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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments, page 6 lines 1 – 4, filed 10/30/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that Iizuka et al.'s inner housing 5A and the outer housing 5B is not an integrated, cast-to-envelop structure because they are
Applicant's arguments, page 6 lines 5 – 6 and page 7 lines 1 – 2, filed 10/30/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues Iizuka et al.'s inner housing 5A and outer housing 5B are each individually cast components and does not suggest that one housing is cast to envelop the other. However, Iizuka et al. Fig. 1 discloses inner housing 5A is embedded in outer housing 5B such that outer housing 5B envelops around inner housing 5A.
Applicant's arguments, page 7 lines 3 – 5, filed 10/30/2025 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Applicant argues that if Iizuka et al.’s Paragraph [0041] were interpreted to disclose that inner housing 5A and outer housing 5B are integrally formed by casting, the interpretation would contradict Iizuka et al.’s Paragraph [0040] which discloses that inner housing 5A and outer housing 5B are separate, attachable parts. Applicant is correct that the two paragraphs would contradict if that was true, such that Iizuka et al.’s Paragraph [0041] true interpretation is that inner housing 5A and outer housing 5B are respectively casted instead of casted together.
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 (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 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)(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 – 2 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by IIzuka et al.
Regarding Claim 1, Iizuka et al. discloses a water-cooled motor (2) (Iizuka et al. Fig. 1) comprising:
an annular stator (11) having a central axis (axis of rotation L) (Iizuka et al. Fig. 1);
and an annular housing (5) surrounding the stator around the central axis and provided with a cooling channel (40) within the housing (Iizuka et al. Fig. 1),
wherein the housing Iizuka et al. Fig. 1) includes:
an annular non-magnetic metal pipe (5A) (Iizuka et al. Para [0041] lines 1 – 3 discloses the inner housing 5A can be formed from aluminum);
and a casting member (5B) formed by at least partially embedding the metal pipe within the casting member around the central axis (Iizuka et al. Fig. 1 discloses the inner housing 5A is embedded within outer housing 5B),
and the metal pipe is located inward of the cooling channel and located outward of an outer surface of the stator, in a radial direction of the stator (Iizuka et al. Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 2, Iizuka et al. discloses the water-cooled motor according to claim 1, wherein an inner surface of the metal pipe abuts against the outer surface of the stator (Iizuka et al. Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 6, Iizuka et al. discloses the water-cooled motor according to claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the metal pipe has an uneven shape (Iizuka et al. Fig. 1 discloses grooves 20 are formed on the outer surface of inner housing 5A).
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:
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.
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.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Iizuka et al. in view of Bradfield.
Regarding Claim 3, Iizuka et al. discloses the water-cooled motor according to claim 1, wherein the stator includes a stator core (11a) having an end face on one side in an axial direction of the central axis (Iizuka et al. Fig. 1),
and an end coil (end of coil 11b) disposed on the end face (Iizuka et al. Fig. 1),
the metal pipe has a protruding portion (17) protruding toward the one side in the axial direction, with respect to the end face (Iizuka et al. Fig. 1).
Iizuka et al. does not disclose:
the protruding portion is in thermal contact with the end coil with an insulating member in between.
Bradfield discloses:
the protruding portion (36) is in thermal contact with the end coil (26) with an insulating member (90) in between.
Iizuka et al. and Bradfield disclose a protruding portion and an end coil therefore, Bradfield constitutes prior art. Bradfield discloses a potted electric machine having end frame members with extended portions in thermal contact with end turns of a stator coil via a thermally conductive material. It would be obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a protruding portion of Iizuka et al. be wherein the protruding portion is in thermal contact with the end coil with an insulating member in between of Bradfield for the purpose of dissipating heat away from the end coil to housing where the cooling channel is housed.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4 – 5 and 7 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 4, the prior art discloses various water-cooled motors having housings including cast members. However, the particular structure in combination with previously recited features, wherein the metal pipe is located inward of the second wall portion (of the casting member) in the radial direction is not disclosed/suggested in the prior art. Thus, the invention recited above is neither anticipated nor rendered obvious in the art.
Regarding Claim 5, it is objected as being dependent on allowable claim 4.
Regarding Claim 7, the prior art discloses various water-cooled motors having projections provided on an outer surface of housings. However, the particular structure in combination with previously recited features, wherein the top portion has an enlarged shape relative to the columnar portion (of the projection) is not disclosed/suggested in the prior art. Thus, the invention recited above is neither anticipated nor rendered obvious in the art.
As allowable subject matter has been indicated, applicant's reply must either comply with all formal requirements or specifically traverse each requirement not complied with. See 37 CFR 1.111(b) and MPEP § 707.07(a).
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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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/THEODORE L PERKINS/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/TERRANCE L KENERLY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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