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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDSs) submitted on 3/25/24, 8/7/24, 4/29/25 are being considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendment
This office action is in response to amendment filed on 3/25/24. Regarding the amendment, claims 1-15 are present for examination.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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) 1-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Manabe et al. (US 2018/0205294 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Manabe teaches an electric rotating machine (A), comprising a stator (3), a rotor (2) arranged to rotate about a rotational axis in relation to the stator (3), and a cooling system (14) for cooling at least a portion of the stator (3),
wherein a radial extension extends perpendicularly to the rotational axis (fig 1),
wherein the stator (3) comprises a stator core (31) and a stator coil (32), the stator coil (32) having a coil end winding (32e) extending axially beyond the stator core (31),
wherein at least part of the coil end winding (32e) is arranged in a channel (14) extending at least partially around the rotational axis, and
wherein the cooling system (14) comprises the channel (14) and at least one inlet (51) to the channel (14) arranged at a radially inner portion of the channel (14) seen along the radial extension (fig 1).
Regarding claim 2, Manabe teaches the at least one inlet (51) to the channel (14) is arranged at an axial half of the channel (14) closest to the stator core (31, fig 1).
Regarding claim 3, Manabe teaches the at least one inlet (51) to the channel (14) comprises more than one inlet distributed along a circumference of the channel (14, fig 1).
Regarding claim 4, Manabe teaches the at least one inlet (51) to the channel (14) comprises within a range of 2-50 inlets distributed along a circumference of the channel (fig 2).
Regarding claim 5, Manabe teaches the cooling system comprises one or more passages (14a) arranged upstream of the channel (14), and wherein the at least one inlet (51) to the channel (14) is fluidly connected to the one or more passages (14a, fig 1).
Regarding claim 6, Manabe teaches the one or more passages (14a) is/are arranged at least partially along the channel (14, fig 1).
Regarding claim 7, Manabe teaches the one or more passages (14a) is/are formed between a first guiding member (5) and a second guiding member (22b), and wherein the channel (14) is partially delimited by the first guiding member (5).
Regarding claim 8, Manabe teaches the at least one inlet (51) to the channel (14) is formed by one or more recesses and/or through holes in the first guiding member (5, fig 2-3).
Regarding claim 9, Manabe teaches the cooling system comprises at least one outlet (11c) from the channel (11) arranged at a radially outer portion of the channel (11) seen along the radial extension (fig 1).
Regarding claim 10, Manabe teaches the at least one outlet (11c) is arranged at an upper portion of the channel (11), seen with the electric rotating machine positioned in a use position thereof (fig 1).
Regarding claim 11, Manabe teaches the coil end winding (32e) is arranged at the radially inner portion of the channel (11), and wherein the channel (11) extends radially outside the coil end winding (32e), forming in the channel (11) an unblocked portion (11b) of the channel (11) radially outside of the coil end winding (32e) seen along the radial extension, the unblocked portion (11b) extending at least partially circumferentially around the coil end winding (32e).
Regarding claim 12, Manabe teaches a method for cooling a coil end winding of an electric rotating machine (A), the electric machine comprising a stator (3), a rotor (2) arranged to rotate about a rotational axis in relation to the stator (3), and a cooling system for cooling at least the coil end winding (32e), wherein radial extension extends perpendicularly to the rotational axis, wherein the stator (3) comprises a stator core (31) and a stator coil (32), the stator coil (32) comprising the coil end winding (32e) which extends axially beyond the stator core (32), wherein at least part of the coil end winding (32e) is arranged in a channel (11) extending at least partially around the rotational axis, wherein the cooling system comprises the channel (11), and wherein the method comprising steps of:
supplying a coolant to the channel (11) at a radially inner portion of the channel (11), and
directing the coolant radially outwardly through the coil end winding (32e).
Regarding claim 13, Manabe teaches the step of supplying a coolant comprises a step of: supplying the coolant via more than one inlet (51) to the channel (11) at the radially inner portion of the channel (fig 1).
Regarding claim 14, Manabe teaches subsequently to the step of directing the coolant a step of: guiding the coolant along an at least partially circumferential flow path in the channel (11) radially outside the coil end winding (32e) to at least one outlet (11c) from the channel (fig 1).
Regarding claim 15, Manabe teaches a vehicle comprising one or more electric rotating machines (A), wherein the one or more electric rotating machines comprises a stator (3), a rotor (2) arranged to rotate about a rotational axis in relation to the stator (3), and a cooling system for cooling at least a portion of the stator (3),
wherein a radial extension extends perpendicularly to the rotational axis (fig 1),
wherein the stator (3) comprises a stator core (31) and a stator coil (32), the stator coil (32) having a coil end winding (32e) extending axially beyond the stator core (31),
wherein at least part of the coil end winding (32e) is arranged in a channel (11) extending at least partially around the rotational axis, and
wherein the cooling system comprises the channel (11) and at least one inlet (51) to the channel (11) arranged at a radially inner portion of the channel (11) seen along the radial extension.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Yamamotor et al. (US 2012/0299404 A1) teaches a rotor for the dynamo, the interior circumference face of a rotor core main body makes contact in a thermally transmissible manner with a rotor axle, and the rotor axle includes a cooling medium circulation space. The rotor is provided with a cooling medium supply member, which supplies the cooling medium to the cooling medium circulation space. The cooling medium supply member is provided with a cooling medium supply path that extends in the rotor axle direction, and cooling medium supply holes that extend externally in the direction of the rotor diameter. The cooling medium supply holes are provided with supply apertures that open toward the cooling interior circumference face. The rotor axle is provided with cooling medium discharge holes that extend externally in the direction of the rotor diameter. The cooling medium discharge holes are provided with discharge apertures that open externally in the diameter direction.
Takenaka et al. (US 7,952,240 B2) teaches a rotary electric machine having a stator including a coil; and a cooling unit that cools a coil end of the coil, which projects in an axial direction of the stator, wherein the cooling unit includes: an outer periphery cooling portion that is disposed along an outer peripheral surface of the coil end and includes a plurality of injection holes that inject a cooling medium onto the outer peripheral surface; and an end surface cooling portion that is disposed along an axial end surface of the coil end and includes a plurality of injection holes that inject the cooling medium onto the axial end surface.
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/LEDA T PHAM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834