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 Objections
Claim 10 is objected to because of the following informalities: Line 4 should read “on a side that is on the first circuit board…”. 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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 9(10-12) and 15 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim 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.
As to claim 9, 15, the use of the phrase “projection” is generally unclear. For the sake of furthering prosecution it is best understood as an air flow.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 7-9, 13, 15, and 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2020/0367389 to Jauhonen et al (hereafter Jau) in view of US 2011/0110095 to Li et al.
As to claim 1, Jau discloses an inverter (10, FIG. 4), the inverter comprising: a plurality of power devices (M1, M2); a chassis (C); and a partition and blocking assembly (W, FIG. 3), wherein the plurality of power devices and the partition and blocking assembly are accommodated in a cavity of the chassis (C1, C2), wherein the partition and blocking assembly divides the cavity of the chassis into a first installation cavity (C2) and a second installation cavity (C1), wherein a part of power devices (M2) in the plurality of power devices are disposed in the first installation cavity, wherein another part of the power devices (M1) in the plurality of power devices are disposed in the second installation cavity, wherein the chassis comprises a first side wall (FIG. 4, vertical left wall of C2) and a second side wall (FIG. 4, bottom wall of C1 and C2) that are adjacent to each other, wherein the partition and blocking assembly comprises a fan (FA2), wherein an air inlet of the fan communicates with the first installation cavity, wherein an air outlet of the fan communicates with the second installation cavity, wherein a direction from the air inlet to the air outlet faces away from the first side wall (see FP22, FIG. 4), and wherein the partition and blocking assembly is provided with a through hole (F12). Although clearly shown in FIG. 4, Jau fails to explicitly disclose wherein a volume of the first installation cavity is less than a volume of the second installation cavity. Li teaches differing the volumes of two adjacent air flow chambers (FIG. 1, 20a, 20b) in order to increase the air flow through one chamber (20a) relative to the other (20b) (see also [0017] “To increase the air pressure within the first chamber relative to the air pressure within the second chamber and thereby increase air flow through the lamp body, the volume of the first chamber is preferably less than the volume of the second chamber.”) It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the filing to modify the volume of the first cavity of Jau to be less than that of the second cavity in order to increase the airflow in the first cavity in the event the circuitry in the first cavity necessitated more relative cooling.
As to claim 17, a photovoltaic energy storage system ([0001] “One possible use for such an electrical apparatus is outdoors installed inverter that is connected between group of solar panels and an electrical grid (electrical distribution network)”), the photovoltaic energy storage system comprising: an energy storage system (a storage system must exist as energy from the solar panels must be stored at some point in the electrical distribution network between the panels and the load); and an inverter (10), which comprises: a plurality of power devices (M1, M2); a chassis (C); and a partition and blocking assembly (W, FIG. 3), wherein the plurality of power devices and the partition and blocking assembly are accommodated in a cavity of the chassis (C1, C2), wherein the partition and blocking assembly divides the cavity of the chassis into a first installation cavity (C2) and a second installation cavity (C1), wherein a part of power devices (M2) in the plurality of power devices are disposed in the first installation cavity, and another part of power devices (M1) in the plurality of power devices are disposed in the second installation cavity; wherein the chassis comprises a first side wall (FIG. 4, vertical left wall of C2) and a second side wall (FIG. 4, bottom wall of C1 and C2) that are adjacent to each other, wherein the partition and blocking assembly comprises a fan (FA2), wherein an air inlet of the fan communicates with the first installation cavity, and an air outlet of the fan communicates with the second installation cavity, wherein a direction from the air inlet to the air outlet faces away from the first side wall (see FP22, FIG. 4), wherein the partition and blocking assembly is provided with a through hole (F12), wherein a direct current input end of the inverter is configured to connect to a photovoltaic module, and wherein an alternating current output end of the inverter is connected to an alternating current output end of the energy storage system and a load ([0017] “One possible use for the inverter 10 is for inverting the DC voltage output of solar (photovoltaic) panels to AC voltage for the electrical grid.”) Although clearly shown in FIG. 4, Jau fails to explicitly disclose wherein a volume of the first installation cavity is less than a volume of the second installation cavity. Li teaches differing the volumes of two adjacent air flow chambers (FIG. 1, 20a, 20b) in order to increase the air flow through one chamber (20a) relative to the other (20b) (see also [0017] “To increase the air pressure within the first chamber relative to the air pressure within the second chamber and thereby increase air flow through the lamp body, the volume of the first chamber is preferably less than the volume of the second chamber.”) It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the filing to modify the volume of the first cavity of Jau to be less than that of the second cavity in order to increase the airflow in the first cavity in the event the circuitry in the first cavity necessitated more relative cooling.
As to claim 2, Jau teaches the inverter according to claim 1, wherein the partition and blocking assembly further comprises a first baffle and a second baffle (see annotated FIG. 4 below), wherein the first baffle and the second baffle are respectively disposed at two opposite ends of a housing of the fan, and wherein the first baffle and the second baffle abut against the housing of the fan (see below).
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As to claim 3, Jau teaches the inverter according to claim 2, wherein the first baffle and the first side wall are disposed opposite to each other (see e.g. FIG. 4, first baffle is opposite first side wall), and wherein an included angle between the second baffle and the first side wall in a counterclockwise direction is greater than or equal to 90° and less than or equal to 180° (the first baffle being parallel to the first side wall thus being at 180°).
As to claim 4, Jau teaches the inverter according to claim 3, wherein the first baffle and the second baffle are disposed in parallel (see FIG. 4, the first and second baffles being parallel).
As to claim 5, Jau teaches the inverter according to claim 3, wherein the chassis further comprises a third side wall (top horizontal wall, FIG. 4), wherein the second side wall, the first side wall, and the third side wall are sequentially connected, wherein the second side wall and the third side wall are disposed opposite to each other (top horizontal wall in FIG. 4 being opposite the bottom horizontal wall), wherein the first baffle and the second baffle are disposed in parallel, and the end of the second baffle that faces away from the fan abuts against the third side wall.
As to claim 7, Jau teaches the limitation of “a gap” in claim 1 has been excluded and the limitation of “a through hole” considered, as a result claim 7 has not been treated on the merits.
As to claim 8, Jau teaches the inverter according to claim 2, wherein the partition and blocking assembly is provided with the through hole (FI2), and the through hole is provided on the first baffle (See annotated FIG. 4 above).
As to claim 9, Jau teaches the inverter according to claim 2, wherein a projection of the first baffle onto the first side wall covers projections of the part of power devices onto the first side wall (as best understood by Applicant).
As to claim 13, Jau teaches the inverter according to claim 2, wherein a space between the fan and the first side wall is equal to a smallest spacing between the first baffle and the first side wall (the distance from the inlet of fan FA2 and the first side wall is equal to the distance of the first baffle and the first side wall as can be seen from e.g. FIG. 4).
As to claim 15, Jau teaches the inverter according to claim 1, wherein a projection of the air outlet of the fan onto the first side wall covers projections of the other part of power devices onto the first side wall (as best understood by Applicant to mean air travels from the air outlet of the fan over M1 and onto the first side wall).
As to claim 18, Jau teaches the inverter according to claim 17, wherein the partition and blocking assembly further comprises a first baffle and a second baffle (see annotated FIG. 4 below), wherein the first baffle and the second baffle are respectively disposed at two opposite ends of a housing of the fan, and wherein the first baffle and the second baffle abut against the housing of the fan (see below).
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As to claim 19, Jau teaches the inverter according to claim 18, wherein the first baffle and the first side wall are disposed opposite to each other, and an included angle between the second baffle and the first side wall in a counterclockwise direction is greater than or equal to 90° and less than or equal to 180° (the first baffle being parallel to the first side wall thus being at 180°).
As to claim 20, Jau teaches the inverter according to claim 19, wherein the first baffle and the second baffle are disposed in parallel (see e.g. FIG. 4).
Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2020/0367389 to Jauhonen et al (hereafter Jau) in view of US 2011/0110095 to Li et al. further in view of US 5,905,647 to Shirai.
As to claim 16, Jau in view of Li teaches the inverter according to claim 1, wherein the chassis further comprises a top wall and a bottom wall (walls of C perpendicular to the first and second side walls), wherein the top wall and the bottom wall are disposed opposite to each other (in a direction into the page of FIG. 4) and wherein a largest spacing between the partition and blocking assembly and the top wall is less than or equal to a second spacing threshold (there being no spacing at all would be less than a spacing threshold). Jau fails to disclose wherein the housing of the fan abuts against the bottom wall. Shirai teaches a fan (39) wherein the housing of the fan abuts against a bottom wall of a housing (62). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the filing to modify the fan housing of Jau to abut against the bottom wall of the housing in order to maximize the size of the fan.
Claim(s) 10-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2020/0367389 to Jauhonen et al (hereafter Jau) in view of US 2011/0110095 to Li et al. further in view of US 2017/0135251 to Kuwabara.
As to claim 10, modified Jau teaches the inverter according to claim 9, wherein the inverter further comprises a first circuit board (M2). Jau fails to disclose wherein the first circuit board and the first side wall are disposed in parallel, and wherein the part of power devices are disposed on a side that is of (on) the first circuit board and that faces the first baffle. Kuwabara teaches a circuit board (20, FIG. 1) disposed in parallel with a first side wall (portion of 110, behind 20) and wherein power devices (21) project into an airflow (WIND) as well as projecting into a volume of housing (110). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the filing to modify the circuit board of Jau to be in a parallel position to the first side wall as taught by Kuwabara as a choice in design depending on the configuration of other components in the system as demonstrated by Kuwabara, the application being well known in the art and Applicant stating no criticality to the arrangement.
As to claim 11, Jau discloses the inverter according to claim 9, wherein the inverter further comprises a second circuit board (M2). Jau fails to disclose wherein the second circuit board and the first side wall are disposed perpendicular to each other, wherein the second circuit board is located between the first side wall and the first baffle, and the part of power devices are disposed on the second circuit board. Kuwabara teaches a circuit board (20, FIG. 1) disposed in parallel with a first side wall (portion of 110, behind 20) and wherein power devices (21) project into an airflow (WIND) as well as projecting into a volume of housing (110). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the filing to modify the circuit board of Jau to be in a parallel position to the first side wall as taught by Kuwabara and located between the first side wall and the first baffle as a choice in design depending on the configuration of other components in the system as demonstrated Kuwabara, the application being well known in the art and Applicant stating no criticality to the arrangement.
As to claim 12, modified Jau discloses the inverter according to claim 9, wherein a space between the part of power devices and the first baffle is less than or equal to a first spacing threshold (as best understood).
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2020/0367389 to Jauhonen et al (hereafter Jau) in view of US 2011/0110095 to Li et al. further in view of US 2015/0022972 Kwon.
As to claim 6, Jau in view of Li teaches the inverter according to claim 1, wherein the chassis further comprises a third side wall (top horizontal wall, FIG. 4), wherein the second side wall, the first side wall, and the third side wall are sequentially connected, wherein the second side wall and the third side wall are disposed opposite to each other; wherein the partition and blocking assembly further comprises a first baffle, wherein the first baffle and the first side wall are disposed opposite to each other. Jau fails to disclose wherein a housing of the fan abuts against the third side wall, and wherein the first baffle abuts against the housing of the fan. Kwon teaches a similar application in which a housing of a fan (320) abuts against a third side wall (100, FIG. 3). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the filing to modify the fan of Jau to about the third sidewall as a design choice, the application being well known in the art as taught by Kwon, and the Applicant stating no criticality to the arrangement.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 14 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. The allowable subject matter being “wherein the bent portion extends along a direction from the blocking portion to the first side wall, and wherein an end of the bent portion that faces away from the blocking portion abuts against the housing of the fan.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2015/0216090 to Sakuma discloses a circuit airflow pattern.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMIL ALEXANDER DECKER whose telephone number is (571)272-6578. The examiner can normally be reached 8am-5pm Mon-Fri.
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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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/JAMIL ALEXANDER DECKER/Examiner, Art Unit 2841
/Jayprakash N Gandhi/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2841
Prosecution Insights