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 .
Drawings
The subject matter of this application admits of illustration by a drawing to facilitate understanding of the invention. Applicant is required to furnish a drawing under 37 CFR 1.81(c). No new matter may be introduced in the required drawing. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d).
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5, 6, 12, 17 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Takahashi et al, JP 2021090253.
Regarding claim 1, Takahashi et al disclose a vehicle charging system comprising: a rapid charging system for electrically driven vehicles, in particular passenger cars, lorries, buses or the like,
(paragraph [0001]; according to paragraph [0019], direct current is transmitted via the charging contacts, and for this reason the charging system is considered to be a rapid charging system) wherein the rapid charging system comprises a contact apparatus (figure 1, contact apparatus 30), a charging contact apparatus (figure 1, charging contact apparatus 10) and a positioning device (figure 1, positioning device 41), wherein the charging contact apparatus can be arranged on or in a bottom of a vehicle and comprises a charging contact carrier which has charging contacts, (paragraph [0020]) wherein the contact apparatus can be arranged on or at least partially in an underlying surface beneath the vehicle and over which the vehicle can drive and comprises a contact carrier which has contacts, wherein the charging contacts can be contacted by the respective contacts to form a contact pair, (paragraph [0025]) wherein the contact carrier can be positioned relative to the charging contact carrier in a contact position by means of the positioning device in such a way that an electrically conductive connection can be formed between the vehicle and a stationary charging station, (paragraph [0025], last two sentences; it is immediately evident from paragraph [0016] and figure 1 that the charging contact apparatus is mounted on an undertray of the vehicle 100 and the contact apparatus is mounted on the underlying surface) wherein the contact carrier has a projection with the contacts arranged on it and the charging contact carrier has an opening with the charging contacts arranged on it, or vice versa, (figure 1, element 32 comprises the contacts 31 and forms a projection on the contact carrier 30, elements 12, 13 form an opening in the charging contact carrier and comprise the charging contacts 11) wherein the projection and the opening are each formed by abutment faces with a matching geometric shape, wherein a contour of the projection is of oval design (figure 2, wherein it is clear from paragraphs [0021] and [0026] that the contour of the abutment face of the projection matches the contour of the opening, "The convex portion 32 is a portion that is arranged in the opposite direction in the second fitting body 30 and is fitted into the concave portion 12 in the first fitting body 10.").
Regarding claim 2, Takahashi et al also disclose contacts 11 and 31 are in a plane parallel to the vehicle bottom 100 or underlying surface (see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 3, figure 5 shows the contact position in which the end face of the projection 32 rests on the base of the opening.
Regarding claim 5, figure 2 clearly shows a symmetrical contour.
Regarding claim 6, the convex portion 32 has an elliptical (or oval) shape when viewed from the opposite direction (see par. 0026).
Regarding claim 12, Takahashi et al disclose a positioning apparatus 41 (Fig. 1, par.0031, last sentence).
Regarding claim 17, wherein the response of the positioning apparatus to a "control signal" requires the presence of a transponder accordingly (see par. 0031).
Regarding claim 18, see the rejection of claim 1 above (see para 0018-0019).
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) 1-5, 9-12, and 14-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Klausner et al, US Pub. 2020/0101856, in view of Elizalde, US Pub. 2006/0261778.
Klausner et al disclose a subsurface contact system comprising: a rapid charging system for electrically driven vehicles, in particular passenger cars, lorries, buses or the like, (figure 1; "rapid charging system" does not appear to be a specifically defined term and is therefore considered to be non-limiting) wherein the rapid charging system comprises a contact apparatus, a charging contact apparatus and a positioning device, (figure 1, elements 100, 05, 200) wherein the charging contact apparatus can be arranged on or in a bottom of a vehicle and comprises a charging contact carrier which has charging contacts, (figure 1, charging contact apparatus 200; and paragraph [0109]) wherein the contact apparatus can be arranged on or at least partially in an underlying surface beneath the vehicle and over which the vehicle can drive and comprises a contact carrier which has contacts, wherein the charging contacts can be contacted by the respective contacts to form a contact pair, (figure 1, contact apparatus 1; and paragraph [0119]) wherein the contact carrier can be positioned relative to the charging contact carrier in a contact position by means of the positioning device in such a way that an electrically conductive connection can be formed between the vehicle and a stationary charging station, (claim 1) wherein the contact carrier has a projection with the contacts arranged on it and the charging contact carrier has an opening with the charging contacts arranged on it, or vice versa, (figures 2 and 3 show a truncated pyramid-shaped contact carrier 204 and a charging contact carrier 200 which adjusts its shape) wherein the projection and the opening are each formed by abutment faces with a matching geometric shape, wherein a contour of the projection is of oval design.
Klausner et al fail to disclose that the contour of the projection is of oval design.
Elizalde discloses a method and apparatus for charging portable devices comprising; a simplifying process of establishing contact, see paragraph [0011]; proposing, see figures 11 and 12, shaping the contours of a device and the opening of a charging tray in a correspondingly oval manner, see paragraph [0052]. This has the effect that the surfaces slide on one another and in so doing align the contacts and charging contacts, see paragraph [0053].
In view of the teachings of Elizalde, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary artisan before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to recognize that the oval contour has advantages over the truncated-pyramid shape of Klausner et al with respect to the alignment of the contacts. Since Klausner et al specify that variations of the contour are advantageously possible without problems, see paragraph [0178], a person skilled in the art would readily consider designing the projection and the opening of the system of Klausner et al in a corresponding manner and would thereby arrive at the claimed subject matter as a matter of routine and without exercising inventive skill. Therefore, it would have been an obvious extension as taught by the prior art.
Regarding claim 2, figure 9 shows charging contacts 123, 124 lie in one plane.
Regarding claim 3, figure 2 shows the opening and the projection contact each other at least in the contact plane (see para. 0178).
Regarding claim 4, figure 2 shows the lateral surfaces of the truncated pyramid and the corresponding contact face are inclined in relation to the contact plane.
Regarding claim 5, figure 9 shows a symmetrical contour.
Regarding claim 9, wherein the contact support and the charging contact support have springs exerting a spring force on contacts (para. 0107).
Regarding claim 10, wherein the contacts and the charging contacts are each realized by printed boards disposed within a surface (para. 0100 and 0109).
Regarding claim 11, wherein the contact support and the charging contact support is at least one rotatable (Fig. 25b; and para. 0135).
Regarding claim 12, wherein the contact support or the charging contact support has the positioning device being realized by a pantograph, a pivoted lever, a swing arm, or a telescope, or a charging support can be positioned vertically (Fig. 4 and para. 0099).
Regarding claim 14, wherein the positioning device is realized by a level control of the vehicle, wherein the charging contact can be positioned vertically (Fig. 4 and para. 0099).
Regarding claim 15, wherein the contact device or the charging contact device has a protective element with a movable plate (Fig. 2, cover 300 and para. 0097).
Regarding claim 16, wherein the contact device is realized such that a vehicle can drive on or over the contact device (Fig. 2 and para. 0096).
Since Klausner et al teach all the additional features in these dependent claims. Klausner et al in view of Elizalde render these dependent claims obvious.
Claim(s) 7-8 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takahashi. The teachings of Takahashi have been discussed above.
Regarding claim 7, wherein relating to the main axis of the ellipse being arranged transversely to a direction of travel of the vehicle. This appears to be a minor structural modification without any further technical effect; also see the description of the present application, the paragraph spanning pages 6 and 7. Takahashi renders the claim obvious.
Regarding claim 8, wherein defining that the opening is open on one side in the direction of travel. This also appears to be a minor development that a person skilled in the art would provide as a matter of routine to allow contact to be established in a horizontal direction too. Takahashi renders the claim obvious.
Regarding claim 11, wherein defining that one of the contact carriers is rotatable or pivotable relative to a vertical axis. Although this is not explicitly disclosed Takahashi, it does appear to be at least obvious by combining the oval projection contour together with the positioning apparatus in the x-y plane 40, see paragraph [0030]. Therefore, Takahashi renders the claim obvious.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 13 is 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: The applicant teaches a rapid-charging system for electrically driven vehicles which includes a contact device, a charging contact device, a positioning device, a contact support having contacts, wherein each contact can establish contact with a charging contact to form a contact pairing, wherein the contact support can be positioned relative to the charging contact support in a contact position by the positioning device to provide an electrically conductive connection between the vehicle and a stationary charging station, wherein the contact support has a projection having the contacts disposed thereon and the charging contact support has an opening having the charging contacts disposed thereon, the projection and the opening having respective contact surfaces of a matching geometric shape, a contour of the projection being oval, wherein the positioning device is realized by pivotable arms which are disposed in a star-shaped manner relative to a vertical central axis of the rapid-charging system and on whose respective ends is disposed a contact or a charging contact. These limitations in conjunction with other limitations in the claims were not shown by the prior art of record.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Widmer et al, US Pub. 2011/0285349, disclose an adaptive wireless transfer system.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL ST CYR whose telephone number is (571)272-2407. The examiner can normally be reached M to F 8:00-8:00.
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DANIEL ST CYR
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2876
/DANIEL ST CYR/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
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