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 . This Office Action is responsive to the Applicant's communication filed April 14, 2026. In view of this communication and the amendment concurrently filed: claims 1-7 were previously pending; no claims were cancelled and claims 26-27 were added by amendment; and thus, claims 1-7 and 26-27 are now pending in the application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed April 14, 2026 have been fully considered.
The Applicant's first point (page 4 of Remarks) amends claim 1 to remove the 112(b) rejection. Therefor the 112(b) rejection is moot and removed.
The Applicant's second point (page 5-7 of Remarks) amends claim 1 to include the limitation, “wherein the rotor body includes a hollow core positioned on a radially inner side of the rotor body.” The Applicant goes on to argue that the amendment overcomes the current rejection. The Examiner agrees with the Applicant’s line of reasoning, but the amendment opens up the application for a new grounds of rejection provided below.
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, 5, 26, and 27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated SCHILL (DE 102013105964 A1).
Regarding claim 1, SCHILL teaches:
An electric motor (Fig 1A; 2) comprising:
a stator(Fig 1A; 3); and
a rotor assembly (Fig 1A; 1)including a rotor body (Fig 5; 30) and a pinion gear (Fig 5; 18)integrally formed as a single piece with the rotor body (Fig 5; 30) from a single contiguous material[0010],
wherein the rotor body (Fig 5; 30) includes a hollow core (Fig 5; 36)positioned on a radially inner side of the rotor body(Fig 5; 30)[0028].
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Regarding claim 5, SCHILL teaches the electric motor of claim 1:
wherein the stator (Fig 1A; 3)includes a stator core, and
wherein the stator core is a composite body(stacked ferromagnetic metal sheets [0026]) made from a plurality of materials(includes soft metals and insulations [0026]).
Regarding claim 26, SCHILL teaches the electric motor of claim 1:
wherein the rotor assembly (Fig 5; 1)includes a transition portion (Fig 5; 42)extending between the pinion gear (Fig 5; 18)and the rotor body(Fig 5; 30), and wherein the transition portion (Fig 5; 42) is integrally formed as a single piece with the rotor body (Fig 5; 30) and the pinion gear (Fig 5; 18)from a single contiguous material(the transitional portion 42 of SCHILL is referred to as a “shaft” however structurally resembles the present inventions and functionally connects the pinon 18 top the rotor body 30 integrally).
Regarding claim 27, SCHILL teaches the electric motor of claim 26:
wherein the hollow core (Fig 5; 36) extends through the transition portion(Fig 5; 42) and the pinion gear(Fig 5; 18).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 2-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SCHILL (DE 102013105964 A1) in view of LOUBIER (US 3872334 A).
In regards to claim 2, SCHILL teaches the electric motor of claim 1.
SCHILL does not teach:
wherein the rotor body and the pinion gear are formed by a powder metallurgy process.
LOUBIER teaches:
wherein the rotor body(Fig 3; 10) and the pinion gear (Fig 3; 20)are formed by a powder metallurgy process(mixture of thermoplastic powder and barium ferrite particles [abstract]).
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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 SCHILL by using the metallurgic method of manufactory taught by LOUBIER, in order to obtain the necessary magnetic and physical strengths [LOUBIER Col 4; 53-56].
Additionally, 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. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416 .
The Applicant should also note, the limitation of a powder metallurgy process in claim 2 (and subsequent claims 3-4), are considered as a product-by-process limitation. “Even though product-by-process claims are limited by and defined by the process, determination of patentability is based on the product itself. The patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production. If the product in the product-by-process claim is the same as or obvious from a product of the prior art, the claim is unpatentable even though the prior product was made by a different process.” In re Thorpe, 777F, 2d 659, 698, 227 USPQ 964, 966 (Fed. Cir. 1985); see also MPEP 2113.
In regards to claim 3, SCHILL, in view of LOUBIER, teaches the electric motor of claim 2.
SCHILL does not teach:
wherein the powder metallurgy process includes at least pressing and sintering.
LOUBIER teaches:
wherein the powder metallurgy process includes at least pressing and sintering[Col 3; 65 – Col 4; 30].
In regards to claim 4, SCHILL, in view of LOUBIER, teaches the electric motor of claim 2.
SCHILL does not teach:
wherein the powder metallurgy process includes a soft magnetic composite.
LOUBIER teaches:
wherein the powder metallurgy process includes a soft magnetic composite (ceramic magnet [Col 1; 6-37]).
Claim(s) 6 and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SCHILL (DE 102013105964 A1) in view of RAPANT(US 20220014055 A1).
In regards to claim 6, SCHILL teaches the electric motor of claim 1.
SCHILL does not teach:
an impeller, and
a mating element disposed on the rotor body, the mating element configured to couple the impeller to the rotor body.
RAPANT teaches:
an impeller(Fig 2; 126), and
a mating element (Fig 2; 226)disposed on the rotor body(Fig 2; 122), the mating element (Fig 2; 226)configured to couple the impeller (Fig 2; 126)to the rotor body(Fig 2; 122)[0052].
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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 SCHILL by adding the impeller and mating element taught by RAPANT, in order to provide cooling air to the electric motor[0041 RAPANT], thus improving efficiency of the motor.
In regards to claim 7, SCHILL teaches the electric motor of claim 1:
a rotor body (Fig 5; 30) and a pinion gear (Fig 5; 18)integrally formed
SCHILL does not teach:
wherein the rotor assembly includes an impeller integrally formed with the rotor body and the pinion gear, the impeller configured to generate an airflow in response to rotation of the rotor body.
RAPANT teaches:
wherein the rotor assembly (Fig 2; 100) includes an impeller(Fig 2; 126) with the rotor body (Fig 2; 122), the impeller (Fig 2; 126) configured to generate an airflow in response to rotation of the rotor body(Fig 2; 122)[0041].
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 SCHILL by adding the impeller and mating element taught by RAPANT, in order to provide cooling air to the electric motor[0041 RAPANT], thus improving efficiency of the motor.
Combination SCHILL and RAPNT discloses the claimed invention except for an impeller integral to the rotor body and pinion gear. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to make these parts integrally formed in one piece, since it has been held that forming in one piece an article which has formerly been formed in two pieces and put together involves only routine skill in the art. Howarli v. Detroit Stove Works, 150 U.S. 164 (1893). Additionally, SCHILL shows the pinion gear and rotor body integrally formed into one piece [SCHILL abstract]; this method could similarly be used for the impeller structure taught in RAPANT.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NICHOLAS L SETZER whose telephone number is (571)272-3021. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm EST.
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/N.L.S./ Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/OLUSEYE IWARERE/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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