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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 1, line 5; is objected to because of the following informalities: “the other end” should be - -an other end - -. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 3; line 2; claim 4, line 3; claim 5, line 3; claim 6, line 4 is objected to because of the following informalities: “fuel” should be - -the fuel- -. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 4, line 5; claim 7, line 3 is objected to because of the following informalities: “oxidizer” should be - -the oxidizer - -. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kwak et al (US 20180230947) in view of Matsuzaki et al (US 20120263612).
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Annotated Figure 1B of Kwak
Regarding claim 1, Kwak discloses a propellant supply system (The propellant supply system of Figure 1B) for supplying fuel and oxidizer (The fuel and oxidant of Figure 1B) to a propellant supply target (Figure 1B; 101), comprising:
a motor (Figure 1B; 150) having a rotating shaft (The shaft connecting Figure 1B; 150 to 130 and 135, see Annotated Figure 1B; labeled rotating shaft);
a fuel pump (Figure 1B; 135) provided at one end (The end of the shaft with Figure 1B; 135) of the rotating shaft; and
an oxidizer pump (Figure 1B; 130) provided at an other end (The end of the shaft with Figure 1B; 130) of the rotating shaft.
Kwak does not disclose wherein the motor is an axial gap motor.
However, Matsuzaki teaches a motor (Figure 1; 1) is an axial gap motor (Paragraph 0050).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to modify the invention of Kwak wherein the motor is an axial gap motor as taught by and suggested by Matsuzaki in order to provide a motor with low magnetic loss and high output (Paragraph 0012, the modification makes the motor an axial gap motor).
Regarding claim 2, Kwak in view of Matsuzaki teaches the invention as claimed.
Kwak further discloses a motor-cooling unit (The space between Figure 2; 150 and 150, Paragraph 0048) for cooling the motor (In the context of Kwak in view of Matsuzaki, the motor is the axial gap motor); and
a coolant supply path (Figure 1B; 171) supplying the fuel as a coolant (Paragraph 0048) to the motor-cooling unit.
Regarding claim 3, Kwak in view of Matsuzaki teaches the invention as claimed.
Kwak further discloses a fuel tank (The fuel tank in Paragraph 0017) storing the fuel (Functional Language, the fuel tank stores the fuel); and
a fuel path (Figure 1B; 120) supplying the fuel stored in the fuel tank to the fuel pump,
wherein the coolant supply path (Figure 1B; 171 branches from 120) branches off from the fuel path.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kwak in view of Matsuzaki as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Kuga et al (US 20220136517).
Regarding claim 4, Kwak in view of Matsuzaki teaches the invention as claimed.
Kwak in view of Matsuzaki does not teach a first shaft seal provided on the one end side of the rotating shaft and sealing the fuel leaking from the fuel pump; and
a second shaft seal provided on the other end side of the rotating shaft, sealing the oxidizer leaking from the oxidizer pump, and having a higher sealing performance than that of the first shaft seal.
However, Kuga teaches a first shaft seal (Figure 1; A2) provided on one end side (The side to the right of Figure 1; 4) of a rotating shaft (Figure 1; 1) and sealing fuel (The fuel supplied to Figure 1; 4) leaking from a fuel pump (Figure 1; 4. Paragraph 0034. Functional Language, A2 prevents leaking fuel from the fuel pump); and
a second shaft seal (Figure 1; A1) provided on an other end side (The side to the left of Figure 1; 4) of the rotating shaft, sealing oxidizer (The oxidizer suppled to Figure 1; 3) leaking from an oxidizer pump (Figure 1; 3. Paragraph 0027, 0049. Functional Language, A1 prevents leaking oxidizer from the oxidizing pump), and having a higher sealing performance than that of the first shaft seal (Figure 1; A1 having 3 non-contact seals as opposed to the 2 non-contact seals of A2 has a higher sealing performance).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to modify the invention of Kwak in view of Matsuzaki to include a first shaft seal provided on the one end side of the rotating shaft and sealing the fuel leaking from the fuel pump; and a second shaft seal provided on the other end side of the rotating shaft, sealing the oxidizer leaking from the oxidizer pump, and having a higher sealing performance than that of the first shaft seal as taught by and suggested by Kuga in order to provide sealing device having a higher reliability (Paragraph 0048, 0053, the modification uses the seals of Kuga).
Claim(s) 5-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kwak in view of Matsuzaki as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Kuga and Honda et al (US 20220186686).
Regarding claim 5, Kwak in view of Matsuzaki teaches the invention as claimed.
Kwak in view of Matsuzaki does not teach a first shaft seal provided on the one end side of the rotating shaft and sealing the fuel leaking from the fuel pump;
a first bearing supporting the rotating shaft located between the first shaft seal and the fuel pump; and
a first bearing coolant supply path supplying part of the fuel from the fuel pump to the first bearing as a coolant.
However, Kuga teaches a first shaft seal (Figure 1; A2) provided on one end side (The side to the right of Figure 1; 4) of a rotating shaft (Figure 1; 1) and sealing fuel (The fuel supplied to Figure 1; 4) leaking from a fuel pump (Figure 1; 4. Paragraph 0034. Functional Language, A2 prevents leaking fuel from the fuel pump);
a first bearing (Figure 1; 2B) supporting the rotating shaft located between the first shaft seal and the fuel pump.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to modify the invention of Kwak in view of Matsuzaki to include a first shaft seal provided on the one end side of the rotating shaft and sealing the fuel leaking from the fuel pump; a first bearing supporting the rotating shaft located between the first shaft seal and the fuel pump as taught by and suggested by Kuga in order to provide sealing device having a higher reliability and support the shaft (Paragraph 0019, 0048, 0053, the modification uses the seal and bearing arrangement of Kuga).
Kwak in view of Matsuzaki and Kuga does not teach a first bearing coolant supply path supplying part of the fuel from the fuel pump to the first bearing as a coolant.
However, Honda teaches a first bearing coolant supply path (The path from Figure 3; 68 to 32a) supplying part of fuel (The fuel supplied to Figure 4; 170 from 19a. Paragraph 0089) from a fuel pump (Figure 4; 19a) to a first bearing (Figure 3; 32a) as a coolant (Paragraph 0041, 0054, 0089).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to modify the invention of Kwak in view of Matsuzaki and Kuga to include a first bearing coolant supply path supplying part of the fuel from the fuel pump to the first bearing as a coolant as taught by and suggested by Honda in order to cool the bearing (Paragraph 0054, The modification uses the fuel to cool the bearings).
Regarding claim 6, Kwak in view of Matsuzaki and Kuga and Honda teaches the invention as claimed.
Kwak further discloses a motor-cooling unit (The space between Figure 3; 7 and 14) for cooling a motor (Figure 3; 10); and
a coolant supply path (The path from Figure 3; 32a to the space between 7 and 14, then to 3o 32b, then to 72) located downstream of the first bearing coolant supply path and supplying the fuel having cooled the first bearing to the motor-cooling unit as a coolant (Paragraph 0054).
Kwak in view of Matsuzaki and Kuga does not disclose a coolant supply path located downstream of the first bearing coolant supply path having cooled the first bearing.
However, Honda teaches a motor-cooling unit (The space between Figure 3; 7 and 14) for cooling a motor (Figure 3; 10); and
a coolant supply path (The path from Figure 3; 32a to the space between 7 and 14, then to 3o 32b, then to 72) located downstream of the first bearing coolant supply path and supplying the fuel having cooled the first bearing to the motor-cooling unit as a coolant (Paragraph 0054).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to modify the invention of Kwak in view of Matsuzaki and Kuga to include a a coolant supply path located downstream of the first bearing coolant supply path having cooled the first bearing as a coolant as taught by and suggested by Honda in order to reduce frictional loss (Paragraph 0009, The modification uses the motor-cooling unit of Kwak that is cooled downstream of the first bearing).
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kwak in view of Matsuzaki as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Kuga and Phui et al (US 20180313228).
Regarding claim 7, Kwak in view of Matsuzaki teaches the invention as claimed.
Kwak in view of Matsuzaki does not teach a second shaft seal provided on the other side of the rotating shaft and sealing the oxidizer leaking from the oxidizer pump;
a second bearing supporting the rotating shaft located between the second shaft seal and the oxidizer pump; and
a second bearing coolant supply path supplying part of the oxidizer from the oxidizer pump to the second bearing as a coolant.
However, Kuga teaches a second shaft seal (Figure 1; A1) provided on an other end side (The side to the left of Figure 1; 4) of a rotating shaft (Figure 1; 1) and sealing oxidizer (The oxidizer suppled to Figure 1; 3) leaking from an oxidizer pump (Figure 1; 3. Paragraph 0027, 0049. Functional Language, A1 prevents leaking oxidizer from the oxidizing pump);
a second bearing (Figure 1; 2A) supporting the rotating shaft located between the second shaft seal and the oxidizer pump.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to modify the invention of Kwak in view of Matsuzaki to include a second shaft seal provided on the other side of the rotating shaft and sealing the oxidizer leaking from the oxidizer pump; a second bearing supporting the rotating shaft located between the second shaft seal and the oxidizer pump as taught by and suggested by Kuga in order to provide sealing device having a higher reliability and support the shaft (Paragraph 0019, 0048, 0053, the modification uses the seal and bearing arrangement of Kuga).
Kwak in view of Matsuzaki and Kuga does not teach a second bearing coolant supply path supplying part of the oxidizer from the oxidizer pump to the second bearing as a coolant.
However, Phui teaches a second bearing coolant supply path (Figure 1B; 40) supplying part of an oxidizer (The oxidizer from Figure 1; 26) from an oxidizer pump (Figure 1; 26) to the a second bearing (Figure 1B; 32a) as a coolant (Paragraph 0040).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to modify the invention of Kwak in view of Matsuzaki and Kuga to include a second bearing coolant supply path supplying part of the oxidizer from the oxidizer pump to the second bearing as a coolant as taught by and suggested by Phui in order to provide enhanced cooling and lubrication (Paragraph 0032, 0040, the modification uses the oxidizer to cool the bearing).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDWIN G KANG whose telephone number is (571)272-9814. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:00-5:00 PM EST.
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/EDWIN KANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3741
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