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 Objections
The objections to claims 1, 6 & 14 are withdrawn due to the claims being canceled. While the objections to claim 7 is withdrawn due to an amendment.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 4/3/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant’s arguments regarding Henry et al. not teaching that the cooling body is not integrally formed with the fan-side bearing arrangement, this is not found persuasive as the cooling body is fastened to the to the fan-side bearing arrangement (the bearing arrangement closest to where reference numeral 30 is shown in fig 1 as it holds the impeller 70 shown in fig 2) via fasteners 155 and it is this fastening arrangement that makes the cooling body integrally formed with the fan-side bearing arrangement.
In response to applicant’s argument regarding how the reference numeral “10” was represented in the nonfinal rejection, this too is not found persuasive because the reference numeral 10 is denoted in the nonfinal rejections as a drive/motor and not the fan-side bearing arrangement (see rejection below).
In response to applicant’s argument that Henry does not disclose that the enclosure 85 (the enclosure 85 is being referred to as the cooling body since it has cooling fins 110) coupled to either of the bearing arrangements, this too is not found persuasive as the cooling body 85 is coupled to the housing 45 via fasteners 155 (fig 2). Since both bearing arrangements are arranged at opposite ends of the housing and the cooling body is coupled with a fastener at an end of the housing immediately adjacent to the fan-side bearing arrangement, the limitation at questions is disclosed by Henry et al..
In response to applicant’s argument regarding a discrepancy with the reference numeral 85, this too is not found persuasive as what can be considered a cooling body as well as how it is connected is met by Henry et al.. Firstly, the cooling body can be considered as the enclosure 75 or the enclosure with the shroud 75. Secondly, whether the cooling body is just the enclosure 85 or the enclosure with the shroud 75, the cooling body is coupled to the housing 45 in the vicinity of the bearings 35 which together with the housing make a fan-side bearing arrangement, making the cooling body that is formed integral with the fan-side bearing arrangement.
In regards to applicant’s argument regarding Henry not teaching a pump-side bearing arrangement, this also is not found persuasive as the following rejection discloses an annotated figure with a pump-side bearing arrangement. Still further, the bearing at the opposing end of the fan 70 at the very least can be a pump-side bearing arrangement as it protrudes out of the housing 45 (for the drive used for a pump, see para 0013 last sentence and annotated figs below).
In response to applicant’s arguments regarding the claimed relationship is not disclosed even under the mapping of the rejection, this too is not found persuasive because there are annotated figures below that disclose the claimed relationship (see the rejection below). As for the miniscule references to ref numeral 10 and the like that allegedly in the previous rejection, the examiner cannot find the so called issue (please see the rejection below).
In response to applicant’s argument that Henry does not disclose a cooling body integrally formed with the fan-side bearing arrangement, this too is not found persuasive for reasons stated above.
In response to applicant’s argument found on page 8 2nd para, this too is not found persuasive for at least a couple of reasons. Firstly, the examiner is to give the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claims in light of applicant’s specification. Thus, the examiner is not to read limitations from applicant’s specification into the claims and the previous rejection as well as the following rejection does just that. Secondly, there are plenty of limitations mentioned in the argument in question that could be included in the claim that could amount to further search and reconsideration.
In response to applicant’s arguments regarding claim 7, this too is not found persuasive for reasons stated above.
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.
Claim(s) 7-9 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Henry et al. (US 20090267432).
7. Henry et al. teach:
A centrifugal pump (fig 2), comprising:
a drive 10 having a rotor 25, a stator winding (inherent due to motor leads 160, fig 5, MPEP 2112), a cooling arrangement (fig 2) which includes a frequency inverter (the frequency inverter is included in the drive electronics 120, MPEP 2112 & fig 2) and a cooling body 85, a motor housing 45, a fan 70, a fan-side bearing arrangement (fig 1 below) configured to support a rotor shaft 30, and a pump-side bearing arrangement (fig 1 below), wherein the cooling body is integrally formed with the fan-side (via shroud 75, fig 2) and is configured as an electronics housing base 85 (figs 2-4), and the cooling body has surface-enlarging elements 110 in the form of cooling ribs, which are formed integrally with the cooling body (figs 2-4) and adapted to the shape of the motor housing (figs 2-4).
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8. Henry et al. teach:
The centrifugal pump as claimed in claim 7, wherein the cooling body is connected directly to the one of the fan-side and pump-side bearing arrangements (via shroud 75, fig 2).
9. Henry et al. teach:
The centrifugal pump as claimed in claim 8, wherein the cooling body is integral with the one of the fan-side and pump-side bearing arrangements (via shroud 75, fig 2).
11. Henry et al. teach:
The centrifugal pump as claimed in claim 7, wherein the bearing arrangement has one or more guide channels (fig 5 below configured for passage of a connection 160 between the frequency inverter and the stator winding.
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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) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Henry et al. in view of Ramqvist (US 2494200).
13. Henry et al. has been discussed above, re claim 7; but does not explicitly teach that the fan is configured to generate: a central primary air stream, and a secondary air stream which passes into the cooling body from a region within fan cover over the fan.
Ramqvist teaches that the fan 1 is configured to generate: a central primary air stream (indicated by arrows 9, fig 1), and a secondary air stream (indicated by arrows a, fig 1) which passes into the cooling body (of Henry et al.) from a region within the fan cover 8 over the fan (fig 1) to cool the inverter (of Henry et al.) to cool both the drive and the inverter.
As a result, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to modify the invention of Henry et al. so that the fan is configured to generate: a central primary air stream, and a secondary air stream which passes into the cooling body from a region within fan cover over the fan., as taught by Ramqvist so as to cool both the drive and the inverter.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 TERRANCE L KENERLY whose telephone number is (571)270-7851. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher Koehler can be reached on 5712723560. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TERRANCE L KENERLY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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