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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference character “20” has been used to designate both protection unit case and unit case plate, along with character 21,
reference character “100” has been used to designate both back plate and top plate, along with characters 140 and 120, respectively,
reference character “110” has been used to designate both bottom plate body and bottom bay, along with characters 111 and 112, respectively,
reference character “132” has been used to designate both side plate opening, side plate body and door seating part, along with characters 1322, 1321 and 1323, respectively,
reference character “150” has been used to designate both first flange and second flange, along with characters 151 and 152, respectively,
reference character “200” has been used to designate both first connection duct and second connection duct, along with characters 210 and 220, respectively,
reference character “300” has been used to designate both door plate, door groove, top cover and door coupling part, along with characters 310, 320, 330 and 340, respectively.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The examiner notes that, for example, in Fig. 3, element 100 appears to be mapped to elements 110, 120, 130 and 150; 130 to 131 and 132; 305 to 310 and 320. However, element 100 and 130, for example, are not indicated to any particular portion of the drawing. It is unclear if applicant intends, for example, 100 to be the same as/comprising 110, 120, 130 and 150, or something different.
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 2-8 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.
The term “behind” in claim 2 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “behind” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. In order to advance prosecution the examiner is interpreting the limitation as at or to a far side or a back side.
The term “faces forward” in claim 3 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “faces forward” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. In order to advance prosecution the examiner is interpreting the limitation as faces a forepart.
Claims 4-8 are rejected as depending upon claims 2 and/or 3.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ju KR102288149B1 (using machine English translation provided).
Regarding claim 1, Ju discloses a terminal unit (Ju, Fig. 2, 300) comprising:
a terminal housing (Ju, Figs. 2 and 5, 310) including an accommodation space (Ju, Fig. 5, element 311),
a connection duct (Ju, Fig. 6, 312 and 314) connected to a rear face of the terminal housing (Ju, Fig. 6, rear face of 310) and structured to communicate with the accommodation space (Ju, [0046])
and a door (Ju, Fig. 5, 320) connected to the terminal housing (Ju, Fig. 5, element 310, 320), wherein the door includes:
a door body (Ju, Fig. 5, body of 320) including an end coupled to a hinge (Ju, Fig. 5, hinge) of the terminal housing (Ju, Fig. 5, 310)
and a door coupling part (Ju, Fig. 5, door coupling part of 320) positioned at another end of the door body (Fig. 5, Ju, locking device of 320 on opposite end of body where hinge is located) and detachably coupled to the terminal housing (Ju, [0054]),
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wherein the door body includes a door groove (Ju, Fig. 5, door groove) including a concave surface (Ju, Fig. 5, concave surface) that faces the connection duct in a state in which the door coupling part is coupled to the terminal housing (Ju, Fig. 3, 300, 320 is closed, concave surface faces 312).
Regarding claim 2, Ju also discloses wherein the terminal housing (Ju, Figs. 2 and 5, 310) includes:
a back plate (Ju, Figs. 5-6, back plate) connected (joined or linked together) to the connection duct (Ju, Fig. 6, 312),
a bottom plate (Ju, Fig. 6, bottom plate) including a bottom plate body (Ju, Fig. 6, bottom plate body), the bottom plate body extending forward from the back plate and forming a lower surface of the terminal housing (Ju, Fig. 6, bottom plate, back plate, 310),
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and a top plate (Ju, Fig. 5, top plate) extending forward from the back plate and forming an upper surface of the terminal housing (Ju, Fig. 5, top plate, back plate, 310),
wherein a front end (Ju, Fig. 7, front end) of the connection duct (Ju, Figs. 5-7, 312) is positioned in the accommodation space (Ju, Fig. 5, 311), and wherein a rear end (Ju, Fig. 6, rear end) of the connection duct (Ju, Fig. 6, 312) is positioned behind (at or to a far side or the back side of) the terminal housing (Ju, Fig. 6, rear end, 312).
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Regarding claim 3, Ju additionally discloses wherein the bottom plate further includes a bottom bay (Ju, Fig. 6, 313) that is formed on the bottom plate body and includes a concave surface that faces forward (faces a forepart) (Ju, Fig. 6, concave forward facing surface of 313).
Regarding claim 4, Ju further discloses wherein the door groove (Ju, Fig. 5, door groove) faces the bottom bay (Ju, Fig. 6, 313) in the state in which the door coupling part is coupled to the terminal housing (when the door is closed/coupled to the housing, the door groove faces toward 313, satisfying the limitation).
Regarding claim 5, Ju also discloses wherein the terminal housing further includes a side plate (Ju, Figs. 5-6, first and second side plate) extending forward from the back plate (Ju, Figs. 5-6, back plate) and connecting the bottom plate and the top plate (Ju, Figs. 5-6, bottom plate, top plate), and
wherein the side plate includes: a first side plate (Ju, Figs. 5-6, first side plate) hinge-coupled to the door body (Ju, Figs. 5-6, first side plate is coupled to the door body through the hinge, satisfying the claim limitation),
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and a second side plate (Ju, Figs. 5-6, second side plate) positioned opposite to the first side plate (Ju, Figs. 5-6, first side plate) and detachably coupled to the door coupling part (Ju, Figs. 5-6, second side plate is coupled to the door coupling part when closed and engaged, satisfying the claim limitation).
Regarding claim 6, Ju additionally discloses wherein the second side plate (Ju, Fig. 5, second side plate) includes: a second side plate body (Ju, Fig. 5, second side plate) extending from the back plate (Ju, Fig. 5, back plate plate) and
a door seating part (Ju, Fig. 5, door seating part) protruding from an outer surface of the second side plate body (Ju, Fig. 5, second side plate body) and coupled to the door coupling part (Ju, Fig. 5, door seating part coupled to the door coupling part when closed and engaged, satisfying the claim limitation).
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Regarding claim 7, Ju further discloses wherein the second side plate further includes a second side plate opening (Ju, Fig. 5, 301) formed in the second side plate body (Ju, Fig. 5, second side plate body) and positioned adjacent to the door seating part (Ju, Fig. 5, door seating part), and wherein the door seating part is formed along a perimeter of the second side plate opening (Ju, Fig. 5, 301, door seating part).
Regarding claim 8, Ju also discloses wherein the door groove is open downward (Ju, Fig. 5, door groove). The examiner notes that as the door groove is part of the door which is hinged to open and close, the door groove is open downward toward the terminal unit when the door is closed, satisfying the limitation.
Regarding claim 9, Ju additionally discloses wherein the door further includes a door top cover (Ju, Figs. 6, door top cover) coupled to an upper end of the door body (Ju, Fig. 5, upper end of body of 320), and wherein the door top cover forms an upper surface of the door and covers an upper end of the door groove (Ju, Figs. 5-6, door top cover, upper surface of door,
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upper end of door groove).
Regarding claim 10, Ju further teaches wherein the connection duct (Ju, Fig. 6, 312 and 314) includes a first connection duct (Ju, Fig. 6, 312) and a second connection duct (Ju, Fig. 6, 314) that are disposed vertically and are spaced apart from each other (Ju, Fig. 6, 312 and 314).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
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) 11-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi US20140147707A1 in view of Ju KR102288149B1 (using machine English translation provided).
Regarding claim 11, Choi discloses a battery protection unit (Choi, Fig. 1, 500) configured to connect a battery module group (Choi, Fig. 1, 700) to a power conversion system (Choi, [0057], external device converts electricity into other forms of energy), the battery protection unit comprising:
a battery protection unit case (Choi, Fig. 1, 300) including a battery protection unit case plate forming a front face of the battery protection unit (Choi, Fig. 1, front face plate of 300), and
a plurality of terminal units (Choi, Fig. 1, 220 and 230) coupled to the battery protection unit case plate (Choi, [0061]), wherein each of the plurality of terminal units includes:
a terminal housing (Choi, Fig. 1, 500) including an accommodation space (Choi, Fig. 1, internal space of 300),
a connection duct (Choi, Figs. 1 and 5, open end of 300) connected to a rear face of the terminal housing (Choi, Figs. 1 and 5, open end of 300 is connected to rear face of 300 in 500) and structured to communicate with the accommodation space (Choi, Figs. 1 and 5, open end of 300 is in communication with the internal space of 300). Choi does not disclose a door connected to the terminal housing, wherein the door includes: a door body including an end coupled to a hinge of the terminal housing, and a door coupling part positioned at another end of the door body and detachably coupled to the terminal housing, wherein the door body includes a door groove including a concave surface that faces the connection duct in a state in which the door coupling part is coupled to the terminal housing.
Ju teaches a terminal housing (Ju, Figs. 2 and 5, 310) including an accommodation space (Ju, Fig. 5, element 311), a connection duct (Ju, Fig. 6, 312 and 314) connected to a rear face of the terminal housing (Ju, Fig. 6, rear face of 310) and structured to communicate with the accommodation space (Ju, [0046]) and a door (Ju, Fig. 5, element 320) connected to the terminal housing (Ju, Fig. 5, element 310, element 320), wherein the door includes:
a door body (Ju, Fig. 5, body of element 320) including an end coupled to a hinge (Ju, Fig. 5, hinge) of the terminal housing (Ju, Fig. 5, element 310)
and a door coupling part (Ju, Fig. 5, door coupling part of element 320) positioned at another end of the door body (Fig. 5, Ju, locking device of element 320 on opposite end of body where hinge is located) and detachably coupled to the terminal housing (Ju, [0054]),
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wherein the door body includes a door groove (Ju, Fig. 5, door groove) including a concave surface (Ju, Fig. 5, concave surface) that faces the connection duct in a state in which the door coupling part is coupled to the terminal housing (Ju, Fig. 3, element 300, element 320 is closed, concave surface faces element 312).
Therefore it would be obvious to the skilled artisan before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the terminal housing of the device as disclosed by Choi including the accommodation space, door and corresponding structure, as taught by Ju, thereby preventing accidents such as fire (Ju, [0064]).
Regarding claim 12, modified Choi also teaches wherein the terminal housing (Ju, Figs. 2 and 5, element 310) includes:
a back plate (Ju, Figs. 5-6, back plate) connected (joined or linked together) to the connection duct (Ju, Fig. 6, element 312),
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a bottom plate (Ju, Fig. 6, bottom plate) including a bottom plate body (Ju, Fig. 6, bottom plate body), the bottom plate body extending forward from the back plate and forming a lower surface of the terminal housing (Ju, Fig. 6, bottom plate, back plate, 310),
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and a top plate (Ju, Fig. 5, top plate) extending forward from the back plate and forming an upper surface of the terminal housing (Ju, Fig. 5, top plate, back plate, 310),
wherein a front end (Ju, Fig. 7, front end) of the connection duct (Ju, Figs. 5-7, 312) is positioned in the accommodation space (Ju, Fig. 5, element 311), and wherein a rear end (Ju, Fig. 6, rear end) of the connection duct (Ju, Fig. 5, element 312 and 314) is positioned behind (at or to a far side or the back side of) the terminal housing (Ju, Fig. 6, rear end, element 312).
Regarding claim 13, modified Choi additionally teaches wherein the bottom plate further includes a bottom bay (Ju, Fig. 6, element 313) that is formed on the bottom plate body and includes a concave surface that faces forward (faces a forepart) (Ju, Fig. 6, concave forward facing surface of element 313).
Regarding claim 14, modified Choi further teaches wherein the door groove (Ju, Fig. 5, door groove) faces the bottom bay (Ju, Fig. 6, element 313) in the state in which the door coupling part is coupled to the terminal housing (when the door is closed/coupled to the housing, the door groove faces toward element 313, satisfying the limitation).
Regarding claim 15, modified Choi also teaches wherein the terminal housing further includes a side plate (Ju, Figs. 5-6, first and second side plate) extending forward from the back plate (Ju, Figs. 5-6, back plate) and connecting the bottom plate and the top plate (Ju, Figs. 5-6, bottom plate, top plate), and
wherein the side plate includes: a first side plate (Ju, Figs. 5-6, first side plate) hinge-coupled to the door body (Ju, Figs. 5-6, first side plate is coupled to the door body through the hinge, satisfying the claim limitation),
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and a second side plate (Ju, Figs. 5-6, second side plate) positioned opposite to the first side plate (Ju, Figs. 5-6, first side plate) and detachably coupled to the door coupling part (Ju, Figs. 5-6, second side plate is coupled to the door coupling part when closed and engaged, satisfying the claim limitation).
Regarding claim 16, modified Choi additionally teaches wherein the second side plate (Ju, Fig. 5, second side plate) includes: a second side plate body (Ju, Fig. 5, second side plate) extending from the back plate (Ju, Fig. 5, back plate plate) and
a door seating part (Ju, Fig. 5, door seating part) protruding from an outer surface of the second side plate body (Ju, Fig. 5, second side plate body) and coupled to the door coupling part (Ju, Fig. 5, door seating part coupled to the door coupling part when closed and engaged, satisfying the claim limitation).
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Regarding claim 17, modified Choi further teaches wherein the second side plate further includes a second side plate opening (Ju, Fig. 5, element 301) formed in the second side plate body (Ju, Fig. 5, second side plate body) and positioned adjacent to the door seating part (Ju, Fig. 5, door seating part), and wherein the door seating part is formed along a perimeter of the second side plate opening (Ju, Fig. 5, element 301, door seating part).
Regarding claim 18, modified Choi also teaches wherein the door groove is open downward (Ju, Fig. 5, door groove). The examiner notes that as the door groove is part of the door which is hinged to open and close, the door groove is open downward toward the terminal unit when the door is closed, satisfying the limitation.
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Regarding claim 19, modified Choi additionally teaches wherein the door further includes a door top cover (Ju, Figs. 6, door top cover) coupled to an upper end of the door body (Ju, Fig. 5, upper end of body of element 320), and wherein the door top cover forms an upper surface of the door and covers an upper end of the door groove (Ju, Figs. 5-6, door top cover, upper surface of door, upper end of door groove).
Regarding claim 20, modified Choi further teaches wherein the connection duct (Ju, Fig. 6, 312 and 314) includes a first connection duct (Ju, Fig. 6, 312) and a second connection duct (Ju, Fig. 6, 314) that are disposed vertically and are spaced apart from each other (Ju, Fig. 6, 312 and 314).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kim US20150236326A1 (discloses a protection device comprising multiple through holes),
Urano US20200287194A1 (discloses a protection device comprising similar structures to that of the claimed invention).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JARED HANSEN whose telephone number is (571)272-4590. The examiner can normally be reached M-F.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tiffany Legette can be reached at 571-270-7078. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JARED HANSEN/Examiner, Art Unit 1723 /TIFFANY LEGETTE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1723
Prosecution Insights