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 .
The pending claims are claims 1-20.
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)(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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Aoki, US 2017/0239803.
Regarding claim 1, Aoki teaches a power tool (abstract; 0018) comprising: a tool housing (abstract; 0006-0013) including a battery receiving portion (0023) arranged to removably receive a battery pack therein (0050-0051); a motor disposed within the tool housing (abstract; 0003; 0006-0007); and a power module disposed at or proximate the battery receiving portion (0007), comprising: a module housing having a base body, a plurality of exterior walls extending from a first surface of the base body (0046), and a terminal support body (0075; 0082) formed integrally on a second surface of the base body opposite the plurality of exterior walls (0022; 0047; 0065); a circuit board mounted within the plurality of exterior walls of the module housing (abstract; 0008-0009) and including an inverter circuit electrically coupled to the motor (0006-0007); and a plurality of conductive connectors (0003; 0010-0011) forming a plurality of terminals (0060) supported by the terminal support body arranged to make an electrical connection with a plurality of battery terminals the battery pack (0060), wherein the plurality of conductive connectors (0010-0011) extends through the terminal support body (0060) and is electrically coupled to the circuit board to supply power from the battery pack to the inverter circuit (0060; 0102).
Regarding claim 2, Aoki teaches wherein the plurality of conductive connectors (0022; 0051; 0060) comprises first portions that extend from the plurality of terminals (0060) through the terminal support body (0060) substantially perpendicular to the base body (0009), second portions that extend from the first portions through the base body or over the first surface of the base body (0009), and third portions that extend form the second portions and are coupled directly to the circuit board (0022; 0043; 0056).
Regarding claim 3, Aoki teaches wherein the circuit board comprises a plurality of conductive slots (0022) that receive the third portions of the plurality of conductive connectors therein (0003; 0011; 0045).
Regarding claim 4, Aoki teaches wherein the module housing is insert-molded to fully cover at least the second portions of the plurality of conductive connectors (0006-0013).
Regarding claim 5, Aoki teaches wherein the inverter circuit comprises a first plurality of power switches (0022) mounted on the circuit board along a first array and a second plurality of power switches mounted on the circuit board along a second array (0051), wherein the circuit board further comprises a first conductive slot (0022; 0051) therein that couples one of the plurality of conductive connectors to the first plurality of power switches (0021), and a second conductive slot therein that couples another one of the plurality of conductive connectors to the second plurality of power switches (0022; 0051).
Regarding claim 6, Aoki teaches wherein the second portions (0010-0011) pass at least partially over the base body and include angled portions to locate the third portions near the plurality of exterior walls (0014).
Regarding claim 7, Aoki teaches wherein the base body includes at least one opening therein (0046; 0057) formed to facilitate a molding of at least one component formed on the second surface thereof (0007-0009), further comprising a blocking insert member (0016; 0078) mounted within the module housing to cover the at least one opening (0078. 0086), and a potting compound disposed within the module housing to cover both surfaces of the circuit board (0065).
Regarding claim 8, Aoki teaches wherein the terminal support body (0081-0082) is oriented along a plane that extends substantially perpendicularly from the second surface of the main body proximate a distal end thereof (0009).
Regarding claim 9, Aoki teaches wherein the module housing (0006-0013) further comprises two battery guide rails formed integrally on the second surface of the base body (0013; 0082), the guide rails being arranged to slidingly support the battery pack along an insertion axis (0060).
Regarding claim 10, Aoki teaches wherein the module housing (0006-0013) further comprises a catch member formed integrally in the second surface of the base body (0017), the catch member being arranged to engage a latch of the battery pack to releasably lock the battery pack within the battery receiving portion (0073-0074; 0081).
Regarding claim 11, Aoki teaches further comprising two stiffening inserts (0078) around which the two battery guide rails are molded (0013; 0082).
Regarding claim 12, Aoki teaches wherein the stiffening inserts (0078) comprise side portions (0010-0011) located proximate side edges of the base body (0013; 0049), rail portions that extend inwardly from the side portions into the battery guide rails (0088), and tab portions that extend inwardly from the side portions into the base body (0060).
Regarding claim 13, Aoki teaches further comprising a vibration isolation element (0011; 0063; 0065) comprising resiliently deformable material mounted between an interior surface of the battery receiving portion and at least a portion of the module housing to allow relative movement between the power module and the tool housing (0011; 0063; 0065).
Regarding claim 14, Aoki power tool (0018) comprising: a tool housing (0003-0013) including a battery receiving portion (0023) arranged to removably receive a battery pack therein (0023; 0059-0060); a motor disposed within the tool housing (0006-0007); and a power module disposed at or proximate the battery receiving portion (0018; 0060), comprising: a module housing having a base body and a plurality of exterior walls extending from a first surface of the base body (0006-0013), and two battery guides rails formed integrally on a second surface of the base body opposite the plurality of exterior walls (0022; 0047; 0054-0055) to slidingly support the battery pack along an insertion axis (0051-0053; 0060; 0086-0087); and a circuit board mounted within the plurality of exterior walls of the module housing (0046; 0049; 0057-0058) and including an inverter circuit electrically coupled to the motor (0006-0007).
Regarding claim 15, Aoki teaches further comprising two rail walls (0046) (extending from lateral edges of the base body (0046) substantially perpendicular to the base body (0009), wherein the two battery guide rails extend inwardly from the two rail walls (0088).
Regarding claim 16, Aoki teaches further comprising two stiffening inserts (0078) around which the two rail walls (0046) and the two battery guide rails are molded (0013; 0082).
Regarding claim 17, Aoki teaches wherein the two stiffening inserts (0046) comprise two side portions (0010-0011) located proximate side edges of the base body (0013; 0049) around which the two rail walls are molded (0024; 0047), two rail portions that extend inwardly from the two side portions around which the two battery guide rails are molded (0047; 0049), and tab portions that extend inwardly from the two side portions into the base body (0060).
Regarding claim 18, Aoki teaches wherein the module housing further comprises a catch member (lock; 0044) formed integrally in the second surface of the base body (0044), the catch member being arranged to engage a latch (lock) (0044) of the battery pack (0044) to releasably lock the battery pack within the battery receiving portion (0017; 0073).
Regarding claim 19, Aoki teaches further comprising a vibration isolation element (0011; 0063) comprising resiliently deformable material mounted between an interior surface of the battery receiving portion and at least a portion of the module housing to allow relative movement between the power module and the tool housing (0063; 0065).
Regarding claim 20, Aoki teaches wherein the module housing (abstract) comprises a plurality of side protrusions projecting laterally from two side walls of the plurality of exterior walls (0024), and the vibration isolation element comprises a plurality of receptacles that engage the plurality of side protrusions to secure the vibration isolation element to the module housing (0011; 0063; 0065).
Thus, the claims are anticipated.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANGELA J MARTIN whose telephone number is (571)272-1288. The examiner can normally be reached 7am-4pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Barbara Gilliam can be reached at 571-272-1330. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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ANGELA J. MARTIN
Examiner
Art Unit 1727
/ANGELA J MARTIN/Examiner, Art Unit 1727
