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
Applicant has elected species I, Figures 1-9, claims 1-2 and 8 without traverse on 07/14/2026.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1, line 15, “the contact part” should say “a contact part”
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakamatsu (US 20220049768 A1) in view of Mori (US 20240429785 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Nakamatsu discloses an electric vehicle driving device (motor unit 1) comprising: a motor (motor 2); a gear box (transmission 3 in gear housing portion 62) storing a speed reduction mechanism (reduction gear 4) connected to the motor, and a differential mechanism (differential 5) connected to the speed reduction mechanism; an inverter (inverter for controlling motor 2 arranged in the channel of the colling water pipe 98, paragraph [0062]) which is electrically connected to the motor and converts power; and an oil cooler (cooler 97) which oil-cools the motor, wherein the inverter has a first cooling water path (water pipe 98 where water is flowing into the cooler 97 forms the first cooling water path, fig.1, see attached figure below) and a second cooling water path (water pipe 98 where water is flowing away from the cooler 97, fig.1, see attached figure below) through which cooling water flows, the oil cooler has an oil-cooler water path through which the cooling water flows (curved part of water pipe 98 in cooler 97 forms the oil-cooler water pipe, see attached figure below), the oil cooler is provided near the inverter (inverter is arranged in the channel of the colling water pipe 98 which goes through the cooler 97, fig.1), the first cooling water path and the oil-cooler water path are connected (water pipe 98, fig.1, see attached figure below), and the second cooling water path and the oil-cooler water path are connected (water pipe 98, fig.1, see attached figure below), and a water path is formed such that the cooling water flows in order of the first cooling water path, the oil-cooler water path, and then the second cooling water path (water pipe 98, fig.1, see attached figure below). Nakamatsu fails to disclose the oil cooler is provided in contact with the inverter at a contact part.
However, Mori discloses inverter (power conversion unit 21, figs.1-7) with coolant channel (23, figs.1-7) in casing (10, figs.1-7) in contact with the oil cooler (cooling system 60 with cooling route 61, fig.1-7).
Nakamatsu and Mori are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of drive devices. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Nakamatsu with the inverter in contact with the oil cooler of Mori with a reasonable expectation of success because it would have combined prior art elements yielding predictable results of securely mounting the inverter to the housing and cooling both the inverter and the oil one after another for a more compact design with less piping.
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Regarding claim 2, Nakamatsu in combination with Mori discloses wherein the oil cooler has an oil-cooler oil path through which oil flows (Nakamatsu, flow passage 11d and 11t in and out of the cooler 97, fig.1), the motor and the gear box have an oil path connected to the oil-cooler oil path (Nakamatsu, oil passage 90, first feed flow passage 11, second feed flow passage 12, feed pipe 10, fig.1), the oil cooler is provided in contact with the motor or the gear box on a side opposite to the inverter (cooler 97 can be arranged in many different positions, figs.1-6), at the contact part, the oil path and the oil-cooler oil path are connected (Nakamatsu, foil path flow into cooler 97 and water pipe 98, fig.1), and the oil cooler is located so as to be interposed between the inverter and the motor or the gear box (Mori, cooling route 61 is between the inverter 21 and the motor 40, fig.1-7).
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakamatsu (US 20220049768 A1) in view of Mori (US 20240429785 A1), and in further view of Honjo (US 20190260272 A1).
Regarding claim 8, Nakamatsu in combination with Mori discloses the electric vehicle driving device of claim 2 but fails to disclose one-touch connector structure.
However, Honjo discloses connectors (ports 41 and 42, connectors 81 and 82) to connect passages (fig.3).
Nakamatsu and Honjo are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of cooling structures for driving device. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Nakamatsu with the ports and connectors of Honjo with a reasonable expectation of success because it would have combined prior art elements yielding predictable results of allowing quick attachment and detachment for easier access to routine maintenance and easier repairs.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The prior art not relied upon but considered pertinent to the applicant’s disclosure is included in the 892 form. The art included has features related to claim limitations, the general structural of the invention, teachings, and other analogous art to the invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to IAN BRYCE SHELTON whose telephone number is (571)272-6501. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Allen Shriver can be reached at (303)-297-4337. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/IAN BRYCE SHELTON/Examiner, Art Unit 3613
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