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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 07/20/2026 has been entered. Claims 1-6, 8, 9 and 11-16 are still pending.
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.
Claims 1-6, 8-9 and 11-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Griffiths et al. US 2020/0274375 A1 in a view of Wang et al. US 12,057,732 B2 and further in a view of Li et al. US 2019/0068097 A1.
Regarding claim 1, Griffiths discloses
A high-voltage component (Other systems for Pumping operation) of an electric vehicle [0374, 0375], wherein the high-voltage component is configured to be connected to a high-voltage traction battery (Item 104) of the electric vehicle, said high-voltage component comprising: at least one electric machine (Item 106); a power electronic (Items 404 along with DC/DC) assembly which is configured to convert a high voltage of the traction battery into an operating voltage for the at least one electric machine (The electric machine runs using power from the battery), wherein the power electronic assembly has a converter DC link with a DC link capacitor arrangement (Figs. 64 and 184 shows a DC link with filter capacitors 6404 and a CAP) [0500]; and a control assembly (Item 102) which is configured to be connected to a low-voltage on-board electrical system of the electric vehicle and comprises a control unit (Item 102 itself), wherein the power electronic assembly has an integrated DC-DC voltage converter (DC/DC) which is connected to the control assembly and which is configured to convert the high voltage of the traction battery into a voltage corresponding to the voltage of the low-voltage on-board electrical system (Auto Loads) of the electric vehicle, and the at least one electric machine is connected to hydraulic pumps which are connected to a hydraulic circuit (item 9008) [0537, 0547] .
Griffiths does not disclose but Wang et al. disclose which is configured to initiate an active electrical discharge of the DC link capacitor (item 116) arrangement response to the low-voltage on-board electrical system safety components of the electric vehicle fails (column 8, lines 15-35, column 12, lines 51-67, column 13, lines 1-26) (The battery contactor can be opened to isolate item 116 and item 118).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to initiate an active electrical discharge of the DC link capacitor as disclosed by Wang in Griffiths teachings to avoid any damage to the vehicle.
A combination of Griffiths and Wang does not disclose but Li et al. disclose and wherein the high-voltage component (item 30) forms part of an active damping regulation apparatus (item 36) of the electric vehicle [0028, 0029].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form an active damping regulation apparatus as disclosed by Li in Griffith’s teachings to achieve low THD and DC link voltage ripple (Li’s paragraph 0007)
Regarding claim 2, Griffiths discloses
, wherein the high-voltage component has at least one pump device which is connected to the electric machine [0547].
Regarding claim 3, Griffiths discloses the pump device but does not mention “a hydraulic internal gear pump”. However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a hydraulic internal gear pump because it has high efficiency and the ability to handle high-viscosity fluids.
Regarding claim 4, Griffiths alternate embodiment discloses
, wherein the power electronic assembly has an EMI filter (Fig. 254 discloses EMI filter). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use an EMI filter in Fig. 4 to suppress noise on DC bus.
Regarding claim 5, Griffiths discloses
, wherein the power electronic assembly has a circuit breaker (IGBT) by way of which the electric machine is connected to the power electronic assembly [0624].
Regarding claim 6, Griffiths discloses
, wherein the circuit breaker is an insulated-gate bipolar transistor [0624].
Regarding claim 8, Griffiths does not disclose but Wang et al. disclose, wherein the control unit (item 108) is configured to initiate the active electrical discharge of the DC link capacitor arrangement in the event of a fault or crash (Wang’s column 8, lines 15-35, column 12, lines 51-67, column 13, lines 1-26).
Regarding claim 9, Griffiths does not disclose but Wang et al. disclose wherein the control unit (item 108) is configured to initiate an active phase short-circuit of the electric machine in the event of a fault or crash (Wang’s column 8, lines 15-35, column 12, lines 51-67, column 13, lines 1-26).
Regarding claim 11, Griffiths discloses
An electric vehicle comprising the high-voltage component of claim 1 [0374].
Regarding claim 12, Griffiths does not disclose but Wang et al. disclose, wherein the control assembly is configured to tripper safety functions of the electrical vehicle when a vehicle fault (a condition indicative of a call to discharge) or vehicle crash is detected (Wang’s column 8, lines 15-35, column 12, lines 51-67, column 13, lines 1-26).
Regarding claim 13, Griffiths discloses, wherein the at least one electric machine is connected to a pump device [0547], and Wang discloses the control unit (item 108) is configured to initiate an active phase short-circuit of the electric machine to prevent rotation of a pump device (Wang’s column 3, lines 20-28, column 8, lines 15-35, column 12, lines 51-67, column 13, lines 1-26) (pump is non-propulsion electric component).
Regarding claim 14, Wang discloses the control unit is configured to initiate an active phase short-circuit of the electric machine to prevent the pump device from inducing an electrical voltage during movement of a body of the electric vehicle (Wang’s column 3, lines 20-28, column 8, lines 15-35, column 12, lines 51-67, column 13, lines 1-26) (pump is non-propulsion electric component).
Regarding claim 15, Wang discloses, wherein the control unit is configured to cause the at least one electric machine to become stationary (due to short circuit stage) based on the active electrical discharge of the DC link capacitor arrangement being initiated (column 3, lines 20-28, column 8, lines 15-35, column 12, lines 51-67, column 13, lines 1-26) (pump is non-propulsion electric component).
Regarding claim 16, Wang discloses, wherein the hydraulic pumps are prevented from rotating based on the at least one electric machine becoming stationary (column 3, lines 21-30) (Pump is connected to bus which is isolated during discharge).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 1 have been considered but are moot over a new prior art (see updated claim rejection for details). Examiner withdraws 112(a) and 112(b) rejections based on applicant’s amendment.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BICKEY DHAKAL whose telephone number is (571)272-3577. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30-4:30 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eduardo Colon-Santana can be reached at 571-272-2060. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BICKEY DHAKAL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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