DETAILED ACTION
Claims 18-34 are pending.
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 18-19, and 21-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhang (CN 108895570, citations to the attached translation)
Claim 18, Zhang discloses a compressor unit (fig 2, compressor 5) for a vehicle (vehicle is intended use in the preamble, the claim body is structurally complete as a compressor, and use of the compressor in a vehicle results in no structural difference in the body of the claim, therefore the preamble intended use will not be considered limiting, See MPEP 2111.02), comprising: a volumetric air compressor (compressor abstract, “volumetric” is interpreted as the inherent gas volume reducing function of a compressor, See interpretation note above); an external heat insulation (insulating shell 9, pg 3; causes sealed heat preservation) for preventing condensation of water within the volumetric air compressor (applicant discloses that the thermal insulation that prevents transfer of heat from the compressor body during extreme cold weather will prevent condensation of water, applicant background; a person of ordinary skill would recognize that the heat insulating shell encloses the entirety of the compressor 5 in the same way specifically to prevent the effects of outside temperatures below the freezing point of water; reasonably this is the same level of insulation against the same degree of cold, which shows that the prevention of condensation is inherently accomplished by Zhang’s insulation, See pg 2-3), wherein said external heat insulation is provided at least on a surface of a body of the volumetric air compressor (fig 2 and 3 shows the insulation 9 on the outer surface of compressor 5).
Claim 19, Zhang discloses the compressor unit according to claim 18, wherein the external heat insulation comprises a protective layer (peripheral shell 9 of the insulation shell 9, pg 3) and a heat insulation plate (heat preservation layer 11, pg 3), the protective layer is provided at least on the surface of the body of said volumetric air compressor (fig 2 and fig 3 show 9 outside of and in contact with compressor 5), and the heat insulation plate is provided in a gap between the protective layer and the body of said volumetric air compressor (reasonably since the art lists the layers of the insulation shell to be a peripheral shell, of metal or plastic, then heat preservation layer 11 then sound absorbing layer 12, the heat preservation layer 11 must be between the peripheral shell and the compressor).
Claim 21, Zhang discloses the compressor unit according to claim 18, wherein the external heat insulation is provided with openings, said openings being used for one or more of wiring harnesses (fig 1, hole for writing hole 16, pg 3), pneumatic lines and coolant lines (fig 1 shows penetrations through insulation shell 9 for exhaust pipe 13, suction pipe hole 14, draining tube hole 15, pg 3), and/or being used for fixation of the compressor unit (fig 3 shows support features of the compressor penetrating the shell 9 to rest on the base plate 2, pg 3).
Claim 22, Zhang discloses the compressor unit according to claim 18, wherein the external heat insulation of said volumetric air compressor is of split type (the insulation 9 comprises a separate cap 10, pg 3) to facilitate maintenance and repair of components of the volumetric air compressor (fig 1 shows the cap 10 and insulation 9 in a detached state; a person of ordinary skill would recognize that the cap of an outer insulation shell is capable of providing access for maintenance for the mechanism within the shell).
Claim 23, Zhang discloses the compressor unit according to claim 22, wherein the external heat insulation comprises a plurality of portions formed separately (insulation 9 and sealing cap 10), said plurality of portions being detachably connected to each other to cover the surface of the body of said volumetric air compressor (fig 1 shows the cap 10 and insulation 9 in a detached state).
Claim 24, Zhang discloses the compressor unit according to claim 23, wherein the plurality of portions comprises: a front portion covering a front end of said volumetric air compressor body (fig 2 shows that 9 completely surrounds compressor 5, therefore it inherently covers a vertical front portion in any direction), an upper portion (cap 10, fig 1 shows the open top of insulation 9 where the cap would cover) covering an upper and side portions of said volumetric air compressor body (cap 10 extends horizontally sufficient to reach the side walls of 9 and thereby vertically cover the side portions of the compressor), and a bottom portion (fig 2 and fig 3, base plate 2) covering a bottom portion (fig 3 shows plate 2 beneath the compressor 5, and fig 2 shows that plate 2 extends horizontally beyond the sides of the plate) of said volumetric air compressor body, and the front portion, the upper portion and the bottom portion are formed separately (fig 1 shows that cap 10 is separate from sidewalls 9 and baseplate 2, fig 3 shows a different material between insulation 9 and base plate 2, which reasonably indicates support devices between the 9 and 2).
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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
Claims 20, and 33-34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang in view of Makino (US 2002/0131869).
Claim 20, Zhang discloses the compressor unit according to claim 18.
Zhang does not disclose wherein the body of said volumetric air compressor is mounted at a designated position in the vehicle via said external heat insulation.
Makino teaches using compressor typically used for the stationary air-conditioning of houses to be used for the compressors of electric vehicles (par 0008) in both extremely cold or hot climates (par 0007).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adapt the stationary compressor built for the cold environment of Zhang as an electric motor for the operation of air conditioning compressor of a vehicle in extremely cold environments taught by Makino in order to use a maintenance free compressor that is mass-produced (Makino, par 0008) and capable of use in regions of extreme cold (Makino, par 0007) .
It would be further obvious to modify the base (2) of Zhang to support the compressor in the body of the electric vehicle of Makino in order to support the compressor for operation. Furthermore, it is within the ordinary skill of a worker in the art to modify the base (2) of the compressor of Zhang to support the compressor in the body of a vehicle, as the base (2) would continue to function as a base in the combination as it does in the individual reference, and mounting of items internal to a vehicle is a routine modification in the art.
Claim 33, Zhang discloses the compressor unit according to claim 18. Zhang does not disclose further comprising a drive for driving said volumetric air compressor.
Makino teaches a refrigerant compressor with a motor (electric motor, par 0003). It would have been obvious to a person or ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the generic compressor of Zhang with an electric motor taught by Makino in order to drive the refrigerant compressor of Zhang and thereby operate the compressor in a predictable way, and be relatively maintenance free (par 0007-0008).
Claim 34, Zhang discloses the compressor unit of claim 18. Zhang does not disclose a vehicle using a compressor.
Makino teaches using compressor typically used for the stationary air-conditioning of houses to be used for the compressors of electric vehicles (par 0008) in both extremely cold or hot climates (par 0007).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adapt the stationary compressor built for the cold environment of Zhang as an electric motor for the operation of air conditioning compressor of a vehicle in extremely cold environments taught by Makino in order to use a maintenance free compressor that is mass-produced (Makino, par 0008) and capable of use in regions of extreme cold (Makino, par 0007) .
Claim 25 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang in view of Dupper (JP 2003/369865).
Claim 25, Zhang discloses the compressor unit according to claim 22.
Zhang is silent on wherein the external heat insulation is provided with an opening exposing an oil removal cartridge of said volumetric air compressor, and the external heat insulation further comprises a cover adapted to detachably cover said opening.
Zhang does not meet this limitation because even though it has coverable an access hole (hole for cap 10, fig 1); it does not specify whether the compressor has an oil cartridge that is accessed through the access hole.
Zhang is silent on an opening exposing an oil removal cartridge of said volumetric air compressor.
Dupper teaches an analogous refrigerant compressor (abstract) that uses oil and includes a removable cartridge (54) that is removed on site and replaced with a new cartridge thereby simplifying maintenance of the compressor (abstract, pg 4).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the generic compressor of Zhang as a lubricated oil compressor with a replaceable oil cartridge (54) as taught by Dupper in order to lubricate the compressor, thereby reducing the wear of the compressor and improving its longevity, and also adding a replaceable oil cartridge in order remove particulate from the oil which maintains the oil’s lubrication effect, while also allowing the cartridge to be replaced during maintenance; thereby improving the wear of the compressor and improving maintenance.
Furthermore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to use the access cover of the compressor housing of Zhang in order to do maintenance on the compressor, as access to the interior of something through its cover is the conventional use of a cover.
Claims 26-32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang in view of Dupper in view of Trudeau (US 2014/0029178).
Claim 26, Zhang discloses the compressor unit according to claim 25.
Zhang is silent on wherein the cover detachably covers said opening via a band member.
Zhang does not meet this limitation because Zhang does not specify the sealing means and attachment of the sealing cap 10 to the insulating shell 9.
Trudeau teaches a compressor with detachable a cap (fig 7, cap 244) with a band member (fig 7 shows that cap 244 has a rim of the cap that surrounds and sits in a groove on the base (42, 242, par 0091).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the cover (10) of Zhang to include the band/rim of the cover of Trudeau, thereby increasing the sealing capability of the cap, and aid in the cap placement, thereby improving the sealing of the cap.
Claim 27, Zhang discloses the compressor unit according to claim 26. Zhang is silent on wherein the external heat insulation is provided with a first band fixing hole adjacent to one side of said opening and across said opening with a second band fixing hole on the opposite side of said opening, and fasteners pass through retaining rings at both ends of said band member aligned with said first band fixing hole and said second band fixing hole, respectively, thereby the cover detachably covering said opening.
Trudeau teaches a compressor with detachable a cap (fig 7, cap 244) with a band member (fig 7 shows that cap 244 has a rim of the cap that surrounds and sits in a groove on the base (42, 242, par 0091); wherein it shows that the groove for the band extends completely around the base (42/242) and that the band is divided on both sides by the holes with tabs (96, 296) for the cap’s (244) flexible tabs (338, par 0091); such that with a first band fixing hole (fig 7, hole 96,296) adjacent to one side of said opening (it’s on one side of the cover) and across said opening with a second band fixing hole (fig 7 depicts the equivalent hole on the other side) on the opposite side of said opening, and fasteners pass through retaining rings (tabs 96, 296 are depicted on the far side of the holes / gaps for the sealing rim) at both ends of said band member aligned with said first band fixing hole and said second band fixing hole (fig 7 depicts the arrangement), respectively, thereby the cover detachably covering said opening (fig 7 shows the cover detached).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in eth art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the cover (10) of Zhang to include the band/rim and the flexible tabs (338) of the cover and accepting tabs holes (92, 296) of the base of Trudeau, thereby increasing the sealing capability of the cap, and aid in the cap placement, and secure the attachment with tabs (338); thereby improving the sealing and fixing of the cap detachably.
Claim 28, Zhang discloses the compressor unit according to claim 25. Zhang is silent on wherein the cover detachably covers said opening via fasteners, the fasteners pass through a first fixing hole on said external heat insulation and a second fixing hole on said cover.
Trudeau shows a compressor housing with tabs (fig 11, 658) extending from the compressor housing (16) outward to engage with a cover (644, par 0100), wherein the snap connection comprises resilient snap members (fig 11, flexible tabs 658, par 0100) slots/holes provided on said cover (fig 9 shows typical slots/holes, 96, 496, to receive a tab, for snapped engagement with cover, par 0100; the shape can plainly be called a slot/hole in the housing because of its indentation from the outer wall), and the resilient snap members of said external heat insulation engage said slots of said cover, thereby the cover detachably covering the opening.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in eth art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the cover (10) of and insulator (9) Zhang to include the flexible tabs (fig 11, 658) extending from the base housing (16) and insert into holes (96/496) of Trudeau, thereby increasing the sealing capability of the cap, and aid in the cap placement, and secure the attachment with tabs; thereby improving the sealing and fixing of the cap detachably.
Claim 29, Zhang discloses the compressor unit according to claim 28. Zhang is sent on wherein the external heat insulation is provided with a first protruding portion adjacent to one side of said opening and across said opening with a second protruding portion on the opposite side of said opening, by attaching retaining rings at both ends of a band member to said first protruding portion and said second protruding portion, said cover detachably covers said opening.
Trudeau shows a compressor housing with tabs (fig 11, 659) extending from the compressor housing (16) outward to engage with a cover (644, par 0100); … with a first protruding portion (658 or the right of fig 11) adjacent to one side of said opening and across said opening with a second protruding portion (658 on the left of fig 11) on the opposite side of said opening (they are on either side of the cover opening), by attaching retaining rings at both ends of a band member (holes depicted in fig 9 for prongs tabs 96, 496 reasonably meet the meaning of retaining ring because the hole surrounds the hook of the tab; since the tabs (658) are on either side of the groove for the band, they reasonably are at both ends of the band) to said first protruding portion and said second protruding portion, said cover detachably covers said opening (opening of the cover).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in eth art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the cover (10) of Zhang to include the band/rim and the flexible tabs (fig 11, 658) extending from the base and insert into tabs rings (96/496) on the cover of Trudeau, thereby increasing the sealing capability of the cap, and aid in the cap placement, and secure the attachment with tabs; thereby improving the sealing and fixing of the cap detachably.
Claim 30, Zhang discloses the compressor unit according to claim 25, wherein the cover detachably covers the opening via a snap connection.
Trudeau teaches a compressor with detachable a cap (fig 7, cap 244) with a band member (fig 7 shows that cap 244 has a rim of the cap that surrounds and sits in a groove on the base (42, 242, par 0091); with the cap’s (244) flexible tabs (338, par 0091).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the cover (10) of Zhang to include the flexible tabs (338) of the cover of Trudeau, thereby increasing the sealing capability of the cap, and aid in the cap placement, and secure the attachment with tabs (338); thereby improving the sealing and fixing of the cap.
Claim 31, Zhang the compressor unit according to claim 30, wherein
the snap connection comprises resilient snap members provided on said cover and slots provided on said external heat insulation, and the resilient snap members of said cover engage said slots of said external heat insulation of said external heat insulation, thereby the cover detachably covering the opening.
Trudeau teaches a compressor with a detachable cap (fig 9) the snap connection comprises resilient snap members (flex tabs 538, par 0094) provided on said cover and slots provided on the compressor outer body (440), and the resilient snap members of said cover engage said slots of said compressor outer body, thereby the cover detachably covering the opening (Cap can be removed from the base due to the flexible tabs, par 0094).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the cover (10) of Zhang to include the flexible tabs of the cover of Trudeau, thereby increasing the sealing capability of the cap, and aid in the cap placement, and secure the attachment with tabs (338); thereby improving the sealing and fixing of the cap.
Furthermore, a person of ordinary skill would recognize that the insulative shell (9) and cover (10) of Zhang are similar structures to the body (16) and cover of Trudeau, such that the fixing elements in Trudeau modified to function with Zhang’s housing and cover as describe above use the tabs and groves attaching the cover and body of Zhang in the same way in the combination that they are used in the reference individually; while the cover and body of Zhang are also used in the combination in the same way they are used in the references individual.
Claim 32, Zhang, discloses the compressor unit according to claim 30. Zhang does not disclose wherein the snap connection comprises resilient snap members provided on said external heat insulation and slots provided on said cover, and the resilient snap members of said external heat insulation engage said slots of said cover, thereby the cover detachably covering the opening.
Trudeau shows a compressor housing (fig 10) with tabs (fig 11, 659) extending from the compressor housing (16) outward to engage with a cover (fig 10, cover 644 shown engaged with tabs, par 0100); wherein the snap connection comprises resilient snap members (fig 11, flexible tabs 658, par 0100) slots provided on said cover (fig 9 shows typical slots, 96, 496, to receive a tab, for snapped engagement with cover, par 0100; the shape can plainly be called a slot in the housing because of its indentation from the outer wall), and the resilient snap members of said external heat insulation engage said slots of said cover, thereby the cover detachably covering the opening.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in eth art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the cover (10) of and insulator (9) Zhang to include the flexible tabs (fig 11, 658) extending from the base housing (16) and insert into slots (96/496) of Trudeau, thereby increasing the sealing capability of the cap, and aid in the cap placement, and secure the attachment with tabs; thereby improving the sealing and fixing of the cap detachably.
Furthermore, a person of ordinary skill would recognize that the insulative shell (9) and cover (10) of Zhang are similar structures to the body (16) and cover of Trudeau, such that the fixing elements in Trudeau modified to function with Zhang’s housing and cover as describe above use the tabs and groves attaching the cover and body of Zhang in the same way in the combination that they are used in the reference individually; while the cover and body of Zhang are also used in the combination in the same way they are used in the references individual.
Conclusion
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/GEOFFREY S LEE/Examiner, Art Unit 3746
/DOMINICK L PLAKKOOTTAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746