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 § 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.
Claims 1-5, 8, 10, and 17- 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Asakura, et. al. (US2019305390A1), in view of Hooper, et. al. (US2020321670A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Asakura teaches “[0303] a battery pack . . . . mounted on an electric vehicle”, wherein “[0054] Upper case 21 has a substantially box shape that is open downwardly. Upper case 21 has a ceiling portion 211 , a peripheral wall portion 212 and a flange portion 213 . Ceiling portion 211 has an upwardly-raised portion 214 on one side in the first direction.” Asakura at [0003, 54], Fig. 2. This is a first battery housing portion (upper case portion 21) and a second battery housing portion (lower case 22) offset from each other. Id. Further, these offset portions are cooled by first branch duct 413 and first main duct 411, shown in Fig. 2. Id. at [0124], Fig. 2. These two streams of air “join together” and cool electronic device 70. However, Asakura is silent as to an air chamber, wherein the air chamber is fluidly connected to the first battery housing portion to receive first air exhausted from the first battery housing portion; and the air chamber is fluidly connected to the second battery housing portion to receive second air exhausted from the second battery housing portion.
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Fig. 2 of Asakura.
Hooper teaches “[0002] Cooling battery products is critical for their operation, safety and cycle life. Many solutions offer to cool the sides of the battery cells and not on the conducting ends where most of the heat is rejected. Pulling heat from the ends of the cells (lead plates) can be an effective means but is more difficult because of the exposure to cell voltage and the need to maintain gas-venting pathways. Accordingly, improvements are desired.” Hooper introduces “[0003] cell gas-venting channels,” wherein the flow path permits gas to be vented along with the flow of air, such that “[0057]the enclosure includes an arrangement of channels and interface surfaces designed to efficiently and evenly convey heat from the modules to a passing flow of air, which is used to reject the heat from the battery product.” Hooper at [0003, 57, 99-100], Fig. 26. Further, “[0059] In some embodiments, the battery modules feature openings on one or more faces, permitting the flow of air to pass through and among the battery cells themselves, stripping generated heat from the cells by forced convection.” In other words, this indicates a benefit to, for example, allowing openings into a flow path to vent both cell gas while using this pathway to remove heat convectively within the housing portion in question.
One of ordinary skill in the art would find it obvious to further modify the battery of Asakura, such that its battery modules comprise the openings of Hooper, wherein these openings meet the air ducts of Asakura, such that the ducts constitute “an air chamber [the joining portion from the first and second ducts, shown at Fig. 2 at the numeral 41], wherein the air chamber is fluidly connected to the first battery housing portion to receive first air exhausted from the first battery housing portion [i.e. via the openings of Hooper]; and the air chamber is fluidly connected to the second battery housing portion to receive second air exhausted from the second battery housing portion [see above],” because Hooper teaches a benefit to removal of heat from the battery cells while providing a pathway for waste gas exhausted from the battery cells.
Claim 1 is obvious over Asakura, in view of Hooper.
Regarding Claim 2, Claim 2 relies upon Claim 1. Claim 1 is obvious over modified Asakura.
Asakura teaches the air chamber is directly fluidly connected to the first battery housing portion (upper case 21) to receive the first air (see below) directly from the first battery housing portion; and the air chamber is fluidly connected to the second battery housing (lower case 22) portion via a duct (first main duct 411) connected between the air chamber and the second battery housing portion to receive the second air from the second battery housing portion via the duct, wherein the “first air” comes from the first branch duct 413, and the “second air” comes from the first main duct 411. Asakura at Fig. 2.
Claim 2 is obvious over Asakura, in view of Hooper.
Regarding Claim 3, Claim 3 relies upon Claim 2. Claim 2 is obvious over modified Asakura.
Modified Asakura teaches electric work vehicle according to claim 2, but is silent as to “wherein the duct is connected to an opening located in a bottom surface of the second battery housing portion such that the second air flows from the second battery housing portion through the opening in a downward direction,” because the duct is instead along the bottom side edge of the cell stack.
One of ordinary skill in the art would find it obvious to further modify the battery of Asakura, such that the first main duct 411 is instead disposed along the bottom surface of the battery stack, such that “duct is connected to an opening located in a bottom surface of the second battery housing portion such that the second air flows from the second battery housing portion through the opening in a downward direction,” because the rearrangement of parts is obvious wherein shifting the position would not change the operation of the device and is an obvious matter of design choice. MPEP 2144.04 (VI)(C). Here, placement at the bottom corner versus the bottom of the stack would not be expected to operate differently.
Claim 3 is obvious over Asakura, in view of Hooper.
Regarding Claim 4, Claim 4 relies upon Claim 3. Claim 3 is obvious over modified Asakura.
As previously modified above, modified Asakura teaches “wherein the duct redirects the second air, received through the opening in a downward direction, in an inwards direction and into the air chamber,” i.e., the newly relocated first main duct 411 meeting the first main duct as it moves towards the numeral 70 of Fig. 2.
Claim 4 is obvious over Asakura, in view of Hooper.
Regarding Claim 5, Claim 5 relies upon Claim 1. Claim 1 is obvious over modified Asakura.
Asakura teaches a plate that defines a wall of the air chamber (i.e., the sloped portion of the wall of the branch duct 413); and the plate is angled with respect to a centerline of the electric work vehicle (see Fig. 2 of Asakura above) to guide the first air (i.e., the air of the first branch duct 413) towards the centerline of the electric work vehicle. Asakura at Fig. 2.
Claim 5 is obvious over Asakura, in view of Hooper.
Regarding Claim 8, Claim 8 relies upon Claim 1. Claim 1 is obvious over modified Asakura.
Asakura teaches a first plurality of ducts (“[0065] First duct 41 has a first main duct 411 , a plurality of first sub ducts 412 and a first branch duct 413”; see note below) and a second plurality of ducts (“[0069] Second duct 42 has second main duct 421 , a plurality of second sub ducts 422 and second branch duct 423 . Second main duct 421 extends along the first direction.”); wherein the first battery housing portion includes a plurality of first battery housing module compartments (here, a “compartment,” is an area for supporting and holding each module along at least some of the circumference of the module, and the fixing plate 81 and a plurality of first support portions 83, second support portions 84 are “[0087] arranged in a matrix manner”) to house a first plurality of battery modules (these compartments are “[0088] The plurality of support portions 82 include a plurality of first support portions 83 and a plurality of second support portions 84 . The plurality of first support portions 83 are arranged in the gap between first cell stacks 31 where first sub duct 412 is arranged. The plurality of first support portions 83 are spaced apart from one another and arranged side by side in the second direction,” which house the “first cell stacks 31,” which are elsewhere referred to as the plurality of first cell stacks; a battery module is a stack of cells, with multiple modules being multiple stacks). Asakura at [0087 – 89], Fig. 2, 5.
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Fig. 5-6 of Asakura.
Asakura teaches in Fig. 5 the compartments, but is silent as to compartments in the raised portion (i.e., the second battery housing portion). However, because these compartments are formed between pluralities of cell stacks, and a plurality of second cell stacks 32 are affixed on the other side of the fixing plate, compartments such as those formed by the support portions 83, 84 would be expected to have a substantially identical effect on operation.
One of ordinary skill in the art would find it obvious to further modify the electric work vehicle of modified Asakura, such that the second battery housing portion includes a plurality of second battery housing module compartments (composed of the support portions 83, 84 of Asakura) to house a second plurality of battery modules (second plurality of cell stacks 32); each of the first plurality of ducts is attached to a respective one of the plurality of first battery housing module compartments (as previously modified by Hooper, the ducts 411, 413 of modified Asakura comprises the openings of Hooper, meaning that these sub ducts roughly correspond to each a point of the module to accept the waste gas and remove heat) and each of the second plurality of ducts is attached to a respective one of the plurality of second battery housing module compartments, because the duplication of parts would not produce a new result given the same functionality is found on the bottom portion. MPEP 2144.04 (VI)(B).
Claim 8 is obvious over Asakura, in view of Hooper.
Regarding Claim 10, Claim 10 relies upon Claim 8. Claim 8 is obvious over modified Asakura.
As discussed in the above analysis, Asakura teaches a first and second plurality of ducts, which take the form of linear sub-ducts connecting the linear ducts 411, 413 to the battery modules; these sub-ducts are “each of the first plurality of ducts includes a first end attached to the respective one of the first plurality of battery housing module compartments and a second end opposite to the first end; each of the second plurality of ducts includes a first end attached to the respective one of the second plurality of battery housing module compartments and a second end opposite to the first end.” Asakura at [0065 – 69]. Asakura teaches an offset battery, but does not teach the plurality of ducts face the rearward direction of the electric work vehicle.
One of ordinary skill in the art would find it obvious to further modify the battery of modified Asakura, such that each of the first plurality of ducts includes the second end face a forward direction of the electric work vehicle; and at least one of the second plurality of ducts includes the second end face a rearward direction of the electric work vehicle, because the rearrangement of parts is obvious wherein shifting the position would not change the operation of the device and is an obvious matter of design choice. MPEP 2144.04 (VI)(C). Here, the orientation of the battery is not specified, but would be expected to be oriented to fit the requirements of the chassis of a vehicle, indicating an obvious matter of design choice.
Claim 10 is obvious over Asakura, in view of Hooper.
Regarding Claim 17, Claim 17 relies upon Claim 1. Claim 1 is obvious over modified Asakura.
Asakura teaches “[0052] Housing case 20 has a longitudinal shape. Housing case 20 extends along a first direction (DR1 direction). The first direction is parallel to a front-back direction of vehicle 1 in the mounted state in which battery pack 10 is mounted. A second direction (DR2 direction) orthogonal to the first direction is parallel to a width direction of vehicle 1 in the above-described mounted state” ; this is “wherein the first battery housing portion and the second battery housing portion are located on a same side of a centerline of the electric work vehicle that extends in a front-rear direction of the electric work vehicle,” when taken together with Fig. 2 of Asakura.
Claim 17 is obvious over Asakura, in view of Hooper.
Regarding Claim 18, Claim 18 relies upon Claim 1. Claim 1 is obvious over modified Asakura.
Asakura teaches “[0052] Housing case 20 has a longitudinal shape. Housing case 20 extends along a first direction (DR1 direction). The first direction is parallel to a front-back direction of vehicle 1 in the mounted state in which battery pack 10 is mounted. A second direction (DR2 direction) orthogonal to the first direction is parallel to a width direction of vehicle 1 in the above-described mounted state” ; this is “wherein the first battery housing portion and the second battery housing portion are offset from each other in a front-rear direction of the electric work vehicle,” when taken together with Fig. 2 of Asakura, because the offset portion is the raised section 214 shown in Fig. 2.
Claim 18 is obvious over Asakura, in view of Hooper.
Regarding Claim 19, Claim 19 relies upon Claim 18. Claim 18 is obvious over modified Asakura.
Asakura teaches “[0052] Housing case 20 has a longitudinal shape. Housing case 20 extends along a first direction (DR1 direction). The first direction is parallel to a front-back direction of vehicle 1 in the mounted state in which battery pack 10 is mounted. A second direction (DR2 direction) orthogonal to the first direction is parallel to a width direction of vehicle 1 in the above-described mounted state” ; this is “wherein the first battery housing portion and the second battery housing portion are offset from each other in a front-rear direction of the electric work vehicle,” when taken together with Fig. 2 of Asakura, because the offset portion is the raised section 214 shown in Fig. 2.
Claim 19 is obvious over Asakura, in view of Hooper.
Regarding Claim 20, Claim 20 relies upon Claim 1. Claim 1 is obvious over modified Asakura.
Asakura teaches “[0052] Housing case 20 has a longitudinal shape. Housing case 20 extends along a first direction (DR1 direction). The first direction is parallel to a front-back direction of vehicle 1 in the mounted state in which battery pack 10 is mounted. A second direction (DR2 direction) orthogonal to the first direction is parallel to a width direction of vehicle 1 in the above-described mounted state” ; this is “wherein the first battery housing portion and the second battery housing portion are offset from each other in an up-down direction of the electric work vehicle,” when taken together with Fig. 2 of Asakura, because the offset portion is the raised section 214 shown in Fig. 2.
Claim 20 is obvious over Asakura, in view of Hooper.
Claims 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Asakura, in view of Hooper, and further in view of Haas, et. al. (JP2022553237A).
Regarding Claim 6, Claim 6 relies upon Claim 5. Claim 5 is obvious over modified Asakura.
Asakura is silent as to an evaporator and a removable plate. The plate as previously defined within the Claim 5 analysis is in the inclined portion between the first branch portion 413 and the main duct 41. Asakura at Fig. 2.
Haas teaches a heat exchanger for a cooling system for a traction system wherein “[0028] An evaporator is a heat conductor or heat exchanger in which heat is transferred from a battery cell to a liquid fluid so that it can evaporate. Such evaporators are also known as evaporators. The evaporator allows heat transfer from the battery cells to the liquid fluid. A condensing device is also a heat conductor or heat exchanger that receives heat from a gaseous fluid and releases it to the surroundings to condense the gaseous fluid. A corresponding fluid circuit is thereby formed. Such condensing devices are also known as steam condensers or condensers.” Further, “[0090] As further shown in FIG. 1, the housing body 4 comprises a lower shell 24 and an upper shell 25 which, after introduction of the battery cells 3, the evaporator 9, the support plate 21 and the filling element 23, form the housing body 4. To form, they are removably or non-removably connected to each other. The liquid fluid 8 can be introduced into the housing device 2 via inlets or outlets before or after the lower shell 24 and upper shell 25 are connected.”
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would find it obvious to further modify the electric work vehicle of modified Asakura, such that it comprises an evaporator; wherein the plate is removable; and the evaporator is exposed when the plate is removed, because Haas teaches a benefit to further removing heat from the air path via the evaporator.
Claim 6 is obvious over Asakura, in view of Hooper, further in view of Haas.
Regarding Claim 6, Claim 6 relies upon Claim 5. Claim 5 is obvious over modified Asakura.
Asakura is silent as to an evaporator and a removable plate. The plate as previously defined within the Claim 5 analysis is in the inclined portion between the first branch portion 413 and the main duct 41. Asakura at Fig. 2. This is between the centerline of the electric work vehicle and the plate as previously defined.
Haas teaches a heat exchanger for a cooling system for a traction system wherein “[0028] An evaporator is a heat conductor or heat exchanger in which heat is transferred from a battery cell to a liquid fluid so that it can evaporate. Such evaporators are also known as evaporators. The evaporator allows heat transfer from the battery cells to the liquid fluid. A condensing device is also a heat conductor or heat exchanger that receives heat from a gaseous fluid and releases it to the surroundings to condense the gaseous fluid. A corresponding fluid circuit is thereby formed. Such condensing devices are also known as steam condensers or condensers.” Further, “[0090] As further shown in FIG. 1, the housing body 4 comprises a lower shell 24 and an upper shell 25 which, after introduction of the battery cells 3, the evaporator 9, the support plate 21 and the filling element 23, form the housing body 4. To form, they are removably or non-removably connected to each other. The liquid fluid 8 can be introduced into the housing device 2 via inlets or outlets before or after the lower shell 24 and upper shell 25 are connected.”
For this reason, modified Asakura teaches “an evaporator; wherein the evaporator is located between the centerline of the electric work vehicle and the plate in a left-right direction of the electric work vehicle.”
Claim 7 is obvious over Asakura, in view of Hooper, further in view of Haas.
Claims 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Asakura, in view of Hooper, and further in view of Yokote, et. al. (US2020091572A1).
Regarding Claim 9, Claim 9 relies upon Claim 8. Claim 8 is obvious over modified Asakura.
Asakura and Hooper are silent as to multiple blowers.
Yokote teaches “[0055] A conventional temperature conditioning unit has the following problems to be improved. When temperature conditioning of a plurality of independent objects to be temperature-conditioned is performed by the conventional temperature conditioning unit using a blower, an object to be temperature-conditioned which is not directly connected to the blower may have an area where a flow velocity is low. Therefore, the temperature conditioning may not be sufficiently performed. This is because a plurality of objects to be temperature-conditioned which is communicated with each other is disposed only on an intake side or discharge side of the blower. In addition, a flow path is narrowed and a direction of flow is complicated in a region where the objects to be temperature-conditioned are communicated with each other.” Yokote at [0055]. Further, “[0175] In the fourth exemplary embodiment, a plurality of blowers is provided. This configuration can provide a sufficient temperature conditioning effect, even when the object to be temperature-conditioned has a large capacity and needs a high air volume.” Id. at [0175]. Finally, Yokote teaches this may comprise the use of controllers, wherein “[0212] Controller 703 controls switching unit 701 and rotation speed controller 702 . Controller 703 controls flow paths or volumes of air flowing through the plurality of ducts 700 , 700 a , 700 b , 700 c , and 700 d.” Id. at [0212].
This teaches “a first plurality of blowers and a second plurality of blowers; and a controller; wherein each of the first plurality of blowers is attach to a respective one [i.e., “directly connected to the blower” indicates blowers in line with sub-ducts, and as applied to, for example, the apparatus of modified Asakura, this would comprise “attach to a respective one”] of a first plurality of ducts; each of the second plurality of blowers is attach to a respective one of the second plurality of ducts [see above]; and the controller is configured or programmed to control the first plurality of blowers and the second plurality of blowers,” because these blowers are “directly attached.” Yokote at
One of ordinary skill in the art would find it obvious to further modify the electric work vehicle of modified Asakura, such that it comprises first plurality of blowers and a second plurality of blowers; and a controller; wherein each of the first plurality of blowers is attach to a respective one of the first plurality of ducts; each of the second plurality of blowers is attach to a respective one of the second plurality of ducts; and the controller is configured or programmed to control the first plurality of blowers and the second plurality of blowers, because Yokote teaches a benefit to cooling performance and air volume.
Claim 9 is obvious over Asakura, in view of Hooper, and further in view of Yokote.
Claims 11-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Asakura, in view of Hooper, and further in view of Suzuki, et. al. (US2018178675A1).
Regarding Claim 11, Claim 11 relies upon Claim 1. Claim 1 is obvious over modified Asakura.
Asakura is silent as to the battery housing includes a third battery housing portion; the air chamber is fluidly connected to the third battery housing portion to receive third air exhausted from the third battery housing portion.
Suzuki teaches a vehicle including an electric motor and battery pack ([0002]), wherein the battery pack is composed of modules which are “[0024] grouped into three. The three groups are provided in a first area A1, a second area A3, and a third area A3,” wherein these are connected in series and provided with a cooling device 30 comprising an evaporator 31. Suzuki at [0002, 24]. This structure allows a duct structure wherein a cold-air duct 33, duct panel 40, cool at least one side of each of the groups of battery modules, while preventing airflow between the different groups beyond the cooling duct system. See id. at [0024 – 27]; see Fig. 4 below. Further, the series connection strongly implies a benefit to isolating modules from one another for maintenance and safety purposes. See id.
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Fig. 4 of Suzuki.
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would find it obvious to further modify the battery of modified Asakura, such that it comprises a third battery housing portion as in Suzuki, and a duct cooling a third plurality of modules connected in series, such that this duct comprises another branch duct which connects to the main duct 41 of modified Asakura, such that it comprises “a third battery housing portion; the air chamber is fluidly connected to the third battery housing portion to receive third air exhausted from the third battery housing portion,” because Suzuki teaches a benefit to controlling air flow as well as allowing additional modules to be connected in series.
Claim 11 is obvious over Asakura, in view of Hooper, further in view of Suzuki.
Regarding Claim 12, Claim 12 relies upon Claim 11. Claim 11 is obvious over modified Asakura. Asakura teaches a step-like structure in Fig. 2, and as mapped above the second battery housing portion is the upper case portion 214, wherein the lower case portion 211 is the offset first battery housing portion. Asakura at Fig. 2.
Suzuki separates three battery housing portions, with the divisions occurring linearly. As applied to modified Asakura, this is interpreted as separating the modules of the bottom “row” shown in Fig. 2 of Asakura, such that a third housing portion is below the second as annotated below. This meets “the electric work vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the third battery housing portion is located below the second battery housing portion in an up-down direction of the electric work vehicle.”
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Fig. 2 of Asakura, as modified by Suzuki.
Claim 12 is obvious over Asakura, in view of Hooper, further in view of Suzuki.
Regarding Claim 13, Claim 13 relies upon Claim 11. Claim 11 is obvious over modified Asakura. Asakura teaches a step-like structure in Fig. 2, and as mapped above the second battery housing portion is the upper case portion 214, wherein the lower case portion 211 is the offset first battery housing portion. Asakura at Fig. 2. As previously indicated, Asakura is modified to include a third portion as in Suzuki, such that a duct which cools the third portion connects to the main duct 41 of modified Asakura. This meets “wherein the air chamber is fluidly connected to the third battery housing portion via a duct connected between the air chamber and the third battery housing portion to receive the third air from the third battery housing portion via the duct.”
Claim 13 is obvious over Asakura, in view of Hooper and Suzuki.
Regarding Claim 14, Claim 14 relies upon Claim 1. Claim 1 is obvious over modified Asakura. Asakura teaches a step-like structure in Fig. 2, and as mapped above the second battery housing portion is the upper case portion 214, wherein the lower case portion 211 is the offset first battery housing portion. Asakura at Fig. 2. As previously indicated, Asakura is modified to include a third portion as in Suzuki, such that a duct which cools the third portion connects to the main duct 41 of modified Asakura. This is supported by Suzuki’s teaching that, when utilizing separated modules in series, these pluralities of modules may be cooled separately by a branching duct system. Further, this strongly implies that the amount of cell or module groups may be selected by one of ordinary skill in the art according to necessary capacity.
Asakura is silent as to a second air chamber; wherein the battery housing includes a third battery housing portion, a fourth battery housing portion, and a fifth battery housing portion; the second air chamber receives third air exhausted from the third battery housing portion and fourth air exhausted from the fourth battery housing portion; and the air chamber receives fifth air exhausted from the fifth battery housing portion.
One of ordinary skill in the art would find it obvious to further modify the electric work vehicle of modified Asakura, such that it comprises a third battery housing portion, a fourth battery housing portion, and a fifth battery housing portion; the second air chamber receives third air exhausted from the third battery housing portion and fourth air exhausted from the fourth battery housing portion; and the air chamber receives fifth air exhausted from the fifth battery housing portion, because Suzuki teaches a benefit to separated module groups in series, and because mere duplication of parts has no patentable significance unless a new and unexpected result is produced. MPEP 2144.04 (VI)(B). Here, the previous teachings of Asakura and Suzuki indicate that given an air chamber, multiple housing portions, branching ducts, and joining air from branch ducts to a main ducts are known, this additional duplication of the constituent parts would not produce a new and unexpected result.
Claim 14 is obvious over Asakura, in view of Hooper and Suzuki.
Regarding Claim 15, Claim 15 relies upon Claim 14. Claim 14 is obvious over modified Asakura. Modified Asakura is modified above to comprise a fourth, and fifth housing portion, and a second air chamber. These are interpreted as comprising the following subdivision as annotated below:
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Examiner’s rendition of modified Asakura, using Fig. 2 of Asakura.
As modified, this meets “wherein the fifth battery housing portion is located below the second battery housing portion and the fourth battery housing portion in an up-down direction of the electric work vehicle.”
Claim 15 is obvious over Asakura, in view of Hooper and Suzuki.
Regarding Claim 16, Claim 16 relies upon Claim 15. Claim 15 is obvious over modified Asakura. Modified Asakura is modified above to comprise a fourth, and fifth housing portion, and a second air chamber. These are interpreted as comprising the following subdivision as annotated below:
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Examiner’s rendition of modified Asakura, using Fig. 2 of Asakura.
As modified, this meets “wherein the first battery housing portion and the third battery housing portion are located adjacent to each other in a left-right direction of the electric work vehicle; and the second battery housing portion and the fourth battery housing portion are located adjacent to each other in the left-right direction of the electric work vehicle.”
Claim 16 is obvious over Asakura, in view of Hooper and Suzuki.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KRISHNA RAJAN HAMMOND whose telephone number is (571)272-9997. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 - 6:30 PM M-F.
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/K.R.H./Examiner , Art Unit 1725
/NICOLE M. BUIE-HATCHER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1725
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