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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on November 13, 2025, is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 12-20 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 12, the claim recites “a first end interfaced with the HTS; a second end interfaced with the HTS”. However, claim 12 also recites an electrically conductive cable to supply an output current and recites that rotation of the shaft causes a generator assembly to generate the output current. It is unclear whether the claimed “second end” is intended to be interfaced with the HTS or with the electrically conductive cable. Accordingly, the scope of claim 12 is unclear. Claims 13-16 depend from claim 12 and are indefinite for at least the same reason.
Regarding claim 17, the claim recites “a housing to couple a high-temperature semiconductor (HTS) with an electrically conductive cable”. However, the abbreviation “HTS” used in the specifications and claims refer to a “high-temperature superconductor (HTS)”. Thus, it is unclear whether the claims HTS is intended to refer to a high-temperature semiconductor or a high-temperature superconductor. Accordingly, the scope of claim 17 is unclear. Claims 18-20 depend from claim 17, and are indefinite for at least the same reason.
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(s) 1-7, 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sinha et al. (US 6936771 B2) in view of Witt et al. (US 20080067883 A1) and in further view of Meinke et al. (US 20130221748 A1)
Regarding Claim 1 – Sinha teaches a thermally separating power coupling device (Fig 1; 109; Sinha [Abstract] states “connects high temperature superconducting (HTS) cable… to… external bushings at ambient temperature and pressure”) comprising: a housing (Fig 1; 109; Sinha [Summary] states “thermally insulated termination conduit”) comprising: a first end at which a high-temperature superconductor (HTS) is to be interfaced with the housing (Fig 1; HTS cable 101, cold housing 403; Sinha [Claim 1] states “cold housing for making connections between superconductors and normal termination conductors”), the first end having a first opening through which an input current is to flow into the housing (Fig 1; 101, 403; Sinha [Claim 1] states “a cold end which connects to a respective superconducting conductor”); and a second end at which an electrically conductive cable to be interfaced with the housing (Fig 1; 408; Sinha [Claim 1] states “warm end which connects to a hermetic ambient temperature pressurized bushing” and “external ambient temperature cable”), the second end having a second opening through which an output current is to flow out of the housing (Fig 1; external bushing 408; Sinha [Claim 1] quoted above).
Sinha does not explicitly disclose a power coupling system housed within the housing, the power coupling system comprising: a shaft rotatably mounted within the housing, the shaft having a motor side and a generator side; a set of motor magnets attached to the motor side of the shaft; a set of motor coils positioned near the set of motor magnets, the set of motor coils to receive an electrical current from the HTS, wherein the received electrical current causes the set of motor magnets to rotate the shaft; a set of generator magnets attached to the generator side of the shaft; and a set of generator coils positioned near the set of generator magnets, the set of generator coils to output an electrical current to the electrically conductive cable when the shaft rotates. However, with respect to the set of motor coils to receive an electrical current from the HTS, Sinha teaches the HTS cable entering the cold side and connecting to a respective superconducting conductor (Fig 1; 101, 403; Sinha [Claim 1] states “a cold end which connects to a respective superconducting conductor”), but Sinha does not explicitly disclose motor coils receiving that electrical current.
Witt teaches a power coupling system housed within the housing (Fig 1; device 10; Witt [Abstract]; Fig 3d; 2321, 2322; Witt [0082]), the power coupling system comprising: a set of motor magnets attached to the motor side of the shaft (Fig 1; inner magnetic elements 12a; Witt [0111]); a set of motor coils positioned near the set of motor magnets (Fig 1; inner coil assemblies 16; Witt [0063]), wherein the received electrical current causes the set of motor magnets to rotate the shaft (Fig 1; inner coil assemblies 16, input shaft 22; Witt [0116]); a set of generator magnets attached to the generator side of the shaft (Fig 1; outer magnetic elements 14a; Witt [0060]); and a set of generator coils positioned near the set of generator magnets (Fig 1; outer coil assemblies 18; Witt [0060]), the set of generator coils to output an electrical current to the electrically conductive cable when the shaft rotates (Fig 1; outer coil assemblies 18, terminal connections 39; Witt [0110]). For the limitation “the set of motor coils to receive an electrical current from the HTS”, Sinha teaches the electrical current from the HTS as discussed above, and Witt teaches motor coils receiving electrical current to rotate the shaft (Fig 1; inner coil assemblies 16, input shaft 22; Witt [0116]). Witt does not explicitly disclose that the electrical current is received from the HTS.
It would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device of Sinha with a power coupling system housed within the housing, the power coupling system comprising: a set of motor magnets attached to the motor side of the shaft; a set of motor coils positioned near the set of motor magnets, the set of motor coils to receive an electrical current from the HTS, wherein the received electrical current causes the set of motor magnets to rotate the shaft; a set of generator magnets attached to the generator side of the shaft; and a set of generator coils positioned near the set of generator magnets, the set of generator coils to output an electrical current to the electrically conductive cable when the shaft rotates, wherein Sinha teaches the electrical current from the HTS and the electrically conductive cable, and Witt teaches the motor coils receiving the electrical current to rotate the shaft and the generator coils outputting electrical current when the shaft rotates, because Witt states “An electromotive force may be generated in at least one of the inner and outer coils upon relative rotation of the rotor assembly” and “Alternatively, relative rotation of the rotor assembly may be caused upon an electromotive force being applied in at least one of the inner and outer coils”.
Meinke teaches a shaft rotatably mounted within the housing, the shaft having a motor side and a generator side (Fig 2; shaft 66; Meinke [0033]).
It would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device of Sinha with a shaft rotatably mounted within the housing, the shaft having a motor side and a generator side as taught by Meinke to get the benefit of transferring mechanical energy from the motor side to generator side, Meinke [0033] states “The synchronous motor 56 is coupled to an energy storage device 60 and a homopolar generator 64 via a common shaft 66 for transfer of mechanical energy”.
Regarding Claim 2 – Sinha in view of Witt and Meinke teaches the thermally separating power coupling device of claim 1, further comprising: at least one shaft bearing positioned inside the housing, the at least one shaft bearing supporting the shaft while enabling the shaft to rotate within the housing (Witt; Fig 1; bearing assemblies 24a, 24b; Witt [0067] states “the rotor assembly 50 may be supported at regions near to its axial ends by bearing assemblies” and “bearing assembly 24a is located at a first axial end of the inner stator 26, while bearing assembly 24b is located at a second axial end of the inner stator 26”).
Regarding Claim 3 – Sinha in view of Witt and Meinke teaches the thermally separating power coupling device of claim 1, further comprising: an insulating layer provided within the housing to reduce thermal transfer between an interior and an exterior of the housing (Sinha; Fig 1; termination conduit 109; Sinha [Abstract] states “Seals, static vacuum, and multi-layer superinsulation minimize radial heat leak to the environment”).
Regarding Claim 4 – Sinha in view of Witt and Meinke teaches the thermally separating power coupling device of claim 1, further comprising: an insulator provided along the first end of the housing to reduce thermal transfer between the HTS and an interior of the housing (Sinha; Fig 1; cold housing 403 / cold end; Sinha [Claim 1] states “a cold end which connects to a respective superconducting conductor” and that the conductors are “contained in a thermally insulated termination conduit”).
Regarding Claim 5 – Sinha in view of Witt and Meinke teaches the thermally separating power coupling device of claim 1, further comprising: an inert gas inside the housing, wherein the housing is hermetically sealed after the HTS and the electrically conductive cable are interfaced with the housing (Sinha; Fig 1; ambient temperature section 405, gaseous coolant 406, hermetic bushings 409; Sinha teaches “gaseous coolant 406” and [Claim 1] states “warm end which connects to a hermetic ambient temperature pressurized bushing”).
Regarding Claim 6 – Sinha in view of Witt and Meinke teaches the thermally separating power coupling device of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a vacuum chamber (Sinha [Abstract] states “Seals, static vacuum, and multi-layer superinsulation minimize radial heat leak to the environment” and Sinha [Claim 7] states “a vacuum house weldment having first and second ends”).
Regarding Claim 7 – Sinha in view of Witt and Meinke teaches the thermally separating power coupling device of claim 1, wherein the first end and the second end are different in cross-sectional size from each other (Sinha; Fig 1; 403, 405, 408; Sinha [Claim 1] states “a cold housing”, “a warm housing”, and “a transition duct connecting said cold housing with said warm housing” wherein the transition duct is sized so that the insulators and conductors completely fill the duct).
Regarding Claim 9 – Sinha in view of Witt and Meinke teaches the thermally separating power coupling device of claim 1, wherein a center of the shaft has a greater mass than the motor side and the generator side of the shaft (Meinke; Fig 2; synchronous motor 56, energy storage device / flywheel 60, homopolar generator 64, common shaft 66; Meinke [0033, 0036]). It would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device of Sinha in view of Witt with a greater mass central flywheel portion to get the benefit of storing mechanical energy and regulating output, Meinke [0033] states “moment of inertia of the flywheel 60 provides for voltage regulation in that rapid changes in supply voltage do not result in instantaneous changes in flywheel speed”.
Regarding Claim 10 – Sinha in view of Witt and Meinke teaches the thermally separating power coupling device of claim 1, wherein a number of magnet poles in the set of motor magnets differs from a number of magnet poles in the set of generator magnets to cause a frequency of the electrical current being inputted through the motor coils to differ from a frequency of the electrical current being outputted through the generator coils (Witt; Fig 1; 12a, 16, 14a, 18; Witt [0058] states “any number of inner magnetic disk assemblies 12 may be provided”; Witt [0060] states “any number of outer magnetic disk assemblies 14 may be provided”; Meinke; Fig 2; 52, 56, 64; Meinke [0033-0034]). It would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device of Sinha with a number of magnet poles in the set of motor magnets differs from a number of magnet poles in the set of generator magnets to cause a frequency of the electrical current being inputted through the motor coils to differ from a frequency of the electrical current being outputted through the generator coils as taught by Witt and Meinke to obtain the desired difference between input current frequency and output current frequency, because Witt teaches that the number of magnetic assemblies may be varied and Meinke teaches motor generator power conversion with a different output current frequency.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sinha et al. (US 6936771 B2) in view of Witt et al. (US 20080067883 A1) and Meinke et al. (US 20130221748 A1) and in further view of Lipo (US 20190296629 A1)
Regarding Claim 8 – Sinha in view of Witt and Meinke teaches the thermally separating power coupling device of claim 1, but does not explicitly disclose wherein the set of motor coils is formed of HTS conductor material.
Lipo teaches the set of motor coils is formed of HTS conductor material (Figs 1A-2A; field windings 112, 212, armature windings 110, 210; Lipo [0003] states “high temperature superconducting wire replaces the typical field windings of a conventional synchronous machine”; Lipo [0033] states “The one or more field windings 112 may include HTS wire” and “Either the field windings 112 or armature windings 110 may include HTS wire”).
It would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device of Sinha in view of Witt and Meinke with the set of motor coils is formed of HTS conductor material as taught by Lipo to get the benefit of reducing winding resistance and improving power density (Lipo [0025]).
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sinha et al. (US 6936771 B2) in view of Witt et al. (US 20080067883 A1) and Meinke et al. (US 20130221748 A1) and in further view of Wallace (US 20150349604 A1)
Regarding Claim 11 – Sinha in view of Witt and Meinke teaches the thermally separating power coupling device of claim 1, but does not explicitly disclose further comprising: a motor controller to control a frequency of the electrical current being outputted through the generator coils by controlling a rotational speed of the shaft (Meinke teaches that generator output frequence is related to rotational speed; Meinke [0042] states “this speed variation results in an AC frequency fluctuation proportional to the fluctuations in wind speed”).
Wallace teaches a motor controller to control a frequency of the electrical current being outputted through the generator coils by controlling a rotational speed of the shaft (Figs 1-5; motor controller 50, user interface 48, potentiometer 62; Wallace [0027] states “selectively vary a motor condition (e.g., motor speed, voltage, current, power, resistance, etc.)”; Wallace [Claim 8] states “a motor controller configured to operably power the dynamoelectric components”; Wallace [Claim 9] states “said motor condition being the rotational speed of the rotor”).
It would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device of Sinha in view of Witt and Meinke with a motor controller to control a frequency of the electrical current being outputted through the generator coils by controlling a rotational speed of the shaft as taught by Wallace to get the benefit of controlling the output frequency through the generator coils by controlling rotational speed of the shaft.
Claim(s) 12-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sinha et al. (US 6936771 B2) in view of Witt et al. (US 20080067883 A1) and Meinke et al. (US 20130221748 A1) and in further view of Inoue et al. (US 20160268874 A1)
Regarding Claim 12, for the purpose of prior art rejection and broadest reasonable interpretation in view of the specification, the recited “a second end interfaced with the HTS” is interpreted as a second end interfaced with the electrically conductive cable.
Sinha teaches a power connection system comprising: a high-temperature superconductor (HTS) to receive a current from a power source, the HTS having an HTS conductor (Fig 1; HTS cable 101; Sinha [Abstract, Claim 1]); an electrically conductive cable to supply an output current to at least one electronic equipment, the electrically conductive cable having an electrical conductor (Figs 1; external connections 408; Sinha [Claim 1] states “external ambient temperature cable”); and a power coupling device having: a first end interfaced with the HTS and a second end interfaced with electrically conductive cable (Fig 1; 101, 403, 405, 408; Sinha [Claim 1] states “a cold end which connects to a respective superconducting conductor and a warm end which connects to a hermetic ambient temperature pressurized bushing”).
Sinha does not explicitly disclose a power coupling system comprising: a rotatably mounted shaft having a motor side and a generator side; wherein an input current from the HTS conductor drives a motor assembly to rotate the shaft and wherein rotation of the shaft causes a generator assembly to generate the output current, and wherein the generator assembly is thermally and electrically isolated from the motor assembly.
Witt teaches a power coupling system comprising: an input current drives a motor assembly to rotate the shaft and wherein rotation of the shaft causes a generator assembly to generate the output current (Fig 1; 10, 22, 12a, 16, 14a, 18; Witt [Abstract] states “An electromotive force may be generated in at least one of the inner and outer coils upon relative rotation of the rotor assembly. Alternatively, relative rotation of the rotor assembly may be caused upon an electromotive force being applied in at least one of the inner and outer coils”; Witt [0116] states “electrical power provided by an external source at the terminal connections causes the input shaft to turn”; Witt [0110] states “The electrical output of the generator assembly 10… is provided at these terminal connections 33, 39”).
It would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device of Sinha with a power coupling system comprising: an input current drives a motor assembly to rotate the shaft and wherein rotation of the shaft causes a generator assembly to generate the output current as taught by Witt, wherein Sinha teaches the input current from the HTS conductor and the electrically conductive cable to get the benefit of converting electrical input into rotation and converting rotation into electrical output, Witt [Abstract] states “An electromotive force may be generated in at least one of the inner and outer coils upon relative rotation of the rotor assembly. Alternatively, relative rotation of the rotor assembly may be caused upon an electromotive force being applied in at least one of the inner and outer coils”.
Meinke teaches a shaft rotatably mounted within the housing, the shaft having a motor side and a generator side (Fig 2; shaft 66; Meinke [0033]).
It would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device of Sinha with a shaft rotatably mounted within the housing, the shaft having a motor side and a generator side as taught by Meinke to get the benefit of transferring mechanical energy from the motor side to generator side, Meinke [0033] states “The synchronous motor 56 is coupled to an energy storage device 60 and a homopolar generator 64 via a common shaft 66 for transfer of mechanical energy”.
Inoue teaches the generator assembly is thermally and electrically isolated from the motor assembly (Fig 1; superconducting motor 3, rotary shaft 30, seal member 23; Inoue [0143] states “a function of providing insulation between an installation space of the superconducting motor 3 and the outside, and a function of cutting off transfer of air”; Inoue [0147] states “adopting a contactless rotation transmission mechanism enables power of the superconducting motor 3 to be transferred to the outside in a state where the superconducting motor 3 is installed inside an airtight container”).
It would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device of Sinha with the generator assembly is thermally and electrically isolated from the motor assembly as taught by Inoue to get the benefit of transferring power from the superconducting motor side space to the outside/generator side space while maintaining insulation and air separation between the spaces, Inoue [0143, 0147] quoted above.
Regarding Claim 13 – Sinha in view of Witt, Meinke, and Inoue teaches the power connection system of claim 12, wherein: the motor assembly comprises: a set of motor magnets attached to the motor side of the shaft (Witt; Fig 1; inner magnetic elements 12a; Witt [0058, 0111]); and a set of motor coils positioned near the set of motor magnets, the set of motor coils to receive the input current from the HTS conductor (Witt; Fig 1; inner coil assemblies 16; Witt [0061-0063]; Sinha teaches the input current from the HTS conductor as discussed above); and the generator assembly comprises: a set of generator magnets attached to the generator side of the shaft (Witt; Fig 1; outer magnetic elements 14a; Witt [0060]); and a set of generator coils positioned near the set of generator magnets, the set of generator coils to output the output current to the electrical conductor (Witt; Fig 1; outer coil assemblies 18, terminal connections 39; Witt [0060, 0110]; Sinha teaches the electrical conductor).
Regarding Claim 14 – Sinha in view of Witt, Meinke, and Inoue teaches the power connection system of claim 12, further comprising: an insulator provided along the first end to thermally insulate an interior of the power coupling device from the HTS (Sinha; Fig 1; cold section 403, transition duct 404, thermal insulation 414; Sinha teaches “thermal insulation 414 adjacent electrical insulation 122” and further teaches “the cold section and transition duct share a common thermally insulated conduit”).
Regarding Claim 15 – Sinha in view of Witt, Meinke, and Inoue teaches the power connection system of claim 12, wherein an interior of the power coupling device is a vacuum or includes an inert gas (Sinha [Abstract] states “Seals, static vacuum, and multi-layer superinsulation minimize radial heat leak to the environment”; Sinha [Claim 7] states “a vacuum house weldment having first and second ends”).
Regarding Claim 16 – Sinha in view of Witt, Meinke, and Inoue teaches the power connection system of claim 12, wherein the power coupling system causes the output current to have a frequency that differs from a frequency of the input current (Meinke; Fig 2; transformer 52, homopolar generator 64; Meinke [0033] states “a transformer 52 steps down a 14 KV AC trunk line voltage to 400 volts. The 400 volt signal is then used directly to turn a synchronous motor 56”; Meinke [0034] states “the generator 64 converts the torque received from the motor… to… 12 volt DC, 80 kA”, Thus, the output current is DC and has a frequency different from the AC input current).
Regarding Claim 17, for the purpose of prior art rejection and broadest reasonable interpretation in view of the specification, the recited “high-temperature semiconductor (HTS)” is interpreted as a high-temperature superconductor (HTS).
Sinha teaches a power coupling device comprising: a housing to couple a high-temperature superconductor (HTS) with an electrically conductive cable, the HTS having an HTS conductor and the electrically conductive cable having an electrical conductor (Fig 1; 101, 109, 403, 405, 408; Sinha [Abstract, Claim 1]).
Sinha does not explicitly disclose a power coupling system housed within the housing, the power coupling system comprising: a rotatably mounted shaft having a motor side and a generator side; a motor assembly on the motor side; and a generator assembly on the generator side, wherein an input current from the HTS conductor drives the motor assembly to rotate the shaft and wherein rotation of the shaft causes the generator assembly to generate an output current, and wherein generator assembly is thermally and electrically isolated from the motor assembly.
Witt teaches a power coupling system housed within the housing (Fig 1; device 10; Witt [Abstract]; Fig 3d; 2321, 2322; Witt [0082]), the power coupling system comprising: a motor assembly and a generator assembly, wherein an input current drives the motor assembly to rotate the shaft and wherein rotation of the shaft causes the generator assembly to generate an output current (Witt; Fig 1; 22, 12a, 16, 14a, 18; Witt [Abstract, 0116, 0110]).
It would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device of Sinha with a power coupling system housed within the housing; the power coupling system comprising: a motor assembly and a generator assembly, wherein an input current drives the motor assembly to rotate the shaft and wherein rotation of the shaft causes the generator assembly to generate an output current as taught by Witt, wherein Sinha teaches the input current from the HTS conductor and the electrically conductive cable to get the benefit of converting electrical input into rotation and converting rotation into electrical output.
Meinke teaches a rotatably mounted shaft having a motor side and a generator side (Fig 2; shaft 66; Meinke [0033]).
It would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device of Sinha with a rotatably mounted shaft having a motor side and a generator side as taught by Meinke to get the benefit of transferring mechanical energy from the motor side to generator side, Meinke [0033] states “The synchronous motor 56 is coupled to an energy storage device 60 and a homopolar generator 64 via a common shaft 66 for transfer of mechanical energy”.
Inoue teaches the generator assembly is thermally and electrically isolated from the motor assembly (Fig 1; superconducting motor 3, rotary shaft 30, seal member 23; Inoue [0143] states “a function of providing insulation between an installation space of the superconducting motor 3 and the outside, and a function of cutting off transfer of air”; Inoue [0147] states “adopting a contactless rotation transmission mechanism enables power of the superconducting motor 3 to be transferred to the outside in a state where the superconducting motor 3 is installed inside an airtight container”).
It would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device of Sinha with the generator assembly is thermally and electrically isolated from the motor assembly as taught by Inoue to get the benefit of transferring power from the superconducting motor side space to the outside/generator side space while maintaining insulation and air separation between the spaces, Inoue [0143, 0147] quoted above.
Regarding Claim 18 – Sinha in view of Witt, Meinke, and Inoue teaches power coupling device of claim 17, wherein: the motor assembly comprises: a set of motor magnets attached to the motor side of the shaft (Witt; Fig 1; inner magnetic elements 12a; Witt [0058, 0111]); and a set of motor coils positioned adjacent to the set of motor magnets, the set of motor coils to receive the input current from the HTS conductor (Witt; Fig 1; inner coil assemblies 16; Witt [0061-0063]; Sinha teaches the input current from the HTS conductor as discussed above); and the generator assembly comprises: a set of generator magnets attached to the generator side of the shaft (Witt; Fig 1; outer magnetic elements 14a; Witt [0060]); and a set of generator coils positioned adjacent to the set of generator magnets, the set of generator coils to output the output current to the electrical conductor (Witt; Fig 1; outer coil assemblies 18, terminal connections 39; Witt [0060, 0110]; Sinha teaches the electrical conductor).
Regarding Claim 19 – Sinha in view of Witt, Meinke, and Inoue teaches the power coupling device of claim 17, wherein an interior of the housing is a vacuum or includes an inert gas (Sinha [Abstract] states “Seals, static vacuum, and multi-layer superinsulation minimize radial heat leak to the environment”; Sinha [Claim 7] states “a vacuum house weldment having first and second ends”).
Regarding Claim 20 – Sinha in view of Witt, Meinke, and Inoue teaches the power coupling device of claim 17, wherein the power coupling system is to cause the output current to have a frequency that differs from a frequency of the input current (Meinke; Fig 2; transformer 52, homopolar generator 64; Meinke [0033] states “a transformer 52 steps down a 14 KV AC trunk line voltage to 400 volts. The 400 volt signal is then used directly to turn a synchronous motor 56”; Meinke [0034] states “the generator 64 converts the torque received from the motor… to… 12 volt DC, 80 kA”, Thus, the output current is DC and has a frequency different from the AC input current).
Conclusion
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/ADITYA SHARMA/Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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