DETAILED ACTION
This is on the merits of Application No. 18/612340, filed on 03/21/2024. Claims 1-14 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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in Republic of India on 11/30/2023. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the IN202341081562 application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Objections
Claims 5 and 13 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 5 states “a base” and should state --the base--. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 13 line 2 states “disconnecting mounting platform” and should state --disconnecting he mounting platform--.
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 1-9, 11-12, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by WO 2018178837 to Subramaniam et al.
Subramaniam discloses:
(Claim 1) A system for swapping a battery pack in an electric vehicle (Page 11 ln 38-Page 12 ln 12, “swapping of one or more portable energy storage devices”), said system comprising: a mounting assembly (Page 7 ln 39-40, “housing assembly for removably retaining one or more portable energy storage devices”, Fig. 29 element 604) adapted to be mounted on a chassis (Fig. 27, “vehicle frame” 608) of the vehicle; and at least one battery pack (602-1, 602-2, 702-1, 702-2) configured to be mounted on the mounting assembly (see Figs. 34-36), wherein, said mounting assembly is configured to: facilitate linear and rotational movement of said at least one battery pack (see Figs. 34-36) with respect to the chassis of the vehicle, allowing said at least one battery pack to egress and ingress a battery mounting space defined in the vehicle; and facilitate connection of said at least one battery pack with the vehicle (see pg. 11 ln 31- pg. 12 ln 12).
(Claim 2) wherein said mounting assembly comprises: a mounting platform (electric connectors on the base plates of “portable energy storage devices 602-1, 602-2, 702-1, 702-2” and base plates of “receptacles 602-1, 602-2) adapted to securely receive said at least one battery pack; a linear and rotational movement mechanism (see movement of housing assembly in Figs. 34-36) operatively coupled with said mounting platform, said linear and rotational movement mechanism configured to: facilitate linear movement of said mounting platform with respect to the chassis of the vehicle to allow said mounting platform to egress and ingress the battery mounting space; and facilitate rotational movement of said mounting platform with respect to the chassis of the vehicle (see Fig. 34-36, pg. 11 ln 31- pg. 12 ln 12).
(Claim 3) wherein said mounting assembly comprises at least two mounting brackets (base plates of “receptacles 602-1, 602-2”, see Fig. 30, 34-36), wherein each of said at least two mounting brackets is adapted to be connected with the chassis of the vehicle to facilitate mounting of said mounting platform on the chassis of the vehicle (see Fig. 34-36, pg. 11 ln 31- pg. 12 ln 12).
(Claim 4) wherein said mounting platform has at least two securing members (side plates of “receptacles 602-1, 602-2”, see Figs. 30, 34-36) provided on a base (base plates of “receptacles 602-1, 602-2, see Figs. 30, 34-36) of the mounting platform, each of said at least two securing members configured to securely hold the at least one battery pack on the mounting platform and facilitate the mounting of said mounting platform on the chassis of the vehicle through said at least two mounting brackets (see Figs. 30, 34-36).
(Claim 5) wherein each of said at least two securing members is disposed parallel to each other across a length of said mounting platform, extending outwards from a base of said mounting platform (see Figs. 30, 34-36).
(Claim 6) wherein said mounting platform has at least two connectors (electric connectors on the baes plates of “portable energy storage devices 602-1, 602-2, 702-1, 702-2”, see hole in base plate in Fig. 30) integrated with the base of said mounting platform, wherein each of said at least two connectors is adapted to facilitate electrical connectivity of said battery pack with the vehicle (see Figs. 30, 34-36, pg. 11 ln 31- pg. 12 ln 12).
(Claim 7) wherein said mounting assembly comprises at least two support members (side plates of “receptacles 602-1, 602-2, see Figs. 30, 34-36), wherein each of said at least two support members is adapted to be received along a respective longitudinal edge of said mounting platform, each of said at least two support members configured to: facilitate ease in egress and ingress of said at least one battery pack from the battery mounting space; hold said at least one battery pack on said mounting platform and prevent vibration of said at least battery pack during operation of the vehicle (see Figs. 30, 34-36, pg. 11 ln 31- pg. 12 ln 12).
(Claim 8) wherein each of said at least two support members is adapted to be attached to a respective vertical face of said at least one battery pack towards a bottom end of said at least one battery pack (see Figs. 30, 34-36, pg. 11 ln 31- pg. 12 ln 12).
(Claim 9) wherein the linear and rotational movement mechanism is configured to slide said mounting platform linearly outwards when said at least one battery pack is pushed inwards for egress of said at least one battery pack from the battery mounting space in the vehicle (see Figs. 30, 34-36, pg. 11 ln 31- pg. 12 ln 12).
(Claim 11) wherein said at least one battery pack has an integrated battery management system (implicit in “rechargeable battery pack”), wherein the battery management system is configured to: detect mounting and dismounting of said at least one battery pack from the battery mounting space in the vehicle; and communicate the mounting and dismounting of the at least one battery pack to a vehicle control unit (see pg. 3 ln 27-32, pg. 8 ln 23- pg. 9 ln 10, pg. 11 ln 31- pg. 12 ln 12, Fig. 30, 34-36).
(Claim 12) A method for swapping a battery pack in an electric vehicle (Page 11 ln 38-Page 12 ln 12, “swapping of one or more portable energy storage devices”), said method comprising: moving a mounting platform (electric connectors on the base plates of “portable energy storage devices” 602-1, 602-2, 702-1, 702-2 and base plates of “receptacles 602-1, 602-2”, see Fig. 30, 34-36) of a mounting assembly (“housing assembly for removable retaining one or more portable energy storage devices” 604) mounted on a chassis (“vehicle frame” 608) of the vehicle (600, 700), linearly outwards from a battery mounting space, wherein at least one battery pack (:battery packs”, “portable energy storage devices” 602-1, 602-2, 702-1, 702-2) is mounted on said mounting platform (electric connectors on the base plates of “portable energy storage devices 602-1, 602-2, 702-1, 702-2” and base plates of “receptacles 602-1, 602-2” see Fig. 30, 34-36), and wherein a linear and rotational movement mechanism (see movement of housing assembly in Fig. 34-36) of said mounting assembly facilitates a linear movement of said mounting platform to allow said at least one battery pack to egress and ingress the battery mounting space (see movement of housing assembly in Fig. 34-36); rotating said mounting platform to a required orientation, wherein the linear and rotational movement mechanism of said mounting assembly facilitates rotation of said mounting platform with respect to the chassis of the vehicle (see Fig. 34-36); dismounting said at least one battery pack from said mounting platform; mounting a charged at least one battery pack on said mounting platform; rotating said mounting platform to an initial orientation; and moving said mounting platform inwards into the battery mounting space to place said at least one battery pack in the battery mounting space, wherein at least two connectors of said mounting platform facilitate electric connection of said at least one battery pack with the vehicle (see pg. 11 ln 31- pg. 12 ln 12, Fig. 30 and 34-36).
(Claim 14) wherein said method comprises detecting, by a battery management system (implicit in “rechargeable battery pack”) integrated with said at least one battery pack, the dismounting of said at least one battery pack from the vehicle and sending a signal to a control unit of the vehicle; and detecting the mounting of said at least one charged battery pack in the vehicle and sending another signal to the control unit of the vehicle (see pg. 11 ln 31- pg. 12 ln 12, Fig. 30 and 34-36).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10 and 13 are 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 claims 10 and 13. Particularly in claim 10, having the mounting platform dismounted form the chassis of the vehicle when said at least one battery pack is dismounted form the chassis. Particularly in claim 13, disconnecting the mounting platform from the chassis of the vehicle by removing securing means connecting said mounting platform with at least two mounting brackets of said mounting assembly.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lejeune et al (US 8915321) discloses a device for removably attaching a battery of a motor vehicle.
Raffaelli et al (US 2024/0067293) discloses a saddle-riding type vehicle with a simplified battery removal system.
Blanc et al (US 2019/0016204) discloses a device for supporting a motor vehicle component.
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.
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, 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.
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.
/ERNESTO A SUAREZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3655
/TIMOTHY HANNON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655
Prosecution Insights