DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-15 of U.S. Application No. 19169703 filed on 04/03/2025 are presented for examination.
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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 04/03/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 15 is objected to because of the following informalities:
“…outer surface of the mill drive…” should read, “…outer surface of the mill drum…” consistent with claim 14. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and/or 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Bradley (US 2014/0139069; Hereinafter, “Bradley”).
Regarding claim 1: Bradley discloses a double-sided, axial flux gearless mill drive (para [0001]) comprising:
a radially-extending rotor assembly (10) fixedly connectable to (since the axial motor drive the mill, it has the ability to be connected to the mill system; also, the word “connectable” is not a positive limitation but only requires the ability to so perform. It
does not constitute a limitation in any patentable sense. In se Hutchison, 69
USPQ 138) a mill drum of a mill system (the AG or SAG mill in para [0001]); and a stator assembly comprising;
a first stator (20) located axially adjacent a first annular surface (14) of the rotor assembly (10) and spaced apart from the first annular surface by a first axial air gap (8), and
a second stator (26) located axially adjacent a second, opposite, annular surface (16) of the rotor assembly (10) and spaced apart from the second annular surface (16) by a second axial air gap (9) (see para [0028-0029] and fig. 3).
Regarding claim 2/1: Bradley discloses the limitations of claim 1 and further discloses the first stator (20) comprises a first stator winding (34) with a plurality of first stator coils (each on every stator ring segments 32a, 32b; para [0029]), and the second stator (26) comprises a second stator winding (34) with a plurality of second stator coils (each on every stator ring segments 32a, 32b; para [0029]).
Regarding claim 3/2/1: Bradley discloses the limitations of claim 2 and further discloses the stator assembly further comprises a stator frame (18 and 24 closed off by the “outer wall” as shown in the annotated fig. 3 below).
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Regarding claim 14/1: Bradley discloses the limitations of claim 1 and further discloses a mill system (para [0001]) comprising: a mill drum (the mill barrel in para [0034]), and a double-sided, axial flux gearless mill drive (shown in fig. 3) according to claim 1 fixedly connected to an outer surface of the mill drum (para [0034]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 4, 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bradley in view of Goykhman et al. (US 2022/0399791; Hereinafter, “Goykhman”).
Regarding claim 4/3/2/1: Bradley discloses the limitations of claim 3 and further discloses the stator frame defines an enclosed space in which the rotor assembly (10) and the first and second stators (20, 26) are located (fig. 3),
Bradely does not specifically disclose that the enclosed space is adapted to receive cooling air for cooling the rotor assembly and the first and second stators.
Goykhman discloses the enclosed space is adapted to receive cooling air for cooling the rotor assembly and the first and second stators (the abstract, last 2 lines and fig. 10).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have configured the gearless drive of Bradely with the enclosed space is adapted to receive cooling air for cooling the rotor assembly and the first and second stators as disclosed by Goykhman for the optimization of power density of the drive device (para [0003]).
Regarding claim 9/2/1: Bradley discloses the limitations of claim 2 but does not disclose the first stator comprises a cooling jacket with a plurality of passages, each passage extending between an inlet opening and an outlet opening, the inlet and outlet openings being fluidly connected by a plurality of pipes such that the passages and the pipes define one or more cooling circuits adapted to receive cooling liquid for cooling the first stator.
Goykhman discloses the first stator (150) comprises a cooling jacket (starting at para [0160]) with a plurality of passages (113; fig. 24-25), each passage extending between an inlet opening (114) and an outlet opening (115), the inlet and outlet openings being fluidly connected by a plurality of pipes (the pipes that delivers the liquid coolant to the motor and taking the coolant from the motor) such that the passages (113) and the pipes define one or more cooling circuits adapted to receive cooling liquid for cooling the first stator (the cooling jacket; abstract).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have configured the gearless drive of Bradely with the first stator comprises a cooling jacket with a plurality of passages, each passage extending between an inlet opening and an outlet opening, the inlet and outlet openings being fluidly connected by a plurality of pipes such that the passages and the pipes define one or more cooling circuits adapted to receive cooling liquid for cooling the first stator as disclosed by Goykhman for the optimization of power density of the drive device (para [0003]).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bradley in view of Khoo Wee Keong (WO 2014/117350; Hereinafter, “Khoo”).
Regarding claim 8/2/1: Bradley discloses the limitations of claim 2 but does not specifically show the first stator coils are received in a plurality of first stator slots formed in an annular surface of the first stator that faces towards the rotor assembly, and the second stator coils are received in a plurality of second stator slots formed in an annular surface of the second stator that faces towards the rotor assembly.
Khoo teaches (see fig. 2-3) the first stator coils (6) are received in a plurality of first stator slots (13) formed in an annular surface of the first stator (4) that faces towards the rotor assembly (2), and the second stator coils (6) are received in a plurality of second stator slots (13) formed in an annular surface of the second stator (4) that faces towards the rotor assembly (2).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have configured the gearless drive of Bradely with the first stator coils are received in a plurality of first stator slots formed in an annular surface of the first stator that faces towards the rotor assembly, and the second stator coils are received in a plurality of second stator slots formed in an annular surface of the second stator that faces towards the rotor assembly as disclosed by Khoo to secure the coils in the stator core that in turn magnifies the stator flux as well known in the art.
Claim 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bradley in view of Mihaila et al. (US 10971959; Hereinafter, “Mihaila”).
Regarding claim 10/2/1, and 11/10: Bradley discloses the limitations of claim 2 but does not specifically disclose the first stator comprises a plurality of stator segments, wherein each stator segment has at least one engagement profile adapted to engage with a corresponding engagement profile on one of a cooling jacket or other structural part of the first stator, and a stator frame of the stator assembly, so that the stator segments are removably mounted; each stator segment comprises at least one stator slot formed in a surface of the stator segment that faces towards the rotor assembly.
Mihaila discloses the first stator comprises a plurality of stator segments, wherein each stator segment (4) has at least one engagement profile (11 or 12) adapted to engage with a corresponding engagement profile (9 or 10) on one of a cooling jacket or other structural part (support member 6) of the first stator (1), and a stator frame of the stator assembly, so that the stator segments (4) are removably mounted (by disengaging unit 4); each stator segment (4) comprises at least one stator slot (13) formed in a surface of the stator segment (4) that faces towards the rotor assembly (col.4, line 53).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have configured the gearless drive of Bradely with the first stator comprises a plurality of stator segments, wherein each stator segment has at least one engagement profile adapted to engage with a corresponding engagement profile on one of a cooling jacket or other structural part of the first stator, and a stator frame of the stator assembly, so that the stator segments are removably mounted; each stator segment comprises at least one stator slot formed in a surface of the stator segment that faces towards the rotor assembly as disclosed by Mihaila to ease the manufacturing of the drive device, and reducing weight.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bradley in view of Smith et al. (US 5982074; Hereinafter, “Smith”).
Regarding claim 15/14/1: Bradley discloses the limitations of claim 14 including the double-sided, axial flux gearless mill drives fixedly connected to the outer surface of the mill drive as discussed in claim 14.
Bradely does not disclose a plurality of the double-sided, axial flux gearless drives, wherein the gearless drives are spaced apart in the axial direction.
Smith discloses a plurality of the double-sided, axial flux gearless drives (the motors in housing 10; fig. 3), wherein the gearless drives are spaced apart in the axial direction (the stators 12, and the rotors 14-15 are spaced apart axially by air gaps).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have configured the mill system of Bradely with the plurality of the double-sided, axial flux gearless drives, wherein the gearless drives are spaced apart in the axial direction as disclosed by Smith to improve the torque output of the drive.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-7,12-13 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AHMED ELNAKIB whose telephone number is (571)270-0638. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00AM-4:00PM. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tulsidas Patel can be reached at 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 published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/AHMED ELNAKIB/ Primary Examiner,
Art Unit 2834
