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 § 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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6-8, and 12-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) or 102 (a)(2) as being anticipated by Grelle et al. (WO 2023072463).
1. Grelle et al. teach:
An electric machine/synchronous machine 2 comprising:
a housing 21:
a stator assembly 31 positioned within the housing (fig 4), the stator assembly including a stator winding (figs 3 and 4);
a rotor assembly 1 positioned within the housing with an airgap (figs 3 and 4) separating the rotor assembly from the stator assembly (figs 3 and 4), the rotor assembly including a rotor shaft 4, a rotor winding 13, and a balance ring 5;
a rotary transformer 7 positioned within the housing (fig 4), the rotary transformer including a primary coil 11 and a secondary coil 9; and
a rectifier 6 including a plurality of diodes 24 positioned on the balance ring (figs 3 and 4), the rectifier electrically connected between the secondary coil and the rotor winding (abstract and figs 3 and 4).
2. Grelle et al. teach:
The electric machine of claim 1, wherein the secondary coil is provided on a printed circuit board (para 0037).
3. Grelle et al. teach:
The electric machine of claim 2, wherein the printed circuit board is fixedly connected to the rotor shaft (fig 4).
4. Grelle et al. teach:
The electric machine of claim 3, the balance ring including a plurality of diode holes (since the PCB of the rectifier is on the balance ring and the pcb has holes for at least the connection of the diodes, the balance ring includes the plurality of diode holes) and the plurality of diodes are arranged in the plurality of diode holes (since the diodes are electrically connected to transformer winding via the rectifier board).
6. Grelle et al. teach:
The electric machine of claim 4 wherein the balance ring provides a heat sink for the plurality of diodes (since the rectifier is in thermal contact with the balance ring, MPEP 2112 and figs 3 & 4).
7. Grelle et al. teach:
The electric machine of claim 6 wherein the balance ring includes a first component (rectifier 6) that is electrically isolated from a second component (balance ring body 5).
8. Grelle et al. teach:
The electric machine of claim 7 wherein the first and second component are positioned side-by-side at a common axial location (since the components are disoposed radially from each other, figs 3 and 4).
12. Grelle et al. teach:
The electric machine of claim 7 wherein the second component is axially stacked on the first component (fig 4).
13. Grelle et al. teach:
The electric machine of claim 7 wherein the rotor winding includes a first end connected to the first component of the balance ring and a second end connected to the second component of the balance ring (since the rectifier is electrically connected to one end of the winding/coil which is one component and the winding resides on the the other component, figs 3 and 4 and MPEP 2112).
14. Grelle et al. teach:
The electric machine of claim 13 wherein the connection between the first end of the rotor winding and the first component is a weld (soldering is a form of welding and since the 1sr component is a rectifier the limitation is satisfied.).
15. Grelle et al. teach:
An electric machine/synchronous machine 2 comprising:
a rotor assembly 1 positioned within a housing, 21 the rotor assembly including a rotor shaft 4, a rotor core 3, and a dual component balance ring 5 (the balance ring is composed of a body 5 and rectifier 6 since the rectifier is touching the body, figs 3 & 4) comprising a first component/carrier web 27 that is electrically isolated from a second component (the body of the balance ring, figs 3 and 4); and
a rotary transformer 7 positioned within the housing, the rotary transformer including a primary coil 11 and a s secondary coil 9, the secondary coil positioned on a printed circuit board (para 0037).
16. Grelle et al. teach:
The electric machine of claim 15 further comprising a rectifier 6 including a plurality of diodes 24 positioned on the dual component balance ring.
17. Grelle et al. teach:
The electric machine of claim 15 wherein the dual component balance ring includes a first component (rectifier 6) and a second component (balance ring body 5) that is electrically isolated from the first component (this is inherent since there are diodes on the rectifier, MPEP 2112).
18. Grelle et al. teach:
A rotor assembly 1 comprising:
a rotor shaft 4;
a rotor core 3 positioned on the rotor shaft (figs 3 and 4);
a rotor winding 13 wound on the rotor core (figs 3 and 4);
a balance ring 5 positioned at one end of the rotor core (figs 3 and 4); and
a plurality of diodes 24 positioned on the balance ring (via rectifier 6).
19. Grelle et al. teach:
The rotor assembly of claim 18, wherein the plurality of diodes are connected to form a rectifier 6, the rectifier connected to the rotor winding, the balance ring including: a first component (rectifier 6); a second component (balance ring body 5) electrically isolated from the first component (this is inherent since there are diodes on the rectifier, MPEP 2112); and the plurality of diodes positioned on the first component and the second component (figs 3 and 4).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 5 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Grelle et al. in view of Gas et al. (US 20100117466).
5. Grelle et al. has been discussed above, but does not teach that the plurality of diodes are press-fit into the plurality of diode holes.
Gas et al. teaches that the plurality of diodes 93 are press-fit into the plurality of diode holes/openings (in plate 10 corresponding to applicant’s claimed balancing ring) to have a direct thermal contact with a heatsink (applicant’s disclosed/claimed balance ring is configured as a heatsink due to the fins) which prolongs the service life of the machine.
Consequently, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the invention of Grelle et al. being effectively filed to modify it such that the plurality of diodes are press-fit into the plurality of diode holes, as taught by Gas et al. so as to prolong the service life of the machine.
20. Grelle et al. has been discussed above, but does not teach that the plurality of diodes are press-fit into diode holes on the first component and the second component of the balance ring.
Gas et al. teaches that the plurality of diodes 93 are press-fit into the plurality of diode holes/openings (in plate 10 corresponding to applicant’s claimed balancing ring) to have a direct thermal contact with a heatsink (applicant’s disclosed/claimed balance ring is configured as a heatsink due to the fins) which prolongs the service life of the machine.
Consequently, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the invention of Grelle et al. being effectively filed to modify it such that the plurality of diodes are press-fit into diode holes on the first component and the second component of the balance ring, as taught by Gas et al. so as to prolong the service life of the machine.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9-11 are 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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TERRANCE L KENERLY whose telephone number is (571)270-7851. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5pm.
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, Christopher Koehler can be reached at 5712723560. 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.
/TERRANCE L KENERLY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
Prosecution Insights