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 .
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.
Claims 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Choi (WO 2022/0265238; hereinafter ‘Choi’). The Examiner notes that a machine translation is provided herewith.
Regarding claim 1, Choi discloses a liquid-cooled charging connector, comprising: a connector body, having two power terminals (connecting to DC, fig. 2 or 130, at least fig. 3-9) and a charging terminal assembly (connecting to at least AC, fig. 2 or 250, at least figs. 3-9) which are mounted on a terminal mounting portion at the front end of the connector body (200), wherein the two power terminals are detachably arranged (as illustrated in at least fig. 7); two cooling assemblies (at least 140 and also including 150s, 147, 157, as seen in at least figs. 3-9), disposed within the connector body, the front ends of the two cooling assemblies being respectively connected to the two power terminals (as clearly seen in at least fig. 7), each cooling assembly including an inlet hose (at least 140) and an outlet pipe (at least 150s); and a connector head (240; as seen in at least fig. 9), detachably mounted on the connector body.
Regarding claim 2, Choi discloses the liquid-cooled charging connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector head (240) has a power terminal connection portion (at least DC, fig. 2) and a charging terminal connection portion (at least AC, fig. 2), the power terminal connection portion having insertion portions corresponding to the two power terminals (as illustrated in at least fig. 7), and the charging terminal connection portion also having insertion portions corresponding to the charging terminal assembly (as illustrated in at least fig. 7).
Regarding claim 3, Choi discloses the liquid-cooled charging connector according to claim 1, wherein in each cooling assembly, the inlet hose (140) is positioned below the outlet pipe (150s) (as seen in at least fig. 7b).
Regarding claim 4, Choi discloses the liquid-cooled charging connector (200) according to claim 1, wherein each power terminal (130) comprises a mating portion (at least 157) and a conductor connection portion (including at least 250) (as seen in at least fig. 7a and 7b), the outer wall surface of the conductor connection portion having a coupling head for connecting to the outlet pipe, and the rear end of the conductor connection portion being connected to the inlet hose (as seen in at least fig. 7).
Regarding claim 5, Choi discloses the liquid-cooled charging connector according to claim 4, wherein the conductor connection portion (at 250) has a cooling chamber (at least 250) formed therein, and the inlet hose (140) has a cooling fluid passage communicating with the cooling chamber (as seen in at least fig. 7b).
Regarding claim 6, Choi discloses the liquid-cooled charging connector (200) according to claim 5, wherein the inlet hose (140) further comprises a conductor (at least 131), with a portion of the conductor (131) being positioned within the cooling fluid passage and another portion being positioned within the cooling chamber (as seen in at least fig. 6).
Regarding claim 7, Choi discloses the claimed the liquid-cooled charging connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector head (240) is positioned on the connector body by at least one fastener (at least 251).
Regarding claim 8, Choi discloses the liquid-cooled charging connector according to claim 4, wherein the conductor connection portion (230a; at least fig. 6) of each power terminal is located within the connector body, with the mating portion (at least 230b) protruding from the terminal mounting portion, and the mating portion is positioned on the conductor connection portion by a fastener (as seen in at least fig. 2).
Regarding claim 9, Choi discloses the liquid-cooled charging connector according to claim 1, wherein the charging terminal assembly (250) includes a charging terminal (at least 131) and multiple grounding terminals (at least 133), and the charging terminal is connected to a charging cable (at least 300).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure and is cited as teaching similar liquid-cooled chargers.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LEAH S MACCHIAROLO whose telephone number is (571)272-2719. The examiner can normally be reached M-F approx 8:30am to 4:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdullah Riyami can be reached at (571) 270-3119. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LEAH MACCHIAROLO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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