DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to applicant’s communication filed on 12.2.24. In view of this communication, claims 1-20 are now pending in this application.
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 .
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.
Claim 3 Line 2 recites “cable bushing”. However, none of the drawings clearly show a cable bushing nor is there a reference number in the specification.
Claim 20 recites “one energy transfer system configured for the contactless transfer of electrical energy and integrated in the machine rotor”. It is not clear which Fig is being referred to.
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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims below are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 3 recites in part the limitation “at least one cable bushing from the cavity to the outside” . It is not clear from the specification the structure of the “one cable bushing” and “outside” .In order to further prosecution, examiner is interpreting “one cable bushing” to mean enablement for transfer of current and “outside’ to mean outside the rotor cavity.
Claim 20 recites “one energy transfer system configured for the contactless transfer of electrical energy and integrated in the machine rotor”. It is not clear how both the stationary and rotating part of energy transfer system can be integrated into machine rotor as one is rotating and other is stationary. To advance prosecution, Examiner interprets a component of energy transfer system is integrated into machine rotor.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
(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 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Scott et al (US5519275A), hereinafter Scott.
Regarding Claim 20, Scott discloses (Fig 1) an electrically excited machine (10), comprising:
a machine stator (114); and
a machine rotor (112,116); and
an exciter device (30) for the electrical excitation of the machine, wherein the exciter device comprises at least one energy transfer system (122 is a component of 120) configured for the contactless transfer (120 is a transformer) of electrical energy and integrated in the machine rotor (112,116).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
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.
Claims 1-4,6-12,14-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Scott in view of JP8072 (JPS6278072U English translation).
Regarding Claim 1, Scott discloses an arrangement for an electrically excited machine (Fig 1 below, 10), comprising:
a machine rotor (Fig 1, 102,112,116) having a machine rotor shaft (116) designed as hollow shaft having a cavity (Fig 1); and
an exciter device (Fig 1, 30) for the electrical excitation of the machine, wherein the exciter device comprises at least one energy transfer system (Fig 1, 120,720),
wherein the at least one energy transfer system has a primary side (124) and a secondary side (122), is configured for the contactless transfer (Fig 1, 120 is a transformer, hence contactless) of electrical energy from the primary side to the secondary side but does not explicitly disclose is arranged inside the cavity of the machine rotor shaft.
JP8072 discloses (Fig 1) energy transfer system (13,14) is arranged inside the cavity of the machine rotor shaft.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have formed the arrangement of Scott modified by the energy transfer system inside the cavity of rotor shaft as taught by JP8072 in order to achieve a structure that will limit axial length depending upon specific application requirement.
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Regarding Claim 2, Scott in view of JP8072 discloses the arrangement according to claim 1. Scott in view of JP8072 further discloses the at least one energy transfer system (Scott,Fig 1, 120,720 combination JP8072, Fig 1, 13,14) of the exciter device is arranged in a cavity (JP8072, Ca as shown above) of the machine rotor shaft (4,5,10) (these limitations are present in claim 1).
Regarding Claim 3, Scott in view of JP8072 discloses the arrangement according to claim 1. Scott in view of JP8072 further discloses the machine rotor shaft (Scott,Fig 1 above, 102,116) has at least one cable bushing (see 112(b) rejection) from the cavity (Fig 1, 116i) to the outside [Col 7, 51-54 discloses current is supplied from rectifier 720 which is inside cavity 116i to winding 410 which is outside cavity); and/or the machine rotor shaft has at least one opening for cooling the at least one energy transfer system.
Regarding Claim 4, Scott in view of JP8072 discloses the arrangement according to claim 1. Scott in view of JP8072 further discloses wherein the machine rotor (Scott,Fig 1, 102,112,116) comprises a exciter winding (410) and a laminated core (Col 3, Line 59); and the primary side (124) and the secondary side (122) are, viewed in axial direction (102 axial direction), arranged inside (Fig 1) the laminated core (112).
Regarding Claim 6, Scott in view of JP8072 discloses the arrangement according to claim 1. Scott in view of JP8072 further discloses wherein the at least one energy transfer system (Scott, 120,720) of the exciter device (30) comprises an exciter stator (124) and an exciter rotor (122), wherein the exciter stator is made of a magnetically as well as electrically non-conductive material (Cu winding is non magnetic and spool 142 in electrically insulative Col 5, 38-44), but does not explicitly disclose wherein the exciter stator has a bore for cooling.
JP8072 further discloses (Fig 1) wherein the exciter stator (6,7,8,13) has a bore (space inside 6,7,8 can be called a bore) for cooling (18 is a cooling fan which will cool bore).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have formed the arrangement of Scott in view of JP8072 modified by exciter bore for cooling as further taught by JP8072 in order to keep the stator sufficiently cool, so sufficient current can be conducted and a required magnetic field can be created.
Regarding Claim 7, Scott in view of JP8072 discloses the arrangement according to claim 1. Scott in view of JP8072 further discloses wherein the machine rotor (Scott,Fig 1, 102,112,116) has an exciter winding (410), and wherein the secondary side (122) is configured to transfer the energy transferred from the primary side (124) to the secondary side in a contactless manner (Fig 1, 120 is a transformer, hence contactless) from the secondary side (122) to the exciter winding (Fig 4,410) of the machine rotor (Fig 7 and Col 7, 51-54).
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Regarding Claim 8, Scott in view of JP8072 discloses the arrangement according to claim 1. Scott in view of JP8072 further discloses wherein the secondary side (122) is configured to completely generate a magnetic rotor field (Fig 7 and Col 7, 51-54) by an electric current supplied to the exciter winding (410).
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Regarding Claim 9, Scott in view of JP8072 discloses the arrangement according to claim 1. Scott in view of JP8072 further discloses wherein the exciter device (Scott,30) further comprises a primary-side electronics device (702A) with an inverter (Fig 7, 716) and/or a secondary-side electronics device with a rectifier, wherein the primary-side electronics device further has (Fig 8) a primary-side compensation unit (Fig 8, 702A discloses multiple capacitors 818A-D similar to instant invention), wherein the secondary-side electronics device further has a secondary-side compensation unit, and wherein the secondary-side electronics device is arranged on and/or outside the machine rotor shaft.
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Regarding Claim 10, Scott in view of JP8072 discloses the arrangement according to claim 1. Scott in view of JP8072 further discloses wherein a primary-side compensation unit (Scott,Fig 8) and/or a secondary-side compensation unit is configured for reactive power compensation (Fig 8, 702A discloses multiple capacitors 818A-D similar to instant invention which are for reactive power compensation).
Regarding Claim 11, Scott in view of JP8072 discloses the arrangement according to claim 1. Scott in view of JP8072 further discloses wherein the arrangement further comprises an energy source (Fig 7, 714 which is battery) and/or a converter for controlling the electrically excited machine.
Regarding Claim 12, Scott in view of JP8072 discloses the arrangement according to claim 1. Scott in view of JP8072 further discloses wherein an operating frequency of the energy transfer system (Fig 1, 120,720) is independent of a speed of the electrically excited machine (Similar to instant invention, Fig 7 battery 714 is energy source that can power energy transfer system even from stand still).
Regarding Claim 14, Scott in view of JP8072 discloses the arrangement according to claim 1. Scott in view of JP8072 further discloses wherein an additional electrically conductive material layer (Scott, 140,142 have turns of conductive material such as copper Col 5, 40-44) is arranged on at least one active part of the energy transfer system (Fig 1, 120,720), wherein an active part of the energy transfer system is part of the energy transfer system which is at least partially exposed to a magnetic field (120 is a transformer) used for energy transfer, and wherein the electrical conductivity of the additional material layer (copper winding) is greater than the electrical conductivity of the at least one active part (140,142 are electrically insulative Col 5, 38-40).
Regarding Claim 15, Scott in view of JP8072 discloses the arrangement according to claim 14. Scott in view of JP8072 further discloses wherein the additional electrically conductive material layer (copper winding Col 5,40-44) is arranged on a coil system of the energy transfer system, in particular in the region of electrically poorly conductive (140,142) and at the same time magnetically conductive materials (136,138 are soft ferrite Col 5, 35-38), or in the region of electrically poorly conductive and at the same time magnetically non-conductive materials.
Regarding Claim 16, Scott in view of JP8072 discloses the arrangement according to claim 1. Scott in view of JP8072 further discloses wherein the energy transfer system (Scott,Fig 1, 120,720) has a stator (138, 142 with Cu winding) made of an electrically non-conductive material (142) and/or a magnetically non-conductive material.
Regarding Claim 17, Scott in view of JP8072 discloses the arrangement according to claim 1. Scott in view of JP8072 further discloses wherein an operating frequency of the at least one energy transfer system (Fig 1, 120,720) is independent of a speed of the electrically excited machine (Similar to instant invention, Fig 7 battery 714 is energy source that can power energy transfer system even from stand still) (This seems a repetition of claim 12).
Regarding Claim 18, Scott in view of JP8072 discloses the arrangement according to claim 1. Scott in view of JP8072 further discloses wherein the secondary side (Scott, 122) is arranged concentrically around an axis of rotation (102 axis) of the machine rotor (102,112,116) but does not explicitly disclose wherein the primary side is located inside the secondary side.
JP8072 further discloses (Fig 1) wherein the primary side (13) is located inside the secondary side (14)(13 is radially inside 14).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have formed the arrangement of Scott in view of JP8072 modified by the primary side inside secondary side as further taught by JP8072 in order to achieve a structure that will limit axial length depending upon specific application requirement.
Regarding Claim 19, Scott in view of JP8072 discloses the arrangement according to claim 1. Scott in view of JP8072 further discloses wherein the primary side (Scott, 124) of the at least one energy transfer system (120,720) comprises an exciter stator (124,138, 142 with Cu winding) having an exciter stator winding and the secondary side (122,136,140 with Cu winding) of the at least one energy transfer system comprises an exciter rotor having an exciter rotor winding, and wherein the exciter stator winding and the exciter rotor winding are arranged coaxially (Fig 1) around an axis of rotation (102 axis) of the machine rotor (102,112,116).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Scott in view of JP8072 and Bajekal et al(US20150203197A1) hereinafter referred to as Bajekal.
Regarding Claim 22. Scott in view of JP8072 discloses the arrangement according to claim 1. Scott in view of JP8072 discloses the exciter device comprises two or more energy transfer systems; and/or wherein the exciter device (Fig 1, 30) but does not disclose at least one data transmission system, which is integrated in the machine rotor.
Bajekal discloses at least one data transmission system, which is integrated in the machine rotor [Bajekal Para 0015 discloses wireless sensors in rotor shaft].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have formed the arrangement of Scott in view of JP8072 modified by the data transmission system integrated in the rotor as taught by Bajekal in order to transmit rotor operating parameters data conveniently.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 5 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 5 recites “The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one energy transfer system of the exciter device comprises a rotating energy transfer device that is an external rotor, wherein the at least one energy transfer system is arranged in the machine rotor such that the external rotor is connected to the machine rotor in a rotatably fixed manner, and wherein a bearing for supporting the machine rotor shaft is arranged inside the cavity of the machine rotor shaft on a non-output side of the machine, the bearing having a stationary inner part and a rotating outer part”. In Scott, bearing in Fig 1, 130 is outside cavity 116i and bearing has a rotating inner part and stationary outer part. In JP8072, bearing 11,12 is not inside cavity Ca and has a rotating inner part and stationary outer part. Therefore claim 5 is allowable.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Fasolo (WO2013084164A2) has relevant structure of energy transfer system.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VISWANATHAN SUBRAMANIAN whose telephone number is (571)272-4814. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher M Koehler can be reached at 5712723560. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/VISWANATHAN SUBRAMANIAN/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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