DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to applicant’s communication filed on 11.7.24. In view of this communication, claims 1-12 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 § 112
Claims below are 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.
Claim 6 recites the limitations “The housing sealing structure according to claim 2, wherein a second guide surface is provided at an opening …’ where in there is no recitation of a first guide surface in claim recitation either in claim 6,2 or 1”. In order to further prosecution, examiner is interpreting that snap fit groove provides “a first guide surface”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
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.
Claims 1-2,4,10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chai et al (US20180290530A1), hereinafter Chai, in view of Fukunaga et al (WO2019208448A1 English translation), hereinafter Fukunaga.
Regarding Claim 1 , Chai discloses (Figs 2-3,5) a housing sealing structure [Para 0031 discloses “dry cavity 201” and “sealed gear transmission cavity 213”) for use in an electric drive device (Fig 2) comprising a motor (300), a transmission (200), and a motor controller (100) arranged in sequence (Fig 2), the housing sealing structure comprising:
a housing body (300,200,100 housing) comprising a partition plate (211), and a first chamber (200c including 201, 213) and a second chamber (100c) on two sides of the partition plate, the first chamber being configured to accommodate a transmission body (Fig 2) to constitute the transmission, and the second chamber being configured to accommodate a motor controller body (100) to constitute the motor controller;
a busbar assembly (209,105), the partition plate being provided with a through hole (217) through which the busbar assembly passes (Fig 2) such that the busbar assembly enters (Fig 2) the first chamber (201) from the second chamber (100c); but does not explicitly disclose
a sealing ring sleeved on the busbar assembly, an outer peripheral surface of the sealing ring fitting with a peripheral wall of the through hole in a sealing manner,
wherein the housing body is provided with a first snap-fit portion, and the busbar assembly is provided with a second snap-fit portion, the first snap-fit portion being snap-fitted with the second snap-fit portion to limit a position of the busbar assembly relative to the housing body.
Fukunaga discloses (Figs 9-10) a sealing ring (13) sleeved on the busbar assembly (9,10), an outer peripheral surface of the sealing ring fitting with a peripheral wall (14 wall) of the through hole (10 goes into 6,14 hole with sealing ring 13 in Fig 9)in a sealing manner,
wherein the housing body (100 housing) is provided with a first snap-fit portion (Sf1), and the busbar assembly (10) is provided with a second snap-fit portion (Sf2), the first snap-fit portion being snap-fitted with the second snap-fit portion to limit a position of the busbar assembly relative to the housing body (10h rests on 14f in Fig 9).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have formed housing sealing structure of Chain with detail of sealing of busbar as taught by Fukunaga in order to have a convenient way of making electrical connections between inverter and motor without compromising on safety issues that might result from poor sealing.
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Regarding Claim 2 , Chai in view of Fukunaga discloses the housing sealing structure according to claim 1. Chai in view of Fukunaga further discloses wherein the partition plate (Chai, 211) is provided with a groove serving as the first portion, and the busbar assembly (209,105) is provided with a boss (209) serving as the second portion but does not explicitly disclose them to be snap fit portions.
Fukunaga further discloses wherein the partition plate the partition plate (6h) is provided with a snap-fit groove (Sf1) serving as the first snap-fit portion (Sf1) , and the busbar assembly (9,10) is provided with a boss (Sf2) serving as the second snap-fit portion (Sf2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have formed housing sealing structure of Chain in view of Fukunaga with snap fir portions interfacing in the partition plate as further taught by Fukunaga in order to have a convenient way of making electrical connections between inverter and motor depending upon the layout of the electric drive unit relative to vehicle without compromising on safety issues that might result from poor sealing.
Regarding Claim 4 , Chai in view of Fukunaga discloses the housing sealing structure according to claim 2. Chai in view of Fukunaga further does not explicitly disclose wherein the snap-fit groove is located on a side of the partition plate close to the second chamber.
Fukunaga further discloses (Fig 9) wherein the snap-fit groove (Sf1) is located on a side of the partition plate (6h) close (anything can be considered close as it is relative) to the second chamber (space inside 8d) .
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have formed housing sealing structure of Chain in view of Fukunaga with snap fir portions being close to second chamber as further taught by Fukunaga in order to have a structure that is compact as well as not unnecessarily lengthen the required sealed electrical connections.
Regarding Claim 10 , Chai in view of Fukunaga discloses the housing sealing structure according to claim 1. Chai in view of Fukunaga further discloses wherein the housing body (Chai, 300,200,100 housing) comprises a first housing portion (300) , a second housing portion (200), and a third housing portion (100)connected in sequence, and the partition plate (211) is formed at the second housing portion (200), wherein the first housing portion and the second housing portion are connected to each other to jointly define the first chamber (200c is between 300 and 200 boundaries), and wherein the second housing portion and the third housing portion are connected to each other to jointly define the second chamber (100c is between 200 and 10 boundaries).
Regarding Claim 11 , Chai in view of Fukunaga discloses the housing sealing structure according to claim 1. Chai in view of Fukunaga does not explicitly disclose wherein the busbar assembly comprises a busbar body and a support member that is made of plastic, the support member is connected to the busbar body, the sealing ring is sleeved on the support member, and the second snap-fit portion is arranged on the support member.
Fukunaga further discloses wherein the busbar assembly (9,10) comprises a busbar body (9) and a support member (10) that is made of plastic [0062], the support member is connected (Fig 10) to the busbar body, the sealing ring (13) is sleeved on the support member (10), and the second snap-fit portion (Sf2) is arranged on the support member.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have formed housing sealing structure of Chain in view of Fukunaga with busbar support structure and material with sealing ring and second snap fit portion as further taught by Fukunaga in order to have an insulated way to package the busbar assembly with sealing protection geometry that is achievable by insert molding the busbar.
Regarding Claim 12 , Chai in view of Fukunaga discloses the housing sealing structure according to claim 1. Chai in view of Fukunaga further discloses an electric drive device (Chai, Fig 2), comprising: a motor body (300); a transmission body (200); a motor controller body (100); and a housing sealing structure [Para 0031 discloses “dry cavity 201” and “sealed gear transmission cavity 213”) according to claim 1, wherein the motor body is mounted in the first chamber (200c is left of partition plate in Fig 2 and connected to motor body 300), the transmission body (200) is mounted in the first chamber (200c), and the motor controller body (100) is mounted in the second chamber (100c), and wherein one end of the busbar assembly (209,105) is connected to the motor controller body, and the other end of the busbar assembly is connected to the motor body (Fig 2 discloses electric bus bar connection between controller and motor).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chai, in view of Fukunaga and Im et al(KR20180018282A English translation), hereinafter Im.
Regarding Claim 7 , Chai in view of Fukunaga discloses the housing sealing structure according to claim 1. Chai in view of Fukunaga does not explicitly disclose wherein the sealing ring is a rectangular sealing ring.
Im discloses (Fig 7) wherein the sealing ring (610) is a rectangular sealing ring (Fig 7).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have formed housing sealing structure of Chain in view of Fukunaga with rectangular sealing ring as taught by Im in order to have a structure that increase sealing surface as well as allow for a bonding surface with rest of connection structure.
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Claims 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chai, in view of Fukunaga, Im and Dunzer et al(DE102022201499B3 English translation), hereinafter Dunzer.
Regarding Claim 8 , Chai in view of Fukunaga and Im discloses the housing sealing structure according to claim 7. Chai in view of Fukunaga and Im does not explicitly disclose wherein a plurality of first protrusions are provided on an outer peripheral surface of the rectangular sealing ring.
Dunzer discloses (Fig 5) wherein a plurality of first protrusions (71) are provided on an outer peripheral surface (Fig 5) of the rectangular sealing ring (7).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have formed housing sealing structure of Chain in view of Fukunaga and Im with seal having plurality of outer first protrusions as taught by Dunzer in order to have a sufficient squeeze with interfacing surface to provide seal while not increasing insertion force too much which can damage seal.
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Regarding Claim 9 , Chai in view of Fukunaga and Im discloses the housing sealing structure according to claim 7. Chai in view of Fukunaga and Im does not explicitly disclose wherein the rectangular sealing ring comprises an inner peripheral surface that fits with the busbar assembly in a sealing manner, and a plurality of second protrusions are provided on the inner peripheral surface.
Dunzer discloses (Fig 5) wherein the rectangular (Im) sealing ring (7) comprises an inner peripheral surface that fits with the busbar assembly in a sealing manner (Fig 5), and a plurality of second protrusions (71i) are provided on the inner peripheral surface (Fig5).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have formed housing sealing structure of Chain in view of Fukunaga and Im with seal having plurality of inner second protrusions as taught by Dunzer in order to have a sufficient gripping with connector interfacing surface to provide a labyrinth type seal which will improve gripping as well as provide a tortuous path for any leak.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 5 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 6 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include 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 3 recites “ The housing sealing structure according to claim 2 wherein the snap-fit groove is an annular groove arranged surrounding the through hole, and a center line of the snap-fit groove is collinear with a center line of the through hole”. In Chai, there is no explicit disclosure of snap fit groove as recited above. Fukunaga discloses snap fit groove but it is not surrounding a through hole as recited above. Therefore claim 3 is allowable.
Claim 5 recites “The housing sealing structure according to claim 4, wherein the through hole is formed in a bottom of the snap-fit groove, and a first guide surface is provided at an end of the through hole close to the snap-fit groove, and comprises a gradually shrinking opening in cross-section of the first guide surface in a direction from the snap-fit groove to the through hole to guide the sealing ring into the through hole. Chai does not disclose details of the snap fit groove and guide surface. In Fukunaga, there is a guide surface formed by guide tube 14a, however it is not explicitly gradually shrinking in a direction from snap fit groove to through hole. In Fukunaga Fig 9, the space opens up after the end of the guide tube into the through hole. Therefore, claim 5 is allowable.
Claim 6 recites “ The housing sealing structure according to claim 2, wherein a second guide surface is provided at an opening of the snap-fit groove, and comprises a gradually shrinking opening in cross-section of the second guide surface in a direction of snap-in of the snap-fit groove with the boss to guide the boss to snap in the snap-fit groove”. Claim 6 has similar recitation as claim 5 and is allowable for the same reasons as above subject to overcoming 35 U.S.C 112(b) rejection.
Conclusion
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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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher M Koehler can be reached at 5712723560. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/VISWANATHAN SUBRAMANIAN/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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