DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to the application filed 03/04/2024.
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 statement (IDS) submitted on 02/29/2024 was filed is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d).
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as failing to set forth 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 7 lines 4-5, it is not clear on how contact with the switch module can be obtained in the limitation, “wherein the contact surfaces are parallel to the X-Y plane, such that contact with the switch module can be obtained”. The contact surfaces are a part of the input and output connection which are a part of the switch module. For the purpose of examination, the limitation will be interpreted as the contact surfaces are parallel with the X-Y plane as the input and output connections along with their contact surfaces are parts of the switch module.
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 –
Claims 1-5, 7, 9-11, & 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US. Patent Number 11452227 (hereinafter Schmid).
Regarding claim 1, Schmid discloses a switch module [e.g. Fig. 1, element 10] for an inverter assembly in a vehicle comprising: at least one switch [e.g. Fig.1, elements 16 & 23; paragraph 0025, “the switching device has at least one of the following electronic components: a diode, a power MOSFET, and an IGBT. In particular, circuits consisting of multiple diode or IGBT half bridges or full bridges, or combinations of them, can also be part of the switching device”], wherein the switch is a high-side switch or low-side switch [e.g. Fig. 7, elements 16 & 23; paragraph 0010, “a switching device connected with the first AC terminal and the first DC terminal pair”; as it is connected with the AC terminal output and the first DC terminal pair, the switch device, as long it has at least one switch, must contain a switch between the AC terminal output (load) and the first DC terminal pair (power supply) which would make that switch a high-side switch.]; an input connection [e.g. Fig. 3, elements 15 & 21] for an intermediate circuit capacitor [e.g. Fig. 3, element 30 ]; an output connection for a phase output [e.g. paragraph 0124, “Another side, in this case the opposite face 11 of the power phase module 10 , has a first AC terminal 13 arranged on it”; Fig. 3, connection between elements 16 & 13]; a body [e.g. Fig. 3, housing of element 10] wherein the body has at least one module main surface [e.g. Fig. 3, a surface of element 10], wherein the at least one switch is on the main surface [e.g. Fig. 3, elements 16 & 23] wherein the input connection [e.g. Fig. 3, elements 15 & 21] and the output connection {e.g. Fig. 3, connection between elements 16 & 13] are on opposite sides of the switch module and/or extend along an X-axis.
Regarding claim 2, Schmid discloses the switch module according to claim 1, comprising: a cooling element [e.g. Fig. 3, element 17], wherein the cooling element is parallel to the main surfaces of the module [e.g. Fig. 3, a surface of element 10], and/or parallel to a Y-Z plane.
Regarding claim 3, Schmid discloses the switch module according to claim 2, wherein the cooling element [e.g. Fig. 3, element 17] has a cooling connection, wherein the cooling connection extends downward [e.g. Fig. 3, end of element 12; paragraph 0135, “The cooling device 17 may include hydraulic ports for guiding coolant into and out of the cooling device 17. The hydraulic connections are advantageously arranged on the end face 12, so that when the power phase module 10 is connected by sliding it onto the busbar pairs and the intermediate circuit capacitor module, the cooling device is likewise connected with its hydraulic connections to a coolant guidance system.”; see attached annotated Fig. 3 with axis], along the Z-axis.
Regarding claim 4, Schmid discloses the switch module [e.g. Fig. 3, element 10] according to claim 1, wherein the switch module has a control and/or measurement connection [e.g. Fig. 3, connection between elements 16 & 24], wherein the control and/or measurement connection, extends upward along the Z-axis [e.g. Fig. 3, element 11 is above elements 16 & 23 in the z direction].
Regarding claim 5, Schmid discloses the switch module according to claim 1, wherein the switch is a power semiconductor [e.g. paragraph, “the switching device has a dual switching module with a chopper half bridge with a semiconductor switch and antiparallel diode as well as a diode”], wherein the power semiconductor [e.g. Fig. 3, a part of elements 16 & 23] is parallel to the main surfaces of the module [e.g. Fig. 3, a surface of element 10] and/or extends in the Y-Z plane.
Regarding claim 7, Schmid discloses the switch module according to claim 1, wherein the input connection [e.g. Fig. 3, elements 15 & 21] has an input contact surface [e.g. Fig. 3, surfaces of elements 15 & 21] and the output connection [e.g. Fig. 3, connection between elements 16 & 13] has an output contact surface [e.g. Fig. 3, surface of connection between elements 16 & 13 ], wherein the contact surfaces are parallel to the X-Y plane [e.g. see attached annotated Fig. 3 with axis], such that contact with the switch module can be obtained, and/or a connection to the cooling connection can be obtained, when the switch module is inserted downward, such that the switch module can be connected to a cooling circuit through the downward insertion [e.g. Fig. 3, end of element 12; paragraph 0135, “The cooling device 17 may include hydraulic ports for guiding coolant into and out of the cooling device 17. The hydraulic connections are advantageously arranged on the end face 12, so that when the power phase module 10 is connected by sliding it onto the busbar pairs and the intermediate circuit capacitor module, the cooling device is likewise connected with its hydraulic connections to a coolant guidance system.”] along the Z-axis [e.g. see attached annotated Fig. 3 with added axis].
Regarding claim 9, Schmid discloses an inverter assembly for a vehicle according to claim 1 comprising: an intermediate circuit capacitor [e.g. Fig. 3, element 30]; and at least one phase output [e.g. Fig. 3, elements 13], a plurality of switch modules [e.g. Fig. 4, elements 10] wherein the switches [e.g. Fig. 3, elements 16 & 23] are connected at the input side to the intermediate circuit capacitor [e.g. Fig. 3, element 30] and at the output side [e.g. Fig. 3, element 13] to the at least one phase output wherein the plurality of the switch modules are arranged in a stack [e.g. Fig. 4, elements 10], and/or placed upright in a row, with parallel main surface in the inverter assembly.
Regarding claim 10, Schmid discloses the inverter assembly according to claim 9, comprising: a fastener [e.g. Fig. 4, element 15 & 21] is configured to hold the switch module down, along the Z-axis [e.g. see attached annotate Fig. 3, with added axis].
Regarding claim 11, Schmid discloses the inverter assembly according to claim 9, wherein the parallel main surface of the switch module [e.g. Fig. 3, a surface of element 10] are parallel to the Y-Z plane [e.g. Fig. 3, cross-section of top and width of element 10], and the intermediate circuit capacitor [e.g. Fig. 3, element 30] has at least one capacitor main [e.g. Fig. 3, surface of element 30] and/or surface extension, wherein the main surface of the capacitor, or the surface extension, is parallel to the X-Y plane [e.g. Fig. 3, cross-section of top and width of element 10].
Regarding claim 15, Schmid discloses a vehicle [e.g. Fig. 10, element 100] comprising: the inverter assembly according to claim 9, for supplying alternating current to a traction motor in the vehicle [e.g. paragraph 0174, “FIG. 10 shows a rail vehicle 100 according to one embodiment having an energy converter for converting electrical energy into kinetic energy or vice versa and a converter, wherein at least one AC connection of a power phase module is connected to the energy converter. The electric motor can be driven, for example, by the alternating current generated by the converter for driving the vehicle.”].
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.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US. Patent Number 11452227 (hereinafter Schmid) in view of US Patent. No. 9837923 (hereinafter Raju).
Regarding claim 6, Schmid discloses that the semiconductor switches can be integrated on a chip which reads on integration on a circuit board [e.g. paragraph 0041, “Semiconductor switches, in particular IGBTs, and the associated anti-parallel diode can also be integrated on a chip”]. The semiconductors [e.g. Fig. 1, part of elements 16 & 23] are parallel to the main surface of the module [e.g. Fig. 1, a surface of element 10].
Schmid fails to discloses a ceramic/copper printed circuit board.
Raju teaches a ceramic/copper printed circuit board [e.g. paragraph 0017, “circuit board (not shown in FIG. 1), such as a direct bond copper (DBC) circuit board with an electrically insulating ceramic layer”]
It would be obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Schmid to incorporate the teachings of Raju to use a ceramic/copper printed circuit board for the controller to improve heat dissipation.
Claims 8, 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent. No. 11452227 (hereinafter Schmid) in view of DE Patent. No. 102010053392 (hereinafter Bruna).
Regarding claim 8, Schmid discloses that the switching device [e.g. Fig. 3, elements 16 & 23] can consist of a IGBT full bridge [e.g. paragraph 0025, “According to one embodiment, the switching device has at least one of the following electronic components: a diode, a power MOSFET, and an IGBT. In particular, circuits consisting of multiple diode or IGBT half bridges or full bridges, or combinations of them, can also be part of the switching device.”] and a module [e.g. Fig. 1, element 10] with two switching devices [e.g. Fig. 1, elements 16 and 23].
Schmid fails to disclose a switch module that has at least one high-side switch and at least one low-side switch.
Bruna teaches a power semiconductor module, designed to reduce material expenditure, consisting of two IGBT H-bridges [e.g. Fig. 9, element 28] each including two high-side switches [e.g. Fig. 9, elements 24] and two low-side switches [e.g. Fig. 9, elements 25].
It would be obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Schmid to incorporate the teachings of Bruna to use an IGBT H-bridge circuit for each switching device to reduce material expenditure.
Regarding claim 12, Schmid fails to disclose least one dedicated high-side switch and at least one dedicated low-side switch.
Bruna teaches a power semiconductor module, designed to reduce material expenditure, consisting of two IGBT H-bridges [e.g. Fig. 9, element 28] each including two high-side switches [e.g. Fig. 9, elements 24] and two low-side switches [e.g. Fig. 9, elements 25].
It would be obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Schmid to incorporate the teachings of Bruna to use an IGBT H-bridge circuit for each switching device to reduce material expenditure.
Regarding claim 13, Schmid discloses switching devices arranged adjacent to each other [e.g. Fig. 3, elements 16 & 23].
Schmid fails to disclose the inverter assembly wherein each phase output has two or more high-side switches and/or two or more low-side switches.
Bruna teaches a power semiconductor module, designed to reduce material expenditure, consisting of two IGBT H-bridges [e.g. Fig. 9, element 28] each including two high-side switches [e.g. Fig. 9, elements 24] and two low-side switches [e.g. Fig. 9, elements 25].
It would be obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Schmid to incorporate the teachings of Bruna to use an IGBT H-bridge circuit for each switching device to reduce material expenditure.
Regarding claim 14, Schmid discloses the switching devices arranged symmetrically in relation to a central plane [e.g. Fig. 3, elements 16 & 23; paragraph 0049, “The switching devices, in particular the single or dual switching modules of the switching devices, are arranged next to one another in a plane perpendicular to the face”].
Schmid fails to disclose the inverter assembly wherein each phase output has two or more high-side switches and/or two or more low-side switches.
Bruna teaches a power semiconductor module, designed to reduce material expenditure, consisting of two IGBT H-bridges [e.g. Fig. 9, element 28] each including two high-side switches [e.g. Fig. 9, elements 24] and two low-side switches [e.g. Fig. 9, elements 25].
It would be obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Schmid to incorporate the teachings of Bruna to use an IGBT H-bridge circuit for each switching device to reduce material expenditure.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US9204573B2 – Tanaka Shoichiro – Power Conversion Device
Power conversion device that has improved cooling performance
US10177676B2 – Tokuyama Takeshi – Power Converter
Power converter designed to reduce wire inductance without damaging manufacturability
US11532995B2 – Sperber Micheal – Electronic Module for an Electric Drive of a Vehicle with Current Paths of Equal Length for a Highside Switch and Lowside Switch
US11267366B2 – Wang Fan – Integrated Traction Inverter DC Busbar
Power Module including one or more bus capacitors and one or more power switching modules.
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/J.R.H./Examiner, Art Unit 2182
/JEFFREY A GBLENDE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838