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(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claims 6-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. Claim 6 and therefore also dependent claims 7-9, fails to further limit the invention of the aircraft trolley charging system of claim 1 considering an aircraft and any aircraft cabin may have an aircraft trolley battery charging system other than that recited in the base independent claim 1. Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
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) 1-5 and 10-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bauer et al. (US 2019/0084604) (hereinafter referred to as ‘Bauer’).
Bauer teaches
Regarding claim 1,
an aircraft trolley battery charging system comprising:
a trolley, wherein the trolley includes a battery (battery of Paragraph 0018) and a receiver (operating apparatus 3);
an aircraft surface, wherein the trolley is configured to move on the aircraft surface (Paragraph 0039);
at least one field generator (charging device of Paragraph 0018) provided at the aircraft surface;
regarding claim 2, the aircraft trolley battery charging system of claim 1, wherein the at least one field generator is provided below the aircraft surface (see Paragraph 0018);
regarding claim 3, the aircraft trolley battery charging system of claim 1, wherein the aircraft surface is a floor of an aircraft cabin (see Paragraph 0018);
regarding claim 4, the aircraft trolley battery charging system of claim 1, wherein the trolley includes an external surface and wherein the receiver extends from the external surface towards the aircraft surface (see Figure 1);
regarding claim 5, the aircraft trolley battery charging system of claim 4, wherein the receiver is configured to extend to be as close as possible to the aircraft surface without contacting the aircraft surface (see Paragraph 0040);
regarding claim 10,
a method of charging a battery in an aircraft trolley, the method comprising:
providing a battery and a receiver in a trolley;
providing at least one field generator at an aircraft surface, wherein the trolley is configured to move on the aircraft surface; and
moving the receiver over the at least one field generator such that energy may be transferred, via induction, from the at least one field generator to the receiver (see Paragraph 0041);
regarding claim 11, the method of claim 10, wherein the at least one field generator is provided below the aircraft surface (see Paragraph 0018);
regarding claim 12, the method of claim 10, wherein the aircraft surface is a floor of an aircraft cabin (see Paragraph 0018);
regarding claim 13, the method of any of claims 10, wherein the trolley includes an external surface and wherein the receiver extends from the external surface towards the aircraft surface (see Figure 1)
regarding claim 14, the method of claim 13, wherein the receiver is configured to extend to be as close as possible to the aircraft surface without contacting the aircraft surface (see Paragraph 0040).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Collins, Jr. (US 4,929,819) teach a method and apparatus for customer performed article scanning in self-service shopping.
Huang et al. (US 2015/0041100) teach an autonomous trolley system.
Shah et al. (US 2019/0042175) teach a cart for use in providing service to passengers in a vehicle.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMARA ALZAIDA FRANKLIN whose telephone number is (571)272-2389. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thomas Pham can be reached at 571-272-3689. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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August 26, 2026
/JAMARA A FRANKLIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
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