DETAILED ACTION
This is on the merits of Application No. 18/610371, filed on 03/20/2024. Claims 1-10 are pending. 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 information disclosure statement (IDS), submitted on 03/20/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements have been considered by the examiner.
Claim Interpretation
This application includes one or more claim limitations that use the word “means” or “step” but are nonetheless not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph because the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure, materials, or acts to entirely perform the recited function. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “sealing means” in claim 6 and “electrical motor means” in claim 9.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are not being interpreted to cover only the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant intends to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to remove the structure, materials, or acts that performs the claimed function; or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) does/do not recite sufficient structure, materials, or acts to perform the claimed function.
Claim Objections
Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 7 line 1 stated “said container ha a prismatic shape” and should state --said container has a prismatic shape--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 1-4 and 6-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by WO 2012/076808 to Lefebvre.
Lefebvre discloses:
(Claim 1) A battery assembly (Fig. 3) for a motor vehicle, comprising: a case (50) defining an inner volume; said inner volume being fluidly isolated from outside atmospheric air (Par. [0014], casing maintains seal from outside air); a plurality of batteries (23) arranged within said inner volume; at least one passive dehydrating device (34); an exchange volume housing (25) said dehydrating device; wherein said exchange volume is selectively positionable relative to said case in: a first position, wherein said exchange volume is fluidly connected to said inner volume and fluidly isolated from outside atmospheric air (Fig. 4); or a second position, wherein said exchange volume is fluidly isolated from said inner volume and fluidly connected to outside atmospheric air (Fig. 5D).
(Claim 2) wherein said dehydrating device comprises a hygroscopic salt cartridge (Par. [0066] can be made of hygroscopic salts).
(Claim 3) further comprising a container (25) defining said exchange volume and comprising at least one opening (opening between 33 and 45); said opening facing said inner volume when said exchange volume is, in use, in said first position (see Fig. 4, opening faces inner volume); and said opening being fluidly isolated from said inner volume and accessible from the outside of said battery assembly when said exchange volume is, in use, in said second position (see Fig. 5D, opening is accessible and isolated by element 36 sealing off the inner volume).
(Claim 4) wherein said opening is conformed to allow, in use, said dehydrating device to be inserted and removed from said container, when said exchange volume is, in use, in said second position (see Figs. 5D-7F).
(Claim 6) wherein said case comprises a further opening (31); said container being operatively coupled to said case at said further opening (see Fig. 4, container operatively coupled at 31 between elements 42 and 41); and said battery assembly further comprising sealing means (33, 36, 40) interposed between said further opening and said container.
(Claim 7) wherein said container has a prismatic shape (container 25 is box shaped and boxes are considered prismatic) and said further opening has a shape corresponding to said container (see Fig. 4, opening 31 has the same shape as opening of container 25 between 42 and 41).
(Claim 8) characterized in that it comprises one or more power electronic devices (Fig. 3 element 27).
(Claim 9) A motor vehicle comprising: a frame; a plurality of wheels rotatable about respective rotational axes relative to said frame; electrical motor means operatively connected to said wheels and adapted to drive said wheels in rotation about said rotational axes; and a battery assembly according to claim 1, said plurality of batteries of said battery assembly being electrically connected to said electrical motor means (see Par. [0003]-[0004], battery used as energy source for an electrical motor to drive a vehicle, which will inherently have a frame and wheels).
(Claim 10) comprising a cooling system adapted to limit the temperature of said batteries (Fig. 1).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 5 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 prior art of record does not disclose nor render obvious the limitations of claim 5. Particularly, said container rotatable relative to said case about a rotational axis. Lefebve discloses a drawer that is pulled out. To modify this to be a rotating mechanism without proper teaching would be improper hindsight reasoning that one of ordinary skill would not do.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TIMOTHY HANNON whose telephone number is (571)270-1943. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 10-6.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ernesto Suarez can be reached at (571) 270-5565. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TIMOTHY HANNON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655