DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to applicant’s communication filed on 10.11.24. In view of this communication, claims 1-13 are now pending in this application.
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 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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1,8-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Pfluger (US4546280A).
Regarding Claim 1, Pfluger discloses (Figs 1-3) a power conversion device (alternator has diodes for rectification Claim 1) configured to convert electric power, the power conversion device comprising:
a case (20) that includes an outer peripheral wall (20w) extending in a ring shape (Figs 2-3);
multiple beam portions (40-46) that extend from the outer peripheral wall (20w) toward an inner side (23 side) in a radial direction (Figs 2-3) of the outer peripheral wall and are arranged in a circumferential direction (Figs 2-3) of the outer peripheral wall;
a plate member (33 or 34) that is in a plate shape (33,34 are sheet metal Col 3, Line 41), extends in a direction (33,34 plane is perpendicular to shaft axis AA) orthogonal to an axial direction (AA) of the outer peripheral wall, and is fixed to the multiple beam portions [Col 3, 40-41] while extending across the multiple beam portions (Figs 2-3); and
a mounted component (35,36 are rectifying diodes) that is electrically connected (diodes are electrically connected) and is mounted [Col 3, 43-44] on the plate member (33 or 34).
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Regarding Claim 8, Pfluger discloses the power conversion device according to claim 1. Pfluger further discloses further comprising: a beam coupling portion (23) that is provided at a position spaced from the outer peripheral wall (20w) toward the inner side in the radial direction (Figs 2-3) and couples the multiple beam portions (40-46).
Regarding Claim 9, Pfluger discloses the power conversion device according to claim 1. Pfluger further discloses wherein the beam coupling portion (23) is in a ring shape (annular inside for bearing as seen in Fig 1) and extends in the circumferential direction (inherent to a ring).
Regarding Claim 10, Pfluger discloses the power conversion device according to claim 1. Pfluger further discloses wherein the beam portion (40-46) and the outer peripheral wall (20w) are configured to transfer heat (they are connected so they will transfer heat).
Regarding Claim 11, Pfluger discloses the power conversion device according to claim 1. Pfluger further discloses wherein the beam portion (40-46) and the outer peripheral wall (20w) are electrically connected to each other (they are physically directly connected, therefore includes electrical connection).
Regarding Claim 12, Pfluger discloses (Figs 1-3) a rotary electric machine unit (Fig 1 is alternator) to be driven by supply of electric power, the rotary electric machine unit comprising:
a rotary electric machine that includes a rotor (1) and a stator (14); and
a power conversion device (alternator has diodes for rectification Claim 1) that is configured to convert electric power to be supplied to the rotary electric machine, wherein
the power conversion device includes
a case (20) that includes an outer peripheral wall (20w) extending in a ring shape (Figs 2-3) and fixed (Fig 1) to the rotary electric machine,
multiple beam portions (40-46) that extend from the outer peripheral wall (20w) in a radial direction (Figs 2-3) of the outer peripheral wall toward an inner side (23 side) and are arranged in a circumferential direction (Figs 2-3) of the outer peripheral wall,
a plate member (33 or 34) that is in a plate shape (33,34 are sheet metal Col 3, Line 41), extends in a direction orthogonal (33,34 plane is perpendicular to shaft axis AA) to an axial direction (AA) of the outer peripheral wall across the multiple beam portions, and is fixed to the multiple beam portions [Col 3, 40-41], and
a mounted component (35,36 are rectifying diodes) that is electrically connected (diodes are electrically connected) and is mounted [Col 3, 43-44] on the plate member (33 or 34).
Regarding Claim 13, Pfluger discloses The rotary electric machine unit according to claim 12. Pfluger further discloses wherein in the power conversion device, the outer peripheral wall (20w) is a device outer peripheral wall (relative term, any wall can be outer), the rotary electric machine includes an electric machine outer peripheral wall (10) that extends in a ring shape (Fig 1), accommodates the rotor (1) and the stator (14), and is aligned (Fig 1) with the device outer peripheral wall in the axial direction (AA) , and a cover portion (Co) that is fixed (Co is fixed via 21 to 10) to the electric machine outer peripheral wall and covers (Fig 1 discloses Co axially between rotor/stator and power converter) the rotor and the stator from a device outer peripheral wall side, and the power conversion device includes a heat insulating portion (any material has heat insulating properties) that is provided between the plate member and the cover portion (Co and power components are all connected together to form one machine), extends along the cover portion, and has a heat insulating property (If Applicants intend a specific heat insulator such as air, it must be recited in the claim).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-7 are 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 following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 2 recites “ The power conversion device according to claim 1, further comprising: a first plate member that is provided, as the plate member, on one side of the beam portion in the axial direction; and a second plate member that is provided, as the plate member, on a side opposite to the first plate member with respect to the beam portion interposed therebetween in the axial direction”. In Pfluger, there are 2 plate members 33,34 but they are along the circumference, not on opposite sides in an axial direction as recited above. Therefore claim 2 is allowable. Claim 3 is allowable as it is dependent upon claim 2.
Claim 4 recites “ The power conversion device according to claim 1, further comprising: multiple switch components each of which includes a conversion switch configured to convert electric power, arranged in the circumferential direction along an outer peripheral end of the plate member, and fixed to an inner peripheral surface of the outer peripheral wall”. In Pfluger, switch components 35,36 can be interpreted as “arranged in the circumferential direction along an outer peripheral end of the plate member” as outer is a relative term, however Pfluger does not read on “fixed to an inner peripheral surface of the outer peripheral wall” as 35,36 are mounted on cooling plates 33,34. Therefore claim 4 is allowable. Claims 5-7 are allowable as they are dependent upon claim 4.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Nakayama (US20160020679A1) discloses relevant beam structure in Fig 6.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VISWANATHAN SUBRAMANIAN whose telephone number is (571)272-4814. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm.
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/VISWANATHAN SUBRAMANIAN/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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