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
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(s) 1-8 and 11-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Barrieras et al. [EPO 3373314 A1] in view of Navarro [WO 2012/103613 A1].
Regarding claims 1-2, Barrieras et al. discloses a non-liquid immersed transformer comprising:
- a magnetic core [110] and a coil winding [115, 120] forming a plurality of winding turns around the magnetic core; and
- a cooling system comprising:
a heat exchanger [150],
a main feeding pipe [127] connected to the heat exchanger for carrying coolant fluid from the heat exchanger;
a main return pipe [129] connected to the heat exchanger for carrying coolant fluid to the heat exchanger, and
a cooling pipe [125, 130] for the flow of a cooling fluid, the cooling pipe extending at least partly along the coil winding between a first point adjacent to an end of the coil winding, and a second point adjacent to the other end of the coil winding, and wherein the cooling pipe comprises a plurality of convolutions to extend the a path of the cooling fluid between one end of the coil winding and one of the main feeding pipe and the main return pipe [figure 1], wherein the plurality of convolutions comprises at least one spiral or serpentine.
Barrieras et al. disclose the instant claimed invention except for the convolutions extend between at least one of the first end of the coil winding and the second end of the coil winding and at least one of the main feeding pipe and the main return pipe.
Navarro discloses a cooling system for a transformer [figures 6-8] comprising:
- a transformer [1]; and
- a cooling system [7] including cooling pipe [6] connected to one end of the transformer and to a heat exchanger [6.2], wherein the cooling system including another cooling pipe [6.1] connected to another end of the transformer and the heat exchanger [6.2, figures 6-8], wherein the other cooling pipe further include spiral tube that have a plurality of convolutions/turns in a path between one end of the transformer and the heat exchanger [figures 6-8].
It would have been an obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use the cooling arrangement of Navarro in Barrieras et al. for the purpose of improving cooling and/or reducing the running temperature rise of the transformer.
Regarding claim 3, Barrieras et al. further discloses at least two pluralities of convolutions extending the path of the cooling fluid between each end of the coil winding and the main feeding pipe and the main return pipe, respectively [figures 1 or 2].
Regarding claim 4, Barrieras et al. discloses the coil winding comprises a covering made of insulating material [figure 1, or resin 201 in figure 2], the covering comprising an inlet point and an outlet point for the cooling pipe [figure 2].
Regarding claim 5, Barrieras et al. further discloses the convolutions extend the path between an end of the coil winding and an inlet point and/or and outlet point of the coil covering [figure 2].
Regarding claim 6, Barrieras et al. discloses the cooling pipe is made of insulating dielectric material.
Regarding claims 7-8, Barrieras et al. further discloses the use of different type of cooling fluid [dielectric fluid such as silicon fluid, non-flammable fluid, ester fluid such as Midel, Biotemp, Envirotemp, fluorinated fluid such as Novec or Fluorinert or mineral/natural oil.
Navarro also use different type of cooling medium such as liquid or gas, comprising water and freon.
The specific use of cooling fluid with specific electric conductivity or water would have been an obvious design consideration for the purpose of facilitating different desired/improved cooling.
Regarding claim 11, Barrieras et al. discloses the transformer having high voltage winding which could be use in a high voltage environment [transformer].
Regarding claim 12, Barrieras et al. discloses the plurality of convolutions comprises a helical coil [figures 1-2].
Regarding claim 13, Barrieras et al. discloses the coil winding comprises a covering [201, figure 2] comprising an inlet point for the cooling pipe, wherein the cooling pipe is connected to the inlet point and the main feeding pipe, and wherein the plurality of convolutions provided in the cooling pipe between the inlet point and the main feeding pipe [figure 2].
Regarding claims 14-15, Barrieras et al. discloses the coil winding comprises a covering [201, figure 2] comprising an outlet point for the cooling pipe, wherein the cooling pipe is connected to the outlet point and the main return pipe, and wherein the plurality of convolutions provided in the cooling pipe between the outlet point and the main return pipe [figure 2], wherein the covering comprises an inlet point for the cooling pipe, wherein the cooling pipe is connected to the inlet point and the main feeding pipe, wherein the plurality of convolutions comprises a first plurality of convolutions, the cooling pipe further comprising a second plurality of convolutions between the inlet point housing and the main feeding pipe [figures 1-2].
Regarding claims 16-18, Barrieras et al. discloses a non-liquid immersed transformer comprising:
- a magnetic core [110] and a coil winding [115, 120] forming a plurality of winding turns around the magnetic core; and
- a cooling system comprising:
- a heat exchanger [150]; and
- a cooling pipe for carrying a flow of cooling fluid between the coil winding and the heat exchanger, wherein the cooling pipe comprises a plurality of convolutions in a path between a first end of the coil winding and the heat exchanger, wherein the cooling system further comprises a main feeding pipe [127], wherein the cooling pipe is fluidly connected to the main feeding pipe, and wherein the plurality of convolutions is between the main feeding pipe and the first end of the coil winding, wherein the plurality of convolutions comprises a first plurality of convolutions, the cooling system further comprising a second plurality of convolutions in a second path between a second end of the coil winding and the heat exchanger [figures 1-2].
Barrieras et al. disclose the instant claimed invention except for the plurality of convolutions is spaced apart from the coil winding along a path of the cooling pipe.
Navarro discloses a cooling system for a transformer [figures 6-8] comprising:
- a transformer [1]; and
- a cooling system [7] including cooling pipe [6] connected to one end of the transformer and to a heat exchanger [6.2, figure 8], wherein the cooling system including another cooling pipe connected to another end of the transformer and the heat exchanger [6.2], wherein the other cooling pipe further include spiral tube that have a plurality of convolutions/turns in a path between one end of the transformer and the heat exchanger [figures 6-8].
It would have been an obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use the cooling arrangement of Navarro in Barrieras et al. for the purpose of improving cooling and/or reducing the running temperature rise of the transformer.
Regarding claim 19, Barrieras et al. discloses the cooling system further comprises a main return pipe [129] and the cooling pipe is fluidly connected to the main return pipe, wherein the plurality of convolutions comprises a first plurality of convolutions [figure 2] and the cooling system further comprises a second plurality of convolutions between the main return pipe and a second end of the coil winding [figure 2].
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Barrieras et al. in view of Wang [CN 2239654 Y].
Barrieras et al. discloses a cooling system for a non-liquid immersed transformer including a magnetic core [110] and a coil winding [115, 120] forming a plurality of winding turns around the magnetic core, the cooling system comprising: a heat exchanger [150]; and a cooling pipe for carrying a flow of cooling fluid between the coil winding and the heat exchanger [figure 1]; wherein the cooling pipe comprises a plurality of convolutions in a path between a first end of the coil winding and the heat exchanger [figures 1-2].
Barrieras et al. disclose the instant claimed invention except for the plurality of convolutions is spaced apart from the coil winding along a path of the cooling pipe.
Wang et al. discloses a cooling system for a transformer [figure 1] comprising:
- a core [1];
- at least one coil [4, 6] arranged about the core; and
- a cooling system including cooling pipes [3, 8, 11, 12] arranged around the at least one coil and core, wherein the cooling system further comprises a plurality of convolutions [7], wherein the plurality of convolutions is spaced apart from the coil winding along a path of the cooling pipe [figure 1].
It would have been an obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use the cooling arrangement of Wang et al. in Barrieras et al. for the purpose of improving cooling and/or reducing the running temperature rise of the transformer.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9-10 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:
The prior art of record do not teach or disclose, in the claimed combination thereof, first and second conductive connectors arranged at a first one of the coil winding turn, to electrically connect and inner side of the cooling pipe with the first one of the coil winding turns and the second conductive connector is arranged at another winding turn.
Conclusion
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/TUYEN T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837