DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . This Office Action is responsive to the Applicant's communication filed 21 May 2026. In view of this communication and the amendment concurrently filed: claims 1-19 were previously pending; claim 5 was canceled by the amendment; and thus, claims 1-4 and 6-19 are now pending in the application.
Response to Arguments
The Applicant’s arguments, filed 21 May 2026, have been fully considered but are not persuasive.
The Applicant’s first argument (page 8 of the Remarks) states, regarding the previous grounds of rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(d), that claim 18 has been amended to recite further limitations. As such, said previous grounds of rejection have been withdrawn.
The Applicant’s second argument (pages 8-12 of the Remarks) alleges, regarding the previous grounds of rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103, that Licentia does not disclose “the plurality of winding layer groups each comprising a separate electrically conductive conductor” as recited in the amended independent claims, as incorporated from claim 5, now canceled. While the argument alleges that Licentia “does not include any teaching or suggestion that each turn comprises a separate electrically conductive conductor wire”, no explanation or evidence is provided in support of this allegation. As was cited in the grounds of rejection, Licentia clearly shows four separate conductor wires, elements 14-17, in figure 1. Further, while the argument appears to allege that the “turns” are not “conductors”, Licentia uses the term “turn conductors” and labels each individual conductor with the labels 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b, 16a, 16b, 17a, and 17b (page 2, lines 43-64). Thus, Licentia does disclose the amended limitations reciting separate electrically conductive conductor wires, this argument is unpersuasive, and the previous grounds of rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 are maintained.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d) or (f), 365(a) or (b), or 386(a), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Disclosure
The specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant's cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 1-4, 6-7, 16-17, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Licentia, GMBH (GB 1,105,807 A), hereinafter referred to as “Licentia”.
Regarding claim 1, Licentia discloses an electric machine configured as a salient pole synchronous machine (fig. 1-4; page 1, lines 10-12), comprising:
at least one component [10-17] configured as a stator or a rotor [10-17] (fig. 1-4; page 2, lines 43-50), the at least one component [10-17] comprising:
a plurality of parts [11], wherein at least two parts [11a,11b] of the plurality of parts [11] each have at least one tooth [t1,t2] extending along a radial direction of the electric machine (fig. 3; page 2, lines 45-50; circumferentially spaced poles comprise teeth, pole shoes, and windings wound thereon); and
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a winding [14-17] wound around each tooth [t1,t2] of the at least one tooth [t1,t2], the winding [14-17] being formed from one or more electrically conductive conductor wires [14,15,16,17] (fig. 1-4; page 2, lines 48-64); and
a cooling system [20-22] configured such that a cooling fluid [air] is led through a hollow cross section [20] of at least one of the one or more electrically conductive conductor wires [14,15,16,17] (fig. 1-4; page 2, lines 60-106),
wherein at least one of the windings [14-17] includes a plurality of winding layer groups [14,15,16,17] situated one on top of another relative to the radial direction, each of the plurality of winding layer groups [14,15,16,17] including a winding layer [14,15,16,17] or a plurality of winding layers situated one on top of another, the plurality of winding layer groups [14,15,16,17] each comprising a separate electrically conductive conductor wire [14,15,16,17] (fig. 1, 3; page 2, lines 48-61).
Regarding claim 2, Licentia discloses the electric machine according to claim 1, as stated above, wherein each of the plurality of parts [11] is segmented and includes exactly one tooth [t1,t2] (fig. 3; page 2, lines 45-50; each circumferentially spaced pole is attached to the rotor yoke [13] and comprises a single tooth).
Regarding claim 3, Licentia discloses the electric machine according to claim 1, as stated above, wherein the at least one component [10-17] is configured as a rotor [10-17] (fig. 1-4; page 2, lines 43-50), and the plurality of parts [11] of the at least one component [10-17] are situated along a circumference of a rotor shaft [10], the rotor shaft [10] extending along a longitudinal direction of the electric machine and being rotationally movably supported (fig. 1-4; page 2, lines 43-48; the rotor shaft is impliedly disclosed as being located at axis [10], about which the rotor rotates in direction [25]).
Regarding claim 4, Licentia discloses the electric machine according to claim 1, as stated above, wherein each of the teeth [t1,t2] have a T-shape including a longitudinal bar and a transverse bar, the longitudinal bar extending along the radial direction and the one or more electrically conductive conductor wires being wound around the longitudinal bar (fig. 1, 3; page 2, lines 45-50, 71-74; the wound portions of the teeth extend radially and are capped by “pole horns 23” which extend circumferentially).
Regarding claim 6, Licentia discloses the electric machine according to claim 1, as stated above, further comprising at least one fluidic input connection component [31] configured to fluidly couple input-side end sections [21] of electrically conductive conductor wires [14,15,16,17] of at least two winding layer groups [14,15,16,17] to one or more feed chambers [33] (fig. 3-4; page 2, lines 91-106),
wherein the one or more feed chambers [33] are fluidly coupled upstream from the electrically conductive conductor wires [14,15,16,17] of the at least two winding layer groups [14,15,16,17], such that the at least two winding layer groups [14,15,16,17] are fluidly coupled in parallel (fig. 3-4; page 2, lines 76-90).
Regarding claim 7, Licentia discloses the electric machine according to claim 1, as stated above, further comprising at least one fluidic output connection component [32] configured to fluidly couple output-side end sections [22] of the electrically conductive conductor wires [14,15,16,17] of the at least two winding layer groups [14,15,16,17] to one or more discharge chambers [34] (fig. 3-4; page 2, lines 91-106),
wherein the one or more discharge chambers [34] are fluidly coupled downstream from the electrically conductive conductor wires [14,15,16,17] of the at least two winding layer groups [14,15,16,17] (fig. 3-4; page 2, lines 76-90).
Regarding claim 16, Licentia discloses the electric machine according to claim 1, as stated above, wherein the component [10-17] is configured as a rotor [10-17] (fig. 1-4; page 2, lines 43-50),
wherein the cooling system [20-22] forms a cooling circuit through which the cooling fluid [air] is conveyed by a conveying device (fig. 1-4; page 2, lines 60-106),
wherein a rotor shaft [10] of the component [10-17] is rotationally movably supported, extends along a longitudinal direction of the electric machine (fig. 1-4; page 2, lines 43-48; the rotor shaft is impliedly disclosed as being located at axis [10], about which the rotor rotates in direction [25]), and includes or is adjacent to at least one feed channel [33] and/or at least one discharge channel [34], the feed channel [33] and/or the discharge channel [34] extending, at least in sections, along the longitudinal direction of the rotor shaft [10] (fig. 3-4; page 2, lines 76-106), and
wherein the feed channel [33] leads from the conveying device to the at least one electrically conductive wire [14,15,16,17] having the hollow cross section, and/or the discharge channel [34] leads to the conveying device from the at least one electrically conductive conductor wire [14,15,16,17] having the hollow cross section (fig. 3-4; page 2, lines 76-90; arrows [27] and [30] show the path of the cooling fluid through the channels).
Regarding claim 17, Licentia discloses a component [10-17] for an electric machine configured as a salient pole synchronous machine (fig. 1-4; page 1, lines 10-12), the component [10-17] configured as a stator or a rotor [10-17] (fig. 1-4; page 2, lines 43-50) and comprising:
a plurality of parts [11], at least two of the plurality of parts [11a,11b] each having at least one tooth [t1,t2] extending along a radial direction of the electric machine (fig. 3; page 2, lines 45-50; circumferentially spaced poles comprise teeth, pole shoes, and windings wound thereon);
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a winding wound [14-17] around each tooth [t1,t2] of the at least one tooth [t1,t2], the winding [14-17] being formed from one or more electrically conductive conductor wires [14,15,16,17] (fig. 1-4; page 2, lines 48-64); and
a cooling system [20-22] of the electric machine being configured to lead a cooling fluid [air] through a hollow cross section [20] of at least one of the one or more electrically conductive conductor wires [14,15,16,17] (fig. 1-4; page 2, lines 60-106),
wherein at least one of the windings [14-17] includes a plurality of winding layer groups [14,15,16,17] situated one on top of another relative to the radial direction, each of the plurality of winding layer groups [14,15,16,17] including a winding layer [14,15,16,17] or a plurality of winding layers situated one on top of another, the plurality of winding layer groups [14,15,16,17] each comprising a separate electrically conductive conductor wire [14,15,16,17] (fig. 1, 3; page 2, lines 48-61).
Regarding claim 19, Licentia discloses a method for manufacturing a component [10-17] configured as a stator or a rotor [10-17] for an electric machine configured as a salient pole synchronous machine (fig. 1-4; page 1, lines 10-12, 43-50), comprising:
assembling the component [10-17] from a plurality of parts [11], at least two of the plurality of parts [11a,11b] each having at least one tooth [t1,t2] extending along a radial direction of the electric machine (fig. 3; page 2, lines 45-50; circumferentially spaced poles comprise teeth, pole shoes, and windings wound thereon), at least one electrically conductive conductor wire [14,15,16,17] for forming a winding [14-17] being wound around each tooth [t1,t2] of the at least one tooth [t1,t2] before the component [10-17] is assembled (fig. 1-4; page 2, lines 48-64),
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at least one winding [14-17] including a plurality of winding layer groups [14,15,16,17] situated one on top of another relative to the radial direction, each of the plurality of winding layer groups [14,15,16,17] including a winding layer [14,15,16,17] or a plurality of winding layers situated one on top of another, the plurality of winding layer groups [14,15,16,17] each comprising a separate electrically conductive conductor wire [14,15,16,17] (fig. 1, 3; page 2, lines 48-61),
wherein a cooling system [20-22] of the electric machine is configured to lead a cooling fluid [air] through a hollow cross section [20] of at least one of the at least one electrically conductive conductor wires [14,15,16,17] (fig. 1-4; page 2, lines 60-106).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claim(s) 13-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Licentia in view of Pyrhönen et al. (US 2013/0285487 A1), hereinafter referred to as “Pyrhonen”.
Regarding claim 13, Licentia discloses the electric machine according to claim 1, as stated above.
Licentia does not further disclose one or more electrical connection components, each of the one or more electrical connection components being configured to couple end sections of the one or more electrically conductive conductor wires of two neighboring winding layer groups of one of the windings to one another, such that the two neighboring winding layer groups are electrically coupled in series.
Pyrhonen discloses an electric machine comprising a component [100] having electrically conductive conductor wires [103] wound around teeth [102] (fig. 1; ¶ 0035), further comprising one or more electrical connection components [105], each of the one or more electrical connection components [105] being configured to couple end sections [106] of the one or more electrically conductive conductor wires [103] of two neighboring winding layer groups of one of the windings [103] to one another (fig. 1; ¶ 0035-0036), such that the two neighboring winding layer groups are electrically coupled in series (¶ 0036).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the windings of Licentia having one or more electrical connection components for connecting its windings in series as taught by Pyrhonen, in order to achieve a desired voltage level (¶ 0037 of Pyrhonen).
Regarding claim 14, Licentia, in view of Pyrhonen, discloses the electric machine according to claim 13, as stated above, wherein Pyrhonen further discloses that the end sections [106] of the one or more electrically conductive conductor wires [103] of pairwise neighboring winding layer groups of each winding [103] are coupled to one another by an electrical connection component [106], such that all winding layer groups of each winding [103] are successively electrically coupled in series (fig. 1; ¶ 0035-0037).
Regarding claim 15, Licentia discloses the electric machine according to claim 6, as stated above.
Licentia does not further disclose one or more electrical connection components, each of the one or more electrical connection components being configured to couple end sections of the one or more electrically conductive conductor wires of two neighboring winding layer groups of one of the windings to one another, such that the two neighboring winding layer groups are electrically coupled in series, wherein at least one shared connection component is provided which forms a fluidic connection component of the at least one fluidic connection components and an electrical connection component of the one or more electrical connection components.
Pyrhonen discloses an electric machine comprising a component [100] having electrically conductive conductor wires [103] wound around teeth [102] (fig. 1; ¶ 0035), comprising one or more electrical connection components [105], each of the one or more electrical connection components [105] being configured to couple end sections [106] of the one or more electrically conductive conductor wires [103] of two neighboring winding layer groups of one of the windings [103] to one another (fig. 1; ¶ 0035-0036), such that the two neighboring winding layer groups are electrically coupled in series (¶ 0036),
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wherein at least one shared connection component [830] is provided which forms a fluidic connection component [830] of the at least one fluidic connection components [809] (fig. 8; ¶ 0058) and an electrical connection component [105] of the one or more electrical connection components [105] (fig. 1; ¶ 0035-0036).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the windings of Licentia having one or more electrical connection components for connecting its windings in series as taught by Pyrhonen, in order to achieve a desired voltage level (¶ 0037 of Pyrhonen).
Further, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the cooling system of Licentia having at least one shared connection component as taught by Pyrhonen, in order to efficiently connect the tubes of the cooling system thereby improving the effectiveness of the cooling system and improving motor performance (¶ 0002, 0058 of Pyrhonen).
Claim(s) 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schweinert (US 2017/0126084 A1), hereinafter referred to as “Schweinert”, in view of Licentia.
Regarding claim 18, Schweinert discloses a synchronous electric machine [20], configured to form part of a motor vehicle (¶ 0016, 0053), comprising a component [22] with windings [24,25,26] wound thereon (fig. 18; ¶ 0100-0101).
Schweinert does not disclose the electric machine being that according to claim1.
Licentia discloses the electric machine according to claim 1, as stated above.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the motor vehicle of Schweinert having the electric machine as taught by Licentia, in order to provide a simple and effective arrangement for cooling the conductors (page 1, lines 21-24 of Licentia).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 8-12 is/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:
Regarding claim 8, and all claims dependent thereon, the prior art does not disclose, inter alia, the electric machine according to claim 6, further comprising one or more supply parts, each of the one or more supply parts being situated next to at least one of the windings relative to a longitudinal direction of the electric machine,
wherein at least one of the one or more supply parts is configured as a feed part having at least one of the one or more feed chambers.
Regarding claim 9, and all claims dependent thereon, the prior art does not disclose, inter alia, the electric machine according to claim 7, further comprising one or more supply parts, each of the one or more supply parts being situated next to at least one of the windings relative to a longitudinal direction of the electric machine,
wherein at least one of the one or more supply parts is configured as a discharge part having at least one of the one or more discharge chambers.
While the prior art discloses various arrangements for cooling the windings of electrical machines, it does not disclose, in combination with the hollow cross-section conductor wires recited previously, the above arrangement of the supply parts being both situated longitudinally adjacent to the windings and configured as a discharge part. As such, the devices recited in claims 8 and 9 are neither anticipated nor rendered obvious by the prior art.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Citation of Relevant Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. Prior art:
El-Refaie et al. (US 2022/0320933 A1) discloses an electric machine component having cooling fluid circulated through hollow conductors.
Schweinert (US 2021/0091619 A1) discloses hollow conductors through which a cooling fluid is circulated.
Kulkarni et al. (US 2014/0265660 A1) discloses a rotor of an electrical machine comprising salient poles wound with coils, and tubes containing cooling fluid embedded within the conductors.
Kaminski et al. (US 4,543,503) discloses a rotor comprising poles wound with coils having hollow conductors through which a coolant is circulated.
Fujioka et al. (US 4,335,324) discloses a rotor of an electrical machine comprising poles with coils having hollow conductors through which a coolant is circulated.
Elliott (US 3,652,882) discloses a rotor of an electrical machine with coils comprising hollow conductors through which a cooling fluid is circulated.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated any 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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
This action is a final rejection and closes the prosecution of this application. Applicant’s reply under 37 CFR 1.113 to this action is limited to an appeal to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, an amendment complying with the requirements set forth below, or a request for continued examination (RCE) to reopen prosecution where permitted.
General information on the Patent Trial and Appeal Board is available at: www.uspto.gov/patents/patent-trial-and-appeal-board/about-ptab/new-ptab. The information at this page includes guidance on time limited options that may assist the applicant contemplating appealing an examiner’s rejection. It also includes information on pro bono (free) legal services and advice available for those who are under-resourced and considering an appeal at: https://www.uspto.gov/patents/patent-trial-and-appeal-board/patent-trial-and-appeal-board-pro-bono-program-independent. The page is best reviewed promptly after applicant has received a final rejection or the claims have been twice rejected because some of the noted assistance must be requested within one month from the date of the latest rejection. See MPEP § 1204 for more information on filing a notice of appeal.
If applicant should desire to appeal any rejection made by the examiner, a Notice of Appeal must be filed within the period for reply. The Notice of Appeal must be accompanied by the fee required by 37 CFR 41.20(b)(1). The current fee amount is available at: www.uspto.gov/Fees.
If applicant should desire to file an after-final amendment, entry of the proposed amendment cannot be made as a matter of right unless it merely cancels claims or complies with a formal requirement made in a previous Office action. Amendments touching the merits of the application which otherwise might not be proper may be admitted upon a showing of good and sufficient reasons why they are necessary and why they were not presented earlier.
A reply under 37 CFR 1.113 to a final rejection must include cancellation of or appeal from the rejection of, each rejected claim. The filing of an amendment after final rejection, whether or not it is entered, does not stop the running of the statutory period for reply to the final rejection unless the examiner holds all of the claims to be in condition for allowance.
If applicant should desire to continue prosecution in a utility or plant application filed on or after May 29, 2000 and have the finality of this Office action withdrawn, an RCE under 37 CFR 1.114 may be filed within the period for reply. See MPEP § 706.07(h) for more information on the requirements for filing an RCE.
The application will become abandoned unless a Notice of Appeal, an after final replay that places the application in condition for allowance, or an RCE has been filed properly within the period for reply, or any extension of this period obtained under either 37 CFR 1.136(a) or (b).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Michael Andrews whose telephone number is (571)270-7554. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday, 8:30am-3:00pm.
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/Michael Andrews/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
Prosecution Insights