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, see page 8, filed 12/16/2025, with respect to objection to the specification and rejections under 35 USC 112(b) have been fully considered and are persuasive. The objection of the specification and the rejections under 35 USC 112(b) have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-14 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1, 3, 7, and 9-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by LOHR (WO 2020169391: family member DE 102019202253 previously cited).
Regarding claim 1, LOHR discloses a cooling assembly for cooling an electrical machine of a drive assembly (see para [0046] and [0051]) comprising the electrical machine, the cooling assembly comprising:
a cooling channel (see Fig. 6) for conducting a cooling medium with an inlet (60) for introducing the cooling medium into the cooling channel and with an outlet (61) for discharging the cooling medium from the cooling channel , wherein
the cooling channel has a receiving region (50) for receiving the electrical machine,
the cooling assembly comprises an insert (100) with at least one insertion part (10, 62) for generating turbulence of the cooling medium within the cooling channel (the prior art structure is capable of generating turbulence), wherein
the insert (100) is arranged in a space surrounding the receiving region (50) for the electrical machine, within the cooling channel (see Fig. 6), the insertion part (10, 62) has a two-part design (see Fig. 6),
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the insertion part (10, 62) comprises a first element (62),
the first element (62) has multiple depressions and/or elevations (12) for generating flow vortices (the prior art structure is capable of generating flow vortices),
the insertion part (10, 62) comprises a second element (10),
the second element (10) is configured as a support body for the first element (62) and/or for the electrical machine,
the insert (100) has a collar shape (see Fig. 1),
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the insertion part (10, 62) has a first end and a second end in an open state (see Fig. 1),
both ends are connected to one another or to corresponding ends of a second insertion part in a closed state so that they insert is hollow-cylindrical (see Fig. 1), and
the second element (10) completely surrounds the first element (62) radially outwardly in a closed state and in a state when inserted in the cooling assembly (see Figs. 1 and 6).
Regarding claim 3, LOHR discloses the cooling assembly according to claim 1
wherein the first element is designed as a deep-drawn part (see para [0007]; the claimed product-by-process limitation does not result in a structural difference from the disclosed metal part; see MPEP 2113).
Regarding claim 7, LOHR discloses the cooling assembly according to claim 1,
wherein the first element (62) and the second element (10) are connected to one another by means of a welded connection (see para [0007]) and/or by means of a clip connection (16).
Regarding claim 9, LOHR discloses the cooling assembly according to claim 1,
wherein the insertion part (10,62) and/or the second insertion part each have at least one clip (39) at the first end and at least one groove (35) corresponding to the clip at the second end (see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 10, LOHR discloses the cooling assembly according to claim 1,
wherein when the insert (100) is in an inserted state in the cooling channel, the first element (62) is arranged between the second element (10) and the receiving region (50) for the electric machine (see Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 11, LOHR discloses the cooling assembly according to claim 10,
wherein the second element (10), when in an inserted state in the cooling channel, rests at least partially, against an inner wall of the cooling channel delimiting the space which surrounds the receiving region (50) for the electrical machine towards the outside (see Fig. 6, hook 39).
Regarding claim 14, LOHR discloses the cooling assembly according to claim 10,
wherein the second element (10), when in an inserted state in the cooling channel, rests completely, against an inner wall of the cooling channel delimiting the space which surrounds the receiving region (50) for the electrical machine towards the outside (see Fig. 6, hook 39 and seal 35).
Regarding claim 12, LOHR discloses the insert (100) having at least one said insertion part (10, 62) for said cooling assembly according to claim 1.
Regarding claim 13, LOHR discloses the drive assembly, for a vehicle, comprising the electrical machine and the cooling assembly according to claim 1 (see para [0051]).
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.
Claims 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LOHR in view of RAUCHSCHWALBE (DE 102018212794; previously cited).
Regarding claim 5, LOHR discloses the cooling assembly according to claim 1.
However, LOHR does not disclose the second element is configured as an injection-molded part.
RAUCHSCHWALBE discloses a first and second element of a multi-part cooling insert made by injection molding.
It 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 to provide a second element of LOHR made by injection molding, similar to RAUCHSCHWALBE.
A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains would have been motivated to make such modification in order to provide an insert with a simplified production process and close component tolerances, as taught by RAUCHSCHWALBE (see seventh paragraph).
Regarding claim 6, LOHR discloses the cooling assembly according to claim 1.
However, LOHR does not disclose the first element and/or the second element is made of plastic.
RAUCHSCHWALBE discloses a multi-part cooling insert with a first and second element of made of plastic.
It 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 to provide the insert of LOHR with a first and second element of made of plastic, similar to RAUCHSCHWALBE.
A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains would have been motivated to make such modification in order to provide an insert with a simplified production process and close component tolerances, as taught by RAUCHSCHWALBE (see seventh paragraph).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US-20170012504-A1 SEVER discloses a molded cooling insert with turbulent flow generation; US-20180241289-A1 DESBIENS discloses a molded cooling insert; DE-102021131448-A1 KRANK discloses a molded cooling insert with turbulent flow generation.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 JUSTIN STEFANON whose telephone number is (703)756-4648. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday and alternate Fridays 8AM - 5PM EDT.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Oluseye 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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/JUSTIN STEFANON/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/OLUSEYE IWARERE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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