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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 33-34 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 33, “at least one shaft” was already recited as “a shaft” in claim 18.
Claim 34, “a shaft” was already recited in claim 18.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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.
Claims 18-22, 24-28 and 33-35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Heidler (DE 10 2019 133 677 A1) in view of Watanabe et al. (US 2014/0077631 A1).
Regarding claim 18, Heidler discloses an arrangement (FIG. 1) for grounding a component (5, 7, 9, 15, 16), comprising:
a shaft (5, 7);
a grounding hub (9) that electrically conductively connects the component (5, 7, 9, 15, 16) with a ground (“in operating state of the electric drive unit 1 the grounding of the rotor shaft 5”), the grounding hub (9) electrically conductively connected to the component (5, 7, 9, 15, 16) at a first axial end (right axial side of the grounding hub 9) of the grounding hub (9), at least some sections of the grounding hub (9) being tubular (FIG. 2),
wherein the shaft (5, 7) is arranged coaxially at least with the grounding hub (9).
Heidler does not disclose forming an axially extending supply line that opens at the first axial end, fluid being flowable through the axially extending supply line in a first path to the first axial end, the grounding hub arranged radially inwardly of the shaft,
wherein the grounding hub comprises at least one recess that connects the supply line to an intermediate space radially delimited between the grounding hub and the shaft and extending axially to the first axial end, and
wherein a circumferential damming edge is formed on an inner diameter of the shaft and axially on a side of the at least one recess that faces away from the first end,
the circumferential damming edge, in interaction with the intermediate space, forming a second path for conducting fluid from the supply line via the at least one recess to the first axial end.
Watanabe discloses forming an axially extending supply line (36a) that opens at the first axial end (right axial end has an opening), fluid being flowable through the axially extending supply line (36a) in a first path to the first axial end, the grounding hub (oil pump driving shaft 36) arranged radially inwardly of the shaft (20, 32),
wherein the grounding hub (36) comprises at least one recess (36c) that connects the supply line (36a) to an intermediate space (32a) radially delimited between the grounding hub (36) and the shaft (20, 32) and extending axially to the first axial end (FIG. 1), and
wherein a circumferential damming edge (32d, 32e) is formed on an inner diameter of the shaft (20, 32) and axially on a side of the at least one recess (36c) that faces away from the first end (weir portion 32d is on the left axial end),
the circumferential damming edge (32d, 32e), in interaction with the intermediate space (32a), forming a second path for conducting fluid from the supply line (36a) via the at least one recess (32c) to the first axial end (FIG. 2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the claimed invention to have modified Heidler in view of Watanabe to disclose forming an axially extending supply line that opens at the first axial end, fluid being flowable through the axially extending supply line in a first path to the first axial end, the grounding hub arranged radially inwardly of the shaft, wherein the grounding hub comprises at least one recess that connects the supply line to an intermediate space radially delimited between the grounding hub and the shaft and extending axially to the first axial end, and wherein a circumferential damming edge is formed on an inner diameter of the shaft and axially on a side of the at least one recess that faces away from the first end, the circumferential damming edge, in interaction with the intermediate space, forming a second path for conducting fluid from the supply line via the at least one recess to the first axial end, for the advantages of preventing lower rotation efficiency due to excess oil not used in cooling.
Regarding claim 19/18, Heidler in view of Watanabe was discussed above in claim 18. Heidler further discloses the component (5, 7, 9, 15, 16) comprises a rotor shaft (5, 7) of an electric machine (1); and the ground comprises a housing (8; “the lance is used to ground the rotor shaft via the housing”).
Regarding claim 20/18, Heidler in view of Watanabe was discussed above in claim 18. Heidler further discloses the electrically conductive connection of the grounding hub (9) to the ground (through connection 13 to housing 8) established at the second axial end (left axial end) of the grounding hub (9).
Heidler does not disclose the grounding hub corresponds to a tube; the supply line extends axially from a second axial end to the first axial end and is suppliable with the fluid from the ground at the second axial end.
Watanabe discloses the grounding hub (36) corresponds to a tube (FIG. 2); the supply line (36a) extends axially from a second axial end (left axial end) to the first axial end (right axial end) and is suppliable with the fluid from the ground at the second axial end (through pump 38).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the claimed invention to have modified Heidler in view of Watanabe to disclose the grounding hub corresponds to a tube; the supply line extends axially from a second axial end to the first axial end and is suppliable with the fluid from the ground at the second axial end, for the advantages of preventing lower rotation efficiency due to excess oil not used in cooling.
Regarding claim 21/18, Heidler in view of Watanabe was discussed above in claim 18. Heidler in view of Watanabe would further disclose the at least one recess (36c of Watanabe; Heidler as modified would have the recess located in the middle of the hub) is disposed axially on a side of an external toothing (see annotation below) of the shaft (5, 7 of Heidler) that faces away from the damming edge (32d of Watanabe; Heidler as modified would have the damming edge located on the left axial end of the hub), the external toothing (see annotation below) configured to establish a coupling to the shaft (5, 7; coupled to a gear 6).
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Regarding claim 22/18, Heidler in view of Watanabe was discussed above in claim 18. Watanabe further discloses the at least one recess (36c) is disposed at a top portion of the grounding hub (36) when the grounding hub (36) is in an installed position (FIG. 3).
Regarding claim 24/18, Heidler in view of Watanabe was discussed above in claim 18. Watanabe further discloses the shaft (20, 32) is connected to the component (5, 7, 9, 15, 16) for conjoint rotation (connected by spline fitting).
Regarding claim 25/18, Heidler in view of Watanabe was discussed above in claim 18. Watanabe further discloses the shaft (32) and the component (20, 32, 36) define a collecting chamber (64a) therebetween, the first path (36a) and the second path (32a) at least predominantly converge at the collecting chamber (64a).
Regarding claim 26/25, Heidler in view of Watanabe was discussed above in claim 25. Watanabe further discloses the shaft (32) is connected to the component (20, 32, 36) for conjoint rotation;
the shaft (32) and the component (20, 32, 36) are both rotatably mounted via at least one bearing (46, 48) at a bearing point radially external to a corotational connection;
the collecting chamber (64a) is situated radially no higher than a gap (62) formed between the shaft (32) and the component (20, 32, 36); and the collecting chamber (64a) is connected via the gap (62) with a region of the at least one bearing (46, 48) situated vertically underneath the collecting chamber (64a; FIG. 3).
Regarding claim 27/26, Heidler in view of Watanabe was discussed above in claim 25. Watanabe further discloses a stationary guide element (40) inclined towards the at least one bearing (46, 48), the stationary guide element (40) disposed vertically underneath the gap (62; parts of the element 40 is underneath the gap 62), the stationary guide element (40) disposed vertically above and axially next to the at least one bearing (46; FIG. 2).
Regarding claim 28/18, Heidler in view of Watanabe was discussed above in claim 18. Heidler further discloses the first axial end of the grounding hub (9) is partially connected to an inner region of the component (5, 7, 9, 15, 16).
Regarding claim 33/18, Heidler in view of Watanabe was discussed above in claim 18. Heidler further discloses a transmission (6), comprising at least one shaft (5, 7) that is grounded with the arrangement of claim 18.
Regarding claim 34/18, Heidler in view of Watanabe was discussed above in claim 18. Heidler further discloses an electric drive axle unit (title) for a motor vehicle (“the invention relates to a motor vehicle which comprises an electric drive unit according to the invention”), comprising a shaft (5, 7) grounded with the arrangement of claim 18.
Regarding claim 35/18, Heidler in view of Watanabe was discussed above in claim 18. Heidler further discloses a rotationally fixed stator (4); and
a rotatable rotor (3) coupled to a rotor shaft (5, 7),
wherein the rotor shaft (5, 7) is grounded with the arrangement of claim 18.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 23 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.
Regarding claim 23/18, the specific limitation of “a passage (29) extends axially through the grounding element (25) and via which the supply line (28) is connected to an end face of the portion (26) of the grounding element (25)” in the combination as claimed are neither anticipated nor made obvious over the prior art made of record.
While Watanabe discloses a passage through the right axial end portion of the shaft, it would be in hindsight to incorporate the passage into Heidler’s carbon brush holder and charcoal pencil.
Regarding claim 29/28, the specific limitation of “at least some sections of the rotor shaft (8) have a polygonal outer contour, at which the rotor shaft (8) is connected to a rotor (42) of the electric machine (3) for conjoint rotation; and
a plurality of channels (44) are formed between an inner circumference of the rotor (42) and an outer circumference of the outer contour (43), each channel being connected to the inner region (32) of the rotor shaft (11)” in the combination as claimed are neither anticipated nor made obvious over the prior art made of record.
None of the prior arts discloses a rotor shaft having a polygonal outer contour, and cooling channels are formed between the shaft and a rotor attached to the shaft.
Claims 30-32 are allowable for depending upon claim 29.
Conclusion
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/MINKI CHANG/ Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/OLUSEYE IWARERE/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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