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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 06/04/2026 has been entered.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1, ¶ 11, “the first lead wire” and “the second lead wire” lacks antecedent basis.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-8, and 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yagai et al. (US 2006/0138883 A1) in view of Yamamura et al. (US 2003/0201688 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Yagai disclose a motor (100) comprising:
a rotor (130) that rotates about a central axis (shaft 138);
a stator (110) having a plurality of coils (114) disposed in a circumferential direction (FIG. 2A); and
a bus bar unit (116, 117) having a plurality of bus bars (BB, CR),
the plurality of coils (114) being classified into coils of multiple phases (¶ [0014] multi-phase stator) including a first-phase coil (114; u phase) and a second-phase coil (114; v phase),
the coils (114) including in-phase coils (U1, U2, V1, V2, W1, W2) through which in-phase AC currents flow (¶ [0056] current flowing through coils),
the plurality of bus bars (BB, CR) including a plurality of bypass bus bars (CR) connecting the in-phase coils (U1, U2, V1, V2, W1, W2) to each other,
each of the bypass bus bars (CR) including:
a base part (FIG. 7, see annotation below) extending along the circumferential direction (FIG. 6B); and
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a first terminal part (CU, radially outer part) and a second terminal part (CU, radially inner part) positioned at respective opposite ends of the base part (see annotation above) and connected to the respective coils (114) different from each other (FIG. 6B),
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the first-phase coil (114; u phase) and the second-phase coil (114; v phase) being adjacent to each other (U1 and V1 are adjacent to each other in FIG. 6B) with a same slot therebetween (between core 112), the first lead wire (T of u phase) extending from the first-phase coil (u phase) and the second lead wire (T of v phase) extending from the second-phase coil (v phase) being drawn to one side (left side in FIG. 1) in an axial direction,
the first lead wire (T of u phase) being connected to the first terminal part (CU) of a first-phase bypass bus bar (CR(WU)) connecting the first-phase coils (u phase) to each other and constituting the bypass bus bar (CR; FIG. 6B),
the second lead wire (T of v phase) being connected to the second terminal part (CU) of a second-phase bypass bus bar (CR(UV)) connecting the second-phase coils (v phase) to each other and constituting the bypass bus bar (CR; FIG. 6B), and
the first terminal part (CU) of the first-phase bypass bus bar (CR(WU)) and the second terminal part (CU) of the second-phase bypass bus bar (CR(UV)) being disposed at respective positions aligned in a circumferential direction and shifted in a radial direction (FIG. 6B; CR(WU) at 10 o’clock position and CR(UV) at 2 o’clock position).
Yagai does not disclose the first lead wire extending from the first-phase-coil and the second lead wire extending from the second-phase-coil each passing through the same slot.
Yamamura discloses the first lead wire (13 of U phase) extending from the first-phase-coil (12; U phase) and the second lead wire (13 of V phase) extending from the second-phase-coil (12; V phase) each passing through the same slot (FIG. 2 discloses two terminals of each coil extends from both slots adjacent to the coil).
FIG. 30-32 discloses a bypass busbar (17b) connecting adjacent lead wires of different phase to connect coils of the same phase.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the claimed invention to have modified Yagai in view of Yamamura to disclose the first lead wire extending from the first-phase-coil and the second lead wire extending from the second-phase-coil each passing through the same slot, for the advantages of a simple structure (¶ [0099]).
Regarding claim 2/1, Yagai in view of Yamamura was discussed above in claim 1. Yagai further discloses wherein the first-phase coil (114; u phase) is located on one side in the circumferential direction (1 o’clock direction in FIG. 6A) with respect to the slot,
the first-phase bypass bus bar (CR(WU)) extends toward another side in the circumferential direction (clockwise from U2+ to U1+ in FIG. 6A) with respect to the slot,
the second-phase coil (114; v phase) is located on the other side (4 o’clock direction in FIG. 6B) in the circumferential direction with respect to the slot, and
the second-phase bypass bus bar (CR(UV)) extends toward the one side in the circumferential direction (counter-clockwise from V2+ to V1+ in FIG. 6A) with respect to the slot.
Regarding claim 3/1, Yagai in view of Yamamura was discussed above in claim 1. Yagai further discloses wherein each of the first terminal part (CU of (CR(WU)) and the second terminal part (CU of (CR(UV)) includes a clamping part (¶ [0105] the terminal part CU is also a clamping part) that clamps the first lead wire (T of u phase) or the second lead wire (T of v phase), and
the clamping part (CU) of the first terminal part (CU of CR(WU)) and the clamping part (CU) of the second terminal part (CU of (CR(UV)) open in respective directions different from each other (see annotation below) when viewed from the axial direction (FIG. 3B).
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Regarding claim 4/1, Yagai in view of Yamamura was discussed above in claim 1. Yagai further discloses wherein the first terminal part (CU of CR(WU)) extends from the base part to one side in the radial direction (clockwise in FIG. 6B), and
the second terminal part (CU of CR(UV)) extends from the base part to another side in the radial direction (counter clockwise in FIG. 6B).
Regarding claim 5/1, Yagai in view of Yamamura was discussed above in claim 1. Yagai further discloses wherein the first terminal part (CU of CR(WU)) and the second terminal part (CU of CR(UV)) are located at respective positions aligning with each other in the axial direction (FIG. 8 discloses the terminal parts CU all have the same height).
Regarding claim 6/1, Yagai in view of Yamamura was discussed above in claim 1. Yagai further discloses wherein the bypass bus bars (CR) for phases different from each other are identical in shape to each other (FIG. 8).
Regarding claim 7/1, Yagai in view of Yamamura was discussed above in claim 1. Yagai further discloses wherein the first terminal part (CU, radially outer part) is disposed radially inside the slot when viewed from the axial direction (FIG. 6B discloses the first terminal part is radially inside the slot), and
the second terminal part (CU, radially inner part) aligns with the slot when viewed from the axial direction (FIG. 6B discloses the second terminal part on the inner side of the first terminal part aligned with the slot).
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Note: the limitation radially inside the slots is understood as being radially overlapping with the slot and aligns with the slot is understood as being circumferentially overlapping with the slot.
Regarding claim 8/1, Yagai in view of Yamamura was discussed above in claim 1. Yagai further discloses wherein the first terminal part (CU, radially outer part) is disposed radially inside the slot when viewed from the axial direction (FIG. 6B discloses the first terminal part is radially inside the slot).
Regarding claim 10/1, Yagai in view of Yamamura was discussed above in claim 1. Yagai further discloses wherein the coil (114) includes a flat wire (claims 4-5 recites flat plate conductors),
the flat wire has a surface covered with a coating of insulation (¶ [0044] molded with electrically insulating resin), and
the flat wire has the surface (terminal T is exposed to be connected to the bus bar) exposed from the coating (molded resin) at connection parts (T) with the first terminal part (CU, radially outer part) and the second terminal part (T, radially inner part).
Regarding claim 11/1, Yagai in view of Yamamura was discussed above in claim 1. Yagai further discloses wherein the coil (53) is wound by alpha winding (FIG. 1; the coil ends are all on one axial side of the motor).
Note: instant application in ¶ [0039] discloses alpha winding as end parts of the coil extending on the same axial side of the stator.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yagai et al. (US 2006/0138883 A1) in view of Yamamura et al. (US 2003/0201688 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Evans (DE 102011084716 A1).
Regarding claim 13/1, Yagai in view of Yamamura was discussed above in claim 1. Yagai further discloses the stator (110) includes the coils (114) that are connected by the bus bar unit (116, 117) to form delta connection (FIG. 5; ¶ [0092] the stator coils interconnected in delta connection),
the in-phase coils (114) includes in-phase coils (U1, U2, V1, V2, W1, W2) divided in to sets (U1, V1, W1 and U2, V2, W2 are different sets),
the in-phase coils (u phase, v phase, w phase) adjacent to each other in each of the sets are connected by a lead wire (T), and
the in-phase coils (U1, U2, V1, V2, W1, W2) belonging to the sets different from each other (U1 and U2) are connected by the bypass bus bar (CR connects the coils U1 and U2).
Yagai in view of Yamamura does not disclose the stator includes eighteen pieces of the coils,
the coils include six in-phase coils divided into two sets with three coils continuously aligned in the circumferential direction as one set.
Evans discloses the stator (FIG. 5) includes eighteen pieces of the coils (113),
the coils (113) include six in-phase coils (113; FIG. 6) divided into two sets with three coils (U phase sets as teeth 18, 1, 2 and teeth 9-11) continuously aligned in the circumferential direction as one set (FIG. 4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the claimed invention to have modified Yagai in view of Yamamura, further in view of Evans to disclose the stator includes eighteen pieces of the coils, the coils include six in-phase coils divided into two sets with three coils continuously aligned in the circumferential direction as one set, for the advantages of an electrical machine which can be easily manufacture.
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Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yagai et al. (US 2006/0138883 A1) in view of Yamamura et al. (US 2003/0201688 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Bavisetti et al. (US 2021/0234448 A1) and Krug et al. (US 2022/0109341 A1).
Regarding claim 14/1, Yagai in view of Yamamura was discussed above in claim 1. Yagai in view of Yamamura does not disclose a drone comprising:
the motor according to claim 1; and
a propeller connected to a rotor of the motor.
Bavisetti discloses a drone (1500) comprising:
the motor (100) according to claim 1; and
a propeller (122) connected to a rotor (106) of the motor (100; FIG. 2B; ¶ [0028] shaft 108 connected to the rotor 106).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the claimed invention to have modified Yagai in view of Bavisetti to disclose a drone comprising: the motor according to claim 1; and a propeller connected to a rotor of the motor, as evidenced by Krug in ¶ [0021], the use of an electric motor in a vehicle such as an automobile, electric bicycle and a drone is common in the art by combining of prior art elements to yield predictable results.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9 and 12 are 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.
Regarding claim 9/1, the specific limitation of “each of the coils (31) includes a plurality of winding bodies (38, 39) formed by winding flat wires and aligned in the radial direction, and an intermediate connection part (31m) connecting the winding bodies (38, 39),
the intermediate connection part (31m) is formed by connecting end parts of the flat wires drawn to one side in the axial direction from a pair of the winding bodies (38, 39) adjacent in the radial direction (FIG. 6)” in the combination as claimed are neither anticipated nor made obvious over the prior art made of record.
The closest art Hirano et al. (US 12,395,028 B2) discloses two different coils from different phases are wound on the same tooth, where an intermediate portion extends between a first lead wire and a second lead wire, but fails to disclose each coil having a plurality of winding bodies with an intermediate connection part connected between the winding bodies.
Yamashita et al. (US 2025/0211048 A1) discloses two different coils from different phases are wound on the same tooth (e.g. T2), but fails to disclose each coil having a plurality of winding bodies with an intermediate connection part connected between the winding bodies.
Regarding claim 12/1, the specific limitation of “the bus bar holder (40) includes a holder body (40a) located radially inside the stator (30) when viewed from the axial direction (Z), and a leg part (40b) that extends radially outside from the holder body (40a) and supports the holder body (40a),
the leg part (40b) includes a hole (40h) passing through the leg part (40b) in the axial direction (Z), and
the inter-coil connection part (31m) is inserted into the hole (40h; FIG. 3)” in the combination as claimed are neither anticipated nor made obvious over the prior art made of record.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MINKI CHANG whose telephone number is (571)270-0521. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Seye 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.
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/MINKI CHANG/ Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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