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) 1-7 and 13-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Xie (CN114377324).
Regarding claim 1, Xie discloses a warehousing system, comprising:
a shelf (1); and a plurality of fireproof partition plates (11) detachably arranged inside the shelf (The plates are stacked upon one another, which suggests detachability) and dividing an interior of the shelf into a plurality of zones (Figure 2, each zone extends between the shelving, and each zone includes stacked plates arranged between shelf railings), each of the plurality of zones including a plurality of compartments (112) (Figures 2 and 4).
Regarding claims 2 and 14, Xie discloses the warehousing system according to claim 1 and battery storage system of claim 13, wherein the fireproof partition plates comprise a plurality of first partition plates and a plurality of second partition plates arranged on a back side of the shelf (Figure 2, each of the compartments include a rear plate that is arranged to the back side of the shelf) but fails to disclose wherein the first partition plates are distributed in the shelf in a staggered manner to define the plurality of zones.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to stack boxes, providing for the plates to be in a staggered manner, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
Regarding claims 3 and 15, Xie discloses the warehousing system according to claim 2, and battery storage of claim 14, wherein a fire-resistant adhesive (111) is applied at connections between the second partition plates and the shelf, and connections between the first partition plates and the shelf (Figure 2, the sides of the first and second partition plates are provided with glue to connect the plates to the shelf.
Should it be found that the plates are not connected to the shelf as claimed, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to arrange the glue to connect to the shelf as claimed, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
Regarding claims 4 and 16, Xie discloses the warehousing system according to claim 1 and battery storage system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of compartments in a same zone are arranged in a rectangular array (Figure 4), and the compartments in a same column share a fire extinguishing device in a vertical direction of the shelf (Figure 2, Examiner interprets the combination of pipes and spray elements as a single spray system that is shared by the extinguishing devices).
Regarding claims 5 and 17, Xie discloses the warehousing system according to claims 4 and battery storage system of claim 16, further comprising, in the vertical direction of the shelf, at least two compartments in each column (Figure 2), and in the same column, the fire extinguishing device is arranged at a top of the compartments (Figure 2).
Regarding claims 6 and 18, Xie discloses the warehousing system according to claim 4 battery storage system according to claim 16, wherein the fire extinguishing device comprises a control unit (smoke sensing system and temperature sensing system), a sprinkler (Figure 2 depicts a sprinkler identified as element 12) and a smoke sensor (the smoke sensor of the smoke sensing system) that are electrically connected (Lines 241-244), the smoke sensor being configured to detect smoke and generate a corresponding smoke feedback signal (Lines 143-144, an alarm is generated), and the control unit controlling a power state of the sprinkler based on the smoke feedback signal (Lines 154-155).
Regarding claim 7, Xie discloses the warehousing system according to claim 6, wherein the fire extinguishing device further comprises a temperature sensor (temperature sensor of the temperature sensing system) electrically connected to the control unit (lines 243-244), the temperature sensor being configured to measure temperature and generate a corresponding temperature feedback signal (Lines 143-144, and alarm is generated), and the control unit controlling the power state of the sprinkler based on the temperature feedback signal (Lines 154-155).
Regarding claim 13, Xie discloses a battery storage, comprising:
a common shelf (1) for receiving a plurality of batteries (Figure 1); and
a plurality of fireproof partition plates (11) detachably arranged on the shelf (The plates are stacked upon one another, which suggests detachability) and dividing an interior of the shelf into a plurality of zones for placing the plurality of batteries (The limitation is interpreted as a recitation of intended use, and therefore afforded limited patentable weight; Figure 2, each zone extends between the shelving, and each zone includes stacked plates arranged between shelf railings), each of the plurality of zones including a plurality of compartments (112) (Figures 2 and 4) and one or more fire suppression devices (Figure 2, Examiner interprets the combination of pipes and spray elements as a single spray system that is shared by the extinguishing devices).
Claim(s) 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xie in view of Hui (CN212461885).
Regarding claim 8, Xie discloses the warehousing system according to claim 7, wherein a fire fighting access is provided in the middle of the shelf (Figures 1 and 2, each set of plates form a box with a front opening that allows access for firefighting purposes and/or on either side of the shelf, but fails to disclose a fire exit door is provided at the fire fighting access, and the control unit operates the fire exit door based on the smoke feedback signal and/or the temperature feedback signal.
Hui discloses a system that includes a fire exit door (Line 67) is provided at a fire fighting access (Figure 1, a fire exit door is provided at a front opening of the shelving), and a control unit (Line 265, control switch) operates the fire exit door based on the smoke feedback signal and/or the temperature feedback signal (Lines 264-267, the fire exit door is closed based on a system alarm).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Xie with the disclosures of Hui, providing a fire exit door (Hui, Line 67) provided at a fire fighting access (Xie, Figures 1 and 2, the fire exit door of Hui provided at a front opening of the shelving of Xie), and the control unit (Xie, smoke sensing system and temperature sensing system) operates the fire exit door based on the smoke feedback signal and/or the temperature feedback signal (Hui, Lines 264-267, the fire exit door is closed based on a system alarm), in order to provide for protection against expansion of the fire, as disclosed by Hui (Line 269).
Regarding claim 9, Xie discloses the warehousing system according to claim 6, but fails to disclose wherein the warehousing system further comprises primary temperature control air ducts and secondary temperature control air ducts, the primary temperature control air ducts being arranged on two opposite sides of the shelf, the primary temperature control air ducts extending in the vertical direction of the shelf, and the secondary temperature control air ducts being perpendicular to the primary temperature control air ducts.
Doll discloses an improved system that includes ventilation of stored batteries, using primary temperature control air ducts (64, 65) and secondary temperature control air ducts (62), the primary temperature control air ducts being arranged on two opposite sides of the shelf (Figure 4), the primary temperature control air ducts extending in the vertical direction of the shelf (The duct 64 extends vertically along the side of the shelf and the duct 65 protrudes in the vertical direction of the shelf), and the secondary temperature control air ducts being perpendicular to the primary temperature control air ducts (Figures 3 and 4).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to improve Xie with the disclosures of Doll, providing Xie to include a ventilation structure that features primary temperature control air ducts (Doll, 64, 65) and secondary temperature control air ducts (Doll, 62), the primary temperature control air ducts being arranged on two opposite sides of the shelf (Doll, Figure 4), the primary temperature control air ducts extending in the vertical direction of the shelf (Doll, The duct 64 extends vertically along the side of the shelf and the duct 65 protrudes in the vertical direction of the shelf), and the secondary temperature control air ducts being perpendicular to the primary temperature control air ducts (Doll, Figures 3 and 4), in order to provide protection against explosion through temperature control, as disclosed by Doll (Line 256).
Regarding claim 10, Xie in view of Doll discloses the warehousing system according to claim 9, wherein in the vertical direction of the shelf, the secondary temperature control air ducts are located in the middle of the shelf and at a bottom of the shelf (Doll, Figure 3).
Claim(s) 11, 12, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xie in view of Stoffregen (DE4410214).
Regarding claims 11, 12, 19 and 20, Xie discloses the warehousing system according to claim 1 and battery storage system according to claim 13, but fails to disclose wherein each of the fireproof partition plates comprises a lining and a shell, the lining and/or the shell being made of a fireproof material, and the shell surrounding an outer periphery of the lining; or
as to claims 12 and 20, wherein the lining is a silicate plate, and the shell is made of iron.
Stoffregen discloses a system wherein fireproof partition plates (26, 28) comprise a lining (silicate base) and a shell (30, 32, 34) (Abstract), the lining and/or the shell being made of a fireproof material (silicate) is a fireproof material, and the shell surrounding an outer periphery of the lining (Figure 2); and
as to claim 12, wherein the lining is a silicate plate (Abstract), and the shell is made of iron (350) (Figure 13).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Xie with the disclosures of Stoffregen, providing the plates to include a lining (silicate base) and a shell (30, 32, 34) (Abstract), the lining and/or the shell being made of a fireproof material (silicate) is a fireproof material, and the shell surrounding an outer periphery of the lining (Figure 2), in order to provide for heightened fire resistance by means of absportion, as discilsoed by Stoffregen (Page 2, paragraph 10).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER R. DANDRIDGE whose telephone number is (571)270-1505. The examiner can normally be reached M-T 9am-7pm.
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CHRISTOPHER R. DANDRIDGE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3752
/CHRISTOPHER R DANDRIDGE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3752