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 .
Response to Amendment
Regarding objections to the claims:
Claim 20 was objected to due to an informality. The Applicant amended claim 20 to correct the informality, therefore the objection was withdrawn.
Regarding rejections of the claims under §103:
Claims 1-4, 6, 12, 14-15, 17, and 19-20 were rejected as being obvious over Neff in view of Ratliff. Claims 5, 7-11, 13, 16, and 18 were rejected as being obvious over Neff in view of Ratliff and Denes. The Applicant amended claim 1.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 7-9, filed 7/10/2026, with respect to the rejection of claim 1 under 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground of rejection is made in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2020/0259406 to Neff.
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.
Claims 1-4, 6, 12, 14-15, 17, and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0257870 to Neff et al. (hereinafter Neff ‘870) in view of U.S. Patent No. 6,497,035 to Ratliff and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2020/0259406 to Neff et al. (hereinafter Neff ‘406).
Regarding claim 1, Neff ‘870 teaches a coil substrate, comprising:
a first flexible substrate (FIG. 8, 800, upper portion);
a coil formed on the first flexible substrate (FIG. 8; 810, 820, 830);
a second flexible substrate (FIG. 8, 800, lower right portion) extending from the first flexible substrate; and
a wiring (FIG. 13; U, V, W) formed on the second flexible substrate and configured to be electrically connected to the coil formed on the first flexible substrate (Paragraph [0059]),
wherein the first flexible substrate and the second flexible substrate are formed in plane such that a single flexible substrate (FIG. 13, 1300) has a first portion comprising the first flexible substrate and a second portion comprising the second flexible substrate, the first flexible substrate is configured to be wound in a cylindrical shape (FIG. 7, 700) and has a substantially rectangular shape having a long side and a short side (FIG. 8, 800, upper portion), the second flexible substrate includes a first portion (FIG. 8, lower right portion) extending from the first flexible substrate along the short side of the first flexible substrate.
Neff ‘870 does not teach a second portion extending from the first portion of the second flexible substrate along the long side of the first flexible substrate such that the second flexible substrate has a gap extending along the long side of the first flexible substrate and between the second portion of the second flexible substrate and the first flexible substrate and that the second portion of the second flexible substrate is formed alongside the long side of the first flexible substrate across the gap.
However, Ratliff teaches a flexible substrate (FIG. 9, 124) with a second portion (FIG. 9, 126) formed along the long side of a first substrate (FIG. 9, 132).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the coil substrate of Neff ’870 with the second portion of the flexible substrate of Ratliff as extending the second flexible substrate in that direction results in a more compact form factor.
Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff does not teach the second flexible substrate in plane with the first flexible substrate and having a gap extending along the long side of the first flexible substrate and between the second portion of the second flexible substrate and the first flexible substrate and that the second portion of the second flexible substrate is formed alongside the long side of the first flexible substrate across the gap.
However, Neff ‘406 teaches a second flexible substrate (FIG. 6A, 620) formed in plane with a first substrate (FIG. 6A, 610) and having a gap extending along a side of the first substrate and between the second portion of the second flexible substrate and the first substrate and that the second portion of the second flexible substrate is formed alongside the side of the first substrate across the gap (FIG. 6A; 620, 610).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the coil substrate of Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff with the teachings of Neff ‘406 to provide an in plane gap between the two substrates to reduce the footprint of the substrates out of the plane.
Regarding claim 2, Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff and Neff ‘406 teaches the coil substrate according to claim 1, wherein Neff ‘870 further teaches a plurality of coils formed on the first flexible substrate such that the coil and plurality of coils include a U-phase coil, a V-phase coil, and a W-phase coil (Paragraph [0060]); and a plurality of winding formed on the second flexible substrate such that the wiring and plurality of wirings include a U-phase wiring configured to supply current to the U-phase coil, a V-phase wiring configured to supply current to the V-phase coil, and a W-phase wiring configured to supply current to the W-phase coil (FIG. 13; U, V, W; Paragraph [0060]).
Regarding claim 3, Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff and Neff ‘406 teaches the coil substrate according to claim 1, wherein Ratliff further teaches the second portion of the second flexible substrate having a substantially rectangular shape (FIG. 9, 126) having a long side and a short side such that the long side of the second portion in the second flexible substrate faces the long side of the first flexible substrate (FIG. 9, long side of 126 faces long side of 132).
Regarding claim 4, Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff and Neff ‘406 teaches the coil substrate according to claim 1, wherein Neff ‘406 further teaches the second flexible substrate being formed such that the gap extending between the first flexible substrate and the second portion of the second flexible substrate having a substantially uniform width (FIG. 6A; gap between 610 and 620 is mostly uniform).
Regarding claim 6, Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff and Neff ‘406 teaches the coil substrate according to claim 1, wherein Neff ‘870 further teaches the wiring formed on the second flexible substrate being configured to supply current to the coil formed on the first flexible substrate (Paragraph [0057]-[0059]).
Regarding claim 12, Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff and Neff ‘406 teaches the coil substrate according to claim 2, wherein Neff ‘406 further teaches the second flexible substrate being formed such that the gap extending between the first flexible substrate and the second portion of the second flexible substrate having a substantially uniform width (FIG. 6A; gap between 610 and 620 is mostly uniform).
Regarding claim 14, Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff and Neff ‘406 teaches the coil substrate according to claim 3, wherein Neff ‘870 further teaches the wiring formed on the second flexible substrate being configured to supply current to the coil formed on the first flexible substrate (Paragraph [0057]-[0059]).
Regarding claim 15, Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff and Neff ‘406 teaches the coil substrate according to claim 3, wherein Neff ‘406 further teaches the second flexible substrate being formed such that the gap extending between the first flexible substrate and the second portion of the second flexible substrate having a substantially uniform width (FIG. 6A; gap between 610 and 620 is mostly uniform).
Regarding claim 17, Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff and Neff ‘406 teaches the coil substrate according to claim 4, wherein Neff ‘870 further teaches the wiring formed on the second flexible substrate being configured to supply current to the coil formed on the first flexible substrate (Paragraph [0057]-[0059]).
Regarding claim 19, Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff and Neff ‘406 teaches the coil substrate according to claim 1, wherein Neff ‘870 further teaches the wiring formed on the second flexible substrate being formed such that the wiring is formed on and across the first and second flexible substrates and connected to the coil formed on the first flexible substrate (FIG. 13; U, V, W, C1R1, C2R1, C3R1; Paragraph [0057]-[0059]).
Regarding claim 20, Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff and Neff ‘406 teaches the coil substrate according to claim 2, wherein Neff ‘870 further teaches the wiring and plurality of wirings formed on the second flexible substrate is formed such that the U-phase wiring is formed on and across the first and second flexible substrates and connected to the U-phase coil formed on the first flexible substrate (FIG. 13; U, 1302; Paragraph [0058]), the V-phase wiring is formed on and across the first and second flexible substrates and connected to the V-phase coil formed on the first flexible substrate (FIG. 13; V, 1312; Paragraph [0058]), and the W-phase wiring is formed on and across the first and second flexible substrates and connected to the W-phase coil formed on the first flexible substrate (FIG. 13; W, 1322; Paragraph [0058]).
Claims 5, 7-11, 13, 16, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff and Neff ‘406 and in further view of U.S. Patent No. 5,220,488 to Denes.
Regarding claim 5, Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff and Neff ‘406 teaches the coil substrate according to claim 1, wherein Ratliff further teaches the second flexible substrate extending substantially perpendicular to the long side of the first flexible substrate (FIG. 9, sides of 126 and 132 are parallel due to the connection between 130 and 131 being perpendicular).
Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff and Neff ‘406 does not teach the second flexible substrate being folded in the second portion.
However, Denes teaches a flexible substrate (FIG. 5, 11) being folded (Column 4 lines 26-34).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the coil substrate of Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff and Neff ‘406 with the folded flexible substrate of Denes to further reduce the form factor of the total substrate in at least one direction.
Regarding claim 7, Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff, Neff ‘406, and Denes teaches a motor coil substrate (Neff ‘870 FIG. 8, 800), comprising: the coil substrate of claim 5 comprising the first flexible substrate that is wound (Neff ‘870 FIG. 7, 800; Paragraph [0049]) and the second flexible substrate that is folded (Denes FIG. 5, 11; Column 4 lines 26-34).
Regarding claim 8, Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff, Neff ‘406, and Denes teaches the motor coil substrate according to claim 7, wherein the second flexible substrate is folded twice (Denes FIG. 5, 17) such that the second portion of the second flexible substrate extends linearly from the first portion of the second flexible substrate and substantially perpendicular to the long side of the first flexible substrate (Ratliff FIG. 9, sides of 126 and 132 are parallel due to the connection between 130 and 131 being perpendicular).
Regarding claim 9, Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff, Neff ‘406, and Denes teaches the motor coil substrate according to claim 7, wherein the first flexible substrate has a substantially rectangular shape (Neff ‘870 FIG. 8, 800, upper portion) having a long side and a short side such that the second portion of the second flexible substrate is formed along the long side of the first flexible substrate (Ratliff FIG. 9, long side of 126 faces long side of 132).
Regarding claim 10, Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff, Neff ‘406, and Denes teaches a motor (Neff ‘870 FIG. 3, 300), comprising:
the motor coil substrate of claim 7 having a space; and a magnet positioned inside the space formed by the motor coil substrate (Neff ‘870 FIG. 3, 328),
wherein the motor coil substrate is formed such that the second flexible substrate extends substantially perpendicular to a rotation direction of the motor (Neff ‘870 FIG. 8, 800, lower right portion: extends perpendicular to long side of coils as the rotation direction would face the long side of the coil substrate).
Regarding claim 11, Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff, Neff ‘406, and Denes teaches the motor according to claim 10, wherein Neff ‘870 further teaches the coil substrate being formed such that the second flexible substrate is configured to extend substantially perpendicular to a rotation direction of the motor when folded (FIG. 8, 800, lower right portion: extends perpendicular to long side of coils as the rotation direction would face the long side of the coil substrate).
Regarding claim 13, Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff and Neff ‘406 teaches the coil substrate according to claim 2, wherein Ratliff further teaches the second flexible substrate extending substantially perpendicular to the long side of the first flexible substrate (FIG. 9, sides of 126 and 132 are parallel due to the connection between 130 and 131 being perpendicular).
Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff and Neff ‘406 does not teach the second flexible substrate being folded in the second portion.
However, Denes teaches a flexible substrate (FIG. 5, 11) being folded (Column 4 lines 26-34).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the coil substrate of Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff and Neff ‘406 with the folded flexible substrate of Denes to further reduce the form factor of the total substrate in at least one direction.
Regarding claim 16, Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff and Neff ‘406 teaches the coil substrate according to claim 3, wherein Ratliff further teaches the second flexible substrate extending substantially perpendicular to the long side of the first flexible substrate (FIG. 9, sides of 126 and 132 are parallel due to the connection between 130 and 131 being perpendicular).
Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff and Neff ‘406 does not teach the second flexible substrate being folded in the second portion.
However, Denes teaches a flexible substrate (FIG. 5, 11) being folded (Column 4 lines 26-34).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the coil substrate of Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff and Neff ‘406 with the folded flexible substrate of Denes to further reduce the form factor of the total substrate in at least one direction.
Regarding claim 18, Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff and Neff ‘406 teaches the coil substrate according to claim 4, wherein Ratliff further teaches the second flexible substrate extending substantially perpendicular to the long side of the first flexible substrate (FIG. 9, sides of 126 and 132 are parallel due to the connection between 130 and 131 being perpendicular).
Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff and Neff ‘406 does not teach the second flexible substrate being folded in the second portion.
However, Denes teaches a flexible substrate (FIG. 5, 11) being folded (Column 4 lines 26-34).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the coil substrate of Neff ‘870 in view of Ratliff and Neff ‘406 with the folded flexible substrate of Denes to further reduce the form factor of the total substrate in at least one direction.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSHUA KIEL MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-9881. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:30am - 7:00pm ET.
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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.
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/JOSHUA KIEL M RODRIGUEZ/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/TULSIDAS C PATEL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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