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 12/19/2024 is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement are 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.
(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.
Claims 1, 2, 4, 7, 13, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Widder (GB1468897A).
Claim 1
Widder teaches: An electrical machine comprising:
a rotor (10) with a rotor shaft (6) that is hollow at least in sections, which is mounted on a machine housing (1) and extends along an axial direction,
a coolant connection line module (5) with a fluid inlet nozzle (tapered nozzle of 5 labeled ‘nozzle’) and a fluid outlet nozzle (14),
wherein the fluid inlet nozzle (tapered nozzle of 5 labeled ‘nozzle’) is fluidically connected to a coolant channel (13) of the machine housing (1),
wherein the fluid outlet nozzle (14) projects in the axial direction into the hollow rotor shaft (6), and wherein the coolant connection line module (5) has an outlet mounting section (labeled ‘outlet mounting section’) that is different from the fluid inlet nozzle (tapered nozzle of 5 labeled ‘nozzle’) and the fluid outlet nozzle (14) and is arranged closer to the fluid outlet nozzle (14) than to the fluid inlet nozzle (tapered nozzle of 5 labeled ‘nozzle’), and wherein the coolant connection line module (5) is attached to the machine housing (1) via the outlet mounting section (labeled ‘outlet mounting section’) at least in the axial direction.
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Claim 2/1
Widder teaches: The electrical machine according to claim 1, wherein the coolant connection line module (5) has an inlet mounting section (a selected one of the two labeled ‘inlet mounting sections’) that is different from the fluid inlet nozzle (tapered nozzle of 5 labeled ‘nozzle’) and the fluid outlet nozzle (14), and which is arranged closer to the fluid inlet nozzle (tapered nozzle of 5 labeled ‘nozzle’) than to the fluid outlet nozzle (14).
Claim 4/1
Widder teaches: The electrical machine according to claim 1, wherein the outlet mounting section (labeled ‘outlet mounting section’) has at least one latching element (inlet mounting sections and outlet mounting section engagement) for establishing a latching connection for fixing the coolant connection line module (5) at least in the axial direction.
Claim 7/1
Widder teaches: The electrical machine according to claim 1, wherein the coolant connection line module (5) is configured in one piece.
Claim 13/1
Widder teaches: The electrical machine according to claim 1, wherein the electrical machine has a resolver stator (2) for determining an orientation of the rotor shaft (6),
wherein the resolver stator (2) annularly surrounds the rotor shaft (6),
wherein the resolver stator (2) is attached to the machine housing (1), and
wherein the outlet mounting section (labeled ‘outlet mounting section’) of the coolant connection line module (5) is attached to the resolver stator (2).
Claim 14/1
Widder teaches: The electrical machine according to claim 1, wherein the coolant connection line module (5) has an additional outlet (20) for dispensing cooling fluid in addition to the fluid outlet nozzle (14).
Claim(s) 12 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Widder in view of Gao (WO2021254463A1).
Claim 12/1
Widder teaches: The electrical machine according to claim 1, but is silent to: wherein the coolant connection line module (5) is made of plastic.
Gao conversely teaches an integrally formed component that is a plastic part (see Gao, Detailed Description), wherein the component includes internal hollow passages and is manufactured by injection molding, including gas-assisted injection molding. Gao further explains that use of a plastic material permits integral formation of complex hollow structures while reducing manufacturing cost, reducing weight, and facilitation manufacturing of the component.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the claimed invention was files to manufacture the coolant connection line module of Widder from plastic, as taught by Gao, because Gao teaches that plastic materials are particularly suitable for integrally formed components having internal fluid passages due to their ease of manufacturing by injection molding, reduced manufacturing cost, and reduced component weight.
Claim 18/7/1
Widder teaches: The electrical machine according to claim 7, but is silent to: wherein the coolant connection line module (5) is manufactured by injection molding with gas injection.
Gao conversely teaches manufacturing an integrally formed plastic component having internal hollow cavities by gas-assisted injection molding (detailed description, para. 22) because this process simplifies manufacturing cost, and enables integral formation of internal passages. A person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the claimed invention was filed would have found it obvious to manufacture the one-piece plastic coolant connection module of Widder using Gao’s gas-assisted injection molding process in order to simplify manufacturing of the internal coolant channel while reducing manufacturing complexity and cost.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 6, 8-11, 15-17, 19, and 20 are 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.
Claim 3/2/1
Claim 3 objected to.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Widder teaches: The electrical machine according to claim 2,
The prior art fails to teach or fairly suggest, alone or in obvious combination, inter alia:
wherein mounting elements for attaching cables of a cable harness of the electrical machine are formed on the inlet mounting section.
The claimed configuration provides a multifunctional structural component that both delivers coolant and supports routing and attachment of the electrical machine’s cable harness, thereby reducing the number of separate mounting components and simplifying assembly. There is currently no identifiable teachings or suggestion in the prior art that would have motivated a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the coolant connection line module of the cited references to include the claimed cable harness mounting elements formed on the inlet mounting section.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Claim 8/2/1
Claim 8 objected to.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Widder teaches: The electrical machine according to claim 2,
The prior art fails to teach or fairly suggest, alone or in obvious combination, inter alia:
wherein the coolant connection line module is configured in multiple parts and has a lower part on which the fluid inlet nozzle and/or the fluid outlet nozzle and/or the inlet mounting section and/or the outlet mounting section are formed, and an upper part attached to the lower part.
The claimed arrangement provides a specific structural configuration that permits assembly of the coolant connection line module form separate components while maintaining the coolant connection and mounting features on the coolant connection and mounting features on the lower part. There is currently no identifiable teachings or suggestion in the prior art that would have motivated a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the coolant connection line module of the cited references to provide the claimed multi-part construction having the recited allocation of structural features.
Claims 9-11, 19, and 20 stand allowed over all prior art based on their virtue of depending on claim 8.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Claim 5/4/1
Claim 5 objected to.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Widder teaches: The electrical machine according to claim 4;
The prior art fails to teach or fairly suggest, alone or in obvious combination, inter alia:
wherein the outlet mounting section has at least two latching elements which: are arranged around the fluid outlet nozzle, each extend as a spring arm in the axial direction, and engage behind the machine housing or a component attached to the machine housing.
The claimed outlet mounting section defines a specific structural mounting mechanism in which multiple axially extending resilient latching arms are integrated with and circumferentially surround the fluid outlet nozzle to secure the coolant connection line module relative to the machine housing. There is currently no identifiable teachings or suggestion in the prior art that would have motivated a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the coolant connection line module of the cited references to include the claimed spring-arm latching arrangement.
Claim 16 stands allowed over all prior art based on their virtue of depending on claim 5.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Claim 6/1
Claim 6 objected to.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Widder teaches: The electrical machine according to claim 1;
The prior art fails to teach or fairly suggest, alone or in obvious combination, inter alia:
wherein the fluid inlet nozzle is inserted into the coolant channel of the machine housing and rests against a wall of the coolant channel.
Claim 17 stands allowed over all prior art based on their virtue of depending on claim 6.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Claim 15/2/1
Claim 6 objected to.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Widder teaches: The electrical machine according to claim 2;
The prior art fails to teach or fairly suggest, alone or in obvious combination, inter alia:
wherein the inlet mounting section has a bearing foot with a screw passage for fastening to the machine housing.
The claimed inlet mounting section defines a specific mounting structure in which the bearing foot is integrated with the inlet mounting section and includes a screw passage configured to receive a threaded fastener for attachment to the machine housing. There is currently no identifiable teachings or suggestion in the prior art that would have motivated a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the coolant connection line module of the cited references to incorporate the claimed bearing foot having a screw passage.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
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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