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 .
DETAILED ACTION
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.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
“A housing for an electric scroll compressor” in line 1 should be --A housing unit for an electric scroll compressor-- (to allow for clarity in subsequent references);
“the refrigerant” in line 6 should be --a refrigerant--;
“the housing” in line 12 should be --the housing unit--.
Claims 2-6 are each objected to because “The housing” in each of the respective preambles should each be --The housing unit--.
Claim 3 is objected to because “the series of partitions having a top surface” in line 1 should be --wherein the series of partitions have a top surface--.
Claim 4 is objected to because “being” in line 2 should be --is--.
Claim 5 is objected to because of the following informalities:
“first and second vapor injection channels” in line 3 should be --a first vapor injection channel and a second vapor injection channel--;
“the top surface of partitions” in line 4 should be --the top surface of the series of partitions--.
Claim 6 is objected to because “vapor injection channels” in line 3 should be --the vapor injection channels--.
Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities:
“a housing” in line 3 should be --a housing unit-- (to allow for clarity in subsequent references);
“the housing” in line 5 should be --the housing unit--;
“the housing” in line 7 should be --the housing unit--;
“the housing” in line 11 should be --the housing unit--;
“as the drive shaft” in line 14 should be --as the drive shaft rotates--;
“the housing” in line 15 should be --the housing unit--.
Claim 10 is objected to because of the following informalities:
“in claim 8” in line 1 should be --in claim 9--;
“the series of partitions having a top surface” in lines 1-2 should be --wherein the series of partitions have a top surface--.
Claim 11 is objected to because of the following informalities:
“claim 9” in line 1 should be --claim 10--;
“being” in line 2 should be --is--.
Claim 12 is objected to because of the following informalities:
“first and second vapor injection channels” in lines 3-4 should be --a first vapor injection channel and a second vapor injection channel--;
“the top surface of partitions” in line 4 should be --the top surface of the series of partitions--.
Claim 13 is objected to because “vapor injection channels” in line 3 should be --the vapor injection channels-- .
Claim 14 is objected to because of the following informalities:
“a housing” in line 3 should be --a housing unit-- (to allow for clarity in subsequent references);
“the housing” in line 5 should be --the housing unit--;
“the housing” in line 7 should be --the housing unit--;
“the housing” in line 11 should be --the housing unit--;
“the housing” in line 12 should be --the housing unit--;
“the housing” in line 14 should be --the housing unit--;
“the housing” in line 19 should be --the housing unit--;
“the center axis” in line 22 should be --a center axis--.
Claim 17 is objected to because of the following informalities:
“in claim 15” in line 1 should be --in claim 16--;
“the series of partitions having a top surface” in lines 1-2 should be --wherein the series of partitions have a top surface--.
Claim 18 is objected to because of the following informalities:
“claim 16” in line 1 should be --claim 17--;
“being” in line 2 should be --is--.
Claim 19 is objected to because of the following informalities:
“first and second vapor injection channels” in lines 3-4 should be --a first vapor injection channel and a second vapor injection channel--;
“the top surface of partitions” in line 4 should be --the top surface of the series of partitions--.
Claim 20 is objected to because “vapor injection channels” in line 3 should be --the vapor injection channels-- .
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nagano et al. (U.S. 2015/0192127).
Re claim 1:
Nagano discloses a housing (11, housing - Para 23) for an electric scroll compressor (10, scroll compressor - Para 22), the housing (11) including an intake volume (12a, compartment - Para 24), a discharge volume (24, connection passage - Para 31; 25, discharge chamber - Para 31; 31, accommodation recess - Para 33), a vapor injection cavity (31a, first chamber - Para 42), and at least one vapor injection channel (34, supply passage - Para 34) coupled to the vapor injection cavity (31a)(see Fig. 1 and Para 60), comprising:
a center housing (12, suction housing formation body - Para 23);
a rear head (13, intermediate pressure housing - Para 23; 14, discharge housing - Para 23) coupled to the center housing (12)(see Fig. 1);
a refrigerant inlet port (12h, suction port - Para 23) coupled to the rear head (13, 14) and configured to introduce the refrigerant to the intake volume (12a)(see Figs. 1, 6, and Para 50);
a refrigerant outlet port (14h, discharge port - Para 23) coupled to the rear head (13, 14)(see Fig. 1) and configured to allow compressed refrigerant to exit from the discharge volume (24, 25, 31)(see Figs. 1, 6, and Paras 50-53); and,
a vapor injection port (33, intake port - Para 33) integral with the rear head (13, 14)(see Fig. 1), the vapor injection port (33) being coupled to the vapor injection cavity (31a)(see Fig. 1 and Para 60), the vapor injection cavity (31a) and the at least one vapor injection channel (34) being integral with the housing (11)(see Fig. 1) and at least partly defined by the rear head (13, 14)(see Figs. 1, and 3-5).
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Re claim 2:
Nagano discloses the housing (11), as set forth in claim 1 (as described above), wherein the rear head (13, 14) includes a rear head cavity (Modified Fig. 1 above - B (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element B as a type of rear head cavity; element B corresponds to the shaded portion within elements 13, 14 which corresponds to all internal void within elements 13 and 14)), the rear head cavity (Modified Fig. 1 above - B) being divided into the discharge volume (24, 25, 31) and the vapor injection cavity (31a) by a series of partitions (41, valve plate - Para 35; 44, flat lid - Para 41; Modified Fig. 4 above - A, B (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize elements A and B as partitions)) integral with the rear head (13, 14)(see Modified Figs. 1 and 4 above).
Re claim 3:
Nagano discloses the housing (11), as set forth in claim 2 (as described above), the series of partitions (41, 44, Modified Fig. 4 above - A, B) having a top surface (Modified Fig. 1 above - A (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element A as a type of top surface)) adjacent the center housing (12)(see Modified Fig. 1 above).
Re claim 4:
Nagano discloses the housing (11), as set forth in claim 3 (as described above), wherein the at least one vapor injection channel (34) being formed within the top surface (Modified Fig. 1 above - A) of the series of partitions (41, 44, Modified Fig. 4 above - A, B)(see Modified Fig. 1 above and Figs. 3-5).
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Re claim 5:
Nagano discloses the housing (11), as set forth in claim 4 (as described above), wherein the series of partitions (41, 44, Modified Fig. 4 above - A, B) divides the discharge volume (24, 25, 31) into a plurality of sub-chambers (24, 25, 31h, 311) including a central sub-chamber (311), wherein the at least one vapor injection channel (34) includes first (Modified Fig. 3 above - A (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element A as a type of first element 34)) and second (Modified Fig. 3 above - B (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element B as a type of second element 34)) vapor injection channels (34) formed within the top surface (Modified Fig. 1 above - A) of partitions (41, 44, Modified Fig. 4 above - A, B) on opposite sides of the central sub-chamber (311)(see Modified Figs. 1 and 3 above and Fig. 4).
Re claim 6:
Nagano discloses the housing (11), as set forth in claim 5 (as described above), further including a gasket (47, gasket - Para 41) positioned between the center housing (12) and the rear head (13, 14)(see Figs. 1 and 4 (element 47 is shown between elements 12 and 14)) and being configured to provide sealing between the discharge volume (24, 25, 31) and the vapor injection cavity (31a) and vapor injection channels (34)(see Figs. 1, 4, and Para 41).
Re claim 7:
Nagano discloses an electric scroll compressor (10, scroll compressor - Para 22) configured to compress a refrigerant (Para 23 - “…compress refrigerant…”) for use with a vapor injection system (Fig. 6 (see Para 21)), comprising:
a housing (11, housing - Para 23) having a center housing (12, suction housing formation body - Para 23) and a rear head (13, intermediate pressure housing - Para 23; 14, discharge housing - Para 23) and defining an intake volume (12a, compartment - Para 24), a discharge volume (24, connection passage - Para 31; 25, discharge chamber - Para 31; 31, accommodation recess - Para 33), a vapor injection cavity (31a, first chamber - Para 42), and at least one vapor injection channel (34, supply passage - Para 34);
a refrigerant inlet port (12h, suction port - Para 23) coupled to the housing (11) and configured to introduce the refrigerant to the intake volume (12a)(see Figs. 1, 6, and Para 50);
a refrigerant outlet port (14h, discharge port - Para 23) coupled to the housing (11) and configured to allow compressed refrigerant to exit the electric scroll compressor (10) from the discharge volume (24, 25, 31)(see Figs. 1, 6, Para 46, and 50-51);
a vapor injection port (33, intake port - Para 33) integral with the rear head (13, 14)(see Fig. 1) and being coupled to the vapor injection cavity (31a)(see Fig. 1 and Para 60), the vapor injection cavity (31a) and the at least one vapor injection channel (34) being integral with the housing (11) and at least partly defined by the rear head (13, 14)(see Fig. 1);
a drive shaft (18, rotation shaft - Para 24) rotatably coupled inside the housing (11)(see Fig. 1 and Para 30); and,
a compression device (15, compression mechanism - Para 23) coupled to the drive shaft (18)(see Fig. 1 and Para 30), configured to receive the refrigerant from the intake volume (12a) and to compress as the drive shaft (18)(see Figs. 1, 6, and Para 50), the compression device (15) including:
a fixed scroll (20, fixed scroll - Para 26) located within the housing (11) and being fixed relative thereto (see Fig. 1 and Para 26); and,
an orbiting scroll (21, movable scroll - Para 26) coupled to the drive shaft (18)(see Fig. 1 and Para 30), the orbiting scroll (21) and the fixed scroll (20) forming a compression chamber (22, compression chambers - Para 28) for receiving the refrigerant from the intake volume (12a) and compressing the refrigerant as the drive shaft (18) is rotated (see Figs. 1, 6, and Para 50), wherein the fixed scroll (20) includes at least one vapor outlet aperture (30, injection ports - Para 32) in communication with the at least one vapor injection channel (34) for allowing vapor to enter the compression chamber (22) formed between the fixed scroll (20) and the orbiting scroll (21)(see Figs. 1-2, and Para 60).
Re claim 8:
Nagano discloses the electric scroll compressor (10), as set forth in claim 7 (as described above), further comprising a reed mechanism (40, valve mechanism - Para 35) positioned with the vapor injection cavity (31a)(see Fig. 1) and being configured to control flow of vapor from the vapor injection port (33) to the vapor injection cavity (31a)(see Fig. 1 and Para 60).
Re claim 9:
Nagano discloses the electric scroll compressor (10), as set forth in claim 7 (as described above), wherein the rear head (13, 14) includes a rear head cavity (Modified Fig. 1 above - B (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element B as a type of rear head cavity; element B corresponds to the shaded portion within elements 13, 14 which corresponds to all internal void within elements 13 and 14)), the rear head cavity (Modified Fig. 1 above - B) being divided into the discharge volume (24, 25, 31) and the vapor injection cavity (31a) by a series of partitions (41, valve plate - Para 35; 44, flat lid - Para 41; Modified Fig. 4 above - A, B (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize elements A and B as partitions)) integral with the rear head (13, 14)(see Modified Figs. 1 and 4 above).
Re claim 10:
Nagano discloses the electric scroll compressor (10), as set forth in claim 8 (as described above), the series of partitions (41, 44, Modified Fig. 4 above - A, B) having a top surface (Modified Fig. 1 above - A (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element A as a type of top surface)) adjacent the center housing (12)(see Modified Fig. 1 above).
Re claim 11:
Nagano discloses the electric scroll compressor (10), as set forth in claim 9 (as described above), wherein the at least one vapor injection channel (34) being formed within the top surface (Modified Fig. 1 above - A) of the series of partitions (41, 44, Modified Fig. 4 above - A, B)(see Modified Fig. 1 above and Figs. 3-5).
Re claim 12:
Nagano discloses the electric scroll compressor (10), as set forth in claim 10 (as described above), wherein the series of partitions (41, 44, Modified Fig. 4 above - A, B) divides the discharge volume (24, 25, 31) into a plurality of sub-chambers (24, 25, 31h, 311) including a central sub-chamber (311), wherein the at least one vapor injection channel (34) includes first (Modified Fig. 3 above - A (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element A as a type of first element 34)) and second (Modified Fig. 3 above - B (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element B as a type of second element 34)) vapor injection channels (34) formed within the top surface (Modified Fig. 1 above - A) of partitions (41, 44, Modified Fig. 4 above - A, B) on opposite sides of the central sub-chamber (311)(see Modified Figs. 1 and 3 above and Fig. 4).
Re claim 13:
Nagano discloses the electric scroll compressor (10), as set forth in claim 11 (as described above), further including a gasket (47, gasket - Para 41) positioned between the center housing (12) and the rear head (13, 14)(see Figs. 1 and 4 (element 47 is shown between elements 12 and 14)) and being configured to provide sealing between the discharge volume (24, 25, 31) and the vapor injection cavity (31a) and vapor injection channels (34)(see Figs. 1, 4, and Para 41).
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.
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.
Claims 14-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagano et al. (U.S. 2015/0192127) in view of Iguchi et al. (US 2008/0181791).
Re claim 14:
Nagano discloses electric scroll compressor (10, scroll compressor - Para 22) configured to compress a refrigerant (Para 23 - “…compress refrigerant…”) for use with a vapor injection system (Fig. 6 (see Para 21)), comprising:
a housing (11, housing - Para 23) having a center housing (12, suction housing formation body - Para 23) and a rear head (13, intermediate pressure housing - Para 23; 14, discharge housing - Para 23) and defining an intake volume (12a, compartment - Para 24), a discharge volume (24, connection passage - Para 31; 25, discharge chamber - Para 31; 31, accommodation recess - Para 33), a vapor injection cavity (31a, first chamber - Para 42), and at least one vapor injection channel (34, supply passage - Para 34);
a refrigerant inlet port (12h, suction port - Para 23) coupled to the housing (11) and configured to introduce the refrigerant to the intake volume (12a)(see Figs. 1, 6, and Para 50);
a refrigerant outlet port (14h, discharge port - Para 23) coupled to the housing (11) and configured to allow compressed refrigerant to exit the electric scroll compressor (10) from the discharge volume (24, 25, 31)(see Figs. 1, 6, Para 46, and 50-51);
a vapor injection port (33, intake port - Para 33) integral with the rear head (13, 14)(see Fig. 1) and being coupled to the vapor injection cavity (31a)(see Fig. 1 and Para 60), the vapor injection cavity (31a) and the at least one vapor injection channel (34) being integral with the housing (11) and at least partly defined by the rear head (13, 14)(see Fig. 1);
a motor (16, electric motor - Para 23) mounted inside the housing (11)(see Fig. 1)
a drive shaft (18, rotation shaft - Para 24) coupled to the motor (16)(see Fig. 1 and Para 30); and,
a compression device (15, compression mechanism - Para 23) coupled to the drive shaft (18)(see Fig. 1 and Para 30), for receiving the refrigerant from the intake volume (12a) and compressing the refrigerant as the drive shaft (18) is rotated by the motor (16)(see Figs. 1, 6, and Paras 30 and 50), the compression device (15) including:
a fixed scroll (20, fixed scroll - Para 26) located within the housing (11) and being fixed relative thereto (see Fig. 1 and Para 26); and,
an orbiting scroll (21, movable scroll - Para 26) coupled to the drive shaft (18)(see Fig. 1 and Para 30), the orbiting scroll (21) and the fixed scroll (20) forming a compression chamber (22, compression chambers - Para 28) for receiving the refrigerant from the intake volume (12a) and compressing the refrigerant as the drive shaft (18) is rotated about the center axis (see Figs. 1, 6, and Para 50), wherein the fixed scroll (20) includes at least one vapor outlet aperture (30, injection ports - Para 32) in communication with the at least one vapor injection channel (34) for allowing vapor to enter the compression chamber (22) formed between the fixed scroll (20) and the orbiting scroll (21)(see Figs. 1-2, and Para 60).
Nagano fails to disclose an inverter module mounted inside the housing and adapted to convert direct current electrical power to alternating current electrical power, nor a motor being coupled to the inverter module.
Iguchi teaches an electric scroll compressor (10, electric compressor - Para 10 (see Para 22)) comprising an inverter module (100, inverter assembly - Para 28) mounted inside a housing (150, cover - Para 31)(see Figs. 1 and 2) and adapted to convert direct current electrical power to alternating current electrical power (Para 30), and a motor (26, electric motor - Para 27) being coupled to the inverter module (100)(Para 30).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modeled the electric scroll compressor of Nagano after that of Iguchi, thereby including an inverter module in the electric scroll compressor mounted inside the housing of Nagano, and adapted to convert direct current electrical power to alternating current electrical power and coupled to the motor of Nagano, all in the way taught by Iguchi, for the advantage of being able to control the rotational frequency of the electric motor (Iguchi; Para 30).
Re claim 15:
Nagano/Iguchi teaches the electric scroll compressor (Nagano 10), as set forth in claim 14 (as described above).
Nagano further discloses the electric scroll compressor comprising a reed mechanism (40, valve mechanism - Para 35) positioned with the vapor injection cavity (31a)(see Fig. 1) and being configured to control flow of vapor from the vapor injection port (33) to the vapor injection cavity (31a)(see Fig. 1 and Para 60).
Re claim 16:
Nagano/Iguchi teaches the electric scroll compressor (Nagano; 10), as set forth in claim 14 (as described above).
Nagano further discloses wherein the rear head (13, 14) includes a rear head cavity (Modified Fig. 1 above - B (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element B as a type of rear head cavity; element B corresponds to the shaded portion within elements 13, 14 which corresponds to all internal void within elements 13 and 14)), the rear head cavity (Modified Fig. 1 above - B) being divided into the discharge volume (24, 25, 31) and the vapor injection cavity (31a) by a series of partitions (41, valve plate - Para 35; 44, flat lid - Para 41; Modified Fig. 4 above - A, B (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize elements A and B as partitions)) integral with the rear head (13, 14)(see Modified Figs. 1 and 4 above).
Re claim 17:
Nagano/Iguchi teaches the electric scroll compressor (Nagano; 10), as set forth in claim 8 (as described above).
Nagano further discloses the series of partitions (41, 44, Modified Fig. 4 above - A, B) having a top surface (Modified Fig. 1 above - A (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element A as a type of top surface)) adjacent the center housing (12)(see Modified Fig. 1 above).
Re claim 18:
Nagano/Iguchi teaches the electric scroll compressor (Nagano; 10), as set forth in claim 16 (as described above).
Nagano further discloses wherein the at least one vapor injection channel (34) being formed within the top surface (Modified Fig. 1 above - A) of the series of partitions (41, 44, Modified Fig. 4 above - A, B)(see Modified Fig. 1 above and Figs. 3-5).
Re claim 19:
Nagano/Iguchi teaches the electric scroll compressor (Nagano; 10), as set forth in claim 17 (as described above).
Nagano further discloses wherein the series of partitions (41, 44, Modified Fig. 4 above - A, B) divides the discharge volume (24, 25, 31) into a plurality of sub-chambers (24, 25, 31h, 311) including a central sub-chamber (311), wherein the at least one vapor injection channel (34) includes first (Modified Fig. 3 above - A (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element A as a type of first element 34)) and second (Modified Fig. 3 above - B (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element B as a type of second element 34)) vapor injection channels (34) formed within the top surface (Modified Fig. 1 above - A) of partitions (41, 44, Modified Fig. 4 above - A, B) on opposite sides of the central sub-chamber (311)(see Modified Figs. 1 and 3 above and Fig. 4).
Re claim 20:
Nagano/Iguchi teaches the electric scroll compressor (Nagano; 10), as set forth in claim 18 (as described above).
Nagano further discloses the electric scroll compressor including a gasket (47, gasket - Para 41) positioned between the center housing (12) and the rear head (13, 14)(see Figs. 1 and 4 (element 47 is shown between elements 12 and 14)) and being configured to provide sealing between the discharge volume (24, 25, 31) and the vapor injection cavity (31a) and vapor injection channels (34)(see Figs. 1, 4, and Para 41).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Loren C Edwards whose telephone number is (571)272-7133. The examiner can normally be reached M-R 6AM-430PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Mark Laurenzi can be reached at (571) 270-7878. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LOREN C EDWARDS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746 1/16/26