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 § 103
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 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsuji et al. (JP 2020014322 A, the machine translation of which has been provided) in view of Mizuno et al. (US 20220131434 A1).
RE claim 1, Hattori teaches a rotor of an embedded magnet type rotary electric machine (Fig.20) comprising
a magnetic member including a cylindrical outer peripheral portion 17 around an axis of the outer peripheral portion (Fig.20):
an inner peripheral portion 4 provided on an inner peripheral side of the outer peripheral portion 17 with a gap 60 therebetween and
a plurality of connecting portions (CP) (see annotated Fig. 20 below) connecting the outer peripheral portion 17 and the inner peripheral portion 4, wherein
the outer peripheral portion 17 is provided with a plurality of teeth 17 protruding toward an inner periphery at predetermined angular intervals around the axis (see Fig.20)
a plurality of slots (S) (where magnet 5 inserted) are respectively provided between the teeth 17 in a circumferential direction of the outer peripheral portion, each of the slots (S) being configured to retain a respective one of a plurality of permanent magnets 5 therein,
the permanent magnets 5 are arranged such that, in the circumferential direction, N poles face each other and S poles face each other alternately without intervening magnets (Fig.20),
the teeth 17 include first teeth 17 provided between the N poles that face each other and second teeth 17 provided between the S poles that face each other, and
the connecting portions (CP) are each provided only between the inner peripheral portion and the second teeth (see Fig.20).
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Tsuji does not teach each of the slots opening toward the gap.
Mizuno teaches each of the slots 621 (Fig.3) opening toward the gap 63, doing so may reduce the magnetic flux leaking from the rotor core (¶ 131, 132).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Tsuji by having each of the slots opening toward the gap, as taught by Mizuno, for the same reasons as discussed above.
RE claim 5, Tsuji teaches a rotor of an embedded magnet type rotary electric machine (Fig.20) comprising:
a magnetic member including a cylindrical outer peripheral portion 17 around an axis of the outer peripheral portion (Fig.20);
an inner peripheral portion 4 provided on an inner peripheral side of the outer peripheral portion 17 with a gap 60 therebetween; and
a plurality of connecting portions (CP) connecting the outer peripheral portion 17 and the inner peripheral portion 4, wherein
the outer peripheral portion 17 is provided with a plurality of teeth 17 protruding toward an inner periphery at predetermined angular intervals around the axis (Fig.20),
a plurality of slots (S) (see annotated Fig.20 above) are respectively provided between the teeth 17, in a circumferential direction of the outer peripheral portion, each of the slots (S) being configured to retain a respective one of a plurality of permanent magnets 15 therein,
the permanent magnets 15 are arranged such that, in the circumferential direction, N poles face each other and S poles face each other alternately without intervening magnets (Fig.20),
the teeth 17 include first teeth 17 provided between the N poles that face each other and second teeth provided between the S poles that face each other, and the connecting portions (CP) are each provided only between the inner peripheral portion and the first teeth 17.
Tsuji does not teach each of the slots opening toward the gap.
Mizuno teaches each of the slots 621 (Fig.3) opening toward the gap 63, doing so may reduce the magnetic flux leaking from the rotor core (¶ 131, 132).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Tsuji by having each of the slots opening toward the gap, as taught by Mizuno, for the same reasons as discussed above.
Claims 2 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsuji in view of Mizuno as applied to claims 1 and 5 above, and further in view of Ushida et al. (US 2019/0052155 A1).
RE claim 2/1, Tsuji in view of Mizuno has been discussed above. Tsuji further teaches the magnetic member includes a plurality of plate-shaped bodies (Fig.20); each of the plate-shaped bodies includes the outer peripheral portion 17, the inner peripheral portion 4, and the connecting portions (CP).
Tsuji does not teach an insulating film is provided on both front and back surfaces of each of the plate-shaped bodies and the plate-shaped bodies are stacked in an axial direction.
Ushida teaches the plate body 202a provided with an insulating film 202b on front and back surfaces of the plate body 202a (Fig.5), doing so allows eddy current in the core to be reduced.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Tsuji in view of Mizuno by having an insulating film on front and back surfaces of the plate body, as taught by Ushida, for the same reasons as discussed above.
Claim 6 is rejected for similar reason as claim 2.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsuji in view of Mizuno as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Jang et al. (US 2018/0048200 A1).
RE claim 3/1, Tsuji in view of Mizuno has been discussed above. Tsuji does not teach an angular interval between each of the first teeth and each of the second teeth adjacent thereto in the circumferential direction is 2n/8 radians.
Jang teaches an angular interval between each of the first teeth and each of the second teeth adjacent thereto in the circumferential direction is 2n/8 radians (Fig.3, ¶ 14, 39). The angle can be adjusted to minimize leakage magnetic fluxes (¶ 17).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Tsuji by having an angular interval between each of the first teeth and each of the second teeth adjacent thereto in the circumferential direction is 2n/8 radians, as taught by Jang, for the same reasons as discussed above.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsuji in view of Mizuno as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Kuwahara et al. (US 6429566 B1).
RE claim 4/1, Tsuji in view of Mizuno has been discussed above. Tsuji does not teach each of the slots has a narrower circumferential width toward an outer peripheral side in a radial direction of the magnetic member.
Kuwahara teaches each of the slots has a narrower circumferential width toward an outer peripheral side in a radial direction of the magnetic member (Fig.18). Thus, the rotor having this embodiment is manufactured more easily and at a lower cost than in the previous embodiments. The effect of preventing radially outward escape of the permanent magnet (escape during assembly to the silicon steel sheet 100 and during rotation of the rotor) is more stable than in the previous embodiment (col.17: 10-25).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Tsuji in view of Mizuno by having each of the slots has a narrower circumferential width toward an outer peripheral side in a radial direction of the magnetic member, as taught by Kuwahara, for the same reasons as discussed above.
Furthermore, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the size or shape of a component. A change in size or shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Rose, 105 E 3SPQ 237 (CCPA 1955).
Claims 7 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsuji et al. (JP 2020014322 A, the machine translation of which has been provided) in view of Ushida et al. (US 2019/0052155 A1) and Brahmavar et al. (US 2014/0103768 A1).
RE claim 7, Tsuji teaches a rotor of an embedded magnet type rotary electric machine (Fig.20) comprising:
a magnetic member including a cylindrical outer peripheral portion 17 around an axis of the outer peripheral portion (Fig.20);
an inner peripheral portion 4 provided on an inner peripheral side of the outer peripheral portion 17 with a gap 60 therebetween;
a plurality of first connecting portions (CP) connecting the outer peripheral portion 17 and the inner peripheral portion 4; and
a plurality of second connecting portions (CP) connecting the outer peripheral portion 17 and the inner peripheral portion 4, wherein
the outer peripheral portion 17 is provided with a plurality of teeth 17 protruding toward an inner periphery at predetermined angular intervals around the axis (Fig.20),
a plurality of slots (S) are respectively provided between the teeth 17, in a circumferential direction of the outer peripheral portion 17,
each of the slots being configured to retain a respective one of a plurality of permanent magnets 5 therein, the permanent magnets 5 are arranged such that, in the circumferential direction, N poles face each other and S poles face each other alternately without intervening magnets (Fig.20),
the teeth 17 include first teeth 17 provided between the N poles that face each other and second teeth 17 provided between the S poles that face each other (Fig.20),
the magnetic member 17 includes a plurality of first plate-shaped bodies 17 and a plurality of second plate-shaped bodies 17, the first plate-shaped bodies 17 and the second plate-shaped bodies 17 being stacked in an axial direction,
each of the first plate-shaped bodies includes the outer peripheral portion 17, the inner peripheral portion 4, and the first connecting portions (CP); the first connecting portions (CP) are each provided only between the inner peripheral portion 4 and the first teeth 17;
Tsuji does not teach:
an insulating film is provided on both front and back surfaces of each of the first plate- shaped bodies and each of the second plate-shaped bodies;
slots opening toward the gap and each of the second plate-shaped bodies include the outer peripheral portion, the inner peripheral portion, and the second connecting portions; and the second connecting portions are each provided only between the inner peripheral portion and the second teeth.
RE (i) above, Ushida teaches the plate body 202a provided with an insulating film 202b on front and back surfaces of the plate body 202a (Fig.5), doing so allows eddy current in the core to be reduced.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Tsuji in view of Mizuno by having an insulating film on front and back surfaces of the plate body, as taught by Ushida, for the same reasons as discussed above.
RE (ii) above, Brahmavar teaches slots 46 (Figs.10-12) opening toward the gap and each of the second plate-shaped bodies include the outer peripheral portion 126, the inner peripheral portion 114, and the second connecting portions 120; and the second connecting portions 120 are each provided only between the inner peripheral portion and the second teeth (see Figs.10-12 and ¶ 49 for web 120 disposed only between every two teeth and the second plate shaped bodies also disposed between every two teeth and by one pole). Such configuration can provide lower cost materials in a permanent magnet motor that reduces or eliminates the efficiency loss caused by the lower cost material. Furthermore, the exemplary methods system and apparatus achieve increased efficiency while reducing or eliminating an increase of the length of the motor (¶ 68).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Tsuji in view of Ushida by having slots opening toward the gap and each of the second plate-shaped bodies include the outer peripheral portion, the inner peripheral portion, and the second connecting portions; and the second connecting portions are each provided only between the inner peripheral portion and the second teeth, as taught by Brahmavar, for the same reasons as discussed above.
RE claim 8/7, as discussed above, Brahmavar the first plate-shaped bodies and the second plate-shaped bodies are alternately stacked in the axial direction (see Fig.10 for lamination alternated stacked in axial direction).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the pending claims have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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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/THOMAS TRUONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834