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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species 3, Claims 1-12 in the reply filed on 1/5/2026 is acknowledged.
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.
Claim(s) 1-12 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yasuda et al. [US 2013/0169048 A1] in view of Hendrik [EP 2290834 A1].
Regarding claims 1-2, Yasuda et al. discloses a filter arrangement for a converter module [figures 2-5B], comprising:
- a magnetic core [50, figure 2A-2B], wherein the magnetic core is ring-shaped or tubular, has an opening, and wherein the magnetic core is configured to: receive, through the opening [figures 2A-2B, 5A-5B], at least a first phase of the converter module and a first conductor of a DC voltage for the converter module, and form a choke for the converter module and a choke for the DC voltage [figures 5A-5B].
Yasuda et al. disclose the instant claimed invention except for the specific of the magnetic core.
Hendrik discloses a toroid/ring core for a filter [112], wherein the toroid core formed of ferromagnetic material such as Mn-Zn or Ni-Zn [para 0030] for a power converter.
It would have been an obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use ferromagnetic material for the magnetic core of Yasuda et al., as suggested by Hendrik, for the purpose of providing high permeability to boost inductance while reducing energy loss.
The intended use of the power converter in a wind power installation would have been an obvious design consideration for the purpose of intended use.
Regarding claim 3, Yasuda et al. discloses the use of the filter in a multi-phase power converter system [figures 2A-2B, 5A-5B] with multiple lines/conductors [22, 26] forming different devices for the system.
Regarding claim 4, the specific “combination cores” for the ring core would have been an obvious design consideration for the purpose facilitating different magnetic flux/field.
Regarding claim 5, Hendrik uses ferromagnetic material having permeability of 1000 or more and inductance value between 1µH and 100µH. The combination of Yasuda et al. and Hendrik with exhibit the inductance and permeability, as claimed.
Regarding claims 6-7, Yasuda et al. further discloses capacitors [34, 38, 40] connected to the filter. This structure would exhibit the functional, as claimed.
Regarding claim 8, the specific use of the filter [EMC] or configure to filter in different applications [note Yasuda discloses in figure 1, the target frequency configuration] would have been an obvious design consideration for the purpose facilitating filtering.
Regarding claims 9-10, the specific using the filter in a highly rate power converter would have been an obvious design consideration for the purpose of intended use.
Regarding claims 11-12, Yasuda et al. in combination of Hendrik structure could be installed in a cabinet of any device [dimensionally fit]. The specific arrangement would and/or connection/operation would have been an obvious design consideration for the purpose of facilitating manufacturing/assembling and operation.
Regarding claim 19, Yasuda et al. disclose the magnetic core is unwound, such that the magnetic core is free of any winding, and the at least first phase of the converter module and the first conductor of the DC voltage are routed through the opening without contact with the magnetic core [figures 2A-2B and 5A-5B].
Claim(s) 1-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Steffan et al. [DE 102019130838 A1] in view of Hendrik [EP 2290834 A1].
Regarding claims 1-2, Steffan et al. discloses a filter arrangement for a converter module [figures 1-4, abstract], comprising:
- a magnetic core [figures 1-6], has an opening, and wherein the magnetic core is configured to: receive, through the opening [figures 5-6], at least a first phase of the converter module and a first conductor of a DC voltage for the converter module, and form a choke for the converter module and a choke for the DC voltage [figures 1-4]
Steffan et al. disclose the instant claimed invention except for the specific of the magnetic core.
Hendrik discloses a toroid/ring core for a filter [112], wherein the toroid core formed of ferromagnetic material such as Mn-Zn or Ni-Zn [para 0030] for a power converter.
It would have been an obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use ferromagnetic material for the magnetic core of Steffan et al., as suggested by Hendrik, for the purpose of providing high permeability to boost inductance while reducing energy loss.
Steffan et al. further discloses the use of the filter in a wind turbine [wind power installation].
Regarding claim 3, Steffan et al. discloses the use of the filter in a multi-phase power converter system [abstract] with multiple lines/conductors [figures 2-4] forming different devices for the system.
Regarding claim 4, Steffan et al. the magnetic core includes a combination of cores or multiple core elements [figures 5-6].
Regarding claim 5, Hendrik uses ferromagnetic material having permeability of 1000 or more and inductance value between 1µH and 100µH. The combination of Yasuda et al. and Hendrik with exhibit the inductance and permeability, as claimed.
Regarding claims 6-7, Steffan et al. further discloses capacitors [C26-28, C36-38, C46-48 of figures 2-4]] connected to the filter. This structure would exhibit the functional, as claimed.
Regarding claim 8, the specific use of the filter [as EMI filter] would have been an obvious design consideration for the purpose of improving electromagnetic filtering.
Regarding claims 9-10, the specific using the filter in a highly rate power converter would have been an obvious design consideration for the purpose of intended use, note Steffan’s arranged is used in a wind turbine [high power system].
Regarding claims 11-12, Steffan et al. in combination of Hendrik structure could be installed in a cabinet of any device [dimensionally fit]. The specific arrangement would and/or connection/operation would have been an obvious design consideration for the purpose of facilitating manufacturing/assembling and operation.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 7/29/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that:
[1] The combination of Yasuda et al. with Hendrik would not result in the filter arrangement recited in claim 1.
[2] Strandberg, figures 5-6, fail to show that at least a first phase of a converter module and a first conductor of a DC voltage for the converter module is received through an opening of a magnetic core.
The Examiner disagrees.
Regarding [1], Yasuda et al. disclose a filter arrangement for a converter module using a magnetic toroidal core [50]. Yasuda et al. fail to disclose the specific material for the magnetic toroidal core. Hendrik discloses a toroidal/ring core for a filter, wherein a toroidal/ring core formed of ferromagnetic material such as MnZn or NiZn. A skilled artisan would have been highly to seek a ferromagnetic material of Hendrik for the magnetic toroidal core of Yasuda et al. for the purpose of reducing energy loss [as acknowledged by applicant, par 006 of Hendrik].
Regarding [2], Strandberg, figures 5-6, discloses the magnetic core including “openings” [fogires 5-6] provided for receiving conductor(s) [90, 91, 92, figure 5].
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.
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/TUYEN T NGUYEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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