DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to applicant’s communication filed on 1.16.25. In view of this communication, claims 15-28 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 § 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 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.
(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.
Claims 15-19,24,26,27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Aunkst et al (US202201111924A1), hereinafter Aunkst.
Regarding Claim 15, Aunkst discloses (Figs 1-4) a motor unit (102,46) that drives a vehicle (10), comprising:
an electric motor (74) configured to generate a drive power [Para 0015]and output the drive power from a drive shaft (82) provided on a first side (S1 is output from motor to 78) in an axial direction (AA); and
a current adjustment device (90 is inverter) arranged adjacent (Fig 3) to the electric motor in the axial direction, the current adjustment device generating a drive current for driving the electric motor and suppling [0015] the drive current to the electric motor.
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Regarding Claim 16, Aunkst discloses the motor unit according to claim 15. Aunkst further discloses wherein the current adjustment device (90) is arranged such that a thickness direction (Fig 3, T) of the current adjustment device follows the axial direction (AA) of the electric motor (74).
Regarding Claim 17, Aunkst discloses the motor unit according to claim 15. Aunkst further discloses wherein the current adjustment device (90) is an inverter [0015] configured to convert direct current into alternating current to generate the drive current [0015].
Regarding Claim 18, Aunkst discloses the motor unit according to claim 15. Aunkst further discloses wherein the electric motor (74) includes a motor cover (110), wherein the current adjustment device(90) includes an adjustment device cover (114), and wherein the adjustment device cover is mounted to the motor cover so as to be in contact (Fig 3) with the motor cover.
Regarding Claim 19, Aunkst discloses the motor unit according to claim 18. Aunkst further discloses wherein the adjustment device cover (114) is of a cylindrical shape (In Fig 4, 114 follows shape of 110 and is substantially cylindrical) coaxial (AA) with the motor cover (110).
Regarding Claim 24, Aunkst discloses the motor unit according to claim 15. Aunkst further discloses wherein a first coolant passage (154 passes through inverter 90, Para 0004 discloses “a coolant pump configured to circulate coolant to cool the drive assembly” and Fig discloses pump 166 connected to inverter 122) is formed in the current adjustment device (90), wherein a second coolant passage is formed in the electric motor (74, Fig 4 discloses coolant line connection to motor side near transmission) and wherein the first coolant passage and the second coolant passage are connected to each other (154 is coolant flow path).
Regarding Claim 26, Aunkst discloses the motor unit according to claim 24. Aunkst further discloses wherein at least one of a supply port to which a coolant is supplied and a discharge port (Dp) from which the coolant (154 is coolant flow path) is discharged is formed on an outer side in a radial direction (Dp is radially outer side of 74) of the electric motor (74).
Regarding Claim 27, Aunkst discloses the motor unit according to claim 15. Aunkst further discloses further comprising: a power transmission (78) arranged adjacent to the first side (S1) in the axial direction (AA) of the electric motor (74) and transmitting the drive power output from the drive shaft (82) toward a drive wheel (30)[0015].
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.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aunkst in view of Tsukamoto et al (US20040108778A1), hereinafter Tsukamoto.
Regarding Claim 20, Aunkst discloses the motor unit according to claim 18. Aunkst further discloses further comprising: a terminal [this is inherent as Para 0004 discloses power supply from battery to inverter, therefore there is an electrical connection which can be terminal configured to supply electric power to the current adjustment device (90) but does not explicitly disclose the terminal being formed on an outer side in a radial direction of the adjustment device cover.
Tsukamoto (Fig 1) discloses the terminal (27) being formed on an outer side (Fig 1) in a radial direction (Fig 1) of the adjustment device cover (26).
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 motor unit of Aunkst with radially outside terminal as taught by Tsukamoto in order to connect to power source.
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Claim 21 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aunkst in view of Tsukamoto and Ishii (JP2019140837A English translation).
Regarding Claim 21, Aunkst in view of Tsukamoto discloses the motor unit according to claim 20. Aunkst in view of Tsukamoto does not explicitly disclose comprising: an insulating cover having an insulating property and covering the outer side of the terminal is provided on the adjustment device cover.
Ishii discloses (Figs 2-3) an insulating cover (13A part of 13) having an insulating property (13 is resin connector) and covering the outer side of the terminal [Para 0038 discloses 13 is power supply connector] is provided on the adjustment device cover (12,13).
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 motor unit of Aunkst in view of Tsukamoto with covered terminal as taught by Ishii in order to conveniently and safely connect to power source.
Claims 22-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aunkst in view of Watanabe et al(JP2018196279A English translation), hereinafter Watanabe.
Regarding Claim 22, Aunkst discloses the motor unit according to claim 15. Aunkst further discloses further comprising: a conductor (this is inherent as motor is connected to inverter and Para 0004) arranged inside the electric motor (74) and the current adjustment device (90) and configured to transmit the drive current [0004] from the current adjustment device to the electric motor but does not explicitly disclose the conductor being arranged in a direction along the axial direction.
Watanabe discloses (Fig 1) [0028] the conductor (19) being arranged in a direction along the axial direction (AA).
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 motor unit of Aunkst with axially directed conductor as explicitly taught by Watanabe in order to connect axially adjacent inverter and motor.
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Regarding Claim 23, Aunkst in view of Watanabe discloses the motor unit according to claim 22. Aunkst in view of Watanabe does not explicitly disclose wherein the electric motor and the current adjustment device are in contact via a sealing member, wherein the conductor is arranged so as to pass through a mating surface between the electric motor and the current adjustment device or a surface continuous with the mating surface, and wherein the conductor is arranged in a region that is made waterproof by the sealing member.
Watanabe further discloses (Fig 3) wherein the electric motor (10) and the current adjustment device (20) are in contact via a sealing member (62), wherein the conductor (19) is arranged so as to pass through a mating surface between the electric motor and the current adjustment device or a surface continuous with the mating surface (Fig 1 discloses 11 and 21 are in contact via 50 which can be part of inverter housing), and wherein the conductor is arranged in a region that is made waterproof by the sealing member (62 is an Oring).
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 motor unit of Aunkst in view of Watanabe with sealing member structure as further taught by Watanabe in order to prevent any coolant leakage to prevent short circuits or other electrical failure than can be caused by water/coolant leakage.
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Claim 25 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable in view of Aunkst.
Regarding Claim 25, Aunkst discloses the motor unit according to claim 18. Aunkst further discloses wherein a supply port to which a coolant is supplied is formed in the current adjustment device, and wherein a discharge port from which the coolant having passed through the first coolant passage and the second coolant passage is discharged is formed in the electric motor (Aunkst does not explicitly disclose which one is supply and which is discharge port).
Aunkst further discloses (Fig 4) wherein a supply port (Sp) to which a coolant is supplied is formed in the current adjustment device (90), and wherein a discharge port (Dp) from which the coolant having passed through the first coolant passage and the second coolant passage (passages are between Sp and Dp)is discharged (Dp) is formed in the electric motor(74) (Radiator cap Rc is on hotside, therefore flow of coolant annotated in Fig 4).
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 motor unit in view of Aunkst in order to flow the coolant in a required sequence so as to take away heat in an optimal manner as required by operating parameters of components that need to be cooled.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 28 is 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Claim 28 recites “The motor unit according to claim 27, wherein the power transmission is a first power transmission of a first drive system, or a second power transmission of a second drive system, wherein the electric motor includes a motor cover, wherein a lid member is mounted to the power transmission, and wherein the motor cover is capable of having mounted thereto the lid member of the first power transmission and the lid member of the second power transmission”. In Aunkst, there is no explicit disclosure of two different transmission drive systems having ability to mount to same motor cover. Therefore, claim 28 is allowable.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Reitlinger et al (US20200031420A1) is similar structure as Aunkst and is relevant prior art.
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.
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, 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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