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 Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see page 12, filed 01/02/2026, with respect to objections to the specification and rejections under 35 USC 112 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The objections to the specification and rejection of claim 7 under 35 USC 112 have been withdrawn.
Applicant's arguments filed 01/02/2026, page 13-15, regarding rejections under 35 USC 102 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues, p. 13 para 2 to p. 14 para 1, that “Palfenier does not describe or suggest a second end cap formed on a second side of the stator and secured to the first end cap to form a first compartment around the stator and the rotor, as recited in claim 1. . . because the housing 18 is not secured to the gear compartment cover cap 134 to form a first compartment around the stator and the rotor. Instead, Palfenier describes a gear compartment for the gear assembly and not for the stator and the rotor.”
However, PALFENIER discloses the claimed subject matter as broadly claimed. The housing 18 and gear compartment cover cap 134 form the sides and bottom of a compartment which contains the stator and rotor, among other things, as seen in Fig. 2. The presence of intervening elements, such as a gear assembly and the support walls for bearing 36, do not alter the relationship between the housing, cap, stator, and rotor as broadly claimed.
Applicant argues, p. 14 para 2 to para 5 that “Palfenier does not describe or suggest a position sensor assembly mounted on the second end cap outside the first compartment, as recited in claim 1. . . because the position sensor assembly 158 is not mounted on the housing 18 outside the first compartment. Instead, the position sensor assembly 158 is fixed to the circuit board assembly 16. In Palfenier, there is no position sensor assembly mounted on the second end cap, as recited in claim 1.”
However, PALFENIER discloses the position sensor assembly 158 is mounted on the second end cap 18 as broadly claimed, i.e. via the circuit board assembly 16, and outside the first compartment as broadly claimed, i.e. by virtue of being above the support frame 48 which may define the upper bounds of the first compartment as broadly claimed, as seen in Fig. 2.
Applicant argues, p. 15, regarding claim 3 that “Palfenier does not describe or suggest that the circuit board compartment cover 160 includes an annular wall extending fittingly around a recessed annular wall of the housing 18. Instead, as quoted above, Palfenier only describes that a circuit board compartment cover 160 may be fastened to the housing 18.”
However, PALFENIER discloses the second end cap (18) includes an outer annular body having a stepped portion forming a recessed annular wall in an upper portion thereof, and the motor cover (160) includes an annular wall extending fittingly around the recessed annular wall of the second end cap (18), as broadly claimed (see annotated Fig. 2, below, for further detail)
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Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 1/02/206 is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-6, 10-11 and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by PALFENIER (US 20140021832, previously cited).
Regarding claim 1, PALFENIER discloses an electric motor (14) comprising:
a stator (34) having a stator core, a plurality of stator teeth extending radially from the stator core, and a plurality of windings (54) wound around the plurality of stator teeth (see Fig. 2);
a rotor (32) rotatably positioned relative to the stator (34) and having a rotor core and a plurality of permanent magnets (44) secured to the rotor core in magnetic interface with the plurality of windings (54) (see Fig. 2);
a motor spindle (84) coupled to the rotor (32) and extending along a center axis(see Fig. 2);
a first end cap (134) formed on a first side of the stator (34) (see Fig. 2);
a second end cap (18) formed on a second side of the stator (34) and secured to the first end cap (134) to form a first compartment around the stator (34) and the rotor (32) (see Fig. 2);
a position sensor assembly (158) mounted on the second end cap (18) outside the first compartment and arranged to sense a magnetic orientation of the motor spindle (84)(see para [0033]); and
a motor cover (160) mounted on the second end cap (18) to form a second compartment around the position sensor assembly (158) (see Fig. 2),
wherein the first end cap (134), the second end cap (18), and the motor cover (160) form a substantially watertight seal around the stator (34), the rotor (32), and the position sensor assembly (158) (see para [0036] and Fig. 2).
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Regarding claim 2, PALFENIER discloses the electric motor of claim 1, wherein at least the second end cap (18) comprises thermally-conductive material, the electric motor (14) further comprising a plurality of gap pads (66) mounted on an axial end of the plurality of windings (54) in contact with the second end cap (18), the plurality of gap pads (66) being made of thermally-conductive but electrically-insulating material (see para [0018]) to transfer heat from the plurality of windings (54) to the second end cap (18).
Regarding claim 3, PALFENIER discloses the electric motor of claim 1, wherein the second end cap (18) includes an outer annular body having a stepped portion forming a recessed annular wall in an upper portion thereof, and the motor cover (160) includes an annular wall extending fittingly around the recessed annular wall of the second end cap (18). (see Figs. 1 and 2)
Regarding claim 4, PALFENIER discloses the electric motor of claim 3, wherein the recessed annular wall of the second end cap (18) includes an annular groove therein, the electric motor (14) further comprising an elastically-deformable ring member (164) located partially within the annular groove in engagement with the annular wall of the motor cover (160) to provide a seal between the second end cap (18) and the motor cover (160) (see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 5, PALFENIER discloses the electric motor of claim 3, further comprising an elastically-deformable ring member (164) located against the stepped portion of the second end cap (18) and a frontal end of the annular wall of the motor cover (160) to provide a seal between the second end cap (18) and the motor cover (160).
Regarding claim 6, PALFENIER discloses the electric motor of claim 3, further comprising a strain relief (154) configured to capture a wire cord at at least an exit point of the wire cord from the second compartment, wherein the motor cover (160) cooperates with the second end cap (18) to form a grommet around the strain relief, the grommet and the strain relief (154) providing a seal for at the exit point of the wire cord from the second compartment (see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 10, PALFENIER discloses the electric motor of claim 3, wherein the second end cap (18) includes an outer annular surface extending from the motor cover (160) to the first end cap (134), a flange projecting outwardly from the outer annular body to create a mating surface with the first end cap (134), and a plurality of fins (128) that extend longitudinally along the outer annular surface and include sloped outer edges proximate the flange(see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 11, PALFENIER discloses the electric motor of claim 1, wherein the rotor core comprises an outer annular body surrounding the stator (34) configured to support the plurality of permanent magnets (44), a radial wall extending from the outer annular body and coupled to the motor spindle (84), a plurality of peripheral openings (68) formed in the radial wall, and a plurality of ribs (52) formed between the plurality of peripheral openings and configured to generate an airflow circulated through the electric motor (14)(see para [0018] and Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 23, PALFENIER discloses an electric motor (14) comprising:
a stator (34) having a stator core;
a rotor (32) rotatably positioned relative to the stator (34);
a motor spindle (84) coupled to the rotor (32);
a first end cap (134) formed on a first side of the stator (34) (see Fig. 2);
a second end cap (18) formed on a second side of the stator (34) and secured to the first end cap (134) to form a first compartment around the stator (34) and the rotor (32) (see Fig. 2);
a position sensor assembly (158) mounted on the second end cap (18) outside the first compartment and arranged to sense a magnetic orientation of the motor spindle (84) (see para [0033]); and
a motor cover (160) mounted on the second end cap (18) to form a second compartment around the position sensor assembly (158) (see Fig. 2),
wherein the first end cap (134), the second end cap (18), and the motor cover (160) form a substantially watertight seal around the stator (34), the rotor (32), and the position sensor assembly (158) (see para [0036] and Fig. 2).
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.
Claims 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over PALFENIER in view of TAMURA (JP 2015-173566).
Regarding claim 7, PALFENIER discloses the electric motor of claim 1, wherein a rear end of the motor spindle (84) is received through a center opening of the second end cap (18) into the second compartment, and wherein the position sensor assembly (158) comprises a circuit board (16) sized to be located around the rear end of the motor spindle (84)(see Fig. 1).
However, PALFENIER does not teach the circuit board having a U-shaped profile.
TAMURA discloses an electric motor circuit board 20 having a U-shaped profile [para 0036, Fig. 5].
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It 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 to provide the motor of PALFENIER with the circuit board having a U-shaped profile, similar to TAMURA.
A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains would have been motivated to make such modification in order to enable the assembly “by guiding the circuit board from the direction orthogonal to the rotation shaft” whereby “the axial length of the electric motor portion can be shortened, and the axial length of the entire device can be shortened” as taught by TAMURA (para [0023]).
Regarding claim 8, PALFENIER in view of TAMURA teaches the electric motor of claim 7, wherein PALFENIER teaches the second end cap (18) includes an inner annular body that forms the center opening therein, the electric motor (14) further comprising a rear bearing (36) mounted on the motor spindle (84) with its outer race securely coupled with the inner annular body, and a sense magnet (156) mounted on the motor spindle (84) within the inner annular body in magnetic interface with the position sensor assembly (158).
Regarding claim 9, PALFENIER in view of TAMURA teaches the electric motor of claim 8, wherein PALFENIER teaches a lateral width of an inner opening of the circuit board (16) is greater than a diameter of the rear end of the motor spindle (84), but smaller than a diameter of the inner annular body of the second end cap (18) to facilitate the position sensor assembly (158) being mounted on a surface of the second end cap (18) (see Fig. 2).
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 JUSTIN STEFANON whose telephone number is (703)756-4648. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday and alternate Fridays 8AM - 5PM EDT.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Oluseye Iwarere can be reached at (571) 270-5112. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JUSTIN STEFANON/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/OLUSEYE IWARERE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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