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 electric motor recited in claims 10 and 12-19 and the vehicle recited in claim 11 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 § 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 1-19 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.
Regarding claim 1, the claim recites “an outlet arranged on the end plates”. The recitation of a singular outlet arranged on the plural end plates renders the claim unclear: it cannot be determined whether a single outlet spans both end plates, whether the outlet is arranged on only one of the end plates, or whether each end plate is provided with an outlet. The specifications and drawings (Fig. 6; page 9) show a plurality of outlets provided on each of the two end plates. For purposes of examination, the limitation is interpreted as requiring at least one outlet arranged on at least one of the end plates. Claims 2-19 are rejected for depending from, or for comprising the motor rotor of, claim 1 or a claim depending therefrom.
Regarding claim 6, the claim recites “the axial through-hole being arranged close to a magnet of the motor rotor”. The term “close to” is a term of degree, and neither the claim nor the specification provides a standard for ascertaining how proximate the axial through-hole must be to the magnet in order to be “close to” it. See MPEP § 2173.05(b). The specification states only that the thread-hole is near the magnet such that the oil is able to cool the magnet (page 8, line 24 - page 9, line 2), which does not delineate the metes and bounds of the limitation. For purposes of examination, the limitation is interpreted as requiring the axial through-hole to be positioned such that oil flowing therethrough cools the magnet. Claims 7, 8, 16, 17, and 18 are rejected by virtue of their dependence upon, or their incorporation of the motor rotor of, claim 6.
Regarding claim 8, the claim recites “the first groove and the second groove are arranged alternately on the same end plate around the rotation axis”. This recitation is inconsistent with the antecedent structure of the claim chain: per claim 2, the intermediate channel is located on one of the end plates and the outlet channel is located on the other end plate; per claims 3 and 7, the first groove is a component of the intermediate cchannel,and the second groove is a component of the outlet channel. The first groove and the second groove are therefore located on opposite end plates, and it is unclear how the two grooves can be arranged “on the same end plate.” It is additionally unclear how a single first groove and a single second groove can be “arranged alternately,” as alternation requires pluralities of the recited elements. The specification (Fig. 5; page 9) shows each end plate provided with a plurality of first grooves and a plurality of second grooves arranged alternately around the rotation axis, each end plate carrying the intermediate channels of some flow paths and the outlet channels of others. For purposes of examination, claim 8 is interpreted in light of the specification as requiring each end plate to be provided with a plurality of the first grooves and a plurality of the second grooves arranged alternately around the rotation axis. Claim 18 is rejected by virtue of its incorporation of the motor rotor of claim 8.
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, 5, 10, 12, 13, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Xiang (CN 216625417 U).
Citations to Xiang (CN 216625417 U), Gao (WO 2022/037263 A1), and Yang (CN 114759706 A) refer to the paragraph numbering of the English machine translations of record.
Regarding claim 1, Xiang teaches a motor rotor(rotor of an oil-cooled motor; ¶[0035]-[0036], Fig. 1),
comprising a rotor shaft rotating about a rotation axis(rotor shaft 1; ¶[0036], Fig. 1), a core part rotatably fixed to the rotor shaft(rotor core 2 sleeved on and clamped fixed to shaft 1; ¶[0036], ¶[0046]),
end plates arranged at two axial ends of the core part(two rotor end plates 3 abutting the two ends of core 2; ¶[0036], Fig. 1),
wherein the motor rotor further comprises an oil cooling system(oil passages 11, 21, 22, 31 carrying cooling oil; ¶[0036])
comprising an inlet arranged on the rotor shaft(open end of oil inlet passage 11/main oil passage 111 on shaft 1; ¶[0036], ¶[0039], Fig. 2),
an outlet arranged on the end plates(openings of oil outlet channels 31 to the outside of end plates 3; ¶[0042]-[0043], Fig. 2),
and a closed channel arranged between the inlet and the outlet(enclosed passage network 111-112-21-22-31 bounded between the shaft, core, and end plates; ¶[0039]-[0043], Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 2/1, Xiang teaches the motor rotor of claim 1.
Xiang further teaches wherein the closed channel comprises the following, through which cooling oil sequentially flows:(cooling oil flows out from side wall oil passage 21, all flows into spiral oil passage 311, then flows through inner oil passage 22 and annular oil passage 312 in sequence, and finally flows out from perforated oil passage 313; ¶[0044])
a first channel located between the rotor shaft and the core part(side wall oil passage 21 at the interface of tube portion 131 of shaft 1 and core 2; ¶[0041], Fig. 2),
an intermediate channel located on one of the end plates(spiral oil passage 311 on one end plate 3; ¶[0043], Figs. 4-5),
a second channel located in the core part(inner oil passage 22 in core 2; ¶[0036], Fig. 1),
and an outlet channel located on the other end plate(annular oil passage 312 and perforated oil passage 313 of the other end plate 3, connected to passage 311 through passage 22, which connects the oil outlet channels on the two end plates; ¶[0009], ¶[0043]-[0044], Figs. 4-5).
Regarding claim 3/2, Xiang teaches the motor rotor of claim 2.
Xiang further teaches wherein the intermediate channel comprises a first groove arranged on an inner side of the corresponding end plate(spiral oil passage 311, the oil outlet channel 31 being set on the side of end plate 3 close to core 2 with part of its sidewall on the plate and part on the core end face; ¶[0042]-[0043], Figs. 4-5),
the first groove comprising a first main part(portion of spiral passage 311 connected to inner oil passage 22; ¶[0043])
and a first connecting part connected to the first channel(portion of spiral passage 311 connected to side wall oil passage 21; ¶[0043]).
Regarding claim 5/3, Xiang teaches the motor rotor of claim 3.
Xiang further teaches wherein the first channel comprises a central hole arranged at the center of the rotor shaft and connected to the inlet(main oil passage 111, an axial countersunk hole in shaft body 12; ¶[0039], Fig. 2),
an axial groove arranged on an inner surface of the core part(arc-shaped recess of side wall oil passage 21 provided on the inner sidewall of core 2; ¶[0041], Fig. 2)
and connected to the first connecting part(passage 21 connected to spiral oil passage 311; ¶[0043]-[0044]),
and a radial hole connecting the central hole and the axial groove(radially arranged oil distribution channel 112 connecting main oil channel 111 to side wall oil channel 21; ¶[0040], Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 10/1, Xiang teaches the motor rotor of claim 1.
Xiang further teaches an electric motor(oil-cooled motor, new energy vehicles being driven by electric motors; ¶[0002], ¶[0024], ¶[0035], Figs. 1-2),
wherein the electric motor comprises the motor rotor according to claim 1(the oil-cooled motor includes the rotor described above; ¶[0024]).
Regarding claim 12/2, Xiang teaches the motor rotor of claim 2.
Xiang further teaches an electric motor(oil-cooled motor, new energy vehicles being driven by electric motors; ¶[0002], ¶[0024], ¶[0035], Figs. 1-2),
wherein the electric motor comprises the motor rotor according to claim 2(the oil-cooled motor includes the rotor described above; ¶[0024]).
Regarding claim 13/3, Xiang teaches the motor rotor of claim 3.
Xiang further teaches an electric motor(oil-cooled motor, new energy vehicles being driven by electric motors; ¶[0002], ¶[0024], ¶[0035], Figs. 1-2),
wherein the electric motor comprises the motor rotor according to claim 3(the oil-cooled motor includes the rotor described above; ¶[0024]).
Regarding claim 15/5, Xiang teaches the motor rotor of claim 5.
Xiang further teaches an electric motor(oil-cooled motor, new energy vehicles being driven by electric motors; ¶[0002], ¶[0024], ¶[0035], Figs. 1-2),
wherein the electric motor comprises the motor rotor according to claim 5(the oil-cooled motor includes the rotor described above; ¶[0024]).
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 6, 7, 16, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xiang (CN 216625417 U) in view of Gao (WO 2022/037263 A1).
Citations to Xiang (CN 216625417 U), Gao (WO 2022/037263 A1), and Yang (CN 114759706 A) refer to the paragraph numbering of the English machine translations of record.
Regarding claim 6/3, Xiang teaches the motor rotor of claim 3.
Xiang further teaches wherein the second channel comprises an axial through-hole running through the core part(inner oil passage 22 extending axially in core 2 and connecting the oil outlet channels 31 on the two end plates 3; ¶[0009], ¶[0036])
and connected to the first main part(spiral oil passage 311 connects one end of side wall oil passage 21 and inner oil passage 22; ¶[0043]).
Xiang does not explicitly teach the axial through-hole being arranged close to a magnet of the motor rotor. Xiang is silent regarding permanent magnets, describing the rotor core without reference to any magnet or its placement.
However, Gao teaches an axial rotor-core cooling channel arranged close to a magnet(magnet cooling channel 321 formed on rotor core 32 at the connection between core 32 and magnet 33, such that part of the surface of magnet 33 is exposed to channel 321, channel 321 being axially opened through core 32; ¶[0066], Figs. 1, 7). One would be motivated to arrange the axial through-hole of Xiang close to a magnet of the rotor as taught by Gao in order to cool the magnet together with the end windings of the motor(second oil passage provided for cooling the magnet 33 and the end winding 22; ¶[0063]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the motor rotor of Xiang with the magnet-adjacent placement of the axial channel taught by Gao.
Regarding claim 7/6, Xiang in view of Gao teaches the motor rotor of claim 6.
Xiang further teaches wherein the outlet channel comprises a second groove arranged on an inner side of the corresponding end plate(annular oil passage 312 with extension 314, the oil outlet channel 31 being set on the side of end plate 3 close to core 2 with part of its sidewall on the plate and part on the core end face; ¶[0042]-[0043], Figs. 4-5),
the second groove comprising a second main part connected to the axial through-hole(extension 314 of annular passage 312, provided for connecting with inner oil passage 22; ¶[0043])
and a second connecting part connected to the outlet(portion of annular passage 312 joined to perforated oil passage 313, which is connected to the outside of end plate 3; ¶[0043]).
Regarding claim 16/6, Xiang in view of Gao teaches the motor rotor of claim 6.
Xiang further teaches an electric motor(oil-cooled motor, new energy vehicles being driven by electric motors; ¶[0002], ¶[0024], ¶[0035], Figs. 1-2),
wherein the electric motor comprises the motor rotor according to claim 6(the oil-cooled motor includes the rotor described above; ¶[0024]).
Regarding claim 17/7, Xiang in view of Gao teaches the motor rotor of claim 7.
Xiang further teaches an electric motor(oil-cooled motor, new energy vehicles being driven by electric motors; ¶[0002], ¶[0024], ¶[0035], Figs. 1-2),
wherein the electric motor comprises the motor rotor according to claim 7(the oil-cooled motor includes the rotor described above; ¶[0024]).
Claims 8 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xiang (CN 216625417 U) in view of Gao (WO 2022/037263 A1), further in view of Yang (CN 114759706 A).
Citations to Xiang (CN 216625417 U), Gao (WO 2022/037263 A1), and Yang (CN 114759706 A) refer to the paragraph numbering of the English machine translations of record.
Regarding claim 8/7, Xiang in view of Gao teaches the motor rotor of claim 7.
Xiang in view of Gao does not explicitly teach wherein the first groove and the second groove are arranged alternately on the same end plate around the rotation axis. Xiang provides each end plate with its spiral, annular, and perforated oil passage structure without teaching circumferentially alternating pluralities of the first grooves and the second grooves on the same end plate.
However, Yang teaches first grooves and second grooves arranged alternately on the same end plate around the rotation axis(first end plate and second end plate each having a plurality of first flow channels L1 and a plurality of second flow channels L2 arranged along the circumferential direction on their inner surfaces facing the core body, the first flow channels connected to the oil holes of the shaft and the second flow channels connected to the outside; ¶[0006]; each second flow channel L2 located between two adjacent first flow channels L1; ¶[0015], ¶[0133]-[0134], Figs. 13-14). One would be motivated to provide the first grooves and the second grooves of Xiang in view of Gao alternately on each end plate as taught by Yang in order to distribute the cooling oil evenly around the rotor, avoid the formation of local hot spots, and improve motor performance (¶[0004], ¶[0007]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the motor rotor of Xiang in view of Gao with the alternating groove arrangement taught by Yang.
Regarding claim 18/8, Xiang in view of Gao, further in view of Yang, teaches the motor rotor of claim 8.
Xiang further teaches an electric motor(oil-cooled motor, new energy vehicles being driven by electric motors; ¶[0002], ¶[0024], ¶[0035], Figs. 1-2),
wherein the electric motor comprises the motor rotor according to claim 8(the oil-cooled motor includes the rotor described above; ¶[0024]).
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xiang (CN 216625417 U) in view of Yang (CN 114759706 A).
Citations to Xiang (CN 216625417 U), Gao (WO 2022/037263 A1), and Yang (CN 114759706 A) refer to the paragraph numbering of the English machine translations of record.
Regarding claim 11/10, Xiang teaches the electric motor of claim 10.
Xiang does not explicitly teach a vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises the electric motor according to claim 10. While Xiang notes that new energy vehicles can be driven by electric motors (¶[0002]), Xiang does not teach a vehicle comprising its oil-cooled motor.
However, Yang teaches a vehicle comprising an electric motor having an oil-cooled rotor(electric vehicle including a transmission device, wheels, and the motor, the motor, the transmission device, and the wheels being sequentially connected in a transmission manner; ¶[0020]). One would be motivated to incorporate the oil-cooled motor of Xiang into an electric vehicle as taught by Yang in order to transmit the driving force output by the motor to the wheels and drive the vehicle(¶[0020]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a vehicle comprising the electric motor of Xiang as taught by Yang.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 9, 14, and 19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, or as comprising the motor rotor of a claim 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, and amended to overcome the rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter.
Regarding claims 4 and 14, the prior art of record does not teach or fairly suggest, in combination with the remaining limitations of the claims, “an axial groove arranged on an outer surface of the rotor shaft and connected to the first connecting part” as part of the first channel. The closest prior art forms the axial interface passage as a recess in the core or the end plate rather than in the rotor shaft: Xiang provides the arc-shaped recess of its side wall oil passage 21 on the inner sidewall of the rotor core 2, the outer sidewall of tube portion 131 of the shaft serving only as a closing wall (¶[0041]); Gao (CN 216851493 U) likewise arranges its axial oil guide grooves 131 along the inner wall of the rotor core 130 (¶[0012]-[0013]); and Yang forms its through opening by a slot on the end plate closed by the outer surface of the rotating shaft 1 (¶[0100]). None of the references teaches recessing the axial groove into the outer surface of the rotor shaft itself.
Regarding claims 9 and 19, the prior art of record does not teach or fairly suggest, in combination with the remaining limitations of the claims, “a sealing cover arranged at an end of the rotor shaft which is opposite the inlet for sealing the closed channel”. Xiang closes the end of its main oil passage 111 opposite the inlet by an integral closed end of a countersunk hole rather than by a sealing cover (¶[0039]), and neither Gao (WO 2022/037263 A1), Gao (CN 216851493 U), nor Yang teaches a discrete sealing cover arranged at the shaft end opposite the inlet. Claims 9 and 19 additionally incorporate the allowable subject matter of claim 4.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Hasebe (US 5,889,342) teaches a motor cooling circuit in which oil supplied to an axial passage of the rotor shaft flows through radial shaft passages, connecting oil passages formed as grooves in the core-facing surfaces of first and second rotor end plates, and axial oil passages penetrating the rotor core radially inside the permanent magnets, before being discharged from oil holes in the end plates onto the stator coil ends.
Gao (CN 216851493 U) teaches a rotor cooling structure in which oil from a shaft cavity passes through oil guide grooves on the inner wall of the rotor core to baffles abutting both core ends, the baffles having oil inlet grooves and oil outlets arranged circumferentially, with first and second oil guide channels through the core carrying crossed flows between the two baffles.
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 at 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
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