CTNF 18/834,457 CTNF 79415 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 § 112 The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b): (b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. Claims 4 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. Claim 4 recites the limitation “the four areas”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 3 recites four inspection areas, but claim 4 depends from claim 1 which does not recite these elements. It is assumed that applicant intended claim 4 to depend from claim 3 instead, however the claim must be amended to reflect the proper claim elements. Claim 6 is rejected as being dependent upon claim 4. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1-2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (US 2021/0184280, hereafter Kim) With respect to claim 1, Kim teaches a battery visual inspection system comprising: a first inspection unit (side portion inspecting device 300) configured to inspect a side of a battery in an upright state; a second inspection unit (upper/lower portion inspecting device 400) configured to inspect a top and a bottom of the battery while the battery is oriented in an upright state; and a first moving unit (transporting device 200) configured to move the battery along a horizontal direction from the first inspection unit to the second inspection unit. (par. 53, Figs. 1-12) With respect to claim 2, Kim teaches a second moving unit (elevation unit 310) configured to move the battery along a vertical direction perpendicular to the horizontal direction. (par. 69-70, Figs. 5-8) Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-20-02-aia AIA This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 3-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of Kimura et al. (JP 2016-217765, hereafter Kimura) With respect to claim 3, Kim teaches all that is claimed, as in the above rejection, except for explicitly teaching the first inspection unit is configured to inspect the side of the battery by dividing it into four areas sequentially arranged about a circumference of the battery. Kimura teaches a battery visual inspection system comprising a first inspection unit (inspection apparatus 1) configured to inspect the side of a battery (object 100c) by dividing it into four areas sequentially arranged about a circumference of the battery. (translation pgs. 3-4, Fig. 2) It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the system of Kim to include inspection of four sides of a battery, as taught by Kimura, in order to inspect the battery in a shorter period of time without the need for a structure to move the battery so that each side faces the camera. With respect to claims 4-5, Kim teaches all that is claimed, as in the above rejection, except wherein the first inspection unit comprises: a first lighting portion configured to irradiate light in a direction toward the side of the battery; a plurality of first reflection portions configured to reflect the light irradiated from the first lighting portion to make it incident on each of the four areas; and a first photographing portion configured to capture images of the four areas using incident light reflected by the plurality of first reflection portions and a second lighting portion that configured to irradiates light in a direction toward at least one of the top or the bottom of the battery. Kimura teaches a battery visual inspection system comprising a first inspection unit (inspection apparatus 1) configured to inspect the side of a battery (object 100c), comprising a first lighting portion (illumination member 7) configured to irradiate light in a direction toward the side of the battery; a plurality of first reflection portions (first reflection members 3) configured to reflect the light irradiated from the first lighting portion to make it incident on each of four areas; and a first photographing portion (imaging unit 6) configured to capture images of the four areas using incident light reflected by the plurality of first reflection portions. (translation pgs. 3-4 and 6, Fig. 2) It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the system of Kim to include reflection portions and an imaging unit for inspection of four sides of a battery, as taught by Kimura, in order to inspect the battery in a shorter period of time without the need for a structure to move the battery so that each side faces the camera. It should be noted that light directed toward the object is also generally directed toward the top and bottom of the object. With respect to claim 6, Kim teaches all that is claimed, as in the above rejection, except for explicitly teaching the first inspection unit comprises a path adjustment portion configured to adjust a path of at least a part of the light irradiated from the first lighting portion and incident on the plurality of first reflection portions, and configured to adjust at least a part of a light reflected from the side of the battery and reflected by the plurality of first reflection portions. Kimura teaches a battery visual inspection system comprising a first inspection unit (inspection apparatus 1) configured to inspect the side of a battery (object 100c), comprising a first lighting portion configured to irradiate light in a direction toward the side of the battery; a plurality of first reflection portions (first reflection members 3) configured to reflect the light irradiated from the first lighting portion to make it incident on each of four areas; and a path adjustment portion configured to adjust a path of at least a part of the light irradiated from the first lighting portion and incident on the plurality of first reflection portions, and configured to adjust at least a part of a light reflected from the side of the battery and reflected by the plurality of first reflection portions. (translation pgs. 3-4, Fig. 2) It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the system of Kim to include reflection portions and a path adjustment portion, as taught by Kimura, in order to inspect batteries of different sizes more effectively . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 7-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of Hou et al. (CN 114252396, hereafter Hou) With respect to claim 7, Kim teaches all that is claimed, as in the above rejection, except for a rotating unit configured to flip the battery so that positions of the top and the bottom of the battery are reversed. Hou teaches a battery visual inspection system comprising a rotating unit (first reversing device 16) configured to flip the battery so that positions of the top and the bottom of the battery are reversed. (translation pgs. 5-6, Fig. 14) It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the system of Kim to include a battery rotating unit, as taught by Hou, so that both the top and the bottom of the battery can be efficiently inspected with the same imaging unit. With respect to claim 8, Kim, as modified by Hou, teaches the rotating unit comprises: a handle configured to hold the battery; and a rotating part configured to rotate together with the handle. (translation pgs. 5-6, Fig. 14) Although the handle and rotating part are not explicitly taught as cylinders, it would have been obvious to modify the structure to any desired shape that can be appropriately manipulated. With respect to claim 9, Kim teaches all that is claimed, as in the above rejection, except wherein the second moving unit is configured to support a bottom surface of the battery that is seated in an upright state on a carrier mounted to the first moving unit, and the second moving unit is configured to raise and lower the battery in the vertical direction. Hou teaches a battery visual inspection system comprising a second moving unit is configured to support a bottom surface of the battery that is seated in an upright state on a carrier mounted to the first moving unit, and the second moving unit is configured to raise and lower the battery in the vertical direction. (translation pgs. 5, Figs. 1-3) It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the system of Kim to include a second moving unit that supports a bottom surface of the battery, as taught by Hou, in order to move the batteries using a well-understood alternative mechanism. With respect to claim 10, Kim teaches a battery visual inspection method comprising: a first inspection step (using side portion inspecting device 300) of inspecting a side of a battery in an upright state; a first horizontal movement step (using transporting device 200), after the first inspection step, of moving the battery in a horizontal direction; a second inspection step (using upper/lower portion inspecting device 400) of inspecting either a top or a bottom of the battery while the battery is oriented in an upright state; and a second horizontal movement step, after the second inspection step, of moving the battery in the horizontal direction. (par. 53, 105-128, Figs. 1-12) Kim does not explicitly teach a rotating step of flipping the battery so that positions of the top and the bottom of the battery are reversed; and a third inspection step of inspecting a portion of the top or the bottom of the battery that was not inspected during the second inspection step, while the battery is oriented in the upright state. Hou teaches a battery visual inspection system comprising a rotating unit (first reversing device 16) configured to flip the battery so that positions of the top and the bottom of the battery are reversed. (translation pgs. 5-6, Fig. 14) It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the method of Kim to include a battery rotating step and a third inspection step, as taught by Hou, so that both the top and the bottom of the battery can be efficiently inspected with the same imaging unit . Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. KR 20180076466, KR 102312730 and EP 4269989 each teach an invention having similarities to the claimed subject matter . Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jill E Culler whose telephone number is (571)272-2159. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30-5:00. 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, Stephen Meier can be reached at 571-272-2149. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. 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If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /JILL E CULLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/834,457 Page 2 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/834,457 Page 3 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/834,457 Page 4 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/834,457 Page 5 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/834,457 Page 6 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/834,457 Page 7 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/834,457 Page 8 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/834,457 Page 9 Art Unit: 2853
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