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 Objections
Claim 10 is objected to because of the following informalities: “thermally conductive lower surface” in line 7 should be changed to “a thermally conductive lower surface”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 19 is objected to because of the following informalities: “an upper side of the rigid member” in the 6th to last line should be changed to “the upper side of the rigid member”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 19 recites the limitation “the second side” in the 4th to last line. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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) 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.
Claims 1, 2, 6, 10, 11, 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) as being anticipated by Onishi (US 20230046160).Re claim 1: Onishi discloses An inverter module (100 in fig. 1B) comprising: a rigid frame (60 in fig. 1B) having an aperture (opening within 60 in fig. 1B); a rigid member (25 in fig. 1B) mechanically affixed to the rigid frame within the aperture (fig. 1B); a transistor (30 in fig. 1A; para. 0040) positioned within the aperture; a resilient member (23 in fig. 1B) arranged within the aperture between a lower surface of the transistor (upper surface of 30 in fig. 1B) and an upper surface of the rigid member (lower surface of 25 in fig. 1B); and a coolant pocket (200 in fig. 1B) having a thermally conductive lower surface (upper surface of 200 in fig. 1B) mechanically affixed to the rigid frame such that the thermally conductive lower surface is in contact with an upper surface of the transistor (fig. 1B) and wherein the resilient member is compressed between the lower surface of the transistor and the upper surface of the rigid member in response to the coolant pocket being affixed to the rigid frame (23 is compressed between the upper surface of 30 and the lower surface of 25 when the 200 is fixed to 60 in fig. 1B).Re claim 10: Onishi discloses A method of arranging an inverter module (100 in fig. 1B) comprising: mechanically affixing a rigid member (25 in fig. 1B) to a rigid frame (60 in fig. 1B); positioning a resilient member (23 in fig. 1B) on the rigid member within an aperture (opening within 60 in fig. 1B) of the rigid frame; positioning a transistor (30 in fig. 1A; para. 0040) on the resilient member such that a lower surface of the transistor (upper surface of 30 in fig. 1B) is in contact with an upper surface of the resilient member (bottom surface of 23 in fig. 1B); and rigidly affixing a coolant pocket (200 in fig. 1B) having thermally conductive lower surface (upper surface of 200 in fig. 1B) to the rigid frame such that the thermally conductive lower surface is in contact with an upper surface of the transistor (lower surface of 30 in fig. 1B) and wherein the resilient member is compressed between the lower surface of the transistor and an upper surface of the rigid member in response to the coolant pocket being affixed to the rigid frame (23 is compressed between the upper surface of 30 and the lower surface of 25 when the 200 is fixed to 60 in fig. 1B).Re claim 2: Onishi discloses wherein a compression of the resilient member results in an orthogonal force between the thermally conductive lower surface and the upper surface of the rigid member (the compression of 23 results in a vertical force between the top surface of 200 and the lower surface of 25 in fig. 1B).Re claim 6: Onishi discloses wherein the coolant pocket (200 in fig. 1D) further includes a coolant inlet (230a in fig. 1D) and a coolant outlet (230b in fig. 1D) and a plurality of fluid channels (channels between the 210’s in fig. 1B) for controlling a flow of a coolant (coolant within 200 in fig. 1B) such that heat is transferred between the coolant and the thermally conductive lower surface (heat is transferred between the coolant and the upper surface of 200 in fig. 1B).Re claim 11: Onishi discloses wherein the inverter module includes an outer housing (outer housing of 100 in fig. 1B) and wherein the coolant pocket forms a portion of the outer housing (fig. 1B).Re claim 17: Onishi discloses wherein the coolant pocket (200 in fig. 1B) encloses a fluid coolant (coolant between the 210’s in fig. 1B; para. 0049) for extracting heat from the thermally conductive lower surface (top surface of 200 in fig. 1B).
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 3, 4, 7, 12, 14, 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Onishi (US 2023/0046160) in view of Song (CN 110581656 – see attached translation).
Re claim 19: Onishi discloses A inverter module (100 in fig. 1B) comprising: a coolant pocket (200 in fig. 1B) having a coolant input (230a in fig. 1D; para. 0058), a coolant outlet (230b in fig. 1D; para. 0058) and a plurality of coolant channels (coolant channels between the 210’s in fig. 1B) for controlling a flow of a coolant (para. 0049) across an interior side of a thermally conductive wall of the coolant pocket (bottom side of the top wall of 200 in fig. 1B); a rigid member (25 in fig. 1B) having an upper side (lower surface of 25 in fig. 1B) and a lower side (upper surface of 25 in fig. 1B); a resilient member (23 in fig. 1B) affixed to the upper side of the rigid member (fig. 1B); a transistor (30 in fig. 1A; para. 0040) having a lower surface (upper surface of 30 in fig. 1B) in contact with the resilient member and an upper surface (upper surface of 30 in fig. 1B) in contact with an exterior side of the thermally conductive wall of the coolant pocket (top side of the top wall of 200 in fig. 1B); a plurality of mechanical fasteners (70a, 70b in fig. 7B) for mechanically affixing the rigid member to the coolant pocket (fig. 7B) such that the resilient member is compressed between the lower surface of the transistor and an upper side of the rigid member in response to the coolant pocket being affixed to the rigid member (23 is compressed between the upper surface of 30 and the lower surface of 25 when the 200 is fixed to 60 in fig. 7B). Onishi does not explicitly disclose a printed circuit board rigidly affixed to the second side of the rigid member and electrically coupled to the transistor through an aperture in the rigid member for coupling a direct current and a control signal to the transistor and for receiving a switched current from the transistor. Song discloses a printed circuit board (160 in fig. 1) rigidly affixed to the second side of the rigid member (top side of 140 in fig. 1) and electrically coupled to the transistor (125 in fig. 1) through an aperture in the rigid member (142 in 140 in fig. 1) for coupling a direct current (4th para. of page 43) and a control signal (2nd para. of page 46) to the transistor and for receiving a switched current (“alternating current” in 4th para of page 43; 3rd para. of page 37) from the transistor (fig. 1). Thus it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inverter module of Onishi wherein a printed circuit board rigidly affixed to the second side of the rigid member and electrically coupled to the transistor through an aperture in the rigid member for coupling a direct current and a control signal to the transistor and for receiving a switched current from the transistor as taught by Song, in order to minimize the lead length and improve the switching performance.Re claim 3: Onishi does not explicitly disclose further including a switching control module for controlling the transistor to generate a three-phase alternating current for coupling to an electric motor. Song discloses further including a switching control module (2nd para. of page 46) for controlling the transistor to generate a three-phase alternating current (4th para. of page 43) for coupling to an electric motor (4th para. of page 43). Thus it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inverter module of Onishi further including a switching control module for controlling the transistor to generate a three-phase alternating current for coupling to an electric motor as taught by Song, in order to minimize the lead length and improve the switching performance.
Re claim 4: Onishi does not explicitly disclose further including a printed circuit board electrically coupled to the transistor and affixed to the rigid frame such that the transistor, the rigid member, and the resilient member are positioned between the printed circuit board and the thermally conductive lower surface of the coolant pocket. Song discloses further including a printed circuit board (160 in fig. 1) electrically coupled to the transistor (125 in fig. 1) and affixed to the rigid frame (165 in fig. 1) such that the transistor, the rigid member (140 in fig. 1), and the resilient member (145 in fig. 1) are positioned between the printed circuit board and the thermally conductive lower surface of the coolant pocket (125, 140 and 145 are positioned between 160 and the top surface of 115 in fig. 1). Thus it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inverter module of Onishi further including a printed circuit board electrically coupled to the transistor and affixed to the rigid frame such that the transistor, the rigid member, and the resilient member are positioned between the printed circuit board and the thermally conductive lower surface of the coolant pocket as taught by Song, in order to minimize the lead length and improve the switching performance.Re claim 7: Onishi does not explicitly disclose wherein the resilient member is a spring finger.
Song discloses wherein the resilient member is a spring finger (145 in fig. 1). Thus it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inverter module of Onishi wherein the resilient member is a spring finger as taught by Song, in order to apply more force to the transistors to better hold them in place.Re claim 12: Onishi does not explicitly disclose wherein the resilient member is a thermally conductive spring finger configured to assert a force between the transistor and the rigid member in response to a compression of the thermally conductive spring finger.
Song discloses wherein the resilient member is a thermally conductive spring finger (145 in fig. 1) configured to assert a force between the transistor and the rigid member in response to a compression of the thermally conductive spring finger (145 asserts a force between 125 and 140 in response to 145 being compressed). Thus it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inverter module of Onishi wherein the resilient member is a thermally conductive spring finger configured to assert a force between the transistor and the rigid member in response to a compression of the thermally conductive spring finger as taught by Song, in order to apply more force to the transistors to better hold them in place.
Re claim 14: Onishi does not explicitly disclose further including rigidly affixing a printed circuit board to the rigid frame and wherein the transistor is electrically coupled to the printed circuit board through the aperture of the rigid frame though a plurality of leads. Song discloses further including rigidly affixing a printed circuit board (160 in fig. 1) to the rigid frame (140 in fig. 1) and wherein the transistor (125 in fig. 1) is electrically coupled to the printed circuit board through the aperture of the rigid frame (125 is electrically coupled to 160 through 142 of 140 in fig. 1) though a plurality of leads (130 in fig. 1). Thus it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inverter module of Onishi further including rigidly affixing a printed circuit board to the rigid frame and wherein the transistor is electrically coupled to the printed circuit board through the aperture of the rigid frame though a plurality of leads as taught by Song, in order to minimize the lead length and improve the switching performance.
Claims 9, 15, 16, 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Onishi (US 20230046160).Re claim 9, 15: Onishi disclose wherein the rigid member is a plate (25 in fig. 1B). Onishi does not explicitly disclose wherein the plate is a steel plate.
However, it would obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inverter module of Onishi wherein the plate is a steel plate in order to increase the amount of heat that can be removed from the transistors, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worked in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious engineering choice. In re Leshin,125 USPQ 416.
Re claim 16: Onishi discloses wherein the rigid member is a plate (25 in fig. 1B). Onishi does not explicitly disclose wherein the plate is an aluminum plate. However, it would obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inverter module of Onishi wherein the plate is an aluminum plate in order to increase the amount of heat that can be removed from the transistors, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worked in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious engineering choice. In re Leshin,125 USPQ 416.Re claim 18: Onishi discloses does not explicitly disclose wherein the resilient member is configured to apply a force of 80 newtons between the rigid member and the lower surface of the switching transistor. However, it would obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inverter module of Onishi wherein the resilient member is configured to apply a force of 80 newtons between the rigid member and the lower surface of the switching transistor in order to firmly hold the transistor in place, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in art. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
Claims 8, 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Onishi (US 20230046160) in view of Sato (US 2014/0291833).Re claim 8: Onishi does not explicitly disclose wherein the resilient member is a silicon pad. Sato discloses wherein the resilient member is a silicon pad (8 in fig. 1; para. 0025). Thus it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inverter module of Onishi wherein the resilient member is a silicon pad as taught by Sato, in order to provide a continuous and uniform thermal path.Re claim 13: Onishi does not explicitly disclose wherein the resilient member is a silicon pad configured to assert a force between the transistor and the rigid member in response to a compression of the silicon pad. Sato discloses wherein the resilient member is a silicon pad (8 in fig. 1; para. 0025) configured to assert a force between the transistor (3 in fig. 1; para. 0022, 0005) and the rigid member (41 in fig. 1) in response to a compression of the silicon pad (fig. 1). Thus it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inverter module of Onishi wherein the resilient member is a silicon pad configured to assert a force between the transistor and the rigid member in response to a compression of the silicon pad as taught by Sato, in order to provide a continuous and uniform thermal path.
Claims 5, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Onishi (US 20230046160) in view of Kono (JP 2021048671 – see attached translation).
Re claim 5: Onishi does not explicitly disclose wherein the inverter module is configured to generate a three phase alternating current for driving an electric motor assisted centrifugal compressor. Kono discloses wherein the inverter module is configured to generate a three phase alternating current for driving an electric motor assisted centrifugal compressor (7th and 8th para. of page 22). Thus it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inverter module of Onishi wherein the inverter module is configured to generate a three phase alternating current for driving an electric motor assisted centrifugal compressor as taught by Kono, in order to provide smoother torque.Re claim 20: Onishi does not explicitly disclose wherein the switched current is coupled to an electric motor for driving an impeller in a centrifugal compressor and wherein the inverter module forms a portion of a housing of the centrifugal compressor. Kono discloses wherein the switched current is coupled to an electric motor for driving an impeller in a centrifugal compressor and wherein the inverter module forms a portion of a housing of the centrifugal compressor (7th and 8th para. of page 22). Thus it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inverter module of Onishi wherein the switched current is coupled to an electric motor for driving an impeller in a centrifugal compressor and wherein the inverter module forms a portion of a housing of the centrifugal compressor as taught by Kono, in order to provide smoother torque.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 2024/0017618 – is considered pertinent because this reference describes in-vehicle electrical instrument
US 2003/0206392 – is considered pertinent because this reference describes a switching device for controlling large amount of current.
US 2015/0282383 – is considered pertinent because this reference describes an electronic assembly for an inverter
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/ZHENGFU J FENG/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2835 March 15, 2026