DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to applicant’s communication filed on 3.26.24. In view of this communication, claims 11-20 are now pending in this application.
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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: Electric machine stator with cooling manifolds having circumferentially variable flow cross section.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
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 11-18,20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jelinewski et al(US20220393526A1), hereinafter Jelinewski in view of Huber et al (US20220045575A1), hereinafter Huber.
Regarding Claim 11, Jelinewski discloses (Figs 1,2,3,4) Electric machine stator (2) comprising:
a stator core (3), a stator winding (10-10) attached to the stator core, a plurality of cooling channels (8) extending through the stator core, and two manifolds (4,5) attached to opposed axial ends (Fig 2) of the stator core for conveying a fluid (Fig 3) into the cooling channels,
each of the two manifolds having a distribution channel (7) hydraulically connected to a share of the cooling channels (6-11 on both ends which are connected to 8 in a alternating manner Para 0044). Jelinewski does not explicitly disclose wherein a flow cross-section of the distribution channel decreases along a circumferential main extension direction of the distribution channel.
Huber discloses (Fig 3) wherein a flow cross-section (Q1(U)) of the distribution channel (18) decreases along a circumferential main extension direction of the distribution channel [Para 0051].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have formed stator of Jelinewski modified by distribution channel of Huber in order to uniformly distribute cooling fluid to the cooling ducts.
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Regarding Claim 12, Jelinewski in view of Huber discloses Electric machine stator according to claim 11. Jelinewski in view of Huber further discloses wherein the distribution channel is circular (Jelinewski,7) but does not explicitly disclose wherein the flow cross-section of the distribution channel decreases from a position of maximum flow cross-section in both circumferential directions, wherein the fluid is fed to the distribution channel at the position of maximum flow cross-section.
Huber further discloses wherein the flow cross-section (Q1(U)) of the distribution channel (18) decreases from a position of maximum flow cross-section (near 12) in both circumferential directions (Fig 3, S)[0051], wherein the fluid is fed to the distribution channel at the position (12) of maximum flow cross-section.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have formed stator of Jelinewski modified by distribution channel of Huber in order to uniformly distribute cooling fluid to the cooling ducts.
Regarding Claim 13, Jelinewski in view of Huber discloses Electric machine stator according to claim 12. Jelinewski in view of Huber does not disclose wherein a position of minimum flow cross-section of the distribution channel is at an angular distance of about 1800 from the position of maximum flow cross-section on a circumference of the distribution channel.
Huber further discloses (Fig 7, 18) wherein a position of minimum flow cross-section of the distribution channel is at an angular distance of about 1800 from the position of maximum flow cross-section on a circumference of the distribution channel.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have formed stator of Jelinewski modified by distribution channel of Huber in order to uniformly distribute cooling fluid to the cooling ducts.
Regarding Claim 14, Jelinewski in view of Huber discloses Electric machine stator according to claim 11. Jelinewski in view of Huber further discloses (Jelinewski, Fig 3) wherein the cooling channels (8) are evenly distributed about a circumference (Fig 3) of the stator core (3), and connected hydraulically to one of the two manifolds (4 or 5) according to an alternating pattern [Para 0044].
Regarding Claim 15, Jelinewski in view of Huber discloses Electric machine stator according to claim 11. Jelinewski in view of Huber further discloses wherein each of the two manifolds (Jelinewski , 4,5) has outlet channels (12) hydraulically connected to the share of cooling channels (8) that are hydraulically connected to the distribution channel (7) of the respective other one (5,4) of the two manifolds, to receive the fluid from said share of cooling channels (8), wherein the outlet channels have at least one opening (9) for dispensing the fluid.
Regarding Claim 16, Jelinewski in view of Huber discloses Electric machine stator according to claim 11. Jelinewski in view of Huber further discloses wherein the distribution channel (Jelinewski ,7) is formed as a groove (Fig 2) in the manifold (4,5), the groove being closed by a housing [Para 0040 discloses “housing-affixed stator] encasing the stator core, wherein the housing has at least one inlet [Para 0012 discloses “housing section having a cooling duct” and distribution channels are connected to cooling duct] hydraulically connected to at least one of the distribution channels (7).
Regarding Claim 17, Jelinewski in view of Huber discloses Electric machine stator according to claim 16. Jelinewski in view of Huber further discloses wherein in a mounted position, the at least one inlet (Jelinewski, 11) is arranged in a position of maximum potential energy (this is inherent as flow takes place from higher pressure to lower pressure and higher pressure is same as higher potential energy. Examiner interprets “maximum” as being within the context of the fluid flow path. If Applicant intends gravity feeding of coolant, then it should be recited in the claims).
Regarding Claim 18, Jelinewski in view of Huber discloses Electric machine stator according to claim 11. Jelinewski in view of Huber further discloses wherein the manifolds (Jelinewski,4.5) have a positioning element to preserve a relative circumferential position [Para 0020 discloses “in the installed condition of the end plates at the stator, are positioned with respect to the axial ducts in such a way that coolant flows through each recess into a particular axial duct aligned therewith”] with respect to the stator core (3).
Regarding Claim 20, Jelinewski in view of Huber discloses Electric machine stator according to claim 11. Jelinewski in view of Huber further discloses wherein the stator core (Jelinewski,3) is composed of a plurality of identical laminations (Fig 3 discloses identical 3 in axial direction).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 19 is 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:
Claim 19 recites “ Electric machine stator according to claim 11, wherein the manifolds each have a gap in the circumferential direction, a resilient member being arranged between two surfaces facing the gap and biassing the two surfaces apart”. Neither Jelinewski nor Huber disclose this structure. In Jelinewski, there is no C shaped structure with a circumferential gap along with resilient member in between. Huber as well does not disclose the same structure. Therefore claim 19 is allowable.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VISWANATHAN SUBRAMANIAN whose telephone number is (571)272-4814. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm.
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/VISWANATHAN SUBRAMANIAN/Examiner, Art Unit 2834