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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kamiya (Pub. No. US 2021/0213897).
As to claim 1, Kamiya discloses a power distribution unit 200 (figs. 1-2) capable of being multidirectionally matched and mounted, comprising:
a housing 270, and
at least one electric control device 220, 260;
the housing comprises a plurality of connection end surfaces each provided with at least one electrical appliance interface 211-217;
the housing is further provided with a plug-in connector and a power interface 211, 214, 217; and
the electric control device is disposed inside the housing and connected to one of the electrical appliance interfaces (figs. 1-2);
the electric control device is connected to an external power source 100, 700, 800 through the power interface and is in communication connection with an external controller through the plug-in connector (¶0052-0053), so as to supply power to an electrical appliance connected to the electrical appliance interface according to a control instruction from the external controller (¶0062-0068).
As to claim 2, Kamiya discloses that each of the electrical appliance interfaces is connected to at most one of the electrical control devices, and when not connected to the electrical control device, the electrical appliance interface is connected to the power interface (see fig. 1, consider fuses 240 broken).
As to claim 3, Kamiya discloses that the electrical appliance interface is a high-voltage electrical appliance interface, and the power interface is a high-voltage battery pack interface (¶0029-0031).
As to claim 18, Kamiya discloses that the electric control device comprises a relay and/or a Microcontroller Unit (MCU) (fig. 1, see relays RLs and ECUs).
As to claim 19, Kamiya discloses that the power distribution unit further comprises a fixing hole 271C disposed at an edge of the housing to fix the power distribution unit inside the electric vehicle (fig. 2).
As to claim 20, Kamiya discloses a system, which is a power distribution system, comprising a power end, a control end, an electrical appliance (fig. 1 shows power sources controlled with processors and routed to appliances) and the power distribution unit capable of being multidirectionally matched and mounted according to claim 1;
the power end is connected to the power distribution unit and configured to supply power to the electrical appliance connected to the power distribution unit; and the control end is connected to the power distribution unit and configured to distribute electric energy to the electrical appliance connected to the power distribution unit (fig. 1 see power connectors and load connectors).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 4, 9, 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kamiya (Pub. No. US 2021/0213897) in view of Bai et al. (CN 106627157A).
As to claim 4, Kamiya does not disclose that the power interface comprises a power copper bar and a first connecting seat; the first connecting seat is fixed on the housing; the power copper bar is connected to the external power source; the power copper bar is connected to the electrical control device or the electrical appliance interface through a connecting copper bar; the power copper bar and the connecting copper bar are superimposed and fixed on the first connecting seat and keep a preset distance from the housing.
Bai discloses that the power interface comprises a power copper bar and a first connecting seat 31; the first connecting seat is fixed on the housing (fig. 6); the power copper bar is connected to the external power source; the power copper bar is connected to the electrical control device or the electrical appliance interface through a connecting copper bar (fig. 6, see where copper bar 30 connects on top of insulating support 31); the power copper bar and the connecting copper bar are superimposed and fixed on the first connecting seat and keep a preset distance from the housing (fig. 6, see where copper bar 30 connects on top of insulating support 31).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the power distribution unit of Kamiya havea power interface as similarlty taught by Bai in order to reliably and mechanically connect busbars to the housing and interfaces.
As to claim 9, Kamiya discloses that the power distribution unit further comprises a fuse box 240; a power inlet end of the fuse box is connected to the power interface, and a power outlet end of the fuse box is connected to the electrical control device or the electrical appliance interface (fig. 1).
However, Kamiya does not disclose that the power distribution unit further comprises a fuse box, which is fixed on the housing through a second connecting seat; a power inlet end of the fuse box is connected to the power interface through a connecting copper bar, and a power outlet end of the fuse box is connected to the electrical control device or the electrical appliance interface.
Bai discloses a connecting seat for connecting copper bars (fig. 6).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the fuse box of Kamiya be fixed on the housing through a second connecting seat as similarly taught by Bai in order to reliably secure the fuse box.
As to claim 14, Kamiya does not disclose that an opening end of the housing is provided with a cover plate having the size consistent with that of the opening end of the housing.
Bai discloses an opening end of the housing is provided with a cover plate 10 having the size consistent with that of the opening end of the housing (fig. 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the opening end of the housing of Kamiya have a cover plate as similarly taught by Bai in order to provide a dustproof and/or waterproof housing.
Claim(s) 7-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kamiya (Pub. No. US 2021/0213897) and Bai et al. (CN 106627157A) as applied to claim 4 above, and further in view of Shiratori et al. (Pub. No. US 2018/0001848).
As to claim 7, Kamiya does not disclose that the surfaces of the power copper bar and the connecting copper bar are coated with a first insulating layer.
Shiratori discloses a busbar having an insulating layer (¶0028).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the power copper bar and the connecting copper bar be coated with a first insulating layer as similarly taught by Shiratori in order to provide insulation between conductive parts.
As to claim 8, Kamiya does not disclose that the first insulating layer is a PVC insulating layer.
Shiratori discloses a busbar having an insulating layer (¶0028). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the first insulating layer be made of a PVC insulating layer since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kamiya (Pub. No. US 2021/0213897) in view of Shindo et al. (Pub. No. US 2018/0235096).
As to claim 15, Kamiya does not disclose that the power distribution unit further comprises sealing members which are in one-to-one correspondence with the electrical appliance interfaces, and when the electrical appliance interface is in an idle state, the sealing member is inserted into the electrical appliance interface, so that the electrical appliance interface remains a sealed state.
Shindo discloses sealing members 10 which are in one-to-one correspondence with the electrical appliance interfaces, and when the electrical appliance interface is in an idle state, the sealing member is inserted (fig. 4, see inserted portion 15) into the interface, so that the electrical interface remains a sealed state.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the power distribution unit of Kamiya have sealing members which are in one-to-one correspondence with the electrical appliance interfaces, and when the electrical appliance interface is in an idle state, the sealing member is inserted into the electrical appliance interface, so that the electrical appliance interface remains a sealed state as similarly taught by Shindo in order to provide dustproof and waterproof properties.
Claim(s) 16-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kamiya (Pub. No. US 2021/0213897) in view of McKibben et al. (Pub. No. US 2024/0166069).
As to claim 16, Kamiya does not disclose that the power distribution unit further comprises a sensor disposed in a connecting line of each of the electrical appliance interfaces to obtain current information or voltage information output by the electrical appliance interface.
McKibben discloses a sensor 168 for obtaining current and voltage information disposed on a connecting line 156E, 122 (fig. 2; ¶0061).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the power distribution unit of Kamiya have a sensor disposed in a connecting line of each of the electrical appliance interfaces to obtain current information or voltage information output by the electrical appliance interface as similarly taught by McKibben in order to monitor the voltage and current on a particular line.
As to claim 17, Kamiya does not disclose that the sensor comprises a current sensor and/or a voltage sensor.
McKibben discloses a current and or voltage sensor 168 (fig. 2; ¶0061).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the power distribution unit of Kamiya have a current and/or voltage sensor as similarly taught by McKibben in order to monitor the voltage and current on a particular line.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-6, 10-13 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.
Regarding dependent claim 5, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combining with other limitations within the claim and limitation recited in claims 1 and 4, a combination of limitations that discloses that the first connecting seat comprises a first bolt, a first nut and a first insulating seat; the first bolt is fixed at the bottom of the housing; the first insulating seat is sleeved on the first bolt, with one end of the first insulating seat abuts against the housing, and the other end of the first insulating seat forms a first supporting end surface for mounting the power copper bar and the connecting copper bar; and the first nut is cooperated with the first bolt configured to fix the power copper bar and the connecting copper bar on the first bolt. None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Regarding dependent claim 10, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combining with other limitations within the claim and limitation recited in claims 1 and 9, a combination of limitations that disclosing that the second connecting seat comprises a second bolt, a second nut and a second insulating seat; the second bolt is fixed at the bottom of the housing; the second insulating seat is sleeved on the second bolt, with one end of the second insulating seat abuts against the housing, and the other end of the second insulating seat forms a second supporting end surface for mounting a fuse copper bar and the connecting copper bar; and the second nut is cooperated with the second bolt configured to fix the fuse copper bar and the connecting copper bar on the second bolt. None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AMOL H PATEL whose telephone number is (571)270-7833. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30AM-6:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, TIMOTHY THOMPSON can be reached at (571) 272-2342. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AMOL H PATEL/ Examiner, Art Unit 2847
/TIMOTHY J THOMPSON/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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