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 .
Remarks
Office Action is in response to the Preliminary Amendment filed 5/30/2024.
Claims 1-15 have been cancelled. Claims 16-30 are new.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 5/29/2024 and 3/11/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 30 is objected to because of the following informalities: “stator (54)” should read –stator-. Appropriate correction is required.
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 (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 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) 16-21 and 29-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Siepker et al. (US 2023/0179051; IDS).
In claim 16, Siepker (Fig. 1-6) discloses a rotor assembly (1) for an electric excited synchronous motor (27), comprising: a rotor shaft (3), a rotor core (2) connected to the rotor shaft (3) and including a plurality of circumferentially distributed pole portions (tooth portions of 2 having 12), with respective windings (12) being received around the pole portions, wherein the windings (12) have first winding ends (4) that project axially from a first end face of the rotor core (2) and, on the opposite side, second winding ends (5) that project axially from a second end face of the rotor core (2); a first fluid guide element (17) arranged at a first end of the rotor core (2); a second fluid guide element (18) arranged at a second end of the rotor core (2); wherein the rotor shaft (3) comprises an axial bore (10) and, extending therefrom, a plurality of radial bores (11) arranged in an axially central region of the rotor shaft (3); wherein the rotor core (2) includes a plurality of inlet openings (opening portions of 11) that are fluidically connected to the radial bores (11) of the rotor shaft (3), and axial channels (14) that extend from the inlet openings axially to first outlet openings (21) at the first end face of the rotor core (2) and to second outlet openings (22) at the second end face of the rotor core (2); wherein the first fluid guide element (17) is fluidically connected to the first outlet openings (21) of the rotor core (2) and comprises a fluid structure that is configured to receive cooling fluid from the first outlet openings (21) of the rotor core (2) and guide the cooling fluid to first escape openings (openings from 11) arranged in circumferential direction between two circumferentially adjacent first winding ends (4; [0034]); and wherein the second fluid guide element (18) is fluidically connected to the second outlet openings (22) of the rotor core (2) and comprises a fluid structure that is configured to receive cooling fluid from the second outlet openings (22) of the rotor core (2) and guide the cooling fluid to second escape openings (respective openings of 11) arranged in circumferential direction between two circumferentially adjacent second winding ends (5; [0034]).
In claim 17, Siepker discloses a supply element ([0011]) to direct cooling fluid into the axial bore (10) of the rotor shaft (3).
In claim 18, Siepker discloses wherein at least some of the plurality of radial bores (11) of the rotor shaft (3) are arranged in a plane that lies axially within a central portion of the rotor core (2).
In claim 19, Siepker discloses wherein the number of radial bores (11) and axial channels (14) of the rotor core (2) corresponds with the number of pole portions.
In claim 20, Siepker discloses wherein the axial channels (14) are arranged radially inside the pole portions that receive the windings (12).
In claim 21, Siepker discloses wherein the first fluid guide element (17) includes a first annular channel fluidically (19) connected with the first outlet openings (21) of the rotor core (2), and, at an inner circumferential face of the first fluid guide element (17), a plurality of first fluid pockets (each portion of 17; [0040]) fluidically connected to the first annular channel (19), wherein the first escape openings (11) are fluidically connected with the first fluid pockets respectively; and/or wherein the second fluid guide element (18) includes a second annular channel (20) fluidically connected with the second outlet openings (22) of the rotor core (2), and, at an inner circumferential face the second fluid guide element (18), a plurality of second fluid pockets (portions of 18; [0040]) fluidically connected to the second annular channel (20), wherein the second escape openings (respective openings of 11) are fluidically connected with the second fluid pockets respectively.
In claim 29, Siepker discloses wherein winding slots (portions having 12) are formed in the rotor core (2) respectively between two pole portions adjacent in circumferential direction, with a wedge element (13) arranged respectively between two windings (12) adjacent in circumferential direction.
In claim 30, Siepker discloses rotor assembly of claim 16, in an electric excited synchronous motor (27) comprising: a housing (28), a stator (29) arranged in the housing (29) and comprising a stator core and windings ([0023]), wherein the rotor assembly (1) is rotatably supported in the housing (28) about an axis of rotation (3).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 22-28 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:
The cited prior art taken singularly or in combination fails to anticipate or fairly suggest the limitation of the (in)dependent claim(s), in such a manner that a rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102 or 103 would be proper. The prior art fails to teach a combination of all the features as presented in the (in)dependent claim(s) with the allowable feature being:
Claim 22: “wherein the first escape openings of the first fluid guide element have an axial extension that is at least 0.25 times an axial length of the first end windings projecting from the first end face of the rotor core; and wherein the second escape openings of the second fluid guide element have an axial extension that is at least 0.25 times an axial length of the second end windings projecting from the second end face of the rotor core.”
Claim 23: “wherein the first fluid guide element includes a first ring portion and a plurality of first winding support portions radially projecting from the first ring portion, with first head portions forming enlarged ends of the first winding support portions, wherein the first end windings embrace the first winding support portions; and wherein the second fluid guide element includes a second ring portion and a plurality of second winding support portions radially projecting from the second ring portion, with second head portions forming enlarged ends of the second winding support portions, wherein the second end windings embrace the second winding support portions.”
Claim 24: “wherein at least one of the first fluid guide element and the second fluid guide element is made of a non-conducting material that is different from a material of the rotor core.”
Claim 25: “wherein a first end ring is provided at the first side of the rotor core and a second end ring is provided at the opposite second side, wherein the first end ring and the second end ring are clamped axially against each other by a plurality of clamping elements respectively extending between two circumferentially adjacent windings; and wherein at least one of the first end ring and the second end ring comprises a flange portion for supporting the clamping elements and a jacket portion surrounding the end windings, wherein the end ring comprises a plurality of outlet openings.”
The examiner found no prior art satisfies all above conditions by itself or as combined during the prosecution period.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Shoykhet et al. (US 2015/0171707) teaches an electro-dynamic machine has a rotor and stator with a gap therebetween.
Lan et al. (US 2019/0140494) teaches an electric motor with a low cogging torque comprising a stator and a rotor.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RASHAD H JOHNSON whose telephone number is (571)272-1231. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30am-5pm.
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RASHAD H. JOHNSON
Examiner
Art Unit 2834
/RASHAD H JOHNSON/Examiner, Art Unit 2834