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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: the term “Positive Temperature Coefficient” is inconsistently abbreviated “(PTC)/(PCT)” where it appears in at least paragraphs [0006] and [0027]. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 13, 22, and 30 are objected to because of the following informalities: the claim term “Positive Temperature Coefficient” is inconsistently abbreviated “(PTC)/(PCT)”. For the purpose of examination, it will be interpreted as “(PTC)”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 12, 21, and 29 are objected to because of the following informalities: it is unclear whether the limitations “the heating element is integrated into the base body, the base body forming a housing of the heating element” are intended to be a part of the list of the “and/ or” alternative limitations that follow them, or if they are intended to be separate. For the purpose of examination, they will be interpreted as separate, such that they are each required features of the claimed invention, regardless of the presence of the other limitations. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 12, 21-22, and 29-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claims 12, 21, and 29 recite the limitation: “a high-voltage heating element”, but it is unclear, even in light of the written specification, at what specific voltage a heating element would be considered “high-voltage”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 22 and 30 are rejected as being dependent on a rejected parent claim. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 11-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by KOHL (EP-2668450-B1).
Regarding Claim 11, KOHL teaches a coolant distributor device for a motor vehicle (Heat Exchanger 1, Fig. 1), comprising:
a base body (Upper 27 and Lower 28 Adapter Plates, Fig. 1) including coolant lines (Inlet 7 and Outlet 9 Nozzles, Fig. 1) arranged to run in the base body (27 and 28); and a heating element (Electric Resistance Heating Element 10, Fig. 3) arranged in and/or at the base body (Electric Resistance Heating Element 10, being arranged in Heating Network 20 as illustrated in Fig. 3, which is arranged between/in Upper 27 and Lower 28 Adapter Plates as illustrated in Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 20, KOHL teaches a motor vehicle (Paras. [0001]- [0003] teach that the invention relates to a heat exchanger for a vehicle), comprising one of a hybrid electric motor vehicle or a battery- electric vehicle (Para. [0003] teaches a hybrid and an exclusively electric vehicle), comprising a coolant distributor device having substantially similar features to that of claim 11 (see the 102 rejection of claim 11 above for the teachings of KOHL).
Regarding Claims 12, 21, and 29, (having different dependencies but similar limitations- claim 29 being presented in independent form but having substantially similar limitations to claim 12 as it includes the limitations of claim 11), KOHL further teaches that the heating element (10) is integrated into the base body (27 and 28), the base body forming a housing of the heating element (Upper 27 and Lower 28 Adapter Plates surrounding and enclosing Electric Resistance Heating Element 10),
and/or wherein the base body (27 and 28) has a substantially plate-shaped design (as illustrated in Fig. 1),
and/or wherein the coolant distributor device (1) is a coolant distributor plate (Heat Exchanger 1 being formed as a plate style coolant distributor, Fig. 1),
and/or wherein the heating element (10) is a high-voltage heating element (Para. [0013] teaches that the heat exchanger is operated at a high voltage of 60 or 300 volts; see also the corresponding 35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejection above).
Regarding Claims 13, 22, and 30, (having different dependencies but similar limitations), KOHL further teaches that the heating element (10) comprises a Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) heating element (PTC Elements 11, Fig. 3).
Regarding Claims 14 and 23, (having different dependencies but similar limitations), KOHL further teaches that the heating element (10) and the coolant lines (7 and 9) are arranged in the base body (27 and 28) such that a coolant can be supplied to the heating element (10) from at least one of the coolant lines (Inlet Nozzle 7 understood to supply coolant to the Electric Resistance Heating Element 10 through Fluid Channel 5, Fig. 5 and Paras. [0045]-[0046]), and/or wherein a coolant can be supplied from the heating element (10) to at least one of the coolant lines () (Electric Resistance Heating Element 10 understood to supply coolant to Outlet Nozzle 9 through Fluid Channel 5, Fig. 5 and Paras. [0045]-[0046]).
Regarding Claims 15 and 24, (having different dependencies but similar limitations), KOHL further teaches connecting devices (Inlet 6 and Outlet 8 Openings, Fig. 2) of the coolant lines (7 and 9) arranged in the base body (27 and 28), wherein the heating element (10) is connected to the connecting devices (Electric Resistance Heating Element 10 understood as fluidly connected to Inlet 6 and Outlet 8 Openings), the heating element (10) comprising a coolant inlet (Inlet Opening 6) and a coolant outlet (Outlet Opening 8), each connected to a connecting device (Inlet 6 and Outlet 8 Openings being understood as both connecting devices and inlets/ outlets, they are considered connected).
Regarding Claims 16 and 25, (having different dependencies but similar limitations), KOHL further teaches a receptacle (Power Electronics Housing 29, Fig. 1), and an electronics unit is arranged in the receptacle, wherein the electronics unit is a circuit board or an electronic control device for the heating element (10) (Paras. [0049]- [0050] teaches that Power Electronics Housing 29 houses power electronics which supply power to PTC Elements 11 of Electric Resistance Heating Element 10).
Regarding Claims 17 and 26, (having different dependencies but similar limitations), KOHL further teaches that the coolant lines (7 and 9) are arranged in the base body (27 and 28) such that the electronics unit arranged in the receptacle (29) can be cooled by way of a coolant that is conducted or can be conducted in the coolant lines (Power Electronics Housing 29 being closely joined with Heat Exchanger 1, Figs. 1 and 4 and Para. [0050], they understood to conduct heat between each other such that the electronics in Power Electronics Housing 29 may be cooled by a coolant flowing through Heat Exchanger 1).
Regarding Claims 18 and 27, (having different dependencies but similar limitations), KOHL further teaches that the base body (27 and 28) comprises coolant inlet connections (7) and coolant outlet connections (9) for connecting a cooler for a battery and/or for connecting a heat exchanger for a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle (Para. [0043] teaches an air-to-water heat exchanger that communicates fluidly with Heat Exchanger 1 and supplies heated or cooled air to the interior of a vehicle).
Regarding Claims 19 and 28, (having different dependencies but similar limitations), KOHL further teaches that at least one pump (Para. [0024] teaches a pump) is arranged in the base body, and/or wherein the base body comprises electrical terminals (multiple Contact Electrodes 15 being illustrated in Fig. 3) configured to supply electrical energy to the electronics unit and/or the heating element (Contact Electrodes 15 supplying power to PTC Elements d11 of Electric Resistance Heating Element 10, Para. [0047]).
Conclusion
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/TYLER JAY STANLEY/Examiner, Art Unit 3611
/ANNE MARIE M BOEHLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3611
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