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 .
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 13-19 are 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.
Claim 13 recites the limitation "wherein the stator is located in a region defined by the outer side plate, and is fixed on the bottom plate through a yoke plate of the stator core" in lines 6-8. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim as the claim refers to two stators as being fixed to the bottom plate, and a single yoke plate. Firstly, it is unclear which of the two stators introduced in claim 12 that claim 13 is referring to, and secondly, it is unclear which of the two respective stator’s yoke plates are being referred to. Claim 11 introduces a singular yoke plate but after introducing two stators it is unclear if a singular yoke plate still remains. If a singular yoke plate remains, it is unclear which of the two stators Applicant is referring to as comprising said yoke plate. Appropriate correction is advised.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "a number of the stator is one, the number of the rotor is two, and the numbers of the cooling disc and the core winding unit of the stator are both two…the two core winding units…the rotor facing surfaces…teeth of the respective core winding units…the yoke plate” in lines 2-10. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 11 from which claim 15 depends, recites a single “core winding unit”, a single “rotor facing surface”, and a single “yoke plate” associated with the stator. Furthermore, it is unclear how these singular “core winding unit of the stator” can have a number of two because no plural core winding units were previously introduced. 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)(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 1-3, and 7-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Tian (WO2021135374A1).
Claim 1
Tian teaches: A cooling structure (motor cooling system; see Abstract), comprising a cooling disc (2), wherein
the cooling disc (2) comprises a rotor facing surface (opposite to top face of stator iron core; see para 61), a stator facing surface (bottom surface facing stator; see fig. 6), and a plurality of stator sleeve holes (receiving portions in between circumferentially spaced intermediate portions 203) running from the rotor facing surface (opposite to top face of stator iron core; see para 61) to the stator facing surface (bottom surface facing stator; see fig. 6); and
a flow channel (channel formed by 201, 202, and 203) is further provided between the rotor facing surface (opposite to top face of stator iron core; see para 61) and the stator facing surface (bottom surface facing stator; see fig. 6), and the flow channel (channel formed by 201, 202, and 203) surrounds each of the plurality of stator sleeve holes (receiving portions in between circumferentially spaced intermediate portions 203).
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Claim 2/1
Tian teaches: The cooling structure (motor cooling system; see Abstract) according to claim 1, wherein the flow channel (channel formed by 201, 202, and 203) comprises an outer annular flow channel (201), an inner annular flow channel (202), and a plurality of branch flow channels (203) connected between the outer annular flow channel (201) and the inner annular flow channel (202), and each of the plurality of stator sleeve holes (receiving portions in between circumferentially spaced intermediate portions 203) is formed between two adjacent branch flow channels (203).
Claim 3/2/1
Tian teaches: The cooling structure (motor cooling system; see Abstract) according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of blocking members (extension blocks 12 & 13; see para. 71) are provided in each of the outer annular flow channel (201) and the inner annular flow channel (202), and the plurality of blocking members (13) in the outer annular flow channel (201) are staggered relative to the plurality of blocking members (12) in the inner annular flow channel (202).
Claim 7/1
Tian teaches: A stator, comprising the cooling structure (motor cooling system; see Abstract) according to claim 1 and a core winding unit (Tian’s fig. 4), wherein
the core winding unit (Tian’s fig. 4) comprises a stator core (4) and coil assemblies (assemblies of 5 in Tian’s fig. 4);
the stator core (4) comprises a plurality of teeth (see Tian’s fig. 5) that are circumferentially arranged and spaced apart, and each of the plurality of teeth (see Tian’s fig. 5) is inserted in at least one of the coil assemblies (assemblies of 5 in Tian’s fig. 4); and
the cooling disc (2) is arranged on the stator core (4), the plurality of stator sleeve holes (receiving portions in between circumferentially spaced intermediate portions 203) are in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of teeth (see Tian’s fig. 5), and the rotor facing surface (opposite to top face of stator iron core; see para 61) of the cooling disc (2) faces outwards.
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Claim 8/7/1
Tian teaches: The stator according to claim 7, wherein the stator core (4) further comprises a yoke plate (plate comprised of protrusions 7; see Tian’s fig. 5), and the plurality of teeth (see Tian’s fig. 5) are arranged on the yoke plate (plate comprised of protrusions 7; see Tian’s fig. 5).
Claim 9/8/7/1
Tian teaches: The stator according to claim 8, wherein the coil assemblies (assemblies of 5 in Tian’s fig. 4) are located between the yoke plate (plate comprised of protrusions 7; see Tian’s fig. 5) and the cooling disc (2), and the stator facing surface (bottom surface facing stator; see fig. 6) of the cooling disc (2) abuts against the coil assemblies (assemblies of 5 in Tian’s fig. 4).
Claim 10/8/7/1
Tian teaches: The stator according to claim 8, wherein each of two sides of each of the plurality of teeth (see Tian’s fig. 5) along a circumferential direction is recessed inwards to form a recess portion (recess formed between teeth; see Tian’s fig. 5), and the at least one of the coil assemblies (assemblies of 5 in Tian’s fig. 4) is embedded in the recess portion (recess formed between teeth; see Tian’s fig. 5); and the cooling disc (2) is engaged between two adjacent coil assemblies (assemblies of 5 in Tian’s fig. 4), and the stator facing surface (bottom surface facing stator; see fig. 6) of the cooling disc (2) abuts against the yoke plate (plate comprised of protrusions 7; see Tian’s fig. 5).
Claim 11/7/1
Tian teaches: An axial flux motor, comprising the stator according to claim 7, a rotor (see para. 10) and a frame (3), wherein the stator (4) is enclosed in the frame (3), and the rotor facing surface (opposite to top face of stator iron core; see para 61) of the stator (4) faces the rotor (see para. 10).
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) 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tian in view of
Liu (CN112003402A).
Claim 4/2/1
Tian teaches: The cooling structure (motor cooling system; see Abstract) according to claim 2, but does not explicitly disclose: wherein,
a number of the cooling disc is two;
the cooling structure further comprises a connecting tube that is connected to the stator facing surfaces of the two cooling discs, and the rotor facing surfaces of the two cooling discs face outwards; and the stator sleeve holes of the respective cooling discs are in one-to-one correspondence with each other.
Liu teaches an axial-flux permanent magnet motor (see Abstract; fig. 1) having cooling plates provided with liquid cooling passages. Liu’s Fig. 2 illustrates two cooling plates, each having a liquid cooling passage (601), with the two liquid cooling passages being jointly connected in the axial direction to a liquid cooling passage inlet/outlet 803 (see fig. 2; para. 23-33). Thus, Liu teaches providing two cooling structures/plates associated with an axial flux motor and connecting the respective cooling passages between the two plates.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA) at the time the claimed invention was filed to modify Tian’s cooling structure to include two cooling discs, with the stator facing surfaces of the two cooling discs connected by a connecting tube, such that the rotor facing surfaces face outward and the respective stator sleeve holes correspond to one another. A PHOSITA would have been motivated to provide Tian’s cooling structure on both axial sides of the stator, as taught by Liu, to increase the available heat transfer area and thereby improve removal of heat generated by the stator winding and core, particularly in in axial flux motor where the stator is positioned between axially opposed rotor structures.
Claim(s) 5 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tian as modified by Liu in view of Woolmer (US9318938B2).
Claim 5/4/2/1
Tian as modified by Liu teaches: The cooling structure (motor cooling system; see Abstract) according to claim 4, wherein
a plurality of blocking members (11, 13) are provided in each of the outer annular flow channel (201) and the inner annular flow channel (202) of each of the two cooling discs (provided by modification by Liu), but is silent to: the plurality of blocking members in the outer annular flow channel are aligned with the plurality of blocking members in the inner annular flow channel to divide the flow channel into a plurality of chambers that are circumferentially arranged; and the chambers of the respective cooling discs are arranged in a staggered manner along a circumferential direction and are communicated through the connecting tube, allowing a cooling medium to flow back and forth sequentially between the chambers of the respective cooling discs.
Woolmer teaches in the context of an axial flux motor, providing coolant flow barriers at both radially inner and radially outer portions of a stator cooling chamber. In particular, Woolmer teaches barriers (158a) associated with the radially inner wall and barriers (158b) associated with the radially outer wall, with the barriers positioned at intervals around the stator to control the coolant path and force coolant to transition between radially inner and radially outer portions of the cooling chamber. Woolmer further explains that such barriers are used to establish controlled coolant flow paths through the stator, producing radial transitions in the coolant path as illustrated in Woolmer’s fig. 11b below.
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It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the claimed invention was filed to have recognized from Woolmer that positioning flow-blocking structures at selected circumferential locations on both radial sides of an annular cooling passage provides a known means for controlling the direction, distribution, and residence path of coolant. A person of ordinary skill in the art would therefore have had reason to modify Tian’s flow-directing structures so that corresponding blocking structures are provided at selected circumferential positions on both the inner and outer annular flow channels, thereby further subdividing the flow passage into circumferential flow regions. The motivation for doing so would have been to obtain more controlled and distributed coolant flow through the cooling structure and thereby improve heat transfer and uniformity of cooling of the stator.
This modification would have been particularly apparent in view of Woolmer’s recognition that cooling performance in an axial flux machine can be limited by nonuniform coolant distribution and that barriers can be employed to control coolant flow through the stator. When the foregoing flow control arrangement is applied to the two disc configuration of Tian and Liu, the circumferential locations of the blocking member on the respective cooling discs could be selected in an offset or staggered relationship. Such an arrangement would cause the coolant to enter a flow region of one cooling disc, pass through the connecting tube to a circumferentially offset flow region of the opposing cooling disc, and subsequently return through another flow region, thereby producing the claimed sequential back and forth flow path described in the claim.
Claim 6/5/4/2/1
Tian as modified by Liu and Woolmer teaches: The cooling structure (motor cooling system; see Abstract) according to claim 5, wherein
the connecting tube (taught by Liu) is connected to the inner annular flow channels (202);
an inlet (17; see Tian’s fig. 2) and an outlet (18; see Tian’s fig. 2) are formed on the inner annular flow channel (202) of each of the two cooling discs (by way of modification by Liu), but does not explicitly disclose: the inlet (17) and the outlet (18) of one of the two cooling discs (2) respectively correspond with the outlet and the inlet of the other one of the cooling discs (as taught )s; and
the inlet and an adjacent one of the outlet on the same inner annular flow channel (202) are isolated from each other.
With respect to claim 6, Tian teaches providing a coolant inlet and outlet (17 and 18) that are respectively conductively connected to the inlet and outlet of the core cooling channel (1). Tian further teaches an arrangement in which the cooling channel includes an outer channel, an inner channel, and another outer channel, with the channels connected in series such that coolant entering through the inlet end travels through the inner channel and subsequently exits through the outlet end. Thus, Tian demonstrates that positioning an inlet and an outlet at respective ends of a cooling flow path, while using intervening flow structures to control the coolant path, is known within the art of the claimed invention.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the claimed invention was filed that when implementing the two disc cooling arrangement of Tian as modified by Liu and Woolmer, to provide the connecting tube between the inner annular flow channels of the two cooling discs and to arrange the inlet and outlet connections such that coolant introduced into one cooling disc, transferred through the connecting tube to the opposing cooling disc, and then directed through the successive circumferential chambers of the opposing cooling disc before exiting the cooling structure. The motivation for such an arrangement would have been to increase the cooling path length and thereby increase the amount of heat transferred from the stator to the cooling medium, while utilizing the two cooling discs to remove heat from the respective sides of the stator.
Additionally, the requirement that the inlet and an adjacent outlet on the same inner annular flow channel be isolated from one another would have been an obvious consequence of providing the blocking members described above. The blocking members divide the annular flow path into successive chambers and prevent coolant entering an inlet from immediately bypassing the intended sequence of chambers and reaching the adjacent outlet. Instead, the coolant is forced to traverse the intervening chambers before reaching the outlet. Accordingly, the combined teachings of Tian, Liu, and Woolmer would have suggested arranging the inlet and outlet of the respective cooling discs in the claimed complementary relationship, connecting the respective inner annular flow channels through the connecting tube, and isolating the adjacent inlet and outlet on each cooling disc so as to force the cooling medium to travel successively through the circumferential chambers of the respective cooling discs.
Claim(s) 12, 13, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tian in view of Zhang (CN 109525061 A).
Claim 12/11/7/1
Tian teaches: The axial flux motor according to claim 11, but does not explicitly teach: wherein a number of the rotor is one, and the number of the stator is two, and the numbers of the cooling disc and the core winding unit of each of the two stators are both one; and
the rotor is retained between the two stators with an air gap between the rotor and each of the two stators, and the axial flux motor is a double-stator single-rotor motor.
Zhang remedies this deficiency by teaching a dual-stator axial magnetic field motor comprising a first stator core (200-1), a second stator core (200-2), and a single rotor disk (400) disposed between the first and the second stator cores. Zhang’s figures 1, 2, and 5 illustrate the first and second stators disposed on opposite sides of a single rotor disk (400). Zhang expressly identifies the disclosed machine as a double stator axial magnetic field motor (see title and Abstract) and explains that the rotor disk (400) is disposed between the first housing (100-1) and second housing (100-2) through rotating shaft (500). Zhang further discloses cooling passages in both the first stator core and second stator core and describes coolant flowing through the first stator and subsequently through the second stator.
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It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the claimed invention was filed to modify Tian’s axial flux motor to employ the double-stator-single-rotor configuration taught by Zhang. The advantage of this configuration would be as Zhang teaches, that arranging a single rotor between two stators provides an axial field motor configuration capable of improving the cooling and working efficiency of the motor (see background). Zhang recognizes that motor operation produces heat in the stator and that effective liquid cooling is desirable to improve motor efficiency and extend motor service life.
Claim 13/12/11/7/1
Tian as modified by Zhang teaches: The axial flux motor according to claim 12, wherein
the frame comprises two housings (100-1 & 600-1, 100-2 & 600-2; Zhang), and each of the two housings (100-1 & 600-1, 100-2 & 600-2; Zhang) comprises a bottom plate (100-1 and 100-2 respectively; Zhang) and an outer side plate (600-1 and 600-2 respectively, ; Zhang) that extends along an outer edge of the bottom plate;
each of the two housings (100-1 & 600-1, 100-2 & 600-2; Zhang) is configured to fix a corresponding one of the two stators (200-1 and 200-2), wherein the stator (200-1, 200-2) is located in a region defined by the outer side plate (600-1 and 600-2 respectively), and is fixed on the bottom plate (100-1 and 100-2 respectively) through a yoke plate (each stator comprises a yoke; see Zhang’s fig. 5) of the stator core (each stator comprises a stator core; see Zhang’s fig. 5); and the outer side plates (600-1 and 600-2 respectively) of the two housings (100-1 & 600-1, 100-2 & 600-2; Zhang) abut against each other and are fixed to each other (via fastener’s), and the bottom plates (100-1 and 100-2 respectively) of the two housings (100-1 & 600-1, 100-2 & 600-2; Zhang) are oriented outwards.
Claim 19/13/12/11/7/1
Tian as modified by Zhang teaches: The axial flux motor according to claim 13, wherein
the frame further comprises an inner side plate (700-1, 700-2; Zhang) and a support block (protruded inner rings of 100-1 and 100-2 respectively; Zhang);
the inner side plate (700-1, 700-2; Zhang) is inserted in the stator, and the support block (protruded inner rings of 100-1 and 100-2 respectively; Zhang) is provided on an inner wall of the outer side plate (600-1 and 600-2 respectively; Zhang); and
the cooling disc (2) is supported and fixed on the inner side plate and/or the support block (after modification; Tain’s cooling disc already affixed to inner side plate of 3; see Tian’s fig. 6, furthermore stators 200-1 and 200-2 of Zhang are affixed to the sides of their respective plates).
Claim(s) 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tian as modified by Zhang in view of Woolmer.
Claim 14/13/12/11/7/1
Tian as modified by Zhang teaches: The axial flux motor according to claim 13, but does not explicitly disclose: wherein the outer annular flow channel (201) extends outwards to form an inlet/outlet segment, the inlet/outlet segment is partitioned by a partition into an inlet portion and an outlet portion adjacent to each other, and the outer side plates are provided with an engagement port for the inlet/outlet segment to pass through.
Woolmer teaches the claimed flow routing arrangement of the claim. Woolmer discloses an axial flux motor stator having a housing (102) with an outer radial wall (102b) and a cooling chamber (152). Woolmer further discloses an inlet port (154) providing an inlet (156) for coolant, wherein the inlet extends into the cooling chamber and branches into inlet portions (156a) and (156b). Coolant exits the cooling chamber through outlets (160a and 160b) associated with outlet port (160). Woolmer further discloses a barrier/partition (158) positioned between the inlet and outlet to control the coolant path through the chamber.
Thus, Woolmer teaches extending a coolant flow path associated with an outer portion of an axial flux motor cooling chamber to an inlet/outlet region of the motor housing, with the inlet and outlet positioned adjacent one another and separated by a flow directing barrier. Woolmer further teaches that the inlet/outlet arrangement is provided through the housing so that coolant can be supplied to and removed from the cooling chamber.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the claimed invention was filed to incorporate Woolmer’s inlet/outlet arrangement into the cooling structure of the axial flux motor of Tian as modified by Zhang. In particular, the outer annular flow channel of Tian would have been extended radially outwardly to provide an inlet/outlet segment terminating at the exterior of the motor housing, thereby providing convenient access for supplying cooling medium to and removing cooling medium from the cooling structure.
The inlet/outlet segment would further have been partitioned into adjacent inlet and outlet partitions by a partition corresponding to Woolmer’s barrier (158) separating the inlet and outlet flow paths. Woolmer expressly teaches that the barrier is positioned between the inlet and outlet so as to prevent the coolant from taking a direct path between the inlet and outlet and instead force the coolant to circulate through the cooling chamber.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the claimed invention was filed to employ this arrangement in the combined Tian/Zhang motor because providing the inlet and outlet adjacent one another at the exterior of the motor provides compact and readily accessible fluid connection while the partition prevents a short-circuit flow path and forces the cooling medium through the intended cooling passages. This arrangement would facilitate routing coolant into and out of the cooling structure while maintaining the desired circulation path through the stator.
With respect to the claimed engagement port, Woolmer teaches that the coolant inlet/outlet structure is routed through the stator housing to provide fluid communication between the exterior of the motor and the internal cooling chamber (Fig. 11a-11b). In view of this teaching it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the claimed invention was filed to provide an opening or engagement port in the outer wall of the Tian/Zhang housing through which the outwardly extending inlet/outlet segment passes. This opening would provide the necessary interface between the externally accessible coolant connection and the internal cooling passage.
Claim(s) 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tian in view of Liu and Woolmer.
Claim 15/11/7/1
The axial flux motor according to claim 11, but is silent to: wherein
a number of the stator is one, the number of the rotor is two, and the numbers of the cooling disc (2) and the core winding unit (Tian’s fig. 4) of the stator are both two;
the two core winding unit (Tian’s fig. 4)s are arranged between the two rotors, and the rotor facing surface (opposite to top face of stator iron core; see para 61)s respectively face the two rotors; and the teeth of the respective core winding unit (Tian’s fig. 4)s are in one-to-one correspondence with each other, and are integrally connected to each other or integrally connected into a whole through the yoke plate (plate comprised of protrusions 7; see Tian’s fig. 5), and the axial flux motor is a single-stator double-rotor motor.
Woolmer teaches the additionally recited single stator double rotor arrangement. Woolmer describes an axial flux machine having a stator (12) and two rotors (14a, 14b). Woolmer further explains that the two rotors carry permanent magnets (24a, 24b) that face one another with the stator coils (22) positioned between the two rotors. Woolmer also teaches a cooling arrangement being provided for the stator structure as illustrated in Fig. 11a-11b.
Liu conversely teaches the additionally recited two cooling discs/plates. Liu discloses an axial flux permanent magnet motor having two cooling plates, each provided with a respective liquid cooling passage. The respective cooling passages of the two cooling plates are connected in the axial direction to a liquid cooling passage inlet/outlet 803. Thus, Liu teaches employing two cooling structures associated with an axial flux motor for cooling respective portions of the motor.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the claimed invention was filed to employ the known single stator double rotor configuration, with a stator disposed between two rotors and further to provide two cooling discs/plates as taught by Liu. This would obtain the benefits of the double rotor axial flux configuration while providing cooling structures on both sides of the stator. Woolmer recognizes that heat generated in the stator coils is a significant limitation on the performance of an axial flux motor and teaches supplying cooling medium to the stator housing to cool the coils. Liu likewise demonstrates that two cooling plates with respective cooling passages provide a known arrangement or cooling an axial flux motor.
Providing a respective cooling disc on each axial side of the stator would therefore have been a predictable use of Liu’s known cooling arrangement in the double rotor configuration of Woolmer.
Claim(s) 16-18 and 25 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tian as modified by Liu and Woolmer in view of Yao (US2021143700A1).
Claim 16/15/11/7/1
Tian as modified by Liu and Woolmer: The axial flux motor according to claim 15, wherein the frame (146; see Woolmer’s Fig. 8) comprises an outer side plate (butting against annular housing 102; see Woolmer’s Fig. 8) and two bottom plates (178); the two cooling discs (provided by Liu’s modification) are respectively engaged at two ends of the outer side plate, and the two ends of the outer side plate are respectively blocked by the two bottom plates.
Tian as modified by Woolmer and Liu is silent to: the two core winding units, which are integrally connected to each other, are fixed between the two cooling discs;
Yao expressly teaches an axial flux motor having a first disc shaped rotor, a second disc shaped rotor, and a disc shaped stator disposed between the first and second rotors, wherein the first rotor faces a first side of the stator, and the second rotor faces a second side of the stator, thereby defining respective first and second air gaps (see para. 62-64). Yao further teaches that the stator may include respective first and second sets of core components and windings on the first and second sides, with the respective windings interacting with the respective rotor (see para. 70-77). Thus, Yao demonstrates that employing a stationary, double sided stator between two rotors is a well-known configuration. A person with ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to employ this configuration in the axial flux motor of Tian as modified by Woolmer and Liu, to provide the stator with respective active sides for interacting with the respective rotors.
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Furthermore, Liu teaches providing two cooling discs associated with a stator. In view of Liu’s teaching, and particularly in view of Yao’s double-sided stator having respective first and second sides facing respective first and second rotors, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to position the two cooling discs on respective opposite sides of the stator core winding structure, thereby fixing the core winding units between the two cooling discs. Such an arrangement would provide cooling to the respective sides of the stator and winding structure and represents a predictable application of Liu’s cooling arrangement teaching to Yao’s double side stator configuration.
Claim 17/16/15/11/7/1
Tian as modified by Liu, Woolmer and Yao teaches: The axial flux motor according to claim 16, wherein the teeth (on both sides of Yao’s stator 343) of the respective core winding units are in one-to-one correspondence and integrally connected to each other (see Yao’s fig. 9 above), an inner wall of the outer side plate is provided with a plurality of engagement ribs (recessed portions along Woolmer’s 178 may be considered) that are spaced apart, and the teeth (corresponding to respective stator), which are in one-to-one correspondence and integrally connected to each other, of the respective core winding units are each engaged between two adjacent engagement ribs (by way of modification of Woolmer Liu and Yao).
Claim 18/16/15/11/7/1
Tian as modified by Liu, Woolmer and Yao teaches: The axial flux motor according to claim 16, wherein an inlet/outlet segment of one of the two cooling discs (provided from modification of Liu) is configured for discharging a cooling medium, and an inlet/outlet segment of the other one of the two cooling discs (provided from modification by Liu) is configured for introducing the cooling medium (inherently as one disc comprises fluid first then exchanged to the other disc).
Claim 25/16/15/11/7/1
Tian as modified by Liu, Woolmer and Yao teaches: The axial flux motor according to claim 16, wherein
the frame further comprises an inner side plate (700-1, 700-2; Zhang) and a support block (protruded inner rings of 100-1 and 100-2 respectively; Zhang);
the inner side plate (700-1, 700-2; Zhang) is inserted in the stator, and the support block (protruded inner rings of 100-1 and 100-2 respectively; Zhang) is provided on an inner wall of the outer side plate; and
the cooling disc (2) is supported and fixed on the inner side plate and/or the support block (after modification; Tain’s cooling disc already affixed to inner side plate of 3; see Tian’s fig. 6, furthermore stators 200-1 and 200-2 of Zhang are affixed to the sides of their respective plates).
Conclusion
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/AHMED F SECK/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/CHRISTOPHER M KOEHLER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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