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 because Figure 12 does not show “rigid connection structure 25” described in the specification. 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, 11 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.
Claim 1, lines 8-9, and Claim 11, lines 6 and 7 recite “can be”; which renders the claims indefinite as it is not clear if what follows the phrase is part of the claim or not.
Claims 2-7, 12 are also rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph for indirectly including the above noted deficiencies.
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.
Claim(s) 1-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by MAIER et al. (US 2022/0060088) (“MAIER”).
With respect to claim 1, MAIER discloses a contactless energy transmission device for a rotor of an electric machine having a separately excited synchronous machine inside a drive train of a motor vehicle (figure 2 discloses synchronous electric machine 100 with an energy transfer system 20), the contactless energy transmission device comprising: a hollow shaft coupled to the rotor of the electric machine in a torque-transmitting manner (hollow shaft 13, figure 2); and an inductive transmitter having an energizable primary winding and a secondary winding which is spaced apart therefrom and can be electrically conductively coupled to a winding of the rotor (figures 2, 7 discloses primary winding 6a and secondary winding 6b), wherein: the secondary winding of the inductive transmitter is arranged inside the hollow shaft and is connected thereto for conjoint rotation therewith (figure 7 discloses that the secondary winding 6b is inside the hollow shaft in a rotating manner), while the primary winding of the inductive transmitter is positioned therein in a torsionally rigid manner relative to the hollow shaft (figures 2, 7 discloses that the primary winding 6a is not in rotation with the respect to the rotor and the secondary winding).
With respect to claim 2, MAIER discloses the contactless energy transmission device according to of claim 1, wherein the primary winding and the secondary winding of the inductive transmitter are arranged coaxially to one another inside the hollow shaft. Figures 2, 4 and 7 discloses that the primary and secondary windings are arranged coaxially with respect to each other.
With respect to claim 3, MAIER discloses the contactless energy transmission device according to of claim 1, wherein the primary winding is arranged on a lance extending axially into an interior of the hollow shaft. Figures 2, 7 paragraph 0095 discloses that the energy transfer system is designed as an external rotor with respective inlet 12 for a coolant.
With respect to claim 4, MAIER discloses the contactless energy transmission device according to of claim 3, wherein the lance has at least one cooling channel through which a cooling fluid can flow. Figure 2, paragraph 100 discloses inlet 12 with a cooling channel to move coolant through the cooling channel.
With respect to claim 5, MAIER discloses the contactless energy transmission device of claim 3, further comprising: rectifier electronics arranged inside the hollow shaft and connected thereto for conjoint rotation therewith. Paragraphs 0097, 0014, figure 7 discloses a rectifier provided with rotation with rotor 10.
With respect to claim 6, MAIER discloses the contactless energy transmission device according to claim 5, wherein the lance is mounted relative to the hollow shaft by means of a rolling bearing arranged in the hollow shaft. Figure 5, paragraph 0012 discloses that the exciter device 30 is mounted with the aid of bearings.
With respect to claims 7, 12, MAIER discloses the contactless energy transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the secondary winding has an axial extension which is greater than 50%, a radial outer diameter of the secondary winding, wherein the secondary winding has an axial extension greater than 70% of the radial outer diameter of the secondary winding. Figure 7 discloses that the secondary winding of secondary electronics device 6b has a greater axial extension than a radial outer diameter of the secondary winding.
With respect to claim 8, MAIER discloses a kit-of-parts for producing a contactless energy transmission device for a rotor of an electric machine (figure 2 discloses synchronous electric machine 100 with an energy transfer system 20), including a separately excited synchronous machine inside a drive train of a motor vehicle (electric machine 100 is provided for traction devices, paragraph 0002), the kit-of-parts comprising: an inductive transmitter having an energizable primary winding and a secondary winding spaced apart therefrom and electrically conductively coupled to a winding of the rotor (figures 2, 7 discloses primary winding 6a and secondary winding 6b); a hollow shaft which can be coupled to the rotor of the electric machine in a torque-transmitting manner, and the secondary winding of the inductive transmitter arranged inside the hollow shaft and connected thereto for conjoint rotation therewith (figure 7 discloses that the secondary winding 6b is inside the hollow shaft in a rotating manner) and a lance that can be inserted axially into an interior of the hollow shaft, on which the primary winding of the inductive transmitter is arranged (figure 2, paragraphs 0095, 100 discloses inlet 12 with a cooling channel to move coolant through the cooling channel and where the energy transfer system 20 is placed).
With respect to claim 9, MAIER discloses a rotor of an electric machine, including a separately excited synchronous machine inside a drive train of a motor vehicle, comprising a contactless energy transmission device according to claim 1. Figures 2, 7 disclose a separate excited energy transfer system 20.
With respect to claim 10, MAIER discloses an electric machine, including a separately excited synchronous machine inside a drive train of a motor vehicle, comprising a rotor according to of claim 9. Paragraph 0002 discloses an electric machine 100 is provided for traction devices of high rotational speeds.
With respect to claim 11, MAIER discloses a method for assembling a rotor of an electric machine including a separately excited synchronous machine inside a drive train of a motor vehicle (figure 2 discloses synchronous electric machine 100 with an energy transfer system 20), the method comprising: providing an inductive transmitter which has an energizable primary winding and a secondary winding which is spaced apart therefrom and can be electrically conductively coupled to a winding of the rotor (figures 2, 7 discloses primary winding 6a and secondary winding 6b), and providing a hollow shaft which can be coupled to the rotor of the electric machine in a torque-transmitting manner, and Insertion of inserting the inductive transmitter into the hollow shaft (figure 2, 7 discloses that the secondary winding 6b is inside the hollow shaft in a rotating manner, paragraph 0095 discloses that the energy transfer system is designed as an external rotor with respective inlet 12).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. DIECKHOFF et al. (US 2025/0233489) discloses a contactless transfer transformer arranged inside a synchronous machine in a hollow shaft and can be lance shaped.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CARLOS AMAYA whose telephone number is (571)272-8941. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00AM-4:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Taelor Kim can be reached at (571) 270-7166. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CARLOS AMAYA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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