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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I: claims 1-6 & 12-19 in the reply filed on 07/13/2026 is acknowledged.
Claim Status
In response to an election and preliminary amendment filed 07/13/2026, claims 7-10 have been amended to correspond to claim 1, and claims 1-19 are pending and under examination.
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 1-19 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.
A broad range or limitation together with a narrow range or limitation that falls within the broad range or limitation (in the same claim) may be considered indefinite if the resulting claim does not clearly set forth the metes and bounds of the patent protection desired. See MPEP § 2173.05(c). In the present instance, claim 1 recites the broad recitation “comprises” in line 9, and the claim also recites “consists” in line 9, which is the narrower statement of the range/limitation. The claim is considered indefinite because there is a question or doubt as to whether the feature introduced by such narrower language is (a) merely exemplary of the remainder of the claim, and therefore not required, or (b) a required feature of the claims.
In the instance of claim 1, the reader cannot ascertain whether the coating is intended to be ceramic material in combination with one or more other materials, or if the coating must instead be formed of ceramic material with absolutely no other materials therein. Accordingly, the scope or metes and bound of the claim cannot be confidently determined by a POSITA.
For the same reason, all dependent claims 2-19 thereof are rejected as well by virtue of their dependencies.
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 1-6 & 12-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bossecker et al (DE Patent Application Publication 102014222468 A1) hereinafter Bossecker, and further in view of Jung et al (U.S. Patent Application Publication 20190198234 A1) hereinafter Jung.
Regarding claim 1, Bossecker discloses (Title: Extrusion Molding Process For Producing an Electrical Coil and Coil Produced by This Method) a method for producing a coil (wire-shaped base workpiece 33, p. 5, ll. 28; workpiece 7, p. 5, ll. 37) for a machine (stator 30, p. 5, ll. 7), the method comprising:
winding a wire (coil 1, p. 5, ll. 7) such that a wound coil is produced (work piece 33, p. 5, ll. 28-30, “The wire-shaped starting work piece 33 is in accordance with method step a. provided and already been wound to an output coil, so that several turns 2 and at least two opposite legs 3 are formed”; p. 5, ll. 20-21, “The middle coil 1 is z. B. made by forming, with the turns 2 along the coil longitudinal axis 20 in their width 29 change and so the existing space between the cores 4 optimally exploit”);
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stretching the wound coil apart from an initial state into a stretched state with an increased spread (p. 4, ll. 7, “the fully formed coil is pulled apart”; p. 6, ll. 22-24, “ the finished formed workpiece 7 (the sink 1 ) in a further step e. pulled apart and with an electrical insulation 17 provided so that every turn 2 from the adjacent turn 2 is electrically isolated”);
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providing the wound coil, in the stretched state, with a coating (p. 4, ll. 3-4, “the starting workpiece or the workpiece and / or the tool before a forming step d. coated with a release agent”; p. 4, ll. 7-8, “the fully formed coil is pulled apart and provided with electrical insulation so that each turn is electrically isolated from the adjacent turn”); and
transferring the wound coil from the stretched state back into a state of smaller spread (p. 5 ll. 37 – p. 6 ll. 9, Bossecker discloses processes after step d wherein the workpiece 7 is further shaped in a first forming tool 6 and stamped, as depicted in FIGS. 4 & 5, to a state of smaller spread, as depicted in FIG. 3),
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wherein the coating comprises or consists of a material (release agent, p. 6, ll. 22; electrical insulation, p. 6 , ll. 23).
However, Bossecker fails to disclose wherein the coating material comprises or consists of a ceramic material.
Jung discloses (Title: Inductor) a method for manufacturing a coil (coil patterns 121 & 122, ¶22) for a machine (inductor 100, ¶13),
Wherein the coating comprises or consists of a ceramic material (¶22, “The insulating layer 14 is a ceramic insulating coating. The insulating layer 14 is formed by coating surfaces of the coil patterns 121 and 122 with a ceramic material”).
Bossecker discloses a method for producing a coil, the method comprising steps of winding a wire to form a coil, stretching the coil, providing an insulating coat to the coil, and unstretching/compressing the coil to a smaller state of spread. Jung discloses a method of providing an insulating layer, made up of a ceramic material, to coat the surface of a coil. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to utilize the coating composition of Jung, and apply it as the coating of Bossecker’s coil producing method to achieve desired and enhanced insulating properties, in particular, dielectric strength (Jung ¶22). Furthermore, using a ceramic coating provides additional benefits during manufacture as the covering can reduce great external force applied to the coil, preventing damage applied to the finished coil (Jung ¶24).
Regarding claim 2, Bossecker in view of Jung teaches the method of claim 1, as detailed above, and Bossecker further discloses wherein the winding takes place under an action of heat, the wound coil is subjected to heat after the winding, or a combination thereof (p. 3, ll. 40, “Preferably, step d. the method at least one forming step by the starting workpiece or workpiece and also possibly the forming tool is heated to a suitable forming temperature (eg more than 100 ° C).”).
(Regarding the reason to combine references, refer to the rejection of claim 1, supra, as it is applicable to the rejection of claim 2 in the manner of achieving desired dielectric strength of insulation).
Regarding claim 3, Bossecker in view of Jung teaches the method of claim 1, as detailed above, and Jung further discloses wherein the coating comprises or consists of an inorganic material (ceramic material, ¶22).
(Regarding the reason to combine references, refer to the rejection of claim 1, supra, as it is applicable to the rejection of claim 3 in the manner of achieving desired dielectric strength of insulation).
Regarding claim 4, Bossecker in view of Jung teaches the method of claim 1, as detailed above, and Bossecker further discloses wherein the coating encloses the wire in an electrically insulating manner (p. 4, ll. 7-8, “fully formed coil is pulled apart and provided with electrical insulation so that each turn is electrically isolated from the adjacent turn”).
(Regarding the reason to combine references, refer to the rejection of claim 1, supra, as it is applicable to the rejection of claim 4 in the manner of achieving desired dielectric strength of insulation).
Regarding claim 5, Bossecker in view of Jung teaches the method of claim 1, as detailed above, and Jung further discloses comprising applying the coating using a sol-gel method, hard anodizing, a plasma chemical method, anodizing, oxidation, or plasma spraying (¶23, “A scheme of forming the insulating layer 14 is not limited. For example, sputtering, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), or the like, may be adopted and may be appropriately selected in consideration of characteristics required by a person skilled in the art and a manufacturing environment”).
(Regarding the reason to combine references, refer to the rejection of claim 1, supra, as it is applicable to the rejection of claim 5 in the manner of achieving desired dielectric strength of insulation).
Regarding claim 6, Bossecker in view of Jung teaches the method of claim 1, as detailed above.
However, both fail to further discloses wherein, during the transferring of the wound coil from the stretched state back into the state of smaller spread, the wound coil is transferred into the initial state with respect to the spread.
Though Bossecker’s disclosure does not directly disclose the coil returning to an initial state, Bossecker details the method steps b-d, wherein the workpiece 33/7 is formed [initial state], then is stretched [stretched state] such as to apply the coating, then is finalized to undergo a forming tool/stamp to compress. A POSITA would have recognized that the workpiece undergoing compression in the forming tool/stamp would reach the initial state, even if the finalized state surpasses the initial state. As seen below, FIG. 3 depicts the finalized state compared to FIG. 2 depicting the initial state.
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(Regarding the reason to combine references, refer to the rejection of claim 1, supra, as it is applicable to the rejection of claim 6 in the manner of achieving desired dielectric strength of insulation).
Regarding claim 12, Bossecker in view of Jung teaches the method of claim 2, as detailed above, and Jung further discloses wherein the coating comprises or consists of an inorganic material (ceramic material, ¶22).
(Regarding the reason to combine references, refer to the rejection of claim 1, supra, as it is applicable to the rejection of claim 12 in the manner of achieving desired dielectric strength of insulation).
Regarding claim 13, Bossecker in view of Jung teaches the method of claim 2, as detailed above, and Bossecker further discloses wherein the coating encloses the wire in an electrically insulating manner (p. 4, ll. 7-8, “fully formed coil is pulled apart and provided with electrical insulation so that each turn is electrically isolated from the adjacent turn”).
(Regarding the reason to combine references, refer to the rejection of claim 1, supra, as it is applicable to the rejection of claim 13 in the manner of achieving desired dielectric strength of insulation).
Regarding claim 14, Bossecker in view of Jung teaches the method of claim 3, as detailed above, and Bossecker further discloses wherein the coating encloses the wire in an electrically insulating manner (p. 4, ll. 7-8, “fully formed coil is pulled apart and provided with electrical insulation so that each turn is electrically isolated from the adjacent turn”).
(Regarding the reason to combine references, refer to the rejection of claim 1, supra, as it is applicable to the rejection of claim 14 in the manner of achieving desired dielectric strength of insulation).
Regarding claim 15, Bossecker in view of Jung teaches the method of claim 3, as detailed above, and Jung further discloses the method further comprising applying the coating using a sol-gel method, hard anodizing, a plasma chemical method, anodizing, oxidation, or plasma spraying (¶23, “A scheme of forming the insulating layer 14 is not limited. For example, sputtering, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), or the like, may be adopted and may be appropriately selected in consideration of characteristics required by a person skilled in the art and a manufacturing environment”).
(Regarding the reason to combine references, refer to the rejection of claim 1, supra, as it is applicable to the rejection of claim 15 in the manner of achieving desired dielectric strength of insulation).
Regarding claim 16, Bossecker in view of Jung teaches the method of claim 4, as detailed above, and Jung further discloses the method further comprising applying the coating using a sol-gel method, hard anodizing, a plasma chemical method, anodizing, oxidation, or plasma spraying (¶23, “A scheme of forming the insulating layer 14 is not limited. For example, sputtering, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), or the like, may be adopted and may be appropriately selected in consideration of characteristics required by a person skilled in the art and a manufacturing environment”).
(Regarding the reason to combine references, refer to the rejection of claim 1, supra, as it is applicable to the rejection of claim 16 in the manner of achieving desired dielectric strength of insulation).
Regarding claim 17, Bossecker in view of Jung teaches the method of claim 3, as detailed above, and Bossecker further teaches wherein, during the transferring of the wound coil from the stretched state back into the state of smaller spread, the wound coil is transferred into the initial state with respect to the spread. (Refer to the rejection of claim 6, supra, regarding how Bossecker teaches the wound coil changes in spread states and how a POSITA would have recognized that an initial state would be reached).
(Regarding the reason to combine references, refer to the rejection of claim 1, supra, as it is applicable to the rejection of claim 17 in the manner of achieving desired dielectric strength of insulation).
Regarding claim 18, Bossecker in view of Jung teaches the method of claim 5, as detailed above, and Bossecker further teaches wherein, during the transferring of the wound coil from the stretched state back into the state of smaller spread, the wound coil is transferred into the initial state with respect to the spread. (Refer to the rejection of claim 6, supra, regarding how Bossecker teaches the wound coil changes in spread states and how a POSITA would have recognized that an initial state would be reached).
(Regarding the reason to combine references, refer to the rejection of claim 1, supra, as it is applicable to the rejection of claim 18 in the manner of achieving desired dielectric strength of insulation).
Regarding claim 19, Bossecker in view of Jung teaches the method of claim 16, as detailed above, and Bossecker further teaches wherein, during the transferring of the wound coil from the stretched state back into the state of smaller spread, the wound coil is transferred into the initial state with respect to the spread. (Refer to the rejection of claim 6, supra, regarding how Bossecker teaches the wound coil changes in spread states and how a POSITA would have recognized that an initial state would be reached).
(Regarding the reason to combine references, refer to the rejection of claim 1, supra, as it is applicable to the rejection of claim 19 in the manner of achieving desired dielectric strength of insulation).
Claims 7-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bossecker, in view of Jung, and further in view of Senoo (U.S. Patent Application Publication 20180115201 A1).
Regarding claim 7, Bossecker in view of Jung teaches the method of claim 1, as detailed above, and Bossecker further discloses wherein the method further comprises producing a segment (FIGS. 14 & 15 depict a portion of the assembled stator and coil, mapped as the segment) for a machine (stator 30), the producing of the segment comprising:
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Providing a carrier having a shaft (core 4, p. , ll. ), a holding portion (base of core 4, as depicted in annotated FIG. 14) that adjoins the shaft at one end of the shaft and is configured to secure the coil surrounding the shaft on the shaft (annotated FIG. 14 holding portion secures the coils in place); and
Slipping the coil over a further portion (annotated FIG. 14 depicts the further portion of the shaft) onto the shaft of the carrier (p. , ll. , “a workpiece 7 at the core 4 of the stator 30”).
However, both Bossecker and Jung fail to further discloses wherein a further portion that projects from the shaft at an angle thereto at the other end of the shaft.
Senoo discloses (Title: Stator with Core Including Divided Cores, and Electric Motor) a method comprising producing a segment (assemblies 65, ¶33) for a machine (stator 10, ¶19), the producing of the segment comprising:
Providing a carrier having a shaft (tooth 22, ¶22), a holding portion (wedge 38, ¶22) that adjoins the shaft at one end of the shaft (end of tooth 22 that comprises wedge 38) and is configured to secure the coil (coil 14, ¶20) surrounding the shaft on the shaft (¶30, “manufactured coil 14 has a center hole 62 having a width 64. The width 64 is set to be greater than the width 50 of the divided back yoke 24 and smaller than the circumferential width of the wedge 38.”),
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a further portion that projects from the shaft at an angle thereto at the other end of the shaft (annotated FIG. 2 above depicts the further portion); and
Slipping the coil over the further portion onto the shaft of the carrier (¶33, “the user can smoothly turn the coil 14 in the counterclockwise direction, whereby can smoothly move the coil 14 along the connecting surface 54 so as to fit the coil 14 to the tooth 22. As a result, an assembly 65 of the divided core 20 and the coil 14 shown in FIG. 5 is manufactured”).
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Bossecker, in view of Jung, discloses a method for producing a coil, preparing by steps of winding a wire, stretching and squeezing to provide the wire with a coating, as well as slipping the coil onto the stator core portions. Senoo discloses a method for producing a coil wherein a segment, provided with a wedge and a further portion projecting at an angle is used. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to replace the stator core segment of Bossecker, in view of Jung, with the tooth segment of Senoo as the shape/predefined curvature radius of the tooth does not limit the size of the stator manufactured, as a number of stator teeth may be chosen by an operator to determine manufacturing of stators with various sizes and curvature radii (Senoo ¶23-25; FIG. 2 depicts various radii the curvature can have to alter the stator size).
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Regarding claim 8, Bossecker, in view of Jung and Senoo, teaches the method of claim 7, as detailed above, and Senoo further discloses wherein the shaft merges into the further portion via a rounded portion (connecting surface 54, ¶25; FIGS. 1 & 2 depict tooth connecting with annotated “further portion” via connecting surface 54), and the coil is slipped over the rounded portion (¶33, “the user can smoothly turn the coil 14 in the counterclockwise direction, whereby can smoothly move the coil 14 along the connecting surface 54 so as to fit the coil 14 to the tooth 22”).
(Regarding the reason to combine references, refer to the rejection of claim 7, supra, as it is applicable to the rejection of claim 8 in the manner of utilizing divided core segments).
Regarding claim 9, Bossecker, in view of Jung and Senoo, teaches the method of claim 7, as detailed above, and Senoo further discloses wherein the coil is stretched at least in some portion or portions as the coil is slipped over the further portion onto the shaft of the carrier (¶35, “ when the width 64 of the center hole 62 of the coil 14 is set to be smaller than the width 52 of the tooth 22, the diameter of the center hole 62 of the coil 16 gradually enlarges as the user moves the coil 14 along the connecting surface 54, and the coil 14 is fitted to the tooth 22 consequently. According to this configuration, the user can smoothly and easily fit the coil 14 to the tooth 22 having a width greater than the center hole 62”).
(Regarding the reason to combine references, refer to the rejection of claim 7, supra, as it is applicable to the rejection of claim 9 in the manner of utilizing divided core segments).
Regarding claim 10, Bossecker, in view of Jung and Senoo, teaches the method of claim 7, as detailed above, and Senoo further discloses the method further comprising producing a segmented coil carrier for the machine, the producing of the segmented coil comprising:
providing a plurality of segments (divided cores 20, ¶27), providing the plurality of segments comprising the producing of the segment of the plurality of segments; and
connecting the plurality of segments (¶27, “the connecting surface 54 of one divided core 20 contacts the concave curved surface 56 of the other divided core 20 which adjoins the one divided core 20 in the second circumferential side”), such that the plurality of segments are arranged around a common axis (center axis O, ¶19).
(Regarding the reason to combine references, refer to the rejection of claim 7, supra, as it is applicable to the rejection of claim 10 in the manner of utilizing divided core segments).
Regarding claim 11, Bossecker, in view of Jung and Senoo, teaches the method of claim 8, as detailed above, and Senoo further discloses wherein the coil is stretched at least in some portion or portions as the coil is slipped over the further portion onto the shaft of the carrier (¶35, “ when the width 64 of the center hole 62 of the coil 14 is set to be smaller than the width 52 of the tooth 22, the diameter of the center hole 62 of the coil 16 gradually enlarges as the user moves the coil 14 along the connecting surface 54, and the coil 14 is fitted to the tooth 22 consequently. According to this configuration, the user can smoothly and easily fit the coil 14 to the tooth 22 having a width greater than the center hole 62”).
(Regarding the reason to combine references, refer to the rejection of claim 7, supra, as it is applicable to the rejection of claim 11 in the manner of utilizing divided core segments).
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 8-5PM.
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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
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