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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/30/2024, and 03/16/2026 is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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) 1-7, 8, 10, 11, 14, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Thomas (US 20190356195 A1) in view of Shinoda (US20220085697A1).
Claim 1
Thomas teaches: A magnetic levitation device (1) for contactless magnetic levitation of a rotor (3) comprising a disk-shaped or ring-shaped magnetically effective core (31), the magnetic levitation device (1) comprising:
a stator (2) comprising a plurality of coil cores (4), each of the plurality of coil cores (4) comprising a longitudinal leg (41) extending from a first end in an axial direction to a second end, and a transverse leg (42) arranged at the second end of the longitudinal leg (41) and extending in a radial direction perpendicular to the axial direction, a concentrated winding (6) provided at each longitudinal leg (41) of the plurality of coil cores (4) surrounding a respective longitudinal leg (41), the stator (2) including a cup-shaped recess (see Fig. 29) into which the rotor (3) is configured to be inserted, the cup-shaped recess (see Fig. 29) arranged at an axial end of the stator (2), each of the transverse legs (42)of the plurality of coil cores (4) arranged around the cup-shaped recess (see Fig. 29);
and a plurality of magnetic field sensors (71) configured to determine the position of the rotor (3) arranged around the cup-shaped recess (see Fig. 29; para. 0157);
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Thomas does not, however, explicitly teach:
a ring-shaped holding device for the magnetic field sensors, the ring-shaped holding device having a cavity for each magnetic field sensor of the plurality of magnetic field sensors, the cavity delimited with respect to the radial direction by an inside wall and by an outside wall, the magnetic field sensors configured to be pushed into the cavity, and the cavity dimensioned such that the inside wall and the outside wall rest flat against the magnetic field sensors.
Shinoda notably teaches a sensor supporting circuit board arrangement for a motor having a stator and rotor. In particular, Shinoda’s second embodiment discloses a circuit board (44) having extending portions (72, 74) positioned in regions between circumferentially adjacent stator teeth (22). Shinoda further expressly teaches that sensors (46) are mounted on the circuit board (44) and that the sensors are positioned in close proximity to the magnets (20) of the rotor (see para. 0080-0084). Shinoda explains that this configuration permits the circuit board to be positioned without interfering with the coils and further suppresses an increase in the axial dimension of the motor. Magnetic sensors (46) are mounted on the second extending portions (74C, 74D, 74E). The second extending portions position the sensors in the circumferential regions between adjacent stator teeth (22) and in close proximity to the rotor magnets (20). Shinoda further teaches that the circuit board configuration permits the sensors to be positioned without interfering with the coils and suppresses an increase in the axial dimension of the motor.
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It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the claimed invention was filed to modify The magnetic field sensor arrangement of Thomas to incorporate a sensor supporting structure corresponding to the circuit board (44) of Shinoda, including radially extending portions supporting the respective magnetic field sensors, in order to provide a convenient structure for positioning and retaining the sensors relative to the stator and rotor while avoiding interference with the stator windings and limiting axial size.
Claim 2/1
Thomas as modified by Shinoda teaches: The magnetic levitation device according to claim 1, a circuit board (44; Shinoda) arranged between the concentrated windings (6) and the transverse legs (42) of the plurality of coil cores (4) with respect to the axial direction, all of the magnetic field sensors (46; Shinoda) being arranged on the circuit board (44; Shinoda), and the holding device configured to receive the circuit board (44; Shinoda).
Claim 3/2/1
Thomas as modified by Shinoda teaches: The magnetic levitation device according to claim 2, wherein the holding device has a ring-shaped edge (72) with a shoulder provided thereon, the shoulder arranged radially inwardly with respect to the edge, and the circuit board (46) rests against the shoulder.
Claim 4/3/2/1
Thomas as modified by Shinoda teaches: The magnetic levitation device according to claim 3, wherein the edge is configured so as to project (in opposite direction) beyond the circuit board (46) with respect to the axial direction.
Claim 5/1
Thomas as modified by Shinoda teaches: The magnetic levitation device according to claim 1, but does not expressly teach: wherein the holding device has a plurality of notches, such that for each coil core of the plurality of coils cores, a notch of the plurality of notches encloses a respective coil core of the plurality of coil cores and receives the transverse leg of the respective coil core.
Shinoda teaches a sensor holding structure configured with notched portions corresponding to stator teeth/coil cores, whereby portions of the holder extend around and accommodate the respective stator teeth. In particular, Shinoda’s busbar/holder (50) includes sensor holding portions (52) arranged between adjacent teeth (22), with the holder being mounted to the stator insulator (32) and thereby positioned relative to the stator teeth (see para. 0050-0052 and refer to figs. 2 and 3). Shinoda further teaches that the holder supports the sensor components while permitting the holder to be mounted to the stator after the windings have been formed.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the claimed invention was filed to modify the ring-shaped holding device of Jiang, as applied to the magnetic levitation device of Thomas, to include notches corresponding to the respective coil cores and configured to receive the transverse legs, as taught by Shinoda. It would have been motivated to provide such notches to accommodate the stator coil cores while permitting the sensor holder to be positioned concentrically and securely around the cup shaped recess. The notches would allow the holder to conform to the existing geometry of the stator rather than requiring modification or removal of portions of the coil cores or transverse legs.
Claim 6/5/1
Thomas as modified by Shinoda teaches: The magnetic levitation device according to claim 5, wherein each cavity is arranged between two adjacent notches of the plurality of notches with respect to the circumferential direction (see fig. 2-3).
Claim 7
Thomas as modified by Shinoda teaches: The magnetic levitation device according to claim 1, but does not explicitly disclose: wherein the plurality of coil cores (4) includes exactly six coil cores (see Thomas’s Fig. 26).
Claim 8
Thomas as modified by Shinoda teaches: The magnetic levitation device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of magnetic field sensors (71) comprises exactly six magnetic field sensors (see Thomas’s Fig. 26) arranged equidistantly around the cup-shaped recess (recesses provided by modification by Thomas).
Claim 10
Thomas as modified by Shinoda teaches: The magnetic levitation device according to claim 1, but does not expressly teach: wherein a guide element is provided in for each cavity , and forms the inside wall or the outside wall delimiting the cavity.
Shinoda notably teaches such a guiding and positioning structure. In particular, Shinoda discloses a busbar (50) having sensor-holding portions (52), each having a sensor insertion hole (54). A magnetism converging member (48) is positioned within the sensor insertion hole adjacent to the sensor body (38), with the sensor body and magnetism converging member being retained in respective portions of the insertion hole (see para. 0050-0056). Shinoda further teaches that the sensor body (38) is inserted into the sensor insertion hole and held therein, thereby providing a defined and controlled position of the sensor relative to the holder and the rotor magnets (see para. 0054-0057). The arrangement is expressly intended to facilitate proper positioning of the sensor and, through the magnetism converging member (48), improve consistency in detecting the magnetic field of the rotor magnets (see para. 0062, and 0071-0075).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the claimed invention was filed to modify the cavity of Jiang’s ring shaped holding device to include a guide element, as taught by Shinoda, such that the guide element forms one of the radial walls delimiting the cavity. A person having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to provide such a guide element to guide the magnetic field sensor into its proper position during assembly and thereafter maintain the sensor at a predetermined position relative to the rotor and its magnetic field. This would be particularly desirable in the magnetic levitation device of Thomas, where the sensors are relied upon to accurately determine the position of the rotor.
Claim 11
Thomas as modified by Shinoda teaches: The magnetic levitation device according to claim 1, wherein the stator has a containment can (401, see Fig. 29) forming an axial end of the stator (2), the containment can (301) include the cup-shaped recess into which the rotor (3) is configured to be inserted and the containment can (401) is configured to embrace the holding device (provided by modification of Jiang) radially outwardly.
Claim 14
Thomas as modified by Shinoda teaches: The magnetic levitation device according to claim 1, wherein the stator (2) is configured to generate a torque (see para. 0067) with which the rotor (3) is capable of being driven magnetically without contact for rotation about the axial direction.
Claim 15
A centrifugal pump (Fig. 28) for conveying a fluid (see para. 0160-0162), comprising: the magnetic levitation device according to claim 14; and the rotor (3) with the magnetically effective core (31), the rotor (3) configured to be inserted into the cup-shaped recess of a containment can (401).
Claim(s) 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Thomas as modified by Shinoda in view of Godoy (US2006273784A1).
Claim 9
Thomas as modified by Shinoda teaches: The magnetic levitation device according to claim 2, but does not expressly teach: wherein the holding device is filled with a first potting compound such that the circuit board is completely covered by the potting compound.
The concept of providing potting compound for a circuit board in a device is well known within the art of the claimed invention. Godoy for example teaches that a printed circuit board carrying a magnetic/galvanomagnetic sensing element may be housed within a dedicated region of a sensor housing and completely immersed in a potting material (see para. 0017, and 0064-0076). The potting material provides environmental protection and seals the electrical components from moisture, contaminants, and other external influences. Thus, a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the claimed invention’s filing would have recognized potting as a known technique for protecting a circuit board and associated magnetic sensing components.
In view of this teaching, it would further have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill to fill the holding device of the Thomas/Jiang combination with a potting compound so as to completely cover the circuit board carrying the magnetic field sensors. Such a modification would be beneficial in protecting the sensors from environmental contamination and moisture, securing the components against movement, and improving the durability and reliability of the sensor assembly.
Claim(s) 12 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Thomas as modified by Shinoda in view of Steinhert (US 20230031535 A1).
Claim 12
Thomas as modified by Shinoda teaches: The magnetic levitation device according to claim 1, but does not explicitly teach: further comprising a housing comprising a stator housing and a control housing arranged adjacent to each other with respect to the axial direction, the stator housing configured to receive the plurality of coil cores with the concentrated windings arranged thereon, and the control housing configured to receive a controller configured to control and supply the concentrated windings with electrical energy to generate electromagnetic fields.
Steinert conversely teaches a magnetic levitation device having an electromagnetic rotary drive including a stator (6) and a control device (8). The stator (6) is arranged within a drive housing (60), while the control device (8) is also arranged within the drive housing (60). In particular, Steinhert teaches that the stator (6) is positioned within the drive housing and that the control device is provided at a different location within the drive housing (see para. 90-92). Steinhert further illustrates the drive housing as providing distinct internal regions for the electromagnetic drive components and the control electronics (see embodiments of Fig. 5 and 10).
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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 further modify Thomas as modified by Shinoda to provide a housing that comprises of separate housing compartments for a stator and a control device as taught by Steinhert. A person having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a modification because separating the stator from the control device provides the advantages of ease of assembly considering the integral housings, providing physical protection for control electronics from heat and electromagnetic environment associated with the stator, and permitting the respective components to be arranged in regions of the housing suited to their respective functions. Steinhert demonstrates the practicality of locating the stator and control device in separate regions of a drive housing while maintaining the necessary electrical/signal connections between them (see para. 90-92, and 123-126).
Claim 13
Thomas as modified by Shinoda teaches: The magnetic levitation device according to claim 12, wherein the housing (60; Steinhert) configured to such that the plurality coil cores (61; Steinhert) with the concentrated windings (62, 63; Steinhert) arranged thereon are configured to be inserted into the stator housing (60; Steinhert) in a first installation direction in the axial direction, and the controller is configured to be inserted into the control housing (other compartment of 60; Steinhert) in a second installation direction (see Fig. 10; Steinhert), the first installation direction is directed in an opposite direction to the second installation direction.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AHMED F SECK whose telephone number is (571)272-4638. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30 am - 4:30 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher Koehler can be reached at (571) 272-3560. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AHMED F SECK/ Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/CHRISTOPHER M KOEHLER/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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