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 .
Status of the Claims
Claims 1 – 15 have been amended prior to initial examination.
Claim Objections
Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 7 recites the limitation “in the region of the intermediate surface section,” claim 7 is dependent from claim 2; however, claim 7 previously included dependency from claim 5 prior to its initial amendment. Claim 5 is relied upon for antecedent basis for the limitation “in the region of the intermediate surface section” as recited by the claim. For the purpose of examination, claim 7 is being interepted as being dependent from claim 5.
Appropriate correction is required.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference characters "39" and "44" have both been used to designate the rotor inner surface in at least Figures 2, 12, and Claim 15. 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. 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 7, 8 – 15 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 7, 8, 9, and 15 each recite the term “preferably” in the claim. The recitation of the term “preferably” renders the scope of the claims indefinite as it is unclear if the limitations following the adverb are positively recited by the claim (i.e. it is unclear if the following limitations are being optional components of the claim or if they are intended to be required by the claim). For the purpose of examination, the claims are being interpreted as though they do not include the recitation of “preferably.”
Claim 14 recites the limitation “wherein the inner surface (44), breaking the rotational symmetry of the inner surface (39) with respect to the axis of rotation (14).” The claim appears to be directed towards a modification or further detail of the recited “inner surface;” however, the claim subsequently recites the term “breaking” in a manner that is unclear if it is acting as a noun or a verb, and fails to present the limitation in a way that makes clear the scope of the claim. It is further noted that the claim recites the limitation “the rotational symmetry,” which lacks antecedent basis in the claims. As a reasonable interpretation of the scope of the claim is indeterminable, an art rejection is not being provided.
Dependent claims not specifically rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite, are considered as being under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for depending from a rejected claim.
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 – 4, and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 4,470,772, “Gannaway.”
Regarding Claim 1: Gannaway discloses a refrigerant compressor (6) (Figures 1 – 5) with - a hermetically encapsulated compressor housing (8, 10, 12), - an electric drive unit (42, 44, 46, 48) arranged in a housing interior of the compressor housing and comprising a rotor (44) rotatable about an axis of rotation (As shown in at least Figure 1; The axis of rotation interpreted as the central axis of the crankshaft 34), a stator (46, 48), and a crankshaft (34), which crankshaft is connected to the rotor in a torque-proof manner (As shown in at least Figure 1), - a piston-cylinder unit (32, 30) arranged in the housing interior and comprising a piston (32), which piston is movably arranged in a cylinder of the piston-cylinder unit and can be driven by the crankshaft to compress refrigerant (As shown in at least Figure 1; Cl. 7, ln. 10, “Upon entering yoke cavity 80, the gaseous refrigerant is drawn through ports 102 in pistons 32 into cylinders 30 upon inward travel of pistons 32. Thereafter, on the outward stroke of pistons 32, the gaseous refrigerant is compressed within cylinders 30 and discharged through ring valve-wave washer assembly 106 into head cavity 104”), - a lubricant receptacle (The lubricant receptacle is interpreted as the opening of the main oil groove 154 at the lower end of the crankshaft 34 as shown arranged in the sump 96 in at least Figure 1) for conveying lubricant from a lubricant sump (96) arranged in a bottom area of the compressor housing vertically via the crankshaft (As shown in at least Figure 1; The receptacle conveys lubricant from the sump at the bottom of the compressor housing along the axis of rotation), when the refrigerant compressor is in an operating state, wherein viewed in a first direction (The first direction is interepted as the direction along the axis of rotation of the crankshaft 34 which is parallel to the axis of rotation and extends (i.e. points) from the lower end of the housing towards the piston-cylinder unit at the upper end of the housing) the stator (5) extends from a first stator section (Interpreted as the lower portion of the stator as shown in at least Figure 1) to a second stator section (Interpreted as the upper stator section as shown in at least Figure 1) and the rotor extends from a first rotor section (Interpreted as the lower portion of the rotor as shown in at least Figure 1) to a second rotor section (Interpreted as the upper portion of the rotor as shown in at least Figure 1), wherein the first direction is parallel to the axis of rotation and points from the bottom area to the piston-cylinder unit (As shown in at least Figure 1 and as previously discussed herein),wherein the crankshaft is partially arranged in a bush-like section (166) of a compressor block (22), wherein, viewed in radial directions normal to the first direction and pointing away from the axis of rotation, an interspace is formed between the second stator section and the compressor block (As shown in at least Figure 1; A space is formed within the lower housing chamber 26 which exists as the radial space between the surface of the compressor block 22 at the outer radial surface of the bush-like portion 166 extending towards the upper end (i.e. second section) of the stator), in which interspace the second rotor section is arranged at least partially (As shown in at least Figure 1), wherein, viewed in the radial directions, a gap is formed between the second rotor section and the compressor block (As shown in at least Figure 1; A space is formed within the lower housing chamber 26 which exists as the radial space between the surface of the compressor block 22 at the outer radial surface of the bush-like portion 166 extending towards the upper end (i.e. second section) of the rotor, this gap shown communicating with oil passage 162), wherein for the lubricant at least one through-hole (162) is provided in the compressor block between the crankshaft and the gap (As shown in at least Figure 1).
Regarding Claim 2: Gannaway discloses the refrigerant compressor according to claim 1; Gannaway further discloses wherein an accumulation volume for accumulating lubricant is provided between a lateral surface of the crankshaft and an inner wall of the bush-like section of the compressor block (As shown in at least Figure 1; The accumulation volume is interepted as comprising at least 158 and the gap between the outer radial surface of the crankshaft and the inner radial surface of the main bearing 166 which is feed with lubricant through at least hole 164 as further described in at least Cl. 8, ln. 24, “The remaining oil then travels further upwardly so that a portion of the remaining oil is distributed through hole 164 to lubricate main bearing 166.”), wherein the accumulation volume is fluidically connected with the at least one through-hole (As shown in at least Figure 1; The accumulation volume 158 is shown communicating with through-hole 162).
Regarding Claim 3: Gannaway discloses the refrigerant compressor according to claim 2; Gannaway further discloses wherein the at least one through-hole fluidically connects the accumulation volume and the gap (As shown in at least Figure 1; The through hole 162 provides a lubrication path to the gap as additionally discussed in at least Cl. 8, ln. 23, “This portion of the oil thereafter passes through holes 162 to lubricate and cool motor 42”).
Regarding Claim 4: Gannaway discloses the refrigerant compressor according to claim 2; Gannaway further discloses wherein the crankshaft comprises transportation means (154, 156) for transporting the lubricant from the lubricant receptacle to the accumulation volume when the refrigerant compressor is in the operating state (As shown in at least Figure 1; Cl. 8, ln. 19, “oil is drawn by the rotational action of crankshaft 34 upwardly through main oil groove 154, where a portion of the oil is distributed through openings 156 into annulus 158 for lubricating main bearing 160”).
Regarding Claim 6: Gannaway discloses the refrigerant compressor according to claim 2; Gannaway further discloses wherein within the extension of the accumulation volume a maximum diameter of the crankshaft is smaller and/or a minimum inner diameter of the bush-like section of the compressor block is greater than in at least one adjacent region (As shown in at least Figure 1; The outer radial surface of the crankshaft is shown having a first diameter, and a second, smaller, diameter within the extension of the accumulation volume 158 such that the maximum diameter of the crankshaft within the region of the necked down diameter is smaller than that of the adjoining at least one adjacent region).
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) 8 – 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 4,470,772, “Gannaway,” in view of US 2023/0065792, “Miguel.”
Regarding Claim 8: Gannaway discloses the refrigerant compressor according to claim 2; Gannaway further discloses wherein the rotor comprises a rotor ring (As shown in at least Figure 1) arranged in the second rotor section, which rotor ring has an inner surface facing toward the crankshaft (As shown in at least Figure 1; The rotor ring is shown formed as the extension of the rotor in the first direction which is arranged opposing the lubrication passage 162); however, Gannaway is silent as to the construction of the rotor ring and as such fails to explicitly disclose wherein the rotor ring (38) is preferably made of aluminum or of an aluminum alloy.
Miguel teaches a refrigerant compressor (Figures 1 – 29) which further comprises motor with a rotor (1) and a stator (2), wherein the rotor comprises a rotor ring (14) wherein the rotor ring is preferably made of aluminum or of an aluminum alloy ([0087]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have utilized aluminum or an aluminum alloy the manufacturing of the rotor ring of Gannaway, as taught by Miguel, as such a material will work equally well as the rotor ring, as taught by Miguel and as such a change in material is viewed as a mere design choice and it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. (MPEP 2144.07)
Regarding Claim 9: Gannaway, in view of Miguel, teaches the refrigerant compressor according to claim 8; once combined, Gannaway further discloses wherein a distance measured between the axis of rotation and the inner surface of the rotor ring along the radial directions increases, preferably continuously, along the first direction (As shown in at least Figure 1; The inner radial surface of the rotor ring is shown formed with a conical shape with the diameter of the surface increasing in the first direction such that the distance measured between the axis of rotation and the surface will increase in the first direction).
Regarding Claim 10: Gannaway, in view of Miguel, teaches the refrigerant compressor according to claim 8; once combined, Gannaway further discloses wherein the inner surface of the rotor ring has a beveled and/or curved shape (As shown in at least Figure 1; The inner radial surface of the rotor ring is shown formed with a conical shape such that when viewed in section as in Figure 1 the shape is presented as beveled in the first direction, the inner radial surface is also shown with a radial curve at the upper end of the rotor ring which may be broadly interepted as forming a beveled or curved shape with respect to the axial direction, or the end face, of the rotor ring).
Claim(s) 11 – 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 4,470,772, “Gannaway,” in view of US 2023/0065792, “Miguel,” and US 2003/0086798, “Tani.”
Regarding Claim 11: Gannaway, in view of Miguel, teaches the refrigerant compressor according to claim 8; once combined, Gannaway, in view of Miguel, fails to explicitly disclose or teach wherein lubricant distribution means are provided, which lubricant distribution means are formed by openings in the rotor ring that fluidically connect the gap with the interspace, wherein said openings run with a directional component parallel to the radial direction.
Tani teaches an arrangement of a motor rotor (8, 8a, 20) for use in a compressor (Figures 1 – 7; At least [0002]), similar in function to the compressor of Gannaway, and further teaches wherein lubricant distribution means are provided (20b), which lubricant distribution means are formed by openings in the rotor ring that fluidically connect the gap with the interspace (The openings are formed within the rotor ring such that they connect the inner portion of the rotor ring to the outer portion of the rotor ring, and provide a connection to the interspace which includes the first space 101 equivalent to the interspace of Gannaway), wherein said openings run with a directional component parallel to the radial direction (As shown in at least Figures 1 – 7; The openings of the distribution means 20b are arranged parallel to the radial direction of the rotor and the crank).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the arranged of the rotor of Gannaway to incorporate lubricant distribution means, as taught by Tani, with the predicted result that such lubricant distribution means will be capable of further spreading lubricant which is within the radially inner portion of the rotor in a manner well known in the art and as further taught by Tani (at least [0054]).
Regarding Claim 12: Gannaway, in view of Miguel, and Tani, teaches the refrigerant compressor according to claim 11; once combined, Tani further teaches wherein the openings comprise distribution through-holes (Interpreted as the radial passages formed between adjacent ones of the distribution means 20b) that are bounded by the rotor ring (Interpreted as the structure of the rotor formed above or below the distribution means 20b) in the first direction (As shown in at least Figures 1 – 7) and/or distribution notches (41) that, viewed in the first direction (15), have an open end. The claim presented an alternative limitation after the conjunction “and/or” which is not interepted as being required by the claim.
Regarding Claim 13: Gannaway, in view of Miguel, teaches the refrigerant compressor according to claim 8; once combined, Gannaway, in view of Miguel, fails to explicitly disclose or teach wherein lubricant distribution means are provided, which lubricant distribution means are formed by spray blades arranged on a top surface of the rotor ring, which top surface faces into the first direction.
Tani teaches an arrangement of a motor rotor (8, 8a, 20) for use in a compressor (Figures 1 – 7; At least [0002]), similar in function to the compressor of Gannaway, and further teaches wherein lubricant distribution means are provided (20b), which lubricant distribution means are formed by spray blades arranged on a top surface of the rotor ring (As shown in additional detail in at least Figures 3 and 4, the lubrication distribution means comprise blades 20b which are arranged on a top surface of the rotor ring interpreted as the upper portion of rotor 8), which top surface faces into the first direction (As shown in at least Figures 1 – 7; The top surface of the rotor faces in the axial direction of the crank in the first direction, interpreted as the direction from the bottom of the compressor casing towards the compression element equivalent to the interpretation of the first direction in Gannaway).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the arranged of the rotor of Gannaway to incorporate lubricant distribution means, as taught by Tani, with the predicted result that such lubricant distribution means will be capable of further spreading lubricant which is within the radially inner portion of the rotor in a manner well known in the art and as further taught by Tani (at least [0054]).
Claim(s) 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 4,470,772, “Gannaway,” in view of US 2020/0328632, “Radford.”
Regarding Claim 15: Gannaway discloses the refrigerant compressor according to claim 1; Gannaway teachings stator windings (48) in the first section and the second section of the stator; however, Gannaway is silent as to the presence of a first and second stator wining and as such fails to explicitly disclose wherein the stator comprises second stator windings arranged in the second stator section and preferably first stator windings arranged in the first stator section.
Radford teaches a stator arrangement for a motor, similar in structure and operation as the motor of Gannaway, and further teaches the arrangement of a stator (102) wherein the stator comprises second stator windings (601B) arranged in the second stator section and preferably first stator windings (601A) arranged in the first stator section (It is noted that each of the first and second stator windings are arranged in a first and second stator section comprising each end of the stator (along the axis of rotation of the rotor) as shown in at least Figure 1 such that each of the first and second windings is interpreted as being in each of the first and second sections).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the stator design of Gannaway to incorporate the multiple stator winding design of Radford, as such a stator design will work equally well in the operation of the motor, and as such a design will allow for the operation of a motor with high efficiencies (Radford, at least [0001]). It is noted that such a modification amounts to a simple substitution of one known stator design for that of another. Such a substitution would have been obvious since, an express suggestion to substitute one equivalent component or process for another is not necessary to render such substitution obvious (MPEP 2144.06).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5 is 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.
Claim 5 recites the limitation “wherein the crankshaft (6) comprises an inner channel (28) for vertically conveying the lubricant (11) within the crankshaft (6) in the operating state of the refrigerant compressor (1), a connection hole (29) fluidically connecting the inner channel (28) with the lateral surface (30) of the crankshaft (6), a helical groove (31) arranged on the lateral surface (30) for further vertically conveying the lubricant (11), wherein, viewed in the first direction (15), the helical groove (31) extends on the lateral surface (30) of the crankshaft (6) from a first surface section (32) via an intermediate surface section (33) to a second surface section (34), with the first, intermediate and second surface sections (32, 33, 34) being arranged in the bush-like section (21) of the compressor block (20), wherein the accumulation volume (35) for accumulating lubricant (11) is provided only between the intermediate surface section (33) or the intermediate surface section (33) and the second surface section (34) on the one hand and the inner wall (36) of the bush-like section (21) of the compressor block (20) on the other hand.” Although references have been identified which teach the use of a helical grove arranged on the lateral surface of the crankshaft, no single reference or combination of references have been identified which render obvious each limitation of the aforesaid claims.
Claim 7 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 ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 6,280,155 – Compressor with lubrication path in the compressor block
US 5,730,588 – Compressor with lubrication path in the compressor block
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/BENJAMIN DOYLE/Examiner, Art Unit 3746 2026.02.06
/MARK A LAURENZI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3746 2/10/2026