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 statements (IDSs) submitted on 5/6/24, 8/5/25 are being considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendment
This office action is in response to preliminary amendment filed on 5/6/24. Regarding the amendment, claims 3-4, 12, 20-21, 26-31 are canceled, claims 1-2, 5-11, 13-19, 22-25 are present for examination.
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, 5-6, 8-11, 13, 18-19, 22-25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bian et al. (CN 115864747 A).
Regarding claim 1, Bian teaches an electric motor comprising:
a stator (10);
a rotor shaft (12) having a hollow interior (1210, fig 5) and configured for rotation inside the stator (10) about a rotor axis (O), the rotor shaft (12) having at least one inlet (1212, fig 36) into the hollow interior (1211) and at least one outlet (1200) from the hollow interior (1211) to an outer diameter of the rotor shaft (12);
a rotor (4, fig 5) comprising:
a rotor body (400-500) having a first end structure (440) and a second end structure (440) opposite each other along the rotor shaft (12), wherein the second end structure (440) has an outlet (4120) to an outside of the rotor (4); and
an axial cooling channel (410) extending through the rotor body (400-500); and
wherein the electric motor is configured so that a fluid is centrifugally driven by rotation of the rotor (4) to enter through the inlet (1212) of the rotor shaft (12), exit through the outlet (1200) of the rotor shaft (12), enter the axial cooling channel (410), and flow to the outside of the rotor (4) through the outlet (4120) of the second end structure (440, fig 5).
Regarding claim 2, Bian teaches the rotor (4) has multiple axial cooling channels (410) extending through the rotor body (fig 5), the multiple axial cooling channels (410) substantially parallel with each other (fig 5).
Regarding claim 5, Bian teaches the rotor body (400-500) comprises a stack of rotor laminations (fig 5).
Regarding claim 6, Bian teaches the rotor laminations (400-500) consist of only a first type of lamination (500) and a second type of lamination (400, fig 5).
Regarding claim 8, Bian teaches the first and second end structures are formed of the second type of lamination (400, fig 5).
Regarding claim 9, Bian teaches the second type of lamination (400) is used only at ends of the rotor body (fig 5), as the first and second end structures, and in an axial center of the rotor body (4), and wherein a remainder of the rotor body (4) is formed of instances of the first type of lamination (500, fig 5).
Regarding claim 10, Bian teaches a beginning of the axial cooling channel (410, fig 27) is at the first end structure (500) and an end of the axial cooling channel opposite the beginning is at the second end structure (400, fig 27).
Regarding claim 11, Bian teaches the fluid enters the axial cooling channel (410) through a radial passage (510) at a center of the axial cooling channel (410) along the rotor axis (O), the radial passage (510) being substantially perpendicular to the rotor axis (O), and wherein the fluid flows in opposite directions through respective first and second arms of the axial cooling channel (410), the first arm having an end at the first end structure, the second arm having an end at the second end structure (fig 5).
Regarding claim 13, Bian teaches the rotor (4) has multiple axial cooling channels (410) extending through the rotor body (400-500), and wherein each of the multiple axial cooling channels (410) has an elongate profile in cross section, the elongate profile extending in a radial direction from the rotor axis (O, fig 5).
Regarding claim 18, Bian teaches the rotor laminations consist of only a first type of lamination (560), a second type of lamination (400), and a third type of lamination (550, fig 30).
Regarding claim 19, Bian teaches the second type of lamination (400) is used at ends of the rotor body, as the first and second end structures, and in an axial center of the rotor body, wherein portions of the rotor body between the axial center and the ends are formed of instances of the first type of lamination (560), and wherein instances of the third type of lamination (560) are used as transition laminations between the first and second types of lamination (fig 31).
Regarding claim 22, Bian teaches the rotor laminations consist of only a first type of lamination, a second type of lamination, a third type of lamination, and a fourth type of lamination (400, 500a, 400a, 500b, fig 33).
Regarding claim 23, Bian teaches the rotor has multiple axial cooling channels (410) extending through the rotor body, and wherein the rotor body provides cross-flow relative to each other between adjacent ones of the multiple axial cooling channels (fig 33).
Regarding claim 24, Bian teaches a beginning of each of the multiple axial cooling channels (410) is at one of the first or second end structures (500), and wherein an end of each of the multiple axial cooling channels (410) opposite the beginning is at another one of the first or second end structures (400, fig 27).
Regarding claim 25, Bian teaches an order of the first, second, third and fourth types of lamination (400, 400a, 500a, 500b) in the stack along the rotor axis is: at an end of the stack, a first instance of the first type of lamination(400), followed immediately by a first instance of the second type of lamination (500a), followed immediately by a first instance of the third type of lamination (400a), followed immediately by a second instance of the third type of lamination (400a), wherein the first instance of the third type of lamination (400a) has a rotated position relative to the second instance of the third type of lamination(400a), the second instance of the third type of lamination (400a) followed immediately by a first instance of the fourth type of lamination (500b), followed immediately by a second instance of the first type of lamination (400), followed immediately by a second instance of the fourth type of lamination (500b), wherein the first instance of the fourth type of lamination (500b) has a rotated position relative to the second instance of the fourth type of lamination (500b), the second instance of the fourth type of lamination (500b) followed immediately by a third instance of the third type of lamination (400a), wherein the third instance of the third type of lamination (400a) has a same rotated position as the rotated position of the first instance of the third type of lamination (400a), the third instance of the third type of lamination (400a) followed immediately by a fourth instance of the third type of lamination (400a), wherein the fourth instance of the third type of lamination (400a) has a same rotated position as the second instance of the third type of lamination (400a), the fourth instance of the third type of lamination (400a) followed immediately by a second instance of the second type of lamination (500a), followed immediately by a third instance of the first type of lamination (400a, fig 33).
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) 7 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bian in view of Okochi (US 2017/0012503 A1).
Regarding claim 7, Bian teaches the claimed invention as set forth in claim 6, except for the added limitation of the outlet of the second end structure is positioned radially inward of the axial cooling channel and radially outward of the outlet of the rotor shaft.
Okochi teaches a rotor of rotary electric machine having an outlet of the second end structure (40) is positioned radially inward of the axial cooling channel (22) and radially outward of the outlet of the rotor shaft (50, fig 3) to reduce a drag loss while effectively cooling down the rotor (para [0011]).
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 Bian’s electric motor with the outlet of the second end structure is positioned radially inward of the axial cooling channel and radially outward of the outlet of the rotor shaft as taught by Okochi. Doing so would reduce a drag loss while effectively cooling down the rotor (para [0011]).
Regarding claim 14, Bian teaches the claimed invention as set forth in claim 13, except for the added limitation of the second end structure partially covers respective openings of each of the multiple axial cooling channels, and wherein non-covered portions of the respective openings form the outlet to the outside of the rotor.
Okochi teaches a rotor of rotary electric machine having a second end structure (40) partially covers respective openings of each of the multiple axial cooling channels (22), and wherein non-covered portions of the respective openings form the outlet to the outside of the rotor (fig 3) to reduce a drag loss while effectively cooling down the rotor (para [0011]).
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 Bian’s electric motor with the second end structure partially covers respective openings of each of the multiple axial cooling channels, and wherein non-covered portions of the respective openings form the outlet to the outside of the rotor as taught by Okochi. Doing so would reduce a drag loss while effectively cooling down the rotor (para [0011]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 15-17 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 an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the record of prior art by itself or in combination with other references does not show the electric motor further comprising tongues formed by the second end structure, each of the tongues oriented in a radial direction with regard to the rotor axis and extending between adjacent ones of the non-covered portions of the respective openings, as recited in claim 15.
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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Johnsen (US 2003/0030333 A1) teaches a high-power electrodynamic machine has a relatively elongated rotor. In a preferred generator embodiment, a rotor having a winding formed integral therewith is integral to a hollow shaft mounted within a stator having a plurality of windings. The shaft has an axial end region with an inlet for a cooling fluid. The rotor winding is disposed in apposition to one of the stator windings. The rotor comprises a plurality of laminations. At least one pair of adjacent laminations has periodic slots. The slotted laminations are sandwiched between laminations without slots such that the slots in the adjacent laminations form a continuous, zigzag, generally radial outward passageway for the cooling fluid. The outlet of the passageway is arranged to discharge the fluid onto the winding to provide relatively even cooling along the entire length of the rotor without significantly reducing structural integrity.
Yang et al. (US 11,469,634 B2) teaches a permanent magnet electric motor includes a shaft extending along a longitudinal axis, wherein the shaft defines a shaft jacket extending along a first direction, a rotor mounted on the shaft, a stator disposed about the rotor. The rotor defines a plurality of longitudinal channels each with the shaft jacket. The longitudinal channels are part of a rotor jacket. The rotor jacket includes a plurality of inlets fluidly interconnecting the shaft jacket and the plurality of the longitudinal channels. The rotor jacket includes an inner edge and an outer edge opposite the inner edge. The rotor jacket includes a plurality of outlets each in fluid communication with the plurality of longitudinal channels. Each of the outlets is closer to the inner edge than to the outer edge of the rotor jacket.
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/LEDA T PHAM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834