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 in response to papers filed on 12/15/2025. Amendments made to the claims and the Applicant's remarks have been entered and considered.
Claims 1, 5-7, 9, 10 have been amended. Claims 2-4, 11 are cancelled. Claims 12, 13 are newly added.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/15/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The Applicant argued that Wehlen does not disclose that "the centering element (38) comprises an annular body (46) by which the centering element (38) is secured to an end of the cooling sleeve (24), wherein the annular body (46) includes a centering ring (50) by which the centering element (38) is fully centered on an outer diameter of the cooling sleeve (24), and wherein the centering ring (50) of the centering element (38) is connected to the cooling sleeve (24) with an interference fit," as claimed in amended claim 1 .
This argument is not persuasive because newly applied Li (CN 107834740 A) shows the recited interference fit.
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.
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) 1, 6, 7, 10, 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wehlen (DE 102019205751 A1, see US 2022/0247254 A1 for English Translation) in view of Li (CN 107834740 A).
As to claim 1, Wehlen shows (FIG. 4) A stator arrangement having a high-voltage interface 17a,17b,17c for establishing an electrical connection between a stator 4 and a high-voltage electronic system, wherein the high-voltage interface 17a,17b,17c is combined with a centering element 3 centered on a cooling sleeve 10 that comprises a stator receiving space for the stator 4,
wherein the centering element 3 comprises an annular body 3 by which the centering element 3 is secured to an end of the cooling sleeve 10.
wherein the annular body 3 includes a centering ring 3 by which the centering element is fully centered on an outer diameter of the cooling sleeve 10.
wherein the centering ring 3 of the centering element is connected to the cooling sleeve 10 (electronics unit para[0037]; plastic body 3 surrounds magnetic core 6 para[0041]; the plastic body 3 is attached to the stator para[0038]).
Wehlen does not show the centering ring is connected to the cooling sleeve with an interference fit.
Li shows the front cover is connected to the stator with an interference fit (para [0058]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the stator arrangement of Wehlen to have the centering ring is connected to the cooling sleeve with an interference fit as taught by Li, for the advantageous benefits of making the chance the centering ring coming loose very small and ensuring coaxiality between the centering ring and the cooling sleeve as taught by Li (para[0058]).
As to claim 6/1, Wehlen in view of Li was discussed above with respect to claim 1, and Wehlen further shows (FIG. 4) the annular body 3 rests over its entire surface against an end face of the cooling sleeve 10 (plastic body 3 surrounds magnetic core 6 para[0041] and FIG. 4).
As to claim 7/1, Wehlen in view of Li was discussed above with respect to claim 1, and Wehlen further shows (FIG. 6) a connection portion 3a extends radially outwardly from the annular body 3.
As to claim 10/1, Wehlen in view of Li was discussed above with respect to claim 1, and Wehlen further shows A centering element 3 and/or a cooling sleeve for a stator arrangement according to claim 1 (plastic body 3 para[0041]).
As to claim 12/1, Wehlen in view of Li was discussed above with respect to claim 1, and Wehlen further shows (as modified) the interference fit is defined between the centering ring and an outer diameter of the cooling sleeve.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wehlen (DE 102019205751 A1, see US 2022/0247254 A1 for English Translation) in view of Li (CN 107834740 A) and Yagyu et al. (US 2018/0331594 A1, hereinafter Yagyu).
As to claim 5/1, Wehlen in view of Li was discussed above with respect to claim 1 except for a radial O-ring is arranged for sealing between the cooling sleeve and the centering ring.
Yagyu shows (FIG. 4) an O-ring 45 is arranged for sealing between piping 40 and a motor case C (para[0049]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the centering element of Wehlen in view of Li to have a radial O-ring is arranged for sealing between the cooling sleeve 10 and the centering ring 3 as taught by Yagyu, for the advantageous benefit of sealing the centering ring 3 to the cooling sleeve 10 to suppress leakage from the channel 8 as taught by Yagyu (para[0049]).
Claim(s) 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wehlen (DE 102019205751 A1, see US 2022/0247254 A1 for English Translation) in view of Li (CN 107834740 A) and Meng (CN 112360741 A).
As to claim 8/7/1, Wehlen in view of Li was discussed above with respect to claim 7 and Wehlen further shows (FIG. 8) connecting sleeves are arranged radially outwardly on the connection portion 17a,17b,17c.
Wehlen does not show the connecting sleeves extend from the connection portion in an axial direction.
Meng shows (FIG. 8) the connecting sleeves 5 extend from the connection portion in an axial direction (para[0027]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the connecting sleeves of Wehlen in view of Li to have the connecting sleeves 17a,17b,17c extend from the connection portion in an axial direction as taught by Meng, for the advantageous benefits of a smaller volume and a shape to meet the requirements of vehicle installation as taught by Meng (para[0027]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 13 is allowed.
Claim 9 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims and to overcome the objection.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art does not teach or suggest placing the centering element on the stator and then overmolding to form the interface.
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.
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/ROBERT E MATES/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/TULSIDAS C PATEL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834