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 .
Tittle
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: POWER DELIVELY MODULE AND WINDING SYSTEM.
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) 1-2, 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a(1) as being anticipated by Konishi et al. (U.S. 2013/0301312).
As to claim 1, Konishi discloses a power delivery module (1) as shown in figures 1-3, comprising:
a first printed circuit board (PCB-10, para-0032);
a second PCB (20, para-0032);
a transinductor core (30) sandwiched between the first and second PCBs (10, 20),
wherein the transinductor core (30) includes at least one slot (space or gap) exposing the first and second PCBs (10, 20); and
at least one electrically conductive pillar (12 or 22) extending through the at least one slot (the windings wounded around the core having slots) that electrically connects the first PCB to the second PCB.
As to claim 2, Konishi discloses the at least one slot comprises a plurality of slots (figure 2 shows the slots where the windings wounded), and
the at least one electrically conductive pillar (12, 22) comprises pairs of primary and secondary winding pillars (12, 22), each of the pairs of primary and secondary winding pillars disposed in a different one of the plurality of slots (the primary windings 12 formed on top of the PCB 10, and the secondary windings 22 formed on top f the second PCB 20, see figure 2).
As to claim 7, Konishi discloses the transinductor core (T or 30) as shown in figure 2 comprises: first and second side portions (left and right portions);
a central portion (a middle portion) sandwiched between the first and second side portions,
the at least one slot (the space or opening or gap) comprises a plurality of slots formed between the first side portion and the central portion and/or the second side portion and the central portion.
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) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Konishi in view of Jain et al. (U.S. 2011/0249472).
Regarding claim 14, Konishi discloses the at least one slot (the space or opening of the core) comprises a plurality of slots, see figure 2, the at least one electrically conductive pillar comprises a plurality of primary winding pillars (12), each disposed in one of the plurality of slots and forming a single-turn primary winding for the transinductor core (30), and
the power delivery module of Konishi does not specifically comprise a controller configured to perform pulse width modulation phase sequencing of the plurality of primary winding pillars based on a configuration of the transinductor core.
Jain teaches a DAB converter (20) comprising a controller configured to perform pulse width modulation (PWM, para-0025) phase sequencing of the plurality of primary winding pillars (para-0029, element 26) based on a configuration of the transinductor core.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have a teaching of Jain employed in the power module of Konishi in order to provide configuration manages the timing and electrical pulse widths sent to individual magnetic core pillars in a multi-phase power system.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Konishi in view of Pacala et al. (U.S. Patent 6,972,657).
Regarding claim 3, Konishi discloses all the limitations of claimed invention except for a tab extending into one of the plurality of slots, the tab disposed between one of the pairs of primary and secondary winding pillars and configured to vary a leakage inductance between the one of the pairs of primary and secondary winding pillars.
Pacala teaches a power converter and planar transformer (12) as shown in figures 2a-2b comprising a tab (14c, 16c) extending into one of the plurality of slots (space or openings), the tab disposed between one of the pairs of primary and secondary winding pillars (12p, 12s) and configured to vary a leakage inductance between the one of the pairs of primary and secondary winding pillars.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have a teaching of Pacala employed in the power module of Konishi in order to adjust input or output voltage levels and compensating for high or low utility supply lines to maintain a steady secondary voltage.
Claim(s) 8-10, 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Konishi in view of Gieras et al. (U.S. 2019/0006096).
Regarding claim 8, Konishi discloses all the limitations of claimed invention except for the central portion includes a plurality of crossbars that extend towards the first side portion and the second side portion, the plurality of crossbars defining the plurality of slots.
Gieras teaches transformer-inductor assembly (100 or 200) as shown in figures 2-6 comprising the central portion includes a plurality of crossbars (116) that extend towards the first side portion and the second side portion, the plurality of crossbars (116) defining the plurality of slots (216, 218).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have a teaching of Gieras employed in the power module of Konishi in order to increase magnetic field strength.
Regarding claim 9, Konishi as modified by Gieras teaches the central portion includes at least one tab (the tab formed between the bars 116) between the plurality of crossbars (116) that extends into one of the plurality of slots (216, 218).
Regarding claim 10, Konishi as modified by Gieras teaches at least one electrically conductive pillar comprises a primary and secondary winding pillar (220, 222), each disposed on a different side of the tab (the tab formed between the bars 116).
As to claim 15, Konishi discloses a power delivery module (1) as shown in figures 1-3, comprising:
a first printed circuit board (PCB-10, para-0032);
a second PCB (20, para-0032);
at least one transinductor core (30) sandwiched between the first and second PCBs (10, 20), wherein each transinductor core (30) comprises:
first and second side portions (left and right portions);
a central portion (a middle portion) sandwiched between the first and second side portions,
the at least one slot (the space or opening or gap) comprises a plurality of slots formed between the first side portion and the central portion and/or the second side portion and the central portion.
pairs of electrically conductive pillar (12, 22) extending through the plurality of slots that electrically connect the first and second PCBs (10, 20), each of the pairs of electrically conductive pillars forming primary and secondary windings (12, 22) for the at least one transinductor core (30).
Konishi does not specifically disclose the central portion including a plurality of crossbars that extend towards the first side portion and the second side portion, the plurality of crossbars defining a plurality of slots.
Gieras teaches transformer-inductor assembly (100 or 200) as shown in figures 2-6 comprising the central portion includes a plurality of crossbars (116) that extend towards the first side portion and the second side portion, the plurality of crossbars (116) defining the plurality of slots (216, 218).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have a teaching of Jain employed in the power module of Konishi in order to increase magnetic field strength.
Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Konishi in view of Gieras, and further in view of Pacala et al. (U.S. Patent 6,972,657).
Regarding claim 16, Konishi as modified by Gieras discloses all the limitations of claimed invention except for a tab extending into one of the plurality of slots, the tab disposed between one of the pairs of primary and secondary winding pillars and configured to vary a leakage inductance between the one of the pairs of primary and secondary winding pillars.
Pacala teaches a power converter and planar transformer (12) as shown in figures 2a-2b comprising a tab (14c, 16c) extending into one of the plurality of slots (space or openings), the tab disposed between one of the pairs of primary and secondary winding pillars (12p, 12s) and configured to vary a leakage inductance between the one of the pairs of primary and secondary winding pillars.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have a teaching of Pacala employed in the power module of Konishi and Gieras in order to adjust input or output voltage levels and compensating for high or low utility supply lines to maintain a steady secondary voltage.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-6, 11-13, 17-19 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.
Claim 20 is allowed.
Neither the references cited nor the cited references teach, suggest, or in combination of a power delivery module having a central portion sandwiched between the first side portion and the second side portion, the central portion including a plurality of crossbars that extend towards the first side portion and the second side portion, the plurality of crossbars defining a plurality of slots; a plurality of interconnect pillars external to the transinductor core that extend between the first PCB and the second PCB; a plurality of conductive traces formed at the first PCB and the second PCB that electrically connect, via the plurality of interconnect pillars, the pairs of electrically conductive pillars in a winding arrangement; and a controller configured to perform pulse width modulation (PWM) phase sequencing of the primary winding associated with each of the pairs of electrically conductive pillars.
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/TUAN T DINH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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