DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to remarks filed on 04/30/2026. Claims 1-20 are pending.
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 12/16/2025, 01/15/2026, 01/28/2026 were filed after the filing date of the application. The submissions are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
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, 9-13, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nabeshi et al. US 20220060136 A1 (Hereinafter “Nabeshi”).
Regarding Claim 1, Nabeshi teaches a system comprising:
an inverter (Fig. 1, 1000) to convert DC power from a voltage source (Fig. 1, 415) to AC power to drive a motor (Fig. 1, 200), wherein the inverter includes:
a capacitor assembly (Fig. 1, 105); and
a first power module (Fig. 24, 1006) including:
a first inverter (Figs. 1 & 24, 111) to output first AC power to a first end of a first winding (Figs.1 & 24, 210 U-phase) of the motor;
a second inverter (Figs. 1 & 24, 112) to output second AC power to a second end of the first winding (Figs. 1 & 24, 220 U-phase); and
a changeover switch (Figs. 1 & 24, 121 & 122) to selectively connect and disconnect the second end of the first winding to and from a neutral connection ([0045]).
Regarding Claim 2, Nabeshi teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the capacitor assembly includes:
one or more busbars (Fig. 1, 414 & 416 are located on positive and negative busbars); and
one or more capacitors (Fig. 1, 105).
Regarding Claim 3, Nabeshi teaches the system of claim 2, wherein the one or more capacitors include:
a first capacitor (Fig. 1, 105) for the first inverter (Fig. 1, 111); and
a second capacitor (Fig. 1, 105) for the second inverter (Fig. 1, 112).
Regarding Claim 4, Nabeshi teaches the system of claim 2, wherein the one or more busbars include:
a positive busbar connected to the one or more capacitors and the first power module (Fig. 1, 414 sits on positive busbar); and
a negative busbar connected to the one or more capacitors and the first power module (Fig. 1, 416 sits on negative busbar).
Regarding Claim 9, Nabeshi teaches the system of claim 1, further including:
the voltage source (Fig. 1, 415) configured to supply the DC power to the inverter; and
the motor (Fig. 1, 40) configured to receive the AC power from the inverter to drive the motor, wherein the system is provided as a vehicle including the inverter, the voltage source, and the motor ([0141]).
Regarding Claim 10, Nabeshi teaches a system comprising:
an inverter (Fig. 1, 1000) to convert DC power from a voltage source (Fig. 1, 415) to AC power to drive a motor (Fig. 1, 200), wherein the inverter includes:
a capacitor assembly (Fig. 1, 105); and
a power module (Fig. 24, 1006) including:
a first inverter (Figs. 1 & 24, 111) to output first AC power to a first end of a first winding (Figs.1 & 24, 210 U-phase) of the motor;
a second inverter (Figs. 1 & 24, 112) to output second AC power to a second end of the first winding (Figs.1 & 24, 210 U-phase)
Regarding Claim 11, Nabeshi teaches the system of claim 10, wherein the capacitor assembly includes:
one or more busbars (Fig. 1, 414 & 416 are located on positive and negative busbars); and
one or more capacitors (Fig. 1, 105).
Regarding Claim 12, Nabeshi teaches the system of claim 11, wherein the one or more capacitors include:
a first capacitor (Fig. 1, 105) for the first inverter (Fig. 1, 111); and
a second capacitor (Fig. 1, 105) for the second inverter (Fig. 1, 112).
Regarding Claim 13, Nabeshi teaches the system of claim 11, wherein the one or more busbars include:
a positive busbar connected to the one or more capacitors and the first power module (Fig. 1, 414 sits on positive busbar); and
a negative busbar connected to the one or more capacitors and the first power module (Fig. 1, 416 sits on negative busbar).
Regarding Claim 17, Nabeshi teaches the system of claim 10, wherein the power module further includes:
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Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 18 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection under Double Patenting set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
wherein each of the first power module, the second power module, and the third power module includes: a first inverter to output first AC power to a first end of the respective winding; a second inverter to output second AC power to a second end of the respective winding; and a changeover switch to selectively connect and disconnect the second end of the respective winding to and from a neutral connection.
Claim 19-20 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection under Double Patenting set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The closest prior art Covic et al. US 20210296047 A1 teaches three power modules that each comprise a capacitor and inverter as shown in Figure 4A.
Claims 5-8 and 14-16 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Kim et al. KR 10-2022-0092535 via US 20240039448 A1 teaches a motor including a plurality of coils; a first inverter having a DC terminal, and including a plurality of legs respectively connected to one end of each of the plurality of coils; a second inverter connected to the DC terminal, and including a plurality of legs respectively connected to the other end of each of the plurality of coils; a plurality of transfer switches respectively having one end connected to a neutral terminal for the plurality of coils and the other end connected to the other end of each of the plurality of coils; an overvoltage protection circuit including a clamping switch, a resistor, and a capacitor, and connected to the neutral terminal and the DC terminal; and a controller controlling a turned-on state of the plurality of transfer switches according to a motor driving mode. When the motor is driven, the controller may control a turned-on state of the clamping switch.
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/CORTEZ M COOK/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2846
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