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 three (3) information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 15 December 2025 and 12 March 2025 and 30 May 2024 have been considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Recitation “the partition body further comprises a blocking plate configured to block gaps among the plurality of embedded ribs” is vague and indefinite. It is unclear in what sense the blocking plate 427, which may be an integral plate, “blocks” gaps among the plurality of ribs 426 as described in [0139] and shown in Figs.7-8. Such an integral plate blocking the gaps between the ribs would appear to render the ribs superfluous, or would be the equivalent of a partition body 42 that does not have ribs.
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.
Claims 1-4, 9-11 & 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen et al. (CN 112383193).
Regarding claim 1, with reference to the English Machine translation, Chen teaches an axial flux motor, comprising:
a housing (end cover) 14 defining an accommodation space (not numbered; space enclosed by non-drive end cover 14 and cover plate 19);
a stator assembly 1/15/16 and a rotor assembly 3 that are arranged in the accommodation space in an axial direction of the axial flux motor; and
a partition assembly (cover plate) 19 comprising a partition body 19, the partition body being arranged between the stator assembly 1/15/16 and the rotor assembly 3, wherein
the housing 14 cooperates with the partition body 19 to form a cooling space for accommodating a coolant and the stator assembly 15/16, the coolant in the cooling space being in direct contact with the stator assembly (i.e., oil passage mainly flows in space enclosed by non-drive end cover 14 and cover plate 19; [0042]; Figs.1-2&5).
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Regarding claim 2, the housing comprises an end plate (cover) portion 14, the end plate portion having an inner end surface arranged towards a side of the stator assembly 1/15/16 facing away from the rotor assembly 3; and the inner end surface of the end plate portion 14 is spaced apart from the partition body 19 in the axial direction to define two side boundaries of the cooling space in the axial direction (Figs.1-2&5).
Regarding claim 3, housing 14 comprises two cylindrical portions 14a/14n arranged in a sleeved manner in a radial direction of the axial flux motor, the two cylindrical portions being sealingly engaged with the partition body 19, respectively; and the cooling space 41 is of a ring shape (Figs.1&5-6).
Regarding claim 4, the two cylindrical portions 14a/14n comprise a first cylindrical portion 14a and a second cylindrical portion 14n provided around the first cylindrical portion, the first cylindrical portion and the second cylindrical portion extending towards the stator assembly, and a rotary shaft of the rotor assembly passing through the first cylindrical portion; and the partition body 19 comprises an inner ring matching portion (not numbered) and an outer ring matching portion (not numbered) provided around the inner ring matching portion, wherein the inner ring matching portion is sealingly engaged with the first cylindrical portion 14a, and wherein the outer ring matching portion is sealingly engaged with the second cylindrical portion 14n (Figs.1&5-6).
Regarding claim 9, the inner ring matching portion and/or the outer ring matching portion are sealingly engaged with the stator assembly 1 (inclusive of end case 14).
Regarding claim 10, the partition assembly 19 comprises a reinforcement member of a cylindrical shape (i.e., casing 6), the reinforcement member being supported at a side of the partition body facing away from the stator assembly, and the rotor assembly 3 being disposed within the reinforcement member (Figs.1-2).
Regarding claim 11, the reinforcement member 6 is engaged with the housing 14.
Regarding claim 17, the stator assembly 1./15/16 comprises a stator iron core 15 of a ring shape and a coil 18 wound around the stator iron core, the coil 18 protruding from two opposite ring side surfaces of the stator iron core 15 in a radial direction of the axial flux motor to form an inner ring coil portion and an outer ring coil portion (not numbered; coil ends), the inner ring coil portion and/or the outer ring coil portion being located in the cooling space, and the coolant in the cooling space being in direct contact with the inner ring coil portion and/or the outer ring coil portion (i.e., heat generated by the stator iron core 15 and the inner and outer end windings of the stator winding 18 is taken away by the circulating cooling oil; [0019]; Figs.1&5).
Regarding claim 18, the housing comprises an end plate (cover) portion 14 having an inner end surface (not numbered) arranged towards a side of the stator assembly 1 facing away from the rotor assembly 3; a cooling channel (not numbered) is formed at the inner end surface of the end plate portion 14 (i.e., between coil ends and end cover 14), a side of the partition body 19 facing towards the end plate portion 14, and/or the stator assembly 1; and the coolant in the cooling space flows along the cooling channel (Figs.1&4).
Regarding claim 19, an electric device comprises an axial flux motor (i.e., oil-cooled axial flux motor; abstract).
Regarding claim 20, the axial flux motor drive a vehicle (i.e., invention relates to a motor used in pure energy & hybrid vehicles; [0002]).
Claims 1, 3-9, 17 & 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhang et al. (CN 109474114).
Regarding claim 1, Zhang teaches an axial flux motor, comprising:
a housing (shell) 100/300/500 defining an accommodation space (not numbered; interior; Fig.2);
a stator assembly 200 and a rotor assembly 400 that are arranged in the accommodation space in an axial direction of the axial flux motor; and
a partition assembly (cover plate) 102 comprising a partition body, the partition body being arranged between the stator assembly 201 and the rotor assembly 400, wherein
the housing cooperates with the partition body 102 to form a cooling space (sealed cavity) 1011 for accommodating a coolant and the stator assembly 201, the coolant in the cooling space 1011 being in direct contact with the stator assembly (i.e., liquid enters from the liquid inlet to the liquid spraying cavity and is sprayed onto the stator assembly in the enclosed cavity, for heat exchange; abstract; Figs.1-2&6-7).
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Regarding claim 3, the housing comprises two cylindrical portions 101/104 arranged in a sleeved manner in a radial direction of the axial flux motor, the two cylindrical portions being sealingly engaged with the partition body 102, respectively; and the cooling space 1011 is of a ring shape (Figs.2&6-7).
Regarding claim 4, the two cylindrical portions comprise a first cylindrical portion 104 and a second cylindrical portion 101 provided 101 around the first cylindrical portion 104, the first cylindrical portion and the second cylindrical portion extending towards the stator assembly, and a rotary shaft (not numbered) of the rotor assembly passing through the first cylindrical portion 104; and the partition body 102 comprises an inner ring matching portion (not numbered) and an outer ring matching portion (not numbered) provided around the inner ring matching portion (i.e., radially inner and outer portions of plate 102), wherein the inner ring matching portion is sealingly engaged with the first cylindrical portion 104, and wherein the outer ring matching portion is sealingly engaged with the second cylindrical portion 101 (Figs.2-3&6).
Regarding claim 5, the partition body 102 is embedded inside the second cylindrical portion 101, a sealing engagement being formed between an outer peripheral surface of the outer ring matching portion and an inner peripheral surface of the second cylindrical portion 101 (Fig.2); and/or the inner ring matching portion is provided with a third cylindrical portion, the third cylindrical portion and the first cylindrical portion being connected to each other in an insertion manner to form a sealing engagement between the third cylindrical portion and the first cylindrical portion (Fig.2).
Regarding claim 6, the stator assembly comprises a stator iron core 201 and a coil 202 wound around the stator iron core, the stator iron core having a plurality of stator slots (not numbered), and the coil 202 being embedded in the plurality of stator slots, and the partition body (i.e., the second plate 103) comprises a plurality of embedded ribs (not numbered), the plurality of embedded ribs being positioned in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of stator slots, and each of the plurality of embedded ribs being embedded in a corresponding one of the plurality of stator slots (Fig.1).
Regarding claim 7, the housing comprises a first cylindrical portion 104 and a second cylindrical portion 101 provided around the first cylindrical portion, the first cylindrical portion and the second cylindrical portion extending towards the stator assembly, and a rotary shaft (not numbered) of the rotor assembly 400 passing through the first cylindrical portion 104; the partition body 103 comprises an inner ring matching portion and an outer ring matching portion provided around the inner ring matching portion, the inner ring matching portion being sealingly engaged with the first cylindrical portion 104, and the outer ring matching portion being sealingly engaged with the second cylindrical portion 101; the plurality of stator slots and the plurality of embedded ribs are radially spread with respect to the axial direction; and the plurality of embedded ribs is connected to the inner ring matching portion and/or the outer ring matching portion, respectively (Fig.1).
Regarding claim 8, as best understood, the partition body further comprises a “blocking plate configured to block gaps among the plurality of embedded ribs” [sic] (i.e., integral partition body 102 without ribs, corresponding to ‘blocked’ ribs of partition body 103; Fig.1).
Regarding claim 9, the inner ring matching portion and/or the outer ring matching portion are sealingly engaged with the stator assembly 200/201 (Fig.2).
Regarding claim 17, the stator assembly 200 comprises a stator iron core 201 of a ring shape and a coil 202 wound around the stator iron core, the coil protruding from two opposite ring side surfaces of the stator iron core in a radial direction of the axial flux motor to form an inner ring coil portion and an outer ring coil portion (not numbered), the inner ring coil portion and/or the outer ring coil portion being located in the cooling space 1011, and the coolant in the cooling space being in direct contact with the inner ring coil portion and/or the outer ring coil portion (Fig.4).
Regarding claim 19, the electric machine comprises an axial flux motor (abstract).
Regarding claim 20, the axial flux motor drives a vehicle (Background).
Claims 1-4, 9, 12-14, 17 & 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yuan et al. (CN 209659095).
Regarding claim 1, Yuan teaches an axial flux motor, comprising:
a housing 3 defining an accommodation space (first and second chambers);
a stator assembly 2 and a rotor assembly 1 that are arranged in the accommodation space in an axial direction of the axial flux motor; and
a partition assembly (sealing plate) 4 comprising a partition body, the partition body being arranged between the stator assembly 2 and the rotor assembly 1, wherein
the housing cooperates with the partition body 4 to form a cooling space (second chamber) for accommodating a coolant and the stator assembly 2, the coolant in the cooling space being in direct contact with the stator assembly (i.e., the second chamber for mounting and installing the stator 2…is filled with cooling oil with a circulating flow; [0041]; Figs.1-2&5).
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Regarding claim 2, the housing comprises an end plate portion 3, the end plate portion having an inner end surface arranged towards a side of the stator assembly 2 facing away from the rotor assembly 1; and the inner end surface of the end plate portion is spaced apart from the partition body 4 in the axial direction to define two side boundaries of the cooling space in the axial direction (Figs.2&5).
Regarding claim 3, the housing comprises two cylindrical portions (not numbered; outer/inner walls) arranged in a sleeved manner in a radial direction of the axial flux motor, the two cylindrical portions being sealingly engaged with the partition body 4, respectively; and the cooling space is of a ring shape (Figs.2&5).
Regarding claim 4, the two cylindrical portions comprise a first cylindrical portion and a second cylindrical portion provided around the first cylindrical portion, the first cylindrical portion and the second cylindrical portion extending towards the stator assembly, and a rotary shaft (not numbered) of the rotor assembly 1 passing through the first cylindrical portion; and the partition body comprises an inner ring matching portion and an outer ring matching portion (not numbered) provided around the inner ring matching portion, wherein the inner ring matching portion is sealingly engaged with the first cylindrical portion, and wherein the outer ring matching portion is sealingly engaged with the second cylindrical portion (Figs.2&5).
Regarding claim 9, the inner ring matching portion and/or the outer ring matching portion are sealingly engaged with the stator assembly 2 (Figs.2&5).
Regarding claim 12, the partition assembly 4 has a plurality of pressure relief holes 41 formed at intervals in a circumferential direction of the axial flux motor (Fig.1).
Regarding claim 13, the rotor assembly 1 is spaced apart from the partition body 4 in the axial direction; an air gap is formed between the rotor assembly 1 and the partition body 4; and the air gap is in communication with an outer space of the partition assembly through the plurality of pressure relief holes 41 (Fig.5).
Regarding claim 14, the partition assembly 4 further has a flow return hole (not numbered), a coolant permeated into the partition assembly from the cooling space being discharged to an outer space of the partition assembly (i.e., upper manifold in shell 3; Fig.5).
Regarding claim 17, the stator assembly comprises a stator iron core of a ring shape and a coil (not numbered) wound around the stator iron core, the coil protruding from two opposite ring side surfaces of the stator iron core in a radial direction of the axial flux motor to form an inner ring coil portion and an outer ring coil portion (not numbered), the inner ring coil portion and/or the outer ring coil portion being located in the cooling space, and the coolant in the cooling space being in direct contact with the inner ring coil portion and/or the outer ring coil portion (Figs.2&5).
Regarding claim 19, an electric device comprises an axial flux motor (abstract).
Claims 1-4, 9, 17 & 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Miyazaki et al. (JP 2020-195180).
Regarding claim 1, Miyazaki teaches an axial flux motor, comprising:
a housing 42 defining an accommodation space 43/56;
a stator assembly 40 and a rotor assembly 30 that are arranged in the accommodation space in an axial direction of the axial flux motor; and
a partition assembly (resin lid) 49 comprising a partition body, the partition body being arranged between the stator assembly 40 and the rotor assembly 30, wherein
the housing cooperates with the partition body 49 to form a cooling space 43 for accommodating a coolant and the stator assembly 40, the coolant in the cooling space 43 being in direct contact with the stator assembly (i.e., cooling liquid supplied to the stator 40 into the first space 43; Figs.2-4).
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Regarding claim 2, the housing comprises an end plate portion 42, the end plate portion having an inner end surface arranged towards a side of the stator assembly 40 facing away from the rotor assembly 30; and the inner end surface of the end plate portion 42 is spaced apart from the partition body 49 in the axial direction to define two side boundaries of the cooling space in the axial direction (i.e., on either side of coil units 44; Fig.3).
Regarding claim 3, the housing comprises two cylindrical portions (outer/inner walls) 51/52 arranged in a sleeved manner in a radial direction of the axial flux motor, the two cylindrical portions being sealingly engaged with the partition body 49, respectively; and the cooling space is of a ring shape (Figs.2-3).
Regarding claim 4, the two cylindrical portions comprise a first cylindrical portion and a second cylindrical portion 51 provided around the first cylindrical portion 52, the first cylindrical portion and the second cylindrical portion extending towards the stator assembly, and a rotary shaft 20 of the rotor assembly passing through the first cylindrical portion 52; and the partition body 49 comprises an inner ring matching portion and an outer ring matching portion (not numbered) provided around the inner ring matching portion, wherein the inner ring matching portion is sealingly engaged with the first cylindrical portion 52, and wherein the outer ring matching portion is sealingly engaged with the second cylindrical portion 51 (Fig.3).
Regarding claim 9, the inner ring matching portion and/or the outer ring matching portion are sealingly engaged with the stator assembly (Fig.3).
Regarding claim 17, the stator assembly comprises a stator iron core 45 of a ring shape and a coil 46 wound around the stator iron core, the coil protruding from two opposite ring side surfaces of the stator iron core in a radial direction of the axial flux motor to form an inner ring coil portion and an outer ring coil portion (not numbered), the inner ring coil portion and/or the outer ring coil portion being located in the cooling space 43, and the coolant in the cooling space being in direct contact with the inner ring coil portion and/or the outer ring coil portion (Figs.3-4).
Regarding claim 19, an electric device comprises an axial flux motor (abstract).
Regarding claim 20, the axial flux motor drive a vehicle (i.e., implied by description of an introduction side partition “that partitions the second space through which the coolant discharged from the vehicle flows”, Claims, p.2).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 15-16 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 prior art does not appear to further teach the features of claim 15 of “the partition assembly comprises a reinforcement member [425] of a cylindrical shape, the reinforcement member being supported at a side of the partition body facing away from the stator assembly, the rotor assembly [30] being disposed inside the reinforcement member, and the flow return hole [4252] being formed at the reinforcement member” (Fig.5).
This determination is based on keyword and citation searches performed in a limited number of subclasses in the limited amount of time available. Artificial intelligence search tools were employed. See the Search Notes for details. Nomenclature in the art is inconsistent. Relevant art using different terminology and/or keywords may not have been reviewed.
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