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 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 (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 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.
Claims 1-4, 6-9, 11-14 and 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Heilman et al. (US 2017/0063182 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Heilman discloses a motor housing (28), comprising:
sidewalls (30) and an end (34) collectively forming a cavity (36) configured to receive a stator (14) having a stator core (22) and windings (24) on the stator core (22);
a pilot bore (see annotation below) recessed into a portion of the end of the motor housing (28), the pilot bore sized to receive a portion of the stator (14), wherein sidewall surfaces of the pilot bore contact peripheral surfaces of the stator core (22) for a first distance along an axial direction of the stator (14; FIG. 8);
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stator supports (see annotation above) projecting from the sidewalls (30) of the motor housing (28) and contacting portions of the peripheral surfaces of the stator core (22), the portions of the peripheral surfaces of the stator core (22) contacted by the stator supports spaced apart in the axial direction from the portions of the peripheral surfaces of the stator core (22) contacted by the sidewall surfaces of the pilot bore (FIG. 8); and
one or more channels (116, 118) each formed in the sidewalls (30) of the motor housing (28) between the pilot bore and the stator supports, the one or more channels (116, 118) each configured to leave a space between the sidewalls (30) of the motor housing (28) and the stator core (22) to allow flow of combined coolant and lubricant over the surfaces of the stator adjoining the channels (¶ [0082]).
Regarding claim 2/1, Heilman was discussed above in claim 1. Heilman further discloses the portions of the peripheral surfaces of the stator core (22) contacted by the sidewall surfaces of the pilot bore are located at a first end (left axial end in FIG. 8) of the stator core (22), and the portions of the peripheral surfaces of the stator core (22) contacted by the stator supports are located between a second end (right axil end in FIG. 8) of the stator core (22) and a midpoint of an axial length of the stator core (22).
Regarding claim 3/1, Heilman was discussed above in claim 1. Heilman further discloses the channels (116, 118) extend from the portions of the peripheral surfaces of the stator core (22) contacted by the sidewall surfaces of the pilot bore to the portions of the peripheral surfaces of the stator core (22) contacted by the stator supports (FIG. 8, the channels 116, 118 extends between one axial end to another axial end).
Regarding claim 4/1, Heilman was discussed above in claim 1. Heilman further discloses the channels (116, 118) extend along the axial direction (FIG. 6, 7).
Regarding claim 6/1, Heilman was discussed above in claim 1. Heilman further discloses the channels (116, 118) include reservoirs (134, 136) for accumulation of the combined coolant and lubricant at hotspots for the stator (14).
Regarding claim 7/1, Heilman was discussed above in claim 1. Heilman further discloses when the stator (14) is seated in the motor housing (28), ends of the windings (24) extend past the sidewall surfaces of the pilot bore contacted by the portions of the peripheral surfaces of the stator core (22; FIG. 8).
Regarding claim 8/1, Heilman was discussed above in claim 1. Heilman further discloses the stator supports augment movement constraint provided by the pilot bore for the stator (14) when the stator (14) is seated in the motor housing (28; FIG. 8; the housing holds the stator).
Regarding claim 9/1, Heilman was discussed above in claim 1. Heilman further discloses a motor (10) comprising the motor housing (28) according to Claim 1, the motor (10) further comprising:
the stator (14) seated within the motor housing (28); and
a rotor (12) rotatably mounted within the stator (14).
Regarding claim 11, Heilman discloses a method of cooling an electric motor (10) within a motor housing (28), the method comprising:
seating a stator (14) within a cavity (36) of the motor housing (28) collectively formed by sidewalls (30) and an end (34) for the motor housing (28), the stator (14) having a stator core (22) and windings (24) on the stator core (22);
positioning a portion (left axial end) of the stator core (22) within a pilot bore (see annotation below) recessed into a portion of the end (34) of the motor housing (28), the pilot bore sized to receive the portion of the stator (14), wherein sidewall surfaces of the pilot bore contact peripheral surfaces of the stator core (22) for a first distance along an axial direction of the stator (14);
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constraining movement of the stator (14) within the cavity (36) by stator supports (see annotation above) projecting from the sidewalls (30) of the motor housing (28)and contacting portions of the peripheral surfaces of the stator core (22), the portions of the peripheral surfaces of the stator core (22) contacted by the stator supports spaced apart in the axial direction from the portions of the peripheral surfaces of the stator core (22) contacted by the sidewall surfaces of the pilot bore (FIG. 8); and
providing combined coolant and lubricant to flow through one or more channels (116, 118) each formed in the sidewalls (30) of the motor housing (28) between the pilot bore and the stator supports (FIG. 8), the one or more channels (116, 118) each configured to leave a space between the sidewalls (30) of the motor housing (28) and the stator core (22) to allow flow of the combined coolant and lubricant over the surfaces of the stator (14) adjoining the channels 9116, 118; ¶ [0082]).
Regarding claim 12/11, Heilman was discussed above in claim 11. Heilman further discloses the portions of the peripheral surfaces of the stator core (22) contacted by the sidewall surfaces of the pilot bore are located at a first end (left axial end in FIG. 8) of the stator core (22), and the portions of the peripheral surfaces of the stator core (22) contacted by the stator supports are located between a second end (right axil end in FIG. 8) of the stator core (22) and a midpoint of an axial length of the stator core (22).
Regarding claim 13/11, Heilman was discussed above in claim 11. Heilman further discloses the channels (116, 118) extend from the portions of the peripheral surfaces of the stator core (22) contacted by the sidewall surfaces of the pilot bore to the portions of the peripheral surfaces of the stator core (22) contacted by the stator supports (FIG. 8, the channels 116, 118 extends between one axial end to another axial end).
Regarding claim 14/11, Heilman was discussed above in claim 11. Heilman further discloses the channels (116, 118) extend along the axial direction (FIG. 6, 7).
Regarding claim 16/11, Heilman was discussed above in claim 11. Heilman further discloses the channels (116, 118) include reservoirs (134, 136) for accumulation of the combined coolant and lubricant at hotspots for the stator (14).
Regarding claim 17/11, Heilman was discussed above in claim 11. Heilman further discloses ends of the windings (24) extend past the sidewall surfaces of the pilot bore contacted by the portions of the peripheral surfaces of the stator core (22; FIG. 8).
Regarding claim 18/11, Heilman was discussed above in claim 11. Heilman further discloses the stator supports augment movement constraint provided by the pilot bore for the stator (14; FIG. 8; the housing holds the stator).
Regarding claim 19/11, Heilman was discussed above in claim 11. Heilman further discloses rotatably mounting a rotor (12) within the stator (14).
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 5 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Heilman et al. (US 2017/00631852 A1).
Regarding claim 5/1, Heilman was discussed above in claim 1. Heilman does not explicitly disclose the channels are routed based on hotspots for the stator. Heilman does disclose that “the stator cooling passage 116 is preferably generally tortuous in form so as to increase the distance traveled by coolant flowing therethrough and therefore increase the heat-absorption and/or -dissipation effects had by the coolant,” indicating that the goal of the cooling channels is preventing hotspots by increasing heat absorption and dissipation. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the channels are routed based on hotspots to prevent hotspots in the stator. Thus, Heilman discloses claim 5.
Regarding claim 15/11, Heilman was discussed above in claim 11. Heilman does not explicitly disclose the channels are routed based on hotspots for the stator. Heilman does disclose that “the stator cooling passage 116 is preferably generally tortuous in form so as to increase the distance traveled by coolant flowing therethrough and therefore increase the heat-absorption and/or -dissipation effects had by the coolant,” indicating that the goal of the cooling channels is preventing hotspots by increasing heat absorption and dissipation. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the channels are routed based on hotspots to prevent hotspots in the stator. Thus, Heilman discloses claim 15.
Claims 10 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Heilman et al. (US 2017/0063182 A1) in view of Leonardi et al. (US 2023/0103957 A1).
Regarding claim 10/9, Heilman was discussed above in claim 9. Heilman further discloses an electric vehicle (¶ [0043]) comprising the motor (10) according to claim 9.
Heilman does not explicitly disclose a cabin, wherein the motor is mounted inside a portion of the cabin;
a drive system powered by the motor; and
wheels mechanically coupled to the drive system.
Leonardi discloses a cabin (FIG. 1), wherein the motor (18) is mounted inside a portion of the cabin (FIG. 1);
a drive system (12) powered by the motor (18); and
wheels (48) mechanically coupled to the drive system (18).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the claimed invention to have modified Heilman in view of Leonardi to disclose a cabin, wherein the motor is mounted inside a portion of the cabin; a drive system powered by the motor; and wheels mechanically coupled to the drive system, as Heilman already discloses the motor is used as a traction motor to power an electric vehicle, and the motor is coupled to the wheels of the vehicle, but does not explicitly show the structure. Leonardi discloses the structure alluded to by Heilman.
Regarding claim 20, Heilman was discussed above in claim 19. Heilman does not explicitly disclose the electric motor is mounted inside a portion of a cabin for an electric vehicle, the method further comprising:
powering a drive system by the motor; and
driving wheels mechanically coupled to the drive system.
Leonardi discloses the electric motor (18) is mounted inside a portion of a cabin for an electric vehicle (FIG. 1), the method further comprising:
powering a drive system (12) by the motor (18); and
driving wheels (48) mechanically coupled to the drive system (12).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the claimed invention to have modified Heilman in view of Leonardi to disclose the electric motor is mounted inside a portion of a cabin for an electric vehicle, the method further comprising: powering a drive system by the motor; and driving wheels mechanically coupled to the drive system, as Heilman already discloses the motor is used as a traction motor to power an electric vehicle, and the motor is coupled to the wheels of the vehicle, it would obvious to use Leonardi’s design as a base for Heilman, but does not explicitly show the structure. Leonardi discloses the structure alluded to by Heilman.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MINKI CHANG whose telephone number is (571)270-0521. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Seye 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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/MINKI CHANG/ Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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