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 04 June 2024 has been considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign mentioned in the description:
Reference number 122 (second sidewall; ¶[0039]-¶[0040]).
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
Claims 1-3, 9 & 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McKinzie et al. (US 9,812,920) in view of Hamm et al. (US 2,778,958).
Regarding claim 1, McKinzie generally teaches the invention of a motor assembly comprising:
a mounting bracket (adaptor plate 18) and a housing 16, the mounting bracket coupled to the housing, the housing defining a first compartment (inner cavity) 76;
a motor 10 positioned within the first compartment 76;
a shroud 20 coupled to the housing 16, the shroud includes a body, which includes a base (not numbered, defines fan inlet 54) and a first sidewall (not numbered) extending around the periphery of the base, the base and the first sidewall define a second compartment (air passage third portion) 96, wherein the shroud defines a…passages (air passage fourth portion) 98…in fluid communication with the second compartment 96 (Fig.2);
a shaft 38 coupled to the motor and configured to rotate about an axis, the shaft extends axially through an opening in the shroud into the second compartment;
a heatsink 28 coupled to the shroud relative to the second compartment, and a cover 68 coupled to the heatsink, the heatsink configured to introduce airflow into the second compartment (i.e., rotation of fan 50 facilitates pulling air into air intake 84 such that the cooling airflow 90 passes through passage first portion 92 and into passage second portion 94, which includes heat sink heat fins 74 oriented therewithin; c.4:32-33 & 38-40); and
a fan 50 coupled to the shaft 38 and positioned between the second compartment of the shroud and the heatsink, the fan configured to draw airflow from the heatsink (c.4:38-47; Fig.2).
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McKinzie differs only in that the shroud 20/air passage 98 does not comprise “a plurality of circumferentially spaced passages…in fluid communication with the second compartment [96].”
But, Hamm teaches a fan cooled motor including a housing (frame) 10 and a shroud 22 coupled to the housing, wherein the shroud defines a second compartment (for fan 19) and a plurality of circumferentially spaced passages in fluid communication with the second compartment formed by air straightening vanes 23 circumferentially spaced from each other. The vanes/passages space the shroud 22 from end bell 11 and direct air axially so that passes out of the shroud and over the outside of the housing 10 to cool the stator core by heat conduction (c.2:34-40; Fig.1).
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It would have been obvious before the effective filing date to configure McKinzie’s shroud with “a plurality of circumferentially spaced passages…in fluid communication with the second compartment” since Hamm teaches passages would have spaced the shroud from the housing and directed air axially over the outside of the housing to cool the motor by heat conduction.
Regarding claim 2, McKinzie’s fan 50 comprises a fan shroud 20 positioned relative to the heatsink 28 and a plurality of fins (not numbered) that extend outwardly from the fan shroud in the direction of the shroud 20, the plurality of fins being circumferentially positioned around the axis (Fig.2). Hamm teaches a similar fan shroud and fan structure.
Regarding claim 3, McKinzie’s fan shroud (not numbered) defines an opening that enables fluid communication between the heatsink 28 and the second compartment (air passage third portion) 96 of the shroud (arrows, c.4:36-46; Fig.2).
Regarding claim 9, McKinzie’s fan 50 comprises a fan shroud 20 positioned relative to the heatsink 28 (Fig.2), the fan shroud defines an opening (fan inlet) 54 concentric with the shaft 38; wherein a plurality of protrusions (fins) 74/216 (Figs.2&5) extend outwardly from a heatsink body 28/216 in the direction of the fan shroud, wherein each of the plurality of protrusions 74/216 defines a first sidewall and a second opposing sidewall, a pair of adjacent protrusions of the plurality of protrusions defines a channel (not numbered) that includes the first sidewall of a first adjacent protrusion, the second sidewall of the second adjacent protrusion, the heatsink body, and the fan shroud of the fan (i.e., between fins 74/216), wherein a plurality of channels are spaced radially around the axis relative to the pairs of adjacent protrusions; wherein the plurality of channels are configured to direct airflow towards the axis and through the opening in the fan shroud (i.e., rotation of fan 50 facilitates pulls air into air intake 84 such that the cooling airflow 90 passes through passage first portion 92 and into passage second portion 94, which includes heat sink heat fins 74 oriented therewithin; c.4:32-33 & 38-40; Fig.2).
Regarding claim 11, in Hamm the plurality of passages are configured to direct the airflow along an exterior of the housing 10 (Fig.1).
Claims 4-5 & 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McKinzie & Hamm, further in view of Ramqvist (US 2,494,200).
McKinzie & Hamm do not further teach the base defines the plurality of passages and the plurality of passages are in fluid communication with the second compartment and the first compartment of the housing (claim 4); or that the plurality of passages are configured to direct the airflow into the first compartment of the housing (claim 10).
But, Ramqvist teaches a motor with an outer and inner cooling system including a shroud comprising a base (bearing shield) 3 and cover 6, the bearing shield including openings for directing air current to the outside of the machine alongside the stator and a plurality of passages (passage openings) 9 for cooling air for cooling the inner system (i.e., a first compartment or motor interior; c.1:7-21; c.2:7-10; Fig.2). Further, the base defines the plurality of passages 9 and the plurality of passages are in fluid communication with a second compartment (fan chamber) and the first compartment of the housing (i.e., motor interior).
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It would have been obvious before the effective filing date to provide the base of McKinzie & Hamm with a plurality of passages in fluid communication with the second compartment and the first compartment of the housing, and to configure the plurality of passages of McKinzie & Hamm to direct the airflow into the first compartment of the housing since Ramqvist teaches this would have been desirable for allowing cooling air to cool the interior of the motor.
Regarding claim 5, it follows from Ramqvist’s teaching of a plurality of passages openings 9 in base 3 (c.2:7-10) that in the combination the plurality of passages are circumferentially spaced around the axis and in proximity to the first sidewall.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12-20 are allowed.
Prior art of record does not appear to teach the claimed motor including, inter alia, a shroud with “…a first sidewall extending around the periphery of the base, and a second sidewall that is spaced a distance from the first sidewall around the periphery of the base and in a direction away from the base; the base and the first sidewall define a second compartment, wherein the base and the first sidewall define a first set of circumferentially spaced passages, and the first sidewall and the second sidewall define a second set of circumferentially spaced passages, wherein the first set of passages are in fluid communication with the second compartment and the second set of passages” (claim 12);
or a method of operating a motor assembly including a shroud with “…a first sidewall extending around the periphery of the base, the base and the first sidewall define a second compartment, wherein the shroud defines a plurality of circumferentially spaced passages, the plurality of circumferentially spaced passages in fluid communication with the second compartment; a shaft coupled to the motor and configured to rotate about an axis, the shaft extends axially through an opening in the shroud into the second compartment; a heatsink coupled to the shroud relative to the second compartment, and a cover coupled to the heatsink, the heatsink is configured to introduce airflow into the second compartment; and a fan coupled to the shaft and positioned between the second compartment of the shroud and the heatsink, the fan configured to draw airflow from the heatsink, the method comprising: drawing airflow from outside the motor assembly through the heatsink; introducing the airflow into the second compartment of the shroud through an opening in the fan; circulating the airflow within the second compartment of the shroud; and directing the airflow through the plurality of passages and in the direction of the housing” (claim 17).
Claims 6-8 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.
Prior art of record does not appear to further teach the shroud further comprises “a second sidewall that is spaced a distance from the first sidewall around the periphery of the base and in a direction away from the axis wherein the plurality of passages are circumferentially spaced around the axis and between the first sidewall and the second sidewall” (claim 6); or
“wherein the plurality of passages includes a first set of passages and a second set of passages, wherein the first set of passages are circumferentially spaced around the axis and in proximity to the first sidewall, and wherein the second set of passages are circumferentially spaced around the axis between the first sidewall and a second sidewall that is spaced a distance from the first sidewall around the periphery of the base and in a direction away from the axis” (claim 7).
These determinations are based on keyword and citation searches performed in a limited number of subclasses in a limited amount of available time. Artificial intelligence search tools were employed. Nomenclature in the art is inconsistent. Keyword searches in the foreign art was limited to the text of the abstract. For these reasons, the scope of the search was necessarily truncated and relevant art classified outside the subclasses searched and/or using different terminology or keywords may not have been reviewed. See the Search Notes for details.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BURTON S MULLINS whose telephone number is (571)272-2029. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5. 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, Tulsidas C Patel can be reached at 571-272-2098. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BURTON S MULLINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834