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 .
Claim Rejections – 35 U.S.C. § 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 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over Nishikimi (US 2009/0040724 A1) in view of Tokuyama (US 7,978,471 B2) and Gao (US 11,812,582 B2), with claim 5 further in view of Kowallik (US 4,100,710).
Claim 1:
Nishikimi discloses a housing assembly of a capacitor comprising an upper cover plate, an intermediate housing and a lower cover plate (upper cover 10, chassis 12, and lower cover 16; 10, 16 in fig. 7, 12 in figs. 5A, 7); the intermediate housing is provided with an accommodating cavity for accommodating the capacitor (chassis 12 accommodating capacitor module 500; 12, 500 in fig. 7); first cooling channels are formed respectively between the upper cover plate and an upper side surface of the intermediate housing and between the lower cover plate and a lower side surface of the intermediate housing (coolant passage 19 cast within chassis 12, having openings 400 on its upper side and openings 416 on its lower side; 19, 400 in fig. 5A, 416 in fig. 5C); and the first cooling channel comprises a partitioning protrusion extending in a length direction of the intermediate housing, the partitioning protrusion dividing the first cooling channel into a first liquid inflow cooling channel and a first liquid outflow cooling channel (central support part 410 formed in the center of chassis 12, coolant flowing along one long side of the passage per arrow 418 as the inflow channel, turning per arrow 421, and returning along the other long side per arrow 422 as the outflow channel; 410, 418, 421, 422 in figs. 5A-5B). Nishikimi does not expressly disclose that the upper cover plate and/or the lower cover plate are provided with a first liquid inlet and a first liquid outlet (Nishikimi providing the inlet 401 and outlet 403 on a short side of the chassis 12; 401, 403 in fig. 5A); nor that an outer side surface of the upper cover plate and an outer side surface of the lower cover plate are used to install power devices, with second cooling channels formed respectively between those outer surfaces and the power devices; nor that the first cooling channel further comprises a partitioning groove into which the partitioning protrusion extends.
Regarding the location of the first liquid inlet and the first liquid outlet, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the first liquid inlet and the first liquid outlet on the upper cover plate and/or the lower cover plate, since shifting the location of the inlet and outlet to a cover plate is a rearrangement of parts that performs the same function of admitting and discharging coolant to and from the first cooling channel, no criticality of that location being apparent. See MPEP 2144.04(VI)(C). Tokuyama teaches a power-device-and-capacitor cooling assembly (electric power conversion apparatus 100) comprising an upper case 112, a channel case 122, and a lower case 142, the channel case 122 having a cooling water channel extending from a water channel inlet 246 to a water channel outlet 248 and a second opening through which the capacitor module is placed, and double-side-cooling semiconductor modules placed through first openings on both sides of the second opening (each closed by a first or second module lid 144, 146), each semiconductor module having first and second heat-dissipation metals whose outer surfaces are heat-dissipation surfaces cooled by the channel (100, 112, 122, 142, 144, 146, 246, 248 in fig. 5; Tokuyama, abstract and claims 6-7). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to install power devices on the outer side surfaces of the upper cover plate and the lower cover plate of Nishikimi, with second cooling channels formed respectively between those outer surfaces and the power devices, as taught by Tokuyama, in order to cool the power devices and the capacitor with a common liquid-cooling structure and thereby increase the number of devices cooled and the power density — the combination of prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results. Gao teaches a liquid cold plate in which the mating surfaces of two assembled frames are each provided with a sealing groove positioned to align when the mating surfaces are brought into contact, sealing the fluid chamber against leakage (first mating surface 408b with sealing groove 502b and second mating surface 408t with sealing groove 502t, frames 402b, 402t; figs. 5A-5B). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the first cooling channel of Nishikimi with a partitioning groove into which the partitioning protrusion (central support part 410) extends, as taught by Gao, in order to seal the division against coolant leakage between the first liquid inflow cooling channel and the first liquid outflow cooling channel — the combination of prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results.
Claim 2.
Regarding claim 2, the central support part 410 of Nishikimi, relied upon as the partitioning protrusion in claim 1, is integrally cast with the chassis 12 and is presented on both the upper side (at the openings 400) and the lower side (at the openings 416) of the intermediate housing, thereby providing partitioning protrusions located on the upper side and the lower side of the intermediate housing (410, 400 in figs. 5A-5B, 416 in fig. 5C). As set forth for claim 1, Gao teaches providing the cooperating sealing groove on the mating member into which the protrusion seats; locating that partitioning groove on the inner side of the upper cover plate (upper cover 10) and the inner side of the lower cover plate (lower cover 16) — the members that close the openings 400, 416 against the chassis 12 — yields partitioning protrusions on the upper and lower sides of the intermediate housing with partitioning grooves on the inner sides of the upper and lower cover plates. This meets the second alternative recited in claim 2, and meeting either alternative of claim 2 satisfies the claim.
Claim 3.
Regarding claim 3, claim 1 requires the partitioning protrusion to extend into the partitioning groove, and the combination relies on the protrusion seating within the groove to seal the division between the first liquid inflow cooling channel and the first liquid outflow cooling channel (Gao). For the protrusion to be received within and seat against the groove in that manner, the inner width of the partitioning groove and the width of the partitioning protrusion are complementary, i.e., consistent with one another. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the inner width of the partitioning groove consistent with the width of the partitioning protrusion in order to achieve the seating and sealing fit relied upon in claim 1, this being an obvious matter of dimensioning a mating protrusion and groove with no criticality of the particular dimension apparent. See MPEP 2144.04(IV)(A).
Claim 4.
Regarding claim 4, Gao teaches that the groove provided at the mating interface of the assembled liquid cold plate is a sealing groove (502b, 502t) that seals the fluid chamber against coolant leakage (figs. 5A-5B). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a sealing strip in the partitioning groove of the modified Nishikimi assembly, as a conventional gasketed-groove construction consistent with the sealing function taught by Gao, in order to seal the division between the first liquid inflow cooling channel and the first liquid outflow cooling channel against leakage, yielding the predictable result of a liquid-tight partition. KSR rationale (A).
Claim 5.
Regarding claim 5, the combination of claim 1 provides a partitioning protrusion that is inserted into and seats within a cooperating partitioning groove. Kowallik teaches a tongue-and-groove connection in which the tongue (on the second member 20) is provided with a guiding surface that, during assembly into the groove 102 of the first member 10, cooperates with the abutment edge 101 on the groove-forming member to guide the tongue into the groove (10, 20, 101, 102 in fig. 1). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a guide portion on the partitioning protrusion of the modified Nishikimi assembly, as taught by Kowallik, for guiding the partitioning protrusion when it is inserted into the partitioning groove, in order to facilitate alignment and assembly of the protrusion into the groove, yielding the predictable result of guiding the protrusion into the groove during assembly. KSR rationale (A).
Claim 6.
Regarding claim 6, Nishikimi’s coolant passage 19 is integrally cast within the chassis 12 and is divided by the central support part 410 into an inflow leg and an outflow leg, each leg opening at the upper side of the chassis (openings 400) and at the lower side of the chassis (openings 416) and extending vertically through the chassis between them (19, 400, 410 in figs. 5A-5B, 416 in fig. 5C; 19 in fig. 7). The inflow leg thereby vertically penetrates the intermediate housing and communicates the first liquid inflow cooling channels on the upper side and the lower side, and the outflow leg vertically penetrates the intermediate housing and communicates the first liquid outflow cooling channels on the upper side and the lower side, providing an inflow communicating channel and an outflow communicating channel in the intermediate housing.
Claim 7.
Regarding claim 7, in Nishikimi the inlet 401 opens into and feeds the inflow leg of coolant passage 19, and the outlet 403 receives coolant from the outflow leg of the passage, so that coolant entering the inlet 401 flows into the inflow leg per arrow 418 and coolant in the outflow leg returns to the outlet 403 per arrow 422 (401, 403, 418, 422 in figs. 5A-5B). The inlet 401 thereby corresponds in position to the inflow communicating channel and the outlet 403 corresponds in position to the outflow communicating channel, as recited.
Claim 8.
Regarding claim 8, the combination of claim 1 provides power devices installed on the outer side surfaces of the upper and lower cover plates with second cooling channels formed between those outer surfaces and the power devices (Tokuyama). Nishikimi cools its power modules 300 by having the modules cover openings 400, 402 of the coolant passage 19 so that coolant directly reaches the modules’ cooling fins 305, the support part 410 sealing each module over its opening (300, 400, 410 in figs. 5A-5B). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the second cooling channels as a plurality of coolant tanks on the outer side surfaces of the upper and lower cover plates at positions corresponding to the power devices, each tank having a second liquid inlet communicating with the first liquid inflow cooling channel and a second liquid outlet communicating with the first liquid outflow cooling channel, in order to route coolant from the first cooling channel to the outer-surface power devices and back, providing direct liquid cooling of those devices — the combination of prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over Nishikimi (US 2009/0040724 A1) in view of Tokuyama (US 7,978,471 B2) and Gao (US 11,812,582 B2), and further in view of Pearce (US 9,692,277 B2).
Claim 10. Regarding claim 10, the housing assembly accommodating a capacitor and a power device is taught by the combination of Nishikimi, Tokuyama, and Gao as set forth for claim 1. The combination does not expressly disclose that the housing assembly is used as a motor controller in an electric drive assembly comprising a motor, a reducer, and a motor controller. Pearce teaches an electric drive assembly (integrated drive system assembly 101) combining a drive motor 105, a gearbox 115, and an inverter 111 into a single integrated assembly, the inverter 111 serving as the motor controller for the drive motor 105 and the gearbox 115 providing speed reduction, the motor, gearbox, and inverter being cooled by a common cooling system 123 (101, 105, 111, 115, 123 in the specification). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the housing assembly of claim 1 as the motor controller in an electric drive assembly comprising a motor, a reducer, and a motor controller, as taught by Pearce, in order to integrate the capacitor-and-power-device housing into the drive unit and thereby reduce interconnect length and enable common cooling, yielding the predictable result of an integrated electric drive assembly. KSR rationale (A).
Claims 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over Nishikimi (US 2009/0040724 A1) in view of Tokuyama (US 7,978,471 B2), Gao (US 11,812,582 B2), and Pearce (US 9,692,277 B2), with claim 18 further in view of Kowallik (US 4,100,710).
Claims 16-20.
Regarding claim 16, the electric drive assembly comprising a motor, a reducer, and a motor controller, the motor controller using the housing assembly to accommodate a capacitor and a power device, is taught by the combination set forth for claim 10; and the housing assembly according to claim 2 is taught by the combination set forth for claim 2. It would have been obvious, for the reasons given for claims 2 and 10, to use the housing assembly of claim 2 as the motor controller in the electric drive assembly taught by Pearce.
Regarding claim 17, the electric drive assembly is taught as set forth for claim 10, and the housing assembly according to claim 4 is taught as set forth for claim 4; it would have been obvious, for the reasons given for claims 4 and 10, to use the housing assembly of claim 4 as the motor controller in the electric drive assembly taught by Pearce.
Regarding claim 18, the electric drive assembly is taught as set forth for claim 10, and the housing assembly according to claim 5 is taught as set forth for claim 5 (including Kowallik for the guide portion); it would have been obvious, for the reasons given for claims 5 and 10, to use the housing assembly of claim 5 as the motor controller in the electric drive assembly taught by Pearce.
Regarding claim 19, the electric drive assembly is taught as set forth for claim 10, and the housing assembly according to claim 6 is taught as set forth for claim 6; it would have been obvious, for the reasons given for claims 6 and 10, to use the housing assembly of claim 6 as the motor controller in the electric drive assembly taught by Pearce.
Regarding claim 20, the electric drive assembly is taught as set forth for claim 10, and the housing assembly according to claim 8 is taught as set forth for claim 8; it would have been obvious, for the reasons given for claims 8 and 10, to use the housing assembly of claim 8 as the motor controller in the electric drive assembly taught by Pearce.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9 and 11-15 are objected to as containing allowable subject matter. Claim 9 recites that the first liquid inlet and the first liquid outlet are communicated through a pressure relief channel. The prior art of record does not teach or fairly suggest a pressure relief channel directly communicating the first liquid inlet and the first liquid outlet in combination with the remaining limitations of the claim. Claims 11-15 each incorporate the same pressure-relief-channel limitation and are objected to for the same reason.
Claim 9 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) set forth above. Claims 11-15 would be allowable if rewritten in independent form to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims, subject to overcoming the rejections of their respective base claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 10,477,733 – inverter capacitor system having internal cooling channel.
US 2002/0011327 – heat sink type cooling device.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZHENGFU J FENG whose telephone number is (571) 272-2949. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday, 900am-530pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, JAYPRAKASH GANDHI can be reached at (571) 272-3740. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ZHENGFU J FENG/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2835 June 27, 2026
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