DETAILED ACTION
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, 3, 11-12 and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ekambaram et al. (herein Ekambaram) (WO 2022/212660).Regarding Claim 1:In Figures 1-25B Ekambaram discloses a rotor assembly (rotor sections supported by rotor bearing 62, 64) for an ESP motor (motor 116 or ESP 110) comprises: a rotor module (rotor sections see paragraph [0056] and depicted as RM in annotated Figure A below) concentrically disposed on a drive shaft (see Figure 25B), wherein the rotor module is configured to rotate with the drive shaft (see paragraph [0056]), while being operable to slide axially on the drive shaft (axially slidable during the installation operation); a bearing assembly (62, 64) concentrically disposed about the drive shaft in proximity to the rotor module (as seen in Figure 21); a thrust washer (50, see Figure 21) concentrically disposed about the drive shaft and axially between the bearing assembly (62, 64) and the rotor module (as seen in Figure A); and an axial support flange (ASF, see Figure A) disposed concentrically about the drive shaft (122) and axially between the thrust washer (50) and the rotor module (RM, see Figure A), wherein the axial support flange (ASF) axially abuts the thrust washer (as seen in Figure A); wherein the bearing assembly (62, 64) comprises a journal sleeve (62) concentrically disposed about the drive shaft (see Figure A) and a bushing assembly (64) disposed concentrically about the journal sleeve (see Figure 21), wherein the journal sleeve (62) is free to rotate within the bushing assembly (as mentioned in paragraph [0069]: “The sleeve 62 is keyed to the shaft 122 so that the sleeve 62 and shaft 122 rotate together in use. The bearing 64 is disposed about (circumferentially about) the sleeve 62 and rotationally fixed to the stator, for example via the anti-rotation mechanisms described herein, so that the bearing 64 remains rotationally stationary in use.”).
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Regarding Claim 3:In Figures 1-25B Ekambaram discloses the rotor assembly, wherein the journal sleeve (62) comprises an outer diameter (as seen in Figure A), and the axial support flange (ASF) extends radially outward at least approximately to the outer diameter of the journal sleeve (as seen in Figure A, ASF extends radially outward to approximately the outer diameter of the journal sleeve 62); and wherein the bushing assembly (64) comprises an outer diameter (as seen in Figure A), and the axial support flange (ASF) extends radially outward less than the outer diameter of the bushing assembly (as seen in Figure A, ASF extends radially outward less than the outer diameter of 64).Regarding Claim 11:In Figures 1-25B Ekambaram discloses the rotor assembly, wherein concavities (grooves 164 and other grooves depicted as C in annotated Figure B below) are formed in an axial face (AF, see Figure B) of the bushing, wherein the axial face (AF) of the bushing (64) is disposed proximate to the axial face (top face of 50 in Figure 21) of the thrust washer (as seen in Figure 21), and wherein the concavities (C) are configured to influence flow of lubrication fluid between the bushing and the thrust washer to create a hydrodynamic force against the bushing and the thrust washer when the drive shaft rotates (as mentioned in paragraph [0079]: “In use, motor rotors, particularly induction motor rotors, are susceptible to high sub- synchronous (1/2 X) or oil related vibration at high speeds. To suppress the oil whirl related vibration, the bearing 64 can include a profiled inner diameter that increases preloading of the bearing. For example, Figure 25A illustrates an example bearing including axial grooves 164 in or on the inner diameter of the bearing body.” This clearly indicates that oil flows through the grooves 164 and over the axial face AF of the bushing that would influence flow of lubrication fluid (oil) between the bushing and the thrust washer to create a hydrodynamic force between these elements during rotation of the drive shaft since the journal sleeve rotates with the drive shaft thereby moving oil through these concavities).
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Regarding Claim 12:In the specification and Figures 1-25B Ekambaram discloses a method for assembling a rotor assembly (rotor sections supported by rotor bearing 62, 64) for an ESP motor (motor 116 or ESP 110) comprising: disposing a bearing assembly (62, 64) concentrically about a drive shaft (122, see Figure 21); disposing a rotor module (rotor sections see paragraph [0056] and depicted as RM in annotated Figure A above) concentrically on the drive shaft adjacent to the bearing assembly (as seen in Figure A above), wherein the rotor module (RM) is configured to rotate with the drive shaft (see paragraph [0056]) while being operable to slide axially on the drive shaft (RM axially slidable during the installation operation); disposing a thrust washer (50) concentrically about the drive shaft and axially between the rotor module and the bearing assembly (see Figure 21); disposing an axial support flange (ASF, see Figure A) concentrically about the drive shaft and axially between the thrust washer and the rotor module (as seen in Figure A), wherein the axial support flange (ASF) axially contacts the thrust washer (as evident from Figure 25B/Figure A).Regarding Claim 18:In the specification and Figures 1-25B Ekambaram discloses a method for assembling the rotor assembly further comprising providing the thrust washer (50) and the bearing assembly (as seen in Figure A), wherein the bearing assembly (62, 64) comprises a bushing (64), wherein concavities (grooves 164 and other grooves depicted as C in annotated Figure B above) are formed in an axial face (AF, see Figure B) of the bushing, wherein the axial face (AF) of the bushing (64) is disposed proximate to the axial face (top face of 50 in Figure 21) of the thrust washer (as seen in Figure 21), and wherein the concavities (C) are configured to influence flow of lubrication fluid between the bushing and the thrust washer to create a hydrodynamic force against the bushing and the thrust washer when the drive shaft rotates (as mentioned in paragraph [0079]: “In use, motor rotors, particularly induction motor rotors, are susceptible to high sub- synchronous (1/2 X) or oil related vibration at high speeds. To suppress the oil whirl related vibration, the bearing 64 can include a profiled inner diameter that increases preloading of the bearing. For example, Figure 25A illustrates an example bearing including axial grooves 164 in or on the inner diameter of the bearing body.” This clearly indicates that oil flows through the grooves 164 and over the axial face AF of the bushing that would influence flow of lubrication fluid (oil) between the bushing and the thrust washer to create a hydrodynamic force between these elements during rotation of the drive shaft since the journal sleeve rotates with the drive shaft thereby moving oil through these concavities).
Regarding Claim 19:In Figures 1-25B Ekambaram discloses an ESP motor (116) comprising the rotor assembly of claim 1 (see Figure A and paragraph [0056]). Regarding Claim 20:In the specification and Figures 1-25B Ekambaram discloses a method of using a rotor assembly (rotor sections forming rotor assembly, see paragraph [0056]) for an ESP motor (116) comprises: assembling the rotor assembly using the method of claim 12 (see rejection of claim 12 above); assembling the ESP motor (116) with the rotor assembly therein (as seen in Figure 25B); assembling an ESP assembly (110) comprising the ESP motor coupled to an ESP pump (motor 116 coupled to pump 112, see paragraph [0054]); inserting the ESP assembly downhole in a wellbore (as seen in Figure 1); and pumping formation fluids from the wellbore to the surface using the ESP assembly (see paragraph [0055]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 4-10 and 13-17 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.
Claim 2 recites the limitation: “the axial support flange (2007) is configured to limit axial dishing of the thrust washer (730) to less than 100 micron.” Ekambaram is completely silent regarding the structure of the axial support flange (ASF, see Figure A above) and so is silent regarding whether its structure is capable of limiting the axial dishing of the thrust washer (50) to less than 100 micron. Further searches have not yielded a prior art references or combination of prior art references that would satisfactorily anticipate or render obvious this limitation. This is not an obvious design choice modification either since specific structural designs and attributes have to be met in order to accomplish the claimed function. Claim 13 recites a similar limitation as claim 2 and so is allowable for the same reasons.
Claim 4 recites the limitations: “wherein: the rotor module (405) comprises: a lamination stack (740) concentrically disposed about the drive shaft (220) and configured to rotate with the drive shaft, a plurality of cage bars (720) disposed axially within the lamination stack and concentrically disposed about the drive shaft, and a cage ring (725) connected to the plurality of cage bars at each end of the lamination stack and concentrically disposed about the drive shaft; and the axial support flange does not extend radially outward as far as the cage bars.” While Ekambaram broadly discloses cage bars and a lamination stack (paragraph [0056] states: “The rotor typically is made up of a number of rotor sections, the number of rotor sections depending upon the length and power rating of the motor. Generally, each rotor section includes laminated steel plates or disks secured by copper rods.”) these is no specific mention of these cage bars (copper rods) being connected to a cage ring and the axial support flange (ASF) not extending radially outward as far as a the cage bars. While it is conceivable that the rotor can be modified to incorporate the cage ring and the concentric placement of the cage bars around the drive shaft, the further adjustment of the axial support flange to not extend radially beyond the cage bars would require substantial impermissible hindsight reconstruction.
Claim 6 recites the limitations: “a thrust washer support (1210) which is disposed concentrically on the drive shaft and axially between the rotor module and the bearing assembly, wherein the axial support flange (2007) extends radially outward from the thrust washer support.” Ekambaram makes no mention of a thrust washer support from which the axial support flange extends radially outward. There would be no reasonable motivation to add such a thrust washer support. Claim 15 recites similar limitations as claim 6 and so is allowable for the same reasons.
Claims 5, 7-10, 14 and 16-17 are dependent on one of the aforementioned allowable claims and so are allowable for the same reasons mentioned above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See appended PTO-892 for relevant ESP structures and associated bearings.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DOMINICK L PLAKKOOTTAM whose telephone number is (571)270-7571. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 12 pm -8 pm ET.
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/DOMINICK L PLAKKOOTTAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746
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