DETAILED ACTION
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 November 7, 2024. In view of this communication, claims 1-15 are now pending in the application.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the rotor and stator must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: a radially inner and outer wall. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: a radially inner and outer wall. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claim 13 is objected to because of the following informalities: It is believed by the Examiner that “second air” of claim 13 is a typographical error. It is believed that “second air” is supposed to be “second end”. 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)(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) 1-5, 7-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated ANDRES(US 20160294231 A1).
Regarding claim 1, ANDRES teaches:
A cooling structure(Fig 1A/1B; 22) for a rotary electric machine(Fig 1A/1B; 10), the structure comprising:
an annular radiator body defining an axis X(Fig 1A; R) between a first end (Fig 1A; E1)and a second end(Fig 1A; E2), the annular body having:
a radially inner wall(Fig 1A; IW);
a radially outer wall(Fig 1A; OW); and
a plurality of channels (Fig 1A; 27) defined between the radially inner wall (Fig 1A; IW) and the radially outer wall(Fig 1A; OW), each extending from the first end(Fig 1A; E1) to the second end(Fig 1A; E2)(shown in Fig. 4a-4f), each channel(Fig 1A; 27) having a radially varying profile (Fig 1A; 26) along the length of the channel(Fig 1A; 27) to interrupt the linear flow of fluid along the channel (Fig 1A; 27)and to cause continuous changes in flow direction as the fluid flows from one end (Fig 1A; E1)of the channel to the other(Fig 1A; E2)[0024].
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Regarding claim 2, ANDRES teaches the cooling structure of claim 1:
wherein the radially varying profile is created by the channel (Fig 2; 127) being shaped to form a wave shape seen in the direction from one end of the channel (Fig 2; 127) to the other to create a sweep on the fluid flow direction[0033].
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Regarding claim 3, ANDRES teaches the cooling structure of claim 2:
wherein the wave shape is a rounded wave shape (shown in Fig 2) of successive convex (Fig 2; 126) and concave shapes (Fig 2; 127)or peaks and valleys as seen in the axial direction from one end (Fig 1A; E1)of the channel to the other end(Fig 1A; E2).
Regarding claim 4, ANDRES teaches the cooling structure of claim 1:
grooves (Fig 1A; 27)provided along the top and/or bottom of the channel(Fig 1A; 27)[0022].
Regarding claim 5, ANDRES teaches the cooling structure of claim 1:
wherein the radially varying profile is provided by the inner surface of the channel (Fig 4A-4F; 322) being provided with indents in an inner surface of the channel(various channel shapes are created by indented surfaces).
Regarding claim 7, ANDRES teaches the cooling structure of claim 1:
wherein the radiator body(Fig 1A/1B; 22) is formed by a lost-wax casting method(product by process; since the body 22 reasonably could have been made form lost-was casting method, the prior art teaches it).
Regarding claim 8, ANDRES teaches the cooling structure of claim 1:
claim wherein channels (Fig 1A/1B; 27) are formed by additive manufacturing(product by process; since the channels 27 reasonably could have been made form additive manufacturing, the prior art teaches it).
Regarding claim 9, ANDRES teaches the cooling structure of claim 1:
further comprising a coolant inlet (Fig 3; 232) at the first end (Fig 3; E1) and a coolant outlet (Fig 3; 234)at the second end(Fig 3; E2).
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Regarding claim 10, ANDRES teaches:
A rotary electric motor(Fig 1A; 10) comprising:
a rotor (Fig 1A; 14)and a stator (Fig 1A; 16)in coaxial arrangement; and
a cooling structure(Fig 1A; 22) as claimed in claim 1 arranged around the rotor (Fig 1A; 14)and the stator(Fig 1A; 16).
Regarding claim 11, ANDRES teaches the cooling structure of claim 10:
a housing (Fig 1A; 28) containing the coaxial assembly of the rotor (Fig 1A; 14)and the stator (Fig 1A; 16)and the cooling structure(Fig 1A; 22).
Regarding claim 12, ANDRES teaches the cooling structure of claim 11:
wherein the cooling structure (Fig 3; 222) further includes a coolant inlet (Fig 3; 232) at the first end (Fig 3; E1) and a coolant outlet (Fig 3; 234)at the second end(Fig 3; E2); and
wherein the housing (Fig 3; 228) structure includes a manifold (Fig 3; 230)defining the inlet (Fig 3; 232)and the outlet(Fig 3; 234).
Regarding claim 13, ANDRES teaches the cooling structure of claim 1:
a source of coolant provided to the coolant structure to flow through the channels [0037]from the first end (Fig 3; E1)to the second (end) air (Fig 3; E2).
Regarding claim 14, ANDRES teaches the cooling structure of claim 13:
wherein the coolant is air[0029].
Regarding claim 15, ANDRES teaches the cooling structure of claim 14:
being a motor in an aircraft(aerospace [0002]).
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) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ANDRES.
In regards to claim 6, ANDRES, teaches the cooling structure of claim 5.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify ANDRES because they disclosed the cooling structure of claim 5 except for the shape of the indents being rounded. It would have been an obvious matter of designing the indents to be rounded in order to create uniform design, thus improving the ease of manufactory. A change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966).
Citation of Relevant Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's
disclosure. Prior Art:
SALAM (US 20220239199 A1) teaches the channels being enclosed.
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MECZKOWSKI (US 20240388162 A1) teaches the channels having a wavy protrusion.
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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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