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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 6, 7, 9 and 11-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ahrens [DE 889649C] in view of Runge [U.S. Publication No. 20020186115 A1] (both provided in IDS).
Regarding claim 1, Ahrens discloses an electro-magnetic coil (Paragraph 0002, Fig. 1-5) with coolant permeability (e.g., cooling slots between wires, Fig. 1) wound using insulated wire (e.g., wires 1-5, Fig. 1), the electromagnetic coil comprising:
a plurality of radially arranged layers (Paragraph 0003) of the insulated wire (e.g., wires 1-5, Fig. 1), and
a plurality of axially arranged turns of the insulated wire per radially arranged layer (see Paragraph 0003),
wherein the insulated wire (e.g., wires 1-5, Fig. 1) has a plurality of sections for any pair of two adjacent sections (e.g., wires 1 and 2, Paragraph 003, Fig. 1) such that empty spaces (e.g., slots 6, 7, due to adjacent pairs of wire with bends and wire without any bends, Paragraph 0003, Fig. 1) formed by the axially and radially adjacent cross-sections of insulated wire collectively form coolant channels.
Ahrens discloses the instant claimed invention discussed above except for the insulated wire has a plurality of sections along a length thereof with different cross-sections.
Runge discloses insulated wire (e.g., 4, Paragraph 0015, Fig. 2) has a plurality of sections (e.g., 4a-4e) along a length thereof with different cross-sections.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the insulated wire that has a plurality of sections along a length thereof with different cross-sections as taught by Runge to the winding wire of Ahrens to provide the electromagnetic coil with similar slots or coolant passages without producing bends on the wire that creates passageways for cooling the coil wires due to the sections along a length of the wire different cross-sections to simplify producing the electromagnetic coil.
Regarding claim 2, Runge discloses wherein the difference of the cross-section (e.g., sections 4a-4e of wire 4) for any pair of two adjacent sections comprises a variation of height, a variation of width, or a variation of both dimensions (Paragraph 0016, Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Ahrens in view of Runge discloses wherein adjacent sections (e.g., sections 4a-4e of wire 4 of Runge, Fig. 2) comprise a local wire deformation being coordinated with the tangential position on the coil (e.g., coil formation of Ahrens, Fig. 1-5) and thus creating cooling channels in axial and/or radial direction in a coordinated way.
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Ahrens in view of Runge discloses wherein adjacent sections (e.g., sections 4a-4e of wire 4 of Runge, Fig. 2) comprise local wire deformation being coordinated with the tangential position on the coil (e.g., coil formation of Ahrens, Fig. 1-5) and thus creating cooling channels in axial and/or radial direction in a coordinated way.
Regarding claim 9, Ahrens discloses wherein the coolant channels (e.g., 6, 7, Fig. 1) are from the group encompassing radial coolant channels between subsequent layers of wires (e.g., wires 1, 2, Fig. 1), axial coolant channels (e.g., the wirings stacked vertically, Paragraph 0003) between adjacent turns of wires, and cross-section coolant channels (e.g., 6, 7, and 9-14, Paragraph 0003, Fig. 1) between two adjacent turns and between two subsequent layers (e.g., disc coils of Fig. 1 arranged axially and radially, Paragraph 003).
Regarding claim 11, Ahrens discloses insulated wire (e.g., wires 1-5, Fig. 1) for use to build an electro- magnetic coil comprising sections that produces a regular pattern of axial and radial coolant channels (e.g., 6,7, and 9-14, Fig. 1, see Paragraph 0003).
Ahrens discloses the instant claimed invention discussed above except for the insulated wire comprising sections of round or rectangular shaped wire alternating with sections compressed along the wire’s width and/or height such that the ratio between the periodic length of the alternating pattern and the wire thickness that produces the regular pattern of axial and radial coolant channels.
Runge discloses the insulated wire 4 comprising sections of rectangular shaped wire (Paragraph 0016, Fig. 2) alternating with sections compressed along the wire’s width and/or height (e.g., sections 4a, 4c, Fig. 2).
The coil wire 4 of Runge combined with the coil wire arrangement of Ahrens (Fig. 1) produces such ratio between the periodic length of the alternating pattern (e.g., section patterns 4a-4e of Runge) and the wire thickness a regular pattern of axial and radial coolant channels.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the insulated wire 4 comprising sections of rectangular shaped wire alternating with sections compressed along the wire’s width and/or height of Runge into the coil wire arrangement of Ahrens to efficiently cool down the coil of an inductive device with an inexpensive and simplified method of manufacturing.
Regarding claim 12, Runge discloses wherein the cross- section reduction along the height and the width of the wire (e.g., cross-sections 4a-4e of wire 4) are anti-aligned (e.g., sections 4a, flat vertically, and 4c, flat horizontally, Fig. 2), wherein the section of the wire is wide (e.g., 4c, Fig. 2) where it is flat and wherein the section of the wire is narrow (e.g., 4a) where it is high, achieving an approximate constant total wire cross-section of the wire.
Regarding claim 13, Runge discloses wherein the wire deformation along the height and the width of the wire (e.g., 4, Fig. 2) are aligned (e.g., sections 4a and 4c are aligned in the same axis longitudinally), wherein the section of the wire is wide where it is high (e.g., width of section 4a is vertically high) and wherein the section of the wire is narrow where it is flat (e.g., horizontal section 4c has narrow thickness) to achieve the best fluid permeability.
Regarding claim 14, Ahrens discloses the instant claimed invention discussed above except for a method to produce a coil comprising the steps of compressing the wire using a wire flattener consisting of two wheels that have profiled surfaces corresponding to the desired wire thickness.
Runge discloses a method to produce a coil (e.g., winding 3) comprising the steps of compressing wire (e.g., 4, Paragraph 0015, Fig. 2) using a wire flattener (e.g., rolling machines 5 and 6, Paragraph 0019) consisting of two wheels (e.g., roll pair 5a, 5b and roll pair 6a, 6b, Paragraph 0020, Fig. 2) that have profiled surfaces corresponding to the desired wire thickness.
Regarding claim 15, Runge discloses one wherein the wire 4 is deformed by compressing the wire 4 using a wire flattener consisting of two wheels (e.g., 5a, 5b and 6a, 6b) that have an actuation mechanism to vary the distance between the wheels as the wire 4 is passed through (Paragraph 0022-0024).
Claim(s) 3-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ahrens in view of Runge as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Bel Fdhila et al. [U.S. Patent No. 10438734 B2].
Regarding claim 3, Ahrens in view of Runge discloses the instant claimed invention discussed above except for the electromagnetic coil has a housing with at least one inlet and at least one outlet, connected to gaps in axial and/or radial direction of the coil creating said coolant channels for a coolant fluid, wherein the inlet(s) and outlet(s) are adapted to be connected to a coolant circuit to pump a coolant fluid through the coolant channels of the coil to cool the coil.
Bel Fdhila discloses a housing (e.g., 11, column 6, lines 1-14, Fig. 3, 4) with at least an inlet and at least one outlet (e.g., at least one inlet and at least one outlet for fluid, see column 6, lines 1-3), connected to gaps (e.g., spaces between turns of winding 4, column 6, lines 39-61, Fig. 5) in axial and/or radial direction of coil 4 creating coolant channels for a coolant fluid (e.g., 3), wherein the inlet(s) and outlet(s) are adapted to be connected to a coolant circuit (e.g., the coolant circuit comprises coolant passages through turn of winding 4, inlet/outlet of cooling loop 10 into housing 11, pump 9 and heat exchange 6, column 6, lines 4-38) to pump a coolant fluid 3 through the coolant channels of the coil 4 to cool the coil.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the electromagnetic coil comprises a housing with at least an inlet and at least one outlet, connected to gaps in axial and/or radial direction of the coil creating coolant channels for coolant fluid, wherein the inlet(s) and outlet(s) are adapted to be connected to a coolant circuit to pump coolant fluid through the coolant channels of the coil as taught by Bel Fdhilla to the electromagnetic coil of Ahrens in view of Runge to house the coil and effectively contain the coolant for maintaining a working temperature of the electromagnetic coil.
Regarding claim 4, Bel Fdhila discloses wherein a fluid pump (e.g., 9, column 6, lines 4-10, Fig. 4) provided to be attached to the at least one inlet (e.g., cooling loop 10 entering housing 11) for pumping the coolant 3 through the windings 4 in an axial direction (e.g., vertical direction, Fig. 4) by applying an axial pressure gradient between the inlet(s) and outlet(s) (e.g., inlet and outlet of fluid coolant circulating the housing 11), and the radial cooling channels (e.g., horizontal passageways of coolant through winding 4, Fig. 4, 5) are adapted to distribute flow evenly over radial flow cross-section.
Regarding claim 5, Bel Fdhila discloses wherein a fluid pump 9 is provided to be attached do the at least one inlet (e.g., inlet of housing 11 through cooling loop 10) for pumping the coolant 3 through the windings 4 in a radial direction (e.g., horizontal direction through turns of winding 4) by applying a radial pressure gradient between the inlet(s) and outlet(s), and the axial cooling channels (e.g., vertical passageways through turns of winding 4) are adapted to distribute flow evenly over axial flow cross-section.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ahrens in view of Runge as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Kamibayashi et al. [U.S. Publication No. 2011/0162423 A1] (provided in IDS).
Regarding claim 10, Ahrens in view of Runge discloses the instant claimed invention discussed above except for wherein the cross-section of the wire changes between undeformed sections being circular and deformed sections being oval or ellipse with the longer axis direction in layer or turn orientation.
Kamibayashi discloses wherein a cross-section of wire (e.g., 102 of material D, Paragraph 0222-225, Fig. 18-19) changes between undeformed sections being circular (e.g., material D initially is circular) and deformed sections being oval or ellipse (see Fig. 19 II) with the longer axis direction in layer or turn orientation.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have cross-section of the wire changes between undeformed sections being circular and deformed sections being oval or ellipse with the longer axis direction in layer or turn orientation to provide coil conductor wire that can be manufactured efficiently and inexpensively.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 8 is 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.
Reason for allowable subject matter:
Claim 8 recites, inter alia,
having a core on which wire is wound, where l = 2*pi*t, where l is the length of the periodic pattern, and t is the maximum thickness of the wire, with pi being Ludolph’s number, wherein l is a divider of the circumference of the core on which the wire is wound, so that deformed and un-deformed sections between windings in the same layer align.
The references of record do not teach or suggest the aforementioned limitation, would it be obvious to modify those references to include such limitation.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 12/18/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The Applicant argues that prior art Ahrens does not disclose the use of an insulated wire but rather several insulated wire in the same winding arrangement.
The Examiner disagrees. Ahrens teaches the claim requirement of “insulated wire” being insulated, line 2 of claim 1. Ahrens further teaches “a plurality of radially arranged layers of the insulated wire”, line 3 of claim 1. There is no requirement of a single insulated wire. However, if there is, Ahrens has the teaching of the electrical apparatus that can be a choke or a transformer. Regardless of Ahrens having being a disc coil, the radially arranged layers of the insulated wire (e.g., conductors 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) shown in Fig. 1 belong to 5 turns of the same conductor wire. It is noted as such to distinguish the slots formed between the radially arranged wires. For example, slot or slots between conductors 1 and 2, and so on. Therefore, Ahrens satisfies that element of claim 1.
The Applicant further argues that a person of ordinary skill in the art would not combine the element teaching of Runge to Ahrens. Runge discloses an arrangement of a metal wire for transformer windings that aims to reduce stray magnetic field losses to cut down on energy losses and improve the transformer's efficiency. The Applicant argues that Runge does not discuss the problem of cooling transformers.
The Examiner disagrees. Runge, indeed, teaches about reducing stray magnetic field losses. Stray magnetic fields results in having eddy currents of the magnetic coil. Eddy currents cause the coil to build up unnecessary heat in the system. Reducing stray magnetic field losses, reduces the build up of unnecessary heat in the coil. Therefore, Runge teaches, in a way, cooling the coil.
Therefore, Runge relate to a similar aspect as Ahrens in terms of cooling the magnetic coil and the rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ahrens in view of Runge is proper. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to use the insulated wire that has a plurality of sections along a length thereof with different cross-sections as taught by Runge to the winding wire of Ahrens to provide the electromagnetic coil with similar slots or coolant passages without producing bends on the wire that creates passageways for cooling the coil wires due to the sections along a length of the wire different cross-sections to simplify producing the electromagnetic coil.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
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/J.S.B/ Examiner, Art Unit 2837
/SHAWKI S ISMAIL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2837