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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 4/24/2024 is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 10, 13, and 17 objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites the limitation “each hairpin” in line 10.
Claim 10 recites the limitation “each hairpin” in line 1.
Claim 13 recites the limitation “ each hairpin” in line 10.
Claim 17 recites the limitation “ each hairpin” in line 13.
Claim 1 recites the limitation “each hollow conductor” in lines 13-14.
Claim 13 recites the limitation “each hollow conductor” in lines 13-14.
Claim 17 recites the limitation “each hollow conductor” in line 16.
Applicant is advised to keep recitation of “hollow hairpin conductor” consistent throughout objected claims as to not invoke 35 USC 112b Rejection.
Claim 1 recites the limitation “arranged to receive cooling medium” in lines 12-13.
Claim 4 recites the limitation “arranged to receive cooling medium” in line 4.
Claim 13 recites the limitation “arranged to receive cooling medium” in lines 12-13.
Claim 14 recites the limitation “arranged to receive cooling medium” in line 4.
Claim 17 recites the limitation “arranged to receive cooling medium” in lines 14-15.
Claim 20 recites the limitation “arranged to receive cooling medium” in line 8.
Applicant is advised to incorporate the determiner “a” between the terms receive and cooling in order to grammatically correct the above recitations.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-3, 5-6, 8-13, 15, and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Cedric (US2023072181A1, of record).
Claim 1
Cedric teaches: A stator (10) for an electric motor (stator for an electric motor, Title) of an electric vehicle, the stator (10) comprising: (Note that when reading the preamble in the context of the entire claim, the recitation “of an electric motor” is not limiting because the body of the claim describes a complete invention and the language recited solely in the preamble does not provide any distinct definition of any of the claimed invention' s limitations)
an annular stator core (12) comprising an inner circumferential surface, wherein a plurality of circumferentially distributed slots (13) are formed in the inner circumferential surface;
a hairpin winding arrangement, the hairpin winding arrangement comprising a plurality of hollow hairpin conductors (14), each hollow hairpin conductor (14) extending from a first portion (141) to a second portion (143) thereof, each first portion (141) comprising an inlet (14a) and each second portion (143) comprising an outlet (14b), each slot accommodates portions of the plurality of hollow hairpin conductors (14), the plurality of circumferentially distributed slots (13) comprising fluid inlet (14a) slots (13) and fluid outlet (14b) slots (13), wherein the fluid inlet (14a) slots (13) accommodates a plurality of first portions (141) and the fluid outlet (14b) slots (13) accommodates a plurality of second portions (143) such that each hairpin is accommodated by two slots (13); and
wherein each inlet (14a) of each hollow hairpin conductor (14) is arranged to receive cooling medium (cooling fluid, para. 0037) from a cooling device (16), thereby allowing the cooling medium (cooling fluid, para. 0037) to circulate inside each hollow conductor from the inlet (14a) to the outlet (14b) thereof.
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Claim 2/1
Cedric teaches: The stator (10) of claim 1, wherein the annular stator core (12) comprise a first base surface (lateral surface provided by radially inner portion of teeth 11, see fig. 1) and an opposing second base surface (outer surface of exterior of stator core 12), wherein each inlet (14a) and outlet (14b) protrudes out of, or is accessible from, a common base surface of the first base surface (lateral surface provided by radially inner portion of teeth 11, see fig. 1) and the second base surface (outer surface of exterior of stator core 12).
Claim 3/2/1
Cedric teaches: The stator (10) of claim 2, wherein the stator (10) comprises a separation structure (structure illustrated in Fig. 7 and 8) attached to the stator (10), wherein the separation structure (structure illustrated in Fig. 7 and 8) comprises a barrier (circumferentially spanning ‘barrier’ labeled below) isolating the inlets (14a) from the outlets (14b) within the separation structure (structure illustrated in Fig. 7 and 8).
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Claim 5/3/2/1
Cedric teaches: The stator (10) of claim 3, wherein the barrier (circumferentially spanning ‘barrier’) comprises a first barrier surface (labeled ‘FBS’ below) and an opposing second barrier surface (labeled ‘SBS’ below), the first barrier surface (FBS) being exposed to inlets (14a) and the second barrier surface (SBS) being exposed to outlets (14b) of the hollow hairpin conductors (14).
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Claim 6/3/2/1
Cedric teaches: The stator (10) of claim 3, wherein the separation structure (structure illustrated in Fig. 7 and 8) comprises:
an annular cylinder (formed by cylindrically shaped case 16) having an inner cylindrical body (labeled ‘ICB’ below) and an outer cylindrical body (labeled ‘OCB’ below) coaxially arranged with the inner cylindrical body (labeled ‘ICB’);
at least a first cylinder base (labeled ‘FCB’) adjoining first edges (curved fillet exteriors) of the inner cylindrical body (labeled ‘ICB’) and the outer cylindrical body (labeled ‘OCB’); and
wherein the barrier (circumferentially spanning ‘barrier’) is formed intermediate the inner cylindrical body (labeled ‘ICB’) and the outer cylindrical body (labeled ‘OCB’).
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Claim 8/3/2/1
Cedric teaches: The stator (10) of claim 3, wherein the inlets (14a) and the outlets (14b) protrude into the separation structure (structure illustrated in Fig. 7 and 8).
Claim 9/3/2/1
Cedric teaches: The stator (10) of claim 3, wherein the separation structure (structure illustrated in Fig. 7 and 8) is integrally formed.
Claim 10/1
Cedric teaches: The stator (10) of claim 1, wherein each hairpin conductor comprises a bridging portion (142) intermediate the first portion (141) and the second portion (143), the bridging portion (142) bridging the hairpin between the two slots (13).
Claim 11/1
Cedric teaches: The stator (10) of claim 1, wherein the fluid inlet (14a) slots (13) and the fluid outlet (14b) slots (13) are periodically distributed, every other slot of the circumferentially distributed slots (13) are the fluid inlet (14a) slots (13) such that remaining slots (13) are the fluid outlet (14b) slots (13).
Claim 12
Cedric teaches: A separation structure (structure illustrated in Fig. 7 and 8) comprising:
an annular cylinder (formed by cylindrically shaped case 16) having an inner cylindrical body (labeled ‘ICB’) and an outer cylindrical body (labeled ‘OCB’) coaxially arranged with the inner cylindrical body (labeled ‘ICB’);
at least a first cylinder base (labeled ‘FCB’) adjoining first edges of the inner cylindrical body (labeled ‘ICB’) and the outer cylindrical body (labeled ‘OCB’);
a barrier (circumferentially spanning ‘barrier’) formed intermediate the inner cylindrical body (labeled ‘ICB’) and the outer cylindrical body (labeled ‘OCB’); and
wherein the separation structure (structure illustrated in Fig. 7 and 8) is configured to be attached to a stator (10).
Claim 13/12
Cedric teaches: The separation structure (structure illustrated in Fig. 7 and 8) of claim 12, wherein the stator (10) comprises:
an annular stator core (12) comprising an inner circumferential surface, wherein a plurality of circumferentially distributed slots (13) are formed in the inner circumferential surface;
a hairpin winding arrangement, the hairpin winding arrangement comprising a plurality of hollow hairpin conductors (14), each hollow hairpin conductor (14) extending from a first portion (141) to a second portion (143) thereof, each first portion (141) comprising an inlet (14a) and each second portion (143) comprising an outlet (14b), each slot accommodates portions of the plurality of hollow hairpin conductors (14), the plurality of circumferentially distributed slots (13) comprising fluid inlet (14a) slots (13) and fluid outlet (14b) slots (13), wherein the fluid inlet (14a) slots (13) accommodates a plurality of first portions (141) and the fluid outlet (14b) slots (13) accommodates a plurality of second portions (143) such that each hairpin is accommodated by two slots (13); and wherein each inlet (14a) of each hollow hairpin conductor (14) is arranged to receive cooling medium (cooling fluid, para. 0037) from a cooling device (16), thereby allowing the cooling medium (cooling fluid, para. 0037) to circulate inside each hollow conductor from the inlet (14a) to the outlet (14b) thereof.
Claim 15/13/12
Cedric teaches: The separation structure (structure illustrated in Fig. 7 and 8) of claim 13, wherein the barrier (circumferentially spanning ‘barrier’) comprises a first barrier (circumferentially spanning ‘barrier’) surface and an opposing second barrier (circumferentially spanning ‘barrier’ labeled below) surface, the first barrier surface (labeled ‘FBS’) being exposed to inlets (14a) and the second barrier surface (labeled ‘SBS’) being exposed to outlets (14b) of the hollow hairpin conductors (14).
Claim 17
Cedric teaches: An electric motor comprising:
a stator (10), the stator (10) comprising:
an annular stator core (12) comprising an inner circumferential surface, wherein a plurality of circumferentially distributed slots (13) are formed in the inner circumferential surface;
a hairpin winding arrangement, the hairpin winding arrangement comprising a plurality of hollow hairpin conductors (14), each hollow hairpin conductor (14) extending from a first portion (141) to a second portion (143) thereof, each first portion (141) comprising an inlet (14a) and each second portion (143) comprising an outlet (14b), each slot accommodates portions of the plurality of hollow hairpin conductors (14), the plurality of circumferentially distributed slots (13) comprising fluid inlet (14a) slots (13) and fluid outlet (14b) slots (13), wherein the fluid inlet (14a) slots (13) accommodates a plurality of first portions (141) and the fluid outlet (14b) slots (13) accommodates a plurality of second portions (143) such that each hairpin is accommodated by two slots (13); and
wherein each inlet (14a) of each hollow hairpin conductor (14) is arranged to receive cooling medium (cooling fluid, para. 0037) from a cooling device (16), thereby allowing the cooling medium (cooling fluid, para. 0037) to circulate inside each hollow conductor from the inlet (14a) to the outlet (14b) thereof; and
a rotor (para. 0002) accommodated by the stator (10).
Claim 18/17
Cedric teaches: The electric motor of claim 17, wherein the annular stator core (12) comprises a first base surface (lateral surface provided by radially inner portion of teeth 11, see fig. 1) and an opposing second base surface (outer surface of exterior of stator core 12), wherein each inlet (14a) and outlet (14b) protrudes out of, or is accessible from, a common base surface of the first base surface (lateral surface provided by radially inner portion of teeth 11, see fig. 1) and the second base surface (outer surface of exterior of stator core 12).
Claim 19/18/17
Cedric teaches: The electric motor of claim 18, wherein the stator (10) comprises a separation structure (structure illustrated in Fig. 7 and 8) attached to the stator (10), wherein the separation structure (structure illustrated in Fig. 7 and 8) comprises a barrier (circumferentially spanning ‘barrier’) isolating the inlets (14a) from the outlets (14b) within the separation structure (structure illustrated in Fig. 7 and 8).
Claim 20/19/18/17
Cedric teaches: The electric motor of claim 19, wherein the barrier (circumferentially spanning ‘barrier’ labeled below) of the separation structure (structure illustrated in Fig. 7 and 8) is a meandering barrier (circumferentially spanning ‘barrier’ labeled below), the meandering barrier (circumferentially spanning ‘barrier’ labeled below) dividing an inner space enclosed by the separation structure (structure illustrated in Fig. 7 and 8) into an inlet (14a) chamber and an outlet (14b) chamber, the inlet (14a) chamber comprising a cooling medium (cooling fluid, para. 0037) receiving opening arranged to receive cooling medium (cooling fluid, para. 0037) from the cooling device (16), the outlet (14b) chamber comprises a cooling outlet (14b) opening arranged to output cooling medium (cooling fluid, para. 0037).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 7, 14, and 16 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.
Claim 4/3/2/1
Claim 4 is allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
As for claim 4, Cedric teaches: The stator (10) of claim 3;
The prior art fails to teach or fairly suggest, alone or in obvious combination, inter alia:
wherein the barrier of the separation structure is a meandering barrier, the meandering barrier dividing an inner space enclosed by the separation structure into an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, the inlet chamber comprising a cooling medium receiving opening arranged to receive cooling medium from the cooling device, the outlet chamber comprises a cooling outlet opening arranged to output cooling medium.
Employing the meandering structure described would require a complete redesign of Cedric’s cooling device 16 that would not have been obvious to implement before the filing of the claimed invention by a person of ordinary skill in the 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.”
Claim 7/3/2/1
Claim 7 is allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
As for claim 7, Cedric teaches: The stator (10) of claim 3;
The prior art fails to teach or fairly suggest, alone or in obvious combination, inter alia:
wherein the separation structure comprises a second cylinder base adjoining second edges of the inner cylindrical body and the outer cylindrical body, the second cylinder base being arranged to attach to the common base surface or inlets and outlets protruding out from the common base surface, wherein the second cylinder base comprises hairpin openings arranged to allow cooling medium to be transferred from an inlet chamber to an outlet chamber of the separation structure, by means of the hollow hairpin conductors.
Employing a second cylinder described would require a complete redesign of Cedric’s cooling device 16 that would not have been obvious to implement before the filing of the claimed invention by a person of ordinary skill in the 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.”
Claim 14/13/12
Claim 14 is allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
As for claim 14, Cedric teaches: The separation structure (structure illustrated in Fig. 7 and 8) of claim 13;
The prior art fails to teach or fairly suggest, alone or in obvious combination, inter alia:
wherein the barrier of the separation structure is a meandering barrier, the meandering barrier dividing an inner space enclosed by the separation structure into an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, the inlet chamber comprising a cooling medium receiving opening arranged to receive cooling medium from the cooling device, the outlet chamber comprises a cooling outlet opening arranged to output cooling medium.
Employing the meandering structure described would require a complete redesign of Cedric’s cooling device 16 that would not have been obvious to implement before the filing of the claimed invention by a person of ordinary skill in the 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.”
Claim 16/13/12
Claim 16 is allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
As for claim 16, Cedric teaches: The separation structure (structure illustrated in Fig. 7 and 8) of claim 13;
The prior art fails to teach or fairly suggest, alone or in obvious combination, inter alia:
wherein the separation structure further comprises: a second cylinder base adjoining second edges of the inner cylindrical body and the outer cylindrical body, the second cylinder base being arranged to attach to (i) a common base surface of a first base surface and an opposing second base surface or (ii) inlets and outlets protruding out from the common base surface, wherein the second cylinder base comprises hairpin openings arranged to allow cooling medium to be transferred from an inlet chamber to an outlet chamber of the separation structure, by means of the hollow hairpin conductors.
Employing a second cylinder described would require a complete redesign of Cedric’s cooling device 16 that would not have been obvious to implement before the filing of the claimed invention by a person of ordinary skill in the 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.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AHMED F SECK whose telephone number is (571)272-4638. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30 am - 4:30 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher Koehler can be reached at (571) 272-3560. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AHMED F SECK/ Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/MAGED M ALMAWRI/ Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834