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DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species A (Group) I, Claims 1-9 in the reply filed 02/11/2026 is acknowledged. Claims 10-20 are withdrawn from further prosecution, and Claims 1-9 are prosecuted given their broadest reasonable interpretation in light of specification.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements filed 03/12/2024 and 10/02/2025 have been fully considered and is attached hereto.
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)(1) 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 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sperber et al (US 2021/0094424).
Regarding Claim 1, Sperber (In Figs 2-4) discloses a power electronics module (100) configured to control electrical power in multiple phases (¶ 16, II. 1-10), comprising:
a capacitor (104) with a casing (casing of 104) having multiple panels (panels of 104) defining a box-shaped enclosure (Fig 3);
one or more heat sinks (102a/102b/102c) disposed on an exterior of the casing (casing of 104),
the one or more heat sinks (102a/102b/102c) having first planar surfaces (planar surfaces of 102a/102b/102c attached to panels of 104), (Fig 3), disposed on one or more of the panels (panels of 104), and second planar surfaces (planar surfaces of 102a/102b/102c attached to planar surfaces of 106a/106b/106c) opposite the first planar surfaces (planar surfaces of 102a/102b/102c attached to panels of 104), (Fig 2); and
a plurality of power switching modules (106a/106b/106c) electrically connected to the capacitor (104) and disposed on the second planar surfaces (planar surfaces of 102a/102b/102c attached to planar surfaces of 106a/106b/106c) of the one or more heat sinks (102a/102b/102c), (Fig 3),
the plurality of power switching modules (106a/106b/106c) configured to control electrical power flow in respective phases of the multiple phases (¶ 43, II. 13-17), (Fig 4).
Regarding Claim 2, Sperber discloses the limitations of Claim 1, however Sperber (In Figs 2-4) further discloses wherein the one or more heat sinks (102a/102b/102c) comprise a plurality of heat sinks (102a/102b/102c) disposed on respective panels (panels of 104) of the multiple panels (panels of 104), (Fig 3), and wherein the plurality of power switching modules (106a/106b/106c) are disposed on respective heat sinks (102a/102b/102c) of the plurality of heat sinks (102a/102b/102c), (Fig 4).
Regarding Claim 3, Sperber discloses the limitations of Claim 2, however Sperber (In Figs 2-4) further discloses wherein a first heat sink (102a), of the plurality of heat sinks (102a/102b/102c), is disposed on a first panel (a first panel of 104), of the multiple panels (panels of 104), and a first power switching module (106a), of the plurality of power switching modules (106a/106b/106c), is disposed on the first heat sink (102a), wherein a second heat sink (102b), of the plurality of heat sinks (102a/102b/102c), is disposed on a second panel (a second panel of 104), of the multiple panels (panels of 104), and a second power switching module (106b), of the plurality of power switching modules (106a/106b/106c), is disposed on the second heat sink (102b), (Fig 3), and wherein a third heat sink (102c), of the plurality of heat sinks (102a/102b/102c), is disposed on a third panel (a third panel of 104), of the multiple panels (panels of 104), and a third power switching module (106c), of the plurality of power switching modules (106a/106b/106c), is disposed on the third heat sink (102c), (Fig 4).
Regarding Claim 4, Sperber discloses the limitations of Claim 1, however Sperber (In Figs 2-4) further discloses wherein the one or more heat sinks (102a/102b/102c) are disposed on a single panel (single panel of 104) of the multiple panels (panels of 104), (Fig 3).
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 of this title, 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 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Sperber in view of Kim et al (US 2022/0346286).
Regarding Claim 5, Sperber discloses the limitations of Claim 4, however Sperber does not disclose wherein the one or more heat sinks comprise a single heat sink, and wherein a first power switching module, a second power switching module, and a third power switching module, of the plurality of power switching modules, are disposed on the single heat sink.
Instead, Kim (In Fig 2) teaches wherein the one or more heat sinks (30, 40) comprise a single heat sink (30, 40), and wherein a first power switching module (60, 70), a second power switching module (60, 70), and a third power switching module (60, 70), of the plurality of power switching modules (60, 70), are disposed on the single heat sink (40), (Fig 2).
It would have been obvious to an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Sperber with Kim with the one or more heat sinks comprising a single heat sink, and a first power switching module, a second power switching module, and a third power switching module, of the plurality of power switching modules, being disposed on the single heat sink to benefit from effectively cooling the power modules (Kim, ¶ 59, II. 1-4).
Claims 6-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Sperber in view of Slepchenkov et al (US 2021/0316637).
Regarding Claim 6, Sperber discloses the limitations of Claim 1, however Sperber does not disclose wherein the power electronics module further comprising: a plurality of controllers configured to control respective power switching modules of the plurality of power switching modules.
Instead, Slepchenkov (In Figs 1B, 10E) teaches wherein the power electronics module (202) further comprising: a plurality of controllers (114-1-114-N) configured to control respective power switching modules (108-1-108-N) of the plurality of power switching modules (108-1-108-N), (Fig 1B).
It would have been obvious to an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Sperber with Slepchenkov with the power electronics module further comprising a plurality of controllers configured to control respective power switching modules of the plurality of power switching modules to benefit from ability to drive next generation motors, such as switch reluctance motors characterized by higher number of pole pieces, addressing electric noise and driving performance, such as high torque ripple and acoustical noise (Slepchenkov, ¶ 6, II. 10-16).
Regarding Claim 7, Sperber in view of Slepchenkov discloses the limitations of Claim 6, however Sperber as modified does not disclose wherein the plurality of controllers are disposed on the respective power switching modules.
Instead, Slepchenkov (In Figs 1B, 10E) further teaches wherein the plurality of controllers (114-1-114-N) are disposed on the respective power switching modules (108-1-108-N), (Fig 1B).
It would have been obvious to an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Sperber with Slepchenkov with the plurality of controllers being disposed on the respective power switching modules to benefit from ability to drive next generation motors, such as switch reluctance motors characterized by higher number of pole pieces, addressing electric noise and driving performance, such as high torque ripple and acoustical noise (Slepchenkov, ¶ 6, II. 10-16).
Regarding Claim 8, Sperber in view of Slepchenkov discloses the limitations of Claim 6, however Sperber as modified does not disclose wherein the power electronics further comprising: a power supply module comprising a plurality of power supplies, wherein the plurality of power supplies are electrically connected to respective controllers of the plurality of controllers.
Instead, Slepchenkov (In Figs 1B, 10E) further teaches wherein the power electronics (202) further comprising: a power supply module comprising a plurality of power supplies (106), wherein the plurality of power supplies (106) are electrically connected to respective controllers (114) of the plurality of controllers (114-1-114-N), (¶ 79, II. 9-11).
It would have been obvious to an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Sperber with Slepchenkov with the power electronics further comprising a power supply module comprising a plurality of power supplies and the plurality of power supplies being electrically connected to respective controllers of the plurality of controllers to benefit from ability to drive next generation motors, such as switch reluctance motors characterized by higher number of pole pieces, addressing electric noise and driving performance, such as high torque ripple and acoustical noise (Slepchenkov, ¶ 6, II. 10-16).
Regarding Claim 9, Sperber discloses the limitations of Claim 1, however Sperber does not disclose wherein the power electronics module is configured as an alternating current (AC) inverter or a direct current (DC) converter.
Instead, Slepchenkov (In Figs 1B, 10E) teaches wherein the power electronics module (202) is configured as an alternating current (AC) inverter or a direct current (DC) converter (¶ 73, II. 1-5).
It would have been obvious to an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Sperber with Slepchenkov with the power electronics module being configured as an alternating current (AC) inverter or a direct current (DC) converter to benefit from ability to drive next generation motors, such as switch reluctance motors characterized by higher number of pole pieces, addressing electric noise and driving performance, such as high torque ripple and acoustical noise (Slepchenkov, ¶ 6, II. 10-16).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure; Inverter Apparatus used in Motor Controller, Motor Controller, and Vehicle US 2024/0266980, Split Laminated DC Bus Structure US 2013/0234636, Inverter Module7 US 2020/0204083, Half-Bridge Switch Arrangement US 2024/0297593. Other pertinent art made of record are on form PTO-892 notice of reference cited.
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/AMIR A JALALI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2835