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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 06/26/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding independent claims 1 and 17 and the new dependent claim 21, the Applicant’s position is that Heshmat et al. (US 6770993, hereinafter: “Heshmat”) does not disclose the newly claim verbiage “the top foil including a top base and a top mount, the top mount connected the top base at a circumferentially intermediate position between ends of the top foil” (Page 7, 9-10 of the Applicant’s Remarks filed on 06/26/2026). The Examiner has fully considered the Applicant’s position; however, respectfully disagrees. Heshmat discloses the foil bearing (20) radially between the magnetic bearing rotor (22) and the magnetic bearing stator (51, 52), the foil bearing including a top foil (26) and a bump foil (44, 46), the bump foil configured to bias the top foil radially inwards towards the rotating structure, the top foil including a top foil base (as annotated in Figure 1 of Heshmat) and a top foil mount (28), the top foil mount connected to the top foil base at a connection point (point where top foil 26 meets 28 as annotated in Figure 1 of Heshmat), and the connection point disposed circumferentially between ends (30) of the top foil as claimed in Claims 1 and 17. (“One edge of the foil 26 is suitably anchored to the housing 24 as at suitable anchoring means 28 and extends therefrom substantially circumferentially around the rotor 22 and terminates in a free or trailing edge 30,” Col. 6, ll. 9-13; Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 19, the Applicant’s position is that Heshmat does not disclose the newly claim verbiage “the bearing sensor data is provided by a sensor embedded within the magnetic bearing rotor or the magnetic bearing stator” (Page 8-9 of the Applicant’s Remarks filed on 06/26/2026). The Examiner has fully considered the Applicant’s position; however, respectfully disagrees. As shown in Figures 24-26 of the bearing (1000), Heshmat discloses sensors (1050, 1052 in Fig. 24 and sensors 1128 and 1130 in Fig. 26) which are embedded within the magnetic bearing rotor or the magnetic bearing stator (Col. 26, ll. 23-35; Fig. 24-26) for the purpose of providing to monitor the magnetic flux between the magnetic bearing and the runner for sensing actual magnetic bearing load (Col. 26, ll. 23-35; Fig. 24-26).
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)(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.
Claims 1-7, 10-12, 14, 16 and 19-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Heshmat et al. (US 6770993, hereinafter: “Heshmat”).
In reference to Claim 1
Heshmat discloses:
An assembly, comprising:
an engine housing (24, 40);
a rotating structure (22, 1002) rotatable about an axis;
a bearing (20, 1000) rotatably supporting the rotating structure, the bearing including a magnetic bearing stator (51, 52 stator, 1012), a magnetic bearing rotor (22, 1002, 1004, 1006, 1008, ) and a foil bearing (26), the magnetic bearing rotor mounted with the rotating structure, the bearing rotatably connecting the rotating structure to the engine housing, the foil bearing radially between the magnetic bearing rotor and the magnetic bearing stator, the foil bearing includes a top foil (1006 smooth top foil) and a bump foil (1008, 1010 bump foil) configured to bias the top foil radially inward towards the rotating structure (Fig. 22), the top foil including a top foil base (as annotated in Figure 1 of Heshmat) and a top foil mount (28), the top foil mount connected to the top foil base at a connection point (point where top foil 26 meets 28 as annotated in Figure 1 of Heshmat), and the connection point disposed circumferentially between ends (30) of the top foil (“One edge of the foil 26 is suitably anchored to the housing 24 as at suitable anchoring means 28 and extends therefrom substantially circumferentially around the rotor 22 and terminates in a free or trailing edge 30,” Col. 6, ll. 9-13; Fig. 1);
a sensor system (66, 224, 226) configured to provide bearing sensor data indicative of a position of the magnetic bearing rotor relative to the magnetic bearing stator, the sensor system comprising a vibration sensor mounted to the engine housing (“The function of the supervising controller 346 may include intelligent on-line decisions on gain adjustment according to the displacement, temperature, speed, and other measurements and may also include an initiation of a band-pass filter to eliminate synchronous axial vibration or a structure resonance excited by a blade-pass frequency source,” Col. 18, ll. 15-21; “a pair of redundant sensors are provided on opposite sides respectively of the housing for regulating flux on the opposite sides respectively,” Abstract; sensors 25 and 66 in Fig. 2), the sensor system configured to provide housing sensor data indicative (via. Sensors 66, 25) of a dynamic parameter of the engine housing using the vibration sensor;
a power system (88a, 88c) electrically coupled to the magnetic bearing stator; and
a controller (78) configured to signal the power system to power the magnetic bearing stator based on the bearing sensor data, and the controller configured to monitor health of the rotating structure based on the bearing sensor data (“The purpose of the sensor conditioner 74 is to establish the dynamic motion or displacement of the rotor and provide a suitable signal for a PID (proportional, integral, and derivative control) controller 78 to which the conditioned signal is then sent,” Col. 8, ll. 7-11) and the controller further configured to monitor the health of the rotating structure based on the housing sensor data (Col. 7, ll. 56-67; Col. 8, ll. 1-51; Col. 22, ll. 8-41). (Col. 1, ll. 64-67; Col. 6, ll. 1-67; Col. 7, ll. 1-67; Col. 8, ll. 1-67; Col. 9, 1-67; Col. 10, ll. 1-63; Fig. 1-27).
(Col. 6, ll. 11-23) The rotor 22 is illustrated in FIG. 1 to rotate counterclockwise, as illustrated at 32. Disposed between the housing 24 and the foil 26 are a series of, for example, three circumferentially spaced elements or sheets 34 each having a corrugated shape to define a plurality of circumferentially spaced ridges 36 to engage the foil 26 and a corresponding plurality of circumferentially spaced troughs 38 to engage the housing 24 to thereby provide a compliant spring support for the foil, i.e., resiliently bear or support the foil 26. The leading edges of the corrugated supports 34 are anchored to the housing 24 as by anchoring means 40, and the supports 34 extend therefrom circumferentially to trailing free edges 42.
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Figure 1: Annotated Figure 1 of Heshmat.
In reference to Claim 2
Heshmat discloses:
The assembly of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to detect damage to the rotating structure based on the bearing sensor data. (Col. 8, ll. 7-11)
In reference to Claim 3
Heshmat discloses:
The assembly of claim 2, wherein the damage comprises shearing of the rotating structure. (“Thus, damping or velocity control, which is achieved by adding rotor velocity feedback to the current control, is also considered to be needed. In addition to dynamic stiffness and damping, basic rotor position error feedback is also considered to be required to statically center the rotor. The controller 78 is thus provided to sum in summing circuit 86 the proportional signal 80 for dynamic stiffness control, the integral, I, of the position signal error, illustrated at 82, for static stiffness control, and the derivative, D, of the time-varying position signal, illustrated at 84, for damping, in accordance with principles commonly known to those of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains, and to output the signal of the summed information via lines 92a and 92c to power amplifiers 88a and 88c for coils 54a and 54c respectively after being suitably gain and phase compensated, as illustrated at 90,” Col. 8, ll. 19-34).
In reference to Claim 4
Heshmat discloses:
The assembly of claim 2, wherein the damage comprises at least one of a blade out of or blade damage to the rotating structure (“The function of the supervising controller 346 may include intelligent on-line decisions on gain adjustment according to the displacement, temperature, speed, and other measurements and may also include an initiation of a band-pass filter to eliminate synchronous axial vibration or a structure resonance excited by a blade-pass frequency source,” Col. 18, ll. 15-21).
In reference to Claim 5
Heshmat discloses:
The assembly of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to output a health signal when there is a change in the health of the rotating structure. (Col. 8, ll. 19-34).
In reference to Claim 6
Heshmat discloses:
The assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor system further comprises a proximity sensor (66 position error); and the sensor system is configured to provide the bearing sensor data using the proximity sensor (Col. 7, ll. 56-67; Col. 8, ll. 1-5).
In reference to Claim 7
Heshmat discloses:
The assembly of claim 6, wherein the proximity sensor is arranged with the magnetic bearing rotor (Col. 7, ll. 56-67; Col. 8, ll. 1-5).
In reference to Claim 10
Heshmat discloses:
The assembly of claim 1, wherein the controller (78) is configured to detect damage of the rotating structure based on the bearing sensor data and the housing sensor data. (Col. 7, 56-67, Col. 8, ll. 1-51; Col. 22, ll. 8-41, Fig. 5).
In reference to Claim 11
Heshmat discloses:
The assembly of claim 1, wherein the magnetic bearing stator includes a stator body (52) and a plurality of windings (54) wrapped around the stator body; and the controller (78) is configured to signal the power system to selectively power the plurality of windings based on the bearing sensor data (“The signal i is added to bias current I for delivery to one of the coils 54a and subtracted from the bias current I for delivery to the other coil 54c for increasing the flux from one coil and decreasing the flux from the other coil for effecting a movement in the desired direction radially vertically of the rotor 22,” Col. 8, ll. 35-40). (Col. 7, 56-67, Col. 8, ll. 1-51).
In reference to Claim 12
Heshmat discloses:
The assembly of claim 1, wherein the magnetic bearing stator (52) is axially aligned with and circumscribes the magnetic bearing rotor (22) (Fig. 1). (Col. 7, 56-67, Col. 8, ll. 1-51).
In reference to Claim 14
Heshmat discloses:
The assembly of claim 13, wherein the bearing further includes a frame (24 housing); the magnetic bearing stator comprises a plurality of stator protrusions (protrusions of 52) projecting radially inwards into the frame; and the foil bearing (26) is disposed within an inner bore of the frame (Fig. 1). (Col. 5, ll. 64-67; Col. 6, ll. 1-39; Fig. 1).
In reference to Claim 16
Heshmat discloses:
The assembly of claim 1, wherein the rotating structure comprises a bladed rotor for a turbine engine (Col. 2, ll. 64-66; Col. 11, ll. 10-20) . (“The function of the supervising controller 346 may include intelligent on-line decisions on gain adjustment according to the displacement, temperature, speed, and other measurements and may also include an initiation of a band-pass filter to eliminate synchronous axial vibration or a structure resonance excited by a blade-pass frequency source,” Col. 18, ll. 15-21).
In reference to Claim 19
Heshmat discloses:
An operating method, comprising: driving rotation of a rotating structure (22) about an axis, the rotating structure supported by a bearing (20, 1000); providing bearing sensor data (via sensors 66, 224, 226) indicative of a position of a magnetic bearing rotor of the bearing relative to a magnetic bearing stator of the bearing (Col. 7, ll. 56-67; Col. 8, ll. 1-59), the magnetic bearing stator including a stator body (52) and a plurality of windings (54) wrapped around the stator body; selectively powering the plurality of windings based on the bearing sensor data (Col. 8, ll. 35-40); and monitoring health of the rotating structure based on the bearing sensor data (“The purpose of the sensor conditioner 74 is to establish the dynamic motion or displacement of the rotor and provide a suitable signal for a PID (proportional, integral, and derivative control) controller 78 to which the conditioned signal is then sent,” Col. 8, ll. 7-11).
Heshmat discloses determining damage to the rotating structure based on the bearing sensor data, the damage comprising a blade out of the rotating structure.
(Col. 1, ll. 64-67; Col. 6, ll. 1-67; Col. 7, ll. 1-67; Col. 8, ll. 1-67; Col. 9, 1-67; Col. 10, ll. 1-63; Fig. 1-27).
(Col. 15, ll. 45-56, Heshmat) A control procedure may alternatively be provided which does not make control of the left and right magnetic bearing sides 220 and 218 respectively independent, wherein alternative methods for redundancy and/or improved rotor system performance may be influenced by each other. For example, during a change in unbalance due to rotor damage, it may be advantageous to allow the left side 220 of the bearing to be influenced by the right side 218 of the bearing to minimize total bearing loads, or, if the rotor is moving inside the bearing with both ends having the same phase relationship, only one sensor may be needed to control the rotor orbit.
(Col. 3, ll. 29-34, Heshmat) The foil part, since it would not take up any load at start-ups and shut-downs, would not need a coating or its coating, if provided, should last a long time. Furthermore, at high speeds, the foil part would be able to take over and prevent bearing catastrophe in case of electric or control failures.
(Col. 18, ll. 15-21, Heshmat) The function of the supervising controller 346 may include intelligent on-line decisions on gain adjustment according to the displacement, temperature, speed, and other measurements and may also include an initiation of a band-pass filter to eliminate synchronous axial vibration or a structure resonance excited by a blade-pass frequency source.
As shown in Figures 24-26 of the bearing (1000), Heshmat discloses sensors (1050, 1052 in Fig. 24 and sensors 1128 and 1130 in Fig. 26) are sensors embedded within the magnetic bearing rotor or the magnetic bearing stator (Col. 26, ll. 23-35; Fig. 24-26) for the purpose of providing to monitor the magnetic flux between the magnetic bearing and the runner for sensing actual magnetic bearing load (Col. 26, ll. 23-35; Fig. 24-26).
In reference to Claim 20
Heshmat discloses:
The operating method of claim 19, further comprising generating an air cushion radially between the magnetic bearing stator and the magnetic bearing rotor using a foil bearing (“A magnetic bearing typically has a radial air gap of 20 to 30 mils,” Col. 10, ll. 1-5).
In reference to Claim 21
Heshmat discloses:
The operating method of claim 20. Heshmat discloses the foil bearing (20) radially between the magnetic bearing rotor (22) and the magnetic bearing stator (51, 52), the foil bearing including a top foil (26) and a bump foil (44, 46), the bump foil configured to bias the top foil radially inwards towards the rotating structure, the top foil including a top foil base (as annotated in Figure 1 of Heshmat) and a top foil mount (28), the top foil mount connected to the top foil base at a connection point (point where top foil 26 meets 28 as annotated in Figure 1 of Heshmat), and the connection point disposed circumferentially between ends (30) of the top foil as claimed in Claims 1 and 17. (“One edge of the foil 26 is suitably anchored to the housing 24 as at suitable anchoring means 28 and extends therefrom substantially circumferentially around the rotor 22 and terminates in a free or trailing edge 30,” Col. 6, ll. 9-13; Fig. 1).
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.
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 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jin (US 20210062715) in view of Heshmat et al. (US 6770993, hereinafter: “Heshmat”).
In reference to Claim 17
Jin discloses:
An assembly for an engine, comprising:
a rotating structure (100) rotatable about an axis;
a bearing (6200) rotatably supporting the rotating structure, the bearing including a magnetic bearing stator (62015) and a magnetic bearing rotor (62016 sleeve) and a foil bearing (6200), the magnetic bearing rotor mounted with the rotating structure, the magnetic bearing stator including a stator body (62015, 62013) and a plurality of windings (62012 coil), the stator body including a stator base (circumferential body of 62013; Fig. 42-43) and a plurality of stator body protrusions (62011), the stator base extending circumferentially about the axis, each of the plurality of stator body protrusions extending from the stator base to a radial inner distal end (Fig. 42-43), the plurality of windings (62012) wrapped around the plurality of stator body protrusions (62011) (Fig. 42);
a sensor system (62041, 62042, 6204); configured to provide bearing sensor data indicative of a position of the magnetic bearing rotor relative to the magnetic bearing stator [0400-0407] ;
a power system electrically coupled to the plurality of windings (“When the seventh magnetic components are the fourth electromagnets, an electric current is introduced to the fourth coil 62012, such that the fourth magnetic core 62011 can generate a magnetic force. When electric currents in different intensities are introduced into the fourth coil 62012, the magnitudes of the magnetic force generated by the fourth magnetic core 62011 are different accordingly. When electric currents in different directions are introduced into the fourth coil 62012, magnetic poles of the fourth magnetic core 62011 are different accordingly,” [0383]); and
a controller (ECU, DPC; [0174-0176]) configured to signal the power system to selectively power the plurality of windings based on the bearing sensor data [0035-0038], and the controller configured to detect damage to the rotating structure based on the bearing sensor data [0365, 0373, 0444, 0005-0006]. [0374-0452] (Fig. 39-48). Jin discloses the foil bearing (6200) radially between the magnetic bearing rotor (62026) and the magnetic bearing stator (62015) (Fig. 39).
Jin is silent on details of the foil bearing such as a top foil and a bump foil, the bump foil configured to bias the top foil radially inwards towards the rotating structure, the top foil including a top base and a top mount, the top mount connected to the top base at a circumferentially intermediate position between ends of the top foil.
Heshmat discloses the foil bearing (20) radially between the magnetic bearing rotor (22) and the magnetic bearing stator (51, 52), the foil bearing including a top foil (26) and a bump foil (44, 46), the bump foil configured to bias the top foil radially inwards towards the rotating structure, the top foil including a top foil base (as annotated in Figure 1 of Heshmat) and a top foil mount (28), the top foil mount connected to the top foil base at a connection point (point where top foil 26 meets 28 as annotated in Figure 1 of Heshmat), and the connection point disposed circumferentially between ends (30) of the top foil as claimed in Claims 1 and 17. (“One edge of the foil 26 is suitably anchored to the housing 24 as at suitable anchoring means 28 and extends therefrom substantially circumferentially around the rotor 22 and terminates in a free or trailing edge 30,” Col. 6, ll. 9-13; Fig. 1).
Based on the teaching of Heshmat and Jin, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the foil bearing of Jin by including the details of the foil bearing including a top foil base and a top foil mount wherein the top foil mount connected to the top foil base at a connection point, and the connection point disposed circumferentially between ends as taught by Heshmat for the purpose of providing essential details of the foil bearing.
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 AYE SU MON HTAY whose telephone number is (571)270-5958. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9:00am-3:00pm PST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nathan Wiehe can be reached at 571-272-8648. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AYE S HTAY/Examiner, Art Unit 3745
/NATHANIEL E WIEHE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3745
