DETAILED CORRESPONDENCE
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 .
Status of Claims
This is the second non-final office action on the merits of Application No. 19/202,363 filed on 05/08/2025. Claims 1-8 are pending. Claims 6-8 are new claims. A second non-final is necessitated due the argument of the applicant which is fully persuasive.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. The certified copy has been filed with application no JP2024-104090, filed on 06/27/2024.
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 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.
Claims 1-3, and 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoshi et al. (US 20220126672 A1)(hereinafter ”Hoshi”) in view of Suzuki et al.(US 20150129345 A1)(hereinafter ”Suzuki”) Katayama (US 20210061131 A1)(hereinafter “Katayama”) and further in view of YASHIRO et al. (US 20200240512 A1)(hereinafter “YASHIRO”).
Regarding claim 1, Hoshi discloses a hybrid electric vehicle (e.g. 1, figs. 1-7), comprising:
an engine (e.g. 10, fig. 1);
a transaxle including:
a motor-generator (e.g. 12) configured to assist a rotation output of the engine 10;
a speed change mechanism (e.g. transmission 13) configured to change a speed of rotation transmitted from the engine 10; and
a differential gear (e.g. 17, fig. 1) configured to distribute the rotation to right and left rear wheels (19, fig. 1), the speed of the rotation having been changed by the speed change mechanism;
multiple exhaust pipe (30, fig. 3 or fig. 4) configured to discharge exhaust gas of the engine to outside; and
a driver’s seat and a passenger seat (not shown) wherein
the exhaust pipe (30) are connected to the engine 10 at a position forward of the driver’s seat and the passenger seat, and extend to a position rearward of the transaxle, (see para 54 “As illustrated in FIG. 4, an exhaust pipe 30 is arranged in a lateral side region on an opposite side, with respect to the transmission casing 13a, to a side in the vehicle width direction on which the DC-DC converter 28 and the F propeller shaft 16 are arranged. Although not illustrated in detail, the exhaust pipe 30 is connected with an exhaust manifold of the engine 10 and is provided to extend rearward in the vehicle front-rear direction.”)
the transaxle (e.g. differential 17 is located at the rear axle as shown in fig. 1) is disposed rearward of the driver’s seat and the passenger seat and between the exhaust pipes in a vehicle width direction.
However, Hoshi fails to disclose multiple exhaust pipes, a cooling circuit including coolant piping through which coolant flows, the cooling circuit being configured to regulate a temperature of the transaxle; the cooling circuit is disposed rearward of the driver’s seat and the passenger seat, and the coolant piping is routed above the exhaust pipes, the engine 10 is disposed forward of the driver’s seat and the passenger seat.
Suzuki teaches a similar kind of vehicle (figs. 1-11) wherein a multiple exhaust pipes (80, fig. 4) configured to discharge exhaust gas of the engine (4, fig. 8) to outside as shown in figs 4 and 7.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Hoshi by adding multiple exhaust pipes as taught by Suzuki in order to optimize the temperature raising effect by the heat of the exhaust pipe, therefore improvement of overheating of the other surrounding equipment (e.g. oil pump) can be achieved.
Katayama teaches a similar kind of vehicle (1, figs. 1-5) wherein a cooling circuit (e.g. 31, paras 40-48 and fig. 3) including coolant piping (e.g. 38 A-C, and E, fig. 3) through which coolant (e.g. refrigerant, see abstract) flows, the cooling circuit 31 being configured to regulate a temperature of storage module (e.g. 3, fig. 3); the cooling circuit 31 is disposed rearward of the driver’s seat and the passenger seat (e.g. see fig. 2), and the coolant piping is routed above the exhaust pipes (e.g. 30, see abstract and fig.3), the engine 10 is disposed forward of the driver’s seat and the passenger seat (see fig. 1).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Hoshi by adding a cooling circuit as taught by Katayama in order to provide a reliable and efficient cooling system.
However, the cooling circuit being configured to regulate a temperature of the transaxle is not disclosed in Hoshi / Katayama.
YASHIRO teaches a vehicle cooling system (e.g. 4, figs. 1-3) targeted to provide cooling of various members and components such as electric motor, engine, power control unit such as generator, invertor, battery, bearing, a friction element, and a power transmission mechanism such as a gear and a belt. (see paras 29 and 33)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Hoshi / Katayama by cooling the transaxle as taught by YASHIRO in order to provide a reliable, accurate and inexpensive cooling system without increasing the numbers of parts.
As modified, the vehicle would have a cooling circuit including coolant piping through which coolant flows, the cooling circuit being configured to regulate a temperature of the transaxle; the cooling circuit is disposed rearward of the driver’s seat and the passenger seat, and the coolant piping is routed above the exhaust pipes, the engine 10 is disposed forward of the driver’s seat and the passenger seat.
Regarding claim 2, Hoshi / Suzuki/Katayama/ YASHIRO discloses the hybrid electric vehicle as modified according to claim 1, Hoshi further discloses a main battery (25, 26, 27, paras 45-46, fig. 1) configured to store electricity and supply the stored electricity to the motor-generator (12), wherein the main battery is disposed above the transaxle (13, fig. 2).
Regarding claim 3, Hoshi / Suzuki/ Katayama/ YASHIRO discloses the hybrid electric vehicle as modified according to claim 2, Hoshi further discloses wherein the exhaust pipes (30) are routed below a center of the transaxle (13) in a height direction. (see fig. 3)
Regarding claim 6, Hoshi / Suzuki/ Katayama/ YASHIRO discloses the hybrid electric vehicle as modified according to claim 1, Suzuki further discloses wherein each of the exhaust pipes (e.g. 81A/B, fig. 8) is connected to the engine (4) at the position forward of the driver's seat and the passenger seat, and extend to the position rearward of the transaxle (1). (see fig. 8 of Suzuki)
Regarding claim 7, Hoshi / Suzuki/ Katayama/ YASHIRO discloses the hybrid electric vehicle as modified according to claim 1, Suzuki further discloses wherein the multiple exhaust pipes include an exhaust pipe disposed on the right side of the vehicle and an exhaust pipe disposed on the left side of the vehicle. (see figs. 7-8)
Regarding claim 8, Hoshi / Suzuki/ Katayama/ YASHIRO discloses the hybrid electric vehicle as modified according to claim 1, Suzuki further discloses wherein the transaxle (1) overlaps with the multiple exhaust pipes (81A/B) in the width direction. (see fig. 8)
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoshi et al. (US 20220126672 A1) in view of Suzuki et al.(US 20150129345 A1), Katayama (US 20210061131 A1), YASHIRO et al. (US 20200240512 A1) and further in view of YOKOYAMA et al. (US 20220234567 A1)(hereinafter “YOKOYAMA”).
Regarding claim 4, Hoshi / Suzuki /Katayama/ YASHIRO discloses the hybrid electric vehicle as modified according to claim 2, Hoshi further discloses a power control unit (26, para 46, fig. 1) configured to convert power in the main battery 25, raise a voltage of the power, and supply the power to the motor-generator, wherein the power control unit 26 is disposed above the transaxle 13 but fails to disclose the power control unit 26 is disposed below the main battery 25.
YOKOYAMA teaches a hybrid system of a vehicle (e.g. 21, see fig. 4) wherein the power control unit 216 is disposed above the transaxle 212 and below the main battery 215. (see para 48, fig. 4)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Hoshi / Suzuki /Katayama/ YASHIRO by arranging the position of power control unit so that it can be disposed above the transaxle and below the main battery as taught by YOKOYAMA so that it can reduce the space and design can be compact.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoshi et al. (US 20220126672 A1) in view of Suzuki et al.(US 20150129345 A1), Katayama (US 20210061131 A1), YASHIRO et al. (US 20200240512 A1)(hereinafter “YASHIRO”) and further in view of NAKAWATARI et al. (US 20230146341 A1)(hereinafter “NAKAWATARI”).
Regarding claim 5, Hoshi / Suzuki /Katayama/ YASHIRO discloses the hybrid electric vehicle as modified according to claim 2, Katayama further discloses wherein the cooling circuit (31, fig. 3) but fails to disclose an oil cooler (33) configured to perform heat exchange between oil flowing through the speed change mechanism and the coolant; and oil piping through which oil flows, the oil piping connecting the oil cooler to the speed change mechanism, and the oil cooler is disposed above the exhaust pipes and below the main battery.
NAKAWATARI teaches a lubrication system (e.g. 120, figs. 1-3) wherein an oil cooler (138, fig. 2) configured to perform heat exchange between oil flowing through the speed change mechanism (e.g. 24, fig. 2/3) and the coolant; and oil piping (e.g. 160, 162, 164, fig. 3, para 40) through which oil flows, the oil piping connecting the oil cooler 138 to the speed change mechanism 24.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Hoshi / Suzuki /Katayama/ YASHIRO by adding a cooler between the exhaust pipes and the battery as taught by NAKAWATARI so that it can prevent an increase in the size of the vehicle drive device due to the disposing the oil cooler.
Response to Arguments
Applicant contends that neither Hoshi nor katayama disclose or suggest the recited features of multiple exhaust pipes of claim 1. While this argument is found persuasive, a new reference has been applied (Suzuki et al. US 20150129345 A1) that discloses the limitation, as appears above and a second non-final office action has been submitted to address this limitation.
Conclusion
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/F.P/Examiner, Art Unit 3655
/FARHANA PERVIN/Examiner, Art Unit 3655