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 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.
(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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 7 and 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yasuda JP 7478637 B2 (English translation attached).
Regarding claim 1, Yasuda discloses an EMC housing (housing exterior portion 1, Fig 1; also see 1st sentence of Description) for an electrical component (‘X’, Fig 1), comprising at least a first housing part (3, Fig 1) and a second housing part (2, Fig 1), which are connected to each other via a sealing surface (sealing surface of portion ‘G’, for example, Fig 2) and together enclose a volume of the housing (once assembled, 2 and 3 couple together enclosing volume therebetween, see Fig 1) in a liquid-tight manner (see par 0006 of Description: ‘watertight seal’), wherein at least the first housing part comprises a plastic material (portion 36 in the form of resin/plastic material, par 0024 of Description) and a metallic material (in the form of 35b, and/or including 35a, 37, C1, Fig 2) enclosed by the plastic material (once assembled/enclosed as depicted in Fig 1), wherein the metallic material is arranged so as to be accessible at least in the region of the sealing surface (portion 35 is considered accessible/proximate sealing surface of ‘G’, see Fig 2) for electrically conductive contacting of the second housing part (via metallic/conductive portion 37 or C1, for example see Fig 2, see par 0039: “electrically connected”).
Regarding claim 2, Yasuda discloses the EMC housing according to claim 1, wherein the contacting between the metallic material and the second housing part is made via an electrically conductive EMC-seal which seals the housing parts (conductive seal formed once portion 2, 3 are coupled, Figs 2, 3) in a liquid-tight manner (see 7th to last par. of Description: ‘C2 water tightly sealed’).
Regarding claim 3, Yasuda discloses the EMC housing according to claim 1, wherein the contacting between the metallic material and the second housing part is made via a direct contact (see Figs 2, 3: at least C1 in direct contact with 2), wherein the housing parts are additionally sealed in a liquid-tight manner via a sealing element (via additional sealing element G, Figs 2, 3).
Regarding claim 4, Yasuda discloses the EMC housing according to claim 1, wherein the sealing surface is designed to be fully circumferential around the volume (Note: in Description of Yasuda, where the gasket ‘G’ is first introduced, it is mentioned as being “provided along entire circumference” of the structure; also see Fig 1).
Regarding claim 7, Yasuda discloses the EMC housing according to claim 1, wherein the metallic material outside the sealing surface and inside the plastic material at least partially has a structured shape deviating from a flat shape (as depicted in Fig 3).
Regarding claim 10, Yasuda discloses the EMC housing according to claim 1, wherein, for shielding electromagnetic radiation emitted by the electrical component (see par 0017of Description), the volume is completely surrounded by a metallic material at least partially forming the housing (in the form of 35a, Figs 1, 2).
Regarding claim 11, Yasuda discloses a housing part (such as portion 33, for example, Fig 2) of an EMC housing (par 0017 of Description) according to claim 1, wherein the housing part is the first housing part (see Fig 2).
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) 5-6 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yasuda JP 7478637 B2.
Regarding claim 5, Yasuda discloses the EMC housing according to claim 1, except wherein a proportion by weight of the plastic material in the weight of the first housing part is at least 60%.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have a proportion by weight of the plastic material in the weight of the first housing part is at least 60%, in order to adjust material ratios as needed to meet a desired housing specification to improve weight distribution or to optimize cost and durability, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art.
Regarding claim 6, Yasuda discloses the EMC housing according to claim 1, except wherein the metallic material extends continuously over a surface portion of a largest side surface of the first housing part of at least 80%.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have the metallic material extend continuously over a surface portion of a largest side surface of the first housing part of at least 80%, in order to adjust material ratios as needed to meet a desired housing specification to improve weight distribution or to optimize cost and durability, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art.
Regarding claim 8, Yasuda discloses the EMC housing according to claim 7, except wherein a weight proportion of the metallic material of at least 75% has the structured shape.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have a weight proportion of the metallic material of at least 75% has the structured shape, in order to adjust material ratios as needed to meet a desired housing specification to improve weight distribution or to optimize cost and durability, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art.
Claim(s) 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yasuda JP 7478637 B2 in view of Hinson US 2006/0131141 A1.
Regarding claim 9, Yasuda discloses the EMC housing according to claim 1, wherein the first housing part is a two-component part (see Fig 2 two layers/components form first housing 3), wherein the metallic material is encapsulated by the plastic material (see Figs, 1, 2).
Yasuda discloses the claimed invention except for expressly teaching that the two-component part is injection moulded.
Hinson, however, teaches a similar structure (Fig 1) including a first housing (14, Fig 1) with two-component parts that are injection moulded (14 made of plastic, see par 0011 and 20 metallic, see par 0012).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the part of Yasuda to be injection moulded, as taught by Hinson, in order to form an integrally sealed arrangement that allows an electrical connection between the inside of the housing and the outside of the housing or to form an electrical bridge between the electrical device inside the housing and an electrical source outside the housing, thereby improving functionality, as well as reliability.
Claim(s) 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yasuda JP 7478637 B2 in view of Kinoshita US 2012/0237376 A1.
Regarding claim 12, Yasuda discloses a use of an EMC housing (par 0017 of Description) according to claim 1 for an inverter as an electrical component.
Yasuda discloses the claimed invention except for expressly teaches the EMC housing is for an inverter as an electrical component.
Kinoshita, however, teaches similar structure (Fig 1A) where an EMC housing is used for an inverter as an electrical component (see 2nd to last sentence of par 0047; Figs 1A, 1B).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the structure of Yasuda to be used for an inverter as an electrical component, as taught by Kinoshita, in order to address the sensitive control circuits inside inverters that may be susceptible to external electromagnetic interference. Therefore, using an EMC housing for an inverter as an electrical component is a measure that would improve reliability
Furthermore, it is noted that although Yasuda alone does not teach that the composition can be used in the manner instantly claimed, the intended use of the claimed composition does not patentably distinguish the composition, per se, since such undisclosed use is inherent in the reference composition. In order to be limiting, the intended use must create a structural difference between the claimed composition and the prior art composition. In the instant case, the intended use does not create a structural difference, thus the intended use is not limiting.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Kusukawa - US 12407269 B2, Fig 2. Teaches similar structure/housing including non-metallic exterior with metallic interior injection molded.
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/RASHEN E MORRISON/Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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