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 drawings were received on 3/11/24. These drawings are approved.
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.
Claim(s) 1-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ichikawa (US Publication 20210091686).
Claim 1, Ichikawa teaches a method for operating a power tool comprising: using controller 20 to clip an initial current outputted to an electric power tool based on what battery pack 70A/70B is attached to the power tool; applying the current clipping during start-up of the motor after the trigger switch 23 has been activated; and gradually increase the maximum value of current allowed in the power based on the battery pack in order to control the risen motor speed (please refer to embodiment 3).
Claims 2 and 9, Ichikawa describes in paragraphs 0153-0158 that in order to avoid overcurrent, the speed of the motor will be increase gradually in the same manner since the internal resistance of each battery is used to control the speed of the motor.
Claims 3 and 10, Ichikawa teaches a second battery pack 70B having two battery blocks connected in parallel and a first battery pack 70A only include one battery block.
Claims 4 and 11, Ichikawa describes for example in figures 17 and 20 current clipping limiting values being incremented over time.
Claims 5 and 12, Ichikawa describes for example in fig. 13 and corresponding description the relationship between limiting of the motor current and the speed of the motor.
Claims 6 and 13, Ichikawa describes controlling the current based on avoiding an overcurrent (see fig. 12).
Claims 7 and 14, Ichikawa describes for example in fig. 16 the relationship between the battery voltage and the motor current.
Claim 8, Ichikawa teaches a power tool comprising: a housing (inherent in the description of the power tool/gardening tool, see paragraph 0060); an electric motor 60; battery packs 70A/B; an inverter 50; and a controller 20 which operates as described in the rejection of claim 1 above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The documents cited in the attached PTO-892 form describe different power tools that include a motor, inverter, battery pack, and a controller for controlling the current and speed of the motor in a gradually manner.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Rina I Duda whose telephone number is (571)272-2062. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-4 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eduardo Colon-Santana can be reached at (571) 272-2060. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RINA I DUDA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2846