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 § 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 1-9 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the operation of the integrated inverter unit. The claim recites the inverter converts DC to AC and output a converted DC power. However, the power output should in fact be AC power rather than DC power. It is unclear the nature of the power output, as AC or DC. Applicant should clarify the nature of the power output.
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 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Laws et al. (US 20240217350).
With respect to claim 1 Laws teaches a part-integrated module of a thermal management system, the part-integrated module comprising: an electric compressor comprising:
a compressor unit (108) configured to compress a refrigerant (coolant through loop 94); and a motor unit (not shown associated with compressor 106) configured to transfer a driving torque to the compressor unit;
a temperature-boosting heater (124) configured to heat a battery coolant (92); and
an integrated inverter unit (65) coupled between (from left to right in Fig. 14) the electric compressor and the temperature-boosting heater and configured to convert a DC (see DC power from battery 64) power supplied through a high-voltage battery to an AC power (output of 65) and output the converted DC power to the motor unit and the temperature-boosting heater.
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.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Spies et al. (US 20220307500) in view of Laws et al. (US 20240217350)
With respect to claim 1 Spies teaches a part-integrated module of a thermal management system, the part-integrated module comprising: an electric compressor comprising:
a compressor unit (33) configured to compress a refrigerant (see for example paragraph 0064); and a motor unit (20) configured to transfer a driving torque to the compressor unit;
a temperature-boosting heater configured to heat a battery coolant; and
an integrated inverter unit (23) coupled adjacent the compressor (for example Fig. 8-9) and configured to convert a DC power to an AC power and output the converted DC power (see AC power) to the motor unit. Spies does not teach the connection of heater to heat battery coolant.
Laws teaches the known use of a temperature-boosting heater (124) configured to heat a battery coolant (92), and positioning a inverter between (from left to right in Fig. 14 a compressor (108) and temperature-boosting heater (124). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Spies to include a temperature-boosting heater for the benefit of preheating the batteries during a low ambient operation (paragraph 0053).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-9 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 and overcoming the 112 issues detailed above. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Spies as modified by Laws teaches the module of a thermal management system however does not teach the motor unit comprises a first power connection portion configured to be connected to the integrated inverter unit; and the temperature-boosting heater comprises a second power connection portion configured to be connected to the integrated inverter unit. At least this further limitation is not taught or rendered obvious by the prior art of record.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Michael Fin whose telephone number is (571)272-5921. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Rexford Barnie can be reached at 571-272-7429. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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MICHAEL FIN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2836
/MICHAEL R. FIN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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