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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 2/12/2025 seems to be in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 3 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 3-line 3: “…the motor connection AC connector-side.” should be “…the motor connection AC connector
Appropriate correction is required.
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 (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 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 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Itaya et. al. CN document CN 115461967 (Itaya).
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Regarding claim 1, Itaya discloses a power conversion device comprising: a power module (i.e., 14) (Fig. 7) forming at least a part of a power conversion circuit (i.e., 2) (Fig. 6); a motor connection AC connector (for example see part of element 15 that extends from the cover 22) (Fig. 7) configured to be connected to a motor-side connector (i.e., 4) (Fig. 7) included in a motor (i.e., 1) (Fig. 6);
a motor connection bus bar (for example see element 15A which extends inside enclosure 23A and the forming body 12) (Fig. 5 and Fig. 6) connecting the motor connection AC connector (for example see part of element 15 that extends from the cover part 22) (Fig. 5 and Fig. 6) and the power module (i.e., 14) (Fig. 7);
a cover portion (i.e., 23,22) (Fig. 7) configured to come into contact with the motor-side connector (i.e., 4) (Fig. 7) and covering the power module (i.e., 14) (Fig. 7);
and a connector-fixing portion (i.e., 12) (Fig. 7) formed into a separate body from the cover portion (i.e., 23) (Fig. 7) and to which the motor connection AC connector (for example see part of element 15 that extends from the cover part 22) (Fig. 5 and Fig. 6) is fixed.
Regarding claim 2, Itaya, as applied in linking claims, disclose a support plate supporting the power module (i.e., 14) (Fig. 7), wherein the support plate (i.e., 12) (Fig. 7) is the connector-fixing portion.
Regarding claim 3, Itaya, as applied in linking claims, disclose wherein the power module (i.e., 14) (Fig. 7) is supported to face a connector-facing surface (for example power modules are supported in body 12) (see Figures 5-7) that is a surface of the support plate (i.e., 12) (Fig. 7) on the motor connection AC connector (for example see part of element 15 that extends from the cover part 22) (Fig. 5 and Fig. 6).
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.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Itaya et. al. public document CN 115461967 (Itaya) in view of Uneme et. al. US publication US 20230022138 (Uneme).
Regarding claim 7, Itaya fail to disclose wherein the motor connection AC connector is a six-phase connector to which a first motor and a second motor different from the first motor, which are included in the motor, are connected, and includes insertion slots linearly arranged.
However, Uneme, in the same field of endeavor, discloses the motor connection AC connector is a six-phase connector (for example see Fig. 2), to which a first motor (i.e., 3) and a second motor (i.e., 4) (Fig. 2) different from the first motor (i.e., 3) (Fig. 2), which are included in the motor, are connected, and includes insertion slots linearly arranged (for example see Fig. 2- slots 28 and 23) for providing an electrical connection structure for rotary electric drive units having a compact configuration.
Therefore, It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have optionally provide the motor connection AC connector is a six-phase connector to which a first motor and a second motor different from the first motor, which are included in the motor, are connected, and includes insertion slots linearly arranged in Itaya, as taught by Uneme, in order to provide an electrical connection structure for rotary electric drive units having a compact configuration.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-6 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.
Regarding claim 4, Itaya, as applied in linking claims, fail to disclose wherein the support plate includes a plurality of bosses formed to protrude from the connector-facing surface and to which the motor connection AC connector is fixed, and the power module is positioned between the connector-facing surface and a distal end of a boss of the plurality of bosses in a protruding direction of the boss.
Claims 5-6 depend on claim 4.
Conclusion
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/YAHVEH COMAS TORRES/Examiner, Art Unit 2838
/THIENVU V TRAN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2838
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