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 statements (IDS) submitted on 02/24/2025 is 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 § 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) 17-20, 25-26, 31-33 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fukumoto (DE102013219186).
As to independent claim 17, Fukumoto teaches an arrangement (see figure 1) for grounding rotor shafts (RW) of electric machines (see title), the arrangement (see figure 1) comprising: a bearing (WL1); a grounding hub (VE), the grounding hub (VE) being configured to be electrically conductively connected at a first end to an electrical ground (MP), the grounding hub (VE) being configured to be electrically conductively connected at a second end to a shaft (11) to be grounded, the grounding hub (15) being configured to electrically conductively connect the shaft (RW) to the electrical ground (MP), the shaft (RW) being configured to be mounted by the bearing (AR1) for rotation with respect to the grounding hub (VE); and a spring element (FE), the spring element (FE) being configured at one end to axially preload the grounding hub (MP) into electrically conductive connection with the electrical ground (MP) and at another end to axially preload the bearing (AR1) as shown in figure 1
As to claim 18/17, Fukumoto teaches wherein the spring element (FE) is supported with one side axially against the bearing (AR1) as shown in figure 1.
As to claim 19/18, Fukumoto teaches wherein the spring element (FE) is axially supported at the other end against the bearing (AR1) and is axially supported at the one end on part of the grounding hub (VE) as shown in figure 1.
As to claim 20/19, Fukumoto teaches wherein at least one grounding hub-side bearing ring of the bearing (AR1) is guided with a clearance fit on the part of the grounding hub (VE), and wherein a bearing seat (21) on the part of the grounding hub (15) is axially delimited, the grounding hub-side bearing ring (22) being seated on the bearing seat (21).
As to claim 25/17, Fukumoto teaches wherein the spring element (FE) is a compression spring as shown in figure 1
As to claim 26/25, Fukumoto teaches wherein the compression spring is a helical spring as shown in figure 1.
As to claim 31/17, Fukumoto teaches a transmission (see paragraph [0041-0042]) for a motor vehicle, the transmission (see paragraph [0041-0042]) comprising: at least one shaft (RW); the at least one shaft (RW) being grounded by the arrangement as shown in figure 1.
As to claim 32/17, Fukumoto teaches an electric drive axle unit for a motor vehicle, the electric drive axle unit (see paragraph [0041-0042]) comprising: a shaft (RW); the shaft (RW) being grounded by the arrangement as shown in figure 1.
As to claim 33/17, Fukumoto n electric machine (EM), the electric machine (EM) comprising: a stator (SE), the stator (SE) being non-rotatable; a rotor (RE), the rotor (RE) being rotatable relative to the stator (SE); a rotor shaft (RW) coupled to the rotor (RE); the rotor shaft (RW) being grounded by the arrangement as shown in figure 1.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 21-24 , 27-30 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
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/JOSE A GONZALEZ QUINONES/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834 June 26, 2026
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