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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-6 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 1-2, and 5-6 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Agapiou et al (US 20200136481 A1) in view of Bethge et al (US 20190109513 A1)
With respect to claim 1, Agapiou teaches a stator comprising: a stator core (fig. 1 stator core 11) including a slot extending in an axial direction (fig. 4, slot 18); at least one first segment coil extending in the slot of the stator core in a first direction (fig. 2b, junction portion 22a); at least one second segment coil extending in the slot of the stator core in a second direction (fig. 2b, junction portion 24a); at least one connecting member that connects a tip end of the at least one first segment coil to a tip end of the at least one second segment coil in the slot of the stator core (fig. 2b, junction portions 22a and 24a); and a refrigerant flow path that passes through an inside of the stator core (fig. 9, cooling channel 78),
Agapiou teaches does not teach “wherein an opening of the refrigerant flow path is provided at a position corresponding to a part of a section of the slot the at least one connecting member being positioned in the section.”
Bethge teaches wherein an opening of the refrigerant flow path is provided at a position corresponding to a part of a section of the slot the at least one connecting member being positioned in the section (fig. 3, inlet and outlets channels 8-9 and conductor 4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill, in the art at the time the invention was filed,
to combine the stator of Agapiou with the in slot coolant paths of Bethge in order to further cool the coils thereby reducing the heat related damages to the coils thereby increasing the motor’s lifespan.
With respect to claim 2, Agapiou in view of Bethge teaches the above-mentioned limitations. Agapiou further teaches the refrigerant flow path includes: a first axial refrigerant flow path extending from a first end of the stator core along the axial direction (fig. 9A, cooling channel 78 top of page); a second axial refrigerant flow path extending from a second end of the stator core along the axial direction (fig. 9a, cooling channel 78 bottom of page); a first communication refrigerant flow path extending from the first axial refrigerant flow path to the section of the slot (see figure 9, cooling channel 78 flows in axial direction to crowns 30/40); and a second communication refrigerant flow path extending from the second axial refrigerant flow path to the section of the slot (see figure 9, cooling channel 78 flows in axial direction to crowns 30/40).
With respect to claim 5, Agapiou in view of Bethge teaches the above-mentioned limitations. Agapiou further teaches both sides of the section in the axial direction are filled with a filler material inside the slot (fig. 2a, resin molds 32 and 42).
With respect to claim 6, Agapiou in view of Bethge teaches the above-mentioned limitations. Agapiou further teaches the connecting member is disposed to be shifted in the axial direction of the stator core from a connecting member of another segment coil of the stator core that is adjacent in a radial direction or a circumferential direction (see figure 2A, end portions 24/26 are shifted along the circumferential direction.).
Claims 3-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Agapiou in view of Bethge in further view of Takahashi et al (US 20190280547 A1).
With respect to claim 3, Agapiou in view of Bethge teaches the above-mentioned limitations. Agapiou further teaches the refrigerant flow path includes: an axial refrigerant flow path extending from a first end of the stator core to a second end of the stator core along the axial direction (see figure 9, cooling channel 78 flows in axial direction to crowns 30/40).
Agapiou nor Bethge teaches “a first communication refrigerant flow path extending from a first intermediate position of the axial refrigerant flow path to the section of the slot; and a second communication refrigerant flow path extending from a second intermediate position different from the first intermediate position of the axial refrigerant flow path to the section of the slot.”
Takahashi teaches a first communication refrigerant flow path extending from a first intermediate position of the axial refrigerant flow path to the section of the slot (see figure 5 marked below); and a second communication refrigerant flow path extending from a second intermediate position different from the first intermediate position of the axial refrigerant flow path to the section of the slot (see figure 5 marked below).
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Takahashi Figure 5
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill, in the art at the time the invention was filed,
to combine the stator of Agapiou with the in slot coolant paths of Bethge with the intermediate flow paths of Takahashi in order to further cool the coils thereby reducing the heat related damages to the coils thereby increasing the motor’s lifespan.
With respect to claim 4, Agapiou in view of Bethge teaches the above-mentioned limitations. Agapiou further teaches wherein the refrigerant flow path includes: an axial refrigerant flow path extending from a first end of the stator core to a second end of the stator core along the axial direction (fig. 9A and paragraph 56, cooling channels 78);
Agapiou nor Bethge teaches “a communication refrigerant flow path extending from an intermediate position of the axial refrigerant flow path to the section of the slot”
Takahashi teaches a communication refrigerant flow path extending from an intermediate position of the axial refrigerant flow path to the section of the slot (fig. 6, coolant path 56).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill, in the art at the time the invention was filed,
to combine the stator of Agapiou with the in slot coolant paths of Bethge with the intermediate flow paths of Takahashi in order to further cool the coils thereby reducing the heat related damages to the coils thereby increasing the motor’s lifespan.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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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/R.O.S./Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/CHRISTOPHER M KOEHLER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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