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 .
This is the first action on the merits for application 18/929,868. Responsive to the preliminary amendment filed 10/30/2024, Claims 1-20 are currently pending in this application.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 01/02/2025 and 04/17/2025 have been considered by the examiner.
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it includes the implied phrase, “This application relates to” in line 1. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Objections
Claim 6 is objected to because of the following informalities: line 3, “the cover plate” should be changed to - -the at least one cover plate- - for claim consistency (see, for reference, Claim 4, line 2, “at least one cover plate”). Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 6 is objected to because of the following informalities: line 4, “the first groove” should be changed to - -each first groove- - for claim consistency (see, for reference, Claim 6, line 2, “a plurality of first grooves”). Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities: line 3, “the cover plate” should be changed to - -the at least one cover plate- - for claim consistency (see, for reference, Claim 4, line 2, “at least one cover plate”). Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities: line 3, “the first groove” should be changed to - -each first groove- - for claim consistency (see, for reference, Claim 6, line 2, “a plurality of first grooves”). Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities: line 3, “the ring-shaped plate frame” should be changed to - -the plurality of ring-shaped plate frames- - for claim consistency (see, for reference, Claim 7, line 2, “a plurality of ring-shaped plate frames”). Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities: line 4, “the cover plate” should be changed to - -the at least one cover plate- - for claim consistency (see, for reference, Claim 4, line 2, “at least one cover plate”). Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities: line 4, “the groove” should be changed to - -the plurality of first grooves- - for claim consistency (see, for reference, Claim 6, line 2, “a plurality of first grooves”). Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 8 is objected to because of the following informalities: line 3, “the second groove” should be changed to - -each second groove- - for claim consistency (see, for reference, Claim 8, line 2, “a plurality of second grooves”). Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 18 is objected to because of the following informalities: line 3, “the cover plate” should be changed to - -the at least one cover plate- - for claim consistency (see, for reference, Claim 16, line 2, “at least one cover plate”). Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 18 is objected to because of the following informalities: line 4, “the first groove” should be changed to - -each first groove- - for claim consistency (see, for reference, Claim 18, line 2, “a plurality of first grooves”). Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 19 is objected to because of the following informalities: line 3, “the cover plate” should be changed to - -the at least one cover plate- - for claim consistency (see, for reference, Claim 16, line 2, “at least one cover plate”). Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 19 is objected to because of the following informalities: line 3, “the first groove” should be changed to - -each first groove- - for claim consistency (see, for reference, Claim 18, line 2, “a plurality of first grooves”). Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 19 is objected to because of the following informalities: line 3, “the ring-shaped plate frame” should be changed to - -the plurality of ring-shaped plate frames- - for claim consistency (see, for reference, Claim 19, line 2, “a plurality of ring-shaped plate frames”). Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 19 is objected to because of the following informalities: line 4, “the cover plate” should be changed to - -the at least one cover plate- - for claim consistency (see, for reference, Claim 16, line 2, “at least one cover plate”). Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 19 is objected to because of the following informalities: line 4, “the groove” should be changed to - -the plurality of first grooves- - for claim consistency (see, for reference, Claim 18, line 2, “a plurality of first grooves”). Appropriate correction is required.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 10-14 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by NAKAMURA et al. (US 2008/0130223 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, NAKAMURA et al. discloses a motor control unit (Figs. 1, 3, 8 and 13) comprising: a three-phase bridge arm including a plurality of power modules (paragraph [0048], “3-phase bridge circuit”); a capacitor module (12, 13, 50) including a capacitor housing (12, 13) and a capacitor core package (50), wherein the capacitor housing comprises a first sub-housing (12) and a second sub-housing (13) spaced apart in a first direction (vertical direction of Fig. 3) by a first gap (Fig. 3), the first gap between the first sub-housing and the second sub-housing forms an accommodating cavity used to accommodate the capacitor core package (Figs. 3 and 8); and a heat dissipation panel group (11, 23) configured to dissipate heat for the plurality of power modules, wherein the heat dissipation panel group is fixedly connected to a side of the first sub-housing and away from the capacitor core package in the first direction (Fig. 3), and the heat dissipation panel group and the first sub-housing in the first direction are spaced apart by a second gap (Fig. 3) to form a coolant flow channel (28), and wherein the first sub-housing comprises two flow channel openings (1532, 1632) used to communicate with the coolant flow channel (Fig. 13).
Regarding Claim 2, NAKAMURA et al. discloses wherein a side that is of the heat dissipation panel group and is away from the first sub-housing is used to fasten the plurality of power modules (Fig. 3 and paragraph [0048]), and the plurality of power modules are spaced in a second direction (Fig. 3).
Regarding Claim 10, NAKAMURA et al. discloses wherein a side that is of the first sub-housing and that faces the heat dissipation panel group comprises a third groove (Fig. 3 and paragraph [0058]), and a gap between the third groove and the heat dissipation panel group in the first direction is used to form the coolant flow channel (28).
Regarding Claim 11, NAKAMURA et al. discloses wherein the side that is of the first sub-housing and that faces the heat dissipation panel group comprises a housing separator (Figs. 3 and 8), the housing separator is configured to separate the third groove into two third sub-grooves (Figs. 3 and 8), one third sub-groove is configured to communicate with a liquid inlet through hole (15) in at least one group of through holes (Fig. 8), and the other third sub-groove is configured to communicate with a liquid outlet through hole (16) in the at least one group of through holes (Fig. 8).
Regarding Claim 12, NAKAMURA et al. discloses wherein the accommodating cavity comprises an opening (Fig. 8), an orientation of the opening is in a third direction, and the capacitor core package is embedded into the accommodating cavity along the opening (Fig. 8).
Regarding Claim 13, NAKAMURA et al. discloses a powertrain (Figs. 1, 3, 8 and 13) comprising a motor and a motor control unit (Fig. 1), wherein the motor control unit is configured to drive the motor and comprises: a three-phase bridge arm including a plurality of power modules (paragraph [0048], “3-phase bridge circuit”); a capacitor module (12, 13, 50) including a capacitor housing (12, 13) and a capacitor core package (50), wherein the capacitor housing comprises a first sub-housing (12) and a second sub-housing (13) spaced apart in a first direction (vertical direction of Fig. 3) by a first gap (Fig. 3), the first gap between the first sub-housing and the second sub-housing forms an accommodating cavity used to accommodate the capacitor core package (Figs. 3 and 8); and a heat dissipation panel group (11, 23) configured to dissipate heat for the plurality of power modules, wherein the heat dissipation panel group is fixedly connected to a side of the first sub-housing and away from the capacitor core package in the first direction (Fig. 3), and the heat dissipation panel group and the first sub-housing in the first direction are spaced apart by a second gap (Fig. 3) to form a coolant flow channel (28), and wherein the first sub-housing comprises two flow channel openings (1532, 1632) used to communicate with the coolant flow channel (Fig. 13).
Regarding Claim 14, NAKAMURA et al. discloses wherein a side that is of the heat dissipation panel group and that is away from the first sub-housing is used to fasten the plurality of power modules (Fig. 3 and paragraph [0048]), and the plurality of power modules are spaced in a second direction (Fig. 3).
Regarding Claim 20, NAKAMURA et al. discloses a vehicle (Figs. 1, 3, 8 and 13) comprising wheels (Fig. 1) and a powertrain (Fig. 1) configured to drive the wheels of the vehicle, wherein the powertrain comprises a motor and a motor control unit (Fig. 1), and wherein the motor control unit is configured to drive the motor and comprises: a three-phase bridge arm including a plurality of power modules (paragraph [0048], “3-phase bridge circuit”); a capacitor module (12, 13, 50) including a capacitor housing (12, 13) and a capacitor core package (50), wherein the capacitor housing comprises a first sub-housing (12) and a second sub-housing (13) spaced apart in a first direction (vertical direction of Fig. 3) by a first gap (Fig. 3), the first gap between the first sub-housing and the second sub-housing forms an accommodating cavity used to accommodate the capacitor core package (Figs. 3 and 8); and a heat dissipation panel group (11, 23) configured to dissipate heat for the plurality of power modules, wherein the heat dissipation panel group is fixedly connected to a side of the first sub-housing and away from the capacitor core package in the first direction (Fig. 3), and the heat dissipation panel group and the first sub-housing in the first direction are spaced apart by a second gap (Fig. 3) to form a coolant flow channel (28), and wherein the first sub-housing comprises two flow channel openings (1532, 1632) used to communicate with the coolant flow channel (Fig. 13).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-9 and 15-19 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
SKALSKI (US 10,477,733) discloses a capacitor system with internal cooling channel (see Figs. 1 and 3).
CHUNG et al. (US 2019/0296657 A1) discloses an inverter module with multiple half-bridge modules for an electric vehicle (see ABSTRACT).
CHUNG et al. (US 2019/0296658 A1) discloses an inverter module with multiple half-bridge modules for an electric vehicle (see ABSTRACT).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDWIN YOUNG whose telephone number is (571)272-4781. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm (CST).
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, Jacob S Scott can be reached at (571)270-3415. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
EDWIN YOUNG
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3655
/Edwin A Young/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655
Prosecution Insights