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 .
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)(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.
Claims 16-22, 24-28, 30-31, and 34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Jin et al (US 20020057164 A1).
With respect to claim 16, Jin discloses an externally excited electric synchronous machine, comprising: a machine rotor (fig. 22, rotor 103) including a rotor shaft (fig. 22, shaft 101) and a machine rotor coil disposed in a rotationally fixed manner at the rotor shaft (fig. 22, coils 109/109), the machine rotor coil providing a magnetic rotor field during operation (paragraph 72 “In the isolation transformer 1, as shown in FIG. 1, cores 2, 4 are disposed to oppose each other such that they are relatively rotatable across a predetermined gap G and a primary coil 3 and a secondary coil 5 are accommodated in accommodation grooves 2a, 4a respectively formed in the cores 2, 4.”); a machine stator (fig. 22, stator 102) including a machine stator coil that is stationary relative to the machine stator (fig. 22, coils 106/107), the machine stator coil providing a magnetic stator field during operation, which interacts with the magnetic rotor field such that the machine rotor rotates about an axial rotation axis during operation (see at least paragraph 72 quoted above and throughout.); a system including an electric rotary transformer for an inductive energy transmission (fig. 22, transformer 100); the rotary transformer including a rotary transformer stator with a transformer primary coil (fig. 22, coil 108); the rotary transformer further including a rotary transformer rotor which, during operation, rotates relative to the rotary transformer stator about an axially extending rotation axis (paragraph 144 “Here, the primary core 56 is fixed to the stator S and the secondary core 57 is fixed to the rotor R mounted on the rotation shaft S.sub.H.” The Examiner notes he differing embodiment but is interpreting the rotor as being rotatable in all embodiments), the rotary transformer rotor including a transformer secondary coil (fig. 22, coils 109); wherein, during operation, the transformer secondary coil and the transformer primary coil interact inductively to provide a transformer voltage in the transformer secondary coil (paragraph 188 “A constant voltage alternating signal of the frequency fk is applied from the oscillator 151 to the coil 107.”); wherein the rotary transformer stator is stationary relative to the machine stator (paragraph 183 “The stator 102 is mounted to a column (not shown) side and the rotor 103 is fixed to the shaft 101.”); wherein the rotary transformer rotor is mounted in a rotationally fixed manner at the machine rotor (fig. 22, rotor rotates); wherein the machine rotor coil is connected to the transformer secondary coil such that the machine rotor coil is supplied with a direct voltage for generating the magnetic rotor field (paragraph 188 “A constant voltage alternating signal of the frequency fk is applied from the oscillator 151 to the coil 107.”); wherein the system further includes a signal transmission device for transmitting operating signals with the rotary transformer rotor (fig. 22, signal transmission 140); wherein the signal transmission device includes (i) a rotor signalling coil that is rotationally fixed with respect to the rotary transformer rotor (fig. 25, coil 109) and (ii) a stator signalling coil that is stationary relative to the rotary transformer stator (fig. 25, coil 107), the rotor signalling coil and the stator signalling coil interacting inductively during operation for signal transmission (paragraph 188 “In the signal transmission circuit 140, as shown in FIG. 25, a capacitor 141 and a starting switch 142 are connected in series to the secondary coil 109. The capacitor 141 and the secondary coils 108, 109 of the rotary transformer 100 form a single series resonant circuit.”); and wherein the stator signalling coil is electrically isolated from the transformer primary coil (see at least figure 25, coils are at least electrically isolated from one another and paragraph 25), and the rotor signalling coil is electrically isolated from the transformer secondary coil (see at least figure 25, coils are at least electrically isolated from one another and paragraph 25).
With respect to claim 17, Jin discloses wherein, during operation, the signal transmission device is operated with a lower frequency than the rotary transformer (paragraph 188 “the resonance frequency of the resonant circuit is fk. The detection circuit 150 comprises an oscillator 151 connected to the primary coil 107, a current measuring circuit 152 and a comparator 153 connected to the current measuring circuit 152. An oscillation frequency of the oscillator 151 is set to the same frequency fk. A constant voltage alternating signal of the frequency fk is applied from the oscillator 151 to the coil 107. If the starting switch is turned ON, the secondary circuit of the rotary transformer 100 is a closed loop, providing series resonant condition. As well known, in case where the series resonant circuit becomes resonant, the impedance of the loop is minimized and resonant current is maximized. Therefore, the impedance of the primary coil is reduced so that a supply current to the oscillator 151 is increased. The current measuring circuit 152 and comparator 153 detect a maximum value of current so as to notify that the starting switch 142 of the secondary side has been turned ON with output signal.” The examiner is interpreting the comparator as allowing for operation at differing frequencies between the two coils).
With respect to claim 18, Jin discloses the rotary transformer rotor includes a circuit board which is provided with the transformer secondary coil (fig. 25 signal transmission circuit 140, Examiner is interpreting the circuit as comprising a board).
With respect to claim 19, Jin discloses the transformer secondary coil includes at least one transformer conductor track of the circuit board (fig. 25, trace connecting the coil 109 and signal transmission circuit 140).
With respect to claim 20, Jin discloses the rotor signalling coil includes at least one signal conductor track of the circuit board (see at least figure 23, trace connecting coil 108 to short firing circuit 130).
With respect to claim 21, Jin discloses the rotor signalling coil is disposed spaced apart radially with respect to the transformer secondary coil (see figure 22, coils are radially spaced apart and connected to their respective circuits).
With respect to claim 22, Jin discloses :the signal transmission device includes a rotor signalling unit, which is rotationally fixed to the rotary transformer rotor, for processing an operating signal received via the rotor signalling coil (fig. 22, signal transmission circuit 140); the rotor signalling unit is arranged downstream of the rotor signalling coil (see figure 22, transmission unit is separate from the rotor 103); and between the rotor signalling coil and the rotor signalling unit, an electric filter is connected for filtering the operating signal received via the rotor signalling coil (see figure 25 capacitor 141).
With respect to claim 23, Jin discloses the signal transmission device includes a stator signalling unit, which is stationary relative to the rotary transformer stator, for processing an operating signal received via the stator signalling coil (fig. 25 detection circuit 150); the stator signalling unit is arranged downstream of the stator signalling coil (see figure 22, detection circuit is outside the stator 102); and between the stator signalling coil and the stator signalling unit, an electric filter is connected for filtering the operating signal received via the stator signalling coil (fig. 25, oscillator circuit, the Examiner is interpreting the oscillator circuit as containing a capacitor for filtering).
With respect to claim 24, Jin discloses the transformer secondary coil and the transformer primary coil are arranged in a transformer magnet core that is stationary relative to the rotary transformer stator (fig. 22, coils 106/107 are stationarity).
With respect to claim 25, Jin discloses the stator signalling coil and the rotor signalling coil are arranged in the transformer magnet core (see figure 22, traces are connected to coils 109 and 107 inside cores 105 and 104 respectively).
With respect to claim 26, Jin discloses the stator signalling coil and the rotor signalling coil are arranged in a signal magnet core that is disposed spaced radially with respect to the transformer magnet core (see figure 22, traces are connected to coils 109 and 107 inside cores 105 and 104 respectively).
With respect to claim 27, Jin discloses the rotary transformer rotor includes a rectifier circuit disposed downstream of the transformer secondary coil (fig. 28a. rectifying circuit 143).
With respect to claim 28, Jin discloses motor vehicle, comprising a synchronous machine according to Claim 16 and an electrical energy source, wherein the energy source is connected to the transformer primary coil via an inverter circuit (fig. 22, power source 120).
With respect to claim 30, Jin discloses an externally excited electric synchronous machine, comprising: a machine rotor (fig. 22, rotor 103) including a rotor shaft (fig. 22, shaft 101) and a machine rotor coil (fig. 22, coils 109/109), the machine rotor coil disposed on the rotor shaft in a rotationally fixed manner and providing a magnetic rotor field during operation (paragraph 72 “In the isolation transformer 1, as shown in FIG. 1, cores 2, 4 are disposed to oppose each other such that they are relatively rotatable across a predetermined gap G and a primary coil 3 and a secondary coil 5 are accommodated in accommodation grooves 2a, 4a respectively formed in the cores 2, 4.”); a machine stator (fig. 22, stator 102) including a machine stator coil that is stationary relative to the machine stator (fig. 22, coils 106/107), the machine stator coil providing a magnetic stator field during operation, which interacts with the magnetic rotor field such that the machine rotor rotates about an axial rotation axis during operation (see at least paragraph 72 quoted above and throughout); and a system including: an electric rotary transformer for an inductive energy transmission (fig. 22, transformer 100); and a signal transmission device (fig. 22, signal transmission 140); the rotary transformer including: a rotary transformer stator that is stationary relative to the machine stator (fig. 25, coil 107), the rotary transformer stator including a transformer primary coil (fig. 25, coil 107); and a rotary transformer rotor that is mounted in a rotationally fixed manner at the machine rotor and rotatable relative to the rotary transformer stator about an axially extending rotation axis (paragraph 144 “Here, the primary core 56 is fixed to the stator S and the secondary core 57 is fixed to the rotor R mounted on the rotation shaft S.sub.H.” The Examiner notes he differing embodiment but is interpreting the rotor as being rotatable in all embodiments), the rotary transformer rotor including a transformer secondary coil arranged axially adjacent to the transformer primary coil (fig. 22, coils 109 109); the signal transmission device including: a rotor signalling coil that is rotationally fixed with respect to the rotary transformer rotor ((fig. 25, coil 109); and a stator signalling coil that is stationary relative to the rotary transformer stator (fig. 25, coil 107), the rotor signalling coil and the stator signalling coil interacting inductively during operation for transmitting operating signals with the rotary transformer rotor (paragraph 188 “In the signal transmission circuit 140, as shown in FIG. 25, a capacitor 141 and a starting switch 142 are connected in series to the secondary coil 109. The capacitor 141 and the secondary coils 108, 109 of the rotary transformer 100 form a single series resonant circuit.”); wherein the stator signalling coil is electrically isolated from the transformer primary coil (see at least figure 25, coils are at least electrically isolated from one another and paragraph 25), and the rotor signalling coil is electrically isolated from the transformer secondary coil (see at least figure 25, coils are at least electrically isolated from one another and paragraph 25); wherein the transformer secondary coil and the transformer primary coil interact inductively during operation to provide a transformer voltage in the transformer secondary coil (paragraph 188 “A constant voltage alternating signal of the frequency fk is applied from the oscillator 151 to the coil 107.”); and wherein the machine rotor coil is connected to the transformer secondary coil such that the machine rotor coil is supplied with a direct voltage for generating the magnetic rotor field (fig. 22, power source and paragraph 188 “A constant voltage alternating signal of the frequency fk is applied from the oscillator 151 to the coil 107.”).
With respect to claim 31, Jin discloses the rotary transformer is arranged adjacent to an axial face side of the machine rotor and is disposed spaced apart from the machine rotor coil and the machine stator coil (see figure 22, coils 108/109 are arranged adjacent to one another).
With respect to claim 34, Jin discloses a transformer magnet core (fig. 22, cores 104/105), the transformer magnet core including: an axially open recess in which the transformer primary coil is arranged (fig. 22, coils 106/107 and 109/109 are embedded in cores); and a radially inward open cavity in which the transformer secondary coil is arranged ((fig. 22, coils 106/107 and 109/109 are embedded in cores).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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, 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.
Claims 29, 32-33 and 35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jin in view of Rozman et al (US 20150115762 A1).
With respect to claim 29, Jin teaches the above-mentioned limitations but does not teach “a method of using an externally excited electric synchronous machine according to Claim 16, comprising utilizing the synchronous machine as a traction motor.”
Rozman teaches a method of using an externally excited electric synchronous machine according to Claim 16, comprising utilizing the synchronous machine as a traction motor (paragraph 34 “The systems and methods described herein can be used for electrical machines, such as wound field synchronous generators, motors, and generator/motors for example.” The Examiner is interpreting general motors as encompassing traction motors).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill, in the art at the time the invention was filed,
to combine the transformer and motor of Jin with the vehicle of Rozman in order to use the work produced by the motor.
With respect to claim 32, Jin teaches the rotary transformer rotor includes a circuit board (fig. 25 signal transmission circuit 140, Examiner is interpreting the circuit as comprising a board);
Jin does not teach “the transformer secondary coil is a planar winding and arranged entirely in the circuit board”
Rozman teaches the transformer secondary coil is a planar winding and arranged entirely in the circuit board (fig. 2, isolating substrate 106A contains coils 108).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill, in the art at the time the invention was filed,
to combine the transformer and motor of Jin with the planar winding on the circuit board of Rozman in order to compactly package the electronics together.
With respect to claim 33, Jin teaches the above-mentioned limitations but does not teach “the circuit board includes a central opening; and the rotor shaft extends through the central opening of the circuit board.”
Rozman teaches the circuit board includes a central opening (fig. 2B, R); and the rotor shaft extends through the central opening of the circuit board (fig. 2A, R, Examiner is interpreting the rotational axis of the rotor and stator continuation as centered on a shaft).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill, in the art at the time the invention was filed,
to combine the transformer and motor of Jin with the planar winding on the circuit board of Rozman in order to compactly package the electronics together.
With respect to claim 35, Jin teaches the above-mentioned limitations but does not teach “the rotary transformer rotor includes a circuit board that projects radially into the cavity of the transformer magnet core and is rotatable within the cavity of the transformer magnet core.”
Rozman teaches the rotary transformer rotor includes a circuit board that projects radially into the cavity of the transformer magnet core (fig. 2B, PCB 106) and is rotatable within the cavity of the transformer magnet core (paragraph 34 “Rotary transformer 100 includes stator PCB 102 and a rotary PCB 102A. Rotary PCB 102A is operatively connected to stator PCB 102 for relative rotation with respect to stator PCB 102 about a rotation axis R, such as by stator PCB 102 being coupled to stationary part 20 of electrical machine 10 and rotary PCB 102A being connected to rotating part 50 of electrical machine 10.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill, in the art at the time the invention was filed,
to combine the transformer and motor of Jin with the planar winding on the circuit board of Rozman in order to compactly package the electronics together.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RILEY OWEN STOUT whose telephone number is (571)272-0068. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:30-5:30pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher M Koehler can be reached at (571)272-3560. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/R.O.S./ Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/CHRISTOPHER M KOEHLER/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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