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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1 – 7 have been examined.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claims 1 – 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being anticipated by Takeuchi et al. (9,796,241). In regard to claim 1, Takeuchi discloses an electric work vehicle configured to travel and perform work with use of driving force output from a motive power source, the electric work vehicle comprising a battery configured to supply electric power to the motive power source (Fig. 1, item 1), a charger configured to charge the battery with electric power supplied from an external power source (Fig. 1, item 2), and a control unit configured to control processing for supplying electric power to the battery performed by the charger (Fig. 1, item 13), wherein the control unit is configured to switch between a warm-up mode of charging the battery and causing the battery to perform a warm-up operation and a charging mode of charging the battery without causing the battery to perform the warm-up operation (Fig. 16, showing heat storage mode on and off).
In regard to claim 2, Takeuchi discloses a manual operation tool configured to enable a mode switching operation to be manually performed on the control unit (column 19, lines 53 – 57).
In regard to claim 3, Takeuchi discloses wherein the control unit includes a wireless communication unit configured to perform wireless communication with a communication terminal, and wherein the control unit is controlled in accordance with operation information from the communication terminal (column 38, lines 17 – 23).
In regard to claim 4, Takeuchi discloses wherein the communication terminal includes a display unit configured to display a status of control performed by the control unit (column 38, lines 17 – 23, wherein a display is an inherent component of a modern cellular phone).
In regard to claim 5, Takeuchi discloses wherein the control unit includes a timer unit configured to turn on and off the warm-up operation in response to a predetermined time having elapsed (column 20, lines 46 – 60).
In regard to claim 6, Takeuchi discloses wherein the motive power source is an electric motor (column 6, lines 6 – 16).
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.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takeuchi et al. (9,796,241) as applied to claims 1 – 6 above. Takeuchi does not specifically disclose the use of a hydraulic drive system.
In regard to claim 7, Takeuchi discloses wherein the motive power source is a non-motor driven source (column 6, lines 6 – 16), and Official Notice is taken that hydraulic drive devices are old and well known in the art, and one of ordinary skill would be well within their level of knowledge to make use of the instant invention in conjunction with such a drive.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Yamazaki et al. (9,527,390) disclose an electric vehicle charging system;
Uemura et al. (11,258,218) disclose a battery connector assembly and battery device;
Ito et al. (11,770,013) disclose a stand for a charger.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHN DANIEL WALTERS whose telephone number is (571)272-8269. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 8 am - 5 pm (PT).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Allen Shriver can be reached at 303.297.4337. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JOHN D WALTERS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3613