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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-2 and 17-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hirotaka et al. (JP2009111370A) in view of Maeda et al. (US Publication 2016/0372264).
In re claim 1, Hirotaka discloses a capacitor module comprising:
a first capacitor (left 1 – Figure 1, Figure 3, ¶20) having a body of a dielectric film (¶20) and including a first electrode (¶20, Figure 1, Figure 3), a second electrode (¶20, Figure 1, Figure 3) opposed to the first electrode (Figure 3; Note that a first electrode is disposed on one end surface and a second electrode is disposed on an opposing end surface.), and a first side surface connecting the first electrode and the second electrode and having a pair of flat portions (top and bottom portions of 1 – Figure 7, Figure 3) opposed to each other and a pair of curved portions (portions of 1 connecting the flat portions – Figure 7, Figure 3) connecting the pair of flat portions;
a second capacitor (right 1 – Figure 1, Figure 3) having a body of a dielectric film (¶20) and including a third electrode (¶20, Figure 1, Figure 3), a fourth electrode (¶20, Figure 1, Figure 3) opposed to the third electrode (Figure 3; Note that a third electrode is disposed on one end surface and a fourth electrode is disposed on an opposing end surface.), and a second side surface connecting the third electrode and the fourth electrode and having a pair of flat portions (top and bottom portions of 1 – Figure 7, Figure 3) opposed to each other and a pair of curved portions (portions of 1 connecting the flat portions – Figure 7, Figure 3) connecting the pair of flat portions;
a first bus bar (2 – Figure 1, Figure 3, ¶21) having a support surface (surface of 2 facing 1 – Figure 1, Figure 3) supporting the first side surface of the first capacitor (left 1 – Figure 1, Figure 3) and the second side surface of the second capacitor (right 1 – Figure 1, Figure 3) such that the first side surface of the first capacitor and the second side surface of the second capacitor face each other in a first direction along the support surface of the first bus bar (2 – Figure 1, Figure 3) and define a space separating one of the pair of curved portions of the first side surface and one of the pair of curved portions of the second side surface in the first direction between the first side surface of the first capacitor and the second side surface of the second capacitor (Figure 4, Figure 5; Note the spacing between the elements 1 shown in Figure 5.), the first bus bar (2 – Figure 1, Figure 3, Figure 4) being electrically connected to the first electrode of the first capacitor (top end surface electrode of left 1 – Figure 1, Figure 3, Figure 4) and the third electrode of the second capacitor (top end surface electrode of right 1 – Figure 1, Figure 3, Figure 4);
a second bus bar (3 – Figure 1, Figure 3, Figure 4, ¶21) electrically connected to the second electrode of the first capacitor (bottom end face electrode of right 1 – Figure 1, Figure 3) and the fourth electrode of the second capacitor (bottom end face electrode of right 1 – Figure 1, Figure 3); and
a sensor (4 or 13 – Figure 4, Figure 7, Figure 9, ¶22, ¶63) including a detector (¶51; tip of thermistor) that detects an abnormality regarding the capacitor module (¶59), the detector being arranged in the space separating the one of the pair of curved portions of the first side surface and the one of the pair of curved portions of the second side surface (¶35, Figure 5, Figure 9, Figure 11).
Hirotaka does not explicitly disclose the capacitor elements have a wound body of a dielectric film.
Maeda discloses a film capacitor having a wound assembly comprising metalized films and a dielectric (¶37).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate a well-known structure of a storage device to provide for capacitive characteristics.
In re claim 2, Hirotaka in view of Maeda discloses the capacitor module according to claim 1, as explained above. Hirotaka further discloses wherein the sensor includes an elongated portion provided with the detector at a tip end of the elongated portion (¶52-53, Figure 5, Figure 9, Figure 10, Figure 11), and the elongated portion is arranged in the space separating the one of the pair of curved portions of the first side surface (side surface of left 1 – Figure 5), and the one of the pair of curved portions of the second side surface (side surface of right 1 – Figure 5).
In re claim 17, Hirotaka in view of Maeda discloses the capacitor module according to claim 1, as explained above. Hirotaka further discloses wherein the first capacitor (left 1 – Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 4, Figure 5) and the second capacitor (right 1 – Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 4, Figure 5) are arranged such that the one of the pair of curved portions of the first capacitor and the one of the pair of curved portions of the second capacitor face each other in the first direction (Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 4, Figure 5) and one of the pair of flat portions of the first side surface and one of the pair of flat portions of the second side surface face the support surface (Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 4, Figure 5; Note that the flat portions of the elements 1 are facing the support surface of the bus bars 2 and 3.).
In re claim 18, Hirotaka in view of Maeda discloses the capacitor module according to claim 1, as explained above. Hirotaka further discloses wherein the detector of the sensor (4 – Figure 5) is arranged between a position where a distance from the first side surface (side surface of left 1 -Figure 5) and the second side surface (side surface of right 1 – Figure 5) is shortest and the support surface of the first bus bar (2 – Figure 4) (¶45; Note that Hirotaka discloses that the sensor can be placed within a range of +/- 10 mm in the Y and Z directions.).
In re claim 19, Hirotaka in view of Maeda discloses the capacitor module according to claim 1, as explained above. Hirotaka further discloses wherein the sensor (4 – Figure 5) is a temperature sensor, and the detector is a heat-sensitive part that detects a temperature (¶16).
Claim(s) 3 and 6-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hirotaka et al. (JP2009111370A) in view of Maeda et al. (US Publication 2016/03772264) and in further view of Mizuno et al. (JP2001268887A).
In re claim 3, Hirotaka in view of Maeda discloses the capacitor module according to claim 2, as explained above. Hirotaka does not explicitly disclose wherein the first bus bar includes a positioning portion that positions the elongated portion onto the support surface.
Mizuno discloses wherein the first bus bar (30 - Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 5, ¶38) includes a positioning portion (321 – Figure 5, ¶38) that positions the elongated portion of a thermistor (40 – Figure 5, ¶35) onto the support surface (flat portion of 30 – Figure 1).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the terminal mounting piece of Mizuno to reduce the number of parts while physically securing the thermistor.
In re claim 6, Hirotaka in view of Maeda discloses the capacitor module according to claim 2, as explained above. Hirotaka does not explicitly disclose wherein the first bus bar or the second bus bar includes a support member supporting the elongated portion.
Mizuno discloses wherein the first bus bar or the second bus bar (30 – Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 5) includes a support member (321 – Figure 5) supporting the elongated portion of a thermistor (40 – Figure 5, ¶35).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the terminal mounting piece of Mizuno to reduce the number of parts while physically securing the thermistor.
In re claim 7, Hirotaka in view of Maeda and in further view of Mizuno discloses the capacitor module according to claim 6, as explained above. Hirotaka does not explicitly disclose wherein the support member is at least one claw on the second bus bar.
Mizuno discloses wherein the support member (321 – Figure 5) is at least one claw (322 – Figure 5, ¶34) on the bus bar (30 – Figure 5).
The combination of Hirotaka and Maeda discloses wherein the support member is at least one claw on the second bus bar.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the terminal mounting piece of Mizuno to reduce the number of parts while physically securing the thermistor.
In re claim 8, Hirotaka in view of Maeda and in further view of Mizuno discloses the capacitor module according to claim 7, as explained above. Hirotaka does not disclose wherein the at least one claw is arch-shaped.
Mizuno discloses wherein the at least one claw (322 – Figure 5) is arch-shaped (Figure 5).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the terminal mounting piece of Mizuno to reduce the number of parts while physically securing the thermistor.
In re claim 9, Hirotaka in view of Maeda and in further view of Mizuno discloses the capacitor module according to claim 7, as explained above. Hirotaka further discloses the capacitor module according to claim 6, as explained above. Hirotaka further discloses wherein the second bus bar (2 or 11– Figure 1, Figure 3, Figure 11) is arranged opposed to the support surface of the first bus bar (3 or 12 – Figure 1, Figure 3, Figure 11), and the thermistor (13 – Figure 11) is positioned as to not overlap the support surface of the first bus bar (3 or 12 – Figure 3, Figure 11; Note that the Examiner is taking the first bus bar to be elements 3/12 and the second bus bar to be 2/11 here.).
Hirotaka does not disclose a support member attached to the bus bar.
Mizuno discloses a support member (321 – Figure 5) attached to the bus bar (30 – Figure 5).
The combination of Hirotaka and Mizuno discloses the support member is positioned in the second bus bar so as to not overlap the support surface of the first bus bar.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the terminal mounting piece of Mizuno to reduce the number of parts while physically securing the thermistor.
In re claim 10, Hirotaka in view of Maeda and in further view of Mizuno discloses the capacitor module according to claim 3, as explained above. Hirotaka does not disclose wherein the first bus bar or the second bus bar includes a support member supporting the elongated portion.
Maeda discloses wherein the first bus bar or the second bus bar (30 – Figure 1, Figure 5) includes a support member (322 – Figure 3, Figure 5) supporting the elongated portion of a thermistor (40 - Figure 5).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the terminal mounting piece of Mizuno to reduce the number of parts while physically securing the thermistor.
In re claim 11, Hirotaka in view of Maeda and in further view of Mizuno discloses the capacitor module according to claim 10, as explained above. Hirotaka does not disclose wherein the support member is at least one claw on the second bus bar.
Maeda discloses wherein the support member (322 – Figure 3, Figure 5) is at least one claw (Figure 5) on the bus bar (30 – Figure 1, Figure 3, Figure 5).
The combination of Hirotaka and Maeda discloses wherein the support member is at least one claw on the second bus bar.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the terminal mounting piece of Mizuno to reduce the number of parts while physically securing the thermistor.
In re claim 12, Hirotaka in view of Maeda and in further view of Mizuno discloses the capacitor module according to claim 11, as explained above. Hirotaka does not disclose wherein the at least one claw is arch-shaped.
Mizuno discloses wherein the at least one claw (322 – Figure 5) is arch-shaped (Figure 5).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the terminal mounting piece of Mizuno to reduce the number of parts while physically securing the thermistor.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-5 and 13-16 are 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. The prior art does not disclose nor suggest (in combination with other claim limitations) the positioning portion includes a first protrusion protruding from the support surface, the first protrusion defining a through hole through which the elongated portion extends.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hironaka (US Publication 2014/0294045) Figure 5, [¶43]
Imamura et al. (US Publication 2013/0222967) Figure 2
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ARUN RAMASWAMY whose telephone number is (571)270-1962. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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/ARUN RAMASWAMY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2848