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 .
This Office Action is in response to papers filed on 11/14/2025. Amendments made to the claims and the Applicant's remarks have been entered and considered.
Claims 1, 11, 14 have been amended. Claims 17-20 are withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-16 have been considered but are moot because the new grounds of rejection do not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. The claims are rejected in view of newly applied Hartmann (DE 102017218657 A1).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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) 1-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hartmann (DE 102017218657 A1).
As to claim 1, Hartmann shows (FIG. 1,2):
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A stator assembly, comprising:
a plurality of laminations 4 configured to form a stator stack 2, wherein each of the plurality of laminations 4 comprises:
a set of projections 12,14 disposed along an outer perimeter of the lamination 4, each of the set of projections 12,14 including a mounting hole 13,15 passing therethrough; and
a plurality of indentations 16, 18, wherein each of the plurality of indentations 16, 18 is positioned radially inward from a respective mounting hole 13,15;
wherein the plurality of laminations 4 are configured to form the stator stack 2 in accordance with a predetermined indexing, such that the plurality of indentations 16 define one or more coolant flow channels (para [0030], [0033], [0034], [0035]).
As to claim 2/1, Hartmann further shows (FIG. 1,2) the plurality of laminations 4 is configured to receive a flow of coolant by way of the one or more coolant flow channels (para [0035]).
As to claim 3/1, Hartmann further shows (FIG. 1,2) the predetermined indexing comprises a predetermined indexing of approximately 90 degrees (four flanges 12, 14).
As to claim 4/3/1, Hartmann further shows (FIG. 1,2) the plurality of laminations 4 comprises a first lamination 9 and a second lamination 10, and wherein the first lamination 9 is rotated by approximately 90 degrees with respect to the second lamination 10 (plates 9, 10 are symmetrical about both axes passing through holes 13,15).
As to claim 5/4/3/1, Hartmann further shows (FIG. 1,2) the first lamination 9 is adjacent to the second lamination 10.
As to claim 6/1, Hartmann further shows (FIG. 1,2) the one or more coolant flow channels are defined in accordance with a desired coolant flow rate (capable of performing the claimed function).
As to claim 7/1, Hartmann further shows (FIG. 1,2) the one or more coolant flow channels are defined in accordance with one or more thermal constraints of the stator stack 2 (is capable of performing the claimed function).
As to claim 8/1, Hartmann further shows (FIG. 1,2) each of the one or more coolant flow channels is configured to direct a flow of an oil-dispersing coolant to at least one the plurality of laminations (is capable of performing the claimed function).
As to claim 9/1, Hartmann further shows (FIG. 1,2) each of the plurality of laminations 4 are stacked about an axis 6 in an axial direction 6, wherein each set of the set of projections 12, 14 extend radially outward from the axis 6, wherein each of the mounting holes 13, 15 pass through the set of projections 12, 14 in the axial direction 6, and wherein each of the plurality of indentations 16, 18 are normal to the axial direction 6.
As to claim 10/9/1, Hartmann further shows (FIG. 1,2) the plurality of indentations 16, 18 in each of the plurality of laminations 4 extend in opposite circumferential directions about the axis 6.
As to claim 11/9/1, Hartmann further shows (FIG. 1,2) wherein each of the set of projections 12,14 has a center in a circumferential direction about the axis 6 and wherein each of the plurality of indentations 16, 18 extends at least partially beyond the center of a respective one of the set of projections 12,14 (openings 16 have circumferential extent para [0035]).
As to claim 12/1, Hartmann further shows (FIG. 1,2) the stator stack 2 comprises a full-face, self- bonded stator stack, an interlocked stator stack, a welded stator stack, or a dot-bonded stator stack (interlocked by fastening screws para [0032]).
As to claim 13/1, Hartmann further shows a housing, wherein each of the set of projections 12,14 disposed along the outer perimeter of the lamination 4 is configured to receive a bolt into the mounting hole 13,15 for mounting to the housing (fastening screw para [0032]; housing para [0038]).
As to claim 14, Hartmann shows (FIG. 1 below, FIG. 2 above):
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A lamination layer 9 of a stator stack 2, comprising:
a ring portion Y;
a set of slots S disposed along an inner perimeter of the ring portion Y;
a set of projections 12,14 disposed along an outer perimeter of the ring portion Y, each of the set of projections 12,14 including a mounting hole 13,15 passing therethrough, wherein the set of projections 12,14 is configured to extend outwardly in a direction opposite the set of slots S; and
a plurality of indentations 16, wherein each of the plurality of indentations 16 is positioned radially inward from a respective mounting hole 13,15 (para [0030], [0033], [0034], [0035]).
As to claim 15/14, Hartmann further shows (FIG. 2) the lamination layer 9 comprises one of a plurality of lamination layers 9, 10 configured to form the stator stack 2 in accordance with a predetermined indexing, such that the plurality of indentations 16 define one or more coolant flow channels (para [0035]).
As to claim 16/14, Hartmann further shows the predetermined indexing comprises a predetermined indexing of approximately 90 degrees (four flanges 12, 14).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT E MATES whose telephone number is (571)270-5293. The examiner can normally be reached M to F 12:00pm to 8pm.
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/ROBERT E MATES/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/TULSIDAS C PATEL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834