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
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)(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.
(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.
Claim(s) 1, 4 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)(a)(2) as being anticipated by Rose et al. [US 20200381874 A1].
Regarding Claim 1, Rose discloses a plug connector part (4, Fig 1) for mechanical and electrical connection to a mating plug connector part (30) for a motor vehicle-side charging socket (vehicle inlet 4) for coupling to a charging plug (30) as components of an electrical charging infrastructure (charging station 2 and charging cable 3) for electric or hybrid motor vehicles (1), the plug connector part (4, Fig 2) comprising: a housing (40) and an electrical contact element (403) located in the housing (40), and a temperature-monitoring device (5, Fig 3) having a planar carrier element (50) and at least one temperature sensor (56, Fig 11) located on the planar carrier element (50), the planar carrier element (50) being attached to the contact element (403), wherein the carrier element (50) is thermally coupled to the contact element (403) with the aid of at least one spring element (42, see [0068]), and wherein the carrier element (50) is positioned tangentially on the contact element (403).
Regarding Claim 4, Rose discloses all the limitations of claim 1, Rose further discloses the carrier element (50) has a sensor board with conductor tracks (metallization sections 560 connected to lines 57) for the electrical transmission of sensor signals.
Regarding Claim 12, Rose discloses all the limitations of claim 1, Rose further discloses the contact element (403) is cylindrical and the carrier element (50) is flexibly attached (via elastic clip arms 501, 502 and relief recess 411 providing elastic deformation and flexible clipping) to the contact element (403).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rose et al. [US 20200381874 A1] in view of Feldner et al. [US 20190260146 A1].
Regarding Claim 14, Rose discloses all the limitations of claim 4, Rose further discloses a control unit (control device, see [0082]) that monitors a temperature of the contact element (403), Rose does not explicitly disclose the at least one spring element is configured as an electrical contact that transmits sensor signals from the sensor board to the control unit.
However, Feldner discloses a charging connector (1, Fig 1) wherein a spring element (spring-force apparatus 30, Fig 4B-4C) is electrically conductive (made of spring steel) and is configured as an electrical contact that transmits sensor signals/ electrical data between the sensor board (20) and the control electronics, see [0061-0063].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Rose as suggested by Feldner to provide the at least one spring element is configured as an electrical contact that transmits sensor signals from the sensor board to the control unit. Doing so would simplify internal wiring and simplify assembly as recognized by Feldner.
Claim(s) 1-3, 10 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Malandain et al. [US 20230133568 A1] in view of Feldner et al. [US 20190260146 A1].
Regarding Claim 1, Malandain discloses a plug connector part (10, Fig 1) for mechanical and electrical connection to a mating plug connector part (14) for a motor vehicle-side charging socket for coupling to a charging plug as components of an electrical charging infrastructure for electric or hybrid motor vehicles, the plug connector part (10) comprising: a housing (18) and an electrical contact element (20) located in the housing (18), and a temperature-monitoring device having a planar carrier element (40, Fig 2) and at least one temperature sensor (42, 44) located on the planar carrier element (40), the planar carrier element (40) being attached to the contact element (20), wherein the carrier element (40) is thermally coupled to the contact element (20) with the aid forced mounting pressure/retention wall structure (30) pressing carrier element (40) against contact element (20), and wherein the carrier element (40) is positioned tangentially on the contact element (20). Malandain does not explicitly disclose a spring element aiding the carrier element coupling to the contact element.
However, Feldner discloses clamping a carrier element (planer printed circuit board 20) to a contact element (40) with a spring force apparatus (30) to establish thermal coupling.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Malandain as suggested by Feldner to provide a spring element aiding the carrier element coupling to the contact element. Doing so allows the carrier element and the contact element to maintain contact pressure and accommodate thermal tolerances as recognized by Feldner and would provide predictable results.
Regarding Claim 2, Malandain and Feldner disclose all the limitations of claim 1, Malandain further discloses the contact element (20) has on a housing side (32) an insulating collar (retaining walls 68, 70) with an insertion opening (grooves 60, 62) for the carrier element (40).
Regarding Claim 3, Malandain and Feldner disclose all the limitations of claim 2, Malandain further discloses the insertion opening (60, 62) is adapted in size to the temperature sensor (42, 44) such that when the carrier element (40) is installed in the insertion opening (60, 62), and they are sized to closely receive opposite side edges (64, 66) of the carrier element (40) and match the axial surface (via cylindrical surface portions 72 of the retention walls 68, 70) of the contact element (20). Malandain and the prior art of record do not explicitly disclose when the carrier element is installed in the insertion opening, there are no uncovered regions of the contact element.
Regarding Claim 10, Malandain and Feldner disclose all the limitations of claim 1, Malandain further discloses the carrier element (40) is equipped with two opposing temperature sensors (42, 44) that monitor two respective contact elements (20, 22).
Regarding Claim 13, Malandain and Feldner disclose all the limitations of claim 1, Malandain further discloses the carrier element (40) is configured as a rectangular strip and the carrier element (40) is located in a region of a contact surface of the carrier element (40) with the contact element (20).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-9 and 11 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 Claim 5, the prior art of record do not explicitly disclose the carrier element has a sheath which is both heat-conducting and electrically insulating, along with all other limitations of claim 5, 4 and 1.
Claims 6-9 and 11 are objected to as they are dependent on claim 5.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THASLIMUR RAHMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5831. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9-6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tulsidas Patel can be reached at 571 272 2098. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/THASLIMUR RAHMAN/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/TULSIDAS C PATEL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
