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 .
Specification
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it exceeds 150 words. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 1-6 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0123615 to Masfaraud et al. (hereinafter Masfaraud; cited by Applicant on 9/8/2025) in view of Japanese Patent No. 2012-100433 to Takasaki et al. (hereinafter Takasaki; provided by Applicant on 9/8/2025).
Regarding claim 1, Masfaraud teaches a rotary electric machine (FIG. 1, 1) comprising:
a stator (FIG. 1, 40) having: a stator core (FIG. 1, 41) which has a cylindrical shape and in which a plurality of teeth portions (Paragraph [0049]) and a plurality of slots (FIG. 1, 44) are provided alternately on an inner circumferential portion; and a plurality of coils (FIG. 2, 45) that are wound around each of the teeth portions through the slots;
a rotor (FIG. 1, 50) that is rotatably arranged on an inside in a radial direction of the stator;
a first liquid room (FIG. 1, 14) that is provided so as to face a first end surface in an axis direction of the stator core (Paragraph [0051]); and
a second liquid room (FIG. 1, 15) that is provided so as to face a second end surface in the axis direction of the stator core (Paragraph [0050]),
wherein a cooling liquid that is introduced into the first liquid room flows into the second liquid room through the plurality of slots (Paragraph [0039]; [0051]),
an outflow regulation portion (FIG. 2, 60) that regulates an outflow of the cooling liquid from the first liquid room to an inner region in the radial direction of the slot is provided on at least a first end side in the axis direction of the stator core (Paragraph [0052]), and
in a slot portion on a first end side in the axis direction, a flow path opening area between the outflow regulation portion and a coil among the plurality of coils is located at an innermost side in the radial direction in a slot among the plurality of slots (Paragraph [0053]).
Masfaraud does not teach the flow path opening area being set to be smaller than a flow path opening area between the coils that are adjacent to each other in the slot.
However, Takasaki teaches a flow path opening area between coils that are adjacent to each other in the slot (FIG. 4, 60) that are larger than a flow path opening area between the outflow regulation portion and a coil among the plurality of coils that is located at an innermost side in the radial direction in the slot (in view of Masfaraud the outflow regulation portion 60 would result in a smaller flow path opening area of Takasaki 60).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the rotary electric machine of Masfaraud with the teachings of Takasaki to provide flow path opening areas between the coils to increase the cooling capacity of the system and better direct the flow of the cooling liquid.
Regarding claim 2, Masfaraud in view of Takasaki teaches the rotary electric machine according to claim 1, wherein Masfaraud further teaches:
at an inside of the first liquid room, a guide member (FIG. 2, 60) that guides the cooling liquid to the slot on the first end side in the axis direction of the stator core,
wherein the guide member has a shield portion that is in contact with or is close to the first end surface in the axis direction of the stator core and reduces a flow of the cooling liquid to the inner region in the radial direction of the slot at the first end side in the axis direction of the stator core (Paragraph [0052]), and
the shield portion constitutes the outflow regulation portion (FIG. 2, 60; Paragraph [0052]).
Regarding claim 3, Masfaraud in view of Takasaki teaches the rotary electric machine according to claim 2, wherein Masfaraud further teaches the guide member being locked in a contact state by the stator core (Paragraph [0052]).
Regarding claim 4, Masfaraud in view of Takasaki teaches the rotary electric machine according to claim 3, wherein Masfaraud further teaches a contact seat that is in contact with the first end surface in the axis direction of the stator core being provided on the guide member (FIG. 2, 60; Paragraph [0052]).
Regarding claim 5, Masfaraud in view of Takasaki teaches the rotary electric machine according to claim 2, wherein Masfaraud further teaches an inner side in the radial direction of the first liquid room being formed and separated by a first inner circumferential wall (FIG. 1, 142),
an inner side in the radial direction of the second liquid room being formed and separated by a second inner circumferential wall (FIG. 1, 152),
an annular partition wall (FIG. 2, 60) that partitions an inner circumferential surface of the stator core and an outer circumferential surface of the rotor being provided on an outer circumferential surface of the first inner circumferential wall and an outer circumferential surface of the second inner circumferential wall (Paragraph [0052]), and
the shield portion being formed on part of the annular partition wall (FIG. 2, 60).
Regarding claim 6, Masfaraud in view of Takasaki teaches the rotary electric machine according to claim 1, wherein Masfaraud further teaches a portion of the slot that is arranged on the first end side in the axis direction of the stator core being constituted of a closed slot in which an inner side in the radial direction of the stator core is closed (FIG. 3, 44), and
a slot close portion that closes the inner side in the radial direction of the closed slot constitutes the outflow regulation portion (FIG. 2; 44, 60).
Regarding claim 8, Masfaraud in view of Takasaki teaches the rotary electric machine according to claim 1, wherein Takasaki further teaches a recess groove (FIG. 4, 60) that extends along the axis direction of the stator core being formed on facing surfaces of the coils that are arranged to be adjacent to each other in the slot.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Masfaraud in view of Takasaki and in further view of WIPO Publication No. 2024/088714 to Bensing et al. (hereinafter Bensing).
Regarding claim 7, Masfaraud in view of Takasaki teaches the rotary electric machine according to claim 6.
Masfaraud in view of Takasaki does not teach the slot at a further inner side in the axis direction than a portion as the closed slot being constituted of an open slot that opens to an inner circumferential side of the stator core, and a cooling liquid escape portion that communicates with a portion of the slot as the open slot being provided on the stator core.
However, Bensing teaches a slot at a further inner side in the axis direction than a portion of a closed slot being constituted of an open slot (FIG. 11A, 6) that opens to an inner circumferential side of the stator core, and a cooling liquid escape portion (FIG. 11A, 18) that communicates with a portion of the slot as the open slot being provided on the stator core.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the rotary electric machine of Masfaraud in view of Takasaki with the open slot of Takasaki to improve the cooling of the stator (Paragraph [0013]-[0014]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSHUA KIEL MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-9881. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:30am - 7:00pm ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tulsidas Patel can be reached at (571) 272-2098. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JOSHUA KIEL M RODRIGUEZ/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/TULSIDAS C PATEL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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