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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Objections
Claim 18 is objected to because of the following informalities: The claim should be written in independent form to include all the appropriate limitations. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Asari et al, US Pub. 2017/0338023.
Asari et al disclose a wireless charging pad having coolant assembly comprising: an induction coil device for contactless energy transmission (charging unit 16 has a charging coil, par. 0029), an electronic device set up for operating the induction coil device (the electronic assembly 24, Fig. 2; par. 0030), a cooling device set up for cooling the induction coil device and/or the electronic device (coolant assembly 20, par. 0030-0031), on which the electronic device is arranged on the one hand and the induction coil device on the other hand, and with a cover enclosing the electronic device at least in sections, wherein the induction coil device has a planar flat coil carrier and an electrically conductive flat coil of coil windings arranged thereon, wherein the cover is arranged on the flat coil carrier or on the cooling device and spans the electronic device, wherein the cover defines a vertical axis orthogonally aligned with respect to the flat coil carrier and/or the cooling device in a height direction pointing orthogonally away from the flat coil carrier and/or the cooling device (Fig. 4, 6; para. 0044+),
Asari et al fail to disclose that the induction coil, the cooling device, the electronic device, and the cover are independently positioned at different angle at a vertical axis and are being fixed to each other in their position. However, the cover defines in a height direction extending orthogonally away from the flat coil support and/or the cooling device a vertical axis aligned orthogonally with respect to the flat coil support and/or the cooling device (see figure 3B), wherein the induction coil device, the cooling device, the electronic device and the cover can each be rotated about the vertical axis, and as a result can be positioned in different angular positions with respect to the vertical axis, these four elements can be rotated in any way desired during production in order to be positioned in a specific position), wherein the induction coil device, the cooling device, the electronic device and the cover can be fixed to one another in their respective angular positions, these four elements are fixed to one another after they have been turned into the desired position). Therefore, it would have been an obvious extension as taught by Asari et al.
Regarding claim 2, wherein angles of 5°, 10°, 15°, 20°, 25°, 30°, 35°, 40°, 45°, 90°, or 180° are spanned between the different angular positions in which the induction coil device, the cooling device, the electronics device and the cover can be positioned, so that the induction coil device, the cooling device, the electronic device and the cover can be positioned in 5°, 10°, 15°, 20°, 25°, 30°, 35°, 40°, 45°, 90°, and 180° steps with respect to the vertical axis and can be fixed to one another (with respect to the different angular position, such limitation is matter choice for meeting specific customer requirements, which therefore obvious. Therefore, it would have been an obvious extension as taught by Asari et al.
Regarding claim 3, wherein: the cover is adapted to an outer contour of the electronic device in that it spans the electronic device with a wall, the wall defining a predetermined or predeterminable gap between the and an electronic component of the electronic device, and/or the cover is adapted to an outer contour of the electronic device in that it spans the electronic device with horizontal wall sections extending transversely to the vertical axis and with vertical wall sections extending parallel to the vertical axis, wherein the vertical wall sections and/or the horizontal wall sections each have a predetermined or predeterminable gap distance between them and an electronic component of the electronic device (the prior art a cover 40 for covering the electronic assembly 24 adjacent the coolant assembly 20. Therefore, to provide enough space between the cover and the electronic components would have been obvious in order to protect the electronic components and to permit orientation to mee the specific shape of the housing. Therefore, it would have been an obvious extension as taught by Asari et al.).
Regarding claim 4, wherein: the horizontal wall sections and/or the vertical wall sections of the cover are assigned electrical supply connections of the electronic device and/or coolant connections of the cooling device, which pass through the same, and/or the horizontal wall sections and/or the vertical wall sections have a predetermined or predeterminable minimum gap distance between them and the electrical supply connections and/or the coolant connections 9the prior art teaches the coolant assembly 20 and the coolant channel 30 having inlet and outlet connection. Therefore, to route the coolant lines according specific available space within the vehicle would have been obvious due the fact the lines are constraint by the vehicle surrounding components. Therefore, it would have been an obvious extension as taught by Asari et al.
Regarding claim 5, wherein the cooling device includes a cooling plate having a plurality of initially closed feedthrough positions, two of the plurality of initially closed feedthrough positions being opened to provide passages for coolant connections (the prior art teaches a coolant assembly located the magnetic coil assembly and the electronic assembly. Therefore, it would have been obvious to provide additional feedthrough to serve the function of the inlet and outlet in order to keep the device at a desire temperature. Therefore, it would have been an obvious extension as taught by Asari et al.).
Regarding claim 6, wherein the horizontal wall sections and/or the vertical wall sections are guided with a minimum gap spacing around the electrical supply connections of the electronic device and/or the coolant connections of the cooling device, defining a raised electrical connection base and/or a raised cooling connection base (Asari et al disclose an electronic assembly 24, having a PCB and electronic components, it is common and standard to provide the necessary space for installation in order to maintain the components electrical functions, which therefore, obvious. Therefore, it would have been an obvious extension as taught by Asari et al.
Regarding claim 7, wherein the cover is a circular cover or a square cover or a rectangular cover or an octagonal cover (in addition to the rejection of claim 1 above, Asari et teach at least a rectangular cover(see Figs. 3-4).
Regarding claim 8, wherein: the cover defines a vertical axis orthogonally aligned with respect to the flat coil carrier or the cooling device in a height direction pointing orthogonally away from the flat coil carrier and/or the cooling device, and the cover is structured to be point-symmetrical with respect to the vertical axis or mirror-symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal axis orthogonal to the vertical axis (Asari et al disclose electronic circuits boards adjacent the cooling, to provide alternate orientations relative the cooling assembly would have been obvious in order to maintaining proper cooling temperature, which therefore, obvious. Therefore, it would have been an obvious extension as taught by Asari et al).
Regarding claim 9, wherein: the cover defines a vertical axis orthogonally aligned with respect to the flat coil carrier or the cooling device in a height direction pointing orthogonally away from the flat coil carrier and/or the cooling device, the cover has an integral fixing flange which revolves with respect to the vertical axis and which, in a state of the cover mounted on the flat coil carrier or on the cooling device, faces the flat coil carrier and the cooling device and is arranged in contact therewith, the integral fixing flange has through-holes for fastening screws arranged around the vertical axis, and the through-holes for releasably fixing the cover to the flat coil carrier or the cooling device are each fitted with a fastening screw when the cover is mounted on the flat coil carrier or on the cooling device (with respect to the specific connection between the components, such as how Asari et al provide the electrical interconnection between its components, it would have been obvious to properly or mechanically position the circuit boards and the other components with the standard or the necessary interconnection in order to maintain effective operation. Therefore, it would have been an obvious extension as taught by Asari et al.
Regarding claim 10, wherein the through-holes of the fixing flange are structured to be point-symmetrical with respect to the vertical axis or mirror-symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal axis orthogonal to the vertical axis (with respect to the specific position of connectors, such limitation is a matter of choice for securing the device to customer requirements, which therefore, obvious. Therefore, it would have been an obvious extension as taught by Asari et al.
Regarding claims 11-12, wherein: the electronic device has a plurality of separate printed circuit boards which are electrically connected to one another via electrical conductors, a first printed circuit board of the plurality of printed circuit boards forms a capacitor board having a plurality of separate capacitor banks, a second printed circuit board of the plurality of printed circuit boards forms a high-voltage signal processing board which realizes high-voltage signal processing and high-voltage signal conversion, a third printed circuit board of the plurality of printed circuit boards forms a further capacitor board which has at least one adjustable capacitor, and wherein a fourth printed circuit board of the plurality of printed circuit boards forms a communication board which has control and regulation electronics for the operation of at least the flat coil (induction charging device for charging electric vehicle requires high-volatage and low-voltage connection, in order to provide separate accessible connection (i.e. high and low voltage) it would have been obvious to have separate electrical package, which therefore, obvious. Therefore, it would have been an obvious extension as taught by Asari et al.
Regarding claim 13, wherein: the plurality of printed circuit boards can be positioned in different angular positions by rotation about the vertical axis and/or rotation about a transverse axis perpendicular to the vertical axis, the plurality of printed circuit boards can be electrically communicatively connected via the high-voltage conductors and/or the low-voltage conductors, and/or the same high-voltage conductors can be used for the electrical connections between the first, second and third printed circuit boards, even in different angular positions (the rejection of claim 1 above also applies for this claim).
Regarding claim 14, wherein fasteners are assigned to the cover and/or the flat coil carrier and/or the cooling device, the positioning and alignment of which fasteners are adapted within predetermined areas of the induction charger, wherein the induction charger can be detachably or non-detachably fastened to a motor vehicle via the fasteners (with respect to the mechanical structure for securing the components of the device, such limitation is a matter of choice for meeting specific customer requirements for maintaining electrical operation of the device, which therefore, obvious. Therefore, it would have been an obvious extension as taught by Asari et al).
Regarding claim 15, wherein: the cover defines a vertical axis orthogonally aligned with respect to the flat coil carrier or the cooling device in a height direction pointing orthogonally away from the flat coil carrier and/or the cooling device, the fasteners are formed by a plurality of separate direct screwing projections arranged on the cover and/or on the flat coil carrier and/or on the cooling device, wherein each direct screwing projection has a projection projecting radially outwards transversely to the vertical axis from the cover and/or from the flat coil carrier and/or from the cooling device with at least one through hole or a threaded bore, wherein the at least one through hole or the threaded bore of the plurality of screwing projections are oriented with their openings in the vertical direction, and/or the projections with through hole or threaded hole are each defined by a cuboid support arm, wherein the through-holes or threaded holes of which are arranged in each case at the distal end of a support arm or in the direction transverse to the vertical axis in the radially outer, last third of a respective support arm, and/or the fasteners are formed by a plurality of clamps arranged on the cover and/or on the flat coil carrier and/or on the cooling device, wherein each clamp has a clamping body, a spacer arranged loosely on the cover and/or on the flat coil carrier and/or on the cooling device and projecting radially outwards with respect to the vertical axis, and a fastening screw, and wherein the clamping body is in contact with the cover and/or the flat coil carrier and/or the cooling device and clamps the cover and/or the flat coil carrier and/or the cooling device in the height direction via one of the fastening screws screwed in on the vehicle side (with respect to the specific method for securing the components in their respective position, including diverse fastening structures, such limitation is standard or necessary for maintaining device operation, which therefore, obvious. Therefore, it would have been an obvious extension as taught by Asari et al).
Regarding claim 16, wherein: the flat coil carrier has contiguous grooves into which the coil windings of the flat coil can be inserted along a winding path extending through the grooves, forming a coil winding pattern of the flat coil which determines the coil properties of the flat coil, wherein the grooves delimit or form at least two winding paths for inserting coil windings, whereby at least two coil winding patterns for flat coils with different coil properties are provided, and wherein, in an assembled state of the induction charger, the coil windings of the flat coil are inserted into the grooves along a winding path of the at least two winding paths to form one of the predetermined coil winding patterns and are fixed to the flat coil carrier (the structure of the induction assembly for the wireless energy transfer and the coil-device construction, including the coil-system arrangements for the energy transfer of Asari et al, it would have been obvious for to employ known configuration coil-carrier/winding configurations to obtain the desire electromagnetic characteristics. Such configuration would allow the shape of the coil to be selected to meet the characteristics of the charging system without any modification of the charging system. Therefore, it would have been an obvious extension as taught by Asari et al).
Regarding claim 17, wherein the fasteners are disposed in one or more corners of the cover and/or the flat coil carrier and/or the cooling device (with respect to the mechanical structure for securing the components would be obvious since such structure would not provide any unpredicted results, it would be merely to adapt the coil carrier to different-charging system, which therefore, obvious. Therefore, it would have been an obvious extension as taught by Asari et al).
Regarding claim 18 and 19 (see the rejection of claim 1 above).
Regarding claim 20, wherein: the cover is adapted to an outer contour of the electronic device in that it spans the electronic device with a wall, the wall defining a predetermined or predeterminable gap between the and an electronic component of the electronic device; and/or the cover is adapted to an outer contour of the electronic device in that it spans the electronic device with horizontal wall sections extending transversely to the vertical axis and with vertical wall sections extending parallel to the vertical axis, wherein the vertical wall sections and/or the horizontal wall sections each have a predetermined or predeterminable gap distance between them and an electronic component of the electronic device (Asari et al disclose a cover 40 associated with the electronic cover 24; the electronic assembly includes PCB 46, electronic components 48, control board 50, and the control circuit 52, and the cover extends over and protects the electronic components (Figs. 2-4. Asari et al do not expressly disclose a predetermine gap between the wall and the electronic components. However, it would have been obvious to an ordinary artisan to dimension the cover relative to the enclosed electronic components in order to provide a predetermined clearance between the wall in the components. Therefore, it would have been an obvious extension as taught by Asari et al).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Lemmle et al, US Pub. 2020/0139829, disclose an inductive charging system with modular underground protection.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL ST CYR whose telephone number is (571)272-2407. The examiner can normally be reached M to F 8:00-8:00.
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DANIEL ST CYR
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2876
/DANIEL ST CYR/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
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