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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. Claim 9 already recites the limitation of claim 10. Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 and 3-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Freitag et al. (WO2017186755, “Freitag”, using machine translation).
Re claim 1, Freitag discloses a motor assembly, the motor assembly comprising:
a housing 131 (figs 1-2, [0040]);
a first rotor 114 and a second rotor 124 provided in the housing 131 (figs 1-2, [0032]);
wherein the first rotor 114 is configured to drive a first output shaft 117 (figs 1-2, [0038]), and wherein the second rotor 124 is configured to drive a second output shaft 127 (figs 1-2, [0038]); and
a first stator 111 and a second stator 121 provided in the housing 131 (figs 1-2, [0034] & [0037]), wherein the first stator 111 surrounds the first rotor 114 and the second stator 121 surrounds the second rotor 124 (figs 1-2).
Re claim 9, Freitag discloses a method comprising:
providing a first rotor 114 and a second rotor 127 within in a housing 131 (figs 1-2, [0032] & [0040]);
driving a first output shaft 117 with the first rotor 114 (figs 1-2, [0038]); and
driving a second output shaft 127 with the second rotor 127 (figs 1-2, [0038]);
providing a first stator 111 and a second stator 121 provided in the housing 131 (figs 1-2, [0034] & [0037]), wherein the first stator 111 surrounds the first rotor 114 and the second stator 121 surrounds the second rotor 124 (figs 1-2).
Re claims 3 and 11, Freitag discloses claims 1 and 9, respectively, as discussed above and further discloses providing an electronics module 150 (figs 1-2,[0048]).
Re claims 4 and 5, Freitag discloses claim 3 as discussed above and further discloses:
the electronics module 150 is configured to instruct via the first stator 111 the first rotor 114 to drive the first output shaft 117 in a first direction and at a first speed ([0020] & [0048]), and wherein the electronics module 150 is configured to instruct via the second stator 121 the second rotor 124 to drive the second output shaft 127 in a second direction and at a second speed ([0020] & [0048]); and
the first direction and the first speed are the same as the second direction and the second speed ([0020] & [0048], 1st & 2nd speed are capable to be same speed since 1st & 2nd stators are independently controlled); or wherein the first direction and the second direction are different, and the first speed and the second speed are the same ([0020] & [0048]); or wherein the first direction and the second direction are the same and the first speed and the second speed are different (([0020] & [0048], 1st & 2nd speeds capable of different speeds since 1st & 2nd stators are independently controlled); or wherein the first direction and the first speed are different from the second direction and the second speed ([0020] & [0048], 1st & 2nd speeds capable of different speeds since 1st & 2nd stators are independently controlled).
Re claims 6 and 14, Freitag discloses claims 1 and 9, respectively, as discussed above and further discloses a cooling module 140 (figs 1-2, [0040-0041]).
Re claims 7 and 8, Freitag discloses claim 1 as discussed above and further discloses:
an aircraft (figs 1-2, [0003]), the aircraft comprising: a motor assembly as claimed in claim 1 (figs 1-2); and
a first propeller 210 (figs 1-2, [0030]); a second propeller 220 (figs 1-2, [0030]); wherein the first output shaft 117 is configured to drive the first propeller 210 (figs 1-2) and the second output shaft 127 is configured to drive the second propeller 220 (figs 1-2).
Re claim 10, Freitag discloses claim 9 as discussed above and further discloses providing a first stator 111 and a second stator 121 provided in the housing 131 (figs 1-2, [0034] & [0037]).
Re claims 12 and 13, Freitag discloses claim 11 as discussed above and further discloses:
the electronics module 150 is configured to instruct the first stator 111 to drive the first output shaft 117 in a first direction and at a first speed ([0020] & [0048]), and wherein the electronics module 150 is configured to instruct the second stator 121 to drive the second output shaft 127 in a second direction and at a second speed ([0020] & [0048]); and
the first direction and the first speed are the same as the second direction and the second speed ([0020] & [0048], 1st & 2nd speed are capable to be same speed since 1st & 2nd stators are independently controlled); or wherein the first direction and the second direction are different, and the first speed and the second speed are the same ([0020] & [0048], 1st & 2nd speed are capable to be same speed since 1st & 2nd stators are independently controlled); or wherein the first direction and the second direction are the same and the first speed and the second speed are different ([0020] & [0048], 1st & 2nd speeds capable of different speeds since 1st & 2nd stators are independently controlled); or wherein the first direction and the first speed are different from the second direction and the second speed ([0020] & [0048], 1st & 2nd speeds capable of different speeds since 1st & 2nd stators are independently controlled).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 9/11/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Chen does not disclose the claim 1 and 9 amendments (pgs 6-8) but provides no arguments with respect to Freitag.
Examiner agrees the claim 1 and 9 limitations overcome Chen, but Freitag does disclose the claim 1 and 9 amendments, as discussed above.
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIC JOHNSON whose telephone number is (571)270-5715. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 8:30-5pm EST.
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/ERIC JOHNSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834