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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 09/25/2023, 07/24/2024, 01/02/2025 has been considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the
“wherein each of the cooling branches further comprises a plurality of sub-branches, and a sub-branch solenoid valve or a sub-branch throttle valve is disposed on each of the sub-branches” as claimed in claim 8 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Applicant’s Fig. 7 shows only two cooling branches having sub-branches. Each of the branches n1, n2, n3, n4 do not all have sub-branches.
The limitation “wherein each of the cooling branches” should probably read
--wherein at least one of the cooling branches-- to remedy this issue.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are:
Claim limitations of claim 9:
Limitation a):
“a power distribution module, configured to calculate rotation speed information and torque information corresponding to each power terminal of the powertrain according to the traveling demand information and the road condition information,”
Limitation b):
“a pressure calculation module, configured to calculate a driving pressure requirement according to the rotation speed information and the torque information from the power distribution module;”
Limitation c):
“a terminal flow calculation module, configured to calculate a cooling flow requirement of each power terminal according to the rotation speed information and the torque information from the power distribution module and oil temperature information of the main cooling oil path;” and
Limitation d):
“a hydraulic coordination module, configured to calculate a rotation speed of the first oil pump, a rotation speed of a second oil pump, an opening degree of the control element, and an opening degree of a pressure control solenoid valve according to the driving pressure requirement and the cooling flow requirement of each power terminal”
Limitation a) recites the generic place holder “module” coupled with the function of “configured to calculate rotation speed information and torque information corresponding to each power terminal of the powertrain according to the traveling demand information and the road condition information” without any structural modifiers.
Similarly, limitation b) - limitation d) all recite the generic place holder “module” coupled with the functional language after the “configured to” recitation, and are all recited without any structural modifiers.
The specification discusses these modules with the following passages:
[0042] As shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 10, a vehicle 1000 according to an embodiment of a second aspect of the present disclosure includes the hydraulic system 100 of the above embodiments, a controller 200, a power distribution module 300, a pressure calculation module 400, a terminal flow calculation module 500, and a flow coordination module.
[0043] The controller 200 is configured to receive traveling demand information and road condition information. For example, in a conventional driving mode, accelerator pedal information and road slope information are obtained. In an assisted driving mode, driver demand information and road condition prediction information are obtained. In an autonomous driving mode, acceleration requirement information is obtained.
[0044] The power distribution module 300 is configured to calculate rotation speed information and torque information required by each power terminal of the powertrain according to the traveling demand information and the road condition information. The power terminal includes one or more of a drive motor, a generator, a clutch, and a transmission system.
[0045] The pressure calculation module 400 is configured to calculate a driving pressure requirement according to the rotation speed information and the torque information from the power distribution module 300. Based on power transmission paths of the power distribution module 300, the pressure calculation module 400 calculates pressure requirements for switching between different power transmission paths, for example, a clutch engagement pressure requirement for switching from an engine serial mode to an engine-driven vehicle mode.
[0046] The terminal flow calculation module 500 is configured to calculate a cooling flow requirement of each power terminal according to the rotation speed information and the torque information from the power distribution module 300 and oil temperature information of the main cooling oil path.
[0047] The hydraulic coordination module 600 is configured to calculate a rotation
speed of the first oil pump, a rotation speed of the second oil pump, the opening degree of the control element, and an opening degree of the pressure control solenoid valve according to the driving pressure requirement and the cooling flow requirement of each power terminal. In other words, rotation speed information of the first oil pump and opening degree information of the pressure control solenoid valve and the control elements are calculated according to the pressure requirement from the pressure calculation module 400 and a summarized flow requirement from the terminal flow calculation module 500. Rotation speed information of the second oil pump is calculated according to the summarized flow requirement of the terminal flow calculation module 500. According to the cooling flow requirement of each power terminal, flow information of the corresponding control element (which may be a solenoid valve) is calculated. Therefore, the terminal flow calculation part calculates, according to performance of each component at different temperatures, a cooling flow requirement corresponding to optimal efficiency of the component.
However, the specification does not appear to explicitly discuss what structure these modules comprise. The drawings show these modules as black boxes in Fig. 8 and Fig. 10. It is unclear what constitutes a module and unclear what actually performs the recited functions and how the function would be performed.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim limitations in claim 9:
Limitation a):
“a power distribution module, configured to calculate rotation speed information and torque information corresponding to each power terminal of the powertrain according to the traveling demand information and the road condition information,”
Limitation b):
“a pressure calculation module, configured to calculate a driving pressure requirement according to the rotation speed information and the torque information from the power distribution module;”
Limitation c):
“a terminal flow calculation module, configured to calculate a cooling flow requirement of each power terminal according to the rotation speed information and the torque information from the power distribution module and oil temperature information of the main cooling oil path;” and
Limitation d):
“a hydraulic coordination module, configured to calculate a rotation speed of the first oil pump, a rotation speed of a second oil pump, an opening degree of the control element, and an opening degree of a pressure control solenoid valve according to the driving pressure requirement and the cooling flow requirement of each power terminal”
invokes 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. However, the written description fails to disclose the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the entire claimed function and to clearly link the structure, material, or acts to the function.
The specification does not appear to explicitly discuss what structure these modules comprise. The specification merely repeats the claimed subject matter stating that these modules perform various calculations and functions. The drawings show these modules as black boxes in Fig. 8 and 10. It is unclear what constitutes a module and unclear what actually performs the recited functions and how they are performed.
Therefore, the claim is indefinite and is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph.
Applicant may:
(a) Amend the claim so that the claim limitation will no longer be interpreted as a limitation under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph;
(b) Amend the written description of the specification such that it expressly recites what structure, material, or acts perform the entire claimed function, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)); or
(c) Amend the written description of the specification such that it clearly links the structure, material, or acts disclosed therein to the function recited in the claim, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)).
If applicant is of the opinion that the written description of the specification already implicitly or inherently discloses the corresponding structure, material, or acts and clearly links them to the function so that one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize what structure, material, or acts perform the claimed function, applicant should clarify the record by either:
(a) Amending the written description of the specification such that it expressly recites the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function and clearly links or associates the structure, material, or acts to the claimed function, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)); or
(b) Stating on the record what the corresponding structure, material, or acts, which are implicitly or inherently set forth in the written description of the specification, perform the claimed function. For more information, see 37 CFR 1.75(d) and MPEP §§ 608.01(o) and 2181.
Claims 10-16 are indefinite because they depend form indefinite claim 9.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because
the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea of mental processes without significantly more. The claim 17 recite(s):
“the method comprises: calculating rotation speed information and torque information corresponding to each power terminal of the powertrain according to traveling demand information and road condition information”
“calculating a driving pressure requirement and a cooling flow requirement of each power terminal according to the rotation speed information and the torque information corresponding to each power terminal”
“calculating a rotation speed of the first oil pump, a rotation speed of a second oil pump, flow rates in the cooling branches, and an opening degree of a pressure control solenoid valve according to the driving pressure requirement and the cooling flow requirement of each power terminal.”
All method steps appear to be mental processes as they can be completed by a human with a computer aid. This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application because the calculation steps are not used in the recited system to control any component as currently written. The claim(s) does/do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because the additional elements
Claims 18-20 are also rejected under U.S.C. 101 because they depend form claim 17 and fail to integrate the judicial exception into a practical application. Regarding the dependent claims, the claims are dependent upon the independent claim and include all the limitations of the independent claim. Therefore the dependent claims recite the same abstract idea recited in the independent claim. The dependent claims recite additional limitations merely further limiting the abstract idea. There are no limitations providing significantly more than the abstract idea itself.
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) 1, 3, 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liu et al. (US 11255423)
Liu discloses:
1. A hydraulic system for a powertrain of a vehicle, wherein the powertrain comprises one or more of a drive motor, a generator, a clutch (Col. 4 lines 17-37, Col. 5 lines 1-22 discloses a clutch), and a transmission system (Col. 3 lines 53-67, gears are interpreted to be a transmission system), and the hydraulic system comprises: an oil tank (tank apparent from Fig. 1, tank connected to inlet of pump11 through filter 3);
a main cooling oil path (21), a first end of the main cooling oil path being communicated with the oil tank (first end of main cooling oil path can be connected to the tank at 3), wherein a first oil pump and a cooler are disposed on the main cooling oil path (pump 11 and cooler 21 are on the main cooling oil path between junction 8 and 19); and
a plurality of cooling branches (branch including 15 and 16), the cooling branches being connected to a second end of the main cooling oil path (second end of main cooling path at junction 19), the first oil pump being configured to pump an oil in the oil tank to the cooling branches,
a control element (15 and 16) being disposed on each of the cooling branches, the control element being configured to control opening and closing of a corresponding cooling branch, and the cooling branches being configured to cool one or more of the drive motor, the generator, the clutch, and the transmission system (15 and 16 lead to the clutch for lubrication/cooling).
3. The hydraulic system according to claim 1, wherein the control element comprises proportional adjustment solenoid valves (15, 16 are proportional adjustment solenoid valves, Col. 1-3, see Fig. 1), and each of the proportional adjustment solenoid valves is configured to receive a signal sent by a vehicle controller and to adjust an opening degree of each of the proportional adjustment solenoid valves according to the signal (implicitly disclosed by nature of being a solenoid controlled proportional control valve).
8. The hydraulic system according to claim 1, wherein each of the cooling branches further comprises a plurality of sub-branches (see Fig. 1, sub-branches downstream of valve 16), and a sub-branch solenoid valve or a sub-branch throttle valve (throttles downstream of valve 16 seen in Fig. 1) is disposed on each of the sub-branches.
Claim(s) 1, 4, 5, 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Schuller et al. (US 2014/0169994), hereinafter 'Schuller'.
Schuller discloses:
1. A hydraulic system for a powertrain of a vehicle, wherein the powertrain comprises one or more of a drive motor, a generator, a clutch (K1), and a transmission system, and the hydraulic system comprises: an oil tank;
a main cooling oil path (path including 183), a first end (end connected to 3) of the main cooling oil path being communicated with the oil tank,
wherein a first oil pump (9) and a cooler (183) are disposed on the main cooling oil path; and
a plurality of cooling branches (branch leading to 221 and branch leading to 223), the cooling branches being connected to a second end (end connected to 221) of the main cooling oil path, the first oil pump being configured to pump an oil in the oil tank to the cooling branches,
a control element (185) being disposed on each of the cooling branches, the control element being configured to control opening and closing of a corresponding cooling branch, and the cooling branches being configured to cool one or more of the drive motor, the generator, the clutch, and the transmission system (221 cools clutch K1, 223 cools clutch K2).
4. The hydraulic system according to claim 1, further
comprising a driving oil path (path including 79, 25), the driving oil path being connected between the oil tank and the clutch, a second oil pump (7) and a pressure control solenoid valve (101) being disposed on the driving oil path, the second oil pump being configured to pump the oil to the driving oil path, and the driving oil path being configured to control engagement and disengagement of the clutch (valve 101 controls clutch K1 which is cooled by 221).
5. The hydraulic system according to claim 4, further comprising
further comprising one pump motor, one end of the pump motor being connected to the first oil pump, and the other end of the pump motor being connected to the second oil pump (pump motor 5 is connected to pump 9 on one end and pump 7 on the other end)
6. The hydraulic system according to claim 4, further comprising a replenishing oil path (57), the replenishing oil path being connected between the driving oil path and the main cooling oil path (replenishing oil path 57 is between driving oil path that includes 79, 25 and the main cooling oil path that includes 193), wherein when the replenishing oil path is configured to communicate with the main cooling oil path, an oil in the driving oil path flows to the main cooling oil path (paragraph [0029]).
Claim(s) 1, 4, 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Brandenburg (DE102020004389).
Brandenburg discloses:
1. A hydraulic system for a powertrain of a vehicle, wherein the powertrain comprises
one or more of a drive motor, a generator, a clutch, and a transmission system, and the hydraulic system comprises: an oil tank;
a main cooling oil path, a first end of the main cooling oil path being communicated with the oil tank, wherein a first oil pump and a cooler are disposed on the main cooling oil path; and
a plurality of cooling branches, the cooling branches being connected to a second end of the main cooling oil path, the first oil pump being configured to pump an oil in the oil tank to the cooling branches,
a control element being disposed on each of the cooling branches, the control element being configured to control opening and closing of a corresponding cooling branch, and the cooling branches being configured to cool one or more of the drive motor, the generator, the clutch, and the transmission system (see annotated Brandenburg Figure’, all limitations are either annotated or apparent from the Figure).
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4. The hydraulic system according to claim 1, further comprising a driving oil path (6), the driving oil path being connected between the oil tank and the clutch (between clutches K1, K2, K0 and the tank 5), a second oil pump (4) and a pressure control solenoid valve (7, 8) being disposed on the driving oil path, the second oil pump being configured to pump the oil to the driving oil path, and the driving oil path being configured to control engagement and disengagement of the clutch (Brandenburg, paragraph [0022]).
5. The hydraulic system according to claim 4, further comprising a first pump motor and a second pump motor, the first pump motor being in transmission connection with the first oil pump, and the second pump motor being in transmission connection with the second oil pump (Brandenburg, paragraph [0015] renders obvious a first pump motor and second pump moor driving the first and second pumps 4 and 12).
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) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brandenburg in view of Nakajima et al. (US 10124756), hereinafter ‘Nakajima’.
Regarding claim 2, Brandenburg discloses:
2. The hydraulic system according to claim 1, wherein the cooling branches comprise a first cooling branch, a third cooling branch, and a fourth cooling branch, the first cooling branch is configured to cool the drive motor (branch connected to 19), the third cooling branch is configured to cool the clutch (branch connected to 18), and the fourth cooling branch is configured to cool the transmission system (branch connected to 17).
Brandenburg does not explicitly disclose a second cooling branch configured to cool a generator.
However, Nakajima discloses a hydraulic system for a powertrain of a vehicle similar to Brandenburg in the present application and therefore constitutes analogous art. Nakajima discloses: a hydraulic system for a powertrain of a vehicle, wherein the powertrain comprises one or more of a drive motor (M), a generator (G), a clutch (C), and a transmission system (component including 54, 55), and the hydraulic system comprises: an oil tank (31); a main cooling oil path (L10), a first end of the main cooling oil path being communicated with the oil tank (first end is the inlet of pump P1 which is connected to oil tank 31), wherein a first oil pump (P1) on the main cooling oil path; and a plurality of cooling branches (L7, including 40c, 40d), the cooling branches being connected to a second end of the main cooling oil path (second end located downstream after 41), the first oil pump being configured to pump an oil in the oil tank to the cooling branches.
Since hydraulic systems for a power train of a vehicle are known to include a generator that is cooled by a cooling branch path, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified the device of Brandenburg to have implemented a second cooling branch is configured to cool the generator as taught by Nakajima. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the implementation of a generator allows for production of electricity for electrical components on the vehicle and is beneficial. Since it is beneficial to use a generator on a vehicle, a proper cooling system would also be implemented as taught by Nakajima, which renders obvious claim 2.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brandenburg in view of Ortmann et al. (US 7322903), hereinafter ‘Ortmann’.
Regarding claim 3, Brandenburg discloses the hydraulic system of claim 1, but does not disclose: wherein the control element comprises proportional adjustment solenoid valves, and each of the proportional adjustment solenoid valves is configured to receive a signal sent by a vehicle controller and to adjust an opening degree of each of the proportional adjustment solenoid valves according to the signal.
However, Ortmann discloses a control method for cooling a vehicle powertrain which is applicable to Nakajima and the present application. Ortmann teaches that using a closed loop control algorithm to control a proportional solenoid valve flow control device (Ortmann, VFS) allows the cooling flow to be adjusted to meet cooling requirements when necessary and to reduce cooling flow to reduce energy loss which results in improved system efficiency (Col. 5 lines 60-67, Col. 6 lines 1-20, Col. 2 lines 12-15).
Since improved transmission efficiency is beneficial, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified the system of Brandenburg to have implemented wherein the control element comprises proportional adjustment solenoid valves, and each of the proportional adjustment solenoid valves is configured to receive a signal sent by a vehicle controller and to adjust an opening degree of each of the proportional adjustment solenoid valves according to the signal as rendered obvious by Ortmann.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakajima et al. (US 10124756), hereinafter ‘Nakajima’ in view of Brandenburg (DE102020004389) and Ortmann et al. (US 7322903), hereinafter ‘Ortmann’.
Regarding claim 1 and 3, Nakajima discloses:
1. A hydraulic system for a powertrain of a vehicle, wherein the powertrain comprises one or more of a drive motor (M), a generator (G), a clutch (C), and a transmission system (component including 54, 55), and the hydraulic system comprises: an oil tank (31); a main cooling oil path (L10), a first end of the main cooling oil path being communicated with the oil tank (first end is the inlet of pump P1 which is connected to oil tank 31), wherein a first oil pump (P1) on the main cooling oil path; and
a plurality of cooling branches (L7, including 40c, 40d), the cooling branches being connected to a second end of the main cooling oil path (second end located downstream after 41), the first oil pump being configured to pump an oil in the oil tank to the cooling branches.
Nakajima does not disclose a control element being disposed on each of the cooling branches, the control element being configured to control opening and closing of a corresponding cooling branch, and the cooling branches being configured to cool one or more of the drive motor, the generator, the clutch, and the transmission system.
However, Brandenburg discloses a hydraulic system for a powertrain of a vehicle similar to Nakajima and the present application and therefore constitutes analogous art. Nakajima discloses a hydraulic system including a pump 12 that supplies fluid to a cooler 15 that cools fluid flowing cooling branches that cool a transmission, clutch, and electric drive motor and discloses flow control devices 20, 21, and 22 on each of the cooling branches for various flow control schemes.
Further, Ortmann discloses a control method for cooling a vehicle powertrain which is applicable to Nakajima and the present application. Ortmann teaches that using a closed loop control algorithm to control a proportional solenoid valve flow control device (Ortmann, VFS) allows the cooling flow to be adjusted to meet cooling requirements when necessary and to reduce cooling flow to reduce energy loss which results in improved system efficiency (Col. 5 lines 60-67, Col. 6 lines 1-20, Col. 2 lines 12-15).
Since improved transmission efficiency is beneficial, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified the system of Nakajima to have implemented a control element being disposed on each of the cooling branches, the control element being configured to control opening and closing of a corresponding cooling branch, and the cooling branches being configured to cool one or more of the drive motor, the generator, the clutch, and the transmission system, wherein the control element comprises proportional adjustment solenoid valves, and each of the proportional adjustment solenoid valves is configured to receive a signal sent by a vehicle controller and to adjust an opening degree of each of the proportional adjustment solenoid valves according to the signal as rendered obvious by Brandenburg and Nakajima.
Brandenburg shows that it is obvious to use a control element in each cooling branch and Ortmann renders obvious using a proportional adjustment solenoid valve that is controlled via an algorithm to adjust the valve according to a specific demand. Applying the two of these teachings renders obvious having a system with a vehicle controller that controls proportional adjustment valves on each cooling branch to meet cooling demand to improve system efficiency.
The combination of Nakajima, Brandenburg, ad Ortmann further renders obvious:
2. The hydraulic system according to claim 1, wherein the cooling branches comprise a first cooling branch, a second cooling branch, a third cooling branch, and a fourth cooling branch, the first cooling branch is configured to cool the drive motor, the second cooling branch is configured to cool the generator, the third cooling branch is configured to cool the clutch, and the fourth cooling branch is configured to cool the transmission system (see annotated Nakajima Fig. 3’, all limitations are either annotated of apparent from the Figure; in light of the teachings from Brandenburg and Ortmann, each cooling branch would have an implemented proportional solenoid flow control valve).
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4. The hydraulic system according to claim 1, further comprising a driving oil path (L2, L3), the driving oil path being connected between the oil tank and the clutch (35, C), a second oil pump (P2) and a pressure control solenoid valve being disposed on the driving oil path, the second oil pump being configured to pump the oil to the driving oil path, and the driving oil path being configured to control engagement and disengagement of the clutch (Brandenburg renders obvious using a solenoid valve between the clutch and the pump; it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified the ).
5. The hydraulic system according to claim 4, further comprising
a first pump motor and a second pump motor, the first pump motor being in transmission connection with the first oil pump, and the second pump motor being in transmission connection with the second oil pump (Col. 2 lines 53-60 discloses two separate pump drives for the first pump P1 and second pump P2; the term pump motor being met by any prime mover that drives the pumps).
6. The hydraulic system according to claim 4, further comprising a replenishing oil path (L5), the replenishing oil path being connected between the driving oil path and the main cooling oil path, wherein when the replenishing oil path is configured to communicate with the main cooling oil path, an oil in the driving oil path flows to the main cooling oil path (L5 connects main cooling oil path L7,L6 with driving oil path L2, L3).
8. The hydraulic system according to claim 1, wherein each of the cooling branches further comprises a plurality of sub-branches (some of L7, L6 split into further branches), and a sub-branch throttle valve is disposed on each of the sub-branches (throttles 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 9-16 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The prior art does not disclose nor render obvious a hydraulic system wherein a replenishing oil path comprises:
a main replenishing oil path, wherein a pressure slide valve and a one-way valve are disposed on the main replenishing oil path,
an inlet of the pressure slide valve is connected to the driving oil path,
an outlet of the pressure slide valve is connected to the main cooling oil path through the one-way valve, and the pressure slide valve is opened when a pressure in the driving oil path is greater than an opening threshold of the pressure slide valve; and a regulating oil path,
wherein one end of the regulating oil path is connected to the pressure slide valve, another end of the regulating oil path is connected to the driving oil path, a pressure solenoid valve is disposed on the regulating oil path, the pressure solenoid valve is configured to adjust the opening threshold of the pressure slide valve as claimed in claim 7, in combination with its base claim limitations.
The prior art does not disclose nor render obvious a vehicle including a controller
configured to receive traveling demand information and road condition information;
a power distribution module, configured to calculate rotation speed information and torque information corresponding to each power terminal of the powertrain according to the traveling demand information and the road condition information,
wherein each power terminal comprises one or more of the drive motor, the generator, the clutch, and the transmission system;
a pressure calculation module, configured to calculate a driving pressure requirement according to the rotation speed information and the torque information from the power distribution module;
a terminal flow calculation module, configured to calculate a cooling flow requirement of each power terminal according to the rotation speed information and the torque information from the power distribution module and oil temperature information of the main cooling oil path; and
a hydraulic coordination module, configured to calculate
a rotation speed of the first oil pump,
a rotation speed of a second oil pump,
an opening degree of the control element, and
an opening degree of a pressure control solenoid valve according to the driving pressure requirement and the cooling flow requirement of each power terminal as claimed in claim 9.
Dependent claims 10-16 would be allowable after addressing the U.S.C. 112(b) issues because they depend from allowable claim 9.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Locher et al. (US 10006504) discloses accounting for vehicle speed, oil temperature, acceleration, engine torque, special driving conditions in determining an operating mode for cooling of the vehicle components to be adjusted according to demands
Busse et al. (US 12214772) discloses an on-demand cooling system that controls cooling pumps according to models and algorithms that account for driving conditions to minimize energy loss
Reisch et al. (US 7951043) discloses a hydraulic system that includes a pump supplying fluid to an oil cooler which flows to a control valve to directs fluid to transmission elements or starting elements
He Qi (CN110966400) discloses a pertinent hydraulic system that includes proportional control valves, a control unit, a cooler, a plurality of different vehicle systems/parts to be cooled, a clutch, etc.
Matsushita et al. (US 8708855) discloses a hydraulic system including a cooler 21, that cools a plurality of motor generators MG1, MG2 through branching cooling paths 37, 38
Yang et al. (US 11913542) discloses a pertinent hydraulic system but does not disclose a control element on each branch
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/DUSTIN T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3745 February 25, 2026