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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I, claims 1-9 and 11-20, drawn to a method for producing a component for an electrical machine, in the reply filed on July 8, 2026 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out any supposed errors in the restriction requirement mailed June 3, 2026, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)). Claim 10 is withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a) because they fail to show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Corrected drawings are required.
Objection 1 — the application of an electric current to the at least one wire winding (claims 1 and 2) not depicted/labeled.
Claim 1 recites “by applying an electric current during introduction of the impregnating agent into the at least one groove.”
Claim 2 recites “adjusting a voltage and/or a current intensity of the electric current flowing through the at least one wire winding.”
No current source, electrical connection to the wire windings 8, or graphical symbol representing the application of the electric current to the wire windings 8 is depicted or labeled in any figure of record (FIGS. 1–3). Because the recited electric current is the claimed mechanism by which the temperature of the at least one wire winding is set, it is not an incidental conventional feature whose illustration may be wholly omitted; at minimum, a labeled graphical symbol is required. Corrected drawings depicting and labeling this element are required.
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.
Specification
The specification is objected to because of the following informalities:
(a) on page 22, line 10, “the temperature of the wire winding 7 is increased” should apparently read --the temperature of the wire winding 8 is increased--, since reference numeral 7 designates the groove and reference numeral 8 designates the wire winding (see the List of Reference Numerals on page 23);
(b) on page 18, line 14, “in pasrticular for performing the method according the description” should read --in particular for performing the method according to the description--;
and (c) on page 19, the heading “DETAILED DESCRITION” should read --DETAILED DESCRIPTION. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 4-8, 12, 14, 16, 17, 19, and 20 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.
Claims 4, 5, 6, and 8 each recite the limitation “the impregnating agent throughput.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claims. Claim 1, from which each of claims 4, 5, 6, and 8 depends, does not introduce an impregnating agent throughput; “an impregnating agent throughput” is introduced only in claims 3 and 11, from neither of which claims 4, 5, 6, and 8 depend.
Claims 12, 14, and 17 each recite the limitation “the impregnating agent throughput.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claims, because claim 2, from which each of claims 12, 14, and 17 depends, does not introduce an impregnating agent throughput.
Claims 16 and 19 are rejected due to their dependency from indefinite claim 4, and claim 20 is rejected due to its dependency from indefinite claim 5.
Claim 7 recites the limitation “the final temperature.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 1, from which claim 7 depends, does not introduce a final temperature; “a final temperature” is introduced only in claims 6 and 17-20, from none of which claim 7 depends.
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, 3, 6-9, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as anticipated by Blanc (US 2023/0170774 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Blanc teaches a method for producing a component for an electrical machine([0002]: impregnating a stator 2 of a rotary electric machine),
wherein the component has a magnetic core with at least one groove which receives at least one wire winding([0139], [0169]: stator mass 25 of stacked magnetic sheets; electrical conductors 22 of the winding in slots 21 between teeth 23),
runs parallel to a longitudinal central axis of the component and completely penetrates the magnetic core([0172]-[0174]: the conductors 22 extend axially in the slots and exit them at the axial ends of the stator mass; FIGS. 1-3),
and wherein the component is aligned during introduction of an impregnating agent into the at least one groove in such a way that the impregnating agent is forced into the at least one groove in the direction of the longitudinal central axis by the influence of gravity([0049]: the longitudinal axis of the stator is substantially vertical; [0021], [0178]: resin applied by flow at the slot entrances and flowing into the slots, in particular by capillary action; with the axis vertical, gravity necessarily acts on the resin in the axially extending slots in the direction of the longitudinal axis, the claim not excluding the concurrent capillary action),
wherein a temperature of the at least one wire winding is initially set to a lower first temperature selected to reduce a viscosity of the impregnating agent([0177]-[0178]: the stator is heated to a first temperature and the resin applied once that temperature is reached; [0053]: heating by applying an electric current in the electrical conductors; [0097]: the first temperature retains a substantially fluid resin that flows easily into the slots)
and then to a higher second temperature selected to increase the viscosity of the impregnating agent([0015]: heating to a second, higher temperature; [0031], [0108]: the viscosity of the resin in contact with the stator at the second temperature is greater than at the first; [0037]: faster polymerization at higher temperature)
by applying an electric current during introduction of the impregnating agent into the at least one groove([0053]; [0042]: the heating continues during the application; [0179]: during the first polymerization step 13 the stator continues to be heated to reach the second temperature while the resin still flows into the slots 21, the flow stopping only at the end of step 13).
Regarding claim 3/1, Blanc teaches the method of claim 1.
Blanc further teaches wherein the impregnating agent is introduced into the at least one groove with an impregnating agent throughput which is selected as a function of the temperature of the at least one wire winding([0178]: the resin is applied close to the slots when the stator has reached a temperature substantially equal to the first temperature, the flow thus being commenced as a function of the winding temperature; [0019]: controlled flow rate, for example 0.05 to 0.3 g/s).
Regarding claim 6/1, Blanc teaches the method of claim 1.
Blanc further teaches wherein the temperature of the at least one wire winding is adapted from a starting temperature towards a final temperature([0178]-[0179]: introduction of the resin into the slots begins with the stator at the first temperature (a starting temperature) and, during the first polymerization step 13, the stator is heated towards the higher second temperature, at which the flow into the slots has stopped (a final temperature))
and during this time the impregnating agent throughput is reduced at least temporarily ([0179]: the flow of resin into the slots 21 diminishes to a stop during step 13, i.e., is reduced at least temporarily during the adaptation).
Regarding claim 7/1, Blanc teaches the method of claim 1.
Blanc further teaches wherein after reaching the final temperature, the temperature of the at least one wire winding is kept constant over a certain period of time([0041]: the temperature rise curve may have a plateau at the second temperature; [0094]-[0095]: the polymerization temperature is maintained for a polymerization time of, for example, 15 to 60 minutes).
Regarding claim 8/1, Blanc teaches the method of claim 1.
Blanc further teaches wherein the temperature of the at least one wire winding is set according to a predetermined temperature curve ([0041]: the stator temperature rise curve transitions gradually between the temperatures and, as a variant, has plateaus at the first through fourth temperatures; [0032]: predetermined overall durations)
and the impregnating agent throughput is set according to a predetermined throughput curve ([0019]: controlled flow rate within predetermined ranges over the application steps, i.e., a predetermined course of the throughput over time),
wherein the temperature curve and the throughput curve are determined depending on the impregnating agent and/or a geometry of the component([0046]: the slot-filling interval, and therefore the duration over which the curves extend, is dependent on the length of the stator and/or the viscosity of the resin; [0097]-[0102]: the temperatures are selected depending on the resin).
Regarding claim 9/1, Blanc teaches the method of claim 1.
Blanc further teaches wherein the impregnating agent for introduction into the at least one groove is applied through at least one nozzle which is at least temporarily displaced relative to the component([0054]-[0055]: the nozzle(s) applying the resin close to the slots can be moved along the longitudinal axis of the stator, for example in an oscillating movement, during the application; [0086]-[0088]: the stator is driven in rotation during the application, the nozzle thereby being displaced relative to the component).
Regarding claim 18/3, Blanc teaches the method of claim 3.
Blanc further teaches wherein the temperature of the at least one wire winding is adapted from a starting temperature towards a final temperature and during this time the impregnating agent throughput is reduced at least temporarily([0178]-[0179]: introduction begins with the stator at the first temperature (a starting temperature); during the first polymerization step 13 the stator is heated towards the second temperature, at which the flow into the slots has stopped (a final temperature), the flow diminishing to a stop during this period).
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.
Claims 2, 11, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Blanc in view of Zander (US 3,456,615).
Regarding claim 2/1, Blanc teaches the method of claim 1.
Blanc further teaches that the temperature of the stator is set by heating carried out by applying an electric current in the electrical conductors([0053]).
Blanc does not explicitly teach wherein the adjustment of the temperature of the at least one wire winding is carried out by adjusting a voltage and/or a current intensity of the electric current flowing through the at least one wire winding
However, Zander teaches a method and apparatus in which stator windings are preheated and the dripped resin thereafter hardened by electrical heating of the stator winding itself(col. 1, ll. 57-66), adjusting a current intensity of the electric current flowing through the wire winding(col. 1, l. 67 - col. 2, l. 13: the heating current is switched off and on by a periodic time switch in dependence on a resistance-bridge measurement of the winding resistance, holding the preheating temperature quite constant; col. 2, ll. 20-28: automatic switch-over to a second resistance bridge set for the predetermined higher hardening temperature, with impulse heating until that temperature is reached and held).
One would be motivated to regulate the conductor current of Blanc in this manner because Zander teaches that the regulation attains and maintains the winding temperatures quite constant automatically(col. 2, ll. 11-13) and avoids faulty impregnation and unnecessary consumption of resin(col. 2, ll. 52-62) — a predictable reliability improvement in Blanc, where the fluidity of the resin at the first temperature and its rapid polymerization at the second depend on accurate winding temperatures([0097], [0037]). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine these teachings with predictable results (KSR Int’l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 416 (2007)).
Regarding claim 11/2, Blanc in view of Zander teaches the method of claim 2.
Blanc further teaches wherein the impregnating agent is introduced into the at least one groove with an impregnating agent throughput which is selected as a function of the temperature of the at least one wire winding([0178]: the resin is applied close to the slots when the stator has reached the first temperature; [0019]: controlled flow rate).
Regarding claim 17/2, Blanc in view of Zander teaches the method of claim 2.
Blanc further teaches wherein the temperature of the at least one wire winding is adapted from a starting temperature towards a final temperature and during this time the impregnating agent throughput is reduced at least temporarily([0178]-[0179]: introduction begins with the stator at the first temperature (a starting temperature); during the first polymerization step 13 the stator is heated towards the second temperature, at which the flow into the slots has stopped (a final temperature), the flow diminishing to a stop during this period).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 13 and 15 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.
Claims 4, 5, 12, 14, 16, 19, and 20 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include 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: the closest prior art of Blanc (US 2023/0170774 A1), Zander (US 3,456,615), Berthold (US 2020/0059142 A1), Beetz (WO 2022/128632 A1, of record), and Wieczorek (WO 2023/117716 A1, family member of DE 10 2021 134 586 A1 of record) teaches gravity-assisted introduction of an impregnating agent into axially extending grooves of a magnetic core and two-stage heating of the wire winding by an applied electric current to a lower, viscosity-reducing first temperature and a higher, viscosity-increasing second temperature, with the introduction gated on, or conducted at, the first temperature. None of these references, alone or in any reasonable combination, teaches or suggests coordinating the impregnating agent throughput with the recited temperature ramps, namely that “the temperature of the at least one wire winding is increased from a starting temperature towards the first temperature and during this time the impregnating agent throughput is increased at least temporarily” (claims 4, 12, and 13) or that, “during an increase in the temperature of the at least one wire winding from the direction of the first temperature towards the second temperature, the impregnating agent throughput is at least temporarily reduced” (claims 5, 14, 15, and 16).
Claims 19 and 20 depend from claims 4 and 5, respectively, and incorporate the allowable features thereof.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure:
Beetz (WO 2022/128632 A1, of record) teaches impregnating rotor coils arranged in axially through-going channels by positioning the rotor vertically and applying the impregnation medium from the upper end so that it flows through the channels under gravity, the medium being hardened at the lower end while still being applied.
Berthold (US 11,611,270 B2, family member of DE 10 2017 001 940 A1 of record) teaches trickle impregnation in which the component is held within a trickle temperature range during introduction of the resin and is heated to a higher curing temperature range after the introduction is terminated.
Bäuerle (DE 10 2005 028 047 A1, of record, machine translation of record) teaches potting a winding-carrying component in a casting mold while the winding is simultaneously energized with electric current to reduce the viscosity of the casting resin during casting, the component being cured by current at a temperature selected differently from the casting temperature.
Wieczorek (WO 2023/117716 A1, family member of DE 10 2021 134 586 A1 of record) teaches energizing the coil of a rotor to establish, first, a preheat temperature lowering the viscosity of a potting material introduced into an internal volume of the rotor and, subsequently, a gelling temperature at which the viscosity of the potting material increases.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMMED QURESHI whose telephone number is (571)-272-8310. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tulsidas Patel can be reached on 571-272-2098. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pairdirect. uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
/MOHAMMED AHMED QURESHI/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
Prosecution Insights