (Figs.1-5, 201 and 300), wherein the at least two protective panels are configured to be mounted to various sides of the housing (As shown in Fig.1).
Regarding claim 18, Mo teaches wherein the housing comprises at least two protective panels (Figs.1-5, 201 and 300), wherein at least two of the at least two protective panels are impact device protective panels and wherein the at least one impact device can be interchangeably attached to a first protective panel of the at least two protective panels or a second protective panel of the at least two protective panels (Paragraphs 67 and 75-76).
Regarding claim 19, Mo teaches wherein one panel of the at least two protective panels forms a fixation panel (Figs.1-5, 300), the actuator device further comprising a fixation device optionally attached to the fixation panel and configured to at least fix the battery inside the housing.
Regarding claim 20, Mo teaches wherein the housing comprises at least three protective panels (Figs.1-5, 201, 300 and 101) interchangeably mounted on the rack (Figs.1-5, 110), at least four protective panels interchangeably mounted on the rack, at least five protective panels interchangeably mounted on the rack, or at least six protective panels interchangeably mounted on the rack.
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.
Claims 7-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mo (KR20190142513, see attached English translation).
Regarding claim 7, Mo is silent about wherein the impact device is attached to a third outer side of the housing that is perpendicular to the second outer side and the fixation panel and wherein the impact on the battery is performed in a third direction parallel to the fixation panel and perpendicular to the second direction x parallel to the fixation panel.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to move Mo’s impact device to a third side, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950).
Regarding claim 8, Mo is silent about wherein the actuator device comprises at least two impact devices, wherein each of the at least two impact devices is attached to a side of the first outer side, the second outer side, or the third outer side of the housing to which another of the at least two impact devices is not attached.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have two impact devices,since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8 (CA7 1977).
Regarding claim 9, Mo teaches wherein the at least one impact device comprises a linear actuator, such as an electrical linear motor or a pneumatic cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, a captive bolt gun, a shot apparatus, or a retensioning device (Paragraphs 71-72 and 79).
Regarding claim 10, Mo teaches wherein the impact member comprises an end section (Figs.1-5, 225) comprising a nail, a needle, a bolt, or a projectile, or spherical or prismatic ball, configured to impact the battery (Paragraphs 71-72).
Regarding claim 11, Mo teaches wherein the impact member comprises a shaft and/or an adaptor configured to mechanically couple the end section to the impact device (Paragraphs 71-72).
Regarding claim 12, Mo is silent about an automatic feeding device, configured to sequentially insert a plurality of batteries into an interior of the housing of the actuator device, and to allow the plurality of batteries to be tested by the impact device.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have an automatic feeding device, since it has been held that broadly providing a mechanical or automatic means to replace manual activity which has accomplished the same result involves only routine skill in the art. In re Venner, 120 USPQ 192 (CCPA 1958).
Regarding claim 13, Mo teaches wherein the housing comprises at least three protective panels (Figs.1-5, 201, 300 and 101) interchangeably mounted on the rack (Figs.1-5, 110), at least four protective panels interchangeably mounted on the rack, at least five protective panels interchangeably mounted on the rack, or at least six protective panels interchangeably mounted on the rack.
Conclusion
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/XIN Y ZHONG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855