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 § 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 (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 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 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.
Claim(s) s 1 and 4 are is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Igura discloses (US20220248524).
Regarding claim 1, Igura discloses an electrical connection unit comprising: a first subunit (Figure 9) including a plurality of first electronic components (at least 14), a plurality of first bus bars (114)(116) including portions disposed on a same plane (Figure 9) and electrically connected to the plurality of first electronic components (at least 14), and a first base member (26) including a plate shaped first flat surface portion (24) that holds the plurality of first bus bars (114)(116); a second subunit (Figure 9) electrically connected to the first subunit (Figure 8), and including a plurality of second electronic components (at least 16), a plurality of second bus bars (114)(82) including portions disposed on the same plane and electrically connected to the plurality of second electronic components (at least 16), and a second base member (22) including a plate-shaped second flat surface portion (24) that holds the plurality of second bus bars (114)(82); and a plate (132) to which the first subunit and the second subunit are fixed and that integrally holds the first subunit and the second subunit.
Igura does not expressly disclose element 132 as “heating conducting;” however, Igura does not disclose a metal plate.
It would’ve been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate metal into the plate of Igura
One having ordinary skill on the art would have been motivated to do this as a means of heat convection.
*Examiner’s Note: The applicant does not claim the limitations whereas each limitation has to be individual to another.
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Regarding claim 4, Igura discloses the electrical connection unit according to claim 1, further comprising: a coupling bus bar (114) that electrically connects the first subunit to the second subunit, wherein the coupling bus bar is disposed on a side opposite to the metal plate with respect to the first subunit and the second subunit. (Figure 8)
*Examiner’s Note: The applicant does not claim the limitations whereas each limitation has to be individual to another.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 3 and 5 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 2, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or suggest the interconnection and interrelationship wherein in a case where a thickness direction of the first flat surface portion is a first direction, the first flat surface portion includes a plurality of first accommodation portions recessed in the first direction or penetrating the first flat surface portion in the first direction to accommodate the plurality of first bus bars, and the second flat surface portion includes a plurality of second accommodation portions recessed in the first direction or penetrating the second flat surface portion in the first direction to accommodate the plurality of second bus bars, as claimed with the remaining limitations of independent claim 1.
Regarding claim 3, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or suggest the interconnection and interrelationship wherein in a case where a thickness direction of the first flat surface portion is a first direction and a direction intersecting the first direction is a second direction, a longitudinal direction of the first subunit is the second direction, and a longitudinal direction of the second subunit is the second direction, the second subunit is adjacent to the first subunit in the second direction, a longitudinal direction of the metal plate is the second direction, and a length of the metal plate in the second direction is larger than a sum of a length of the first subunit in the second direction and a length of the second subunit in the second direction, as claimed with the remaining limitations of independent claim 1.
Regarding claim 5, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or suggest the interconnection and interrelationship wherein in a case where a thickness direction of the first flat surface portion is a first direction, the first subunit includes a first fixing portion, the second subunit includes a second fixing portion that overlaps the first fixing portion when viewed from the first direction, and the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion are fixed to the metal plate via one fastening member, as claimed with the remaining limitations of independent claim 5.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US20180166673.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Xanthia C Cunningham whose telephone number is (571)270-1963. The examiner can normally be reached Tuesday -Friday 9 am - 5 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Imani Hayman can be reached on 571-270-5528. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/XANTHIA C RELFORD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
30 September 2026
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