6DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
Reply Under 37 CFR 1.111
The submission of the reply filed on June 24, 2025 to the non-final Office action of , 2025 is acknowledged. The Office action on the currently pending claims 1, 3-12 and 14-22 follows.
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.
Claims 1, 4-6, 8-12, 15, 17-19, and 21-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin (US 20090322460) in view of Liu et al (CN 214152683 U, hereinafter referred to as “Liu”) (of record, cited in the IDS, including Original Document and Translation1).
Regarding claim 1, Lin (Figs. 1-3) discloses a fluid-cooled electrical component comprising: a housing (2) having: a bottom wall (bottom wall/wall of 2 in which the center 210 and 220 respectively enters and exits and opposite from the surface with 20 where 1 is inserted; see annotated Fig. 3 below); an outer wall (peripheral wall of 2 wrapping around 1; see annotated Fig. 3 below) extending from a first surface (surface of bottom wall of 2 onto which 1 is inserted/placed; see annotated Fig. 3 below) of the bottom wall (outer wall extending from first surface of bottom wall: see annotated Fig. 3 below); an inner wall (wall closer to center of 2 around which 1 wraps around; see annotated Fig. 3 below) extending from the first surface of the bottom wall (inner wall that 1 wraps around the periphery of: see annotated Fig. 3 below) (inner wall extending from first surface of bottom wall: see annotated Fig. 3 below), the outer and inner walls forming a first cavity (20) therebetween (first cavity therebetween: see annotated Fig. 3 below: 20 separates the inner wall from the outer wall); and one or more fluid channels (portion of water channel between 210 and 220 that is fully inside 2; see annotated Fig. 3 below) fully disposed within the housing (one or more fluid channels fluidly disposed within housing: see annotated Fig. 3 below and Figs. 1-3) and extending through the bottom wall directly into and horizontally along the inner wall (one or more fluid channels extending through bottom wall directly into and horizontally along inner wall: see Figs. 1-3 and annotated Fig. 3 below: the channel passes directly from the bottom wall into the inner wall and then travels horizontally through the inner wall), the one or more fluid channels configured to pass a cooling fluid (cooling water described by [0007] and [0017]-[0019], which flows through the channel in 2) therethrough without flowing the cooling fluid through a radial center region (radially central region of 2 surrounded by the four inner holes as shown in Fig. 2) (one or more fluid channels configured to pass cooling fluid therethrough without flowing cooling fluid through radial center region: see Figs. 1-3 and [0017]-[0019]: as indicated by Figs. 1-3, the channels are shown not to cross through the radially central region, but rather from 210 to the adjacent 220 on the same side of 23, remaining relatively close to 1); a first electrical component (1 and 10 combined) disposed in the first cavity (first electrical component disposed in first cavity: see Figs. 1-3 and [0019]); wherein the first electrical component is configured to expel heat (heat described by [0018]-[0019]) through the housing into the cooling fluid (first electrical component configured to expel heat through housing into cooling fluid: see [0018]-[0019] and Figs. 1-3).
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However Lin does not disclose the inner wall forming a second cavity therewithin; and one or more fluid channels fully disposed within the housing and extending through the bottom wall directly into and radially along the inner wall, the one or more fluid channels configured to pass a cooling fluid therethrough without flowing the cooling fluid within the second cavity; and a second electrical component disposed in the second cavity, wherein the second electrical component is configured to expel heat through the housing into the cooling fluid.
Liu (Figs. 1-3) teaches the inner wall (5 between 2 and 3 as taught by [0027]/[n0022] and shown in Fig. 1) forming a cavity (cavity/space inside the 5 between 1 and 2 as taught by [0027]/[n0022]; i.e. the cavity/space in which 1 is placed) therewithin (cavity therewithin: see Fig. 1 and [0027]/[n0022]); and one or more fluid channels (2) extending radially along the inner wall (one or more fluid channels extending radially along inner wall: see Figs. 1-2: 2 extends partly along a radius of an area between 1 and 2 and within 5); and a second electrical component (1) disposed in a cavity (second electrical component disposed in cavity: see Figs. 1-2 and [0027]/[n0022]), the second electrical component being configured to expel heat through housing into the cooling fluid (second electrical component configured to expel heat through housing into cooling fluid: see [0028]/[n0023]).
It would have therefore been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lin with Liu such that the fluid-cooled housing has the inner wall forming a second cavity at the radial center; and one or more fluid channels fully disposed within the housing (specifically the inner wall of the housing, which is consistent with both Lin and Liu) and extending through the bottom wall directly into and radially along the inner wall (while the number of fluid channels and the placement of their inlets and outlets are not modified, the horizontal path travelled is made radially around the introduced second cavity, taught by Fig. 2 of Liu), the one or more fluid channels configured to pass a cooling fluid therethrough without flowing the cooling fluid within the second cavity; and a second electrical component disposed in the second cavity and configured to expel heat through the housing and into the cooling fluid (and thus both the first and second electrical component are configured to expel heat through the housing into the cooling fluid, as claimed). The purpose of this would be the predictable result of suppressing inrush current and reactive power compensation (see [0005]/[n0003]) due to the second electrical component being disposed in the second cavity.
Regarding claim 12, Lin (Figs. 1-3) discloses a fluid-cooled housing for electrical components having: a bottom wall (bottom wall/wall of 2 in which the center 210 and 220 respectively enters and exits and opposite from the surface with 20 where 1 is inserted; see annotated Fig. 3 of claim 1 rejection); an outer wall (peripheral wall of 2 wrapping around 1; see annotated Fig. 3 of claim 1 rejection) extending from a first surface (surface of bottom wall of 2 onto which 1 is inserted/placed; see annotated Fig. 3 of claim 1 rejection) of the bottom wall (outer wall extending from first surface of bottom wall: see annotated Fig. 3 of claim 1 rejection); an inner wall (wall closer to center of 2 around which 1 wraps around; see annotated Fig. 3 of claim 1 rejection) extending from the first surface of the bottom wall (inner wall extending from first surface of bottom wall: see annotated Fig. 3 of claim 1 rejection), the outer and inner walls forming a first cavity (20) therebetween configured to receive a first electrical component (1 and 10 combined) (first cavity adapted and configured to receive first electrical component: see Fig. 1-3 and [0019]); and one or more fluid channels (portion of water channel between 210 and 220 that is fully inside 2; see annotated Fig. 3 of claim 1 rejection) fully disposed within the housing (fully disposed within housing: see annotated Fig. 3 of claim 1 rejection and Figs. 1-3) and extending through and horizontally along the inner wall (fluid channels extending through and horizontally along inner wall: see Figs. 1-3 and annotated Fig. 3 of claim 1 rejection: the channel passes directly from the bottom wall into the inner wall and then travels horizontally through the inner wall), the one or more fluid channels configured to pass a cooling fluid (cooling water described by [0007] and [0017]-[0019], which flows through the channel in 2) therethrough without flowing the cooling fluid through a radial center region (radially central region of 2 surrounded by the four inner holes as shown in Fig. 2) (one or more fluid channels configured to pass cooling fluid therethrough without flowing cooling fluid through radial center region: see Figs. 1-3 and [0017]-[0019]: as indicated by Figs. 1-3, the channels are shown not to cross through the radially central region, but rather from 210 to the adjacent 220 on the same side of 23, remaining relatively close to 1).
However, Lin does not disclose the inner wall forming a second cavity therewithin configured to receive a second electrical component; and one or more fluid channels fully disposed within the housing and extending through and radially along the inner wall (while the number of fluid channels and the placement of their inlets and outlets are not modified, the horizontal path travelled is made radially around the introduced second cavity, taught by Fig. 2 of Liu), the one or more fluid channels configured to pass a cooling fluid therethrough without flowing the cooling fluid within the second cavity.
Liu (Figs. 1-3) teaches the inner wall (5 between 2 and 3 as taught by [0027]/[n0022] and shown in Fig. 1) forming a cavity (cavity/space inside the 5 between 1 and 2 as taught by [0027]/[n0022]; i.e. the cavity/space in which 1 is placed) therewithin (cavity therewithin: see Fig. 1 and [0027]/[n0022]) configured to receive a second electrical component (1) (cavity configured to receive second electrical component: see Figs. 1-2 and [0027]/[n0022]) and one or more fluid channels (2) extending radially along the inner wall (one or more fluid channels extending radially along inner wall: see Figs. 1-2: 2 extends partly along a radius of an area between 1 and 2 and within 5).
It would have therefore been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lin with Liu such that the fluid-cooled housing has the inner wall forming a second cavity therewithin at the radial center configured to receive a second electrical component at its radial center; and one or more fluid channels fully disposed within the housing (specifically the inner wall of the housing, which is consistent with both Lin and Liu) and extending through and radially along the inner wall (while the number of fluid channels and the placement of their inlets and outlets are not modified, the horizontal path travelled is made radially around the introduced second cavity, taught by Fig. 2 of Liu), the one or more fluid channels configured to pass a cooling fluid therethrough without flowing the cooling fluid within the second cavity. The purpose of this would be the predictable result of suppressing inrush current and reactive power compensation (see [0005]/[n0003]) due to providing the second electrical component within the second cavity.
Regarding claims 4 and 17, Lin, as modified by Liu, teaches the fluid-cooled electrical component of claim 1 and the fluid-cooled housing of claim 12, respectively.
Lin further discloses wherein the first electrical component (1 and 10 combined) is an inductor (see Figs. 1-3, [0007], and [0017]-[0019]: 1 and 10 form an inductor).
Regarding claims 5 and 18, Lin, as modified by Liu, teaches the fluid-cooled electrical component of claim 4 and the fluid-cooled housing of claim 17, respectively.
Lin further discloses wherein the inductor (1 and 10 combined, see Figs. 1-3, [0007], and [0017]-[0019]: 1 and 10 form an inductor) is substantially toroidal in shape (inductor substantially toroidal in shape: see Figs. 1-3, [0007], and [0017]-[0019]: 1 and 10 form an inductor that is toroidal in shape/is ring-shaped).
Regarding claims 6 and 19, Lin, as modified by Liu, teaches the fluid-cooled electrical component of claim 1 and the fluid-cooled housing of claim 12, respectively.
Liu further teaches wherein the second electrical component (1) is a capacitor (see [0024]/[n0020]).
It would have therefore been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the modified Lin with Liu such that the second electrical component is a capacitor. The purpose of this would be the predictable result of providing the suppression of inrush current and reactive power compensation (see [0005]/[n0003]) as described in (Claim 6: claim 1; Claim 19: claim 12).
Regarding claims 8 and 21, Lin, as modified by Liu, teaches the fluid-cooled electrical component of claim 1 and the fluid-cooled housing of claim 12, respectively.
Liu further teaches wherein the inner wall (5 between 2 and 3 as taught by [0027]/[n0022] and shown in Fig. 1) is substantially annular (see Fig. 1-2).
It would have therefore been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the modified Lin with Liu such that the inner wall is substantially annular. The purpose of this would be the predictable result of providing the cavity to place the capacitor for the suppression of inrush current and reactive power compensation (see [0005]/[n0003]) as described in (Claim 8: claim 1; Claim 21: claim 12).
Regarding claim 9 and 22, Lin, as modified by Liu, teaches the fluid-cooled electrical component of claim 1 and the fluid-cooled housing of claim 12, respectively.
Lin further discloses wherein the one or more fluid channels (portion of water channel between 210 and 220 that is fully inside 2; see annotated Fig. 3 of claim 1 rejection) (Claim 9: within; Claim 22: formed in) the inner wall (wall closer to center of 2 around which 1 wraps around; see annotated Fig. 3 of claim 1 rejection) (one or more fluid channels within/formed in inner wall: see Figs. 1-3 and annotated Fig. 3 of claim 1 rejection) are disposed between the first cavity (20) and the radial center region (radially central region of 2 surrounded by the four inner holes as shown in Fig. 2) (one or more fluid channels formed in inner wall are disposed between first cavity and radial center region: see Figs. 1-3, [0017]-[0019], and annotated Fig. 3 of claim 1 rejection: as indicated by Figs. 1-3, the channels are shown not to cross through the radially central region, but rather from 210 to the adjacent 220 on the same side of 23, remaining relatively close to 1, and thus as previously defined, the channel is between 20 and the radially central region).
However, the modified Lin does not teach wherein the one or more fluid channels within the inner wall are disposed between the first cavity and the second cavity.
Liu (Figs. 1-3) teaches the inner wall (5 between 2 and 3 as taught by [0027]/[n0022] and shown in Fig. 1) forming a cavity (cavity/space inside the 5 between 1 and 2 as taught by [0027]/[n0022]; i.e. the cavity/space in which 1 is placed) therewithin (cavity therewithin: see Fig. 1 and [0027]/[n0022]); and a second electrical component (1) disposed in a cavity (second electrical component disposed in cavity: see Figs. 1-2 and [0027]/[n0022]), the second electrical component being adapted and configured to expel heat through housing into the cooling fluid (second electrical component configured to expel heat through housing into cooling fluid: see [0028]/[n0023]).
It would have therefore been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the modified Lin with Liu such that the one or more fluid channels within the inner wall are disposed between the first cavity and the second cavity. The purpose of this would be the predictable result of providing the cavity to place the capacitor for the suppression of inrush current and reactive power compensation (see [0005]/[n0003]) as described in (Claim 9: claim 1; Claim 22: claim 12).
Regarding claim 10, Lin, as modified by Liu, teaches the fluid-cooled electrical component of claim 1.
Lin further discloses wherein the first cavity (20) is substantially annular in shape (first cavity substantially annular in shape: see Figs. 1-3, [0007], and [0017]-[0019]).
Regarding claim 11, Lin, as modified by Liu, teaches the fluid-cooled electrical component of claim 1.
Liu further teaches wherein the second cavity (cavity/space inside the 5 between 1 and 2 as taught by [0027]/[n0022]; i.e. the cavity/space in which 1 is placed) is substantially cylindrical (second cavity substantially cylindrical: see Figs. 1-2).
It would have therefore been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the modified Lin with Liu such that the second cavity is substantially cylindrical. The purpose of this would be the predictable result of providing the cavity to place the capacitor for the suppression of inrush current and reactive power compensation (see [0005]/[n0003]) as described in (Claim 9: claim 1; Claim 22: claim 12).
Regarding claim 15, Lin (Figs. 1-3) discloses a method of cooling electrical components, comprising: providing a housing (2) including: a bottom wall (bottom wall/wall of 2 in which the center 210 and 220 respectively enters and exits and opposite from the surface with 20 where 1 is inserted; see annotated Fig. 3 of claim 1 rejection); an outer wall (peripheral wall of 2 wrapping around 1; see annotated Fig. 3 of claim 1 rejection) extending from a first surface (surface of bottom wall of 2 onto which 1 is inserted/placed; see annotated Fig. 3 below) of the bottom wall (outer wall extending from first surface of bottom wall: see annotated Fig. 3 of claim 1 rejection) (providing: see annotated Fig. 3 of claim 1 rejection); an inner wall (wall closer to center of 2 around which 1 wraps around; see annotated Fig. 3 of claim 1 rejection) extending from the first surface of the bottom wall (inner wall extending from first surface of bottom wall: see annotated Fig. 3 of claim 1 rejection), the outer and inner walls forming a first cavity (20) therebetween (outer and inner walls forming first cavity therebetween: see Figs. 1-3 and annotated Fig. 3 of claim 1 rejection); and one or more fluid channels (portion of water channel between 210 and 220 that is fully inside 2; see annotated Fig. 3 of claim 1 rejection) fully disposed within the housing (fully disposed within housing: see Figs. 1-3 and annotated Fig. 3 of claim 1 rejection) and extending through the bottom wall and into and horizontally along the inner wall (fluid channels extending through bottom wall and into and horizontally along inner wall: see Figs. 1-3 and annotated Fig. 3 of claim 1 rejection: the channel passes directly from the bottom wall into the inner wall and then travels horizontally through the inner wall); providing cooling fluid (cooling water described by [0007] and [0017]-[0019], which flows through the channel in 2) from a coolant supply (210) (providing cooling fluid from a coolant supply: see Figs. 1-3, annotated Fig. 3 of claim 1 rejection, and [0017]-[0019]); passing the cooling fluid through the one or more fluid channels without passing the cooling fluid within a radial center region (radially central region of 2 surrounded by the four inner holes as shown in Fig. 2) (passing cooling fluid through fluid channels without passing cooling fluid within radial center region: see [0017]-[0019], Figs. 1-3, and annotated Fig. 3 of claim 1 rejection: as indicated by Figs. 1-3, the channels are shown not to cross through the radially central region, but rather from 210 to the adjacent 220 on the same side of 23, remaining relatively close to 1); providing a first electrical component (1 and 10 combined) disposed in the first cavity (first electrical component disposed in first cavity: see Figs. 1-3, [0017]-[0019], and annotated Fig. 3 of claim 1 rejection) (providing first electrical component: see Figs. 1-3, [0017]-[0019] and annotated Fig. 3 of claim 1 rejection); expelling heat (heat described by [0018]-[0019]) from the first electrical component through the housing into the cooling fluid (expelling heat from first electrical component through housing into cooling fluid: see [0018]-[0019] and Figs. 1-3); and transferring the heat from the first electrical component to the cooling fluid (transferring heat from first electrical component to cooling fluid: see [0018]-[0019] and Figs. 1-3).
However, Lin does not disclose the inner wall forming a second cavity therewithin; and one or more fluid channels fully disposed within the housing and extending through the bottom wall and into and radially along the inner wall, passing the cooling fluid through the one or more fluid channels without passing the cooling fluid within the second cavity; and providing a second electrical component disposed in the second cavity; expelling heat from both the first and second electrical components through the housing into the cooling fluid; and transferring the heat from the second electrical component to the cooling fluid.
Liu (Figs. 1-3) teaches the inner wall (5 between 2 and 3 as taught by [0027]/[n0022] and shown in Fig. 1) forming a cavity (cavity/space inside the 5 between 1 and 2 as taught by [0027]/[n0022]; i.e. the cavity/space in which 1 is placed) therewithin (cavity therewithin: see Fig. 1 and [0027]/[n0022]); and providing a second electrical component (1) disposed in the cavity (cavity/space inside the 5 between 1 and 2; i.e. the cavity/space in which 1 is placed) (second electrical component disposed in cavity: see Figs. 1-2) (providing second electrical component: see Figs. 1-3 and [0027]/[n0022]); and one or more fluid channels (2) extending radially along the inner wall (one or more fluid channels extending radially along inner wall: see Figs. 1-2: 2 extends partly along a radius of an area between 1 and 2 and within 5); expelling heat from the second electrical component through housing into the cooling fluid (expelling heat from second electrical component through housing into cooling fluid: see [0028]/[n0023]); and transferring the heat from second electrical component (1) to the cooling fluid (transferring heat from second electrical component to cooling fluid: see [0028]/[n0023]).
It would have therefore been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lin with Liu such that the method of cooling electrical components further comprises the inner wall forming a second cavity at the radial center; and one or more fluid channels fully disposed within the housing (specifically the inner wall of the housing, which is consistent with both Lin and Liu) and extending through the bottom wall into and radially along the inner wall (while the number of fluid channels and the placement of their inlets and outlets are not modified, the horizontal path travelled is made radially around the introduced second cavity, taught by Fig. 2 of Liu), the one or more fluid channels configured to pass a cooling fluid therethrough without passing the cooling fluid within the second cavity; and providing a second electrical component disposed in the second cavity; expelling heat from the second electrical component through the housing into the cooling fluid; and transferring heat from the second electrical component to the cooling fluid (and thus expelling heat from both the first and second electrical components through the housing into the cooling fluid so that the first and second electrical components transfer the heat to the cooling fluid, as claimed). The purpose of this would be the predictable result of suppressing inrush current and reactive power compensation (see [0005]/[n0003]) due to providing the second electrical component in the second cavity.
Claims 3, 14, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin (US 20090322460) and Liu et al (CN 214152683 U, hereinafter referred to as “Liu”) (of record, cited in the IDS, including Original Document and Translation2) as applied to claims 1, 12, and 15, respectively, and further in view of Pal (US 20160005521).
Regarding claims 3 and 14, Lin (Figs. 1-3), as modified by Liu (Figs. 1-3), teaches the fluid-cooled electrical component of claim 1 and the fluid-cooled housing of claim 12, respectively.
However, the modified Lin does not teach a transfer plate in thermal and fluid communication with a second surface of the bottom wall of the housing, the transfer plate configured to provide the cooling fluid to the housing and remove (Claim 3: the) heat from the housing.
Pal (Figs. 1-5) teaches a transfer plate (40) in thermal and fluid communication with a second surface (142) of the bottom wall (124) of the housing (120 and 106 combined) (transfer plate in thermal and fluid communication with second surface: see [0023] and Figs. 1 and 3-4), the transfer plate configured to provide the cooling fluid (coolant inside fluid channel/path through 128, 126, and 138 and described by [0019]-[0020] and so on) to the housing (transfer plate configured to provide cooling fluid to housing: see [0020] and [0027] and Figs. 1 and 3-4: provided via 48) and remove (Claim 3: the) heat from the housing (transfer plate configured to remove heat from housing: see [0023] and Figs. 1 and 3-4).
It would have therefore been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the modified Lin with Pal such that the fluid-cooled electrical component/housing further comprises a transfer plate in thermal and fluid communication with a second surface of the bottom wall of the housing, the transfer plate configured to provide the cooling fluid to the housing and remove (Claim 3: the) heat from the housing. The purpose of this would be the predictable result of improving the capabilities of the device while providing an efficient means of cooling the components (i.e., by using coolant pulled from another system already in place as described by [0020]-[0021] provides improved capabilities while being space efficient; see Fig. 1 and [0020]-[0021]).
Regarding claim 16, Lin (Figs. 1-3), as modified by Liu (Figs. 1-3), teaches the method of claim 15.
However, the modified Lin does not teach providing the cooling fluid to the housing using a transfer plate in thermal and fluid communication with a second surface of the bottom wall of the housing; and removing the heat from the housing using the transfer plate.
Pal (Figs. 1-5) teaches providing the cooling fluid (coolant inside described by [0019]-[0020] and so on) to the housing (120 and 106 combined) using a transfer plate (40) in thermal and fluid communication with a second surface (142) of the bottom wall (124) of the housing (120 and 106 combined) (transfer plate in thermal and fluid communication with second surface: see [0023] and Figs. 1 and 3-4) (providing coolant fluid using transfer plate: see [0023]); and removing the heat from the housing using the transfer plate (removing heat from housing using transfer plate: see [0023] and Figs. 1 and 3-4).
It would have therefore been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the modified Lin with Pal such that the method of cooling electrical components further comprises providing the cooling fluid to the housing using a transfer plate in thermal and fluid communication with a second surface of the bottom wall of the housing; and removing the heat from the housing using the transfer plate. The purpose of this would be the predictable result of improving the capabilities of the device while providing an efficient means of cooling the components (i.e., by using coolant pulled from another system already in place as described by [0020]-[0021] provides improved capabilities while being space efficient; see Fig. 1 and [0020]-[0021]).
Claims 7 and 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin (US 20090322460) and Liu et al (CN 214152683 U, hereinafter referred to as “Liu”) (of record, cited in the IDS, including Original Document and Translation3) as applied to claims 6 and 19 above, respectively, and further in view of Takeuchi et al (US 20170142860, hereinafter referred to as “Takeuchi”).
Regarding claims 7 and 20, Lin (Figs. 1-3), as modified by Liu (Figs. 1-3), teaches the fluid-cooled electrical component of claim 6 and the fluid-cooled housing of claim 19, respectively.
However, the modified Lin does not teach wherein the capacitor is a film wound capacitor.
Takeuchi (Figs. 1-6) teaches wherein the capacitor (40) is a film wound capacitor (see Fig. 3 and [0074]-[0077]).
It would have therefore been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the modified Lin with Takeuchi such that the capacitor is a film wound capacitor. The purpose of this would be the predictable result of providing the same suppression of inrush current as described in the (Claim 7: claim 1; Claim 20: claim 12) rejection while also additionally suppressing/eliminating noise currents (see [0115], usable via [0116]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed June 24, 2025 have been fully considered, but are not persuasive.
The Office notes that these arguments are mostly identical with those filed with the After-Final of January 7, 2025, so the following arguments will likewise largely be pulled from the Advisory Action of February 28, 2025.
Regarding Applicant's traversal of the rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 112, while the Office respectfully disagrees with most of Applicant’s arguments (most of which are largely the same as in prior responses, and have already been addressed previously), in light of Applicant’s amendments to the drawings, when combined with Applicant’s disclosure of a simplified pathway, the Office has now determined that enough disclosure has now been clearly established for the limitation, and the rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 112 has now been withdrawn.
Regarding Applicant’s arguments that Lin in view of Liu does not teach the claimed subject matter. Specifically, Applicant argues that Lin does not disclose the inner wall forming a second cavity therewithin, the fluid channels fully being disposed within the inner wall and through the bottom wall directly into the inner wall, and that they pass a cooling fluid without flowing the cooling fluid within the second cavity, or the second electrical component within a second cavity, and the apparatus in Liu only includes a reactor 1 and a capacitor 3 with an area between the two filled with silica gel 5 and in which a cooling tube 2 is disposed, and thus there is no inner wall that defines a second cavity that the cooling tube 2 can be disposed in.
The Office has fully considered Applicant's argument, but notes that there is already an inner wall taught by Lin, and given that in Liu, the area between the reactor 1 and capacitor 3 is filled with silica gel 5, this silica gel 5 could this be considered to have formed a wall between the reactor 1 and capacitor 3, within which the cooling tube 2 is disposed. Furthermore, given the inner wall disclosed by Lin and the second cavity defined within the area filled by the silica gel 5 where the capacitor is disposed, there does not appear to be any reason one of ordinary skill in the art would not be motivated to provide the capacitor 3 in the resulting cavity when introduced into the apparatus of Lin. One cannot show nonobviousness by attacking references individually where the rejections are based on combinations of references. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., 800 F.2d 1091, 231 USPQ 375 (Fed. Cir. 1986). The test for obviousness is not whether the features of a secondary reference may be bodily incorporated into the structure of the primary reference; nor is it that the claimed invention must be expressly suggested in any one or all of the references. Rather, the test is what the combined teachings of the references would have suggested to those of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981). Therefore, Applicant's argument is believed to be in error.
Regarding Applicant’s arguments that Liu fails to teach “one or more fluid channels fully disposed within the housing and extending through the bottom wall directly into and radially along the inner wall”, Applicant’s arguments have been fully considered, but notes that, beyond listing several teachings of Liu (“Figure 1 of Liu discloses a capacitor-reactor apparatus. The apparatus includes a capacitor 1 and a reactor 3 concentrically and coaxially arranged with a cooling tube 2 arranged between the capacitor 1 and reactor 3. A silica gel 5 is filled between the cooling tube 2 and the capacitor 1 and between the cooling tube 2 and the reactor 3”) and stating that Liu does not disclose or suggest the claimed subject matter (“Liu does not disclose or suggest an inner wall forming a second cavity and one or more fluid channels fully disposed within and radially along the inner wall”), Applicant’s arguments fail to discuss how Liu fails to teach the subject matter, as no arguments are provided actually comparing Liu with the claimed subject matter, let alone discussing Fig. 2, which does show the one or more fluid channels 2 with a radial extension. Applicant’s arguments thus fail to comply with 37 CFR 1.111(b) because they amount to a general allegation that the claims define a patentable invention without specifically pointing out how the language of the claims patentably distinguishes them from the references. Therefore, Applicant’s arguments are believed to be in error.
Regarding any remaining arguments that the remaining deficiencies of the cited prior art beyond the example(s) discussed above (Applicant listed the above arguments as an example), Applicant's arguments do not comply with 37 CFR 1.111(c) because they do not clearly point out the patentable novelty which he or she thinks the claims present in view of the state of the art disclosed by the references cited. Further, they do not show how the amendments avoid such references as, beyond the above example, no explanation is provided. Therefore, Applicant's arguments are believed to be in error.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 JEFFREY FRANCIS STOLL whose telephone number is (571)272-0067. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30-5:30.
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/J.F.S./ Examiner, Art Unit 2835
/Jayprakash N Gandhi/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2835
1 Note: The machine translation of the description and the figures of CN 214152683 U (cited in the PTO-892 of the Office Action of 01/31/2024) will be used hereinafter when referring to the document.
2 Note: The machine translation of the description and the figures of CN 214152683 U (cited in the PTO-892 of the Office Action of 01/31/2024) will be used hereinafter when referring to the document.
3 Note: The machine translation of the description and the figures of CN 214152683 U (cited in the PTO-892 of the Office Action of 01/31/2024) will be used hereinafter when referring to the document.
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