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 . Claims 1-19 are pending.
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 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 6 – 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Huang et al. (US 20230107455 A1).
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Regarding claim 6, Huang discloses an electric machine (fig. 21), comprising:
a stator assembly (stator assembly) having a stator core (stator core) and end windings (end windings); and
a rotor assembly (rotor assembly) having a plurality of permanent magnets (see para [0105]: “the motor 100 is a permanent-magnet synchronous motor, the rotor 30 further includes a plurality of permanent magnets 312”) disposed within a rotor core (rotor core), and
a plurality of coolant passages (rotor channels) extending between opposite first (1st end) and second ends (2nd end) of the rotor core and configured to receive a flow of coolant, wherein
coolant exiting the coolant passages is directed onto the end windings for cooling thereof (see annotated fig. 21).
Regarding claim 7, Huang discloses the electric machine of claim 6, wherein an outlet of each coolant passage includes a nozzle (spray, annotated fig. 21; nozzle is implied, see also para [0126]: “the rotor 30 channel further includes a liquid spraying channel 36.”) configured to spray coolant onto the end windings.
Regarding claim 8, Huang discloses the electric machine of claim 6, wherein the plurality of coolant passages comprises: a plurality of first coolant passages configured to flow coolant in a first direction from the rotor core first end to the second end (channels 314); and a plurality of second coolant passages configured to flow coolant in an opposite second direction from the rotor core second end to the first end (channels 315; see annotated fig. 21).
Regarding claim 9, Huang discloses the electric machine of claim 8, wherein the stator core includes a first end (1st end) and an opposite second end (2nd end), wherein coolant exiting the first coolant passages is directed onto the end windings disposed at the stator core second end, and wherein coolant exiting the second coolant passages is directed onto the end windings disposed at the stator core first end (see annotated fig. 21).
Regarding claim 10, Huang discloses the electric machine of claim 6,
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wherein the coolant passages are disposed in close proximity to the permanent magnets to provide cooling thereto (see cooling channels 311 near magnets 312 in fig. 11, above).
Regarding claim 11, Huang discloses the electric machine of claim 6, wherein the coolant passages are arranged circumferentially about an outer diameter of the rotor core (in fig. 21 two axial channels 314 and 315 are shown; this allows heat removal from the magnets from radially inner and outer surfaces of the magnets 312).
Regarding claim 12, Huang discloses the electric machine of claim 6, further comprising an output shaft (343, fig. 21) coupled for rotation with the rotor core, wherein the output shaft includes one or more shaft coolant distribution passages fluidly coupled to the plurality of coolant passages (see 324 and 344 wherein coolant is coupled from the hollow shaft to the rotor channels).
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.
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) 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang S. (US 20180370642 A1).
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Regarding claim 1, Yang discloses an electric machine (see annotated fig. 32), comprising:
a rotor assembly (rotor); and
a stator assembly (stator assembly) having end windings (end windings) disposed at a first end (1st end) and an opposite second end (2nd end) of a stator core (see annotated fig. 32), and
a plurality of coolant channels (stator channels) extending between the stator core first and second ends and configured to receive a flow of coolant (see the coolant flow direction arrows), wherein
coolant exiting the coolant channels is directed onto the end windings for cooling thereof (see fig. 32).
Yang states “When the rotor 5 rotates relative to the stator 2, a magnetic field may be generated, to form a driving force.” (see para [0083]) but does not explicitly disclose: the rotor assembly having a plurality of permanent magnets disposed within a rotor core. However, it’s well-known to a personal having ordinary skills in the art that a magnetic field in a rotor can be generated by disposing a plurality of permanent magnets.
For creating a magnetic field by the rotor, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that: the rotor assembly having a plurality of permanent magnets disposed within a rotor core.
Regarding claim 2, Yang discloses the electric machine of claim 1, wherein an outlet of each coolant channel includes a nozzle (sprays, annotated fig. 32) configured to spray coolant onto the end windings (para [0006]: “The coolant is sprayed from the first nozzles to the coil winding.”).
Regarding claim 3, Yang discloses the electric machine of claim 1, wherein the plurality of coolant channels comprises: a plurality of first coolant channels (channels c, fig. 32) configured to flow coolant in a first direction from the stator core first end to the second end; and a plurality of second coolant channels (channels d, fig. 32) configured to flow coolant in an opposite second direction from the stator core second end to the first end.
Regarding claim 4, Yang discloses the electric machine of claim 3, wherein coolant exiting the first coolant channels is directed onto the end windings disposed at the stator core second end (see annotated fig. 32), and wherein coolant exiting the second coolant channels is directed onto the end windings disposed at the stator core first end (see annotated fig. 32).
Regarding claim 5, Yang discloses the electric machine of claim 1, wherein the stator core includes a plurality of teeth and conductive windings wound thereon (implied- see para [0006]: “An inner surface of the stator core is provided with a plurality of first coil slots, and the first coil slots are configured to wind the coil winding, so that the coil winding is at least partially located in the first coil slots.”), and wherein the coolant channels are disposed in close proximity to the windings to provide cooling thereto (implied- see the channels c and d inside the stator core. This is because the coils of the source of heat and to prevent damages to the coils, they need to be cooled.)
Claim(s) 13-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang S. (US 20180370642 A1) in view of Huang et al. (US 20230107455 A1) as evidenced by Yasuda, N. (CN 110224550 A).
Regarding claim 13, Yang, as discussed regarding claim 1, discloses an electric machine, comprising:
a housing (1, fig. 1);
a stator assembly having end windings disposed at a first end and an opposite second end of a stator core, and a plurality of coolant channels extending between the stator core first and second ends and configured to receive a flow of coolant; and
coolant exiting the stator coolant channels is directed onto the end windings for cooling thereof.
Yang does not disclose: a rotor assembly having a plurality of permanent magnets disposed within a rotor core, and a plurality of coolant passages extending between opposite first and second ends of the rotor core and configured to receive a flow of coolant, wherein coolant exiting the rotor coolant passages is directed onto the end windings for cooling thereof.
However, for cooling the end windings and the magnets disposed in a rotor as discussed regarding claim 6, Huang discloses: a rotor assembly having a plurality of permanent magnets disposed within a rotor core, and a plurality of coolant passages extending between opposite first and second ends of the rotor core and configured to receive a flow of coolant, wherein coolant exiting the rotor coolant passages is directed onto the end windings for cooling thereof.
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As evidenced by Yasuda, (see fig. 4, above), for simultaneous cooling of the stator and the rotor, and cooling the end windings from opposite radial directions, it’s reasonable to combine the two solutions offered by Yang and Huang.
For simultaneous cooling of the stator and the rotor, and more efficient cooling of the end windings, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the rotor in Yang’s design in such a way that: the electric machine further comprised: a rotor assembly having a plurality of permanent magnets disposed within a rotor core, and a plurality of coolant passages extending between opposite first and second ends of the rotor core and configured to receive a flow of coolant, wherein coolant exiting the rotor coolant passages is directed onto the end windings for cooling thereof.
Regarding claim 14, Yang as modified by Huang in claim 13 discloses the electric machine of claim 13, wherein an outlet of each stator coolant channel includes a nozzle configured to spray coolant onto the end windings (discussed regarding claim 2), and wherein an outlet of each coolant passage includes a nozzle configured to spray coolant onto the end windings (discussed regarding claim 7).
Regarding claim 17, Yang as modified by Huang in claim 13 discloses the electric machine of claim 16, wherein coolant exiting the first coolant channels is directed onto the end windings disposed at the stator core second end, and wherein coolant exiting the second coolant channels is directed onto the end windings disposed at the stator core first end (discussed regarding claim 4).
Regarding claim 18, Yang as modified by Huang as discussed regarding claims 13-17 discloses the electric machine of claim 17, wherein coolant exiting the first coolant passages is directed onto the end windings disposed at the stator core second end, and wherein coolant exiting the second coolant passages is directed onto the end windings disposed at the stator core first end (discussed regarding claim 9).
Regarding claim 19, Yang as modified by Huang in claim 13 discloses the electric machine of claim 13, further comprising:
a first conduit (11, fig. 32, Yang) configured to direct a flow of coolant onto the end windings disposed at the stator core first end, and a second conduit (the hollow portion of the shaft or a conduit carrying coolant to the shaft, fig. 21- Huang) configured to direct a flow of coolant onto the end windings disposed at the stator core second end.
Conclusion
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/MASOUD VAZIRI/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/OLUSEYE IWARERE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834