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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d).
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 4/14/2025 was/were in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement(s) is/are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(B) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim(s) 23-25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 23 recites “an extension direction”. It is unclear if this is the same “extension direction” recited in parent claim 18. For purposes of examination “an extension direction” will be considered - - the extension direction - - .
Claim(s) 24-25 are rejected to as being dependent from a rejected claim.
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.
(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) 18-19, 29, 31-32, and 34 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nishikawa et al. (JP 2014-218211).
Per claim 18, Nishikawa teaches a distribution module for a thermal management system, comprising:
at least two coolant modules (19, 20, 41) for conducting coolant;
a coolant pump (11, 12) for pumping coolant through the at least two coolant modules,
the at least two coolant modules (19, 20) and the coolant pump (11, 12) being arranged along an arrangement direction (see annotated figure below) of the distribution module;
a plurality of refrigerant lines (21; lines connecting 14, 15, 22, 23) for conducting refrigerant,
wherein the distribution module extends from a first side (see annotated figure below) to a second side (see annotated figure below) in a coupling direction (see annotated figure below) perpendicular to the arrangement direction (see annotated figure below),
at least one evaporator (14) and one condenser (15) of a thermal management system being arrangeable on the first side (see annotated figure below) on at least one of the at least two coolant modules (19, 20) and one of the plurality of refrigerant lines, and
a compressor (22) of the thermal management system being arrangeable on the first side or on the second side on one or more of the at least two coolant modules (19, 20) and another of the plurality of refrigerant lines (21) to form a refrigerant circuit,
wherein the at least two coolant modules (“19 is a multi-way valve”, “20 is a multi-way valve”, pg. 8 of translation) each have at least one valve and (the plurality of coolant interfaces 19a-19f, 20a-20f) connectable to one or more of the at least one evaporator (14), the condenser (15), or coolant lines (21) to form a coolant circuit (see figure 1) (“The first switching valve 19 has a structure capable of arbitrarily or selectively switching the communication state between the inlets 19a and 19b and the outlets 19c to 19f. The 2nd switching valve 20 is also the structure which can switch arbitrarily or selectively the communication state of each outlet 20a, 20b and each inlet 20c-20f”, pg. 10 of translation).
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Per claim 19, Nishikawa meets the claim limitations as disclosed in the above rejection of claim 18. Further, Nishikawa teaches wherein the coolant pump (11, 12) is cylindrical (see figure 2), extends along an extension direction (see annotated figure directly above), and has a cylinder base (see annotated figure directly above) formed perpendicularly to the extension direction (see annotated figure directly above), the extension direction (see annotated figure directly above) being perpendicular to the arrangement direction (see annotated figure directly above) and the coupling direction (see annotated figure directly above).
Per claim 26, Nishikawa, as modified, meets the claim limitations as disclosed in the above rejection of claim 18. Further, Nishikawa
wherein at least one of the at least two coolant modules (19, 20, 41) comprises coolant interfaces (see annotated figure below) of the plurality of coolant interfaces (19a-19f, 20a-20f) on one or both of the first side (I) or the second side (II), wherein a predetermined distance (see annotated figure below) is defined along an extension direction (see annotated figure below) between two adjacent coolant interfaces of the coolant interfaces (see annotated figure below) (to clarify, the distance between coolant interfaces extending along the extension direction is considered the predetermined distance along the extension direction between the two adjacent coolant interfaces), the extension direction (see annotated figure below) being perpendicular to the arrangement direction (see annotated figure below) and the coupling direction (see annotated figure below).
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Per claim 31, Nishikawa, as modified, teaches a system comprising a heat pump having an evaporator (“an evaporator”, pg. 3 of translation); and the distribution module of claim 18, wherein the heat pump (“an evaporator”, pg. 3 of translation) is arranged on the distribution module (see figure 1 of Nishikawa).
Per claim 32, Nishikawa, as modified, meets the claim limitations as disclosed in the above rejection of claim 31. Further, Nishikawa, as modified, teaches wherein the refrigerant circuit is operable using a natural refrigeration comprising carbon-dioxide R-744 (“the type of the refrigerant is not limited to this, and a natural refrigerant such as carbon dioxide”, pg. 19 of translation)
Per claim 34, Nishikawa, as modified, teaches a vehicle (see figure 4) comprising the distribution module of claim 18 (see rejection of claim 18).
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 of this title, 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 pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) 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.
Claim(s) 20 and 27-29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishikawa et al. (JP 2014-218211) in view of Kwak et al. (US 20250010685).
Per claim 20, Nishikawa meets the claim limitations as disclosed in the above rejection of claim 18. Further, Nishikawa fails to explicitly teach wherein the plurality of refrigerant lines (150) extend on the first side (I) on at least one of the at least two coolant modules (111, 112, 113); or wherein the plurality of refrigerant lines (150) extend between the at least two coolant modules (111, 112, 113) for conducting refrigerant between the first side (I) and the second side (II) and extend substantially along the coupling direction (K).
However, Kwak teaches a distribution module wherein a plurality of refrigerant lines (302a, 302b, 400) extend on a first side (side with 303) on a coolant module (10) for minimizing heat loss (para. 0087). Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have a plurality of refrigerant lines extend on a first side on a coolant module, as taught by Kwak in the invention of Nishikawa, in order to advantageously minimize heat loss (para. 0087).
Per claims 27-29, Nishikawa, as modified, meets the claim limitations as disclosed in the above rejection of claim 18. Further, Nishikawa, fails to explicitly teach at least one of: a pump housing comprising a removable pump housing cover, the pump housing being configured to accommodate the coolant pump; or a compressor housing comprising a removable compressor housing cover, the compressor housing being configured to accommodate the compressor, the compressor housing being on the first side on at least one of the at least two coolant modules (claim 27), and at least one additional module comprising one of a dryer, a refrigerant reservoir, or an oil separator, wherein the at least one additional module is arranged along the arrangement direction before or after the at least two coolant modules (claim 28), wherein one or more of the at least two coolant modules, the coolant pump, the pump housing, the compressor housing, or the at least one additional module have a maximum height along an extension direction, the maximum height corresponding to a height of the condenser and the at least one evaporator stacked in the extension direction, the extension direction being perpendicular to the arrangement direction and the coupling direction (claim 29).
However, Kwak teaches a distribution module including a compressor housing comprising a removable compressor housing cover (110) (to clarify, 100 covers a portion of the outer compressor shell and thus is considered a compressor housing cover), the compressor housing being configured to accommodate a compressor (303), the compressor housing (100) being on a first side (side of 210 accommodating 303) one of at least two coolant modules (210, 220) (claim 27), at least one additional module comprising a refrigerant reservoir (“accumulator 302”, para. 0048), wherein the at least one additional module (302) is arranged along an arrangement direction before or after the at least two coolant modules (210, 220) (see figure 3) (claim 28), wherein the at least two coolant modules (210, 220) have a maximum height along an extension direction (“UP” direction shown in figure 1), the maximum height corresponding to a height of a condenser (301) and a evaporator (304) stacked in the extension direction, the extension direction being perpendicular to an arrangement direction (“FRONT” direction shown in figure 1) and a coupling direction (“LEFT” direction shown in figure 1) (to clarify, all element heights of an assembly are considered to “correspond” to one another as they are all part of the same assembly) (claim 29) for improved heat exchange efficiency (para. 0028). Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have a compressor housing comprising a removable compressor housing cover, the compressor housing being configured to accommodate a compressor, the compressor housing being on a first side on at least one of at least two cooling modules (claim 27), at least one additional module comprising a refrigerant reservoir, wherein the at least one additional module is arranged along an arrangement direction before or after the at least two coolant modules (claim 28), wherein the at least two coolant modules have a maximum height along an extension direction, the maximum height corresponding to a height of a condenser and a evaporator stacked in the extension direction, the extension direction being perpendicular to an arrangement direction and a coupling direction (claim 29), as taught by Kwak in the invention of Nishikawa, as modified, in order to advantageously improve heat exchange efficiency (para. 0028).
Claim(s) 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishikawa et al. (JP 2014-218211) in view of Ono et al. (JP 2013053724).
Per claim 23, Nishikawa meets the claim limitations as disclosed in the above rejection of claim 18. Further, Nishikawa teaches wherein the at least two coolant modules (19, 20, 41) extend from a lower end portion to an upper end portion along the extension direction (see annotated figure below), the extension direction (see annotated figure below) being perpendicular to the arrangement direction (see annotated figure below) and the coupling direction (see annotated figure below), and a valve actuation mechanism (51) of a particular valve (“valve body” pg. 13 of translation”) of the at least one valve (“(“The first switching valve 19 has a structure capable of arbitrarily or selectively switching the communication state between the inlets 19a and 19b and the outlets 19c to 19f. The 2nd switching valve 20 is also the structure which can switch arbitrarily or selectively the communication state of each outlet 20a, 20b and each inlet 20c-20f”, pg. 10 of translation) but fails to explicitly teach wherein the valve actuation mechanism is at least one of: in the upper end portion or defines the upper end portion.
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However, Ono teaches a cooling system including a valve actuation unit (61) attached at an upper end portion (upper end of figure 3) of a coolant module (52) for reduced switching cost (pg. 17 of translation). Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to provide a valve actuation unit attached at an upper end portion, as taught by Ono in the invention of Nishikawa, in order to advantageously reduce switching costs.
Further, having the valve actuation unit (51) be attached to the coolant module at the upper end portion (see annotated figure below) is considered to be “one-piece construction”. Per MPEP 2144.02, section V, paragraph B, “the use of a one piece construction instead of the structure disclosed in [the prior art] would be merely a matter of obvious engineering choice”. Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to provide have the valve actuation mechanism be in the upper end portion in order to advantageously locate the valve actuation unit closer to the valves for a smaller system footprint.
Claim(s) 24-25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishikawa et al. (JP 2014-218211) in view of Ono et al. (JP 2013053724) as applied to the claims above and further in view of Kwak et al. (US 20250010685).
Per claims 24-25, Nishikawa, as modified, meets the claim limitations as disclosed in the above rejection of claim 23. Further, Nishikawa, as modified, fails to explicitly teach a support plate having a top side and an underside, the underside being positioned opposite the top side and extending substantially within a plane arranged perpendicularly to the extension direction (E), wherein the lower end portion of each of the at least two coolant modules is arranged on the top side of the support plate, wherein the support plate is configured to support at least one of the at least one evaporator, the condenser, or the compressor when arranged on the distribution module (claim 24), wherein the support plate comprises a bearing surface for supporting the compressor, the bearing surface at least partially replicating an outer contour of the compressor (claim 25).
However, Kwak teaches a distribution module including a support plate (110) having top side (upper side of 110 shown in figure 6) and an underside (lower side of 110 shown in figure 6), the underside (lower side of 110 shown in figure 6) being positioned opposite the top side (upper side of 110 shown in figure 6) and extending substantially within a plane arranged perpendicularly to an extension direction (vertical direction from 110), wherein a lower end portion (lower end of 210, 220 shown in figure 10/11) of each of two cooling modules (210, 220) is arranged on the top side of the support plate (upper side of 110 shown in figure 6) (see figure 10), wherein the support plate (110) is configured to support a compressor (303) (claim 24), the support plate (110 of Kwak) comprises a bearing surface (upper surface 110) for supporting the compressor (303), the bearing surface (upper surface 110) at least partially replicating an outer contour of the compressor (303) (rounded edges of the upper surface 110 at least partially replicate the rounds edges of compressor 303) (claim 25) for improved heat exchange efficiency (para. 0028). Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to provide a support plate having top side and an underside, the underside being positioned opposite the top side and extending substantially within a plane arranged perpendicularly to an extension direction, wherein a lower end portion of each of two cooling modules is arranged on the top side of the support plate, wherein the support plate is configured to support a compressor (claim 24), the support plate comprises a bearing surface for supporting the compressor, the bearing surface at least partially replicating an outer contour of the compressor (claim 25), as taught by Kwak in the invention of Nishikawa, as modified, in order to advantageously improve heat exchanger efficiency (para. 0028).
Claim(s) 30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishikawa et al. (JP 2014-218211) in view of Kwak et al. (US 20050010685) as applied to the claims above and further in view of Schafer et al. (US 20240375477).
Per claim 30, Nishikawa, as modified, meets the claim limitations as disclosed in the above rejection of claim 28. Further, Nishikawa, as modified, teaches a control unit (50) for open-loop control of the coolant pump (11, 12) (see figure 5) but fails to explicitly teach wherein the control unit is in the pump housing.
However, Schafer teaches a vehicular cooling system wherein a control unit (“a control unit”, para. 0006) is in a pump housing (“According to the invention, the housing body has at least one formation for receiving and retaining at least one electrically operated component of the temperature control system. An electrically operated component of the temperature control system is, for example, an electrically operated pump, an electrically operated valve or a control unit (Electronic Control Unit, ECU) for controlling the electrically operated pump and/or for controlling the electrically operated valve.”, para. 0006) for protection against dust and/or liquid (para. 0011). Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to provide a control unit in a pump housing, as taught by Schafer in the invention of Nishikawa, as modified, in order to advantageously protect against dust and/or liquid (para. 0011).
Claim(s) 33 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishikawa et al. (JP 2014-218211) in view of Kwak et al. (US 20050010685) as applied to the claims above and further in view of Aoun et al. (US 20140102126).
Per claim 33, Nishikawa, as modified, meets the claim limitations as disclosed in the above rejection of claim 31. Further, Nishikawa, as modified, teaches wherein the heat pump comprises the compressor but fails to explicitly teach an electric compressor motor for the compressor, and the electric compressor motor being operable with a high voltage, the high voltage being greater than 350 Volts (V).
However, Aoun teaches a vehicular cooling system wherein a heat pump comprises an electric compressor motor for the compressor (“electric compressor”, pg. 34), and the electric compressor motor being operable with a high voltage, the high voltage being greater than 350 Volts (“the compressor 3 is an electric compressor, in particular of the high-voltage type, that is to say, suited to functioning at voltages between 350 Volts and 500 Volts”, para. 0034) for efficient heat exchange in the system (para. 0102).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 21-22 is/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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Calderone (US 20190039440) teaches a coolant distribution module for a vehicle.
Rhee et al. (US 12391096) teaches a coolant distribution module for a vehicle.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID J TEITELBAUM whose telephone number is (571)270-5142. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 8:00 am-4:30 pm EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, FRANTZ JULES can be reached on (571) 272-66816681. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAVID J TEITELBAUM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763
