DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 6-7, and 10-18 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 11/25/25.
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 1, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by (Takada 2019/0221497).
Regarding Claim 1; Takada discloses a switching module for use in a power conversion circuit (switching module--as constituted by a holding structure-400-Fig. 4 including a rectification element package-401 including elements 107a, 107b—as set forth by para. 0034, wherein para.’s 0019 and 0037 further discloses rectification elements, switching elements and the like used for an inverter circuit), comprising: a case member formed to extend in a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to each other (as constituted by case member 402 extending around 401 in first and second directions respectively defined by a width and an length orthogonal thereto—as depicted by Fig. 4); switching elements disposed to face the case member in a stacking direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction (as depicted by Fig. 4--whereas two switching elements 401 comprises a surface facing a surface of 402 in a stacking direction orthogonal to the first and second directions); and a pressing member configured to press at least part of the switching elements toward one side in the stacking direction via the case member (whereas a spring 404 constitutes a pressing member configured to press toward the case member-402 and the switching elements-401 in the stacking direction), wherein the switching elements are disposed closer to one end portion of both end portions of the case member in the second direction (as depicted by Fig. 4—whereas the two switching elements are disposed at a left end of the case member along a length in the second direction).
Claim(s) 1-2, 5, and 8, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by (Song 2019/0335608).
Regarding Claim 1; Song discloses a switching module for use in a power conversion circuit (switching module--as constituted by a power module-300-Fig. 3 including transistors—as set forth by para. 0045), comprising: a case member formed to extend in a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to each other (as constituted by case member-330 comprises a frame—para. 0056 extending over atleast two transistors-315, wherein 330 extends in first and second directions respectively defined by a width and a length orthogonal thereto—as depicted by Fig. 3); switching elements disposed to face the case member in a stacking direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction (as depicted by Fig. 3--whereas 315 comprises a surface facing a surface of 330 in a stacking direction orthogonal to the first and second directions); and a pressing member configured to press at least part of the switching elements toward one side in the stacking direction via the case member (as set forth by para. 0057--whereas spring clips-335 couples the case member-330 and the two transistors and atleast in-part is configured to press toward the case member in the stacking direction), wherein the switching elements are disposed closer to one end portion of both end portions of the case member in the second direction (as depicted by Fig. 4—whereas the two transistors-315 are disposed closer to a right end of the case member along the second direction).
Regarding Claim 2; Song discloses the switching module according to claim 1, wherein the pressing member has a through portion formed to be located between another end portion of both end portions and the switching elements in the second direction, and to fix the switching module (as depicted by Fig. 3--whereas 335 along the left side of the case member, and defines a through portion vertically extending between at least two portions thereof proximate to a left end of the case member; and between the left end and the two transistors disposed closer to the right end of the case member along the second direction).
Regarding Claim 5; Song discloses the switching module according to claim 1, wherein the case member includes a first accommodation portion and a second accommodation portion having opening portions facing opposite to each other in the stacking direction, the pressing member is provided in the first accommodation portion, and the one or more switching elements are provided in the second accommodation portion (whereas the case member-330 defines a first accommodation portion via slot-302, and a second accommodation portion atleast in-part defined below the slot in the stacking direction and in-part defined by a plurality of downwardly extending portions on multiple sides of thereof).
Regarding Claim 8; Song discloses the switching module according to claim 1, further comprising a cover member attached to the case member so as to cover the pressing member (as constituted by cover 355 and covers the pressing member—as depicted by Fig. 3).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-4, and 9, 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.
Regarding Claim 3; the switching module according to claim 2, wherein the one or more switching elements are a plurality of switching elements, and the plurality of switching elements are disposed side by side along the first direction.
Regarding Claim 4; the switching module according to claim 3, wherein the pressing member is formed to be configured to press two or more elements among the plurality of switching elements (as already set forth), and the pressing member includes: a connection portion in which the through portion is formed; and two or more pressing portions configured to press the two or more elements, respectively, and connected to the connection portion in a state of being separated from each other in the first direction.
Regarding Claim 9; the switching module according to claim 8, wherein the cover member includes: a top plate configured to cover the pressing member; and a fixing portion that is provided on an upper surface of the top plate opposite to a surface facing the pressing member, and is fittable into a hole formed in a member to which the switching module is attached.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 10778118 B2
Chung; Nathan et al.
Fig.’s 16, 22-24, and 31
US 10021815 B2
Yamanaka; Yasunori et al.
Fig. 5
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/COURTNEY L SMITH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2835