DETAILED ACTION
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the plurality of bearings provided between the rotor carrier and spindle (see claim 18) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered. As shown in figures 4 and 5, the applicant’s shown rotor carrier ends before reaching the second set of bearings therefore the applicant’s figures fail to show the rotor carrier being supported by multiple sets of bearings between the rotor carrier and the spindle hollow.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
Claim(s) 1-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by LaForce et al (US Pub No 2023/0110432).
Regarding claim 1, LaForce discloses an electric drive unit, comprising:
a housing that defines a motor housing region (shown below, indicated by 207) and a gearbox region (to the left of the housing region shown below, shown by 209), the housing having a bearing shield (320) that extends between the motor housing region and the gearbox region and defines an aperture;
a rotor shaft (310) that extends axially through the aperture from the motor housing region into the gearbox region;
a motor disposed within the motor housing region and including a stator (300) and a rotor (302) arranged on the rotor shaft; and
a plurality of bearings (309, 312) operably coupled with the rotor shaft and configured to support and facilitate rotation of the rotor shaft, wherein the plurality of bearings includes every bearing of the electric drive unit that is operably coupled with the rotor shaft and configured to support and facilitate rotation of the rotor shaft, and wherein at least one of (1) each of the plurality of bearings is disposed outside of the motor housing region and (2) each of the plurality of bearings is disposed within the gearbox region.
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Regarding claim 2, LaForce discloses the plurality of bearings comprises: a first bearing (e.g. 312) that extends radially between the bearing shield and the rotor shaft.
Regarding claim 3, LaForce discloses the first bearing is an unsealed bearing (see at least [0038]).
Regarding claim 4, LaForce discloses the plurality of bearings further comprises: a second bearing (e.g. 309) axially offset from the first bearing, such that the second bearing is further than the first bearing from the aperture defined by the bearing shield.
Regarding claims 5 and 16, LaForce discloses the rotor shaft is an assembly of a plurality of coaxial rotor shaft components (e.g. 310 and 308 making up a singular shaft).
Regarding claims 6 and 13, LaForce discloses each of the plurality of bearings is disposed outside of the motor housing region.
Regarding claims 7 and 12, LaForce discloses each of the plurality of bearings is disposed within the gearbox region.
Regarding claim 8, LaForce discloses the electric drive unit is a portion of an electric axle assembly of a vehicle (100, shown in figure 1).
Regarding claim 9, LaForce discloses an electric axle assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
a housing (e.g. 207, 209) that defines an interior region;
a motor disposed within the interior region and having a stator (300) and a rotor (302) that extends in a first axial direction from a first axial end to a second axial end opposite the first axial end and includes an axial midpoint positioned axially equidistant from the first and second axial ends of the rotor;
a rotor shaft (310) operably coupled with the rotor, such that operation of the motor drives rotation of the rotor shaft; and
a plurality of bearings (309, 312) operably coupled with the rotor shaft and configured to support and facilitate rotation of the rotor shaft, wherein the plurality of bearings includes every bearing of the electric axle assembly that is operably coupled with the rotor shaft and configured to support and facilitate rotation of the rotor shaft, and wherein each of the plurality of bearings is axially offset from the axial midpoint of the rotor in the first axial direction (as shown in figure 3).
Regarding claim 10, LaForce discloses at least a portion of each of the plurality of bearings is axially offset from the second axial end of the rotor in the first axial direction (as shown in figure 3).
Regarding claim 11, LaForce discloses the interior region includes a motor housing region that houses the motor (shown above, 207), and a gearbox region (209), and wherein the rotor shaft extends from the motor housing region into the gearbox region.
Regarding claim 14, LaForce discloses a gearset (328, 330) disposed within the gearbox region and operable to splash fluid disposed within the gearbox region to lubricate at least one of the plurality of bearings (noted in column 13, lines 36-53).
Regarding claim 15, LaForce discloses the motor housing region and the gearbox region are sealed from each other (via 324, shown throughout figure 4), such that fluid is prevented from entering the motor housing region from the gearbox region.
Claim(s) 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Pydin (US Pub No 2019/0193552).
Regarding claim 17, Pydin discloses an electric axle assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
a housing (30) that defines an interior region;
a motor having a stator (20) and a rotor (10) and being disposed within the interior region defined by the housing, wherein the motor is operable to drive rotation of a rotor carrier (12) that defines a rotor carrier hollow and that is axially aligned with and radially inboard of the rotor;
a spindle (33) that defines a spindle hollow, the spindle being coupled to the housing and extending within the rotor carrier hollow;
a rotor shaft (6) that extends through the spindle hollow and that is coupled to the rotor carrier, such that the rotor shaft and rotor carrier are configured to rotate together at a common rate of rotation; and
at least one bearing (42) that extends radially between the rotor carrier and the spindle, wherein the at least one bearing is configured to support and facilitate rotation of the rotor carrier relative to the spindle.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 18-20 are 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: None of the prior at on record discloses or suggests the applicant’s claimed features of the details of the bearing, supporting structure and lubricating aspect thereof.
*Please note the drawing objection relating to claim 18. As noted the features must be shown in the drawings or cancelled from the claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Cited art generally discloses feature believed to be relevant to the claimed invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Patrick Cicchino whose telephone number is (571)270-1954. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:30AM to 5PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anita Coupe can be reached at (571)270-3614. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Patrick Cicchino/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3619