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 § 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 and 3-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nguyen et al. US 20150037647.
Regarding claim 1, Nguyen discloses a battery power station [Fig. 5A – Fig. 7; 22; par. 0140] comprising:
a top panel, a base, and side panels defining a structure [par. 0146: end plates 92, the heat sink side plates 60 and 62 (or heat sink outer wall feature), the plastic or composite cover 59, the bottom compression plate 102];
an electronics compartment [par. 0128, BCM] within the structure including at least one printed circuit board [par. 0295];
a battery compartment within the structure including a battery pack module [par. 0140]; and
a first removable end panel [Fig. 6, left 92] and a second end panel [Fig. 6, right 92]; wherein
a thermal interface pad [Fig. 6, 82; Fig. 7, 108] is positioned between the battery pack module and an inner surface of the structure [pars. 0128, 0132, 0134].
Regarding claim 3, Hooper discloses the battery power station of claim 1, wherein the first removable end panel further comprises a support plate embedded within a shell, the support plate further comprises a gusset [e.g., 86, 88, 90] positioned in close proximity to a top panel of the structure, the gusset defines a lower position and an upper portion, wherein the lower portion of the gusset is angled with respect to the support plate [par. 0132].
Regarding claim 4, Hooper discloses the battery power station of claim 1, wherein the structure further comprises an electrical connector [58], the electrical connector is in electrical communication with the at least one printed circuit board [par. 0133].
Regarding claim 5, Hooper discloses the battery power station of claim 1, wherein the structure further comprises at least one thermal interface pad [Fig. 6, left and right 82; Fig. 7, left and right 108] mounted with respect to the at least one printed circuit board and the side panel [pars. 0128, 0132, 0134].
Regarding claims 6, 18, Hooper discloses the battery power station of claim 1, wherein the thermal interface pad occupies between about 10 percent and about 100 percent of the surface area of the battery pack module [pars. 0128, 0132, 0134, 0144].
Regarding claim 7, Hooper discloses the battery power station of claim 1 further comprising a second thermal interface pad [Fig. 6, left and right 82; Fig. 7, left and right 108] positioned between the battery pack module and an inner surface of the structure [pars. 0128, 0132, 0134].
Regarding claim 8, Hooper discloses the battery power station of claim 7, wherein the thermal interface pad has a first height and the second thermal interface pad has a second height that is less than the first height [par. 0149 different heights are contemplated].
Regarding claims 9, 15, Hooper discloses the battery power station of claim 1, wherein the thermal interface pad is deformable between an uncompressed state when the side panel is removed from the structure, and a compressed state when the side panel is assembled to the structure [par. 0132, 0134].
Regarding claims 10, 18, Hooper discloses the battery power station of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the thermal interface pad in the compressed state deforms about 18 percent [par. 0144] compared to the thickness of the thermal interface pad in the uncompressed state [par. 0132, 0134, 0351].
Regarding claims 11, 19, Hooper discloses the battery power station of claim 1, wherein the thermal interface pad is manufactured from a material selected from the group consisting of, aluminum, rubber, fiberglass, copper, silver, gold, silicon, tungsten, graphite, zinc, thermally conductive grease, thermally conductive paste, thermally conductive lubricant, thermally conductive epoxy, thermally conductive glue, and combinations thereof [par. 0154].
Regarding claims 12, 17, 20, Hooper discloses a battery system comprising:
a battery power station [Fig. 5A – Fig. 7; 22; par. 0140] including a structure [par. 0146: end plates 92, the heat sink side plates 60 and 62 (or heat sink outer wall feature), the plastic or composite cover 59, the bottom compression plate 102], a battery compartment within the structure configured to receive a battery pack module [par. 0140];
an electronics compartment [par. 0128, BCM] within the structure including at least one printed circuit board [par. 0295]; and
a first removable end panel [Fig. 6, left 92] and a second end panel [Fig. 6, right 92]; and
a battery pack module including a plurality of stacked battery cells [par. 0140], wherein the battery power station includes a first thermal interface pad positioned [Fig. 6, left and right 82; Fig. 7, left and right 108] relative to the plurality of stacked battery cells (i.e. heat generating, per claims 17, 20) and the structure, and a second thermal interface pad [Fig. 6, left and right 82; Fig. 7, left and right 108] positioned relative to the at least one printed circuit board and the structure [pars. 0128, 0132, 0134].
Regarding claims 13 Hooper discloses the battery power station of claim 12, wherein the first removable end panel further comprises a ferrous plate embedded within the shell such that an external charger can magnetically attach to the first removable end panel [par. 0154, steel].
Regarding claim 14 Hooper discloses the battery power station of claim 12, wherein the first thermal interface pad and the second thermal interface pad are compressed when a side panel of the structure is assembled to the structure such that heat generated from the plurality of stacked battery cells and/or the at least one printed circuit board is dissipated from the battery compartment and/or the electronics compartment to the side panels to passively cool the plurality of stacked battery cells and/or the at least one printed circuit board without the need of internal airflow circulation or fans [par. 0128].
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nguyen et al. US 20150037647.
Regarding claim 2, Nguyen discloses the battery power station of claim 1, but is silent regarding: wherein the base includes lateral protrusions having a hook structure configured to interdigitate with corresponding hook structure of the side panels forming a seal between the base and the side panels, and the top panel comprises lateral protrusions having a hook structure configured to interdigitate with corresponding hook structure of the side panels forming a seal between the top and the side panels. Nguyen discloses the use of screws to fasten the housing [par. 0132].
Examiner takes Official Notice, IAW MPEP 2144.03, as to the common knowledge of the recited subject matter.
Utilizing hook structures to fasten the sides of an assembly casing is well-known in the art of battery charging. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize hook structures for securing the housing the benefit of providing a housing that is cheaper to manufacture, considering that more expensive costs may be required to provide screws and bolts and labor to perform screwing and bolting.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RICHARD V MURALIDAR whose telephone number is (571)272- 8933. The examiner can normally be reached M - W 9:30 am to 6:30 PM.
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RICHARD V. MURALIDAR
Primary Examiner Art Unit 2859
/RICHARD V MURALIDAR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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