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 § 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.
(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 1-2, 6, 10, and 12-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0193565 to Yuki et al. (hereinafter Yuki; cited by Applicant on 1/30/2026).
Regarding claim 1, Yuki teaches an in-vehicle device comprising:
a power converter (FIG. 2, 5) that is arranged in a compartment of a vehicle (FIG. 2, 100) and converts electric power (Paragraph [0018]) between a travel motor (FIG. 2, 8) and a battery (FIG. 1, 3); and
a protector (FIG. 5; 50, 55) that is attached to the power converter and protects the power converter against interference with peripheral equipment during a vehicle collision (Paragraph [0037]-[0039]), wherein
the power converter includes:
an opening (FIG. 4, portion where 21 connects to 5);
an electrical connection portion (FIG. 5, 21) that is provided on an inside accessible through the opening; and
a detachable lid member (FIG. 5, portion of 21 connected to 5) that closes the opening, and
the protector is provided to block an access path to the lid member (Paragraph [0033]).
Regarding claim 2, Yuki teaches the in-vehicle device according to claim 1, wherein the protector is provided to block an access path (Paragraph [0033]) to a fixing member (FIG. 5, 61a) that fixes the lid member shut.
Regarding claim 6, Yuki teaches the in-vehicle device according to claim 2, wherein the protector includes a priority interference portion (FIG. 5; 50, 55, upper portion) that is configured to preferentially interfere with the peripheral equipment during the vehicle collision (Paragraph [0039]), and in the power converter, the electrical connection portion is provided at a position away from the priority interference portion (FIG. 5, 21).
Regarding claim 10, Yuki teaches the in-vehicle device according to claim 1, wherein the protector includes a priority interference portion (FIG. 5; 50, 55, upper portion) that is configured to preferentially interfere with the peripheral equipment during the vehicle collision (Paragraph [0039]), and in the power converter, the electrical connection portion is provided at a position away from the priority interference portion (FIG. 5, 21).
Regarding claim 12, Yuki teaches the in-vehicle device according to claim 1, wherein the protector includes a plate-shaped portion (FIG. 5, 55).
Regarding claim 13, Yuki teaches the in-vehicle device according to claim 12, wherein the plate-shaped portion is spaced apart form the power converter (FIG. 5; 5, 55).
Regarding claim 14, Yuki teaches the in-vehicle device according to claim 12, wherein the plate-shaped portion is formed on a cover portion of the protector (FIG. 5; 50, 55).
Regarding claim 15, Yuki teaches the in-vehicle device according to claim 12, wherein the plate-shaped portion is metal (Paragraph [0038]).
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.
Claims 3-4, 7, and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yuki in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0305177 to Nakashima.
Regarding claim 3, Yuki teaches the in-vehicle device according to claim 2, wherein the protector is fixed to at least two positions including a protector attachment portion (FIG. 5, 51) that is provided in a place other than the lid member in the power converter.
Yuki does not teach the protector being fixed to the lid member.
However, Nakashima teaches a protector (FIG. 3, 24) fixed to a lid member (FIG. 3, 25; Paragraph [0037]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the in-vehicle device of Yuki with the teachings of Nakashima to fix the protector to the lid member to provide more adequate protection for the lid member.
Regarding claim 4, Yuki in view of Nakashima teaches the in-vehicle device according to claim 3, wherein Nakashima further teaches the protector being fixed to the lid member at a different position from a position at which the lid member is fixed shut (Paragraph [0038]).
Regarding claim 7, Yuki in view of Nakashima teaches the in-vehicle device according to claim 3, wherein Yuki further teaches the protector including an interference portion (FIG. 5; 50, 55, upper portion) that is configured to interfere with the peripheral equipment during the vehicle collision (Paragraph [0039]) and includes a guide surface (FIG. 1, 50) for relatively moving the peripheral equipment in an up-down direction, and the protector attachment portion is provided below the interference portion (FIG. 5, 51).
Regarding claim 9, Yuki teaches the in-vehicle device according to claim 1, wherein the protector is fixed to at least two positions including a protector attachment portion (FIG. 5, 51) that is provided in a place other than the lid member in the power converter.
Yuki does not teach the protector being fixed to the lid member.
However, Nakashima teaches a protector (FIG. 3, 24) fixed to a lid member (FIG. 3, 25; Paragraph [0037]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the in-vehicle device of Yuki with the teachings of Nakashima to fix the protector to the lid member to provide more adequate protection for the lid member.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yuki in view of Nakashima and in further view of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2023/0166666 to Hoshika et al. (hereinafter Hoshika).
Regarding claim 5, Yuki in view of Nakashima teaches the in-vehicle device according to claim 4, wherein when the protector attachment portion is defined as a first protector attachment portion (Yuki FIG. 5, 51), the lid member further includes a second protector attachment portion (Nakashima FIG. 3, 28) at which the protector is fixed to the lid member.
Yuki in view of Nakashima does not teach the second protector attachment portion being formed to have a lower rigidity than another portion of the lid member in a manner to be deformable during interference between the peripheral equipment and the protector.
However, Hoshika teaches a protector (FIG. 1, 3) with a protector attachment portion (FIG. 1, 33A) being formed to have a lower rigidity than another portion of the lid member in a manner to be deformable during interference between the peripheral equipment and the protector (Paragraph [0038]-[0040]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the in-vehicle device of Yuki in view of Nakashima with the teachings of Hoshika to provide a lower rigidity protector attachment portion for the protector to provide a more controlled deformation of the device during a collision that would better protect the power converter (Paragraph [0064]-[0065]).
Claims 8 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yuki in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0097641 to Hayano.
Regarding claim 8, Yuki teaches the in-vehicle device according to claim 2.
Yuki does not teach the power converter including a temporary placement portion for the lid member, the lid member being configured to be fixed in a state of being temporarily placed on the temporary placement portion, and the temporary placement portion being provided to allow displacement of the lid member in only one direction that is an attachment/detachment direction.
However, Hayano teaches a power converter (FIG. 3, 20) including a temporary displacement portion (FIG. 3, 22) for a cover member (FIG. 3, 30), the cover member being configured to be fixed in a state of being temporarily placed on the temporary displacement portion (FIG. 3, 32), and the temporary displacement portion being provided to allow displacement of the lid member in only one direction that is an attachment/detachment direction (Paragraph [0033]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the in-vehicle device of Yuki with the teachings of Hayano to provide a temporary displacement portion so that fixing of the lid could be easier.
Regarding claim 11, Yuki teaches the in-vehicle device according to claim 1.
Yuki does not teach the power converter including a temporary placement portion for the lid member, the lid member being configured to be fixed in a state of being temporarily placed on the temporary placement portion, and the temporary placement portion being provided to allow displacement of the lid member in only one direction that is an attachment/detachment direction.
However, Hayano teaches a power converter (FIG. 3, 20) including a temporary displacement portion (FIG. 3, 22) for a cover member (FIG. 3, 30), the cover member being configured to be fixed in a state of being temporarily placed on the temporary displacement portion (FIG. 3, 32), and the temporary displacement portion being provided to allow displacement of the lid member in only one direction that is an attachment/detachment direction (Paragraph [0033]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the in-vehicle device of Yuki with the teachings of Hayano to provide a temporary displacement portion so that fixing of the lid could be easier.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S. 2015/0214812 teaches a protector for an electrical connector.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSHUA KIEL MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-9881. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:30am - 7:00pm ET.
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/JOSHUA KIEL M RODRIGUEZ/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
