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, filed 12/19/2025, with respect to objections to claims have been fully considered and are persuasive. The objection of claim 12 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-16 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 § 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.
Claims 1, 3-6, 9, and 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WEIDMAN (US 20040080218) in view of WEISHEIT (US 10530228) and further in view of MAYOR (US 20040201293).
Regarding claim 1, WEIDMAN discloses a rotor assembly (110) for an electric machine, the rotor assembly (110) comprising:
a plurality of rotor laminations (122) arranged in a stacked configuration (see para [0025]);
a plurality of apertures formed in each of the rotor laminations (122), wherein the plurality of apertures of the plurality of rotor laminations (122) are aligned to form a plurality of passages (122b) in the stacked configuration; and
a conductive rotor bar (120) and disposed in each passage of the plurality of passages (122b), wherein each conductive rotor bar (120) includes at least two coolant channels (124) formed therein and configured to receive a flow of coolant for cooling the conductive rotor bar (120) (see para [0026]);
a first conductive end ring and coupled to a first end of the stacked configuration; and
a second conductive end ring and coupled to an opposite second end of the stacked configuration,
wherein the first and second conductive end rings are conductively coupled to the conductive rotor bars.
a first conductive end ring (128a; see para [0029]) coupled to a first end of the stacked configuration; and
a second conductive end ring (128b; see para [0029]) coupled to an opposite second end of the stacked configuration (see Fig. 2a),
wherein the first and second conductive end rings (128a,128b) are conductively coupled to the conductive rotor bars (120) (see para [0029]).
However, WEIDMAN does not disclose the end rings and rotor bar fabricated from copper.
WEISHEIT discloses the end rings and rotor bar fabricated from copper (para [0053]).
It 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 to provide the rotor assembly of WEIDMAN with the end rings and rotor bar fabricated from copper, similar to WEISHEIT.
A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains would have been motivated to make such modification in order to increase motor efficiency, as taught by WEISHEIT (para [0173]).
However, WEIDMAN in view of WEISHEIT fails to teach each conductive rotor bar includes at least three coolant channels.
MAYOR discloses each conductive rotor bar includes at least three coolant channels (para [0012]).
It 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 to provide the rotor of WEIDMAN in view of WEISHEIT with each conductive rotor bar includes at least three coolant channels, similar to MAYOR.
A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains would have been motivated to make such modification in order to minimize the hotspot temperature within the rotor winding conductors, as taught by MAYOR (para [0010])
Regarding claim 3, WEIDMAN in view of WEISHEIT and further in view of MAYOR teaches the rotor assembly of claim 1, wherein
WEIDMAN teaches each of the first and second conductive end rings (128a,128b) includes a coolant channel (138a) fluidly coupled to the at least three coolant channels (124) of each conductive rotor bar (120) (see Fig. 2a).
Regarding claim 4, WEIDMAN in view of WEISHEIT and further in view of MAYOR teaches the rotor assembly of claim 3, wherein
WEIDMAN teaches the coolant channel (138a) of each of the first and second conductive end rings (128a,128b) comprises:
an annular manifold channel (142a); and
a plurality of inlet/outlet channels (unlabeled; see annotated Fig. 2a, below) each fluidly coupled between the annular manifold channel (142a) and the at least three coolant channels (as taught by MAYOR) of one of the conductive rotor bars (120).
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Regarding claim 5, WEIDMAN in view of WEISHEIT and further in view of MAYOR teaches the rotor assembly of claim 1, wherein
WEIDMAN teaches the plurality of apertures extend radially in a circumferential arrangement about the rotor lamination (122) (see Fig. 3a).
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Regarding claim 6, WEIDMAN in view of WEISHEIT and further in view of MAYOR teaches the rotor assembly of claim 1, wherein
MAYOR teaches the at least three coolant channels (9) of each conductive rotor bar is disposed centrally along a midline of the conductive rotor bar (2) (Fig. 1 and 2).
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Regarding claim 9, WEIDMAN discloses a method of manufacturing a rotor assembly (110) for an induction machine, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of rotor laminations (122);
forming each rotor lamination of the plurality of rotor laminations (122) with a plurality of apertures;
arranging the rotor laminations (122) of the plurality of rotor laminations (122) in a stacked configuration with the plurality of apertures of each rotor lamination aligned, to thereby form a plurality of passages (122b) in the stacked configuration;
fabricating a plurality of conductive rotor bars from each with at least two coolant channels formed therein configured to receive a flow of coolant for cooling the conductive rotor bar
disposing one conductive rotor bar (120) in each passage (122b) of the plurality of passages (122b), (see para [0026]);
fabricating a first conductive end ring (128a; see para [0029]) and coupling the first conductive end ring to a first end of the stacked configuration; and
fabricating a second conductive end ring and coupling the second conductive end ring (128b; see para [0029]) to an opposite second end of the stacked configuration,
wherein the first and second conductive end rings are conductively coupled to the conductive rotor bars (120) (see para [0029] and Fig. 2a).
However, WEIDMAN does not disclose the end rings and rotor bar fabricated from copper.
WEISHEIT discloses the end rings and rotor bar fabricated from copper (para [0053]).
It 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 to provide the rotor assembly of WEIDMAN with the end rings and rotor bar fabricated from copper, similar to WEISHEIT.
A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains would have been motivated to make such modification in order to increase motor efficiency, as taught by WEISHEIT (para [0173]).
However, WEIDMAN in view of WEISHEIT fails to teach each conductive rotor bar includes at least three coolant channels.
MAYOR discloses each conductive rotor bar includes at least three coolant channels (para [0012]).
It 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 to provide the rotor of WEIDMAN in view of WEISHEIT with each conductive rotor bar includes at least three coolant channels, similar to MAYOR.
A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains would have been motivated to make such modification in order to minimize the hotspot temperature within the rotor winding conductors, as taught by MAYOR (para [0010])
Regarding claim 11, WEIDMAN in view of WEISHEIT and further in view of MAYOR teaches the method of claim 9, wherein
WEIDMAN teaches each of the first and second conductive end rings (128a,128b) includes a coolant channel (124) fluidly coupled to the at least three coolant channels (as taught by MAYOR) of each conductive rotor bar (120) (see Fig. 2a).
Regarding claim 12, WEIDMAN in view of WEISHEIT and further in view of MAYOR teaches the method of claim 11, wherein
WEIDMAN teaches the coolant channel (124) of each of the first and second conductive end rings (128a,128b) comprises: an annular manifold channel (142a); and a plurality of inlet/outlet channels (unlabeled; see annotated Fig. 2a, above) each fluidly coupled between the annular manifold channel (142a) and the at least three coolant channels (124) of one of the conductive rotor bars (120).
Regarding claim 13, WEIDMAN in view of WEISHEIT and further in view of MAYOR teaches the method of claim 9, wherein
WEIDMAN teaches the plurality of apertures extend radially in a circumferential arrangement about the rotor lamination (see Fig. 3a).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US-20090295239-A1 Nold teaches plural apertures in conductors; US-20190173333-A1 Simons teaches advantages of copper conductors and end rings; US-20200161936-A1 Galmiche teaches advantages of copper conductors and end rings.
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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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Oluseye Iwarere can be reached at (571) 270-5112. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JUSTIN STEFANON/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/OLUSEYE IWARERE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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