DETAILED ACTION
1. Claims 1-13 of U.S. Application 18/538205 filed on December 13, 2023 are presented for examination.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
2. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
3. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
4. The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on December 13, 2023, June 7, 2024, March 21, 2025 and September 8, 2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
5. 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.
6. Claims 1-4, 10 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Krause (US 20210129654).
Regarding claim 1, Krause teaches (see figs. 1 and 4 below) a driving device (Abstract; ¶ 56), comprising:
an electric motor (1, 2) configured to drive a wheel of a vehicle (¶ 62; ¶ 49);
a gear (7, 17, 18) connected to the electric motor (1, 2) (¶ 56; ¶ 59);
a casing (9, 6a) accommodating the electric motor (1, 2) (¶ 59);
a high voltage component (5, 16) fixed to a side wall of the casing (9) from outside of the casing (9) and electrically connected to the electric motor (1, 2) (¶ 56; ¶ 57); and
a cover (4) fixed to the side wall of the casing (9) from outside of the casing (9) and covering the high voltage component (5, 16), wherein the cover (4) is connected to a constituent member (32a) located outside the cover (4) (¶ 56 to ¶ 58).
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Regarding claim 2/1, Krause teaches (see figs. 1 and 4 above) the casing (6a, 9) accommodates the electric motor (1, 2) and the gear (7, 17, 18) (¶ 56 to ¶ 58).
Regarding claim 3/1, Krause teaches (see figs. 1 and 4 above) the casing (6a, 9) has a first casing (9) that accommodates the electric motor (1, 2) and a second casing (6a) that accommodates the gear (7, 17, 18) (¶ 56 to ¶ 58).
Regarding claim 4/2/1, Krause teaches (see figs. 1 and 4 above) the high voltage component (5, 16), the electric motor (1, 2), and the gear (7, 17, 18) are arranged in order of the high voltage component (5, 16), the electric motor (1, 2), and the gear (7, 17, 18) along an axial direction parallel to a rotation axis of the electric motor (1, 2) (¶ 56 to ¶ 58).
Regarding claim 10/1, Krause teaches (see figs. 1 and 4 above) the side wall of the casing (9) extends in a direction intersecting with a rotation axis of the electric motor (1, 2) of the casing; and the constituent member (32a) faces an outer surface of the side wall (fig. 4; ¶ 56 to ¶ 58).
Regarding claim 12/1, Krause teaches (see figs. 1 and 4 above) the high voltage component (5, 16) is an inverter (¶ 56 to ¶ 58).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
7. 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.
8. Claims 5-9 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Krause in view of Pearce (US 20150083505).
Regarding claim 5/2/1, Krause teaches the device of claim 2 but does not explicitly teach the high-voltage component, the electric motor, and the gear are arranged in order of the high voltage component, the gear, and the electric motor along an axial direction parallel to a rotation axis of the electric motor.
However, Pearce teaches (see fig. 3 below) the high-voltage component (111), the electric motor (105), and the gear (inside gearbox 115) are arranged in order of the high voltage component (111), the gear (inside gearbox 115), and the electric motor (105) along an axial direction parallel to a rotation axis of the electric motor (105) (fig. 3; ¶ 23 to ¶ 25) in order to reduce weight and volume provide ease of assembly (Pearce, ¶ 6).
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device Krause and provide the high-voltage component, the electric motor, and the gear are arranged in order of the high voltage component, the gear, and the electric motor along an axial direction parallel to a rotation axis of the electric motor as taught by Pearce in order to reduce weight and volume provide ease of assembly (Pearce, ¶ 6).
Regarding claim 6/1, Krause teaches the device of claim 1 but does not explicitly teach the constituent member includes at least one of a vehicle body of the vehicle, a member fixed to the vehicle body, and a vibration generating member; and the cover is connected to the constituent member through a bracket.
However, Pearce teaches (see fig. 3 above) the constituent member (103) includes at least one of a vehicle body of the vehicle, a member fixed to the vehicle body, and a vibration generating member; and the cover is connected to the constituent member (103) through a bracket (313) (fig. 3; ¶ 22; ¶ 33; ¶ 45) in order to reduce weight and volume provide ease of assembly (Pearce, ¶ 6; ¶ 45).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device Krause and provide the constituent member includes at least one of a vehicle body of the vehicle, a member fixed to the vehicle body, and a vibration generating member; and the cover is connected to the constituent member through a bracket as taught by Pearce in order to reduce weight and volume provide ease of assembly (Pearce, ¶ 6; ¶ 45).
Regarding claim 7/6/1, Krause teaches the device of claim 6 but does not explicitly teach the vehicle includes a subframe fixed to the vehicle body; and the constituent member includes a supporting mount provided in the subframe.
However, Pearce teaches (see fig. 3 above) the vehicle includes a subframe (103) fixed to the vehicle body; and the constituent member includes a supporting mount provided in the subframe (103) (fig. 3; ¶ 22; ¶ 33; ¶ 45) in order to reduce noise and vibration (Pearce, ¶ 45).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device Krause and provide the vehicle includes a subframe fixed to the vehicle body; and the constituent member includes a supporting mount provided in the subframe as taught by Pearce in order to reduce noise and vibration (Pearce, ¶ 45).
Regarding claim 8/6/1, Krause teaches the device of claim 6 but does not explicitly teach the vehicle includes a compressor for air conditioning; and the vibration generating member includes the compressor.
However, Pearce teaches (see fig. 3 above) the vehicle includes a compressor for air conditioning; and the vibration generating member includes the compressor (¶ 26; ¶ 27) in order to optimize system performance and safety (Pearce, ¶ 23).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device Krause and provide the vehicle includes a compressor for air conditioning; and the vibration generating member includes the compressor as taught by Pearce in order to optimize system performance and safety (Pearce, ¶ 23).
Regarding claim 9/1, Krause teaches the device of claim 1 but does not explicitly teach the vehicle is a hybrid vehicle including an engine fixed to a vehicle body; and the electric motor and the engine are arranged along an axial direction parallel to a rotation axis of the electric motor.
However, Pearce teaches the vehicle is a hybrid vehicle including an engine fixed to a vehicle body; and the electric motor and the engine are arranged along an axial direction parallel to a rotation axis of the electric motor (¶ 4) in order to provide improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions (Pearce, ¶ 5).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device Krause and provide the vehicle is a hybrid vehicle including an engine fixed to a vehicle body; and the electric motor and the engine are arranged along an axial direction parallel to a rotation axis of the electric motor as taught by Pearce in order to provide improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions (Pearce, ¶ 5).
Regarding claim 11/1, Krause teaches the device of claim 1 but does not explicitly teach the side wall of the casing extends along a rotation axis of the electric motor of the casing; and the constituent member faces an outer surface of the side wall.
However, Pearce teaches (see fig. 3 above) the side wall of the casing extends along a rotation axis of the electric motor (105) of the casing; and the constituent member (103) faces an outer surface of the side wall (fig. 3; ¶ 22; ¶ 33; ¶ 45) in order to reduce noise and vibration (Pearce, ¶ 45).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device Krause and provide the side wall of the casing extends along a rotation axis of the electric motor of the casing; and the constituent member faces an outer surface of the side wall as taught by Pearce in order to reduce noise and vibration (Pearce, ¶ 45).
9. Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Krause in view of Griffiths (US 20200274375).
Regarding claim 13/1, Krause teaches the device of claim 1 but does not explicitly teach the high voltage component is a component with an operating voltage range above DC 60 V to DC 1500 V, or above AC 30 V to AC 1000 V in root mean square value.
However, Griffiths teaches high voltage component is a component with an operating voltage range above DC 60 V to DC 1500 V (¶ 364; ¶ 374; ¶ 376) in order to provide a high torque output (Griffiths, ¶ 620; ¶ 731).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device Krause and provide the high voltage component is a component with an operating voltage range above DC 60 V to DC 1500 V as taught by Griffiths in order to provide a high torque output (Griffiths, ¶ 620; ¶ 731).
Conclusion
10. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEXANDER A SINGH whose telephone number is (571)270-0243. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am to 5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Seye Iwarere can be reached at 571-270-5112. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ALEXANDER A SINGH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834