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 December 24, 2025. In view of this communication and the amendment concurrently filed: claims 1-6 were previously pending; no claims were cancelled and no claims were added by amendment; and thus, claims 1-6 are now pending in the application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed December 24, 2025 have been fully considered.
The Applicant's first point (page 4-5 of Remarks) amends claim 1 to remove the new matter, thus making the 112(a) rejection moot.
The Applicant's second point (page 5-8 of Remarks) amends claim 1 to include the new limitation, “the shaft has a refrigerant supply hole perpendicular to the shaft and the refrigerant entry portion and directly connecting the refrigerant entry portion to an internal portion of the shaft, the refrigerant supply hole configured to supply refrigerant to the refrigerant exit portion about the outer circumference of the shaft via the refrigerant entry portion.” The Applicant goes on to argue that YOSHIMI does not teach this new limitation.
Firstly, the Applicant argues that the refrigerant supply holes 120b of YOSHIMI are not “perpendicular to the shaft and the refrigerant entry portion and directly connecting the refrigerant entry portion to an internal portion of the shaft.” The refrigerant supply hole 120b (radial) is clearly perpendicular to the shaft 66 (axial) and the entry portion 125L (circumferential), as shown in fig 5 and fig 6 of YOSHIMI. Additionally, the refrigerant supply hole 120b directly connects refrigerant entry portion 125L to internal 120a because 120c occupies the same space as refrigerant entry portion 125L, and YOSHIMI states, “internal flow passage 120a flows into any one of the external flow passages 120c via the plurality of discharge ports 120b,” [0064].
Also, the Applicant argues that 125L is not a refrigerant entry portion because it is not provided between convex portions because grooves 88 interrupt the entry portion. However, the Examiner assert that under the broadest reasonable interpretation(MPEP 2111) of the claims that refrigerant entry portion 125L still falls between convex portions 86L/R, even though grooves 88 interrupt it. There is no reason to assume that a portion of space (like a refrigerant entry portion) no longer exists because it is interrupted.
For these reasons shown above the Applicants argument is not found persuasive, and the 102 rejection is upheld.
The Applicant's third point (page 8 of Remarks) argues that FUJITA does not teach the aforementioned deficiencies found in YOSHIMI. However, the Examiner has asserted and explained that no deficiencies in YOSHIMI are found, therefor the 103 rejection is upheld.
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) 1,3,4, and 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by YOSHIMI (JP 2020054074 A).
Regarding claim 1, YOSHIMI teaches:
A rotor (Fig 2;64) for a rotary electric machine(Fig 2;10), the rotor comprising:
a rotor core (Fig 2;65);
a shaft (Fig 2;66)that is hollow and that supports the rotor[0029]; and
an end plate (Fig 2;70L/R) that is disposed on an end of the rotor in a rotational axis direction [0028], and that forms a passage (Fig 2;124) through which a refrigerant flows[0048], between the end plate (Fig 2;70L/R)and the rotor core(Fig 2;65),
wherein the end plate (Fig 6A/B;70L) includes a plurality of ribs (Fig 2;86L)that come into contact with the shaft[0033],
the passage (Fig 2;124L/R) includes a refrigerant entry portion(Fig 6B;125L/R) that is provided between the plurality of ribs(Fig 6B;86L/R) and the shaft(Fig 2;66) (Fig 2 shows shaft 66 disposed inside the inner circumference of end plate 70), and a refrigerant exit portion (Fig 6B;126L/R) that communicatively connects the refrigerant entry portion to an outer peripheral surface of the end plate(Fig 2 shows 126 communicate refrigerant out of the rotor, through the end plate, into to the motor), wherein the refrigerant entry portion(Fig 6B;125L/R) abuts an outer circumference of the shaft(Fig 2; 66);
the shaft (Fig 2;66) has a refrigerant supply hole(Fig 2;120b) perpendicular to the shaft (Fig 2;66) and the refrigerant entry portion (Fig 6B;125L/R)(the refrigerant supply hole 120b (radial) is clearly perpendicular to the shaft 66 (axial) and the entry portion 125L (circumferential), as shown in fig 5 and fig 6) and directly connecting the refrigerant entry portion(Fig 6B;125L/R) to an internal portion (Fig 5B; 120a)of the shaft(Fig 5B; 66)(120c occupies the same space as the refrigerant entry portion 125L/R[0064]) , the refrigerant supply hole (Fig 2;120b) configured to supply refrigerant to the refrigerant exit portion (Fig 6B;126L/R) that about the outer circumference of the shaft (Fig 2;66)via the refrigerant entry portion(Fig 6B;125L/R)[0064], and
a circumferential length of the refrigerant entry portion (Fig 6B;C1)along an innermost diameter is larger than a circumferential length of the refrigerant supply hole(Fig 5B;C2)(As shown in Fig 6B, the circumferential length of the refrigerant entry portion is approximately 180 degrees, while the circumferential length of the refrigerant supply hole as show in Fig 5B is significantly less).
PNG
media_image1.png
339
630
media_image1.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image2.png
423
662
media_image2.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image3.png
707
540
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 3, YOSHIMI teaches the rotor for a rotary electric machine according to claim 1:
wherein the end plate (Fig 6A; 70L)has a plurality of holes (Fig 6A; 130)that axially pass through the end plate, and a through-hole (Fig 6A; H1)that is provided with the plurality of ribs(Fig 6A; 86L) and through which the shaft is passed, and
each of the plurality of ribs(Fig 6A; 86L) is disposed on an imaginary line (Fig 6A; L1)connecting the plurality of holes(Fig 6A; 130) and a center of the through-hole(Fig 6A; H1).
PNG
media_image4.png
407
327
media_image4.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 4, YOSHIMI teaches the rotor for a rotary electric machine according to claim 1:
wherein the end plate(Fig 6A; 70L/R) has a wall portion (Fig 6A; W1)having an annular shape across an entire circumference in a circumferential direction on a surface coming into contact with the shaft, and the wall portion has an axial length smaller than an axial length of the plurality of ribs(Fig 4 shows an orthogonal view of end plate 70L; this view shows that wall W1 has a smaller axial length than rib 86L. Rib 86L runs the whole length of the end plat 70L while wall W1 only runs part of it).
PNG
media_image5.png
665
422
media_image5.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 6, YOSHIMI teaches:
A rotary electric machine (Fig 2;10)comprising:
the rotor (Fig 2;64)for the rotary electric machine (Fig 2;10)according to claim 1;
and a stator (Fig 2;68)disposed outside the rotor (Fig 2;64)with a predetermined gap therebetween(Fig 2 shows a gap between stator 68 and rotor 64).
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 and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over YOSHIMI (JP 2020054074 A) in view of FUJITA (US 20200127534 A1).
In regards to claim 2, YOSHIMI teaches, the rotor for a rotary electric machine according to claim 1.
YOSHIMI does not teach:
an axial length of the refrigerant exit portion is smaller than an axial length of the refrigerant entry portion.
FUJITA teaches:
wherein an axial length of the refrigerant exit portion (Fig 5; 45)is smaller than an axial length of the refrigerant entry portion(Fig 5; 43).
PNG
media_image6.png
846
833
media_image6.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image7.png
256
282
media_image7.png
Greyscale
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 YOSHIMI by using the axial lengths of the refrigerant exit portion and the refrigerant entry portion taught by FUJITA in order to improve refrigerant communication, thus making a machine capable of cooling the magnet pole portion of the rotor from the inside of the rotor core [0006 FUJITA].
In regards to claim 5, YOSHIMI teaches, the rotor for a rotary electric machine according to claim 1.
YOSHIMI does not teach:
the refrigerant entry portion has one end thereof in the axial direction positioned adjacently to the wall portion.
FUJITA teaches:
wherein the refrigerant entry portion (Fig 5; 43) has one end thereof in the axial direction positioned adjacently to the wall portion(Fig 5; 40a)(end plate 40a comprises of a wall portion that makes the exterior of the rotor, this wall portion of end plate 40a is axially adjacent to entry portion 43).
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 YOSHIMI by using the wall portion location taught by FUJITA in order to properly seal the rotor, thus making a machine more capable of cooling the magnet pole portion of the rotor from the inside of the rotor core [0006 FUJITA].
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.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/N.L.S./Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/OLUSEYE IWARERE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834