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
Claims 6 and 13 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 3, ll. 6, “FPGA” should be spelled out.
Claim 6, ll. 2, recites “firms,” which should be “forms.”
Claim 9, ll. 7, “the first one” should be “the first high-voltage voltage level)
Claim 13, “the bus interface” lacks antecedent basis.
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.
Claims 1-13 are 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.
Regarding claim 1, the phrase "preferably" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. For examination purposes, the claim will be construed as also including the limitation after the phrase “preferably.”
Claims 3-4, 6-7 and 13 are rejected for depending upon claim 1.
Regarding claim 2/1, the phrase "preferably" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. For examination purposes, For examination purposes, the claim will be construed as also including the limitation after the phrase “preferably.”
Regarding claim 5/1, the phrase "preferably" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. For examination purposes, the claim will be construed as also including the limitation after the phrase “preferably.”
Regarding claim 8/6, the phrase "preferably" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. For examination purposes, the claim will be construed as also including the limitation after the phrase “preferably.”
Regarding claim 9/1, the phrase "preferably" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. For examination purposes, the claim will be construed as also including the limitation after the phrase “preferably.”
Regarding claim 10/9, the phrase "preferably" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. For examination purposes, the claim will be construed as also including the limitation after the phrase “preferably.”
Regarding claim 11/6, the phrase "preferably" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. For examination purposes, the claim will be construed as also including the limitation after the phrase “preferably.”
Regarding claim 12/1, the phrase "preferably" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. For examination purposes, the claim will be construed as also including the limitation after the phrase “preferably.”
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-8 and 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kemnitz et al. (US 2021/0008942 A1) in view of Nakano et al. (US 2022/0278594 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Kemnitz discloses a motor-pump unit (10, 20) for making available hydraulic energy (¶ [0049]), in particular in a chassis system (2) of a vehicle (¶ [0049]), comprising
a motor-pump group (10, 20), comprising a hydraulic pump (11, 21) and an electric motor (12, 22) for driving the hydraulic pump (11, 21), and
an electronic unit (30) for regulating the motor-pump group (10, 20),
Kemnitz does not disclose wherein the electronic unit has a power board with power electronics and a signal board that is preferably constructively separate.
Nakano discloses wherein the electronic unit (9) has a power board (16) with power electronics and a signal board (17) that is preferably constructively separate (FIG. 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the claimed invention to have modified Kemnitz in view of Nakano to disclose wherein the electronic unit has a power board with power electronics and a signal board that is preferably constructively separate, for the advantages of allowing electrical connections to be made between two circuit boards during assembling process of the motor (¶ [0016]).
Regarding claim 2/1, Kemnitz in view of Nakano was discussed above in claim 1. Kenmitz further discloses the power board has a high-voltage voltage level (¶ [0014] power port … which can also be adapted as a high-voltage port) and the signal board has a low-voltage voltage level (¶ [0014] one control port … including a supply voltage port, … for example for 48 V) which is smaller than the high-voltage voltage level, wherein preferably the high-voltage voltage level amounts to 12 V, 24 V, 48 V, 400 V or 800 V (¶ [0014] high-voltage port for e.g. 400 V or 800 V) and/or the low-voltage voltage level amounts to 5 V, 12 V, 24 V or 48 V (¶ [0014] low supply voltage of, for example, 48 V).
Regarding claim 3/1, Kemnitz in view of Nakano was discussed above in claim 1. Nakano further discloses wherein the power electronics comprises power switching transistors, in particular a B6 bridge and/or a voltage converter (¶ [0057] conversion circuit board 16) from the high-voltage to the low-voltage voltage level, and/or a supply voltage interface for the voltage supply of the signal board (¶ [0057] to provide a power supply to the control circuit section) and/or a (high-voltage) supply voltage interface, and/or
the signal board comprises a CPU, a microprocessor (¶ [0058] microcomputer) and/or an FPGA and/or a bus interface and/or a supply voltage interface for the voltage supply of the signal board (¶ [0057] to provide a power supply to the control circuit section) and/or a galvanic separation or galvanic separating elements between the supply voltage interface on the one hand and the bus interface on the other hand.
Regarding claim 4/1, Kemnitz in view of Nakano was discussed above in claim 1. Nakano further discloses the power board (16) and the signal board (17) are interconnected via a plug-in system (34), and/or
wherein the power board (16) and the signal board (17) are arranged parallel to each other (FIG. 3, 8) and/or components of the power electronics are arranged on a side of the power board facing away from the signal board, and/or
wherein the electronic unit (9) and/or the signal board (17) is/are set up for regulating exactly or at least one external apparatus (¶ [0046]), in particular for regulating one or several damper adjustment valves (disclosed by Kemnitz), and/or
wherein the electronic unit and/or the signal board is set up as a force modulator for one or several shock absorbers, and/or
wherein the power board (16) is set up to generate a supply voltage of the signal board (17; ¶ [0057]).
Regarding claim 5/1, Kemnitz in view of Nakano was discussed above in claim 1. Nakano further discloses the motor-pump unit comprises a motor-pump unit casing, which preferably comprises a motor-pump casing and an electronic casing, wherein the motor-pump unit casing and/or the electronic casing comprises a bus interface and a supply voltage interface and preferably an electric additional interface for regulating the exactly or at least one external apparatus, and/or
wherein the power board (16) is arranged closer to the motor-pump casing and/or a motor casing (11) of the motor-pump casing than the signal board (17) and/or
wherein the components of the power electronics
are arranged on a side of the power board facing towards the motor casing and/or are in thermal and/or mechanical contact with the motor casing immediately and/or via thermally conductive agents, and/or
wherein the electronic casing (12) and/or the power board (16) and/or the signal board (17) extends completely or substantially completely over the motor casing (11) and/or is arranged laterally on the motor-pump casing and/or motor casing (11; FIG. 3), and/or
wherein the electronic unit and/or the signal board is/are set up for regulating at least one pressure sensor in a pump casing of the motor-pump casing and/or is/are connected to the pressure sensor.
Regarding claim 6/1, Kemnitz in view of Nakano was discussed above in claim 1. Nakano further discloses a motor-pump-unit axle set (1) comprising a motor-pump unit (10, 20) according to claim 1, the motor-pump group (10, 20) of which firms a first motor-pump group (10) with a first hydraulic pump (11) and a first electric motor (12),
wherein the motor-pump-unit axle set (1) comprises a second motor-pump group (20), comprising a second hydraulic pump (21) and a second electric motor (22) for driving the second hydraulic pump (21), and
wherein the electronic unit (30) forms a common electronic unit for regulating the first and second motor-pump groups (10, 20; FIG. 2).
Regarding claim 7/6, Kemnitz in view of Nakano was discussed above in claim 6. Nakano further discloses the electronic unit (30) and/or the signal board is/are set up for regulating at least or exactly one or two external apparatuses (¶ [0010] electronic unit 30 controls motors 12, 22, which in turn controls valves 17, 27), in particular for regulating two or several damper adjustment valves (17, 27), and/or
wherein the electronic unit (30) and/or the signal board is set up as a force modulator for two or more shock absorbers (16, 26; electronic unit 30 controls motors 12, 22, which in turn controls the shock absorbers).
Regarding claim 8/6, Kenmitz in view of Nakano was discussed above in claim 6. Kenmitz further discloses the motor-pump-unit axle set (1) comprises a motor-pump-unit axle set casing (30’), which preferably comprises two motor-pump casings (casings for motor 12, 22 and pump 11, 21) and an electronic casing (casing for electronic unit 30), and/or
wherein the motor-pump-unit axle set casing and/or the electronic casing comprises a bus interface and a supply voltage interface and preferably one or two electric additional interfaces for regulating the exactly or at least one or two external apparatuses, and/or
wherein the power board is arranged closer to the motor-pump casings and/or motor casings of the motor-pump casings than the signal board, and/or
wherein the components of the power electronics
are arranged on a side of the power board facing towards the motor casings and/or are in thermal and/or mechanical contact with the motor casings immediately and/or via thermally conductive agents, and/or
wherein the motor-pump casings (casings for motor 12, 22 and pump 11, 21) and/or their motor casings (casings for motor 12, 22) are arranged on a common axis (FIG. 1), and/or
wherein the electronic casing (casing for electronic unit 30) and/or the power board and/or the signal board extends completely or substantially completely over both motor casings and/or is arranged laterally (FIG. 1 discloses the casings are lateral to each other) on the motor-pump casings (casings for motor 12, 22 and pump 11, 21) and/or motor casings (casings for moto 12, 22), and/or
wherein the electronic unit and/or the signal board is/are set up for regulating at least one pressure sensor in pump casings of the two motor-pump casings and/or is/are connected to the pressure sensors.
Regarding claim 11/6, Kenmitz in view of Nakano was discussed above in claim 6. Kenmitz further discloses a chassis axle (3) comprising a motor-pump-unit axle set (1) according to claim 6,
wherein the chassis axle (3) is preferably pre-assembled and/or has two hydraulically regulatable shock absorbers (16, 26), which are particularly preferably hydraulically connected respectively to the pumps (11, 21) of the first and the second motor-pump group (10, 20) of the motor-pump-unit axle set (1), and/or
wherein the shock absorbers (16, 26) have respectively exactly or at least one electrically regulatable damper adjustment valve (17, 27), which are regulated respectively by the motor-pump-unit axle set (1) or the electronic unit (30) thereof, and/or wherein the electronic unit and/or the signal board is/are set up as a force modulator for the shock absorbers.
Regarding claim 12/1, Kenmitz in view of Nakano was discussed above in claim 1. Kenmitz further discloses a chassis axle (3) comprising two motor-pump units (10, 20) according to claim 1,
wherein the chassis axle (3) is preferably pre-assembled and/or has two hydraulically regulatable shock absorbers (16, 26), which are particularly preferably hydraulically connected respectively to the pumps (11, 21) of the two motor-pump units (10, 20), and/or
wherein the shock absorbers (16, 26) have respectively exactly or at least one electrically regulatable damper adjustment valve (17, 27), which are regulated respectively by one of the two motor-pump units (10, 20) or the electronic unit (30) thereof.
Regarding claim 13/11, Kenmitz in view of Nakano was discussed above in claim 11. Kenmitz further discloses a chassis system (2) for a vehicle (¶ [0049]), comprising
a first chassis axle and second chassis axle (¶ [0040] one or several further axles) according to claim 11,
a chassis control device (¶ [0040] a further device for controlling the corresponding shock absorbers) which is connected to the electronic units of the motor-pump units (10, 20) and/or the motor-pump-unit axle sets (1) via the bus interface (¶ [0014] a plurality of control ports).
Claims 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kemnitz et al. (US 2021/0008942 A1) in view of Nakano et al. (US 2022/0278594 A1). as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Inada et al. (US 20160311462 A1).
Regarding claim 9/1, Kemnitz in view of Nakano was discussed above in claim 1. Kemnitz in view of Nakano does not disclose wherein the power board forms a first power board which has a predetermined first high-voltage voltage level, and
the electric motor(s) form first electric motors, with a coil winding adapted to the first high-voltage voltage level, further comprising
a second power board which has a predetermined second high-voltage voltage level different from the first one, and preferably
a second electric motor for the or for each motor-pump group, which has a coil winding adapted to the predetermined second high-voltage voltage level, in particular with a coil winding that is different from the first electric motor.
Inada discloses wherein the power board (32A) forms a first power board (32A) which has a predetermined first high-voltage voltage level (V1*), and
the electric motor(s) form first electric motors (12; top coil in FIG. 20), with a coil winding (La1, Lb1, Lc1) adapted to the first high-voltage voltage level (V1*), further comprising
a second power board (32B) which has a predetermined second high-voltage voltage level (V2*) different from the first one (V1*), and preferably
a second electric motor (12; bottom coil in FIG. 20) for the or for each motor-pump group, which has a coil winding (La2, Lb2, Lc2) adapted to the predetermined second high-voltage voltage level (V2*), in particular with a coil winding that is different from the first electric motor (FIG. 20).
The two motor drive circuits of Inada can be implemented to drive the two electric motors in Kemnitz individually with separate voltage instruction values.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the claimed invention to have modified Kemnitz in view of Nakano, further in view of Inada to disclose wherein the power board forms a first power board which has a predetermined first high-voltage voltage level, and the electric motor(s) form first electric motors, with a coil winding adapted to the first high-voltage voltage level, further comprising a second power board which has a predetermined second high-voltage voltage level different from the first one, and preferably a second electric motor for the or for each motor-pump group, which has a coil winding adapted to the predetermined second high-voltage voltage level, in particular with a coil winding that is different from the first electric motor, for the advantages of individually supplying voltages to two motor systems (¶ [0098]).
Regarding claim 10/9, Kemnitz in view of Nakano and Inada was discussed above in claim 9. Kemnitz further discloses the power board (16) preferably have voltage levels of 400 V and 800 V (¶ [0014] high-voltage port for e.g. 400 V or 800 V).
Inada also further discloses the first and second power boards (32A, 32B) have an identical circuit board layout (FIG. 2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the claimed invention to have modified Kemnitz in view of Inada to disclose the first and second power boards have an identical circuit board layout, for the advantages of not requiring different design, streamlining manufacturing production.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MINKI CHANG whose telephone number is (571)270-0521. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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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/MINKI CHANG/ Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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