DETAILED ACTION
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
2. The specification, the abstract and the drawings are all acceptable.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
3. 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.
4. Claims 1, 3, 10-11, 13, 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by USPN 8,853,869 to Nikolic.
As to claim 1, Nikolic teaches a device for recovering energy from a rotating vehicle wheel(col. 2: lines 15-56), comprising: a hub assembly coupled to the wheel and having spaced apart and interlocked outer and inner discs between which a static magnetic field is created and a stator coil disposed coaxial to the hub assembly and extending within the air gap between the outer and inner discs, the stator coil being fixed relative to the hub, wherein rotation of the hub generates an electrical current in the coil(col. 7: lines 29-41 & col. 2: lines 15-32 wherein apparatus and method are taught for a device for recovering energy from a rotating vehicle wheel having a first disc and second disc to generate a static magnetic field around the rotating coils to generate electrical current in the coils).
As to claim 3, Nikolic teaches a device according to claim 1, wherein the permanent magnets of each disc are mounted on a respective annular magnetic yoke(col. 4: lines 44-65 wherein the permanent magnets are a part of stator which has a yoke).
As to claim 10, Nikolic teaches a device according to claim 1, wherein the stator coil forms part of an electrical circuit for distribution of energy generated therein, the device further including a switch for selectively opening and closing the circuit, whereby closing the circuit applied a magnetic resistance torque to the hub assembly to brake the vehicle(col. 7: lines 1-25).
As to claim 11, Nikolic teaches a hub assembly for use in recovering energy from a rotating vehicle wheel(col. 2: lines 15-56), the hub assembly formed of spaced apart outer and inner discs between which a static magnetic field is created, the hub assembly configured to receive a stator coil disposed coaxial thereto and extending within the air gap between the outer and inner discs, the stator coil being configured to be, in use, fixed relative to the vehicle, whereby rotation of the hub assembly generates an electrical current in the coil(col. 7: lines 29-41 & col. 2: lines 15-32 wherein apparatus and method are taught for a device for recovering energy from a rotating vehicle wheel having a first disc and second disc to generate a static magnetic field around the rotating coils to generate electrical current in the coils).
As to claim 13, Nikolic teaches a method of recovering energy from a rotating vehicle wheel, including the steps of providing a device according to claim 1 and using the energy recovered to recharge an electrical storage device of the vehicle(col. 2: lines 15-32).
As to claim 15, Nikolic teaches a method according to claim 13, performed during forward or rearward motion of the vehicle(col. 1: lines 40-55 & col. 2: lines 15-32 wherein recovering energy from a rotating vehicle wheel is performed during the motion of vehicle which includes the forward or rearward motion of the vehicle).
As to claim 16, Nikolic teaches a vehicle(col. 1: lines 40-55), including at least one device according to claim 1.
As to claim 17, Nikolic teaches a vehicle according to claim 16 wherein each device is fitted to any place including but not limiting to the rear wheel of the vehicle(col. 1: lines 40-55, col. 2: lines 6-11).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. 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 of this title, 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.
6. Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over USPN 8,853,869 to Nikolic, and in view of USPN 7,919,891 to Wilson.
As to claim 4, Nikolic teaches a device according to claim 3.
Nikolic does not teach an apparatus wherein the permanent magnets of each disc are restrained with outer and inner rings disposed in generally the same plane as the magnets.
Wilson teaches an apparatus wherein the permanent magnets of each disc are restrained with outer and inner rings disposed in generally the same plane as the magnets (col. 3: lines 41-53, col. 9: lines 33-40).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the teachings of Wilson into Nikolic since Nikolic suggests a motor system and Wilson suggests the beneficial use of the outer and inner rings disposed in generally the same plane as the magnets for a motor system in the analogous art of motor control technology.
The motivation for this comes from the fact that Wilson teaches an apparatus of the outer and inner rings disposed in generally the same plane as the magnets for a motor system which can be used to improve the motor system disclosed by Nikolic.
Allowable Subject Matter
7. Claims 2, 5-9, 12, 14 are objected to as being dependent upon the rejected base claims 1, 11, but could be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claims and any intervening claims for the following reasons: No prior art of record discloses the features as claimed in the noted claims.
8. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter. The non-obvious features are:
In comparison with the closest prior art as cited in this Office action and any previous Office actions, no prior art of record discloses the following features as claimed in the following claim limitations:
As per claim 2: The outer and inner discs have, on opposing surfaces thereof, a plurality of permanent magnets disposed around a periphery of the disc with the magnetic axis of each magnet being generally normal to the surface of the disc; the orientation of the magnetic axis of adjacent magnets on each disc alternates; and the orientation of magnets opposing each other on the spaced apart discs is oppositely arranged.
As per claim 5: The stator coil is formed of at least one annular disc having a plurality of generally spiral shaped windings disposed around a periphery thereof, each winding being connected in series.
As per claim 12: The outer and inner discs have, on opposing surfaces thereof, a plurality of permanent magnets disposed around a periphery of each disc with the magnetic axis of each magnet being generally normal to the surface of the disc to which it is mounted; the orientation of the magnetic axis of adjacent magnets on each disc alternates; and the orientation of magnets opposing each other on the spaced apart discs is oppositely arranged.
As per claim 14: The device is operable to open and close an electrical circuit that forms part of the device to vary the magnetic resistance torque applied to the hub assembly to assist with braking the vehicle.
Conclusion
9. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
USPN 4,530,413 to Buike discloses a motor control system.
10. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID S LUO whose telephone number is (571)270-5251. The examiner can normally be reached 8AM-5PM.
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, Eduardo Colon-Santana can be reached at 571-272-2060. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAVID LUO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2846
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