DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the AIA first to invent provisions. 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 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.
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 –
(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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-8, 10-12, 14, and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN 111463959 A (“CN ‘959”).
CN ‘959 discloses:
Regarding claim 1:
A housing structure (1; FIG. 1) of an electric drive assembly (pg. 2, “the controller comprises a three-phase copper bar; one end of the three-phase copper bar extends into the motor shell and is electrically connected with the stator wiring embedded part, so that the controller is electrically connected with the motor assembly through the three-phase copper bar”; a motor having a stator wiring embedded part is indicative of an electric drive assembly i.e. electric motor), wherein the housing structure comprises a motor housing (12; FIG. 1), a reducer housing (11; FIG. 1), a controller housing (13; FIG. 3), an oil cooling assembly (pg. 4, “In one embodiment of the present application, preferably, as shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the cooling system further comprises oil cooling heat exchange part”), and a water cooling assembly (pg. 4, “In one embodiment of the present application, preferably, as shown in FIG. 3, water-cooling heat exchange system”);
at least two housings of the motor housing, the reducer housing, and the controller housing are in an integrated structure (pg. 2, “The invention claims a three-in-one power assembly system, comprising a machine shell, a motor assembly, a speed reducer assembly, a controller and a cooling system; the motor assembly, the speed reducer assembly and the controller are integrated installed in the shell”);
the oil cooling assembly comprises an oil pumping unit (5) and an oil passage (pg. 4, “As shown in FIG. 2, the oil pump 5 is installed in the shell 1, and the inlet of the oil pump 5extends into the circulating oil layer through the pipeline”), the oil passage is provided inside the motor housing (via heat exchange oil sleeve 29; FIG. 2) and inside the reducer housing (pg. 4, “As shown in FIG. 2, the oil pump 5 is installed in the shell 1, and the inlet of the oil pump 5extends into the circulating oil layer through the pipeline”), the oil pumping unit is communicated with the oil passage and conveys lubricating oil in the reducer housing to the oil passage (pg. 4, “As shown in FIG. 2, the oil pump 5 is installed in the shell 1, and the inlet of the oil pump 5extends into the circulating oil layer through the pipeline, the outlet of the oil pump 5 is connected with the oil inlet of the heat exchange oil sleeve 29, so that the circulating oil pump 5 located below the shell 1 through the oil pump 5 is sent to the heat exchange oil sleeve 29”); and
the water cooling assembly comprises a water passage (27, 28, 21, 45, 42) which is a circulating water channel provided inside the controller housing and inside the motor housing (pg. 4, “the shell 1 of the power assembly system is formed with a cooling water inlet 27 and a cooling water outlet 28, one end of the spiral water channel 21 is connected with the cooling water inlet 27, the other end of the spiral water channel 21 is connected with the cooling water outlet 28. the external cooling water enters into the spiral water channel 21 through the cooling water inlet 27, heat exchange with the stator iron core, finally through the cooling water outlet 28 out of the power assembly system, so as to cool the outer wall of the motor stator 2 through the spiral water channel 21. In one embodiment of the present application, preferably, as shown in FIG. 3, water-cooling heat exchange system further comprises a radiating plate 42; the controller 4 comprises an IGBT module 41, a radiating plate 42 for radiating the IGBT module 41. a radiating cavity 45 is formed on the bottom wall of the controller shell 13, and the radiating plate 42 is mounted in the radiating cavity 45; radiating plate 42 is formed in the radiating water channel, one end of the radiating water channel is connected with the cooling water inlet 27, the other end of the radiating water channel extends into the motor shell 12 through the connecting pipeline 12 is connected with the inlet end of the spiral water channel 21, namely cooling water inlet 27,radiating water channel in the radiating plate 42. the spiral water channel 21 and the cooling water outlet 28 are connected in turn”), and the water passage is connected to a cooling water source of a vehicle (pg. 4, “the shell 1 of the power assembly system is formed with a cooling water inlet 27”; FIG. 3 depicts water inlet 27; the term “cooling water inlet” indicates that water is allowed to flow therein from water supply i.e. a cool water source of a vehicle; abstract “vehicle control system”),
wherein the water passage comprises a first water passage provided at a bottom (B in FIG. A below) and a side wall (S in FIG. A below) of the controller housing (the cavity defined by bottom B and walls S define a passage through which water may pass via element 42), and a second water passage (21) provided between the motor housing and a motor water jacket (radially outer surface of element that defines channel 21, see at 21 in FIG. 2; pg. 4, “the spiral water channel (21) is wrapped on the outer wall of the stator iron core of the motor stator (2); the shell 1 of the power assembly system is formed with a cooling water inlet 27 and a cooling water outlet 28, one end of the spiral water channel 21 is connected with the cooling water inlet 27, the other end of the spiral water channel 21 is connected with the cooling water outlet 28”), and the first water passage and the second water passage are connected by a connecting water passage (27 and/or 28; pg. 4, “radiating plate 42 is formed in the radiating water channel, one end of the radiating water channel is connected with the cooling water inlet 27, the other end of the radiating water channel extends into the motor shell 12 through the connecting pipeline 12 is connected with the inlet end of the spiral water channel 21, namely cooling water inlet 27, radiating water channel in the radiating plate 42.”).
PNG
media_image1.png
696
1180
media_image1.png
Greyscale
FIGURE A: Annotated View of CN 111463959 A
Regarding claim 2:
The housing structure according to claim 1, wherein the motor housing, the reducer housing, and the controller housing are in an integrated structure (pg. 2, “The invention claims a three-in-one power assembly system, comprising a machine shell, a motor assembly, a speed reducer assembly, a controller and a cooling system; the motor assembly, the speed reducer assembly and the controller are integrated installed in the shell”); the controller housing is located above the motor housing (FIG. 1 depicts the controller housing 13 above the motor housing 12), and the reducer housing is located on a power output side of the motor housing.
Regarding claim 3:
The housing structure according to claim 1, wherein the oil passage comprises several oil sub-passages (pg. 4-5, infra);
oil outlet positions of the oil sub-passages correspond respectively to parts to be cooled and parts to be lubricated inside the motor housing (pg. 4, “and one end of the speed reducer assembly 6 is located below; so that when the shell 1 is injected with a certain amount of circulating oil, circulating oil will accumulate under the action of gravity under the shell 1, namely the lowest part of the speed reducer shell 11, and forming a circulating oil layer with a certain liquid level height”; pg. 5, “the hollow shaft 31 is sleeved with a rotor iron core; and the end part of the rotor iron core is provided with an end plate 35,the end plate 35 is formed with an oil groove 36 on the joint surface with the rotor iron core; corresponding to the rotor iron core two ends and the end plate 35 of the joint; the side wall of the hollow shaft 31 is provided with a rotor oil outlet 34”); when the motor rotor 3 rotates, under the action of the high speed centrifugal force, the circulating oil in the hollow shaft 31 through the rotor oil outlet 34 outward, circulating oil firstly passes through the gap between the end plate 35 and the rotor iron core end surface into the oil groove 36. the motor rotor 3 is thrown out from the oil groove 36 and finally returns to the circulating oil layer at the bottom of the shell 1; so as to realize the cooling of the motor rotor 3”) as well as parts to be cooled and parts to be lubricated inside the reducer housing (pg. 4, “the shell 1 is injected with a certain amount of circulating oil; when the power assembly system is installed in the vehicle, the axis direction of the output shaft of the power assembly system has a predetermined cutting angle with the horizontal direction, and one end of the speed reducer assembly 6 is located below; so that when the shell 1 is injected with a certain amount of circulating oil, circulating oil will accumulate under the action of gravity under the shell 1, namely the lowest part of the speed reducer shell 11, and forming a circulating oil layer with a certain liquid level height.”)
Regarding claim 5:
The housing structure according to claim 1, wherein cooling water inside the cooling water source flows back to the cooling water source through the first water passage (via element 42 which is disposed in the first water passage 45; FIG. 3), the connecting water passage (28), and the second water passage (21) in sequence (pg. 4, “radiating plate 42 is formed in the radiating water channel, one end of the radiating water channel is connected with the cooling water inlet 27, the other end of the radiating water channel extends into the motor shell 12 through the connecting pipeline 12 is connected with the inlet end of the spiral water channel 21, namely cooling water inlet 27,radiating water channel in the radiating plate 42. the spiral water channel 21 and the cooling water outlet 28 are connected in turn”).
Regarding claim 6:
The housing structure according to claim 5, wherein the first water passage is formed by a water tank (45; FIG. 3) provided at the bottom of the controller housing (B in FIG. A above) and a sealing plate (top surface of element 42) provided on the water tank (42 is provided on portion 45, see in FIG. 3).
Regarding claim 7:
The housing structure according to claim 1, wherein the oil cooling assembly further comprises a heat exchange unit (21, 29); both the oil passage and the water passage are communicated with the heat exchange unit, and heat exchange between the lubricating oil in the oil passage and the cooling water in the water passage is achieved by means of the heat exchange unit (pg. 4, “the circulating oil pump 5 located below the shell 1 through the oil pump 5 is sent to the heat exchange oil sleeve 29. the heat exchange oil sleeve 29 is sleeved on the outer side of the spiral water channel 21, so that the heat exchange oil sleeve 29 in the circulating oil can be heat exchange with the cooling water in the spiral water channel 21, cooling the circulating oil by cooling water. Preferably, the heat exchange oil passage is S-shaped, and the heat exchange oil sleeve 29 is provided with a heat exchange hole, so as to improve the heat exchange oil sleeve 29 in the circulating oil and the spiral water channel 21 in the cooling water of the heat exchange efficiency.”).
Regarding claim 8:
The housing structure according to claim 1, further comprising an oil filtering assembly (51); the oil filtering assembly is located at a bottom of the reducer housing (depicted in FIG. 1-2) , the oil pumping unit is communicated with the reducer housing through the oil filtering assembly and the oil filtering assembly is used for filtering lubricating oil (pg. 5, “this embodiment, preferably, as shown in FIG. 2, the inlet of the oil pump 5 is provided with a filter screen, through filter network to filter the circulating oil of the oil pump 5; the outlet of the oil pump 5 is provided with an organic filter 51, the outlet of the oil pump 5 is connected with the inlet end of the heat exchange oil sleeve 29 through the machine filter 51; the circulating oil is filtered by the machine filter 51, so as to prolong the use period of the circulating oil; at the same time, it reduces the abrasion of the impurity in the circulating oil to the power assembly system, The service life of the power assembly system is prolonged.”).
Regarding claim 10:
An electric drive assembly (1) using the housing structure according to claim 1 (see claim 1 above).
Regarding claim 11:
The housing structure according to claim 2, further comprising an oil filtering assembly (51); the oil filtering assembly is located at a bottom of the reducer housing (depicted in FIG. 1-2) , the oil pumping unit is communicated with the reducer housing through the oil filtering assembly and the oil filtering assembly is used for filtering lubricating oil (pg. 5, “this embodiment, preferably, as shown in FIG. 2, the inlet of the oil pump 5 is provided with a filter screen, through filter network to filter the circulating oil of the oil pump 5; the outlet of the oil pump 5 is provided with an organic filter 51, the outlet of the oil pump 5 is connected with the inlet end of the heat exchange oil sleeve 29 through the machine filter 51; the circulating oil is filtered by the machine filter 51, so as to prolong the use period of the circulating oil; at the same time, it reduces the abrasion of the impurity in the circulating oil to the power assembly system, The service life of the power assembly system is prolonged.”).
Regarding claim 12:
The housing structure according to claim 3, further comprising an oil filtering assembly (51); the oil filtering assembly is located at a bottom of the reducer housing (depicted in FIG. 1-2) , the oil pumping unit is communicated with the reducer housing through the oil filtering assembly and the oil filtering assembly is used for filtering lubricating oil (pg. 5, “this embodiment, preferably, as shown in FIG. 2, the inlet of the oil pump 5 is provided with a filter screen, through filter network to filter the circulating oil of the oil pump 5; the outlet of the oil pump 5 is provided with an organic filter 51, the outlet of the oil pump 5 is connected with the inlet end of the heat exchange oil sleeve 29 through the machine filter 51; the circulating oil is filtered by the machine filter 51, so as to prolong the use period of the circulating oil; at the same time, it reduces the abrasion of the impurity in the circulating oil to the power assembly system, The service life of the power assembly system is prolonged.”).
Regarding claim 14:
The housing structure according to claim 7, further comprising an oil filtering assembly (51); the oil filtering assembly is located at a bottom of the reducer housing (depicted in FIG. 1-2) , the oil pumping unit is communicated with the reducer housing through the oil filtering assembly and the oil filtering assembly is used for filtering lubricating oil (pg. 5, “this embodiment, preferably, as shown in FIG. 2, the inlet of the oil pump 5 is provided with a filter screen, through filter network to filter the circulating oil of the oil pump 5; the outlet of the oil pump 5 is provided with an organic filter 51, the outlet of the oil pump 5 is connected with the inlet end of the heat exchange oil sleeve 29 through the machine filter 51; the circulating oil is filtered by the machine filter 51, so as to prolong the use period of the circulating oil; at the same time, it reduces the abrasion of the impurity in the circulating oil to the power assembly system, The service life of the power assembly system is prolonged.”).
Regarding claim 19:
An electric drive assembly (1; see abstract) using the housing structure according to claim 2 (see claim 2 above).
Regarding claim 20:
An electric drive assembly (1; see abstract) using the housing structure according to claim 3 (see claim 1 above).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 9, 15, 16, and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN ‘959.
CN ‘959 discloses the limitations of claims 1, 2-4 and 7, see above, and further including wherein the oil pumping unit comprises an oil pump (5) provided at a bottom of . However, it does not expressly disclose and an electronic control device; the oil pump is provided at a bottom of the motor housing or the reducer housing (depicted in FIG. 1-2) and an electronic control device (4). However, it does not expressly disclose a particular configuration for the pump e.g. the pump being an electric pump and the electronic control device being used to control the electronic oil pump to operate.
In certain circumstances where appropriate, an examiner may take official notice of facts not in the record or rely on "common knowledge" in making a rejection. See MPEP § 2144.03. Official notice unsupported by documentary evidence should only be taken by the examiner where the facts asserted to be well-known, or to be common knowledge in the art are capable of instant and unquestionable demonstration as being well-known. In re Ahlert, 424 F.2d 1088, 1091, 165 USPQ 418, 420 (CCPA 1970). Here, the Examiner takes official notice that configuring an oil pump to be an electric pump and the electronic control device being used to control the electronic oil pump to operate. is instantly and unquestionably well-known and common knowledge in the art. As such, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the CN ‘959 such that its pump is an electric pump and the electronic control device being used to control the electronic oil pump to operate as such combination of elements are instantly and unquestionably well-known and common knowledge in the art.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 1/20/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that CN ‘959 does not disclose a water passage on the side wall of controller housing 13 but only that “the heat dissipation plate 42 and the heat dissipation chamber 45 are located on the bottom wall inside the controller housing 13.” Remarks at 9. In response, the Examiner respectfully disagrees. CN ‘959 indeed discloses a first water passage provided at a bottom (B in FIG. A, reproduced) as well as on a side wall (S in FIG. A, reproduced below) of the controller housing insofar as the cavity defined by/between the bottom B and side walls S define a passage through which water may pass via element 42. As such, Applicant’s argument is not deemed as persuasive.
PNG
media_image1.png
696
1180
media_image1.png
Greyscale
FIGURE A: Annotated View of CN 111463959 A
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL D YABUT whose telephone number is (571)270-5526. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor John Olszewski can be reached on (571) 272-2706. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/DANIEL D YABUT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3656