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, see page 6, lines 7-11, filed 06/11/2025, with respect to “Amendment to the Specification” have been fully considered and are persuasive. The Objection of the Specification has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, see page 6, lines 12-19, filed 06/11/2025, with respect to “Rejection Under 35 U.S.C. § 112” have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejections of claims 1-12 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) have been withdrawn.
While not addressed in Applicant’s arguments, the amended claim 1 resolves the Claim Objections of the previous office action by changing ‘though’ to ‘through.’ The objection of claim 1 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-12, pages 6-9, regarding “Rejection Under 35 U.S.C. § 102” 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by HORII (US 10116178).
Regarding claim 1, HORII discloses an electric motor (100) having a thermal management system and for use in an electrified vehicle (this statement in the preamble recites the purpose or intended use of the claimed invention; it does not result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art. See MPEP 2111.02), the electric motor (100) including a rotor (11) and a stator (1), the thermal management system comprising:
a hollow shaft (12) having
an internal channel (33) extending through a longitudinal length of the shaft such that the internal channel (33) includes an axial length greater than an axial length of the rotor (11) such that the internal channel (33) extends axially outward and beyond opposed axial ends of the rotor (11) and the stator (1) (see Fig. 1); and
one or more shaft radial channels (34) in communication with the internal channel (33) and extending radially outward therefrom through the shaft (12) (see Fig. 1); and
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the rotor (11) coupled to the hollow shaft (12) for rotation therewith (see col. 3, lines 61-63), the rotor (11) including axial channels (17) extending axially through a core (13) of the rotor (11) and one or more rotor radial channels (27) corresponding to and aligning with the one or more shaft radial channels (34) (see Fig. 1), the rotor radial channels (27) being in communication with the axial channels (17) and the internal channel (33) of the hollow shaft (12) via the shaft radial channels (34) (see Fig. 1);
wherein the electric motor (100) is adapted to receive cooling oil into the hollow shaft (12) and route the same to the rotor axial channels (17) via the one or more shaft and rotor radial channels (30) and to the opposed axial ends of the rotor to cool the core (13) of the rotor (11) (see Fig. 1 and col. 6, lines 1-8).
Regarding claim 2, HORII discloses the electric motor of claim 1, wherein
the hollow shaft (12) is defined by the rotor (11). (See col. 3, lines 61-63 the shaft is “press-fitted into and fixed to a shaft insertion aperture.” As such, the location and movement of the shaft are tied to the rotor and the shaft is ‘defined by the rotor’, as broadly claimed),
Regarding claim 3, HORII discloses the electric motor of claim 1, wherein
the opposed axial ends of the rotor (11) comprise first and second opposed axial ends (25,29) and radial inner and outer exterior surfaces, and wherein the one or more rotor radial channels (30) are positioned between the first and second axial ends (25,29) of the rotor (11) (see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 4, HORII discloses the electric motor of claim 3, wherein
the axial channels (17) are positioned through the core (13) of the rotor (11) and extending between and through the first and second axial ends (25,29) of the rotor (11) (see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 5, HORII discloses the electric motor of claim 3, wherein
the one or more shaft radial channels (34) are positioned between the first and second axial ends (25,29) of the rotor (11) (see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 6, HORII discloses the electric motor of claim 3, wherein
the rotor (11) comprises magnets (20) forming part of the rotor core (13), and wherein the axial channels (17) are positioned radially outboard of the radially inner exterior surface and radially inboard of the magnets (see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 7, HORII discloses the electric motor of claim 3, wherein
the oil adapted to cool the rotor core (13) flows through the one or more rotor radial channels (27) into the rotor axial channels (17) and exits the rotor (11) at the first and second axial ends, where said oil contacts the first and second axial ends (25,29) of the rotor (11) thereby providing further cooling to the rotor (11) (see Fig. 1 and col. 6, lines 14-32).
Regarding claim 8, HORII discloses the electric motor of claim 1, wherein
the rotor axial channels (17) comprise eight rotor axial channels (17) circumferentially spaced apart around the rotor (11) (there are 16, comprising 8; see Fig. 2).
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Regarding claim 9, HORII discloses the electric motor of claim 8, wherein
the one or more rotor radial channels (27) comprises eight rotor radial channels (27), each of the eight rotor radial channels (27) in fluid communication with a respective one of the eight rotor axial channels (17) (see col. 7, line 54-col. 8, line 2).
Regarding claim 10, HORII discloses the electric motor of claim 9, wherein
the eight rotor radial channels (27) are axially aligned with each other between the rotor first and second axial ends (see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 12, HORII discloses the electric motor of claim 9, wherein at least two of the rotor radial channels (27 and 31) are axially spaced apart from each other along a longitudinal axis of the electric motor (see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 11, HORII discloses the electric motor of claim 1, wherein
the rotor axial channels (17) comprise four rotor axial channels (17) circumferentially spaced apart around the rotor (11), and wherein the one or more rotor radial channels (27) comprise four rotor radial channels (27), each of the four rotor radial channels (27) in fluid communication with a respective one of the four rotor axial channels (17) . (See Figs. 1 and 2 and col. 7, line 54-col. 8, line 2); there are sixteen of each, comprising four.)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US-20100194220-A1 to Tatematsu discloses a motor with at least eight rotor axial channels in fluid communication with a hollow shaft channel wherein at least two of rotor radial channels are axially spaced apart; US-20210281134-A1 to LUX discloses a motor with rotor axial channels in fluid communication with a hollow shaft channel and radially inside of permanent magnets; US-20230361640-A1 to Madduri discloses a motor with at least eight rotor axial channels in fluid communication with a hollow shaft channel wherein at least two of rotor radial channels are axially spaced apart; US-20240039353-A1 to IKEMOTO discloses a motor with at least eight rotor axial channels in fluid communication with a hollow shaft channel; US-20240348117-A1 to Risko Cattell discloses a motor with at least eight rotor axial channels in fluid communication with a hollow shaft channel wherein at least two of rotor radial channels are axially spaced apart.
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 JUSTIN STEFANON whose telephone number is (703)756-4648. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday and alternate Fridays 8AM - 5PM EDT.
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/JUSTIN STEFANON/ Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/OLUSEYE IWARERE/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834