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 .
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 "first and second impellors driven by a common shaft" (claim 3); "a controllable flow diverter between the first and second heat exchanger circuits" (claim 6); "a controllable flow diverter between respective inlets and outlets of one or both of the respective first and second cooling circuits" (claim 7); and "the expansion chamber comprises a positive displacement pump" (claim 17) 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.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4, 6-8, and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tolle et al. (US Patent Application Pub. No.: US 2006/0125332 A1) in view of Kist et al. (WIPO Document No.: WO 2023/084244 A1).
For claim 1, Tolle et al. disclose the claimed invention comprising: a motor (reference numeral 1, see single Figure) having a stator and a rotor (i.e. motor would have a stator and a rotor in order to function in Tolle et al.); a controller (reference numeral 15, see single Figure) for controlling the motor (see single Figure); and a heat exchanger (reference numeral 15, see single Figure) comprising: first and second inlets and first and second outlets (i.e. first inlet and first outlet for first cooling circuit 2, and second inlet and second outlet for second cooling circuit 3, see single Figure); first and second separable heat exchange circuits (i.e. first cooling circuit 2 connected to one heat exchanger 17 constituting first heat exchange circuit; and second cooling circuit 3 connected to another heat exchanger 17 constituting second heat exchange circuit, see single Figure), the first heat exchange circuit being coupled between the first inlet and first outlet of the heat exchanger (i.e. first heat exchanger 17 for first cooling circuit 2, see single Figure), and the second heat exchange circuit being coupled between the second inlet and second outlet (i.e. second heat exchanger 17 for second cooling circuit 3, see single Figure), each of the heat exchange circuits being flooded with a respective cooling fluid (i.e. first and second cooling circuits 2, 3 seen in single Figure are filled with coolant), wherein the motor (reference numeral 1) and controller (reference numeral 15) respectively comprise housings (i.e. both the motor and controller would have housings in order to properly operate the device) comprising: first and second inlets and first and second outlets (i.e. the first cooling circuit 2 and second cooling circuit 3 being connected to first and second inlets and to first and second outlets of motor 1 and controller 15 as illustrated in single Figure); first and second isolated cooling circuits (reference numerals 2, 3, see single Figure), the respective first cooling circuit being coupled between the respective first inlet and respective first outlet (i.e. first cooling circuit 2 being connected to first inlet and first outlet for motor 1 and controller 15, see single Figure), and the respective second cooling circuit being coupled between the respective second inlet and respective second outlet (i.e. second cooling circuit 3 being connected to second inlet and second outlet for motor 1 and controller 15, see single Figure), wherein the motor and controller are arranged to be mechanically connected together so as to provide: a first cooling flow path through each of the first cooling circuits of the motor and controller (i.e. the first cooling circuit 2 can be considered a first cooling flow path, see single Figure); and a second cooling flow path through each of the second cooling circuits of the motor and controller (i.e. the second cooling circuit 3 can be considered a second cooling flow path, see single Figure), and wherein the first cooling flow path is fluidly connected to the first heat exchanger circuit (i.e. first cooling circuit 2 being connected to first heat exchanger 17, see single Figure) and the second cooling flow path is fluidly connected to the second heat exchanger circuit (i.e. second cooling circuit 3 being connected to the second heat exchanger 17, see single Figure). Tolle et al. however do not specifically disclose the motor being an axial flux motor, the rotor being coupled to an output shaft; and a transmission unit coupled to the output shaft of the axial flux motor and having an output shaft for driving a mechanical load.
Kist et al. disclose an axial flux motor ("axial flux electrical machine 150", see page 15, lines 3-6), the rotor being coupled to an output shaft (i.e. rotor of machine 150 being shaft component illustrated in figure 1(b)); a transmission unit (i.e. transmission component 166, figure 1(b)) coupled to the output shaft of the axial flux motor and having an output shaft for driving a mechanical load (i.e. output shaft component of transmission part 166 for driving propeller 135, see figure 1(b)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the axial flux motor and the output shaft and transmission unit as disclosed by Kist et al. for the motor of Tolle et al. for predictably providing desirable configuration for facilitating proper transmission components for the motor device.
For claim 2, Tolle et al. disclose a first pump in the first flow path (i.e. first pump 5, 6 for first cooling circuit 2, see single Figure), the first pump (reference numerals 5, 6) for pumping the first cooling fluid through the first flow path (see single Figure); and a second pump in the second flow path (i.e. second pump 5, 6 for second cooling circuit 3, see single Figure), the second pump (reference numerals 5, 6) for pumping the second cooling fluid through the second flow path (see single Figure).
For claim 4, Tolle et al. disclose each of the first and second cooling circuits comprising one or more respective one-way valves (reference numeral 24) such that the cooling fluid in each circuit can only flow in a respective direction (see single Figure).
For claim 6, Tolle et al. disclose the heat exchanger (reference numeral 17) comprising a controllable flow diverter (reference numerals 12, 13) between the first and second heat exchanger circuits (i.e. first and second cooling circuits 2, 3 connected to the heat exchangers 17, see single Figure), the controllable flow diverter (reference numerals 12, 13) being configurable between a first position and a second position (i.e. opening and closing of valves 12, 13, see single Figure), wherein in the first position the flow diverter (reference numerals 12, 13) blocks flow of the cooling fluid between the first and second heat exchanger circuits (i.e. blocking flow between first cooling circuit 2 and second cooling circuit 3, see single Figure), and in the second position the flow diverter (reference numerals 12, 13) allows at least a portion of the cooling fluid to flow between the first and second heat exchanger circuits (i.e. allowing flow between first cooling circuit 2 and second cooling circuit 3, see single Figure).
For claim 7, Tolle et al. disclose one or both of the axial flux machine (i.e. reference numeral 1) and controller (reference nuemral 15) comprising a controllable flow diverter (reference numerals 12, 13) between respective inlets and outlets of one or both of the respective first and second cooling circuits (i.e. first cooling circuit 2 and second cooling circuit 3, see single Figure), the controllable flow diverters (reference numerals 12, 13) being configurable between a first position and a second position (i.e. opening and closing of valves 12, 13, see single Figure), wherein in the first position the respective flow diverter (reference numerals 12, 13) blocks flow of the cooling fluid between the respective first and second cooling circuits (i.e. blocking flow between first cooling circuit 2 and second cooling circuit 3, see single Figure), and in the second position the flow diverter (reference numerals 12, 13) allows at least a portion of the cooling fluid to flow between the respective first and second cooling circuits (i.e. allowing flow between first cooling circuit 2 and second cooling circuit 3, see single Figure).
For claim 8, Tolle et al. in view of Kist et al. disclose the claimed invention except for the controller and transmission unit being co-located and mounted to one-another such that a thermal path between the controller and transmission unit is provided and such that heat generated by the transmission unit passes into the housing of the controller and into one or both of the first and second cooling circuits of the controller. Kist et al. further disclose the controller (reference numeral 160, figure 1(b)) and transmission unit (reference numeral 166, figure 1(b)) being co-located and mounted to one-another such that a thermal path between the controller (reference numeral 160) and transmission unit (reference numeral 166) is provided (i.e. path 170, see figure 1(c)), and this thermal path of Kist et al. would allow heat to pass into the housing of Tolle et al. in view of Kist et al., i.e. heat generated by the transmission unit passes into the housing of the controller and into one or both of the first and second cooling circuits of the controller. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the thermal path between the controller and transmission unit as disclosed by Kist et al. for the controller and transmission unit of Tolle et al. in view of Kist et al. for predictably providing desirable configuration for facilitating proper heat dissipation for the motor device.
For claim 18, the cooling flow paths for the first and second cooling circuits (reference numerals 2, 3) connected to heat exchangers (reference numeral 17) can be considered tubing for facilitating the fluid flow (see single Figure), i.e. the first cooling flow path in a respective housing being fluidly connected to the first heat exchanger circuit via a first tubing and the second cooling flow path in the respective housing being fluidly connected to the second heat exchanger circuit via a second tubing.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tolle et al. in view of Kist et al. as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of Jore et al. (US Patent Application Pub. No.: US 2021/0351658 A1) in view of Atherton (US Patent No.: 9476425).
For claim 3, Tolle et al. in view of Kist et al. disclose the claimed invention except for the first and second pumps comprising a single pump having respective first and second impellors driven by a common shaft. Jore et al. disclose separate pumps (reference numerals 48, 49) being a single pump (see figure 3A), and having respective impellors driven by a common shaft is a known skill as exhibited by Atherton (common shaft driving impellor of pump 3, see column 5, lines 32-41, and figure 1). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the first and second pumps comprising a single pump and respective impellors as disclosed by Jore et al. and Atherton for the first and second pumps of Tolle et al. in view of Kist et al. for predictably providing desirable configuration for facilitating the cooling function within the device.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tolle et al. in view of Kist et al. as applied to claim 4 above, and further in view of Garriga et al. (US Patent No.: 10050495).
For claim 5, Tolle et al. in view of Kist et al. disclose the claimed invention except for one or more of the respective one-way valves being located within one or more of the heat-exchanger, axial flux motor and controller cooling circuits. Garriga et al. disclose a one-way valve (reference numeral 19, see figure 4) located in the cooling circuit for a motor (reference numeral 24, see figure 4) or a heat exchanger (reference numeral 27, see figure 4) which would teach one or more of the respective one-way valves being located within one or more of the heat-exchanger, axial flux motor and controller cooling circuits. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the one-way valve located within one or more of the heat-exchanger, axial flux motor and controller cooling circuits as disclosed by Garriga et al. for the one-way valve of Tolle et al. in view of Kist et al. for predictably providing desirable configuration for facilitating the cooling function within the device.
Claim(s) 9-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tolle et al. in view of Kist et al. as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Jore et al. (US Patent Application Pub. No.: US 2021/0351658 A1).
For claim 9, Tolle et al. in view of Kist et al. disclose the claimed invention except for one or more portions of the first and second cooling circuits being co-located within the respective housings to permit thermal coupling between the first and second cooling circuits. Having first and second cooling circuits located in respective housings is a known skill as exhibited by Jore et al. (i.e. first cooling circuit in inner housing 622 and second cooling circuit in outer housing 620 being in respective housings as shown in figure 31), which when applied to the first and second cooling circuits of Tolle et al. in view of Kist et al. would permit thermal coupling between the first and second cooling circuits. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the first and second cooling circuits in respective housings as disclosed by Jore et al. for the first and second cooling circuits of Tolle et al. in view of Kist et al. for predictably providing desirable configuration for facilitating the cooling function within the device.
For claim 10, Tolle et al. in view of Kist et al. disclose the claimed invention except for one or more of the respective housings being provided with one or more portions of heat exchange elements, the one or more portions of heat exchange elements being configured to provide a radiative thermal path for heat within the respective housing. Jore et al. disclose one or more of the respective housings (i.e. housings for inner and outer channels 620, 622, figure 31) being provided with one or more portions of heat exchange elements (reference numerals 621, 623, see figure 31), the one or more portions of heat exchange elements (reference numerals 621, 623, see figure 31) being configured to provide a radiative thermal path for heat within the respective housing (i.e. housings for inner and outer channels 620, 622, figure 31). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the heat exchange elements as disclosed by Jore et al. for the respective housings of Tolle et al. in view of Kist et al. for predictably providing desirable configuration for facilitating the cooling function within the device.
For claim 11, Tolle et al. in view of Kist et al. and Jore et al. disclose the claimed invention except for one or more portions of heat exchange elements being located in a wall of the respective housing adjacent another of the housings. Jore et al. further disclose heat exchange elements (reference numerals 621, 623, see figure 31) being located in a wall of the respective housing adjacent another of the housings (i.e. heat exchange elements 621, 623 being adjacent to housing of channels 620, 622, see figure 31), and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the heat exchange elements located on the housing as disclosed by Jore et al. for the heat exchange elements of Tolle et al. in view of Kist et al. and Jore et al. for predictably providing desirable configuration for facilitating the cooling function within the device.
For claim 12, Tolle et al. in view of Kist et al. and Jore et al. disclose the claimed invention except for the one or more portions of heat exchange elements being located in an external wall of the respective housing. Jore et al. further disclose the one or more portions of heat exchange elements (reference numerals 621, 623, see figure 31) being located in an external wall of the respective housing (i.e. housing wall of channels 620, 622, see figure 31), and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the heat exchange elements located in the external wall of the housing as disclosed by Jore et al. for the heat exchange elements of Tolle et al. in view of Kist et al. and Jore et al. for predictably providing desirable configuration for facilitating the cooling function within the device.
Claim(s) 19 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tolle et al. in view of Kist et al. as applied to claim 18 above, and further in view of Hirai (WIPO Document No.: WO 2017/038596 A1).
For claim 19, Tolle et al. in view of Kist et al. disclose the claimed invention except for the heat exchanger being mechanically mounted to one or either of the axial flux motor or controller housing. Having the heat exchanger being mechanically mounted to one or either of the axial flux motor or controller housing would merely involve having different arrangements for the heat exchanger, motor, and controller as exhibited by the configurations disclosed by Tolle et al. (i.e. arrangement of motor 1, heat exchanger 17, inverter 15, see single Figure) and Hirai (i.e. arrangement of motor 1L, 1R, heat exchanger 58, inverter 57, see figure 1), and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the different arrangements as disclosed by Tolle et al. and Hirai for the heat exchanger, axial flux motor, and the controller of Tolle et al. in view of Kist et al. for predictably providing desirable configuration for facilitating the cooling function within the device.
For claim 20, Tolle et al. in view of Kist et al. disclose the claimed invention except for the heat exchanger being located remote from the axial flux motor and controller housing. Having the heat exchanger located remote from the axial flux motor and controller housing would merely involve having different arrangements for the heat exchanger, motor, and controller as exhibited by the configurations disclosed by Tolle et al. (i.e. arrangement of motor 1, heat exchanger 17, inverter 15, see single Figure) and Hirai (i.e. arrangement of motor 1L, 1R, heat exchanger 58, inverter 57, see figure 1), and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the different arrangements as disclosed by Tolle et al. and Hirai for the heat exchanger, axial flux motor, and the controller of Tolle et al. in view of Kist et al. for predictably providing desirable configuration for facilitating the cooling function within the device.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 13 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.
Claims 14-17 are also objected to for their dependency upon aforementioned claim 13.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: While the prior art discloses some of the claimed invention as explained above in the present action, the prior art of record do not specifically disclose the combination of features including an expansion chamber located in or between a respective housing within the EPU, the expansion chamber being configured to receive the first and second cooling channels within the first and second cooling circuits as recited in claim 13.
Claims 14-17 are dependent upon aforementioned claim 13.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The following references disclose embodiments of motor/cooling chamber configurations: US 10876533 B2 (Luxford; Mark Steven et al.), US 10233871 B2 (Huang; Jian et al.), US 9777669 B2 (Lynn; Robert Gulliver), US 20210317729 A1 (SHETH; Ketankumar Kantilal et al.), WO 2023151754 A1 (STOBER BENJAMIN et al.).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEX W MOK whose telephone number is (571)272-9084. The examiner can normally be reached 8am-4pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Seye 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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/ALEX W MOK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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