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, see pages 7-9, filed 08/12/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-10 under 102 and 103 respectively have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of .
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) 1-2, 5,11-12, 15 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yuan (CN209526603) in view of Zhang (EP3913777).
As to independent claim 1, Yuan teaches an axial flux machine (see figure 1), comprising: and stator (see figure 1) and a rotor (inherent to converting electrical energy into mechanical energy) rotatably mounted relative to a stator (see figure 1), wherein the stator (see figure 1) has at least one first disc-shaped stator body (2), and the rotor and also the first stator body (2) are arranged such that a first magnetically effective gap (see figure 1) running in a radial plane is formed axially between the first stator body (2) and the rotor, and the stator (see figure 1) is surrounded at least in sections by a motor housing (1), wherein a ring-segment-shaped groove (17) which is open towards the first stator body (2) and extends in a radial plane is formed on the motor housing (1), and in the region of the ring-segment-shaped groove (17) as shown in figures 1-3
However Yuan teaches the claimed limitation as discussed above except the cooling openings extending axially through the motor housing.
Zhang teaches the cooling openings (600b) extending axially through the motor housing (100b) as shown n figure 5-8, for the advantageous benefit of improving cooling efficiency of axial magnetic field motor to prolong its service life by directly contacting circulating liquid with stator core to perform heat exchange.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify Yuan by using the cooling openings extending axially through the motor housing, as taught by Zhang, to improve cooling efficiency of axial magnetic field motor to prolong its service life by directly contacting circulating liquid with stator core to perform heat exchange.
As to independent claim 11, Yuan teaches an axial flux machine, comprising: a motor housing (1); a stator (see figure 1); and a rotor (inherent to converting electrical energy into mechanical energy) rotatably mounted relative to the stator (see figure 1), wherein the stator has at least one first disc-shaped stator body (2), the rotor and also the first stator body (2) are arranged such that a first gap disposed in a radial plane is formed axially between the first stator body and the rotor, and the stator (see figure 1) is surrounded at least in sections by the motor housing (1), wherein a ring-segment-shaped groove (17) which is open towards the first stator body and extends in a radial plane is formed on or in the motor housing (1), the ring-segment-shaped groove (17) and the cooling opening (11) being configured so that a cooling fluid introduced into the ring-segment- shaped groove (17) as shown in figures 1-3.
However Zhang teaches the claimed limitation as discussed above except plurality cooling opening (600b) are provided in the motor housing (100b) and is applied to the first stator body (200b) via the cooling openings (600b) as shown n figure 5-8, for the advantageous benefit of improving cooling efficiency of axial magnetic field motor to prolong its service life by directly contacting circulating liquid with stator core to perform heat exchange.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify Yuan by using plurality cooling opening are provided in the motor housing and is applied to the first stator body via the cooling openings, as taught by Zhang, to improve cooling efficiency of axial magnetic field motor to prolong its service life by directly contacting circulating liquid with stator core to perform heat exchange.
As to claims 2/1 and 12/11, Yuan in view of Zhang teaches the claimed limitation as discussed above except wherein: the first stator body comprises a plurality of coils, and a number of the cooling openings corresponds to a number of the coils of the first stator body.
Zhang teaches the first stator body (200b) comprises a plurality of coils, and a number of the cooling openings (600b) corresponds to a number of the coils of the first stator body (200b) as shown in figures 5-8 and claim 9 and 19, for the advantageous benefit of improving cooling efficiency of axial magnetic field motor to prolong its service life by directly contacting circulating liquid with stator core to perform heat exchange.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify Yuan in view of Zhang by using the first stator body comprises a plurality of coils, and a number of the cooling openings corresponds to a number of the coils of the first stator body, as taught by Zhang, to improve cooling efficiency of axial magnetic field motor to prolong its service life by directly contacting circulating liquid with stator core to perform heat exchange.
As to claims 5/1 and 15/11, Yuan teaches the claimed limitation as discussed above except wherein: a return channel is formed radially outside of the first stator body, by means of which cooling fluid can be discharged from the first stator body.
However Zhang teaches a return channel (104) is formed radially outside of the first stator body (201c), by means of which cooling fluid can be discharged from the first stator body (2001c) as shown in figures 10-14, for the advantageous benefit of improving cooling efficiency of axial magnetic field motor to prolong its service life by directly contacting circulating liquid with stator core to perform heat exchange.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify Yuan by using a return channel is formed radially outside of the first stator body, by means of which cooling fluid can be discharged from the first stator body, as taught by Zhang, to improve cooling efficiency of axial magnetic field motor to prolong its service life by directly contacting circulating liquid with stator core to perform heat exchange.
As to claim 19/11, Yuan teaches the claimed limitation as discussed above except the cooling openings extending axially through the motor housing.
Zhang teaches the cooling openings (600b) extending axially through the motor housing (100b) as shown n figure 5-8, for the advantageous benefit of improving cooling efficiency of axial magnetic field motor to prolong its service life by directly contacting circulating liquid with stator core to perform heat exchange.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify Yuan by using the cooling openings extending axially through the motor housing, as taught by Zhang, to improve cooling efficiency of axial magnetic field motor to prolong its service life by directly contacting circulating liquid with stator core to perform heat exchange.
Claim(s) 3, 6-8 and 13, 16-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yuan (CN209526603) and Zhang (EP3913777) as applied in claims 1 and 11 above, and further in view of in view of Goykhman (WO2021089188).
As to claims 3/1 and 13/11, Yuan the ring-segment-shaped groove is hydraulically connected in a conducting manner to a cooling channel section, but Yuan in view of Zhang teaches the claimed limitation as discussed above except wherein: extending outwards in the radial direction, which in turn is hydraulically connected to the-an output side of a heat exchanger via a hydraulic coupling means.
However Goykhman teaches extending outwards in the radial direction, which in turn is hydraulically connected to the-an output side of a heat exchanger via a hydraulic coupling means as shown in figures 14-25, see paragraph [0160-0162], for the advantageous benefit of providing cool efficiently and reduce losses.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify Yuan in view of Zhang by extending outwards in the radial direction, which in turn is hydraulically connected to the-an output side of a heat exchanger via a hydraulic coupling means, as taught by Goykhman, to provide cool efficiently and reduce losses.
As to claims 6/3 and 16/13, Yuan and Zhang in view Goykhman teaches the claimed limitation as discussed above except wherein: the stator comprises at least one second disc-shaped stator body, which is arranged coaxially to the first stator body and spaced apart from the first stator body with axial interposition of the rotor, wherein the cooling channel section is connected at least to a first hydraulic path extending axially through the axial flux machine, so that the cooling fluid can be guided to the second disc-shaped stator body.
However Zhang teaches the stator comprises at least one second disc-shaped stator body (200-2), which is arranged coaxially to the first stator body (200-1) and spaced apart from the first stator body (200-1) with axial interposition of the rotor (see page 19, lines 12-20), wherein the cooling channel section (2001c) is connected at least to a first hydraulic path (301c) extending axially through the axial flux machine, so that the cooling fluid can be guided to the second disc-shaped stator body (200-2) as shown in figures 10-11, for the advantageous benefit of improving cooling efficiency of axial magnetic field motor to prolong its service life by directly contacting circulating liquid with stator core to perform heat exchange.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify Yuan and Zhang in view Goykhman by using the stator comprises at least one second disc-shaped stator body, which is arranged coaxially to the first stator body and spaced apart from the first stator body with axial interposition of the rotor, wherein the cooling channel section is connected at least to a first hydraulic path extending axially through the axial flux machine, so that the cooling fluid can be guided to the second disc-shaped stator body, as taught by Zhang, to improve cooling efficiency of axial magnetic field motor to prolong its service life by directly contacting circulating liquid with stator core to perform heat exchange.
As to claim 7/6 and 17/16, Yuan and Zhang in view Goykhman teaches the claimed limitation as discussed above except wherein: the axial flux machine has a second hydraulic path extending axially through the axial flux machine and connected to the cooling channel section.
However Zhang teaches the axial flux machine has a second hydraulic path (302c) extending axially through the axial flux machine and connected to the cooling channel section (201c) as shown in figure 10-11, for the advantageous benefit of improving cooling efficiency of axial magnetic field motor to prolong its service life by directly contacting circulating liquid with stator core to perform heat exchange.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify Yuan and Zhang in view Goykhman by using the stator comprises at least one second disc-shaped stator body, which is arranged coaxially to the first stator body and spaced apart from the first stator body with axial interposition of the rotor, wherein the cooling channel section is connected at least to a first hydraulic path extending axially through the axial flux machine, so that the cooling fluid can be guided to the second disc-shaped stator body, as taught by Zhang, to improving cooling efficiency of axial magnetic field motor to prolong its service life by directly contacting circulating liquid with stator core to perform heat exchange.
As to claims 8/7 and 18/17, Yuan and Zhang in view Goykhman teaches the claimed limitation as discussed above except further comprising: that second ring-segment-shaped groove which is open towards the second stator body and extends in a radial plane is formed on the motor housing, and a plurality of cooling openings are provided in the motor housing and/or on a connecting housing of superordinate structure in the region of the second ring-segment-shaped groove, by means of which cooling openings a cooling fluid that can be introduced into the second ring-segment-shaped groove can be applied to the second stator body, wherein the second groove is connected to the first hydraulic path and/or the second hydraulic path.
However Zhang teaches second ring-segment-shaped groove (101c) which is open towards the second stator body (200-2c) and extends in a radial plane is formed on the motor housing (100), and a plurality of cooling openings (105c, 106c) are provided in the motor housing (100) and/or on a connecting housing (100) of superordinate structure in the region of the second ring-segment-shaped groove (101c), by means of which cooling openings 105c, 106c) a cooling fluid that can be introduced into the second ring-segment-shaped groove (101c) can be applied to the second stator body (200-2c), wherein the second groove is connected to the first hydraulic path (301c) and/or the second hydraulic path (302c) as shown in figures 10-15, for the advantageous benefit of improving cooling efficiency of axial magnetic field motor to prolong its service life by directly contacting circulating liquid with stator core to perform heat exchange.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify Yuan and Zhang in view Goykhman by using second ring-segment-shaped groove which is open towards the second stator body and extends in a radial plane is formed on the motor housing, and a plurality of cooling openings are provided in the motor housing and/or on a connecting housing of superordinate structure in the region of the second ring-segment-shaped groove, by means of which cooling openings a cooling fluid that can be introduced into the second ring-segment-shaped groove can be applied to the second stator body, wherein the second groove is connected to the first hydraulic path and/or the second hydraulic path, as taught by Zhang , to improving cooling efficiency of axial magnetic field motor to prolong its service life by directly contacting circulating liquid with stator core to perform heat exchange.
Claim(s) 4, 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yuan (CN209526603) and Zhang (EP3913777) as applied in claims 3 and 13 above, and further in view of in view of Goykhman (WO2021089188).
As to claims 4/3 and 14/13, wherein: a pressure relief valve is arranged between the ring-segment-shaped groove and the hydraulic coupling means, which opens into an overflow channel on the output side.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yuan (CN209526603) and Zhang (EP3913777) as applied in claim 1 above, and further in view of in view of Mihaila et al. (US PG Pub 2021/0218322).
As to claim 9/1, Yuan in view of Zhang teaches the claimed limitation as discussed above except an electric axle drive train for a motor vehicle, comprising at least two axial flux machines, the rotors of which are arranged coaxially to one another.
However Mihaila et al. teaches an electric axle drive train (5) for a motor vehicle (see title), comprising at least two axial flux machines (see figure 1), the rotors (11) of which are arranged coaxially to one another as shown in figure 1, ensuring optimum performance of the engine and improving mechanical strength of a rotating part.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify Yuan in view of Zhang by using at least two axial flux machines, the rotors of which are arranged coaxially to one another, as taught by Mihaila et al., to ensure optimum performance of the engine and improving mechanical strength of a rotating part.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yuan (CN209526603) and Zhang (EP3913777) as applied in claim 1 above, and further in view of in view of Ogrizovic (WO2023126237).
As to claim 10/9, Yuan in view of Zhang teaches the claimed limitation as discussed above except a motor vehicle having a first electric axle drive train on a first vehicle axle and a second electric axle drive train on a second vehicle axle
However Ogrizovic teaches a motor vehicle (see title) having a first electric axle drive train (12) on a first vehicle axle and a second electric axle drive train (16) on a second vehicle axle as shown in figure 1, for the advantageous benefit of providing a motor vehicle enables efficient operation with high power density.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify Yuan in view of Zhang by using a motor vehicle having a first electric axle drive train on a first vehicle axle and a second electric axle drive train on a second vehicle axle, as taught by Ogrizovic, to provide a motor vehicle enables efficient operation with high power density.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4 and 14 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSE A GONZALEZ QUINONES whose telephone number is (571)270-7850. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 6:30-2:30 EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, OLUSEYE IWARERE can be reached at (571)270-5112. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JOSE A GONZALEZ QUINONES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834 September 28, 2026
Prosecution Insights