DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species 3, Figure 5, Claims 1-11 and 13-16 in the reply filed on 02/13/2026 is acknowledged.
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) 1-11 and 13-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Weber (EP 2760112, cited in the IDS).
In re claim 1, Weber, in figures 1-10, discloses a magnet (1) for a surface permanent magnet machine, the magnet comprising: a magnet body having a first surface, wherein the first surface comprises an inner part and an outer part (corresponding to the inner and outer parts of the invention), wherein the outer part is axially outwards of the inner part in use (in the same way as disclosed in the application; as seen in figure 2), wherein the first surface comprises a plurality of slits (4), wherein a density of the slits is greater at the outer part than at the inner part (this is best shown in figures 6, 7, 10).
In re claim 2, Weber, in figures 1-10, discloses that the first surface is an in-use radially outer surface (as shown in figure 2).
In re claim 3, Weber, in figures 1-10, discloses that the outer part is closer to the in-use axial end of the magnet body (as best seen in figure 2).
In re claim 4, Weber, in figures 1-10, discloses that the outer part comprises two parts on opposing sides of the inner part (in the same way as shown by the applicant).
In re claim 5, Weber, in figures 1-10, discloses slits that extend in the circumferential direction (this is shown in at least figures 6 and 8-10).
In re claim 6, Weber, in figures 1-10, discloses that the slits are spaced along the in-use axial length of the magnet (as shown in figures 6 and 8-10).
In re claim 7, Weber, in figures 1-10, discloses that spacing between the slits at the outer part of the first surface is smaller than the spacing between the slits at the inner part of the first surface (this is shown in at least figures 6,7, and 10).
In re claim 8, Weber, in figures 1-10, discloses slits that extend in the axial direction (as seen in the figures).
In re claim 9, Weber, in figures 1-10, discloses that at least some of the slits that extend in the axial direction extend only in the outer part in the first surface (as shown in figures 6-7 and 10).
In re claim 10, Weber, in figures 1-10, discloses that the magnet body comprises a second surface arranged opposite to the first surface, and wherein the second surface comprises a plurality of second surface slits (figures 4-5 most clearly show this, in addition to other figures).
In re claim 11, Weber, in figures 1-10, discloses that the first surface comprises more slits than the second surface (this is shown in at least figures 6 and 10).
In re claims 13-14, Weber, in figures 1-10, discloses a surface permanent magnet machine that is a motor (as shown in figure 2).
In re claim 15, the claim limitations have not been given weight because it has been held that a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitations. Ex parte Masham, 2 USPQ2d 1647 (1987).
In re claim 16, Weber, in figures 1-10, discloses that the inner part covers an axial mid-point of the magnet body (as clearly seen in the figures).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. A list of pertinent prior art is attached in form PTO-892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Alexander Talpalatski whose telephone number is (571)270-3908. The examiner can normally be reached 10 AM - 6 PM PT.
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/Alexander Talpalatski/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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