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 16 is 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.
A broad range or limitation together with a narrow range or limitation that falls within the broad range or limitation (in the same claim) may be considered indefinite if the resulting claim does not clearly set forth the metes and bounds of the patent protection desired. See MPEP § 2173.05(c). In the present instance, claim 16 recites the broad recitation “or all windings are connected to each other, in particular”, and the claim also recites “they are braided and/or glued and/or connected by a plastic holder, and then they are together arranged radially within the connection sections on the same side of the winding support as the connection sections prior to being connected to the respective connection sections” which is the narrower statement of the range/limitation. The claim(s) are considered indefinite because there is a question or doubt as to whether the feature introduced by such narrower language is (a) merely exemplary of the remainder of the claim, and therefore not required, or (b) a required feature of the claims.
For examining purposes, the limitations at question are being construed as being taught by the prior art.
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(s) 1-7, 15 & 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Baer et al. (DE 102020113547).
1. Baer et al. teach:
A stator 200a for an electric machine 100, comprising:
a winding support 210 having multiple grooves 220 and at least one conductor 230 forming a respective winding (fig 2) for a respective phase of the stator (for W,V, and U phase windings, see fig 3b),
wherein a first and second conductor section (H1 forward winding & R1 reverse winding) of the conductor are formed respectively by multiple conductively interconnected conductor clips (the winding scheme can be seen in fig 3a while the actual winding can be seen in fig 3b),
wherein the conductor clips comprise respectively two groove sections 232, each being led through one of the grooves of the winding support (fig 2), a coupling section 234 connecting the groove sections (fig 2), and
two connection sections 236 which protrude beyond the grooves on a side of the winding support situated opposite the coupling section (fig 2),
wherein the first and second conductor section are connected to each other in series (see abstract) by an intermediate conductor 238, and
wherein the intermediate conductor conductively connects exclusively one connection section of a conductor clip of the first conductor section to a connection section of a conductor clip of the second conductor section (fig 2) and is arranged radially within the connection sections on the side of the winding support situated opposite the coupling section (fig 2).
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2. Baer et al. teach:
The stator according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate conductor is arranged for at least 90% of its length in an axial section of the stator extending between the ends of the connection sections of the intermediate conductor (fig 2 above), facing away from the winding support, and the winding support (fig 2 above).
3. Baer et al. teach:
The stator according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate conductor is arranged for at least 95% of its length in an axial section of the stator extending between the ends of the connection sections of the intermediate conductor (fig 2 above), facing away from the winding support, and the winding support (fig 2 above).
4. Baer et al. teach:
The stator according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate conductor is arranged for its entire length in an axial section of the stator extending between the ends of the connection sections of the intermediate conductor (fig 2 above), facing away from the winding support, and the winding support (fig 2 above).
5. Baer et al. teach:
The stator according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate conductor consists of the same material and/or has the same cross section as the conductor clips (this can be seen visibly, fig 2) and/or both the intermediate conductor and the conductor clips have an insulation layer at least for a portion, while the insulation layers of the conductor clips and the intermediate conductor consist of the same material and/or have the same thickness.
6. Baer et al. teach:
The stator according to claim 1, wherein each time a stack of multiple groove sections of different conductor clips (fig 3B) stacked in the radial direction is arranged in the grooves (fig 3B), while the connection sections which are connected by the respective intermediate conductor prolong a respective groove section (being that the intermediate conductor connects to a reverse winding, fig 3B) which is arranged in the respective groove at the radially innermost position (fig 3B) of the stack of the groove section.
7. Baer et al. teach:
An electric machine 100, comprising: a stator 200 according to claim 1; and a rotor 120.
15. Baer et al. teach:
A method for producing at least one winding (figs 2-3B) for an electric machine 100, comprising:
providing a winding support 210, multiple conductor clips 230 and one intermediate conductor 238 per winding (since it is a reverse connection element),
axial pushing of the conductor clips into the winding support such that two groove sections 232 of each conductor clip lie in a respective groove 220 of the winding support and two connection sections 236 prolonging the respective groove section protrude axially beyond the grooves on one side of the winding support (figs 2 & 3B),
conductively connecting a first subgroup H1 of the conductor clips of the respective winding by their respective connection sections to form a first respective conductor section H1,
conductively connecting a second subgroup R1 of the conductor clips of the respective winding by their respective connection sections to form a second respective conductor section R1, and
conductively connecting the respective first and second conductor sections in series by the respective intermediate conductor 238 to provide the conductor of the respective winding (figs 2 & 3B),
wherein the intermediate conductor is arranged radially (figs 2 & 3B) within the connection sections on the same side of the winding support as the connection sections (figs 2 & 3B) and is conductively connected exclusively to a connection section of a conductor clip of the respective first conductor section (figs 2 & 3B) and to a connection section of a conductor clip of the respective second conductor section (figs 2 & 3B).
16. Baer et al. teach:
The method according to claim 15, wherein multiple windings are produced, wherein the intermediate conductor of some or all windings are connected to each other (please see 112 rejection above), in particular, they are braided and/or glued and/or connected by a plastic holder (please see 112 rejection above), and then they are together arranged radially within the connection sections on the same side of the winding support as the connection sections prior to being connected to the respective connection sections (please see 112 rejection above).
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(s) 8-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baer et al. in view of Reuter et al. (DE 102018203469).
8. Baer et al. has been discussed above, re claim 7; but does not teach that the electric machine is an electrically excited electric machine having a rotor winding, wherein the intermediate conductor is arranged for at least 90% of its length in an axial section of the electric machine, extending from the ends of the connection sections connected by the intermediate conductor that are facing away from the winding support to/of the rotor winding.
Reuter et al. teaches that the electric machine is an electrically excited electric machine having a rotor winding (excerpt below para 0007), wherein the intermediate conductor 7 is arranged for at least 90% of its length in an axial section of the electric machine 1, extending from the ends of the connection sections 5 & 5’ connected by the intermediate conductor that are facing away from the winding support (Reuter et al. figure 1) to/of the rotor winding to simply manufacturing.
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As a result, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to modify the invention of Baer et al. so that the electric machine is an electrically excited electric machine having a rotor winding, wherein the intermediate conductor is arranged for at least 90% of its length in an axial section of the electric machine, extending from the ends of the connection sections connected by the intermediate conductor that are facing away from the winding support to/of the rotor winding, as taught by Reuter et al. so as to simplify manufacturing.
9. Baer et al. has been discussed above, re claim 7; but does not teach that the electric machine is an electrically excited electric machine having a rotor winding, wherein the intermediate conductor is arranged for at least 95% of its length in an axial section of the electric machine, extending from the ends of the connection sections connected by the intermediate conductor that are facing away from the winding support to/of the rotor winding.
Reuter et al. teaches that the electric machine is an electrically excited electric machine having a rotor winding (excerpt below para 0007), wherein the intermediate conductor 7 is arranged for at least 95% of its length in an axial section of the electric machine 1, extending from the ends of the connection sections 5 & 5’ connected by the intermediate conductor that are facing away from the winding support (Reuter et al. figure 1) to/of the rotor winding to simply manufacturing.
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As a result, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to modify the invention of Baer et al. so that the electric machine is an electrically excited electric machine having a rotor winding, wherein the intermediate conductor is arranged for at least 95% of its length in an axial section of the electric machine, extending from the ends of the connection sections connected by the intermediate conductor that are facing away from the winding support to/of the rotor winding, as taught by Reuter et al. so as to simplify manufacturing.
10. Baer et al. has been discussed abopve, re claim 7; but does not teach that the electric machine is an electrically excited electric machine having a rotor winding, wherein the intermediate conductor is arranged for at least its entire length in an axial section of the electric machine, extending from the ends of the connection sections connected by the intermediate conductor that are facing away from the winding support to/of the rotor winding.
Reuter et al. teaches that the electric machine is an electrically excited electric machine having a rotor winding (excerpt below para 0007), wherein the intermediate conductor 7 is arranged for at least its entire length in an axial section of the electric machine 1, extending from the ends of the connection sections 5 & 5’ connected by the intermediate conductor that are facing away from the winding support (Reuter et al. figure 1) to/of the rotor winding to simply manufacturing.
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As a result, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to modify the invention of Baer et al. so that the electric machine is an electrically excited electric machine having a rotor winding, wherein the intermediate conductor is arranged for at least its entire length in an axial section of the electric machine, extending from the ends of the connection sections connected by the intermediate conductor that are facing away from the winding support to/of the rotor winding, as taught by Reuter et al. so as to simplify manufacturing.
11. Baer et al. in view of Reuter et al. teach:
The electric machine according to claim 7, wherein at least 70% of the volume of the respective intermediate conductor (of Baer et al. in view of Reuter et al., Baer et al. fig 1) is arranged in a radial section of the electric machine (of Baer et al. in view of Reuter et al.) which extends from a rotor shaft (of Baer et al. in view of Reuter et al.) of the rotor to/of the inner surface of the winding support.
12. Baer et al. in view of Reuter et al. teach:
The electric machine according to claim 7, wherein at least 85% of the volume of the respective intermediate conductor (of Baer et al. in view of Reuter et al., Baer et al. fig 1) is arranged in a radial section of the electric machine (of Baer et al. in view of Reuter et al.) which extends from a rotor shaft (of Baer et al. in view of Reuter et al.) of the rotor to/of the inner surface of the winding support.
13. Baer et al. teach:
The electric machine according to claim 7, wherein, for a current flow through the respective conductor from a first connection point to a second connection point of the respective winding, the current in the coupling sections of all conductor clips of the first conductor section (H1 for example) is taken by a first direction of rotation (forward direction of winding) and that in the coupling sections of all conductor clips of the second conductor section (R1 for example) is taken by a second direction of rotation (reverse direction of winding), opposite the first direction of rotation, about an axis of rotation of the electric machine.
14. Baer et al. teach:
The electric machine according to claim 13 wherein, for a current flow through the respective conductor from the first connection point to the second connection point of the respective winding, the current in the coupling sections of conductor clips of a third conductor section (H2) is taken by the second direction of rotation about the axis of rotation of the electric machine, the first conductor section being hooked up in series between (using another connector 238, Bear et al. fig 3a) the second and third conductor sections.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TERRANCE L KENERLY whose telephone number is (571)270-7851. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5pm.
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/TERRANCE L KENERLY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834