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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 09/10/2024, 09/25/2024, 12/17/2024, 09/08/2025, 10/06/2025, 10/28/2025, 11/19/2025, 02/11/2026 are being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
para [0047], line 11 recites connectors 154 and 156 (elsewhere the connectors are 152 and 154; 156 is not used but ports are 156A/B) ); and
para [0084], line 2 recites communications circuitry 294 (elsewhere the communications circuitry is 296; 294 is not used but the seals are 294M/E.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 37-39 and 43-47 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SINGH (US 20210362586; previously cited) in view of AHN (KR 20140100280; previously cited, translation in IDS).
Regarding claim 37, SINGH discloses an electric fan system 200 comprising:
an electric motor 205 including a rotor 240, a stator 805, and a motor housing 210, wherein the rotor 240 is positioned adjacent to the stator 805, and wherein the motor housing 210 at least partially surrounds the rotor 240 and the stator 805 (Fig. 2A);
a fan 280 operably connected to the electric motor 205 such that a torque output from the electric motor 205 can rotate the fan 280; and
an electronics assembly including:
a base 225;
a cover 297A attached to the base 225, wherein the base 225 and the cover 297A enclose an interior volume 220A/B, and wherein the electric fan system is configured such that the interior volume 220A/B is sealed against liquid incursion (Fig. 2A and 6, para [0037] and [0045]);
a high voltage electrical connector 232A/B that passes through either the base or the cover (para [0058] and Fig. 4);
a low voltage electrical connector 660A/B/C;
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inverter circuitry 215 located in the interior volume 220A/B (Fig. 2A) and electrically connected to both the electric motor 205 and the high voltage electrical connector 232A/B (para [0042]), wherein the inverter circuitry is configured to generate a power output at greater than or equal to 850 Volts DC (i.e., 1050 VDC; para [0022] and [0029]); and
communications circuitry 650 located in the interior volume 220A/B and electrically connected to both the inverter circuitry 215 and the low voltage electrical connector 660A/B/C (para [0072] and Fig. 6).
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However, SINGH does not disclose the low voltage electrical connector passes through either the base or the cover; and the communications circuitry is configured to operate at less than 500 Volts DC.
AHN teaches an electric fan system with a low voltage electrical connector 312 that passes through either a base or a cover 300 which enclose an interior volume; and a communications circuitry 330 configured to operate at less than 500 Volts DC (i.e., 12VDC; para [0049])
It 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 to provide the electric fan system of SINGH with the low voltage electrical connector passes through either the base or the cover; and the communications circuitry is configured to operate at less than 500 Volts DC, similar to AHN.
A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains would have been motivated to make such modification in order to simplify a structure to provide a single integrated controller with a motor an inverter arranged integrally, as taught by AHN (para [0009] and [0061]).
Regarding claim 38, SINGH in view of AHN teaches the electric fan system of claim 37 and SINGH teaches an electronics liquid cooling channel 220B that passes through the base 225 (Fig. 2A), wherein the electronics liquid cooling channel 220B contains a liquid coolant capable of accepting thermal energy from the inverter circuitry 215 (para [0039]).
Regarding claim 39, SINGH in view of AHN teaches the electric fan system of claim 38, SINGH teaches the motor housing includes a motor liquid cooling channel 220A, wherein the motor liquid cooling channel 220A and the electronics liquid cooling channel 220B are connected in fluid communication by a liquid cooling path (para [0045]).
Regarding claim 43, SINGH in view of AHN teaches the electric fan system of claim 37, wherein AHN teaches the electric motor has a three-phase brushless DC motor configuration (para [0007] and [0043]).
Regarding claim 44, SINGH in view of AHN teaches the electric fan system of claim 37, wherein AHN teaches a high voltage electrical connector 381 is configured as a high voltage input connector 311, and wherein the electronics assembly is located remotely from the electric motor 211-221 (Fig. 3), the electric fan system further comprising:
a combined electrical connector 410 electrically connected to both the inverter circuitry and the communications circuitry, wherein the combined electrical connector is configured to transmit high voltage power output 371 from the inverter circuitry to the electric motor as well as lower voltage sensor signals 351 between the communications circuitry and a sensor 361 of the electric motor.
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Regarding claim 45, SINGH in view of AHN teaches the electric fan system of claim 44 and AHN teaches:
an additional electric motor 221 electrically connected to the inverter circuitry;
an additional fan 220 operably connected to the additional electric motor 221; and
an additional combined electrical connector 420 electrically connected to both the inverter circuitry and the communications circuitry (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 46, SINGH in view of AHN teaches the electric fan system of claim 44, wherein AHN teaches the low voltage electrical connector 312 passes through the cover 300, and wherein both the high voltage electrical connector 311 and the combined electrical connector 410 pass through the base (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 47, SINGH in view of AHN teaches the electric fan system of claim 37, wherein AHN teaches the inverter circuitry comprises a plurality of discrete inverter circuit boards 391/392.
Claim 40 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SINGH in view of AHN as applied to claim 37 above, and further in view of EASON (US 20210006128).
Regarding claim 40, SINGH in view of AHN teaches the electric fan system of claim 37.
However, SINGH in view of AHN does not teach a thermal paste is positioned between the inverter circuitry and the base.
EASON teaches an electric fan system with a thermal paste positioned between inverter circuitry 192 and a base 110 (para [0109-0110] and [0117]).
It 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 to provide the electric fan system of SINGH in view of AHN with a thermal paste is positioned between the inverter circuitry and the base, similar to EASON.
A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains would have been motivated to make such modification in order to facilitate heat conduction from the electrical components to the heat sink and permit the electrical components to be clamped against the heat sink, as taught by EASON (para [0124]).
Claims 41-42 and 48-49 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SINGH in view of AHN as applied to claim 37 above, and further in view of SOBU (US 20150306960; previously cited).
Regarding claim 41, SINGH in view of AHN teaches the electric fan system of claim 37.
However, SINGH in view of AHN does not teach at least a wall of the base is made of a metallic material and is electrically grounded.
SOBU teaches an electric drive and control system with at least a wall of the base is made of a metallic material and is electrically grounded (para [0033]).
It 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 to provide the electric fan system of SINGH in view of AHN with at least a wall of the base is made of a metallic material and is electrically grounded, similar to SOBU.
A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains would have been motivated to make such modification in order to provide reduced risk of leakage or an electric shock, as taught by SOBU (para [0033])
Regarding claim 42, SINGH in view of AHN and further in view of SOBU teaches the electric fan system of claim 41, wherein electrical grounding to the wall is provided through an electrical cable connected to the high voltage electrical connector (para [0054]).
Regarding claim 48, SINGH in view of AHN teaches the electric fan system of claim 37.
However, SINGH in view of AHN does not teach high voltage LC filter circuitry electrically connected to the inverter circuitry; and low voltage LC filter circuitry electrically connected to the communications circuitry.
SOBU teaches high voltage LC filter circuitry electrically connected to the inverter circuitry (para [0047-0048]); and low voltage LC filter circuitry electrically connected to the communications circuitry (para [0059]).
It 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 to provide the electric fan system of SINGH in view of AHN with high voltage LC filter circuitry electrically connected to the inverter circuitry; and low voltage LC filter circuitry electrically connected to the communications circuitry, similar to SOBU.
A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains would have been motivated to make such modification in order to eliminate noise in the power and control circuits, as taught by SOBU (para [0035] and [0041-0042])
Regarding claim 49, SINGH in view of AHN and further in view of SOBU teaches the electric fan system of claim 48 and further comprising: standoffs, wherein a filter circuit board is mounted to the base via the standoffs such that the filter circuit board is arranged in a stacked and substantially physically parallel relationship to at least one inverter circuit board that comprises either or both of the high voltage LC filter circuitry and/or the low voltage LC filter circuitry.
Claim 50 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SINGH in view of AHN as applied to claim 37 above, and further in view of KREIDLER (US 20160072359).
Regarding claim 50, SINGH in view of AHN teaches the electric fan system of claim 37.
However, SINGH in view of AHN does not teach a plurality of ferrite beads, wherein wiring electrically connected to the communications circuitry passes through a first pair of the plurality of ferrite beads oriented at 90° to each other in a wirewound configuration.
KREIDLER teaches an electric fan system with a plurality of ferrite beads, wherein wiring electrically connected to the communications circuitry passes through a first pair of the plurality of ferrite beads oriented at 90° to each other in a wirewound configuration (para [0059] and Fig. 16).
It 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 to provide the electric fan system of SINGH in view of AHN with a plurality of ferrite beads, wherein wiring electrically connected to the communications circuitry passes through a first pair of the plurality of ferrite beads oriented at 90° to each other in a wirewound configuration, similar to KREIDLER.
A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains would have been motivated to make such modification in order to spread the heat generating components around to avoid excessive heat, as taught by KREIDLER (para [0059]).
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Claim 51 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SINGH in view of AHN and further in view of KREIDLER as applied to claim 50 above, and further in view of AHEC (US-20220399809).
Regarding claim 51, SINGH in view of AHN and further in view of KREIDLER teaches the electric fan system of claim 50.
However, SINGH in view of AHN and further in view of KREIDLER does not teach a holder that secures the plurality of ferrite beads wherein the holder is made of a polymer material and includes a biasing element with a living hinge that applies a transverse force to one of the plurality of ferrite beads.
AHEC teaches an EMI filter for an inverter with a holder 16 that secures a ferrite bead 1 wherein the holder 16 is made of a polymer material (para [0038]) and includes a biasing element with a living hinge 13a that applies a transverse force the ferrite bead.
It 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 to provide the fan assembly of SINGH in view of AHN and further in view of KREIDLER with a holder that secures the plurality of ferrite beads wherein the holder is made of a polymer material and includes a biasing element with a living hinge that applies a transverse force to one of the plurality of ferrite beads, similar to AHEC.
A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains would have been motivated to make such modification in order to provide electrical insulation, as taught by AHEC (para [0036]).
Claims 52-59 and 61 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SOBU in view of SINGH.
Regarding claim 52, SOBU discloses an electronics assembly comprising:
an enclosure 109/101/111 having an interior volume 150/151, wherein the enclosure is liquid-tight (para [0055]);
inverter circuitry 118 located within the interior volume 150 (Fig. 3), wherein at least a portion of the inverter circuitry 118 is configured to operate at high voltages;
communications circuitry 106/107/108/116 located within the interior volume 151 (Fig. 3 and para [0059] and [0065]), wherein the communications circuitry is configured to operate at low voltages less than 500 Volts DC (para [0042]);
high voltage electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter circuitry (para [0047-0048]) located within the interior volume 150 (para [0058]) and electrically connected between a high voltage power input and the inverter circuitry (para [0041]), wherein the high voltage EMI filter circuitry includes at least one common mode choke inductor coil (para [0047]), at least one differential mode X capacitor (para [0047]), and at least one common mode Y capacitor (para [0047]); and low voltage EMI filter circuitry located within the interior volume 151 (para [0059]) and electrically connected between a low voltage power input and the communications circuitry (para [0042]), wherein the low voltage EMI filter circuitry includes at least one common mode choke inductor coil (para [0059]) and at least one capacitor (para [0059]), and wherein the low voltage EMI filter circuitry has a different configuration than the high voltage EMI filter circuitry (para [0051] and [0059]).
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However, SOBU does not disclose the inverter circuitry is configured to operate at voltages greater than 600 VDC; the capacitor of the low voltage EMI filter circuitry is at least one common mode Y capacitor.
SOBU teaches using a Y capacitor in a voltage filter (para [0047]).
It 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 to provide the low voltage EMI filter circuitry with at least one common mode Y capacitor as taught by SOBU.
A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains would have been motivated to make such modification in order to provide a known filter for common-mode noise and as it would involve a mere substitution of one element for another known in the field and taught by SOBU (para [0047]).
SINGH teaches an electronics assembly comprising an enclosure having an interior volume containing inverter circuitry configured to operate at high voltages of 1050VDC and communications circuitry configured to operate at low voltages.
It 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 to provide the electronics assembly of SOBU with the inverter circuitry is configured to operate at voltages greater than 600 VDC, similar to SINGH.
A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains would have been motivated to make such modification in order to provide a level of power output to enable high-efficiency operation of heavy-duty equipment, as taught by SINGH (para [0022]).
Regarding claim 53, SOBU in view of SINGH teaches the electronics assembly of claim 52 and SOBU teaches a plurality of feedthrough capacitors electrically connected in between the high voltage power input and the high voltage EMI filter circuitry (para [0047]).
Regarding claim 54, SOBU in view of SINGH teaches the electronics assembly of claim 52, SOBU teaches the high voltage EMI filter circuitry and the low voltage EMI filter circuitry are both provided on a single first circuit board 103.
Regarding claim 55, SOBU in view of SINGH teaches the electronics assembly of claim 54, SOBU teaches the enclosure is made of a metallic material, and wherein the first circuit board is electrically grounded to the enclosure (para [0033]).
Regarding claim 56, SOBU in view of SINGH teaches the electronics assembly of claim 54, SOBU teaches the inverter circuitry 118 and the communications circuitry 108are both provided on a second circuit board (Fig. 3 and para [0068]), and wherein the first circuit board 103 and the second circuit board 118/108 are arranged in a stacked configuration inside the interior volume in a substantially parallel relationship (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 57, SOBU in view of SINGH teaches the electronics assembly of claim 56 and SOBU teaches: a plurality of standoffs 123 at least one of which is electrically grounded, wherein the first circuit board is secured to the plurality of standoffs and electrically grounded to the at least one electrically grounded standoff (para [0066]).
Regarding claim 58, SOBU in view of SINGH teaches the electronics assembly of claim 56 and SINGH teaches: a liquid cooling channel 220A/B extending through a first wall of the enclosure, separate from the interior volume, wherein a second circuit board 650 is located adjacent to the liquid cooling channel and the first wall (Fig. 2A).
Regarding claim 59, SOBU in view of SINGH teaches the electronics assembly of claim 58, SOBU teaches the second circuit board is located in between the first wall and the first circuit board (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 61, SOBU in view of SINGH teaches the electronics assembly of claim 52, SINGH teaches the inverter circuitry is configured to provide a high voltage power output at greater than or equal to 850 VDC (i.e., 1050 VDC; para [0022] and [0029]).
Claim 60 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SOBU in view of SINGH as applied to claims 58 and 52 above, and further in view of , and further in view of KREIDLER (US 20160072359).
Regarding claim 60, SOBU in view of SINGH teaches the electronics assembly of claim 52.
However, SOBU in view of SINGH does not a pair of ferrite beads oriented at approximately 90° to each other, wherein wiring electrically connected to the communications circuitry passes through the pair of ferrite beads in a wirewound configuration.
KREIDLER teaches an electric fan system with a plurality of ferrite beads, wherein wiring electrically connected to the communications circuitry passes through a first pair of the plurality of ferrite beads oriented at 90° to each other in a wirewound configuration (para [0059] and Fig. 16).
It 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 to provide the electric fan system of SINGH in view of AHN with a plurality of ferrite beads, wherein wiring electrically connected to the communications circuitry passes through a first pair of the plurality of ferrite beads oriented at 90° to each other in a wirewound configuration, similar to KREIDLER.
A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains would have been motivated to make such modification in order to spread the heat generating components around to avoid excessive heat, as taught by KREIDLER (para [0059]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUSTIN STEFANON whose telephone number is (703)756-4648. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday and alternate Fridays 8AM - 5PM EDT.
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/JUSTIN STEFANON/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/OLUSEYE IWARERE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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