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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The IDSes filed 7/29/24 and 6/30/26 have both been considered and placed of record. The initialed copies are attached herewith.
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.
Claims 1-6, 9 and 15-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by document WO2021029894A1.
Re claim 1, the document discloses a mobile power station (200; fig 3C) having, inter alia, a frame 202 including a handle 204; a base 201 coupled to the frame, the base including battery cells 209D disposed therein; a first module (mid module 200) couplable to the base forming a first-base interface, the first module configured to receive power from the battery cells through the first-base interface (para 51; thru connectors 203A and 205A); and a second module 300 couplable to the first module forming a second-first interface, the second module configured to receive power from the battery cells through the second-first interface (para 51-56; thru connectors 205A and 305A). See figure 3C; para 51-57.
Re claim 2, the document further discloses the second module is alternatively couplable to the base forming a second-base interface, the second module configured to receive power from the battery cells through the second-base interface. See para 51.
Re claim 3, the document further discloses the first-base interface includes at least one of the first module and the base having a male component and another of the first module and the base having a complementary female component. See figure 3A and references 203A, 205A and 305A.
Re claim 4, the document further discloses at least one of the male component and the female component spans an entire width of the base. See figure 3A and references 203A, 205A and 305A.
Re claim 5, the document further discloses the base is configured to receive mains electricity to charge the battery cells. See para 52.
Re claim 6, the document further discloses at least one of the first module and the second module includes an electrical outlet. See para 52.
Re claim 9, the document further discloses the first module is configured to rest on the base or the second module, and the second module is configured to rest on the first module or the base. See figure 3A.
Re claim 15, the document discloses a mobile power station 200 having, inter alia, a base 201 including battery cells 209D disposed therein, the base including at least one of an array of recesses or an array of cleats 203/205 (fig 3A); and a module 200/300 removably coupled to the base 201 forming a module-base interface, the module including another of the array of recesses or the array of cleats (203A, 205A, 305A), each cleat removably receivable in a respective recess, at least one recess including a recess terminal, at least one cleat including a cleat terminal that is electrically couplable with the recess terminal, wherein the module is configured to receive power from the battery cells through the module-base interface. See para 51-56.
Re claim 16, the document further discloses the module is a first module, the module-base interface is a first-base interface, the mobile power station further comprises a second module removably coupled to the first module forming a second-first interface, the first module further includes a further one of an array of recesses or an array of cleats, the second module includes one of an array of recesses and an array of cleats, each cleat is removably receivable in a respective recess to couple the second module to the first module at the second-first interface, and the second-first interface is on an opposite side of the first module from the first-base interface. See para 51.
Re claim 17, the document further discloses each of the first module and the second module is removably couplable to the base. See para 51.
Re claim 18, the document further discloses each of the first module and the second module is configured to receive power from the battery cells. see para 51.
Re claim 19, the document further discloses at least one of the first module and the second module includes a battery charger. See para 8.
Claims 11 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Reeder et al. (US 2022/0376529A1).
Re claim 11, the reference discloses mobile power station 350 (fig 24) having, inter alia, a base 358 including battery cells 446 and a power inverter (inherent feature to provide power to the strip from the batteries) disposed therein; a housing 354 coupled to the base, the housing configured to removably receive a plurality of modules 382, each of the modules including a respective electrical terminal configured to receive power from the battery cells; and an electrical bus 378 disposed in the housing, the electrical bus configured to transmit power from the battery cells to the modules, wherein when each of the modules is fully received within the housing, each respective electrical terminal is electrically coupled to the electrical bus. See figures 24-25.
Re claim 12, the reference further discloses he housing is shaped as a rectangular parallelepiped having an open side, wherein the housing removably receives the modules through the open side. See figure 25.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
Claims 7, 8, 10 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over document WO2021029894A1.
Re claims 7 and 8, the document does not disclose the first module or the second module having a light or a radio. It would have been well within the skill of one versed in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have selected any appropriate application based on requested usage since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known materiale on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice.
Re claim 10, the document does not disclose a plurality of wheels attached to the frame. Official notice is taken of the fact that having wheels would allow for easy movement of a heavy object. It would have been well within the skill of one versed in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have attached wheels to the power station so it can be moved easily.
Re claim 20, the document does not disclose a handle and a set of wheels disposed opposite the handle. Official notice is taken of the fact that a device having a handle would allow for easy transport of the device. It would have been well within the skill of one versed in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have included a handle so the power station can be easily transported. In addition, official notice is taken of the fact that having wheels would allow for easy movement of a heavy object. It would have been well within the skill of one versed in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have attached wheels to the power station so it can be moved easily.
Claims 13 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reeder et al. (US 2022/0376529A1).
Re claim 13, the reference does not disclose a plurality of wheels and tracks attached to the frame. Official notice is taken of the fact that having wheels would allow for easy movement of a heavy object. It would have been well within the skill of one versed in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have attached wheels and tracks to the power station so it can be moved easily.
Re claim 14, the reference does not disclose a latch to facilitate removal of the modules from the housing. Official notice is taken of the fact that having latches would allow for easy removal of the device. It would have been well within the skill of one versed in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have latches so the modules can be easily replaced.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to the Examiner at the below-listed number. The Examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Thu from 7:00am-5:00pm.
The Examiner’s SPE is Drew Dunn and he can be reached at 571.272.2312. The fax number for the organization where this application is assigned is 571.273.8300.
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/EDWARD TSO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859 571.272.2087
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