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 .
This Office Action is in response to papers filed on 12/2/2025. Amendments made to the claims and the Applicant's remarks have been entered and considered.
Claims 1-3, 6-8, 11-19 have been amended.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/2/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The Applicant argued that Schweiher fails to disclose, teach, or suggest "the reducing element protruding into the axial extension across at least one side of the cross-sectional area" as recited in amended Claim 1. Rather, the turbulence generating elements 64 are arranged in the cooling channels 52 with offsets between the turbulence generating elements 64. The turbulence generating elements 64 with offsets therebetween within the cooling channels 52 are not equivalent to protruding into the cooling channels 52 across at least one side of the cooling channels 52. The Applicant argued that a modification of the turbulence generating elements 64 to extend across the cooling channels 52 would teach against the intended purpose of Schweiher. The modification of the turbulence generating elements 64 would cause the generating elements 64 and the dividers 62 to form a substantially or fully continuous arc due to the 70% of the radial depth with the preferred 100% radial depth thereby eliminating the cooling channels 52. Additionally, the modification of the turbulence generating elements 64 to extend across the cooling channels 52 would teach against the intended purpose of the turbulence generating elements 64, namely the ability to rotate sets of three of the stator plate 86b by 0 degrees, 120 degrees, and 240 degrees to cooling channels along the axial length.
This argument is not persuasive because SCHWEIHER shows “the reducing element 70 protruding into the axial extension across at least one side of the cross-sectional area” as is recited in claims 1 and 11. The projections 70 protrude from one side of the stator core 40 into the cooling channel 52d, in particular from a stator sheet (FIG. 2, para [0095], [0109], [0111]).
Regarding claim 7, the Applicant argued that Schweiher fails to disclose, teach, or suggest "wherein the plurality of reducing elements alternately protrude from a radially inner side of the cooling channel radially outwards into the axial extension and protrude from a radially outer side of the cooling channel radially inwards into the axial extension" as recited in amended Claim 7 and 17. Rather, the turbulence generating elements 64 of Schweiher are each protruding radially outwards from the stator laminations 86 into the cooling channels 52. Protruding radially outwards is not equivalent to alternately protruding radially outwards and radially inwards.
This argument is not persuasive because SCHWEIHER shows projections 70 protruding outwards into the cooling channel 52 and projections 68 protruding inwards into the cooling channel 52d (FIG. 2).
The Applicant’s arguments regarding Lindenthal are moot because Lindenthal is no longer applied in any rejection due to the amendments to the claims.
Regarding claims 8, and 18, these are shown by newly applied Nies (US 2017/0353089 A1).
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-7, 9-17, 19, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by SCHWEIHER (DE-102012017293-A1).
As to claim 1, SCHWEIHER shows (FIG. 1, 2) An active component 40 of an electric machine 12, the active component 40 comprising:
a cooling channel 52, which, at least in some portions, has an axial extension which has a cross-sectional area, and
a reducing element 64,68,70 (fig. 3) protruding into the axial extension, wherein the reducing element 64,68,70 is configured to reduce the cross-sectional area such that turbulence of a cooling fluid occurs when the cooling fluid flows therethrough, the reducing element 64,68,70 protruding into the axial extension perpendicular to an axial direction of the axial extension, the reducing element 64,68,70 protruding into the axial extension across at least one side of the cross-sectional area (cooling channel parallel to longitudinal axis para[0095], turbulence [0102]).
As to claim 2/1, SCHWEIHER further shows the reducing element 64,68,70 reduces the cross-sectional area in a region of the reducing element by up to 20% (less than 50% para[0108]).
As to claim 3/1, SCHWEIHER further shows the active component 40 comprises a laminated core (laminations 86 para[0115]).
As to claim 4/3/1, SCHWEIHER further shows (FIG. 5) the reducing element 70 is formed integrally from a single sheet 86 of the laminated core 40 (para[0116]).
As to claim 5/4/3/1, SCHWEIHER further shows (FIG. 5) the reducing element 70 comprises several immediately adjacent individual sheets 86 (para[0116]).
As to claim 6/1, SCHWEIHER further shows (FIG. 5) the reducing element 70a is arranged at a distal end of the axial extension in the axial direction (projection 70a is on first lamination in axial direction (para[0116]).
As to claim 7/1, SCHWEIHER further shows (FIG. 2) the reducing element 64,68,70 is one of a plurality of reducing elements 64,68,70, wherein the active component 40 comprises the plurality of reducing elements 64,68,70, wherein the plurality of reducing elements 64,68,70 alternately protrude from a radially inner side of the cooling channel radially outwards into the axial extension and protrude from a radially outer side of the cooling channel radially inwards into the axial extension (para[0105]).
As to claim 9/1, SCHWEIHER further shows the active component 40 is a stator 36 of the electric machine 12 (para[0093]).
As to claim 10/1, SCHWEIHER further shows (FIG. 1) An electric machine 12 comprising an active component 40 according to claim 1 (para[0093]).
As to claim 11, SCHWEIHER shows (FIG. 1, 2) An active component 40 of an electric machine 12 , the active component comprising:
a reducing element 64,68,70 protruding into an axial extension of a cooling channel 52 of the active component 40 of the electric machine 12, wherein the reducing element 64,68,70 is configured to reduce a cross-sectional area of the axial extension to generate turbulence within a cooling fluid when the cooling fluid flows through the axial extension , the reducing element 64,68,70 protruding into the axial extension perpendicular to an axial direction of the axial extension, the reducing element 64,68,70 protruding into the axial extension across at least one side of the cross-sectional area (cooling channel parallel to longitudinal axis para[0095], turbulence [0102]).
As to claim 12/11, SCHWEIHER further shows the reducing element 64,68,70 reduces the cross-sectional area in a region of the reducing element by up to 20% (less than 50% para[0108]).
As to claim 13/11, SCHWEIHER further shows the active component 40 comprises a laminated core (laminations 86 para[0115]).
As to claim 14/13/11, SCHWEIHER further shows (FIG. 5) the reducing element 70 is formed from a single sheet 86 of the laminated core 40 (para[0116]).
As to claim 15/13/11, SCHWEIHER further shows (FIG. 5) the reducing element 70 comprises a plurality of adjacent sheets 86 in the laminated core 40 (para[0116]).
As to claim 16/11, SCHWEIHER further shows (FIG. 5) the reducing element 70a is arranged at a distal end of the axial extension in the axial direction (projection 70a is on first lamination in axial direction (para[0116]).
As to claim 17/11, SCHWEIHER further shows (FIG. 2) the reducing element 64,68,70 is one of a plurality of reducing elements 64,68,70, wherein the active component 40 comprises the plurality of reducing elements 64,68,70, wherein the plurality of reducing elements 64,68,70 alternately protrude from a radially inner side of the cooling channel radially outwards into the axial extension and protrude from a radially outer side of the cooling channel radially inwards into the axial extension (para[0105]).
As to claim 19, SCHWEIHER shows (FIG. 1, 2) An electric machine 12 comprising:
an active component 40, wherein the active component 40 comprises a reducing element 64,68,70 protruding into an axial extension of a cooling channel 52 of the active component 40 of the electric machine 12, wherein the reducing element 64,68,70 is configured to reduce a cross-sectional area of the axial extension to generate turbulence within a cooling fluid when the cooling fluid flows through the axial extension, the reducing element protruding into the axial extension perpendicular to an axial direction of the axial extension, the reducing element protruding into the axial extension across at least one side of the cross-sectional area (cooling channel parallel to longitudinal axis para[0095], turbulence [0102]).
As to claim 20/19, SCHWEIHER shows (FIG. 1, 2) the active component 40 comprises a stator 36 of the electric machine 12 (para[0093]).
Claim(s) 1, 8, 11 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Nies (US 2017/0353089 A1).
As to claim 1, Nies shows (FIG. 1, 15, 17):
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An active component 4 of an electric machine 2, the active component 4 comprising:
a cooling channel 40, which, at least in some portions, has an axial extension which has a cross-sectional area, and
a reducing element R protruding into the axial extension, wherein the reducing element R is configured to reduce the cross-sectional area such that turbulence of a cooling fluid occurs when the cooling fluid flows therethrough, the reducing element R protruding into the axial extension perpendicular to an axial direction Ax of the axial extension, the reducing element R protruding into the axial extension across at least one side of the cross-sectional area (para [0060], coolant passageway 40 [0065], [0073]).
As to claim 8/1, Nies further shows (FIG. 1, 15, 17 above) the reducing element R protrudes into the axial extension on a radially inner side and a radially outer side of the cooling channel 40, wherein the reducing element R protrudes into the axial extension over an entire circumference of the cross-sectional area.
As to claim 11, Nies shows (FIG. 1, 15, 17 above) An active component 4 of an electric machine 2, the active component 4 comprising:
a reducing element R protruding into an axial extension of a cooling channel 40 of the active component 4 of the electric machine 2, wherein the reducing element R is configured to reduce a cross-sectional area of the axial extension to generate turbulence within a cooling fluid when the cooling fluid flows through the axial extension, the reducing element R protruding into the axial extension perpendicular to an axial direction Ax of the axial extension, the reducing element R protruding into the axial extension across at least one side of the cross-sectional area (para [0060], coolant passageway 40 [0065], [0073]).
As to claim 18/11, Nies further shows (FIG. 1, 15, 17 above) the reducing element R protrudes into the axial extension on a radially inner side and a radially outer side of the cooling channel 40, wherein the reducing element R protrudes into the axial extension over an entire circumference of the cross-sectional area.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/ROBERT E MATES/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/TULSIDAS C PATEL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834