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 § 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 (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 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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-5, 8, 10, and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sakai et al. (US 2015/0338143) in view of Kim et al. (KR 1020210093086), further in view of Compressor JPH04-47188.
In Reference to Claim 1
(See Sakai, Figures 1-2)
Sakai et al. (Sakai) discloses:
A refrigerant compressor comprising:
a drive unit (11); and
a compressor unit (12) coupled to the drive unit (11), wherein the drive unit (11) has a motor housing (111) through which a refrigerant can flow and which accommodates an electric motor (112,113) with a rotatable shaft (114), wherein the compressor unit (12) accommodates a scroll compressor which can be driven by the shaft (114) (See Sakai, Paragraph [0032] w/respect to scroll), wherein the motor housing (111) comprises a housing wall (13m) which is exposed to sucked-in refrigerant and an inverter unit (131) which is joined thereto and accommodates an inverter circuit board (13a), forming a fluid-tight inverter housing (13m,111b), wherein the inverter circuit board (13a) has a component arrangement which is formed with heat-producing electronic components (See Sakai, Paragraph [0048]) including at least one DC link capacitor (132) and multiple electronic power switches (131a), and has at least two different component heights perpendicular to the inverter circuit board (13a) and is accommodated in multiple mouldings (13f,13g), which are formed according to the component heights, on the refrigerant-exposed housing wall (13m) and is thermally coupled to the mouldings (13f,13g). (See Sakai, Paragraphs [0083]-[0087]).
a refrigerant flow path which runs along the refrigerant-exposed housing wall (13m) is formed within the motor housing (111), the at least one DC link capacitor (132) is positioned in a region of a center of the refrigerant exposed housing wall (13m), wherein the multiple electronic power switches (131a) are arranged around the at least one DC link capacitor (132). (See Sakai, Figure 1); and the at least the multiple electronic power switches (131a) are arranged along the course of the refrigerant flow path on the refrigerant-exposed housing wall (13m). (See Sakai, Paragraphs [0083]-[0087])
The Examiner notes that the protective member has a refrigerant side and a circuit side, the circuit side accommodating the circuit components (i.e.-recesses).
Sakai discloses the claimed invention except:
Wherein the motor housing has a tangential refrigerant inlet and the multiple electronic power switches are arranged in a semicircular or circular arrangement around the center.
Kim et al. (Kim) discloses a motor driven compressor. (See Kim, Paragraph [0001]). Kim discloses multiple electronic power switches arranged in a semicircular or circular arrangement around the center. (See Kim, Figures 2-18, Paragraphs [0113] & [0118]-[0120]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have arranged the multiple power switches of Sakai in a semicircular or circular configuration around the center DC link capacitor as both references are directed towards motor driven compressor systems. One of ordinary a skill in the art would have recognized that the semicircular or circular configuration of switch installment would have enhanced the dissipation of heat to the refrigerant improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the system. (See Kim, Paragraphs [0119]-[0120]).
Compressor H04-47188 (Comp‘188) discloses an electric scroll compressor device. (See Comp‘188, ‘Field of Invention’). Comp’188 discloses a tangential inlet/suction port for the electric compressor. (See Comp’188, Figure 2, 38).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have mounted the inlet/suction port of Sakai tangential to the housing as both references are directed towards electric compressors. One of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that a tangential mounting of the inlet/suction port would have been a simple substitution of one known inlet/suction port orientation for another that would yield the predictable result of admitting refrigerant into the compressor.
In Reference to Claim 2
(See Sakai, Figures 1-2)
The Sakai-Kim combination as modified by Comp’188 discloses:
wherein the multiple electronic power switches (131a) together have a first component height, wherein the at least one DC link capacitor (132) has a second component height which protrudes beyond the first component height perpendicularly to the inverter circuit board. (See Sakai, Figure 1 with respect to the axial heights of each component).
In Reference to Claim 3
(See Sakai, Figures 1-2)
The Sakai-Kim combination as modified by Comp’188 discloses:
wherein the mouldings are designed as recesses in the refrigerant-exposed housing wall (13m). (See Sakai, Paragraphs [0083]-[0087]).
The Examiner notes that the protective member has a refrigerant side and a circuit side, the circuit side accommodating the circuit components (i.e.-recesses).
In Reference to Claim 4
(See Sakai, Figure 2)
The Sakai-Kim combination as modified by Comp’188 discloses:
wherein the at least one DC link capacitor (132) and the multiple electronic power switches (131a) are each in contact with the refrigerant-exposed housing wall on at least two sides (A,B) of their surface. (See Sakai, Figure 1 as annotated by Examiner below).
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In Reference to Claim 5
(See Sakai, Figures 1-2)
The Sakai-Kim combination as modified by Comp’188 discloses:
Wherein the at least one DC link capacitor (132) and the multiple electronic power switches (131a) are each accommodated form-fittingly in the mouldings. (See Sakai, Paragraphs [0083]-[0087]).
The Examiner notes that the protective member has a refrigerant side and a circuit side, the circuit side accommodating the circuit components (i.e.-recesses).
In Reference to Claim 8
(See Sakai, Figures 1-2)
The Sakai-Kim combination as modified by Comp’188 discloses:
wherein the at least one DC link capacitor (132) is positioned on the inverter housing side (13m,111b) of the refrigerant-exposed housing wall (13m) in a region of an electric motor bearing (122a) formed on the motor housing (111) side of the refrigerant-exposed housing wall (13m).
In Reference to Claim 10
(See Sakai, Figures 1-2)
The Sakai-Kim combination as modified by Comp’188 discloses:
Wherein the refrigerant-exposed housing wall (13m) is designed as a separate housing cover of the motor housing (111). (See Sakai, Paragraphs [0067]-[0069]).
In Reference to Claim 12
(See Sakai, Figures 1-2)
The Sakai-Kim combination as modified by Comp’188 discloses:
A use of a refrigerant compressor according to claim 1 (See claim 1 rejection above) in a refrigerant circuit of a vehicle. (See Sakai, Paragraph [0051]).
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sakai et al. (US 2015/0338143) in view of Kim et al. (KR 1020210093086) and Compressor JPH04-47188, further in view of Cho et al. (US 2012/0275939).
In Reference to Claim 11
The Sakai-Kim combination as modified by Comp’188 discloses the claimed invention except:
wherein a thermal paste is introduced between the heat-producing electronic components and a surface of the refrigerant-exposed housing wall for thermal coupling.
Cho et al. (Cho) discloses an electrically driven compressor system. (See Cho, Abstract). Cho discloses using a thermal paste between the refrigerant exposed housing. (See Cho, Paragraph [0022]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have used the thermal paste of Cho in between the electrical components and the refrigerant exposed housing wall, as both references are directed towards electrically driven compressor systems. One of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the thermal paste would have enhanced the thermal conductivity to the refrigerant housing enhancing the overall heat dissipation. (See Cho, Paragraph [0022]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 19 August 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to Applicant’s arguments that the Sakai-Kim combination fails to disclose “a refrigerant flow path which runs along the refrigerant-exposed housing wall is formed within the motor housing, the at least one DC link capacitor is positioned in a region of a center of the refrigerant-exposed housing wall, the multiple electronic power switches are arranged in a semicircular or circular arrangement around the at least one DC link capacitor, and at least the multiple electronic power switches are arranged along the course of the refrigerant flow path on the refrigerant-exposed housing wall.”, the Office respectfully disagrees.
Applicant argues that the Sakai-Kim combination does not disclose “a refrigerant flow path which runs along the refrigerant-exposed housing wall is formed within the motor housing, the at least one DC link capacitor is positioned in a region of a center of the refrigerant- exposed housing wall, the multiple electronic power switches are arranged in a semicircular or circular arrangement around the at least one DC link capacitor, and at least the multiple electronic power switches are arranged along the course of the refrigerant flow path on the refrigerant-exposed housing wall.” Specifically, that the flow path does not run along the housing wall of the Sakai-Kim combination even if the combination discloses switches mounted in a semi-circular. However in the Sakai-Kim combination the flow path of refrigerant runs at least along the electronics housing wall to absorb heat from the electronics. (See Sakai, Paragraphs [0083]-[0087]). Additionally, the mounting of the switches are in a semi-circular arrangement on said housing wall. (See Kim, Figures 2-18, Paragraphs [0113] & [0118]-[0120]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have arranged the multiple power switches of Sakai in a semicircular or circular configuration around the center DC link capacitor as both references are directed towards motor driven compressor systems. One of ordinary a skill in the art would have recognized that the semicircular or circular configuration of switch installment would have enhanced the dissipation of heat to the refrigerant improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the system. (See Kim, Paragraphs [0119]-[0120]). It is noted that the “flow path” of the claim recitations is merely required to “run along the refrigerant exposed housing wall” which includes the mounted electronics. Accordingly, as the refrigerant of Sakai-Kim combination flows into and around the motor including interaction with the electric dissipating housing wall, the Sakai-Kim combination discloses “a refrigerant flow path which runs along the refrigerant-exposed housing wall is formed within the motor housing, the at least one DC link capacitor is positioned in a region of a center of the refrigerant-exposed housing wall, the multiple electronic power switches are arranged in a semicircular or circular arrangement around the at least one DC link capacitor, and at least the multiple electronic power switches are arranged along the course of the refrigerant flow path on the refrigerant-exposed housing wall.”.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the feature “wherein the motor housing has a tangential refrigerant inlet” have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Sakai’662, Yim, Shibuya, and Yim’843 show compressor devices within the general state of the art of invention.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW THOMAS LARGI whose telephone number is (571)270-3512. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00 - 4:00 M-F.
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/MATTHEW T LARGI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746