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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 08/07/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to Applicant’s arguments regarding Gotz not teaching of the air channel as claimed, the Examiner respectfully disagrees. Applicant appears to be stating that because 42 of Gotz, which spans between and fluidly connects the first inlet, second inlet and the air outlet, is made of separate pieces that it cannot function as a single channel. The Examiner disagrees. Nowhere in the claim does it not state that the channel is not formed of some form of forked arrangement connecting the two separate inlet ducts to the air outlet, and it appears that the channel would need to have such a structure in order to fluidly connect the two inlets to a single outlet. Further, looking at Applicant’s figures, element 34 is indicated as being the channel, which connects inlets 35 and 40 to the outlet 42 and has a nearly identical structure to the channel of Gotz, that being two separate ducts joining together to form a single duct leading to a single air outlet. If single duct with no branching is intended by the “channel” limitation, then the structure needs to be specified in the claims, however, Gotz would be capable on reading on such a limitation as can be seen by the portion of 42 connected to 32 and 4.
In response to Applicant’s arguments regarding Gotz not teaching of an air outlet, the Examiner respectfully disagrees. Particularly Applicant states that there is no air outlet because there is no intermediate space between 42 and 32 to form such an outlet. However, this intermediate space is not claimed. The limitations simply state that there is an air outlet to allow fluid flow being the channel and the air conditioning unit. Gotz teaches of 42 being connected to 32 and therefore there is an air outlet between 42 and 32 as air is exiting 42 and entering 32.
In response to Applicant’s arguments regarding the use of Kehimkar, the Examiner respectfully disagrees. Applicant makes no clear argument why the combination of Gotz and Kehimkar is improper besides reiterating that Gotz fails to teach of the channel.
In response to Applicant’s arguments regarding the use of Morales, the Examiner respectfully disagrees. While the Examiner does acknowledge that Morales is used in a separate field than automotive climate control, this does not disqualify the use of Morales to modify Gotz as it is still in reasonably pertinent to the particular problem which the inventor was concerned, specifically controlling multiple air flows to a single outlet.
Applicant does not discuss the amendments to the independent claims, and the rejection for the amendments, which appear to incorporate limitations from claim 12, are included below.
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, 4-6 and 9-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gotz (DE 102016113070 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Gotz teaches of:
An air-guiding device for an air-conditioning unit of an at least partially electrically driven vehicle (¶ [0001]), the air-guiding device comprising:
a first air inlet (22);
a second air inlet (12);
an air outlet (outlet is the downstream side of 42 connected to 32);
a channel fluidically coupled to the first air inlet, to the second air inlet, and to the air outlet (portion of 42 connected to 32 and downstream from 12 and 22); and
at least one valve device (4), wherein:
the first air inlet is arranged to allow a fluid flow between an exterior of the vehicle and the channel (22 receives fluid flow from the exterior of the vehicle);
the second air inlet is arranged to allow a fluid flow between a technical compartment of the vehicle and the channel (12 receives fluid flow from technical compartment 3);
the air outlet is arranged to allow a fluid flow between the channel and the air-conditioning unit (air outlet as mapped above allows fluid flow between the channel 42 and air-conditioning unit 32); and
the at least one valve device is arranged such that a fluid flow starting from the first air inlet and/or from the second air inlet in a direction of the air outlet can be prevented (4 can prevent air from either 22 or 12)
wherein at least one temperature sensor is configured to transmit temperature measurement values to a control device (5 is a temperature sensor that is positioned in the first and second inlet ducts and is connected to a control device 34 in order for the system to operate based on the temperature sensor readings) that is configured to receive at least one user input (¶ [0055], “The target temperature is determined, for example, by the operating mode or a user setting for air conditioning unit 2”), and the control device is coupled to at least one actuator and configured to provide an actuating signal to the at least one actuator depending on the user input and the received temperature measurement values (the system of Gotz has a user input and maintains the desired temperature from the user input in the cabin by actuating the actuator of the valve based on readings from the temperature sensor; ¶ [0055], “The control device 34 opens in particular the air inlet 12 , 22 whose intake air has a temperature closer to a target temperature for the passenger compartment 11”)
Regarding claim 4, Gotz teaches of the air-guiding device according to claim 1, and Gotz further teaches of:
wherein each valve device of the at least one valve device is assigned an actuator which can be coupled to a control device of the air-conditioning unit for receiving an actuating signal, which defines a position of the respective each valve device (¶ [0051]; control device 34 is connected to actuator 24 of the valve device 4)
Regarding claim 5, Gotz teaches of the air-guiding device according to claim 1, and Gotz further teaches of:
wherein the first air inlet is designed to be positioned in a manner adjoining a front hood of the vehicle (22 is adjoining hood 31)
Regarding claim 6, Gotz teaches of:
An at least partially electrically driven vehicle (¶ [0001]) comprising:
an air-conditioning unit (32); and
an air-guiding device which is fluidically coupled to the air-conditioning unit (all ducts connected to the inlet side of 32 make up the air guiding device), the air-guiding device comprising:
a first air inlet (22);
a second air inlet (12);
an air outlet (outlet is the downstream side of 42 connected to 32);
a channel fluidically coupled to the first air inlet, to the second air inlet, and to the air outlet (portion of 42 connected to 32 and downstream from 12 and 22); and
at least one valve device (4), wherein:
the first air inlet is arranged to allow a fluid flow between an exterior of the vehicle and the channel (22 receives fluid flow from the exterior of the vehicle);
the second air inlet is arranged to allow a fluid flow between a technical compartment of the vehicle and the channel (12 receives fluid flow from technical compartment 3);
the air outlet is arranged to allow a fluid flow between the channel and the air-conditioning unit (air outlet as mapped above allows fluid flow between the channel 42 and air-conditioning unit 32); and
the at least one valve device is arranged such that a fluid flow starting from the first air inlet and/or from the second air inlet in the direction of the air outlet can be prevented (4 can prevent air from either 22 or 12)
wherein at least one temperature sensor is configured to transmit temperature measurement values to a control device (5 is a temperature sensor that is positioned in the first and second inlet ducts and is connected to a control device 34 in order for the system to operate based on the temperature sensor readings) that is configured to receive at least one user input (¶ [0055], “The target temperature is determined, for example, by the operating mode or a user setting for air conditioning unit 2”), and the control device is coupled to at least one actuator and configured to provide an actuating signal to the at least one actuator depending on the user input and the received temperature measurement values (the system of Gotz has a user input and maintains the desired temperature from the user input in the cabin by actuating the actuator of the valve based on readings from the temperature sensor; ¶ [0055], “The control device 34 opens in particular the air inlet 12 , 22 whose intake air has a temperature closer to a target temperature for the passenger compartment 11”)
Regarding claim 9, Gotz teaches of the at least partially electrically driven vehicle according to claim 6, and Gotz further teaches of:
wherein each valve device of the at least one valve device is assigned an actuator which is configured to be coupled to the control device of the air-conditioning unit for receiving an actuating signal, which defines a position of the respective each valve device (¶ [0051]; actuator 24 is connected to 34 and receives actuating signals from 34 which define its position)
Regarding claim 10, Gotz teaches of the at least partially electrically driven vehicle according to claim 6, and Gotz further teaches of:
wherein the first air inlet is designed to be positioned in a manner adjoining a front hood of the vehicle (22 is adjoining hood 31)
Regarding claim 11, Gotz teaches of the at least partially electrically driven vehicle according to claim 6, and Gotz further teaches of:
wherein the air-conditioning unit has the control device designed to output the actuating signal, which defines a position of the at least one valve device, to at least one actuator which is assigned to the at least one valve device (¶ [0051]; actuator 24 is connected to 34 and receives actuating signals from 34 which define its position)
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, 7 and 12-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gotz (DE 102016113070 A1) in view of Kehimkar (US 20150044958 A1).
Regarding claim 2, Gotz teaches of the air guiding device according to claim 1, however, Gotz fails to explicitly teach:
wherein the at least one valve device comprises a first valve device and a second valve device arranged separately such that a fluid flow starting from the first air inlet or from the second air inlet in the direction of the air outlet can be prevented by use of the respective first and second valve devices.
Kehimkar teaches of:
wherein the at least one valve device comprises a first valve device (Fig. 2, 72) and a second valve device (Fig. 2, 70) arranged separately such that a fluid flow starting from the first air inlet or from the second air inlet in the direction of the air outlet can be prevented by use of the respective first and second valve devices (Fig. 2, valves 70 and 72 are able to independent control airflow through their respective inlets).
The primary reference can be modified to meet this/these limitation(s) as follows:
replace 4 of Gotz with valve 72 positioned at the connection of the inlet duct 22 to the channel 42 and valve 70 at inlet 12 and connect both the valves to the controller 34 so that it can actuate each valve as needed
A person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to make the above modification(s) because:
it would allow for a smaller packaging footprint of the air guiding device and a greater variation in control than a single valve (Kehimkar, ¶ [0007], “The two "butterfly" doors allow for the partial recirculation mode function in a smaller packaging footprint. In addition, the two "butterfly" doors provide not only the fresh mode, the partial recirculation mode and the recirculation mode, the two "butterfly" door concept also provides a RAM air control which is a variable partial and a variable fresh concept.”)
Regarding claim 7, Gotz teaches of the at least partially electrically driven vehicle according to claim 6, however, Gotz fails to explicitly teach:
wherein the at least one valve device comprises a first valve device and a second valve device arranged separately such that a fluid flow starting from the first air inlet or from the second air inlet in the direction of the air outlet can be prevented by use of the respective first and second valve devices.
Kehimkar teaches of:
wherein the at least one valve device comprises a first valve device (Fig. 2, 72) and a second valve device (Fig. 2, 70) arranged separately such that a fluid flow starting from the first air inlet or from the second air inlet in the direction of the air outlet can be prevented by use of the respective first and second valve devices (Fig. 2, valves 70 and 72 are able to independent control airflow through their respective inlets).
The primary reference can be modified to meet this/these limitation(s) as follows:
replace 4 of Gotz with valve 72 positioned at the connection of the inlet duct 22 to the channel 42 and valve 70 at inlet 12 and connect both the valves to the controller 34 so that it can actuate each valve as needed
A person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to make the above modification(s) because:
it would allow for a smaller packaging footprint of the air guiding device and a greater variation in control than a single valve (Kehimkar, ¶ [0007], “The two "butterfly" doors allow for the partial recirculation mode function in a smaller packaging footprint. In addition, the two "butterfly" doors provide not only the fresh mode, the partial recirculation mode and the recirculation mode, the two "butterfly" door concept also provides a RAM air control which is a variable partial and a variable fresh concept.”)
Regarding claim 12, the combined teachings teach of the at least partially electrically driven vehicle according to claim 7, and the combined teachings further teach:
wherein the control device is designed to receive at least one user input from a human/machine interface (Gotz, ¶ [0055], “The target temperature is determined, for example, by the operating mode or a user setting for air conditioning unit 2”)
Regarding claim 13, Gotz teaches of:
A method for operating a system that comprises:
an air-conditioning unit for an at least partially electrically driven vehicle (¶ [0001]; 32); and
an air-guiding device which is fluidically coupled to the air-conditioning unit (all ducts connected to the inlet side of 32 make up the air guiding device), wherein the air-guiding device comprises:
a first air inlet (22);
a second air inlet (12); an
air outlet (outlet is the downstream side of 42 connected to 32);
a channel fluidically coupled to the first air inlet, to the second air inlet, and to the air outlet (portion of 42 connected to 32 and downstream from 12 and 22)
one valve device (4)
the once valve device arranges such that a fluid flow starting from the first inlet and a fluid flow starting from the second inlet can be prevent (4 can prevent flow from each inlet 22 and 12)
the one valve device is assigned an actuator which is coupled to a control device and receives actuating signals to control the position of the valve (24 is coupled to 34 and receives actuating signals from 34)
the control device outputting an actuating signal that prevents fluid flow from the first inlet a heating mode of the air conditioning unit (¶ [0051], “The control unit 34 controls the actuator 24, for example, so that in a heating mode of the air preparation unit 32 the first air inlet 12 is open and the second air inlet 22 is closed”)
the control device outputting a different actuating signals that prevents fluid flow from the second inlet in a cooling mode of the air conditioning unit (¶ [0051], “In a refrigeration operation or During ventilation operation, the control unit 34 closes the first air inlet 12 through the flap 14 and simultaneously opens the second air inlet 22”)
Gotz fails to explicitly teach:
at least a first and a second valve device, wherein:
the first valve device is arranged such that a fluid flow starting from the first air inlet in the direction of the air outlet can be prevented by use of the first valve device;
the second valve device is arranged such that a fluid flow starting from the second air inlet in the direction of the air outlet can be prevented by use of the second valve device; and
the first valve device is assigned a first actuator, and the second valve device is assigned a second actuator, wherein each of the first and second actuators are coupled to a control device of the air-conditioning unit for the purpose of receiving an actuating signal, which defines a position of the respective first and second valve devices, and wherein the method comprises steps of:
outputting an actuating signal to the actuator that is assigned to the first valve device in such a way that only the fluid flow starting from the first air inlet in the direction of the air outlet is prevented by use of the first valve device for a heating mode of the air-conditioning unit; or
outputting a different actuating signal to the actuator that is assigned to the second valve device in such a way that only the fluid flow starting from the second air inlet in the direction of the air outlet is prevented by use of the second valve device for a cooling mode of the air-conditioning unit.
Kehimkar teaches of:
providing a first (Fig. 2, 72) and second valve device (Fig. 2, 70) in place a single valve device and actuating each of the valve devices independently (¶ [0031], “The first and second door 70, 72 can move independent of each other. The first and second door 70, 72 can be actuated about the respective pins 80, 86 in any suitable manner, such as by using one or more motors”)
The primary reference can be modified to meet this/these limitation(s) as follows:
replace valve device 4 with the first and second valve devices 72 and 70 of Kehimkar and position 72 at the connection of the inlet duct 22 to the channel 42 and valve 70 at inlet 12 and further connect each of the valve devices to the controller 34 so that the controller can output an actuating signal to an actuator for each valve 70 and 72 and so that the signal commands the actuator to close valve 72 and open valve 70 when in a heating mode and output a different actuating signals to valve 72 to open and valve 70 to close when in a cooling mode
A person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to make the above modification(s) because:
it would allow for a smaller packaging footprint of the air guiding device and a greater variation in control than a single valve (Kehimkar, ¶ [0007], “The two "butterfly" doors allow for the partial recirculation mode function in a smaller packaging footprint. In addition, the two "butterfly" doors provide not only the fresh mode, the partial recirculation mode and the recirculation mode, the two "butterfly" door concept also provides a RAM air control which is a variable partial and a variable fresh concept.”)
Claim(s) 3 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gotz (DE 102016113070 A1) in view of Kehimkar (US 20150044958 A1) and in further view of Morales (US 7716939 B1).
Regarding claim 3, the combined teachings teach of the air guiding device according to claim 2, however, the combined teachings fail to explicitly teach:
further comprising a third valve device arranged such that a fluid flow starting from the first air inlet and from the second air inlet in the direction of the air outlet can be prevented by use of the third valve device.
Morales teaches of:
further comprising a third valve device arranged such that a fluid flow starting from the first air inlet and from the second air inlet in the direction of the air outlet can be prevented by use of the third valve device (Fig. 1, 120 prevents all air flow to the air conditioner 112)
The combined teachings can be modified to meet this/these limitation(s) as follows:
add a third valve device at the outlet of the air guiding device of Gotz
A person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to make the above modification(s) because:
it would allow for the air conditioner to be completely isolated if the maintenance on the air conditioner needs to be performed (Morales, Col. 2, lines 61-65, “Duct 118 includes at least one isolation damper 120 that is configured to isolate air handler 112 from the remainder of sub-system 110 in the event that such isolation is needed for situations that include, but are not, limited to, maintenance activities”)
Regarding claim 8, the combined teachings teach of the at least partially electrically driven vehicle according to claim 7, however, the combined teachings fail to explicitly teach:
further comprising a third valve device arranged such that a fluid flow starting from the first air inlet and from the second air inlet in the direction of the air outlet can be prevented by use of the third valve device.
Morales teaches of:
further comprising a third valve device arranged such that a fluid flow starting from the first air inlet and from the second air inlet in the direction of the air outlet can be prevented by use of the third valve device (Fig. 1, 120 prevents all air flow to the air conditioner 112)
The combined teachings can be modified to meet this/these limitation(s) as follows:
add a third valve device at the outlet of the air guiding device of Gotz
A person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to make the above modification(s) because:
it would allow for the air conditioner to be completely isolated if the maintenance on the air conditioner needs to be performed (Morales, Col. 2, lines 61-65, “Duct 118 includes at least one isolation damper 120 that is configured to isolate air handler 112 from the remainder of sub-system 110 in the event that such isolation is needed for situations that include, but are not, limited to, maintenance activities”)
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 MICHAEL J GIORDANO whose telephone number is (571)272-8940. The examiner can normally be reached M-Fr 8 AM - 5 PM EST.
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, Helena Kosanovic can be reached at (571) 272-9059. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MICHAEL JAMES GIORDANO/Examiner, Art Unit 3762
/HELENA KOSANOVIC/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3762
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