DETAILED ACTION
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
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 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) 11, 16, and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Foreign Publication JP2005244103A (supplied by applicant, used attached machine translation), hereafter Kutsuzawa, in view of Published Application US20040033415A1, hereafter Chen.
Regarding claim 11, Kutsuzawa discloses a device housing ([0011] case airtight structure), comprising:
a first housing part ([0012] second housing 20); and
a second housing part ([0012] first housing 10), wherein the first housing part (20) and the second housing part (10) are connected to one another ([0013] Fig 2, bolt 30 is screwed and fastened to the second housing 20), wherein the first housing part (20) has a threaded bushing ([0013] fastening part 22a that screws onto the bolt 30 formed in flange 22 of second housing 20) with a thread that is connected to the first housing part (20), wherein the second housing part (10) has a through hole ([0013] Fig 2, through hole 12a of first casing 10), and wherein the fastener (30) is disposed through the through hole (12a) and in the threaded bushing (22a) (Fig 2, bolt 30 through hole 12a and fastening portion 22a);
wherein the threaded bushing (22a) is at least partially made of a material that melts, softens, or breaks down during a thermal event ([0014] fastening portion 22a formed of material whose strength is weaker than that of the bolt 30, and the fastening part 22a is destroyed at the time of explosion).
Kutsuzawa further discloses wherein the first housing part and the second housing part are connected to one another via a bolt ([0013] Fig 2, bolt 30 is screwed and fastened to the second housing 20).
Kutsuzawa is silent on wherein the first housing part and the second housing part are connected to one another via a screw.
In the analogous art of device housing fasteners, Chen discloses wherein the first housing part and the second housing part are connected to one another via a screw (abstract).
It would however have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the present invention, to modify the invention of Kutsuzawa to use a screw instead of a bolt as disclosed by Chen as a simple substitution with another known method of attaching the housings together, since the skilled artisan would have found the result of the substitution to be predictable (MPEP 2143 (I) (B)).
Regarding claim 16, modified Kutsuzawa discloses wherein the screw provides a seal in relation to the second housing part (10) ([0012] housing structure is hermetically sealed).
Regarding claim 19, Kutsuzawa discloses wherein the second housing part (10) is a housing lid (Fig 1, first housing part 10 is a lid).
Regarding claim 20, Kutsuzawa discloses wherein the first housing part (20) is a lower housing part (Fig 1, second housing part 20 is a lower housing part).
Claim(s) 12-15 and 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Foreign Publication JP2005244103A (supplied by applicant, used attached machine translation), hereafter Kutsuzawa, in view of Published Application US20040033415A1, hereafter Chen, as stated above for claim 11, and further in view of Published Application US20160001394A1 (supplied by applicant), hereafter Stumpf.
Regarding claim 12, Kutsuzawa discloses wherein the threaded bushing (22a) has a metallic material or a thermoplastic material ([0014] metal bolt and weaker metal or resin fastening portion).
Kutsuzawa is silent on wherein the threaded bushing has both a metallic material and a thermoplastic material arranged concentrically.
In the analogous art of housing fasteners, Stumpf discloses wherein the threaded bushing has a metallic material and a thermoplastic material arranged concentrically (Fig 2, [0031] friction welding element 1 includes metal connection bushing 10 and thermoplastic friction welding shell).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the present invention, to modify the invention of Kutsuzawa with the friction welding element of Stumpf as stated above in order to install the bushing by friction welding to allow for both sealing of the bushing to the housing, while also preserving the ability of the bushing to soften and break to allow the housing to vent in a thermal event.
Regarding claim 13, Stumpf discloses wherein the metallic material comprises the thread (10) and the thermoplastic material (30) forms a connection to the first housing part (50).
Regarding claim 14, Kutsuzawa discloses wherein the connection is a form-fit connection (Fig 2, fastening portion 22a form fit to hole in flange 22).
Regarding claim 15, Kutsuzawa is silent on wherein the connection is a thread.
It would however have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the present invention, to further modify the invention of Kutsuzawa to use a threaded connection between the thermoplastic shell and the housing part as another known way of connecting the two components, since Kutsuzawa already discloses a threaded connection between the fastening part 22a (which may be thermoplastic) and the bolt 30, and one skilled in the art could easily have conceived of replacing a form fit connection with a threaded connection (see MPEP 2143 (I) (B)).
Regarding claim 17, Kutsuzawa is silent on the housing further comprising a seal made of a thermally resistant material that is disposed between the threaded bushing and the second housing part and around the through hole.
In the analogous art of housing fasteners, Stumpf discloses wherein the threaded bushing has a metallic material and a thermoplastic material arranged concentrically (Fig 2, [0031] friction welding element 1 includes metal connection bushing 10 and thermoplastic friction welding shell). Stumpf further discloses the inclusion of a bushing collar which acts in a stabilizing or supporting manner on the connection between the connection bushing and the friction welding shell ([0036]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the present invention, to modify the invention of Kutsuzawa with the friction welding element of Stumpf as stated above in order to install the bushing by friction welding to allow for both sealing of the bushing to the housing, while also preserving the ability of the bushing to soften and break to allow the housing to vent in a thermal event. It would further have been obvious to include the bushing collar in order to stabilize the connection between the bushing and shell, and further it would have been obvious to include a seal between the top of the collar and the bottom of the second housing part in order to maintain the hermetic seal between the enclosure housings required by Kutsuzawa.
Regarding claim 18, Kutsuzawa is silent on wherein the threaded bushing has a flange on a side facing the second housing part.
In the analogous art of housing fasteners, Stumpf discloses wherein the threaded bushing has a metallic material and a thermoplastic material arranged concentrically (Fig 2, [0031] friction welding element 1 includes metal connection bushing 10 and thermoplastic friction welding shell).
Stumpf further discloses wherein the threaded bushing has a flange on a side facing the second housing part which acts in a stabilizing or supporting manner on the connection between the connection bushing and the friction welding shell ([0036]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the present invention, to modify the invention of Kutsuzawa with the friction welding element of Stumpf as stated above in order to install the bushing by friction welding to allow for both sealing of the bushing to the housing, while also preserving the ability of the bushing to soften and break to allow the housing to vent in a thermal event. It would further have been obvious to include the bushing collar in order to stabilize the connection between the bushing and shell.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TIMOTHY HEMINGWAY whose telephone number is (571)272-0235. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 6-4.
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, Susan Leong can be reached at (571) 270-1487. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/T.G.H./Examiner, Art Unit 1754
/SEYED MASOUD MALEKZADEH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1754
Prosecution Insights