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 .
Response to Amendments
The applicant has amended the claims to include the limitation that climate control is present for an energy storage unit that is powering a transporter.
But climate control systems have long been conventional for batteries that power vehicles so that they don’t overheat. This examiner’s own vehicle which dates from prior to the instant invention, has such cooling.
Eisenhour (US 2012/0003510) is but one example (of many existing examples) of a climate control system for a battery that powers a vehicle so that the battery doesn’t overheat.
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.
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.
Claims 1, 5-8, 12-14, 18-21 and 25-28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dewan (US 2020/0276926) in view of Eisenhour (US 2012/0003510).
Re claim 1:
Dewan teaches (with emphasis by examiner) at para 0074 to 0085:
“[0074] FIG. 2 illustrates a storage bank container unit 200. The plurality of energy storage elements 206 are stored within the storage container units 200. The power station 102 is configured to generate electrical power and is further configured to charge the plurality of energy storage elements 206. The loading means 111 is present at the power station 102 and at the power consumption centers 104. The loading means 111 is configured to load the charged energy storage elements 206 into each of the storage container units 200 and is further configured to offload a plurality of discharged storage elements 206 from the storage container units 200. The transportation means 105 is configured to transport the storage container units 200 from the power station 102 to the power consumption centers 104 which are in need of power and the discharged storage container units 200 from the power consumption centers 104 towards the power station 102 for recharging.
[0075] Each of the storage container units 200 includes a plurality of compartments 202, and a conductor network. Each of the compartments 202 is configured to receive an energy storage element 206. Each of the compartments 202 includes a plurality of storage container unit 200 terminals for charging and discharging the energy storage elements 206 housed in the compartment 202. The conductor network is configured to electrically connect all terminals in the storage container units 200 to each other. In an embodiment, the compartments 202 are detachable from adjacent compartments 202 to increase or decrease the number of compartments. The compartments 202 include cells 204. Each of the cells 204 can be attached or detached to vary the size of storage container unit itself. Each compartment 202 is configured to store one or a plurality of energy storage elements 206.
[0076] In an embodiment, the storage container units 200 include a plurality of bas bars 208. The bus bar 208 is coupled to the plurality of conductors to arrange the energy storage elements 206 either in a series configuration or in a parallel configuration.
[0077] In an embodiment, the bus bar 208 is configured on compartment 202 of each of the storage container units 200 in a swivel configuration. The swivel mechanism 210 is configured to control the swiveling motion of the bus bars 208. In an embodiment, the bus bars 208 are configured to operate in a locking mode and an unlocking mode. In the locking mode, the bus bars 208 is configured to provide electrical connections between the storage elements 206 and is further configured to facilitate locking of the energy storage elements 206.
[0078] In an embodiment, the power station 102 includes charging equipment (not shown in the figures), a charging rack rail (not shown in the figures), and the loading means 111. The charging equipment configured to charge each of the energy storage elements 206. The charging rack rail (not shown in the figures) is configured to sort the energy storage elements 206 sequentially and is further configured to charge in a first in first out charging mode or in a simultaneous charging mode. The loading means 111 is configured to load each of the storage container units 200 on the transportation means 105.
[0079] In an embodiment, the system 100 includes a container power control and management unit (not shown in the figures) configured to compute the power requirements of a power consumption center 104. The container power control and management unit (not shown in the figures) is further configured to compute the number of charged energy storage elements 206 required at the power consumption center 104.
[0080] In an embodiment, the container power control and management unit is configured to dislodge the number of energy storage elements 206 upon receiving request from said power consumption center 104.
[0081] In an embodiment, the rack rail includes a plurality of slots and a conveyor mechanism. The slots are configured on the conveyor mechanism. The slots are configured to receive the energy storage elements 206. The charging rack rail (not shown in the figures) is configured to operate in a first in first out charging mode or in a simultaneous charging mode. The charging rack rail includes a plurality of slots and conveyor mechanism. The plurality of slots is configured on the conveyor mechanism. The discharged storage bank container unit 200 is transferred from the trailer (T1/108) to the power station 102. The first control unit 110 and the first actuator mechanism 112 is configured to offload the discharged storage bank container unit 200 from the trailer (T1/108) and is further configured to place the discharged storage bank container unit 200 in a slot of the plurality of slots present at the power consumption centers 104.
[0082] In an embodiment, the power station 102 has a first loading means 111A and the power consumption center includes a second loading means 111B. Each of the first loading means 111A and the second loading means 111B includes a first control unit 110, a first actuator 112, a second control unit 118, and a second actuator 120. The first control unit 110 and the first actuator 112 are configured to lift the storage container units 200 and is further configured to place the storage container units 200 onto each of the trailers (T1/108) and the second control unit 118 and the second actuator 120 are configured to load the energy storage elements 206 from the trailers (T1/108) into plurality of slots present at the power consumption center 104 and is further configured to offload the discharged energy storage elements 206 back to the storage container units 200.
[0083] In an embodiment, the transportation means 105 includes the charged trailer T1 and the horse H. The charged trailer T1 is configured to provide the charged or discharged storage elements 206 as per requirement. The horse H is configured to drive the charged trailer T1 to the power consumption center 104.
[0084] In an embodiment, the power station 102 is coupled with at least one renewable power source, a non-renewable power source or a grid or a combination thereof. In an embodiment, a plurality of solar panels is mounted on the storage container units to drive the horse H.
[0085] In an embodiment, the energy storage elements 206 are configured to power the horse H while commuting from the power station 102 to the power consumption center 104. In another embodiment, the energy storage elements 206 is configured to power the horse H via a collective residuary power left in the energy storage elements 206 from the power consumption center 104 back towards the power station 102.”
See also figures 2 and 3 of Dewan.
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Lacking in Dewan is a teaching of climate monitoring and temperature control for the energy storage units (battery).
Eisenhour teaches in great detail a cooling system for a vehicle battery. It includes (para 0031) a temperature sensor.
In view of the teachings of Eisenhour, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to cool such energy storage units as may power a vehicle in order that they don’t overheat. This is old and very conventional in electric vehicles.
Re claim 5:
Dewan teaches:
“[0085] In an embodiment, the energy storage elements 206 are configured to power the horse H while commuting from the power station 102 to the power consumption center 104. In another embodiment, the energy storage elements 206 is configured to power the horse H via a collective residuary power left in the energy storage elements 206 from the power consumption center 104 back towards the power station 102.”
The ’horse’ is the cab of the vehicle in figure 3. The storage units can power the cab. Most modern semi truck cabs have climate control, so that configuration, it is either obvious or inherent that the energy storage unit will thereby power a climate control system.
Re claim 6: A climate control system of a vehicle cab will have such features as motors and the like.
Re claim 7: See discussion above. Some of the docking stations will act to receive power from the storage unit. Others of the docking stations can charge the storage unit. Either one could be done by the same docking station, based on grid demand.
Re claim 8: See the racks in figure 2, above.
Re claim 12: If the energy storage is actively used during transport as above, there will be detection if there is a problem with it. See claim 9 above.
Re claims 14, 18-21 and 25-28: See discussion above.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL A HESS whose telephone number is (571)272-2392. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday, from 9 AM to 5 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thomas K. 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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/DANIEL A HESS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
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