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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDSs) submitted on 04/19/24 and 12/11/24 are being considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendment
This office action is in response to preliminary amendment filed on 04/19/24. Regarding the amendment, claims 1-20 are present for examination.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the core part" in line 6, “the outer winding” in line 9, and “the inner winding” in line 11. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the axial extension part" in line 9, “the radial extension part” in line 10. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims 2, 4-20 are rejected because of their dependency.
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) 3-6, 8-12, 14,17-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Palafox (Us 8,487,489 B2).
Regarding claim 3, Palafox teaches an oil spray ring (138) for spraying cooling oil towards a winding head (118) of a stator (106) of an electric motor (100), wherein the oil spray ring comprises
an axially extending portion (138a) being provided with a first oil spray hole (142a), the first oil spray hole (142a) sprays cooling oil toward an outer winding (118a) of the winding head (118);
a radially extending portion (138b) being provided with a second oil spray hole (142b), the second oil spray hole (142b) sprays cooling oil toward an inner winding (118c) of the winding head (118),
a chamber (140) integrally provided in the axial extension part (138a) and the radial extension part (138b), and being used for supplying the cooling oil to the first oil spray hole (142a) and the second oil spray hole (142b).
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Regarding claim 4, Palafox teaches the first oil spray hole (142a) of the axially extending portion (138a) sprays the cooling oil along a first direction, and the second oil spray hole (142b) of the radially extending portion (138b) sprays the cooling oil along a second direction different from the first direction (fig 6).
Regarding claim 5, Palafox teaches the first direction is a radial direction and the second direction at least comprise a component in the axial direction (see the arrow in fig 9).
Regarding claim 6, Palafox teaches the first oil spray hole (142a) sprays cooling oil toward the outer winding (118a) of the winding head (118) along multiple different directions; and/or the second oil spray hole (142b) sprays cooling oil toward the inner winding (118b) of the winding head (118) along multiple different directions.
Regarding claims 8 and 17, Palafox teaches the first oil spray hole (142a) is arranged close to an end of the axial extending portion (138a), and/or the second oil spray hole (142b) is arranged close to an end of the radially extending portion (138b).
Regarding claims 9 and 18, Palafox teaches the first oil spray hole (142a) and the second oil spray hole (142b) are arranged at the same circumferential position, or the first oil spray hole (142a) and the second oil spray hole (142b) are offset from each other by a predetermined angle in the circumferential direction (fig 6).
Regarding claims 10 and 19, Palafox teaches the axially extending portion (138a) comprises a plurality of first oil spray holes (142a) uniformly distributed along the circumferential direction; and/or the radially extending portion (138b) comprises a plurality of second oil spray holes (142b) uniformly distributed along the circumferential direction.
Regarding claim 11, Palafox teaches the numbers of the first oil spray hole (142a) and the second oil spray hole (142b) are equal (fig 8), or the numbers of the first oil spray hole and the second oil spray hole are different.
Regarding claims 12 and 20, Palafox teaches the oil spray ring (138) further comprises an oil inlet hole (134) arranged on the radially extending portion (138a) or the axially extending portion, and the oil inlet hole (134) communicates with the chamber and supply the cooling oil to the oil spray ring (fig 9).
Regarding claim 14, Palafox teaches an electrical motor (100) comprising the electrical motor cooling arrangement.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-2, 7, 15-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Palafox in view of Huang et al. (US 12,424,893 B2).
Regarding claim 1, Palafox teaches an electric motor cooling arrangement, wherein the electric motor cooling arrangement comprises:
an end oil spray assembly (138) arranged at both ends of a stator (106) of an electric motor (100), being used to spray cooling oil (150) toward a winding head (118) of the stator (106) to cool the winding head (118);
a liquid cooling assembly (124) arranged to surround at least the core part (113b) of the stator (106), and cooling liquid circulates in the liquid cooling assembly (124) to cool the core part (113b) of the stator (106);
wherein the end oil spray assembly (138) sprays cooling oil (150) toward both the outer winding (118a) and the inner winding (118c) of the winding head (118). However, Palafox does not teach the liquid cooling is water, but rather "conductive fluid" when discussing the cooling fluid used.
Huang teaches an electric vehicle having a water cooling assembly (311) to ensure good heat dissipation in the motor (col 12 ln 5-10).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Palafox’s electric motor cooling arrangement with a water cooling assembly as taught by Huang. Doing so would ensure good heat dissipation in the motor (col 12 ln 5-10).
Regarding claim 2, Palafox in view of Huang teaches the claimed invention as set forth in claim 1, Palafox further teaches the water cooling assembly (124) also surrounds at least a part of the winding head (118, fig 7).
Regarding claims 7 and 16, Palafox teaches the claimed invention as set forth in claims 3 and 4, except for the added limitation of the first oil spray hole includes a first guide portion for guiding the cooling oil sprayed through the first oil spray hole; and/or the second oil spray hole includes a second guide portion for guiding the cooling oil sprayed through the second oil spray hole.
Huang teaches an electric vehicle having a first oil spray hole (327) includes a first guide portion (323) for guiding the cooling oil sprayed through the first oil spray hole (fig 4) to ensure good heat dissipation in the motor (col 12 ln 5-10).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Palafox’s electric motor cooling arrangement with the first oil spray hole includes a first guide portion for guiding the cooling oil sprayed through the first oil spray hole and/or the second oil spray hole includes a second guide portion for guiding the cooling oil sprayed through the second oil spray hole as taught by Huang. Doing so would ensure good heat dissipation in the motor (col 12 ln 5-10).
Regarding claim 15, Palafox teaches the claimed invention as set forth in claim 14, except for the added limitation of a vehicle comprising the electric motor.
Huang teaches a vehicle having the electric motor (fig 26) to ensure heat dissipation reliability of the motor (abstract).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Palafox’s electric motor cooling arrangement in an vehicle as taught by Huang. Doing so would ensure heat dissipation reliability of the motor (abstract).
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Palafox in view of Goto et al. (US 2011/0215660 A1).
Regarding claim 13, Palafox teaches the claimed invention as set forth in claim 3, except for the added limitation of the oil spray ring is integrally injection-molded on a bus bar of the winding of the stator.
Goto teaches a rotating electrical machine having an oil spray ring (173) is integrally injection-molded on a bus bar of the winding of the stator (150) to improve cooling efficiency of the end coil (para [0019]).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Palafox’s electric motor cooling arrangement with the oil spray ring is integrally injection-molded on a bus bar of the winding of the stator as taught by Goto. Doing so would improve cooling efficiency of the end coil (para [0019]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Takenaka et al. (US 2010/0045125 A1) teaches a rotary electric machine having a stator including a coil; and a cooling unit that cools a coil end of the coil, which projects in an axial direction of the stator, wherein the cooling unit includes: an outer periphery cooling portion that is disposed along an outer peripheral surface of the coil end and includes a plurality of injection holes that inject a cooling medium onto the outer peripheral surface; and an end surface cooling portion that is disposed along an axial end surface of the coil end and includes a plurality of injection holes that inject the cooling medium onto the axial end surface.
Rippel et al. (US 2004/0012294 A1) teaches an electric motor, transformer or inductor having a lamination cooling system comprising a stack of laminations, each defining a plurality of apertures at least partially coincident with apertures of adjacent laminations. The apertures define a plurality of cooling-fluid passageways through the lamination stack, and gaps between the adjacent laminations are sealed to prevent a liquid cooling fluid in the passageways from escaping between the laminations. The gaps are sealed by injecting a heat-cured sealant into the passageways, expelling excess sealant, and heat-curing the lamination stack. The apertures of each lamination can be coincident with the same-sized apertures of adjacent laminations to form straight passageways, or they can vary in size, shape and/or position to form non-axial passageways, angled passageways, bidirectional passageways, and manifold sections of passageways that connect a plurality of different passageway sections. Manifold members adjoin opposite ends of the lamination stack, and each is configured with one or more cavities to act as a manifold to adjacent passageway ends. Complex manifold arrangements can create bidirectional flow in a variety of patterns.
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/LEDA T PHAM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834