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 statement (IDS) submitted on 5/20/2024 is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
P.14, line 11 and lines 24-25 refer to inlet channel 18. Elsewhere the inlet channel is refnum 17 and the outlet channel is refnum 18.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
(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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 16-23 and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by RUSTICHELLI (EP 3965266).
Regarding claim 16, RUSTICHELLI discloses a rotor arrangement for an electric machine, comprising:
a rotor shaft (20), configured to rotate about an axis of rotation (A);
a rotor body (12), wherein the rotor shaft (20) is arranged coaxially in a receiving opening (14) of the rotor body (12) and is connected to the rotor body (12) for conjoint rotation (see Fig. 1 and para [0018]);
a plurality of spacing regions (26) and contact regions distributed over a circumference in a circumferential direction about the axis of rotation (A) between an outer circumference of the rotor shaft (20) and an inner circumference of the receiving opening (14) (see Fig. 3),
wherein the rotor shaft (20) and the rotor body (12) are spaced apart from one another in the plurality of spacing regions (26) and in contact with one another in the contact regions (see Fig. 3),
wherein each of the plurality of spacing regions (26) is divided into an inlet channel (unlabeled; see annotated Fig. 2, below) and an outlet channel (30);
a deflection region (28B)that fluidically interconnects the inlet channel and the outlet channel (30) on a first axial rotor end face (see Fig. 2); and
a connection region (36) that fluidically separates the inlet channel and the outlet channel (30) on a second axial rotor end face (see Fig. 2).
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Regarding claim 17, RUSTICHELLI discloses the rotor arrangement as claimed in claim 16, wherein a coolant (CF) flows via the inlet channel along a flow path in an axial direction relative to the axis of rotation (A) to the deflection region (28B), and is deflected in the deflection region (28B) and flows in an axially opposing direction via the outlet channel (30) to the connection region (36) (see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 18, RUSTICHELLI discloses the rotor arrangement as claimed in claim 16, wherein the plurality of spacing regions (26) are divided in each case by a sealing portion running axially relative to the axis of rotation (A) into the inlet channel and the outlet channel (30) (i.e., each pair of the disclosed ‘internal coolant duct 22’ is considered a spacing region as broadly claimed; see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 19, RUSTICHELLI discloses the rotor arrangement as claimed in claim 18, wherein the sealing portion is formed by a sealing lip which in an axial direction is sealingly in contact with the rotor shaft (20) and/or the rotor body (12)(see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 20, RUSTICHELLI discloses the rotor arrangement as claimed in claim 19, wherein the sealing portions are selectively mounted on the rotor shaft (20; see Fig. 3) or on the rotor body by a material connection (i.e., they are integral to the shaft, a material connection as broadly claimed).
Regarding claim 21, RUSTICHELLI discloses the rotor arrangement as claimed in claim 16, wherein the inlet channels for connecting to a coolant supply (44) lead in each case via an inlet opening (42) in the connection region (36) and the outlet channels (30) lead in each case via an outlet opening into the connection region (36) for forming a coolant outlet (50) (see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 22, RUSTICHELLI discloses the rotor arrangement as claimed in claim 16,
wherein a first shaft insert (17) arranged on the first axial rotor end face and a second shaft insert (32) arranged on the second axial rotor end face,
wherein the deflection region (28B) is defined in the axial direction by the first shaft insert (17) and the connection region (36) is defined in an axial opposing direction by the second shaft insert (32).
Regarding claim 23, RUSTICHELLI discloses the rotor arrangement as claimed in claim 22, wherein the second shaft insert (32) has a central feed channel (22) and a plurality of radial connecting channels (28B), wherein the feed channel (22) is fluidically connected to the inlet channels via the connecting channel (28B).
Regarding claim 30, RUSTICHELLI discloses an electric machine comprising:
a rotor arrangement comprising:
a rotor shaft (20), configured to rotate about an axis of rotation (A);
a rotor body (12), wherein the rotor shaft (20) is arranged coaxially in a receiving opening (14) of the rotor body (12) and is connected to the rotor body (12) for conjoint rotation (see Fig. 1 and para [0018]);
a plurality of spacing regions (26) and contact regions distributed over a circumference in a circumferential direction about the axis of rotation (A) between an outer circumference of the rotor shaft (20) and an inner circumference of the receiving opening (14) (see Fig. 3),
wherein the rotor shaft (20) and the rotor body (12) are spaced apart from one another in the plurality of spacing regions (26) and in contact with one another in the contact regions (see Fig. 3),
wherein each of the plurality of spacing regions (26) is divided into an inlet channel (unlabeled; see annotated Fig. 2, above) and an outlet channel (30);
a deflection region (28B) that fluidically interconnects the inlet channel and the outlet channel (30) on a first axial rotor end face (see Fig. 2); and
a connection region (36) that fluidically separates the inlet channel and the outlet channel (30) on a second axial rotor end face (see Fig. 2).
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.
Claim 24 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over RUSTICHELLI in view of WALBAUM (WO 2021136819; previously disclosed).
Regarding claim 24, RUSTICHELLI discloses the rotor arrangement as claimed in claim 23, wherein at least the second shaft insert (32) has a radially outwardly oriented flange (see Fig. 2).
However, RUSTICHELLI does not disclose a circumferential spin-off chamber formed axially between the flange and the rotor body.
WALBAUM discloses a circumferential spin-off chamber 38 formed axially between a flange 40 and a rotor body 6 (see Figs. 7 and 11).
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It 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 to provide the rotor arrangement of RUSTICHELLI with a spin-off chamber formed axially between the flange and the rotor body, similar to WALBAUM.
A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains would have been motivated to make such modification in order to redirect used coolant to provide for a cost effective and space efficient cooling system, as taught by WALBAUM (see p. 4, lines 16-24 and p.24, lines 6-12).
Claims 25-29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over RUSTICHELLI in view of WALBAUM as applied to claim 24 above, and further in view of LUX (previously disclosed; DE 102019124209; machine translation attached).
Regarding claim 25, RUSTICHELLI in view of WALBAUM teaches the rotor arrangement as claimed in claim 24.
However, RUSTICHELLI in view of WALBAUM does not teach a spin-off ring which is arranged on the second axial rotor end face, wherein the connection region is defined in a radial direction by the spin-off ring.
LUX teaches a spin-off ring 13 at a first and second axial rotor end face wherein a connection region is defined in a radial direction by the spin-off ring 13 (see Fig. 1).
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It 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 to provide the rotor arrangement of RUSTICHELLI in view of WALBAUM with a spin-off ring which is arranged on the second axial rotor end face, wherein the connection region is defined in a radial direction by the spin-off ring, similar to LUX.
A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains would have been motivated to make such modification in order to provide a targeted discharge of coolant to an inner side of stator end windings, as taught by LUX (see Fig. [0013])
Regarding claim 26, RUSTICHELLI in view of WALBAUM and further in view of LUX teaches the rotor arrangement as claimed in claim 25,
LUX discloses the spin-off ring 13 has a plurality of radial spin-off openings 17, wherein in each case one of the spin-off openings 17 is fluidically connected to each outlet channel 19 (see Fig. 2).
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Regarding claim 27, RUSTICHELLI in view of WALBAUM and further in view of LUX teaches the rotor arrangement as claimed in claim 26,
LUX discloses the spin-off openings 17 lead into the spin-off chamber (see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 28, RUSTICHELLI in view of WALBAUM and further in view of LUX teaches the rotor arrangement as claimed in claim 27,
LUX discloses the spin-off ring 13 has a plurality of radially inwardly oriented support portions 23, wherein the spin-off ring 13 is radially supported in each case via a support portion 23 respectively at least on one sealing portion 21 (see Fig. 2; note that claim 28 does not depend from claim 18 and the respective ‘sealing portions,’ as broadly claimed, may not necessarily be analogous).
Regarding claim 29, RUSTICHELLI in view of WALBAUM and further in view of LUX discloses the rotor arrangement as claimed in claim 28
LUX discloses wherein the spin-off ring 13 has a plurality of deflection channels 18 in the circumferential direction,
wherein the outlet channels 19 are fluidically connected respectively to one of the spin-off openings 17 in the circumferential direction respectively via one of the deflection channels 18 (see Fig. 2).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US-20190131850-A1 Heeke is a US equivalent of previously disclosed document and discloses a rotor shaft with a plurality of spacing regions divided into an inlet channel and an outlet channel (see Fig. 5); US-20200373815-A1 Lang discloses a rotor shaft with a plurality of spacing regions divided into an inlet channel and an outlet channel (see Fig. 3); US-20220320948-A1 Cripsey discloses a rotor shaft with a plurality of spacing regions divided into an inlet channel and an outlet channel (see Figs. 11-17); US-20220352781-A1 HÅKANSSON discloses a rotor shaft with a plurality of spacing regions divided into an inlet channel and an outlet channel (see Fig. 3); CN-112260486-A SONG discloses a rotor shaft with a plurality of spacing regions divided into an inlet channel and an outlet channel (see Fig. 12).
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/JUSTIN STEFANON/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/OLUSEYE IWARERE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834