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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 08/03/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
On pages 9-11, Applicant argues that,
“[…]
Wang discloses a dustproof cover having a first groove (21) and a second groove (22) on the same side of the cover, with groove 22 surrounding groove 21 concentrically.
[…]
As shown in Wang's Figs. 2 and 4, both grooves lie in the same plane on the inner face of the cover and are not offset from one another along the axial direction. Wang therefore does not disclose sealing portions sequentially arranged from the outer cover side toward the inner cover side so as to form a step when viewed radially, as required by amended claim 1.
[…]”
In response, Examiner respectfully disagrees and submits that “the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion are sequentially arranged at the outer peripheral direction of the cover body along a direction from the outer cover side to the inner cover side” can be reasonably interpreted as: “the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion are arranged: (1) sequentially, (2) at the outer peripheral direction of the cover body, and (3) along a direction from the outer cover side to the inner cover side.”
With this interpretation, in Fig. 4, Wang clearly teaches the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion are arranged (1) sequentially in a radial direction, (2) at the outer peripheral direction of the cover body (arranged around the periphery of the inner cover side), and (3) a direction from the outer cover side to the inner cover side (both sealing portions extrude along a direction from the outer cover side to the inner cover side).
Further, even interpreted as arranged sequentially in order if we go from the outer cover side to the inner cover side, i.e. from left to right of the figures, Wang teaches in Fig. 7, the inner groove and recess 21 are arranged before the outer groove and recess 24 that seal the first charging port and the second charging port respectively (see Fig. 4 of Wang with annotations below).
PNG
media_image1.png
364
508
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Further, both Fig. 4 and Fig. 7 of Wang show the sealing portions are arranged in a step manner, i.e. taking the surface of the inner cover side as reference, the sealing portions are arranged such that the surface goes up then down, then up and down again.
As such, Applicant’s arguments are not persuasive.
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.
Claims 1-5, 8-11, and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wang et al. (CN 217823384 U – hereinafter Wang, references to machine translated copy attached).
Regarding claim 1, Wang discloses a cover for sealing a charging port (Figs. 1, 7-8 – cover 2) comprising: a cover body (Figs. 1, 4, 7-8 – cover 2 has a cover body) having an inner cover side (Fig. 4; page 4; Fig. 7; page 2; page 5 – the inner cover side including grooves and recesses) and an outer cover side facing away from each other (Fig. 4; page 4; Fig. 8; page 2; page 5 - the front cover side is on the other side of the cover including a handle 25), the cover body comprising: a first sealing portion configured to seal a first charging port (page 4; page 5 – groove 21 configured to seal a first charging port 11 shown in Fig. 3); and a second sealing portion configured to seal a second charging port (page 4; page 5 – groove 22 configured to seal a second charging port 12 shown in Fig. 3), wherein the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion are arranged at an outer peripheral direction of the cover body (Figs. 4-5 – groove 21 and groove 22 as shown in Fig. 5 are arranged at an outer peripheral direction of the cover body), and the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion are both arranged at the inner cover side of the cover body (Fig. 4; Fig. 7 – grooves are arranged at the inner cover side of the cover body), and wherein the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion are sequentially arranged at the outer peripheral direction of the cover body along a direction from the outer cover side to the inner cover side, such that the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion are arranged in a stepped manner as viewed in a radial direction of the cover body (Fig. 4; Fig. 7 – also see “Response to Arguments” above).
Regarding claim 2, Wang also discloses the cover of claim 1, wherein the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion are sequentially arranged at the outer peripheral direction of the cover body along a direction from the outer cover side to the inner cover side (Fig. 4; Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 3, Wang also discloses the cover of claim 1, wherein the first sealing portion has a first outer diameter and is configured to seal the first charging port having a first aperture diameter, and wherein the second sealing portion has a second outer diameter and is configured to seal the second charging port having a second aperture diameter (Figs. 3-4, 7 – the first charging port 11 has a first aperture diameter and the second charging port 12 has a second aperture diameter shown in Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 4, Wang also discloses the cover of claim 3, wherein the first outer diameter of the first sealing portion is different from the second outer diameter of the second sealing portion (Figs. 4-5, 7-8 – the groove 21 has an outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the groove 22), and a size of the first aperture diameter of the first charging port is different from a size of the second aperture diameter of the second charging port (Fig. 3 – the size of the first aperture diameter of the first charging port 11 is smaller than the size of the second aperture diameter of the second charging port 12).
Regarding claim 5, Wang also discloses the cover of claim 2, wherein the first sealing portion is different from the second sealing portion in shape, and the first charging port is different from the second charging port in shape (Fig. 3; Fig. 5; Fig. 8 – groove 21 and groove 22 are different in shape, charging port 11 and charging port 12 are different in shape, e.g. at least the flat sections of the grooves and the charging ports are not proportional to sizes of the grooves and the charging ports).
Regarding claim 8, Wang also discloses the cover of claim 1, further comprising: a cover handle arranged on the outer cover side of the cover body (Fig. 8; Fig. 9 – handle 25 is arranged on the outer cover side of the cover 2).
Regarding 9, Wang also discloses the cover of claim 8, wherein the cover handle comprises two hand-held recess portions recessed towards an inner side of the cover body for facilitating a user to hold the cover (Fig. 9; page 5 –a third recess 26 is located each side of the handle towards the inner side of the cover body).
Regarding claim 10, Wang also discloses the cover of claim 1, wherein an inner side wall is provided on an inner side end surface of the cover body (Fig. 4), and wherein the cover further comprises a stop structure which is formed by protruding outwards from the inner side wall (Fig. 4 – a stop structure at the center of the cover is formed by protruding outwards from the inner side wall).
Regarding claim 11, Wang also discloses the cover of claim 1, wherein the first charging port is a direct-current charging port, and the second charging port is an alternating-current charging port (page 4 - the first charging interface is a direct current charging interface and the second charging interface is an alternating current charging interface).
Regarding claim 13, Wang also discloses a cover assembly comprising: the cover of claim 1 (see discussion of claim 1 above); a charging seat comprising the first charging port and the second charging port (Fig. 3 – charging seat 1 comprising the first charging port 11 and the second charging port 12); and a cover connection assembly configured to movably connect the cover to the charging seat, such that the cover is configured to switchably seal any one of the first charging port and the second charging port (Fig. 9; page 6 – fixing rope 27).
Regarding claim 14, Wang also discloses the cover assembly of claim 13, wherein the first aperture diameter of the first charging port is different from the second aperture diameter of the second charging port (Fig. 3 – the charging ports have different aperture diameter).
Regarding claim 15, Wang also discloses the cover assembly of claim 13, wherein the first sealing portion is configured to be in interference fit with the first charging port so as to seal the first charging port (pages 4-5 – groove 21 is configured to be in interference fit with the first charging port 11 so as to seal the first charging port 11), and where the second sealing portion is configured to be in interference fit with the second charging port so as to seal the second charging port (pages 4-5 – groove 22 is configured to be in interference fit with the second charging port 12 so as to seal the second charging port 12).
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 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang as applied to claims 1-5, 8-11, and 13-15 above.
Regarding claim 12, Wang also discloses the cover of claim 1, wherein the cover is made by one piece (pages 2, 4 – made by one piece of elastic material).
However, Wang does not disclose the cover is made through cast molding.
Official Notice is taken that cast molding is well known in the art.
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to incorporate cast molding into making the cover taught by Wang because the method is cost effective since the molds can be reused thus reducing production costs.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-7 and 16-20 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Claim 6 recites, “a cover pivot upper portion and a cover pivot lower portion, the cover pivot upper portion and the cover pivot lower portion being used to connect the cover to a cover connection assembly, wherein the cover pivot upper portion has a first pivot axis, and the cover pivot lower portion has a second pivot axis, and wherein the cover connection assembly is able to be pivotable relative to the cover about the first pivot axis or the second pivot axis,” are a combination of features not disclosed or rendered obvious by prior art of record.
Claim 16 recites, “the cover connection assembly comprises an upper link rod and a lower link rod, wherein the upper link rod has an upper link rod first end and an upper link rod second end, and the lower link rod has a lower link rod first end and a lower link rod second end, wherein the cover comprises a cover pivot upper portion and a cover pivot lower portion, wherein the charging seat comprises an upper pivot connecting portion and a lower pivot connecting portion, wherein the upper link rod first end is pivotably connected to the cover pivot upper portion, wherein the upper link rod second end is pivotably connected to the upper pivot connecting portion, wherein the lower link rod first end is pivotably connected to the cover pivot lower portion, and wherein the lower link rod second end is pivotably connected to the lower pivot connecting portion,” which are a combination of features not disclosed or rendered obvious by prior art of record.
Claims 7 and 17-20 are allowable at least by virtue of dependency.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HUNG Q DANG whose telephone number is (571)270-1116. The examiner can normally be reached IFT.
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, Thai Q Tran can be reached at 571-272-7382. 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.
/HUNG Q DANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2484
Prosecution Insights