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 Interpretation
Claim 1, the limitation in the preamble of “ a housing main body (102) (102)” is referenced in the body of the claim and in interpreted as positively claimed. In other words not just in a functional manner like “an electronic component”.
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-4,9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Goehl (USPN 2021/0227712).
With respect to claim 1, Goehl shows a housing cover (100) for electronic component that closes an opening of a housing main body (102) that houses an electronic component (functionally claimed , reference capable of meeting function), the housing cover (100) comprising a sealing member (120) that closes a gap with a periphery of the opening of the housing main body (102), at a portion on a reverse side (bottom side of 100) of the housing cover (100) facing the periphery of the opening of the housing main body (102), wherein in same positions corresponding to each other on a surface side (top side of 100) and the reverse side at least in a portion in a vicinity of a periphery of the housing cover (100), ribs (139,136 on surface side, 142,146 of reverse side) having same shapes and sizes on the surface side and the reverse side are formed.
With respect to claim 2, Goehl shows wherein the ribs (139,136,142,146) formed in the same positions on the surface side and the reverse side are formed only in the portion in the vicinity of the periphery of the housing cover (100).
With respect to claim 3, Goehl shows wherein a face in the portion in the vicinity of the periphery on the surface side of the housing cover (100) where the ribs are formed in the same positions on the surface side and the reverse side is lower in height than another portion and is formed in a stepped shape (138).
With respect to claim 4, Goehl shows wherein the ribs formed on the surface side of the housing cover (100) are formed to have an opening portion (108) in such a manner so as not to surround the housing cover (100) along a direction of the periphery.
With respect to claim 9, Goehl shows a housing (100 & 102) comprising: a housing main body (102) that houses an electronic component (a power inverter- see abstract); and a housing cover (100) that closes an opening of the housing main body (102), the housing further comprising a sealing member (120) that closes a gap with a periphery of the opening of the housing main body (102), at a portion on a reverse side (bottom side) of the housing cover (100) facing the periphery of the opening of the housing main body (102), wherein in same positions corresponding to each other on a surface side (top side) and the reverse side at least in a portion in a vicinity of a periphery of the housing cover (100), ribs (130,136, 142,146) having same shapes and sizes on the surface side and the reverse side are formed.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-8, 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHAWN M BRADEN whose telephone number is (571)272-8026. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-5pm.
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/SHAWN M BRADEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3736