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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 3, 5-6, and 20 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species and invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 11/7/2025 and 3/2/2026 respectively.
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) 1-2 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Schidlowski et al., US PGPub 2022/0135007.
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Regarding claim 1, Schidlowski et al. discloses a vehicle system (see [0002]) comprising: an electric machine (1) configured for incorporation into a powertrain (4) of a vehicle (see [0076]), the electric machine (1) including a rotor (R), a stator (S), and a gap (6) defined between the rotor (R) and the stator (S); a conduit (containing 12) configured to direct oil (see [0008]) into the gap (6); and a flow control device (12) configured to control flow (see [0095]) of the oil (as described above) through the conduit (as described above) into the gap (6); wherein friction between the oil (as described above) and the rotor (R) warms (see [0082]) the oil (as described above) and slows rotation (“braking effect”) of the rotor (R) to brake the vehicle (as described above) when the electric machine (1) is connected to the powertrain (4).
Regarding claim 2, Schidlowski et al. discloses the vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the electric machine (1) is configured as a drive unit (“drive device”) of a fully electric vehicle (see [0002]).
Regarding claim 11, Schidlowski et al. discloses the vehicle system of claim 1, wherein: the flow control device (12) includes a valve (see [0090]); and the vehicle system (as described above) further includes a controller (11) configured to operate the valve (12) to control flow of the oil into the gap (6) based on a friction torque request (a braking operation triggered by 12).
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.
Claim(s) 7-13 and 15-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schidlowski et al. in view of Folkesson, US Patent 11,999,381.
Regarding claims 7-8, Schidlowski et al. discloses the vehicle system of claim 1 but does not specify the detailed conduit configuration.
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Folkesson teaches a similar fluid based brake for a motor (see fig 3), wherein the conduit (22) includes a first portion (25) defined by a center shaft (5) of the rotor (3) and extending along an axis of rotation (AC) of the rotor (3), and a second portion (24) extending from the first portion (25) through the rotor (3) to the gap (between 3 and 4). (claim 7)
wherein the second portion (24) includes a pipe (24a) extending through the first portion (25), the pipe (24a) defining an opening (see fig 3C) in the first portion (25) through which oil flows into the pipe (24a) when an oil level within the first portion (25) reaches the opening (as described above). (claim 8)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the central conduit configuration described by Folkesson in the system disclosed by Schidlowski et al. in order to create a more compact distributions system and enhance the pumping efficiency.
Regarding claims 9-10, 15, 18, Schidlowski et al. discloses the vehicle system of claim 1 but does not disclose a heat exchanger. Folkesson teaches a similar fluid based brake, further comprising a heat exchanger (70, comprising heat exchanger - Folkesson) configured to exchange heat. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the heat exchanger described by Folkesson in the system disclosed by Schidlowski et al. in order to cool the braking fluid and motor and enhance the efficiency. Schidlowski et al. in view of Folkesson do not specify that the heat exchanger exhanges heat with the HVAC or battery system. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to integrate the heat exchanger in the specified manner since the examiner takes Official Notice of the equivalence of these heat exchanger configurations for their use in the lubrication system art and the selection of any of these known equivalents would be within the level of ordinary skill in the art. One having ordinary skill in the art would be motived to integrate the heat exchanger in the specified manner in order to in order to reduce the number of cooling systems within the vehicle and enhance system efficiency. Furthermore if it is applicants position that these setups are not obvious variants applicant is encouraged to state so on record.
Regarding claims 12, Schidlowski et al. in view of Folkesson discloses the vehicle system of claim 9-11, further comprising: a heat exchanger (70 – Folkesson) configured in the specified manner, wherein the controller (90 – Folkesson) is configured to increase transfer of heat from the oil to the coolant by at least one of increasing an oil flow rate of the oil through the heat exchanger (70 – Folkesson) by increasing a pumping rate of an oil pump (7a).
Regarding claims 13, Schidlowski et al. in view of Folkesson discloses the vehicle system of claim 9-11, further comprising: a heat exchanger (70 – Folkesson) configured to exchange heat in the manner specified; wherein the controller is configured to actuate a valve (13) to retain the oil within the gap (6), and increase rotation of the rotor (R) to warm the electric machine (1).
Regarding claim 16, Schidlowski et al. in view of Folkesson discloses the vehicle system of claim 15, wherein the electric machine (1) is configured as a drive unit (“drive device”) of a fully electric vehicle (see [0002]).
Regarding claims 17 and 19, Schidlowski et al. in view of Folkesson discloses the vehicle system of claims 15 and 18, wherein the conduit (as described above) is defined by at least one of the rotor (R) and the stator (S) of the electric machine (1).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4 and 14 are 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 4 is patentable over the prior art of record because the teachings of the references taken as a whole do not show or render obvious the combination set forth in claim 4, including every structural element recited in the claims, especially, the configuration wherein the flow control device includes a mechanical valve in cooperation with the rotor, the mechanical valve configured to open when rotation of the rotor reaches a threshold, which releases the oil into the gap to slow rotation of the rotor and brake the vehicle.
None of the references of the prior art teach or suggest the elements of the lubrication system as advanced above and such do not provide the necessary motivation, absent applicant's specification, for modifying the system in the manner required by the claims.
Claim 14 is patentable over the prior art of record because the teachings of the references taken as a whole do not show or render obvious the combination set forth in claim 14, including every structural element recited in the claims, especially, the configuration wherein the vehicle system further includes: a controller configured to disconnect the electric machine from a drivetrain of the vehicle when the vehicle is parked, and increase rotation of the rotor to increase temperature of the oil in the gap.
None of the references of the prior art teach or suggest the elements of the lubrication system as advanced above and such do not provide the necessary motivation, absent applicant's specification, for modifying the system in the manner required by the claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL A RIEGELMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7956. The examiner can normally be reached 8-6 EST Monday - Friday.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Robert Hodge can be reached at (571) 272-2097. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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MICHAEL A. RIEGELMAN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3654
/MICHAEL A RIEGELMAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3654
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