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 December 2, 2024. In view of this communication, claims 1-17 are now pending in the application.
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)(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) 1-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated CESA (US 20240014702 A1).
Regarding claim 1, CESA teaches:
An electric machine(Fig 2; 1) for powering an electric vehicle[0002], the electric machine comprising:
a rotor (Fig 2; 3)configured to rotate relative to a stator (Fig 2; 4)to drive a rotor shaft (Fig 2; 5)and at least one drive wheel of the electric vehicle[0002];
a rotor lamination [0047]of the rotor (Fig 2; 3)defining a first slot (Fig 4/7; 11B-2)that defines:
a first flux barrier (Fig 7; 13B-2O) having a first flux barrier width (Fig 7; 13B-2O-W) at a first end of the first slot(Fig 7; 11B-2);
a second flux barrier (Fig 7; 13B-2I) having a second flux barrier width (Fig 7; 13B-2I-W)at a second end of the first slot(Fig 7; 11B-2); and
a first magnet retaining slot portion (Fig 7; 12B-2) having a first slot width(Fig 7; 12B-2-W); and
a first magnet (Fig 7; 10B-2)positioned in the first magnet retaining slot portion(Fig 7; 12B-2), wherein the first flux barrier width (Fig 7; 13B-2O-W) and the second flux barrier width (Fig 7; 13B-2I-W) are greater than the first slot width(Fig 7; 12B-2-W).
PNG
media_image1.png
629
691
media_image1.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image2.png
514
884
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 2, CESA teaches the electric machine of claim 1:
wherein the first flux barrier (Fig 4; 13B-2O)of the first slot is tangentially elongated relative to the rotor(Fig 4; 6).
PNG
media_image3.png
752
921
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 3, CESA teaches the electric machine of claim 1:
wherein the second flux barrier(Fig 4; 13B-2I) of the first slot is elongated.
Regarding claim 4, CESA teaches the electric machine of claim 1:
wherein the first flux barrier (Fig 4; 13B-2O)of the first slot is located proximate an outer perimeter of the rotor(Fig 4; 6).
Regarding claim 5, CESA teaches the electric machine of claim 4:
wherein the rotor lamination includes a first bridge (Fig 4; 13B-2O-B) between the outer perimeter and the first flux barrier (Fig 4; 13B-2O)of the first slot.
Regarding claim 6, CESA teaches the electric machine of claim 1:
wherein the first flux barrier width(Fig 7; 13B-2O-W) and the second flux barrier width (Fig 7; 13B-2I-W)of the first slot are greater than the first slot width(Fig 7; 12B-2-W) providing a higher arc radius of the first flux barrier(Fig 7; 13B-2O).
Regarding claim 7, CESA teaches the electric machine of claim 6:
wherein the first flux barrier width (Fig 7; 13B-2O-W)and the second flux barrier width (Fig 7; 13B-2I-W)of the first slot are greater than the first slot width(Fig 7; 12B-2-W) providing lower flux leakage and improving torque performance of the electric machine(lowered flux leakage is innate to the improvements described[0006-0012]).
Regarding claim 8, CESA teaches the electric machine of claim 1:
wherein an inductance is created by current applied to the stator(Fig 2; 4), wherein torque is generated due to an inductance difference between a D-axis(Fig 4; dr-1) and a Q-axis (Fig 4; qr-1)owing to the first and second flux barriers of the first slot causing the rotor to be rotated by torque(the functions claimed are innate of an imbedded magnet rotor with a concentration effect; by definition flux barriers direct magnetic flux to concentrate and improve electric machine efficiency).
Regarding claim 9, CESA teaches the electric machine of claim 1:
wherein the rotor lamination of the rotor (Fig 4; 6)further defines a second slot (Fig 4; 11B-3)that defines:
a first flux barrier (Fig 4; 13B-3O)having a first flux barrier width (Fig 4; 13B-3O-W)at a first end of the second slot(Fig 4; 11B-3);
a second flux barrier(Fig 4; 13B-3I) having a second flux barrier width (Fig 4; 13B-3I-W)at a second end of the second slot(Fig 4; 11B-3); and
a second magnet receiving slot portion (Fig 4; 12B-3)having a second slot width(Fig 4; 12B-3-W)(the rotor pole is symmetrical on each side of dr-1; meaning all the slots are duplicated in there structure [0066]).
Regarding claim 10, CESA teaches the electric machine of claim 9:
further comprising a second magnet (Fig 4; 10B-3)disposed in the second magnet receiving slot portion(Fig 4; 12B-3), wherein the first flux barrier width(Fig 4; 13B-3O-W) and the second flux barrier width (Fig 4; 13B-3I-W)of the second slot are greater than the second slot width(Fig 4; 12B-3-W)(the structure of the second slot and first slot are identical as shown in Fig 4 and described in [0066]).
Regarding claim 11, CESA teaches the electric machine of claim 10:
wherein the first flux barrier (Fig 4; 13B-3O)of the second slot is tangentially elongated relative to the rotor(Fig 4; 6).
Regarding claim 12, CESA teaches the electric machine of claim 10:
wherein the second flux barrier(Fig 4; 13B-3I) of the second slot is elongated.
Regarding claim 13, CESA teaches the electric machine of claim 10:
wherein the first flux barrier (Fig 4; 13B-3O)of the second slot is located proximate an outer perimeter of the rotor(Fig 4; 6).
Regarding claim 14, CESA teaches the electric machine of claim 13:
wherein the rotor lamination includes a second bridge (Fig 4; 13B-3O-B) between the outer perimeter and the first flux barrier (Fig 4; 13B-3O)of the second slot.
Regarding claim 15, CESA teaches the electric machine of claim 10:
wherein the first flux barrier width (Fig 4; 13B-3O-W)and the second flux barrier width (Fig 4; 13B-3I-W)of the second slot are greater than the second slot width(Fig 4; 12B-3-W) providing a higher arc radius of the first flux barrier of the second slot(Fig 4; 13B-3O).
Regarding claim 16, CESA teaches the electric machine of claim 15:
wherein the first flux barrier width (Fig 4; 13B-3O-W)and the second flux barrier width (Fig 4; 13B-3I-W)of the second slot are greater than the second slot width(Fig 4; 12B-3-W) providing lower flux leakage and improving torque performance of the electric machine(lowered flux leakage is innate to the improvements described[0006-0012]).
Regarding claim 17, CESA teaches the electric machine of claim 10:
wherein an inductance is created by current applied to the stator(Fig 2; 4), wherein torque is generated due to an inductance difference between a D-axis(Fig 4; dr-1) and a Q-axis (Fig 4; qr-1)owing to the first and second flux barriers of the second slot causing the rotor to be rotated by torque(the functions claimed are innate of an imbedded magnet rotor with a concentration effect; by definition flux barriers direct magnetic flux to concentrate and improve electric machine efficiency).
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.
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.
/N.L.S./Examiner, Art Unit 2834 /OLUSEYE IWARERE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
