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 .
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 1-4 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.
With regards to claim 1, the claim states “fitting into the groove to be formed into a rectangular shape”, it is unclear if the groove is being formed into a rectangular shape or if the assembled wire is being formed into the rectangular shape. It is noted that should the forming into a rectangular shape be referring to the assembled wire it is suggested to amend the limitation “a rectangular shape” to read as “the rectangular shape” to provide proper antecedent basis in the claim.
The claim states “and heated and integrated in the integration step as it is”, it is unclear what is encompassed within the phrase “as it is” thereby rendering the metes and bounds of the claim indefinite.
With regards to claim 2, the claim states “the assembled wire is a litz wire obtained by twisting a plurality of round wires having a circular cross-sectional shape having an insulating film”, this renders the claim indefinite since claim 1 sets forth the assembled wire is composed of a plurality of strand wires having an insulating film, therefore it is unclear if the plurality of round wires are in addition to the plurality of strand wires set forth in claim 1 or if the assembled wire is composed of both the plurality of stand wires and the plurality of round wires. For examination purposes the limitation is being interpreted as the plurality of strand wires are further defined as the plurality of round wires.
The claim states “and is a self-bonding wire having a bonding film”, it is unclear if this wire is in addition to the plurality of round wires or if the limitation is intending to set forth the plurality of round wires are self-bonding wires. Clarification and/or correction is required.
With regards to claim 4, the claim states “forming an assembled wire obtained by assembling a plurality of strand wires having an insulating film”, this renders the claim indefinite since claim 1 sets forth the “assembled wire is composed of a plurality of strand wires having an insulating film” therefore it is unclear if the plurality of strand wires with an insulating film recited in claim 4 is in addition to the plurality of strand wires of claim 1 or if the plurality of strand wires recited in claim 4 is intending to refer to the same plurality of strand wires of claim 1. For examination purposes the limitation is being interpreted as referring to the same plurality of strand wires.
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(s) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagai et al (JP 2005085560A; cited by Applicant) in view of Mori et al (JP 2003086446A; cited by Applicant).
In reference to claim 1, Nagai et al discloses a manufacturing method of a rectangular wire bundle product comprising
a bending step of bending an assembled wire composed of a plurality of strand wires having an insulating film into a predetermined shape,
a rectangular shape formation step of forming the assembled wire bent into the predetermined shape in the bending step into a rectangular shape so that a cross section becomes a rectangular shape [see option 3 of abstract] ,
wherein in the bending step, the assembled wire is set in mold with a square cross section and bend into the predetermined shape, and in the rectangular shape formation step, the assembled wire is pressurized to form the rectangular shape [see option 3 of abstract].
Nagai et al discloses the invention substantially as claimed except for wherein a mold is used to hold the predetermined shape and apply the pressurizing, and an integration step is provided.
However, Mori et al teaches of forming a coil by bending an assembled wire in a groove of a mold [groove is formed between frame 9 and protrusion 6] and pressurizing the coil with another mold (7) having a protrusion part capable of fitting into the groove and heating and integrating the assembled wire while being pressurized in the groove by thermal bonding for the purpose of creating a stable shaped coil with high shape retaining properties.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Nagai et al to perform the bending and rectangular shape formation with the molds of Mori et al and further include the heating and integration step, as taught by Mori et al, to ensure the final coil will have high shape retaining properties.
In reference to claim 2, Nagai et al further discloses the assembled wire is a litz wire obtained by twisting the plurality of strand wires having a circular cross-sectional shape having an insulating film and is a self-bonding wire having a bonding film that further coats a periphery of the insulating film.
In reference to claim 3, the litz wire has a twist pitch of 150mm or more.
In reference to claim 4, Nagai et al further discloses an assembled wire formation step of forming an assembled wire obtained by assembling the plurality of strand wires having the insulating film [see abstract].
Conclusion
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/Debra M Sullivan/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3725