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 . This Office Action is responsive to the Applicant's communication filed on October 29, 2024. In view of this communication, claims 1-10 are now pending in the application.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 7, and 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated MICHEL (US 20230299641 A1).
Regarding claim 1, MICHEL teaches:
A motor(Fig 1; 1), comprising:
a stator core(Fig 1; 3);
a case(Fig 1; 16) that houses the stator core(Fig 1; 3)[0042], the case (Fig 1; 16)including a facing portion facing an end face of the stator core(Fig 1; 3); and
a guide ring (Fig 1; 12/13)that is housed in the case(Fig 1; 16), that includes a ring shape extending around a motor axis(Fig 1; 100)[0042], and that is interposed between the end face and the facing portion(shown in Fig 1), wherein:
an annular coolant flow channel(Fig 1; 14/15) is configured by a space surrounded by an inner face of the case(Fig 1; 16), an outer peripheral face of the guide ring(Fig 1; 12/13), and the end face;
a plurality of in-core coolant flow channels (Fig 1; 11)is provided inside the stator core(Fig 1; 3)[0040];
an inlet (Fig 1; 19)of each of the in-core coolant flow channels (Fig 1; 11)opens onto the end face at a position on an outer side in a radial direction from the guide ring(Fig 1; 12/13)[0045]; and
the inlet (Fig 1; 19)of each of the in-core coolant flow channels is connected to the annular coolant flow channel(Fig 1; 12)[0045].
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Regarding claim 7, MICHEL teaches the motor according to claim 1:
the end face is provided with a coil end(Fig 1; 8/9); and
an inner diameter of the guide ring (Fig 1; 12/13)is larger than an outer diameter of the coil end(Fig 1; 8/9)(shown in Fig 1).
Regarding claim 9, MICHEL teaches the motor according to claim 1:
the case(Fig 5; 16) includes a contact portion (Fig 5; C1) that comes into contact with the end face; and
a seal member (Fig 5; 10)is provided at an interface of the end face and the contact portion(Fig 5; C1)(Fig 5 shows that housing 16 bends slightly inward radially to contact the end face of stator 3; shell 10 is used a s a seal near this interface to hold cooling liquid).
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Regarding claim 10, MICHEL teaches the motor according to claim 1:
wherein a recessed portion is provided on an inner peripheral face of the case(Fig 6; 16)(the stator is housed in the recess portion of the housing 16).
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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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 2-3, and 5-6 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over MICHEL (US 20230299641 A1) in view of DLALA(US 20210351642 A1).
In regards to claim 2, MICHEL teaches the motor according to claim 1:
further comprising a coil (Fig 1; 7)that is wound around the stator core (Fig 1; 3) at a position on an inner side in the radial direction from the guide ring(Fig 1; 12/13), wherein each of the in-core coolant flow channels (Fig 1; 11)includes
a first flow channel (Fig 1; 11)that is disposed on the outer side in the radial direction from the guide ring (Fig 1; 12/13)and that is connected to the inlet(Fig 1; 19).
MICHEL does not teach:
a second flow channel that extends from a position on the outer side in the radial direction from the guide ring to a position on the inner side from the guide ring, and that is connected to the first flow channel, and
a third flow channel that is disposed on the inner side in the radial direction from the guide ring, and that extends in an axial direction, and that is connected to the second flow channel.
DLALA teaches:
a first flow channel (Fig 5; 501)that is disposed on the outer side in the radial direction and that is connected to the inlet (Fig 2; 201),
a second flow channel (Fig 6; 601) that extends from a position on the outer side in the radial direction from the guide ring to a position on the inner side from the guide ring(while DLALA does not include a guide ring, the channels to start radially outward and travel inward; thus, when combined with MICHEL, which does include a guide ring, it would be taught), and that is connected to the first flow channel(Fig 5; 501)[0054], and
a third flow channel (Fig 4; 401)that is disposed on the inner side in the radial direction from the guide ring(while DLALA does not include a guide ring, the channels to start radially outward and travel inward; thus, when combined with MICHEL, which does include a guide ring, it would be taught), and that extends in an axial direction, and that is connected to the second flow channel(Fig 6; 601)[0054].
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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 MICHEL by using the radially traversed cooling channels formed in the laminations of the stator plate as taught by DLALA, in order to make a motor that has a first, second, and third channel that moves radially relative to the guide ring in MICHEL thus achieving the desired levels of performance and reliability by ensuring temperature remains in its specific operating range[0005 DLALA].
In regards to claim 3, MICHEL, in view of DLALA, teaches the motor according to claim 2.
MICHEL does not teach:
wherein the second flow channel extends in the radial direction.
DLALA teaches:
wherein the second flow channel(Fig 6; 601)extends in the radial direction(in Fig 6).
In regards to claim 5, MICHEL, in view of DLALA, teaches the motor according to claim 2.
MICHEL does not teach:
the stator core includes a back yoke and a plurality of teeth protruding toward an inner side in the radial direction from the back yoke;
the coil is wound around the teeth; and
the third flow channel is provided inside a corresponding one of the teeth.
DLALA teaches:
the stator core(Fig 2; 101) includes a back yoke(Fig 5; 503) and a plurality of teeth (Fig 4; 403)protruding toward an inner side in the radial direction from the back yoke(Fig 5; 503);
the coil is wound around the teeth[0050]; and
the third flow channel (Fig 4; 401)is provided inside a corresponding one of the teeth(Fig 4; 403).
In regards to claim 6, MICHEL, in view of DLALA, teaches the motor according to claim 5.
MICHEL does not teach:
wherein the third flow channel is provided at a boundary between the back yoke and the corresponding one of the teeth.
DLALA teaches:
wherein the third flow channel (Fig 4; 401)is provided at a boundary between the back yoke(Fig 5; 503) and the corresponding one of the teeth(Fig 4; 403).
In regards to claim 8, MICHEL, in view of DLALA, teaches the motor according to claim 2:
a coil end (Fig 1; 8/9)is provided on the inner side in the radial direction from the guide ring(Fig 1; 12/13); and
the guide ring (Fig 1; 12/13) is provided with a coolant discharge channel(Fig 1; 20) that passes through the guide ring (Fig 1; 12/13)in the radial direction.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 4 is 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.
Regarding claim 4, The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The prior art teaches:
the stator core is made up of a plurality of magnetic steel plates stacked in the axial direction;
the magnetic steel plates include a first magnetic steel plate, a second magnetic steel plate, and a third magnetic steel plate;
the first through hole makes up the first flow channel;
the second through hole makes up the second flow channel; and
the third through hole makes up the third flow channel.
However, the prior art does not teach:
the first magnetic steel plate that is present in a range including the end face, is provided with a first through hole that is disposed on the outer side in the radial direction from the guide ring;
the second magnetic steel plate that is adjacent to the first magnetic steel plate, is provided with a second through hole extending along the radial direction;
a third through hole is provided in the third magnetic steel plate that is adjacent to the second magnetic steel plate, the third through hole is disposed on the inner side in the radial direction from the guide ring.(The underlined is allowable subject matter.)
Claim 4 is objected to, and not rejected, because the limitations regarding the location and arrangement of the various steel plates. The prior art teaches all of the plates and channels, but the specific arrangement is too specific which makes it novel.
Claims 4 are objected to, and not rejected, because they depend from a claim that contains allowable subject matter.
As allowable subject matter has been indicated, applicant's reply must either comply with all formal requirements or specifically traverse each requirement not complied with. See 37 CFR 1.111(b) and MPEP § 707.07(a).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NICHOLAS L SETZER whose telephone number is (571)272-3021. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm 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.
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/N.L.S./Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/OLUSEYE IWARERE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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