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.
(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, 7-14, 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wang, US 20210143650.
Regarding claim 1, Wang discloses: A power tool (Fig. 1, mower 100) comprising:
a housing (Fig. 3, power supply device 16 battery compartments 162);
a motor (Fig. 4, motors 131 and 143) within the housing;
a user interface (Fig. 1, operating device);
a first battery pack interface configured to receive a first battery pack (Fig. 4, shows up to 6 batteries 161, each with battery compartments 162, each having a battery port 164);
a second battery pack interface configured to receive a second battery pack (Fig. 4, shows up to 6 batteries 161, each with battery compartments 162, each having a battery port 164); and
a controller (Fig. 4, power management module 163) connected to the motor, the user interface, the first battery pack interface, and the second battery pack interface, the controller configured to:
detect that the first battery pack is connected to the first battery pack interface ([0047]),
detect that the second battery pack is connected to the second battery pack interface ([0047]),
drive the motor via a discharge of the first battery pack (see Figs. 4-14, in particular Figs. 7 and 9),
detect that the first battery pack is depleted (see Figs. 4-14, in particular Figs. 5-6 and 9-14, for example Fig. 5, S105, Fig. 6, S207 ), and
drive, in response to detecting that the first battery pack is depleted, the motor via a discharge of the second battery pack (see Figs. 4-14, in particular Figs. 5-6 and 9-14, for example Fig. 5, S105, Fig. 6, S207 ).
Regarding claim 2, Wang further discloses: a direct current (DC) link configured to provide energy for a short period to the controller when switching between discharging the first battery pack and discharging the second battery pack (see Figs. 7 and 9).
Regarding claim 3, Wang further discloses: to detect that the first battery pack is depleted, the controller is configured to determine that a voltage of the first battery pack has reached a low- voltage cutoff threshold (see Figs. 4-14, in particular Figs. 5-6 and 9-14, for example Fig. 5, S105, Fig. 6, S207 ).
Regarding claim 4, Wang further discloses: the controller is configured to drive the motor, via the discharge of the first battery pack, at a speed selected via the user interface (see Figs. 4 and 15).
Regarding claim 5, Wang further discloses: the controller is configured to monitor the speed of the motor and to regulate a voltage drawn from the first battery pack and the second battery pack to control the speed of operation of the motor (see Figs. 4-14, in particular Figs. 4, 7 and 9).
Regarding claim 7, Wang further discloses: the user interface includes a battery pack discharge selector configured to select which of the first battery pack and the second battery pack is to be discharged (see Figs. 4-14, in particular Figs. 5-6 and 9-14, for example Fig. 5, S105, Fig. 6, S207 ).
Regarding claim 8, Wang further discloses: the battery pack discharge selector is configured to enable a user to change which battery pack is being discharged before the battery pack being discharged is depleted (the Wang reference discusses preset thresholds for voltage, current, temperature, and how these trigger the changing of the battery pack before depletion. Numerous examples of this include (but are not limited to); “[0068] “When at least two battery packs 161 satisfy the discharge condition, the at least two battery packs 161 can together discharge only when voltages of the at least two battery packs 161 are equal or substantially equal, that is, only when a voltage difference of the at least two battery packs 161 is within a preset range can the at least two battery packs 161 jointly discharge. In this example, the voltages of the at least two battery packs 161 being equal refers to that a voltage difference between every two battery packs in the plurality of battery packs 161 is less than the preset voltage difference threshold, and the preset voltage difference threshold may be 2V, 1V, or the like.”, [0070] “In the discharge process of the power supply device 16, the voltage monitoring circuit 165, a temperature monitoring circuit, and the current detection circuit 166 which are correlated with each battery pack 161 monitor the temperature of each battery pack 161, the voltage of each battery pack 161, the current of a single battery pack circuit, and a switching tube on each battery pack circuit in real time. If the battery pack 161 has an abnormal state such as overtemperature, overcurrent of a battery pack circuit, or internal cell voltage imbalance in the discharge process, the power management module 163 enables the battery pack 161 to stop working and removes the battery pack 161 from a discharge battery pack queue, such that the battery pack 161 exits a discharge state without affecting the operation of the whole machine”, [0090] “In the discharge process of the power supply device 16, if the temperature of the battery pack 161 is greater than or equal to the preset temperature threshold, the power supply management module 163 adds the battery pack 161 to the discharge queue after waiting for the temperature of the battery pack 161 changing to be less than the preset temperature threshold and controls the battery pack 161 to discharge”).
Regarding claim 9, Wang further discloses: the user interface further includes state of charge indicators configured to display a first state of charge of the first battery pack and a second state of charge of the second battery pack ([0258] “Referring to FIG. 15, the riding-type mower 100 includes a display module 19, and the display module 19 can display status information of the power supply device 16 of the riding-type mower 100. The status information of the power supply device 16 includes battery capacity information and remaining working time of the power supply device 16, battery capacity information of each battery pack 161 inserted into the battery compartment 162, and the like such that it is convenient for the user to check state of the power supply device 16 and state of the battery pack 161 so as to arrange the subsequent work of the riding-type mower 100.”).
Regarding claim 10, Wang discloses: A system (Fig. 1, mower 100) comprising:
a motor (Fig. 4, motors 131 and 143);
a user interface (Fig. 1, operating device);
a first battery pack interface configured to receive a first battery pack (Fig. 4, shows up to 6 batteries 161, each with battery compartments 162, each having a battery port 164);
a second battery pack interface configured to receive a second battery pack (Fig. 4, shows up to 6 batteries 161, each with battery compartments 162, each having a battery port 164); and
a controller (Fig. 4, power management module 163) connected to the motor, the user interface, the first battery pack interface, and the second battery pack interface,
the controller configured to:
detect that the first battery pack is connected to the first battery pack interface ([0047]),
detect that the second battery pack is connected to the second battery pack interface([0047]),
drive the motor via a discharge of the first battery pack (see Figs. 4-14, in particular Figs. 7 and 9),
detect that the first battery pack is depleted, and drive, in response to detecting that the first battery pack is depleted, the motor via a discharge of the second battery pack (see Figs. 4-14, in particular Figs. 5-6 and 9-14, for example Fig. 5, S105, Fig. 6, S207 ).
Regarding claim 11, Wang further discloses: a direct current (DC) link configured to provide energy for a short period to the controller when switching between discharging the first battery pack and discharging the second battery pack (see Figs. 7 and 9).
Regarding claim 12, Wang further discloses: to detect that the first battery pack is depleted, the controller is configured to determine that a voltage of the first battery pack has reached a low- voltage cutoff threshold (see Figs. 4-14, in particular Figs. 5-6 and 9-14, for example Fig. 5, S105, Fig. 6, S207 ).
Regarding claim 13, Wang further discloses: the controller is configured to drive the motor, via the discharge of the first battery pack, at a speed selected via the user interface (see Figs. 4 and 15).
Regarding claim 14, Wang further discloses: the controller is configured to monitor the speed of the motor and to regulate a voltage drawn from the first battery pack and the second battery pack to control the speed of operation of the motor (see Figs. 4-14, in particular Figs. 4, 7 and 9).
Regarding claim 16, Wang further discloses: the user interface includes a battery pack discharge selector for selecting which of the first battery pack and the second battery pack is to be discharged (see Figs. 4-14, in particular Figs. 5-6 and 9-14, for example Fig. 5, S105, Fig. 6, S207 ).
Regarding claim 17, Wang further discloses: the battery pack discharge selector is configured to enable a user to change which battery pack is being discharged before the battery pack being discharged is depleted (the Wang reference discusses preset thresholds for voltage, current, temperature, and how these trigger the changing of the battery pack before depletion. Numerous examples of this include (but are not limited to); “[0068] “When at least two battery packs 161 satisfy the discharge condition, the at least two battery packs 161 can together discharge only when voltages of the at least two battery packs 161 are equal or substantially equal, that is, only when a voltage difference of the at least two battery packs 161 is within a preset range can the at least two battery packs 161 jointly discharge. In this example, the voltages of the at least two battery packs 161 being equal refers to that a voltage difference between every two battery packs in the plurality of battery packs 161 is less than the preset voltage difference threshold, and the preset voltage difference threshold may be 2V, 1V, or the like.”, [0070] “In the discharge process of the power supply device 16, the voltage monitoring circuit 165, a temperature monitoring circuit, and the current detection circuit 166 which are correlated with each battery pack 161 monitor the temperature of each battery pack 161, the voltage of each battery pack 161, the current of a single battery pack circuit, and a switching tube on each battery pack circuit in real time. If the battery pack 161 has an abnormal state such as overtemperature, overcurrent of a battery pack circuit, or internal cell voltage imbalance in the discharge process, the power management module 163 enables the battery pack 161 to stop working and removes the battery pack 161 from a discharge battery pack queue, such that the battery pack 161 exits a discharge state without affecting the operation of the whole machine”, [0090] “In the discharge process of the power supply device 16, if the temperature of the battery pack 161 is greater than or equal to the preset temperature threshold, the power supply management module 163 adds the battery pack 161 to the discharge queue after waiting for the temperature of the battery pack 161 changing to be less than the preset temperature threshold and controls the battery pack 161 to discharge”).
Regarding claim 18, Wang further discloses: the user interface further includes state of charge indicators configured to display a first state of charge of the first battery pack and a second state of charge of the second battery pack ([0258] “Referring to FIG. 15, the riding-type mower 100 includes a display module 19, and the display module 19 can display status information of the power supply device 16 of the riding-type mower 100. The status information of the power supply device 16 includes battery capacity information and remaining working time of the power supply device 16, battery capacity information of each battery pack 161 inserted into the battery compartment 162, and the like such that it is convenient for the user to check state of the power supply device 16 and state of the battery pack 161 so as to arrange the subsequent work of the riding-type mower 100.”).
Regarding claim 19, Wang discloses: A method for controlling a power tool (Fig. 1, mower 100), the method comprising:
detecting, using a controller (Fig. 4, power management module 163), that a first battery pack is connected to a first battery pack interface ([0047]) (see Figs. 4-14, in particular Figs. 5, 7 and 9);
detecting, using the controller, that a second battery pack is connected to a second battery pack interface ([0047]), (see Figs. 4-14, in particular Figs. 5, 7 and 9);
driving, using the controller, a motor via a discharge of the first battery pack (see Figs. 4-14, in particular Figs. 7 and 9);
determining, using the controller, that the first battery pack is depleted (see Figs. 4-14, in particular Figs. 5-6 and 9-14, for example Fig. 5, S105, Fig. 6, S207 ),; and
driving, using the controller and in response to detecting that the first battery pack is depleted, the motor via a discharge of the second battery pack (see Figs. 4-14, in particular Figs. 5-6 and 9-14, for example Fig. 5, S105, Fig. 6, S207 ),
Regarding claim 20, Wang further discloses: selecting, using a battery pack discharge selector, which of the first battery pack and the second battery pack is to be discharged (see Figs. 4-14).
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 6 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang in view of Mitchell, US 20230366219.
Regarding claims 6 and 15, Wang discloses the device of claims 1 and 10.
Wang does not explicitly disclose: the controller is further configured to: control an angle of a trowel blade based on a user input received via the user interface.
Mitchell teaches: the controller is further configured to: control an angle of a trowel blade based on a user input received via the user interface (“[0009] In some aspects, the controller is further configured to monitor the motion of the power trowel, and adjust at least one of the speed setting and the pitch angle based on the motion of the power trowel. [0010] In some aspects, the power trowel further includes a machine learning controller configured to determine, based on the output signals, the speed setting for the blade assembly and the pitch angle for the trowel blade”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the time of filing to utilize a controller to adjust the angle of a trowel blade as taught by Mitchell in combination of the device of Wang, thereby combining prior art elements to achieve a predictable result. The Examiner notes two things; 1) the use of blade control in a mower type device is a common feature in an electrically powered mower. This feature allows the mower to better cut grass and prevent “scalping” based upon the contour of the ground upon which it rides As a teaching reference to describe this feature, the Examiner would reference Becke, US 20210100166, which utilizes blade height and angle control ([0130] “… In one embodiment, the blade adjustment motor 78 is configured to adjust the height and/or angle of the blade control ring 82… In one embodiment, the blade angle can be controlled so that it remains essentially parallel to the ground.”); 2) The battery control module and management device of Wang need not be used in a mower, and could very easily be adapted to a Mitchell type power trowel. As seen in Wang Figs. 4, 7 and 9, the wiring diagram is generic, and could be used in any other type of power tool using similar components. As such, the benefits of the multi-battery setup in Wang would positively benefit the Mitchell device, providing the same battery management and extra power sources that it provides to Wang.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL JEREMY LEEDS whose telephone number is (571)272-2095. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs, 0730-1730.
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/DANIEL JEREMY LEEDS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3731