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.
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Kobayashi [JP 2023-68403].
Regarding claim 1: Kobayashi shows a vehicle comprising: an electric device (20) housed between a seat (60) of the vehicle and a floor panel (44); and a cover (32C+ 32F+32R) having a cavity configured to cover an upper side and a lateral side of the electric device below the seat (60) and to expose a lower side of the electric device to the floor panel, the cover being fixed to the floor panel (44).
Regarding claim 2: Kobayashi shows wherein: the cover includes a top wall portion (32C) having a generally flat shape; and the electric device is fixed to the top wall portion (32C) and housed in the cavity.
Regarding claim 3: Kobayashi shows further comprising a seal member (“… with a sealing member such as a packing sandwiched therebetween…”) provided on a portion on the floor panel (44) corresponding to a lower edge of the cover, wherein the lower edge is pressed against the seal member (“… with a sealing member such as a packing sandwiched therebetween…”) so that a liquid-tight seal is provided between the lower edge and the floor panel.
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.
Claims 4 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kobayashi [JP 2023-68403] in view of Shimada [US Pat # 11,152,665].
Regarding claim 4: Kobayashi shows wherein the cover (32C+ 32F+32R) includes a bracket extending upward from the lower edge and fixed to a cross member of the vehicle. Kobayashi does not show the bracket is obliquely upward however Shimada shows the bracket (235) is obliquely upward (see fig 7).
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective to have made the bracket oblique to distribute the load and prevent stress concentration.
Regarding claim 5: Kobayashi shows wherein the electric device includes a charger; and a secondary battery module is housed below the floor panel (“… plurality of battery cells. A battery cell is typically a secondary battery…”).
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Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZAKARIA ELAHMADI whose telephone number is (571)270-5324. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 10-6 EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Minnah Seoh can be reached on 571-270-7778. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ZAKARIA ELAHMADI/
Examiner, Art Unit 3618
Prosecution Insights