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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
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, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tschirbs (US 20090213553, Fig. 11, hereinafter Tsc1), in view of Tschirbs (US 20090213553, Fig. 1, hereinafter Tsc2).
Regarding claim 1, Tsc1 discloses a seal for a power module comprising:
a housing (the housing comprising the wall 253, Fig. 11) having a first side surface (top side) and a second side surface (bottom side) opposite to each other; and
pins (contact pins 234) extending out of the first side surface (top side),
wherein the seal (200) comprises a peripheral wall (the cover 252) extending continuously in a circumferential direction to define an accommodating space (the space inside the cover 252), that is adaptable for receiving the power module (the power module inside the wall 253) and having a first end (top side) and a second end (bottom side) opposite to each other, and
the peripheral wall being configured such that when the power module is completely accommodated in the accommodating space (Fig. 11), the first end of the peripheral wall is at least higher than the first side surface of the housing (the top side of the cover 252 is higher than the top side of the wall 253).
Tsc1 does not explicitly disclose the peripheral wall being elastic.
Tsc2 teaches the cover 103 being elastic (paragraph 56).
It would have been obvious to one having skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to use elastic material as a cover in order to seal the electronic components from the environment.
Regarding claim 2, Tsc1 discloses the claimed invention as set forth in claim 1. Tsc1 further suggests the peripheral wall has an inner surface (inner surface of the wall 172, Fig. 9) facing the accommodating space and an outer surface (the outer surface of the wall 172) facing away from the accommodating space, wherein a distance between the outer surface and a mid-section of the seal extending between the first end (top side) and the second end (bottom side) gradually decreases in a direction from the second end to the first end (there is a slant surface making the bottom side larger than the top side, Fig. 9; hence, the distance between the outer surface of the wall 172 to the mid-section of the enclosure gradually decrease in the direction from the bottom side to the top side).
Regarding claim 4, Tsc1 discloses the claimed invention as set forth in claim 1. Tsc1 further suggests the peripheral wall (252, Fig. 11) has an inner surface facing the accommodating space and an outer surface facing away from the accommodating space, wherein a distance between the outer surface and a mid-section of the seal extending between the first end and the second end is constant in a direction from the second end to the first end (Fig. 11).
Regarding claim 5, Tsc1 discloses the claimed invention as set forth in claim 1.
Tsc1 does not explicitly disclose a rib extending between the first end and the second end is formed on an inner surface of the peripheral wall facing the accommodating space.
Tsc1 suggests, in Fig. 13, the flange 263 extending along the wall 262.
It would have been obvious to one having skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to add the flange as needed in order to provide a guiding rail to fit other components into the housing of the electronic device.
Regarding claim 7, Tsc1 discloses the claimed invention as set forth in claim 1. Tsc1 further discloses the peripheral wall is configured such that when the power module is completely accommodated in the accommodating space, the second end (the bottom side of the wall 252, Fig. 11) of the peripheral wall is flush with the second side surface (the bottom surface of the power substrate 243 and wall 253; Fig. 11) of the housing.
Regarding claim 8, Tsc1 discloses the claimed invention as set forth in claim 1. Tsc1 further suggests the seal is configured as an insulating seal (the wall is made of plastic and electrical insulating; paragraph 56).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 6, 9, 10 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.
Reasons for Allowance
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claim 3, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combining with other limitations recited in claims 1 & 2, a combination of limitations that the outer surface comprises a first surface segment close to the first end and a second surface segment close to the second end, wherein a slope of the first surface segment is smaller than a slope of the second surface segment. None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Regarding claim 6, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combining with other limitations recited in claim 1, a combination of limitations that the peripheral wall is configured such that when the power module is completely accommodated in the accommodating space, the first end of the peripheral wall is 1 to 2 mm higher than the first side surface of the housing. None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Regarding claim 9, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combining with other limitations recited in claim 1, a combination of limitations that the power module is an insulated gate bipolar transistor. None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Regarding claim 10, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combining with other limitations recited in claim 1, a combination of limitations that an electric energy conversion and transmission device comprising: a printed circuit board assembly, a power module with pins, and a heatsink assembled together, wherein the power module is located between the printed circuit board assembly and the heatsink, and the pins of the power module are electrically connected to the printed circuit board assembly; wherein the electric energy conversion and transmission device further comprises a seal according to claim 1; and wherein the power module is completely accommodated in the seal, and the seal is pressed between the printed circuit board assembly and the heatsink. None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lin (US 12138220) discloses an elastic housing 41 having a power module 70 accommodated inside.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BINH B TRAN whose telephone number is (571)272-9289. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Timothy J Dole can be reached at 571-272-2229. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BINH B TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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