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 .
Response to Amendment
Regarding objections to the specification:
The specification was objected to due to an informality. The Applicant amended the specification to correct the informality, therefore the objection was withdrawn.
Regarding objections to the claims:
Claims 4, 6-7, 9, and 14 were objected to due to multiple informalities. The Applicant amended the claims to correct the informalities, therefore the objections were withdrawn.
Regarding rejections of the claims under §103:
Claims 1-2, 4, 6-10, and 12 were rejected as being obvious over Lin in view of Sunonwealth. Claims 3, 11, and 13-15 were rejected as being obvious over Lin in view of Sunonwealth and Kuo. The Applicant amended claims 1 and 14 and canceled claim 12.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 10/23/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The Applicant argued that Sunonwealth does not have a recess through which the wheel hub can extend. The Examiner respectfully disagrees. In response to applicant's arguments against the references individually, one cannot show nonobviousness by attacking references individually where the rejections are based on combinations of references. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., 800 F.2d 1091, 231 USPQ 375 (Fed. Cir. 1986). In this case, Lin teaches a portion of a rotor pot with a recess. The region of Sunonwealth is in the region of the recess of Lin. Therefore, Lin in view of Sunonwealth does teach that claim limitation. The Applicant argued that Sunonwealth does not teach an outer peripheral surface of the rotor pot being completely surrounded by the hub. The Examiner respectfully disagrees. The rotor shell 11 of Sunonwealth is completely surrounded by the hub 14 as it is integrally connected via injection molding (Paragraph [0074]). Therefore, Lin in view of Sunonwealth does teach that claim limitation. The Applicant argued that there is no rationale to modify Lin with Sunonwealth, pointing to Sunonwealth teaching away from the combination with Lin. The Examiner respectfully disagrees. The rotor pot of Lin is only connected via its peripheral region to the rotor pot. The additional through hole of Sunonwealth provides an extra structural connection between the two sides of the hub and engagement due to covering its inner peripheral surface (Paragraph [0084]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to modify Lin with the hub of Sunonwealth for its structural integrity.
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.
Claims 1-2, 4, and 6-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0208590 to Lin et al. (hereinafter Lin; cited by Applicant on 3/28/2024) in view of Chinese Patent No. 202260696 to Sunonwealth Electr Mach Ind Co (hereinafter Sunonwealth; provided by Applicant on 3/28/2024).
Regarding claim 1, , Lin teaches a rotor (Paragraph [0001]) with a rotor pot (FIG. 4, 50), a hub (FIG. 4, 70), and a shaft (FIG. 4, 60), wherein the rotor pot, the hub, and the shaft are rotatable about an axis of rotation of the rotor,
wherein the shaft is accommodated in a hub bushing of the hub to form a shaft-hub connection (Paragraph [0020]),
wherein the rotor pot has a receptacle (FIG. 4, 52) for the hub and the hub is secured to the rotor pot at least in the region of the receptacle (FIG. 4, 53),
wherein an edge portion (FIG. 4, 53) of the receptacle of the rotor pot extends at least partially parallel to the axis of rotation (FIG. 4, 53: extends axially), and
wherein at least one recess (see annotated FIG. 3A) is formed in the receptacle, in which the recess is located adjacent to the edge portion (FIG. 3A, 53).
Lin does not teach the hub extending through the at least one recess, wherein an outer peripheral surface of the rotor pot is completely surrounded by the hub and/or a fan wheel.
However, Sunonwealth teaches a hub (FIG. 8, 14) extending through a recess (FIG. 8, 114), wherein an outer peripheral surface of the rotor pot (FIG. 8, 11) is completely surrounded by the hub (FIG. 8, 14).
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 the rotor of Lin with the hub recess configuration of Sunonwealth to form a more secure connection between the hub and the receptacle.
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Regarding claim 2, Lin in view of Sunonwealth teaches the rotor according to claim 1, wherein Lin further teaches the edge portion of the receptacle extending parallel to the axis of rotation (FIG. 4, 53: extends axially).
Regarding claim 4, Lin in view of Sunonwealth teaches the rotor according to claim 1, wherein Lin further teaches the shaft having a portion with grooves (FIG. 3A, 61), wherein the portion is accommodated in the hub bushing (Paragraph [0022]).
Regarding claim 6, Lin in view of Sunonwealth teaches the rotor according to claim 1, wherein Lin further teaches a multiplicity of recesses being formed in the receptacle, wherein the recesses are arranged distributed in the circumferential direction of the receptacle (see annotated FIG. 3A above).
Regarding claim 7, Lin in view of Sunonwealth teaches the rotor according to claim 1, wherein Lin further teaches the at least one recess being arranged in a portion of the rotor pot, wherein the portion extends in a radial direction with respect to the axis of rotation (FIG. 3A, 52).
Regarding claim 8, Lin in view of Sunonwealth teaches the rotor according to claim 1, wherein Lin further teaches the hub completely enclosing the receptacle (FIG. 3C, 70; FIG. 4, 70).
Regarding claim 9, Lin in view of Sunonwealth teaches the rotor according to claim 1.
Lin does not teach the hub being made of a plastic and being injection-molded at least onto the receptacle by means of an injection molding process.
However, Sunonwealth teaches a hub (FIG. 8, 14) being made of a plastic and being injection-molded at least onto a receptacle by means of an injection molding process (Paragraph [0080]).
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 the rotor of Lin with the injection molding of Sunonwealth to have a more secure and easily formed rotor fabrication.
Regarding claim 10, Lin in view of Sunonwealth teaches the rotor according to claim 1, wherein Lin further teaches the rotor pot being made of a metallic material (Paragraph [0018]).
Claims 3, 11, and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin in view of Sunonwealth and in further view of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0148086 to Kuo et al. (hereinafter Kuo; cited by Applicant on 3/28/2024).
Regarding claim 3, Lin in view of Sunonwealth teaches the rotor according to claim 1, wherein Lin further teaches the rotor comprising an accommodation space (see annotated FIG. 4), wherein the edge portion (FIG. 4, 53) extends into the accommodation space.
Lin in view of Sunonwealth does not teach an electric motor in the accommodation space.
However, Kuo teaches a rotor pot (FIG. 2, 22) with an electric motor (FIG. 2, 2M) in its accommodation space.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the electric motor of Kuo into the accommodation space of Lin in view of Sunonwealth as it is space efficient to place the motor in the rotor pot and results in a potentially more effective outer rotor design.
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Regarding claim 11, Lin in view of Sunonwealth teaches the rotor according to claim 1.
Lin in view of Sunonwealth does not teach the rotor pot being formed, at least in sections, as a yoke ring.
However, Kuo teaches a rotor pot (FIG. 2, 22) being formed as a yoke ring (Paragraph [0021]).
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 the rotor of Lin in view of Sunonwealth with the yoke ring of Kuo to form a potentially more effective outer rotor design.
Regarding claim 13, Lin in view of Sunonwealth teaches the rotor according to claim 1.
Lin in view of Sunonwealth does not teach a fan with a fan wheel and a rotor, wherein in particular the hub is formed integrally with the fan wheel.
However, Kuo teaches a fan (FIG. 2, I) with a fan wheel (FIG. 2, B), wherein in particular the hub (FIG. 2, H) is formed integrally with the fan wheel (Paragraph [0011]).
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 the rotor of Lin in view of Sunonwealth by incorporating it into the fan of Kuo for the fan of Kuo to benefit from the features of the rotor of Lin in view of Sunonwealth.
Regarding claim 14, Lin in view of Sunonwealth teaches a method for producing a rotor according to claim 1, comprising the steps of:
deep-drawing (Lin Paragraph [0018]) the rotor pot in the region of the receptacle in such a manner that the edge portion of the receptacle of the rotor pot extends at least partially parallel to the axis of rotation (Lin FIG. 4, 53: extends axially);
punching at least one recess in the receptacle adjacent to the edge portion (Lin Paragraph [0018]);
overmolding the rotor pot at least in the region of the receptacle and the recess (Paragraph [0020]), wherein in particular the receptacle is completely overmolded (Lin FIG. 4, 52) and the recess is at least partially overmolded (Sunonwealth FIG. 8; 114, 14);
inserting the shaft into the hub bushing, in particular the portion of the shaft with grooves, when overmolding the rotor pot to form the shaft-hub connection (Lin FIG. 3A-3C; Paragraph [0012]; [0020]).
Lin in view of Sunonwealth does not teach the hub and in particular a fan wheel being formed integrally with the hub.
However, Kuo teaches a fan wheel (FIG. 2, B) being formed integrally with the hub (FIG. 2, H; Paragraph [0011]).
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 the method of Lin in view of Sunonwealth by incorporating the rotor of Lin in view of Sunonwealth it into the fan of Kuo for the fan of Kuo to benefit from the features of the rotor of Lin in view of Sunonwealth.
Regarding claim 15, Lin in view of Sunonwealth and Kuo teaches the method according to claim 14, wherein Lin further teaches the shaft being pre-positioned in a predetermined manner in the recess before overmolding (FIG. 3A-3C; Paragraph [0020]).
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSHUA KIEL MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-9881. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:30am - 7:00pm ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tulsidas Patel can be reached at (571) 272-2098. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JOSHUA KIEL M RODRIGUEZ/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/TULSIDAS C PATEL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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