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 .
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, 4, 5, 7, and 9-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wolf et al. (US 20250047153).
1. Wolf et al. teach:
An externally excited electric machine 22 cooling system (figs 1-4), comprising:
rotor windings 9 positioned radially outward from a rotor shaft 3 and including a plurality of gaps (occupied by pole separator 10, figs 2-4) between metal wire bundles; and
a cooling device 10 positioned in the plurality of gaps and configured to directly cool the rotor windings (via cooling ducts 13, figs 1-4).
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2. Wolf et al. teach:
The externally excited electric machine cooling system of claim 1, wherein the cooling device includes a plurality of cooling tubes 12 & 13.
4. Wolf et al. teach:
The externally excited electric machine cooling system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of cooling tubes are embedded in an epoxy (plastic is an epoxy).
5. Wolf et al. teach:
The externally excited electric machine cooling system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of cooling tubes are in fluidic communication with a rotor shaft cooling passage (for bores in shaft and flow from shaft to ducts, see para 0026).
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7. Wolf et al. teach:
The externally excited electric machine cooling system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of cooling tubes are in fluidic communication with rotor end winding enclosures 14 & 15.
9. Wolf et al. teach:
The externally excited electric machine cooling system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of heat pipes are cooled via a rotor end winding spray nozzle or via immersive rotor end winding enclosures 14 & 15.
10. Wolf et al. teach:
The externally excited electric machine cooling system of claim 1, wherein a working fluid in the externally excited electric machine cooling system is oil (para 0045 2nd sentence).
11. Wolf et al. teach:
A method for operation of an externally excited electric machine 22 cooling system (figs 1-4), comprising:
flowing a coolant into a cooling device 10 positioned in a plurality of gaps (occupied by pole separator 10, figs 2-4);
wherein the externally excited electric machine cooling system includes:
rotor windings 9 positioned radially outward from a rotor shaft 3 and including the plurality of gaps between metal wire bundles; and
the cooling device positioned in the plurality of gaps and configured to directly cool the rotor windings (via cooling ducts 13, figs 1-4).
12. Wolf et al. teach:
The method of claim 11, further comprising flowing coolant from the cooling device into immersive rotor end winding enclosures 14 & 15 (fig 1).
13. Wolf et al. teach:
The method of claim 11, further comprising spraying coolant onto rotor end windings via nozzles that are in direct fluidic communication with the cooling device (para 0026 2nd half of para).
14. Wolf et al. teach:
The method of claim 11, wherein flowing the coolant into the cooling device includes flowing the coolant from a rotor shaft cooling passage into the cooling device (para 0026 1st half of para).
15. Wolf et al. teach:
The method of claim 11, wherein the externally excited electric machine cooling system includes a plurality of cooling tubes that are embedded in an epoxy (epoxy is a plastic) or a thermoplastic material.
16. Wolf et al. teach:
An externally excited synchronous electric machine 22 cooling system (figs 1-4), comprising:
rotor windings 9 positioned radially outward from a rotor shaft 3 and including a plurality of gaps (occupied by pole separator 10, figs 2-4) between metal wire bundles;
a plurality of cooling tubes 12 & 13 positioned in the plurality of gaps and configured to directly cool the rotor windings (via cooling ducts 13, figs 1-4); and
a rotor shaft cooling passage (para 0026 explains that the shaft has a passage) in direct fluidic communication with the plurality of cooling tubes (para 0026 explains that the shaft has a passage).
17. Wolf et al. teach:
The externally excited synchronous electric machine cooling system of claim 16, wherein outlets of the plurality of cooling tubes are configured to: deliver coolant to multiple nozzles which spray coolant towards the rotor windings; or deliver coolant to immersive rotor end winding enclosures 14 and 15 (fig 1).
18. Wolf et al. teach:
The externally excited synchronous electric machine cooling system of claim 17, wherein a working fluid in the cooling system is oil (para 0045 2nd sentence).
19. Wolf et al. teach:
The externally excited synchronous electric machine cooling system of claim 18, wherein the plurality of cooling tubes are embedded in an epoxy (epoxy is a plastic) or a thermoplastic (since thermoplastic is known to be used in slot wedges/slot closure devices and that thermoplastic is being mentioned in the alternative, the thermoplastic limitations would be an obvious alternative).
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) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wolf et al. in view of Unterberger et al. (US 20220025904).
3. Wolf et al. has been discussed above, re claim 2; but does not teach that the plurality of cooling tubes are embedded in a thermoplastic material.
Unterberger et al. teach that a heat exchanger made of thermoplastic will resist corrosion leading to longer service life. The person having ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to embed the cooling tubes in a thermoplastic, since Wolf et al. already discloses the pole separator is made of plastic, for the same benefit.
As a result, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to modify the invention of Wolf et al. so that the plurality of cooling tubes are embedded in a thermoplastic material, as taught by Unterberger et al. so as to increase the service life of the rotor.
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wolf et al. in view of Ohashi et al. (US 8928195).
6. Wolf et al. has been discussed above, re claim 2; but does not teach that the rotor shaft cooling passage is in fluidic communication with a rotor shaft bearing.
Unterberger et al. teach that the rotor shaft cooling passage 26 is in fluidic communication with a rotor shaft bearing 21 (fig 1) to also cool the bearing leading to longer service life.
As a result, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to modify the invention of Wolf et al. so that the rotor shaft cooling passage is in fluidic communication with a rotor shaft bearing, as taught by Ohashi et al. so as to increase the service life of the rotor.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wolf et al. in view of Kainuma et al. (US 9825508).
8. Wolf et al. has been discussed above, re claim 1; but does not teach that the cooling device includes a plurality of heat pipes.
Kainuma et al. teach that the cooling device 4 includes a plurality of heat pipes 63 to provide additional cooling leading to longer service life.
As a result, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to modify the invention of Wolf et al. so that the cooling device includes a plurality of heat pipes, as taught by Kainuma et al. so as to increase the service life of the rotor.
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wolf et al. in view of Weber et al. (DE 102022206211).
20. Wolf et al. has been discussed above, re claim 16; but does not teach that the externally excited synchronous electric machine is a traction motor included in an electric drive.
Weber et al. teach the externally excited synchronous electric machine is a traction motor included in an electric drive (excerpt below) leading to longer service life for a vehicle.
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As a result, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to modify the invention of Wolf et al. so that the externally excited synchronous electric machine is a traction motor included in an electric drive, as taught by Weber et al. so as to increase the service life of the vehicle.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TERRANCE L KENERLY whose telephone number is (571)270-7851. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5pm.
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/TERRANCE L KENERLY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834