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 .
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.
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 1-11 and 13-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Van der Merwe (US 2019/0085715).
Regarding claim 1, Van der Merwe teaches an engine system (Fig. 1), comprising:
a gas turbine engine 10 including an engine rotating structure (36, 72, 74), a compressor section (22, 24), a combustor section 26, a turbine section (28, 30) and a flowpath extending through the compressor section, the combustor section and the turbine section (Fig. 1), the engine rotating structure comprising a turbine rotor (72, 74) within the turbine section;
an electric machine (246, Fig. 6) comprising an electric machine rotating structure 248; and
a flex coupler (510, Fig. 19) rotatably connecting the electric machine rotating structure to the engine rotating structure (Fig. 19), the flex coupler including
a hub 514 rotatable about an axis (Fig. 20), the hub coupled to one of the electric machine rotating structure or the engine rotating structure (Fig. 19, engine rotating structure);
a sleeve 512 circumscribing the hub (Fig. 20), the sleeve coupled to the other one of the electric machine rotating structure or the engine rotating structure (Fig. 19, electric machine rotating structure); and
a polymer coupler 516 radially between and rotatably fixed to the hub and the sleeve (Fig. 20, ¶194, the polymer coupler is an elastomeric material, which is a type of polymer).
Regarding claim 2, Van der Merwe teaches the invention as discussed above and Van der Merwe further teaches the flex coupler provides an axial slip joint between the electric machine rotating structure and the engine rotating structure (¶197, the flexible element allows for axial forces and movement. The axial movement afforded by the structure is an axial slip joint).
Regarding claim 3, Van der Merwe teaches the invention as discussed above and Van der Merwe further teaches the polymer coupler is disposed within a receptacle in the sleeve (Fig. 20, the receptacle is the grooves in the sleeves).
Regarding claim 4, Van der Merwe teaches the invention as discussed above and Van der Merwe further teaches the hub is disposed within a bore of the polymer coupler (Fig. 20).
Regarding claim 5, Van der Merwe teaches the invention as discussed above and Van der Merwe further teaches the polymer coupler engages the hub at a meshed interface between the polymer coupler and the hub (Fig. 20, ¶193, ¶194).
Regarding claim 6, Van der Merwe teaches the invention as discussed above and Van der Merwe further teaches the polymer coupler engages the sleeve at a meshed interface between the polymer coupler and the sleeve (Fig. 20, ¶193, ¶194).
Regarding claim 7, Van der Merwe teaches the invention as discussed above and Van der Merwe further teaches the polymer coupler engages the hub at a meshed interface between the polymer coupler and the hub (Fig. 20, ¶193, ¶194).
Regarding claim 8, Van der Merwe teaches the invention as discussed above and Van der Merwe further teaches the flex coupler is configured to accommodate axial shifting between the engine rotating structure and the electric machine rotating structure (¶197, the flexible element allows for axial forces and movement.).
Regarding claim 9, Van der Merwe teaches the invention as discussed above and Van der Merwe further teaches the flex coupler is configured to accommodate misalignment between a rotational axis of the engine rotating structure and a rotational axis of the electric machine rotating structure (¶197, the flexible element allows for radial forces and movement which accommodates misalignment between the rotational axes.).
Regarding claim 10, Van der Merwe teaches the invention as discussed above and Van der Merwe further teaches a driveshaft rotatably connecting the flex coupler to the electric machine rotating structure (Fig. 19, shaft 252 extending from the flex coupler 510 to the electric machine can be considered a driveshaft).
Regarding claim 11, Van der Merwe teaches the invention as discussed above and Van der Merwe further teaches a driveshaft rotatably connecting the flex coupler to the engine rotating structure (Fig. 19, shaft extending between 36 and the flex coupler 510 can be considered a driveshaft).
Regarding claim 13, Van der Merwe teaches the invention as discussed above and Van der Merwe further teaches a driveshaft rotatably connecting the flex coupler to one of the electric machine rotating structure or the engine rotating structure (Fig. 19, shaft 252 radially beneath the electric machine is connected to flex couple 510.);
a second flex coupler rotatably connecting the driveshaft to the electric machine rotating structure (¶191, rotor connection member 252 includes one or more flexible members allowing the rotor connection member to flex. ¶196, in other embodiments, the rotor connection member 252 may be configured as two separate connection members, each including a splined portion, the splined portions configured in a similar manner. In this example, the first splined portion is the flex coupler 510, and the second splined portion is a second flex coupler.);
the flex coupler comprising a first flex coupler 510 that rotatably connects the driveshaft to the engine rotating structure; and
the second flex coupler having a common configuration with the first flex coupler (¶196, the splined portions are configured in a similar manner.).
Regarding claim 14, Van der Merwe teaches the invention as discussed above and Van der Merwe further teaches a driveshaft rotatably connecting the flex coupler to the engine rotating structure (Fig. 19, shaft extending between 36 and the flex coupler 510 can be considered a driveshaft).
Regarding claim 15, Van der Merwe teaches the invention as discussed above and Van der Merwe further teaches the flex coupler 510 is directly attached to the electric machine rotating structure (Fig. 19, via shaft 252).
Regarding claim 16, Van der Merwe teaches the invention as discussed above and Van der Merwe further teaches the flex coupler 510 is directly attached to the engine rotating structure and the electric machine rotating structure (Fig. 20).
Regarding claim 17, Van der Merwe teaches the invention as discussed above and Van der Merwe further teaches a propulsor rotor 44 rotatably connected to the engine rotating structure and the electric machine rotating structure (¶120) .
Regarding claim 18, Van der Merwe teaches an engine system (Fig. 1), comprising:
a propulsor rotor 44;
an electric machine comprising (246, Fig. 6) an electric machine rotating structure 248; and
a drivetrain 36 configured to transfer mechanical power between the electric machine rotating structure and the propulsor rotor (¶120), the drivetrain comprising a flex coupler (510, Fig. 19) including
a hub 514 rotatable about an axis (Fig. 20), the hub coupled to one of the electric machine rotating structure or the propulsor rotor (Fig. 19, engine rotating structure);
a sleeve 512 circumscribing the hub (Fig. 20), the sleeve coupled to the other one of the electric machine rotating structure or the propulsor rotor (Fig. 19, electric machine rotating structure); and
a polymer coupler 516 radially between and rotatably fixed to the hub and the sleeve (Fig. 20, ¶194, the polymer coupler is an elastomeric material, which is a type of polymer).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Van der Merwe (US 2019/0085715).
Regarding claim 12, Van der Merwe teaches the invention as claimed and discussed above for claim 1. Van der Merwe further teaches a driveshaft rotatably connecting the flex coupler to one of the electric machine rotating structure or the engine rotating structure (Fig. 19, shaft 252 radially beneath the electric machine is connected to flex couple 510.); a second flex coupler rotatably connecting the driveshaft to the electric machine rotating structure, (¶191, rotor connection member 252 includes one or more flexible members allowing the rotor connection member to flex); the flex coupler comprising a first flex coupler 510 that rotatably connects the driveshaft to the engine rotating structure (Fig. 19).
Van der Merwe doesn’t teach the second flex coupler having a different configuration than the first flex coupler.
Van der Merwe teaches two types of flex couplers. A pair of baffles (506, Fig. 18, ¶191) and the polymer flex coupler 510 (Fig. 19). The baffles allow the electric machine to be mechanically isolated to extend the useful life of the electric machine.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the engine system of Van der Merwe have a second flex couple be baffles, which is a different configuration than the first flex coupler, as taught by Van der Merwe, in order to reduce mechanical vibrations transmitted to electric machine to extend the useful life of the electric machine.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID OLYNICK whose telephone number is (571)272-2355. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 7:30 am-5 pm (ET).
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, Phuttiwat Wongwian can be reached at (571) 270-5426. 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.
/DAVID P. OLYNICK/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3741
Prosecution Insights