CTNF 18/610,089 CTNF 101716 DETAILED ACTION This Office action is in response to the application filed on 19 March 2024. Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Response to amendment Upon further search examiner found a new reference to reject allowed claims 5-8, 11-14, and 19-20. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 1-7, 9-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xuebin Jiang et. al (IEEE ISBN: 978-1-4799-6768-1; hereafter “Jiang”) in view of Hirofumi Akagi et. al (IEEE ISBN:0-7803- 8486-5; hereafter “Akagi”), and Xun Gong et. al (2012 IEEE 7th International Power Electronics and Motion Control Conference; hereafter “Xun”) - Regarding claim 1 ; Jiang discloses: PNG media_image1.png 393 798 media_image1.png Greyscale An active rectifier (above Fig 1) , comprising: an alternating current (AC) portion (above Fig 1: e a , e b , e c ) positioned on one side of the active rectifier; a direct current (DC) portion (above Fig 1: idc ,U dc ) positioned on another side of the active rectifier; and an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) portion (above Fig 1: three-phase Vienna rectifier) positioned on top of a heat sink that electrically couples the AC portion and the DC portion, the heat sink being positioned below the IGBT portion and between the AC portion and DC portion, and wherein the DC portion is electrically coupled to the heat sink via a plurality of connecting members. However, Jiang does not disclose heat sink as mid voltage connection, which electrically couples the AC portion and the DC portion. Akagi disclose: positioned on top of a heat sink that electrically couples the AC portion and the DC portion , the heat sink being positioned below the IGBT portion (Fig. F-A, red box) and between the AC portion and DC portion, PNG media_image2.png 299 815 media_image2.png Greyscale Xun discloses: wherein the DC portion is electrically coupled to the heat sink via a plurality of connecting members (Fig. 9 a, b, c, and paragraph III; “the layout of the heat sink. The separated heat sink blocks are aligned using steel screws with 11mm plastic encapsulated”, and “three heat sinks below the top side SiC JFETs that have the same voltage potentials are connected together through wire and grounded.”). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device described in Jiang such that a commonly used heat sink configuration is used as mid voltage connection described in Akagi and Xun. Doing so allows for providing a desirable level of stability for DC output. -Regarding claim 9 : Jiang discloses: An active rectifier, comprising: an AC circuit board with three AC circuit board regions on one side of the active rectifier ( Fig 1: ea, eb, ec ); a DC circuit board with three DC circuit board regions on another side of the active rectifier (Fig 1: idc from three-phase Vienna rectifier ); a heat sink that is electrically coupled to the AC circuit board on one side of the heat sink and to the DC circuit board on another side of the heat sink; wherein the AC portion is electrically coupled to a heat sink via a plurality of standoffs; and three insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) circuit boards (Fig 1: Red, Green, Blue parts in the center area) that are positioned above a top surface of the heat sink and positioned between the AC circuit board and the DC circuit board. However, Jiang does not disclose heat sink as mid voltage connection, which electrically couples the AC circuit board and the DC circuit board. Akagi disclose: a heat sink that is electrically coupled (Fig. F-A, red box) to the AC circuit board on one side of the heat sink and to the DC circuit board on another side of the heat sink; that are positioned above a top surface (Fig. F-A, red box) of the heat sink and positioned between the AC circuit board and the DC circuit board (Fig. F-A, red box) . Akagi, in the same field of endeavor, discloses a high frequency leakage current flowing through the grounded heat sink of a voltage source IGBT inverter (Fig. F-A, red box) . Akagi focuses on the high-frequency leakage current flowing through the grounded heat sink of a voltage source Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) inverter in an adjustable-speed motor drive system. Akagi teaches and gives a motivation in using heat sink as mid voltage connection in claim 9. Claim 9 just adds a comment about how many AC and DC circuit boards are in AC and DC portions of claim 1. Jiang also discloses many examples about the multiple circuit boards with multiple modules of Vienna rectifiers (Jiang’s Fig.3,4,5, and 6). Xun discloses: wherein the AC portion is electrically coupled to a heat sink via a plurality of standoffs; (Fig. 9 a, b, c, and paragraph III; “the layout of the heat sink. The separated heat sink blocks are aligned using steel screws with 11mm plastic encapsulated”, and “three heat sinks below the top side SiC JFETs that have the same voltage potentials are connected together through wire and grounded.”). I would say that any type of connecting member is well-known to be used in power converters, and the selection of a particular type, such as standoffs is well-within the skill of the person of ordinary skill in the art. I would then come up with a motivation to choose the standoffs and give that as the rationale. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device described in Jiang such that a commonly used heat sink configuration is used as mid voltage connection described in Akagi. Doing so allows for providing a desirable level of stability for DC output. -Regarding claim 15 ; Jiang discloses: A system, comprising: an alternating current (AC) circuit board with a first AC circuit board region, a second AC circuit board region, and a third AC circuit board region on an AC side of the active rectifier (Fig. 1: ea, eb, ec by the order) , a direct current (DC) circuit board with a first DC circuit board region, a second DC circuit board region, and a third DC circuit board region on a DC side of the active rectifier (Fig.1; three idcs from three-phase Vienna rectifier by the order) , a first insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) circuit board, a second IGBT circuit board, and a third IGBT circuit board positioned between the AC side and the DC side (Fig. 1: Red-1st, Green-2nd, Blue-3rd parts in three-phase Vienna rectifier), and a heat sink positioned below the first IGBT circuit board, the second IGBT circuit board, and the third IGBT circuit board that electrically couples the AC side and the DC side, wherein the heat sink is electrically coupled to the mid-voltage connection and electrically insulated from a ground chassis. However, Jiang does not disclose heat sink as mid voltage connection, which electrically couples the AC portion and the DC portion. Akagi disclose: a heat sink positioned below (Fig. F-A, red box) the first IGBT circuit board, the second IGBT circuit board, and the third IGBT circuit board that electrically couples the AC side and the DC side (Fig. F-A, red box) . Akagi, in the same field of endeavor, discloses a high frequency leakage current flowing through the grounded heat sink of a voltage source IGBT inverter (Fig. F-A, red box) . Akagi focuses on the high-frequency leakage current flowing through the grounded heat sink of a voltage source Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) inverter in an adjustable-speed motor drive system. Akagi teaches and gives a motivation in using heat sink as mid voltage connection in claim 15. Claim 15 just adds the comment about an order of three circuit boards (first, second, and third) in each AC, DC, and IGBT portion in claims 9. Xun discloses: wherein the heat sink is electrically coupled to the mid-voltage connection and electrically insulated from a ground chassis (paragraph III; “the heat sink and motor are grounded to the same copper plate.”) . It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device described in Jiang such that a commonly used heat sink configuration is used as mid voltage connection described in Akagi, and Xun. Doing so allows for providing a desirable level of stability for DC output. -Regarding claim 2 ; Jiang discloses: The active rectifier of claim 1, wherein the AC portion comprises a plurality of power regions (Fig. 1: N) populated with a plurality of power components. -Regarding claim 3 ; Jiang discloses: The active rectifier of claim 1, wherein the IGBT portion comprises a plurality of IGBT modules (Fig. 1: Red, Green, Blue parts in the center area) . -Regarding claim 4 ; Jiang discloses: The active rectifier of claim 1, wherein the DC portion comprises a plurality of DC regions (Fig. 1, three-phase Vienna rectifier has a plurality of DC regions ) populated with a plurality of DC components. -Regarding claim 5 ; Akagi discloses: The active rectifier of claim 3, wherein each IGBT module is electrically coupled to one DC region of the DC portion via a pin (Fig. F-A, red box, where I would say that any type of connecting member is well-known to be used in power converters, and the selection of a particular type, such as a pin is well-within the skill of the person of ordinary skill in the art. I would then come up with a motivation to choose the pin and give that as the rationale.). -Regarding claim 6 ; Xun discloses: The active rectifier of claim 1, wherein the AC portion is electrically coupled to a heat sink via a plurality of standoffs (Fig. 9 a, b, c, and paragraph III; “the layout of the heat sink. The separated heat sink blocks are aligned using steel screws with 11mm plastic encapsulated”, and “three heat sinks below the top side SiC JFETs that have the same voltage potentials are connected together through wire and grounded.”). I would say that any type of connecting member is well-known to be used in power converters, and the selection of a particular type, such as standoffs is well-within the skill of the person of ordinary skill in the art. I would then come up with a motivation to choose the standoffs and give that as the rationale. -Regarding claim 10 ; Jiang discloses: The active rectifier of claim 9, wherein the three IGBT circuit boards are arranged with a Vienna topology ( Fig 1; three-phase Vienna rectifier ). -Regarding claim 11 ; Xun discloses: The active rectifier of claim 9, wherein two standoffs of the plurality of standoffs (Fig. 9 a, b, c, and paragraph III; “the layout of the heat sink. The separated heat sink blocks are aligned using steel screws with 11mm plastic encapsulated”, and “three heat sinks below the top side SiC JFETs that have the same voltage potentials are connected together through wire and grounded.”). I would say that any type of connecting member is well-known to be used in power converters, and the selection of a particular type, such as standoffs is well-within the skill of the person of ordinary skill in the art. I would then come up with a motivation to choose the standoffs and give that as the rationale. are positioned on both sides of each AC circuit board region to electrically couple the AC circuit board to the heat sink. -Regarding claim 12 ; Xun discloses: The active rectifier of claim 9, wherein a connecting member is coupled to each DC circuit board region via fasteners arranged in through holes located at one end of the connecting member (Fig. 9 a, b, c). -Regarding claim 13 ; Xun discloses: The active rectifier of claim 12, wherein one end of the connecting member is coupled to a side surface of the heat sink via one fastener and another end of the connecting member is coupled to a connection pad on a top surface of one DC circuit board region (Fig. 9 a,b,c). -Regarding claim 14 ; Xun discloses: The active rectifier of claim 13, wherein the connecting member is fabricated from copper sheet metal (paragraph III; “the same copper plate”) . I would say that copper based connecting member is well-known to be used in power converters, and the selection of copper as connecting member material is well-within the skill of the person of ordinary skill in the art. -Regarding claim 16 ; Jiang discloses: The system of claim 15, wherein the first AC circuit board region is spaced apart from the first DC circuit board region by the first IGBT circuit board at one end of the active rectifier (Fig 1 red; each AC portion and each DC portion are separated by IGBT circuit board in three-phase Vienna rectifier) . -Regarding claim 17 : Jiang discloses: The system of claim 15, wherein the second AC circuit board region the spaced apart from a second DC circuit board region by the second IGBT circuit board in a medial region of the active rectifier (Fig 1 green; each AC portion and each DC portion are separated by IGBT circuit board in three-phase Vienna rectifier) . -Regarding claim 18: Jiang discloses: The system of claim 15, wherein the third AC circuit board region is spaced apart from the third DC circuit board region by the third IGBT circuit board at another end of the active rectifier (Fig 1 blue; each AC portion and each DC portion are separated by IGBT circuit board in three-phase Vienna rectifier) . 07-22-aia AIA Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiang, Akagi , and Xun as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of any hard ware website (for example; http://www.nbfavor.com/html/ProductList.asp?SortID=123&SortPath=0,123,) . - Regarding claim 8: The active rectifier of claim [[7]]1, wherein an uncoupled state of a connecting member comprises a metal sheet configured with a plurality of angled surfaces, the plurality of angled surfaces including a first angled surface with a through hole positioned near a center of the first angled surface, a second angled surface that is contiguous with the first angled surface, a third angled surface that is contiguous with the second angled surface, and a fourth angled surface with a through hole that is contiguous with the third angled surface. Claim 8 is describes a part 614 in Fig. 6, and I would say that any type of angled connecting clip is well-known to be used in power converters, and the selection of a particular type, such as a part 614 in Fig. 6 is well-within the skill of the person of ordinary skill in the art . Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SEUNG HO CHOI whose telephone number is (571)272-8188. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday, 7:30 AM - 5:30 PM ET . 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, Crystal Hammond can be reached at 571-270-1682 . The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /SEUNG HO CHOI/Examiner, Art Unit 2838 /CRYSTAL L HAMMOND/ Supervisory Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838 Application/Control Number: 18/610,089 Page 2 Art Unit: 2838 Application/Control Number: 18/610,089 Page 3 Art Unit: 2838 Application/Control Number: 18/610,089 Page 4 Art Unit: 2838 Application/Control Number: 18/610,089 Page 5 Art Unit: 2838 Application/Control Number: 18/610,089 Page 6 Art Unit: 2838 Application/Control Number: 18/610,089 Page 7 Art Unit: 2838 Application/Control Number: 18/610,089 Page 8 Art Unit: 2838 Application/Control Number: 18/610,089 Page 9 Art Unit: 2838 Application/Control Number: 18/610,089 Page 10 Art Unit: 2838 Application/Control Number: 18/610,089 Page 11 Art Unit: 2838 Application/Control Number: 18/610,089 Page 12 Art Unit: 2838 Application/Control Number: 18/610,089 Page 13 Art Unit: 2838 Application/Control Number: 18/610,089 Page 14 Art Unit: 2838 Application/Control Number: 18/610,089 Page 15 Art Unit: 2838 Application/Control Number: 18/610,089 Page 16 Art Unit: 2838 Application/Control Number: 18/610,089 Page 17 Art Unit: 2838
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