DETAILED ACTION
This is a first action on the merits, in response to the claims received 12/1/2023. Claims 1-20 are pending for prosecution below.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS)(s) file on have been considered by the examiner. An initialed copy is attached herewith.
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) 1,11,13-16,18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sakurai, (USNO.2009/0096410).
As for claim 1, Sakurai discloses and shows in Figs. 5 and 6 a contactor for a vehicle, comprising: a first wiring terminal; a second wiring terminal; a conducting bar (via switch activating member), the conducting bar comprising a first conduction section and a second conduction section, the first conduction section and the second conduction section being connected to each other and being configured to rotate with respect to each other, the first conduction section being fixed on the first wiring terminal, and the second conduction section being electrically connected to or electrically disconnected from the second wiring terminal; and a driving assembly, the driving assembly (via pivot of common connection terminals) being configured to drive the second conduction section to move toward or away from the second wiring terminal, wherein: the first wiring terminal and the second wiring terminal are disposed opposite to the conducting bar in a first direction, at least one of the conducting bar, the first wiring terminal, and the second wiring terminal is disposed opposite to the driving assembly in a second direction different from the first direction (par.[0040-0042]).
As for claim 11, Sakurai discloses and shows in Figs. 5 and 6 conducting bar further comprises: a flexible connection piece (via pivot of common connection terminals), the flexible connection piece connects the first conduction section to the second conduction section and is located between the first conduction section and the second conduction section, and the second conduction section is configured to swing with respect to the flexible connection piece to move toward or away from the second wiring terminal
As for claim 13, Sakurai discloses and shows in Figs. 5 and 6 a sensor (via S1) disposed close to the first wiring terminal or the second wiring terminal or the conducting bar and configured to detect a circuit signal of the first wiring terminal or the second wiring terminal or the conducting bar in real time; and
a controller (ref’s vehicle control unit) electrically connected to the sensor and configured to control the driving assembly according to the circuit signal to electrically connect or disconnect the second conduction section and the second wiring terminal
As for claim 14, Sakurai discloses and shows in Figs. 5 and 6 controller is configured to obtain (via battery information) a temperature or a voltage or a current of the first wiring terminal, or of the second wiring terminal, or of the conducting bar according to the circuit signal; and the controller is configured to electrically disconnect the second conduction section and the second wiring terminal when the first wiring terminal or the second wiring terminal or the conducting bar has the temperature greater than a first temperature threshold, or the voltage greater than a first voltage threshold, or the current greater than a first current threshold (par.[0032-0035])
As for claim 15, Sakurai discloses and shows in Figs. 5 and 6 controller is configured to electrically connect the second conduction section and the second wiring terminal when the first wiring terminal or the second wiring terminal or the conducting bar has the temperature less than a second temperature threshold, or the voltage less than a second voltage threshold, or the current less than a second current threshold, wherein the second temperature threshold is less than or equal to the first temperature threshold, the second voltage threshold is less than or equal to the first voltage threshold, and the second current threshold is less than or equal to the first current threshold (par.[0032-0035])
As for claim 16, Sakurai discloses and shows in Figs. 5 and 6 a housing (implied comprising an accommodating space, the conducting bar, the first wiring terminal, the second wiring terminal, and the driving assembly disposed in the accommodating space, and the first wiring terminal and the second wiring terminal at least partially protruding from the housing
As for claim 18, Sakurai discloses and shows in Fig. 6 a vehicle charging and power distribution system, comprising a positive contactor, a negative contactor, and a pre-charging circuit contactor, wherein one or more of the positive contactor, the negative contactor, and the pre-charging circuit contactor comprise a contactor, wherein the contactor comprises: a first wiring terminal; a second wiring terminal; a conducting bar (via switch activating member), the conducting bar comprising a first conduction section and a second conduction section, the first conduction section and the second conduction section being connected to each other and being configured to rotate with respect to each other, the first conduction section being fixed on the first wiring terminal, and the second conduction section being electrically connected to or electrically disconnected from the second wiring terminal; and a driving assembly, the driving assembly (via pivot of common connection terminals) being configured to drive the second conduction section to move toward or away from the second wiring terminal, wherein the first wiring terminal and the second wiring terminal are disposed opposite to the conducting bar in a first direction, at least one of the conducting bar, the first wiring terminal, and the second wiring terminal is disposed opposite to the driving assembly in a second direction different from the first direction (par.[0040-0042]).
As for claim 19, Sakurai discloses and shows in Fig. 6 a charging pile, comprising a contactor, wherein the contactor comprises: a first wiring terminal; a second wiring terminal; a conducting bar (via switch activating member), the conducting bar comprising a first conduction section and a second conduction section, the first conduction section and the second conduction section being connected to each other and being configured to rotate with respect to each other, the first conduction section being fixed on the first wiring terminal, and the second conduction section being electrically connected to or electrically disconnected from the second wiring terminal; and a driving assembly, the driving assembly (via pivot of common connection terminals) being configured to drive the second conduction section to move toward or away from the second wiring terminal, wherein the first wiring terminal and the second wiring terminal are disposed opposite to the conducting bar in a first direction, at least one of the conducting bar, the first wiring terminal, and the second wiring terminal is disposed opposite to the driving assembly in a second direction different from the first direction (par.[0040-0042]).
As for claim 20, Sakurai discloses and shows in Fig. 6A vehicle, comprising the contactor according to claim 1 (par.[0040-0042]).
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.
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sakurai in view of Bando, (USNO.2018/0361865).
As for claim 17, Sakurai discloses all limitations, but differs from the claimed invention because he does not explicitly disclose a low-voltage signal terminal disposed outside the housing and connected to the driver
Bando discloses and shows in Fig. 6 a low-voltage signal terminal (via PLL) disposed outside the housing (ref’s inlet) and connected to the driver (par.[0042-0044])
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to have modified the teachings of Sakurai by having a low-voltage signal terminal disposed outside the housing and connected to the driver for advantages such as providing the ability to reduce charging loss (par.[0007]), as taught by Bando.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-10 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 2: the driving assembly comprises a switch and a driving coil, the switch is disposed opposite to the driving coil in the first direction, the switch is configured to swing with respect to an axis of the switch under a magnetic force of the driving coil, the switch is configured to drive the second conduction section to move toward or away from the second wiring terminal, the driving coil is disposed opposite to the first wiring terminal and the second wiring terminal in the second direction, and the switch is disposed opposite to the conducting bar in the second direction , in combination with the remaining limitations of independent claims
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ARUN C WILLIAMS whose telephone number is (571)272-9765. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 9 a.m. - 6 p.m..
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Julian Huffman can be reached on 571-272-2147. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ARUN C WILLIAMS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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