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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: 221 found in FIG. 1. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) 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 and 12-13 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.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "the rotating shaft" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is ambiguous which renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether or not the limitation refers to “a rotating shaft” mentioned in claim 3, line 4. Since claim 7 is not dependent on claim 3, it is unclear if claim 7’s “rotating shaft” is the same as claim 3’s rotating shaft”. For the same reason, claim 8 is rejected as well.
Claim 12 recites the limitation “a vehicle comprising the apparatus” in line 1. It is noted that claim 1 is directed to an apparatus for manufacturing hairpins, which can be installed in a vehicle. It is ambiguous which renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the claim is directed to (i) a vehicle comprising the hairpin made by the apparatus or (ii) a vehicle comprising the apparatus itself. For the same reason, claim 13 is rejected as well.
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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ciuk et al (U.S. Patent Application Publication 2022/0094246 A1), hereinafter Ciuk, in view of Guercioni (U.S. Patent Application Publication 9520762 B2).
Regarding claim 1, Ciuk discloses an apparatus (Title: “DEVICE FOR POSITIONING ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE SEGMENTS OF A WINDING OF A STATOR”) for bending and expanding a plurality of hairpins (pair of segments 501-504 in FIG. 9, ¶121) of a hairpin motor (motor, ¶2, “In a layout of motor with internal rotor, the stator may consist in a cylindric element arranged around a revolution axis to receive the rotor which is equipped with magnetic elements”), the apparatus comprising:
a driving unit (device 1 in FIG. 1, ¶75, “The function of the device 1 is to allow a correct positioning of each segment of the winding”) comprising a jig (series of fingers 6 & 7 in FIG. 3, ¶94, “All the fingers illustrated in FIG. 3 comprise an oblong part. More particularly the fingers of the first series of fingers 6 comprise a first oblong part 605, and the finger of the second series of fingers 7 comprises a second oblong part 705.”) that fixes the plurality of hairpins, a first actuator (means for rotating 9 in FIG. 1, ¶77, “Each rotative ring, and each cam by analogy, can be set in a rotary motion by means for rotating 9. Such means for rotating 9 can be a lever with a gear on one of its ends, said gear being arranged to interact with a toothed part of the rotative ring to initiate the rotary motion. Each rotative ring has its own means for rotating 9. Each means for rotating 9 can be controlled by a servomotor, which is not represented in the FIG. 1.”) connected to the jig to rotate the jig so that the plurality of hairpins is bent (positioning, ¶75, “The function of the device 1 is to allow a correct positioning of each segment of the winding”), and a second actuator (means for rotating 9 in FIG. 1, ¶77; see also annotated FIG. 1 below) connected to the jig and configured to move the jig in a state in which the hairpins are fixed by the jig so that each of the hairpins is expanded outwardly (moving towards the outside, ¶15, “The fingers moving in opposite radial directions, as explained above, the finger moving towards the outside of the device”; see also annotated FIG. 9 below) from a center of the stator (center of the circular support, ¶86, “Each guiding groove is open towards a center of the circular support in order to authorize the radial motion of the fingers which are arranged in.”).
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However, Ciuk fails to teach or suggest a holder on which a stator of hairpin motor coupled to the plurality of hairpins is mounted.
Guercioni teaches an apparatus (Title: “METHOD AND FIXTURE FOR TWISTING END PORTIONS OF BAR CONDUCTORS, IN PARTICULAR FOR BAR WINDINGS OF ELECTRIC MACHINES”) comprising a holder (FIG. 15, though not explicitly explained in the disclosure, the figure has a plate that secures the stator core 20 in place about the fixture 10) on which a stator (core 20 in FIG. 15, ¶43 , “there is shown fixture 10 and stator or rotor core 20. For example, core 20 is the core of a stator or rotor of an electric machine, such as for example an electric motor, for example for an electric or hybrid vehicle.”) of a hairpin motor coupled to the plurality of hairpins is mounted.
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Thus, it would have been obvious by one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing
date that applying the stator securing and arrangement technique taught by Guercioni to the stator manufacturing method of Ciuk would have yielded predictable results, allowing for the core and fixtures to be axially brought together in order to insert one part of the end portions into pockets of the main structures (Guercioni ¶52).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Ciuk and Guercioni further teaches that in the apparatus of claim 1, the stator is mounted on the holder so that the plurality of hairpins faces downwardly (Guercioni, FIG. 10, though not explicitly mentioned in the disclosure, the zoomed in image of the apparatus shows that the plate that secures the stator core 20 allows for the plurality of hairpins to face downwardly and allow the fixture 10 to be disposed below the holder), and the driving unit (Guercioni, fixture 10 in FIG. 10, ¶27, “fixture 10 is suitable for twisting free end portions”, was also referred to as device 1 from Ciuk) is disposed on a bottom portion of the holder, and
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wherein the apparatus further comprises an ascending and descending apparatus (Guercioni, FIG. 11 & 15, ¶56, “Starting with arrangement of FIG. 11, the pocket members 11, 14, 15 and 16 are rotationally actuated about twisting axis Z-Z and are simultaneously translated in the axial direction, in particular by bringing the fixture 10 closer to the core 20”) configured to move the driving unit upward and downward directions from the bottom portion so that the jig is inserted into or separated from the hairpin (see annotated FIG. 15 of Guercioni below; see also supra rejection of claim 1).
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Regarding claim 3, the combination of Ciuk and Guercioni further teaches that in the apparatus of claim 2, the ascending and descending apparatus comprises:
a first driving motor (Guercioni, FIG. 15, ¶61, “In other words, secondary structures are actuated in order to axially translate until they take up the above said axially forward position (FIG. 2), at which the remaining free end portions of arrays T1-T4 are received within pockets of secondary structures”); and
a connecting link (Guercioni, FIG. 15) connected to a rotating shaft (Guercioni, FIG. 15) of the first driving motor to move the driving unit in upward and downward directions. (See also supra rejection of claim 2).
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Regarding claim 4, the combination of Ciuk and Guercioni further teaches that in the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holder comprises:
a supporting unit extending in an upward and downward directions (Guercioni FIG. 15 annotated below, though not explicitly mentioned in the disclosure, the image of the apparatus has a support located on opposite ends to hold up additional elements such stator core 20); and
a mounting unit (Guercioni FIG. 15 annotated below, though not explicitly mentioned in the disclosure, the image of the apparatus has a structure that is contained within the plate to secure the stator core 20) coupled to an upper portion of the supporting unit and having the stator mounted thereon. (See supra rejection of claim 1).
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Regarding claim 5, the combination of Ciuk and Guercioni further teaches that the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driving unit comprises:
a main plate connected to the holder and configured to be movable in upward and downward directions (Guercioni FIG. 15 annotated below, though not explicitly mentioned in the disclosure, the image of the apparatus has a plate that holds up elements such as the actuating elements 210); and
a support extending upward from the main plate and having an upper portion on which the jig is disposed (Guercioni FIG. 15 annotated below, though not explicitly mentioned in the disclosure, the image of the apparatus has a support integrated into the plate that is mounted by the actuating elements 210). (See supra rejection of claim 1).
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Regarding claim 6, the combination of Ciuk and Guercioni further teaches that the apparatus of claim 5, wherein the driving unit further comprises a guide plate (Ciuk, circular support 4 in FIG. 2, ¶80, “FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the device wherein first rotative ring 2, second rotative ring 3 and circular support 4 are illustrated but no series of fingers.“) disposed on the upper portion of the support and connected to the jig to rotate the jig, and a rotating plate (Ciuk, second rotative ring 3 in FIG. 2, ¶80) configured to rotate relative to the guide plate to guide the jig to expand the jig from a center portion to the outside (Ciuk, center of the circular support in FIG. 2, ¶86, “Each guiding groove is open towards a center of the circular support in order to authorize the radial motion of the fingers which are arranged in.”). (See supra rejection of claim 5).
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Regarding claim 7, the combination of Ciuk and Guercioni further teaches that the apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first actuator comprises:
a second driving motor (Ciuk, servomotor, ¶77, “Each means for rotating 9 can be controlled by a servomotor“) driven to rotate the rotating shaft; and
a first connecting gear (Ciuk, first toothed part 200 in FIG. 2, ¶85, “The first rotative ring 2 comprises a first toothed part 200 arranged at a peripheral edge of the ring. Such first toothed part 200 is configured to be link to the gear of one of the means for rotating”) connecting the second driving motor and the guide plate and rotate the guide plate with respect to a center of the guide plate (Ciuk, revolution axis 100 in FIG. 2, ¶76, “Said revolution axis 100 is the same as the rotating axis of the rotary electrical machine when the device 1 is placed on such machine during welding operation”). (See supra rejection of claim 6).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Ciuk and Guercioni further teaches that the apparatus of claim 6, wherein the second actuator comprises:
a third driving motor (Ciuk, servomotor, ¶77) driven to rotate the rotating shaft (see supra 112(b) rejection about whether the limitation “the rotating shaft” refers to “a rotating shaft” in claim 3 or not;); and
a second connecting gear (Ciuk, second toothed part 300 in FIG. 2, ¶90, “the second rotative ring 3 also comprises a toothed part, more particularly a second toothed part 300, which is arranged to interact with one of the means for rotating”) that connects the third driving motor and the rotating plate so that the jig moves to a center side of the guide plate (Ciuk, revolution axis 100 in FIG. 2, ¶76) or from a center of the guide plate to the outside . (See supra rejection of claim 6 and 7).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Ciuk and Guercioni further teaches that the apparatus of claim 6, wherein the driving unit further comprises a bearing unit (Ciuk, cover 21 & 31 in FIG. 1, ¶76, “The device 1 comprises a first rotative ring and a first cover 21, a second rotative ring and a second cover 31, and a circular support 4 … and they are superposed one to the other with respect to the revolution axis 100 of the annular bodies.”, the covers also includes methods for mounting it onto a structure or stator core situated to contact the hairpins directly) configured to connect the guide plate and the support and allow the guide plate to freely rotate on the upper portion of the support. (See supra rejection of claim 6).
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Regarding claim 10, the combination of Ciuk and Guercioni further teaches that the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first actuator and the second actuator operate simultaneously (Ciuk, ¶18, “The characteristic of two separate rotating rings makes it possible to perform several simultaneous functions of spacing of the segments which must be isolated and of bridging of the segments which must be welded together, with radial movements in opposite directions of some of the series of fingers and radial movements in the same direction of other series of fingers”). (See supra rejection of claim 1).
Regarding claim 11, the combination of Ciuk and Guercioni further teaches that the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hairpin motor is an electric motor (Ciuk, rotary electric machine, abstract, “A device for positioning electrically conductive segments of a winding of a stator of a rotary electrical machine.”).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Ciuk and Guercioni further teaches a vehicle (Cuik, vehicle, ¶2, “In order to supply energy for an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, it is known to use electric engines comprising a rotary electrical machine.”) comprising the apparatus of claim 11. For the same reason, claim 13 is rejected as well.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EUGENE REY D LEGASPI whose telephone number is (571)272-2956. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9-5PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thomas Hong can be reached at (571) 272-0993. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/E.D.L./Examiner, Art Unit 3729 /THOMAS J HONG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3729