DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . This Office Action is responsive to the Applicant's communication filed 16 April 2026. In view of this communication and the amendment concurrently filed: claims 1-17 were previously pending; claim 18 was added by the amendment; and thus, claims 1-18 are now pending in the application.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 16 April 2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
The Applicant’s arguments, filed 16 April 2026, have been fully considered and are persuasive.
The Applicant’s first argument (pages 8-12 of the Remarks) states that the first annular member of Takenaka does not define a space between itself and the inner wall surface of the housing as now recited in claim 1. Since the first annular member of Takenaka has a different configuration, this argument is persuasive.
The Applicant’s second argument (pages 12-14 of the Remarks) states that Dong does not disclose the first opening of the first channel discharging refrigerant into the space between the first annular member and the housing as now recited in claim 1. Since Dong does not disclose the space as currently amended, and nor does Takenaka, the previous grounds of rejection, over Takenaka in view of Dong, have been withdrawn. However, new grounds of rejection have now been made in view of the newly cited Li reference.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d) or (f), 365(a) or (b), or 386(a), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Disclosure
The specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant's cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 10-11, 13-14, 16, and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Li et al. (WO 2023/197136 A1), hereinafter referred to as “Li”.
Regarding claim 1, Li discloses a motor [200] (fig. 2-6; ¶ 0075) comprising:
a rotor (fig. 2; ¶ 0069, 0147; mounted on rotor shaft [70]);
a stator [30,40] comprising a stator core [30] and a coil [40] (fig. 2; ¶ 0075);
a housing [20] that houses the rotor and the stator [30,40] (fig. 2; ¶ 0092);
a first annular member [100] that provides a seal between a first end face [left] of the stator core [30] in an axial direction of the stator core [30] and an inner wall surface of the housing [20] (fig. 2-6; ¶ 0075-0076, 0148); and
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a first channel [31] that is disposed along an outer circumferential surface of the stator core [30] and configured to allow refrigerant to flow in the first channel [31], wherein the first channel [31] has a supply port [21] for the refrigerant located on the outer circumferential surface and a first opening [31a] located at the first end face [left], and the first channel [31] extends from the supply port [21] up to the first opening [31a] in the axial direction (fig. 2; ¶ fig. 2; ¶ 0103-0104),
wherein the first annular member [100] has a cylindrical shape about an axis of the stator core [30] (fig. 1-6; ¶ 0076, “annular body 10”),
the first annular member [100] comprises at least one first hole [16] and at least one second hole [15] through which the refrigerant is injected toward a first coil end [40a] of the coil [40] protruding from the first end face [left] of the stator core [30] (fig. 2; ¶ 0076),
the at least one first hole [16] is located on a first plane perpendicular to the axis (fig. 2; ¶ 0078),
the at least one second hole [15] is located on a second plane that is perpendicular to the axis and spaced apart from the first plane in the axial direction (fig. 2; ¶ 0076-0078),
a space [50] is defined between the first annular member [100] and the inner wall surface of the housing [20] (fig. 2; ¶ 0095-0096),
the first opening [31a] of the first channel [31] is configured to discharge the refrigerant into the space [50] (fig. 2; ¶ 0109, the flow of the cooling medium is shown by the arrows through spaces 60, 31, and 50),
the space [50] is configured to be filled with the refrigerant (fig. 2; ¶ 0109), and
the refrigerant in the space [50] is injected through the at least one first hole [16] and through the at least one second hole [15] toward the first coil end [40a] (fig. 2; ¶ 0131-0134).
Regarding claim 2, Li discloses the motor [200] according to claim 1, as stated above, wherein a distance from the second plane to the first end face [left] of the stator core [30] is greater than a distance from the first plane to the first end face [left] of the stator core [30] (fig. 2, 6; the first hole [16] on the first plane is closer to the stator core [30] than the second hole [15] on the second plane), and
a number of the at least one first hole [16] is greater than a number of the at least one second hole [15] (fig. 3-6; the figures show a total of 44 first holes [16] and 32 second holes [15]).
Regarding claim 3, Li discloses the motor [200] according to claim 2, as stated above, wherein the at least one first hole [16] comprises a plurality of first holes [16] disposed over an entirety of a circumference of the first annular member [100] (fig. 3-6).
Regarding claim 10, Li discloses the motor [200] according to claim 1, as stated above, wherein each of the at least one first hole [16] is located at a different position from any of the at least one second hole [15] in a circumferential direction of the first annular member [100] (fig. 3, 6).
Regarding claim 11, Li discloses the motor [200] according to claim 10, as stated above, wherein the at least one first hole [16] comprises a plurality of first holes [16], the at least one second hole [15] comprises a plurality of second holes [15] (fig. 3-6), and
the first holes [16] and the second holes [15] are arranged alternately along the circumferential direction of the first annular member [100] (fig. 6).
Regarding claim 13, Li discloses the motor [200] according to claim 1, as stated above, wherein an angle between an axis of each of the at least one second hole [15] and the second plane is different from an angle between an axis of each of the at least one first hole [16] and the first plane (fig. 6; the axes [a1] of the first holes [16] are parallel to the first plane [p1], while the axes [a2] of the second holes [15] are perpendicular to the second plane [p2]).
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Regarding claim 14, Li discloses the motor [200] according to claim 1, as stated above, wherein a distance from the second plane [p2] to the first end face [left] of the stator core [30] is greater than a distance from the first plane [p1] to the first end face [left] of the stator core [30] (fig. 2, 6), and
an axis [a2] of each of the at least one second hole [15] is inclined toward the first plane [p1] (fig. 6).
Regarding claim 16, Li discloses the motor [200] according to claim 1, as stated above, wherein the motor [200] further comprises a second annular member [100b] that provides a seal between a second end face [right] of the stator core [30] and the inner wall surface of the housing [20] (fig. 2-6; ¶ 0075-0076, 0148), the second end face [right] being opposite to the first end face [left] of the stator core [30] in the axial direction (fig. 2),
the second annular member [100b] has a cylindrical shape about the axis of the stator core [30] (fig. 1-6; ¶ 0076, “annular body 10”),
the second annular member [100b] comprises at least one third hole [16b,15b] through which the refrigerant is injected toward a second coil end [40b] of the coil [40] protruding from the second end face [right] of the stator core [30] (fig. 2; ¶ 0076), and
each of the at least one third hole [16b,15b] is located on a third plane perpendicular to the axis (fig. 2, 6; the hole(s) of the second annular member are spaced from the stator core in the same, but opposite, arrangement as the holes of the first annular member).
Regarding claim 18, Li discloses the motor [200] according to claim 1, as stated above, wherein a first end portion [10] of the first annular member [100] is connected to the first end face [left] of the stator core [30] and a second end portion [13] of the first annular member [100] is connected to the inner wall surface of the housing [20] thereby defining the space [50] between the first annular member [100] and the inner wall surface of the housing [20] (fig. 2-6; ¶ 0081-0091) to function as a pressurized space (this limitation implies no additional structural limitations).
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 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.
Claim(s) 4-7 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Takenaka et al. (US 2010/0045125 A1), hereinafter referred to as “Takenaka”.
Regarding claim 4, Li discloses the motor [200] according to claim 3, as stated above. Li does not disclose that the at least one second hole [15] is disposed only in a first section of the circumference of the first annular member [100].
Takenaka discloses a motor [M] comprising a rotor [R] and a stator [S], with a first annular member [1b] having at least one first hole [h1] and at least one second hole [h2a,h2b] (fig. 1-4; ¶ 0040-0044, 0048-0051, 0057-0058), wherein the at least one second hole [h2b] is disposed only in a first section of the circumference of the first annular member [1b] (fig. 4A; ¶ 0062-0064; the axial second holes are disposed over a portion of the circumference excluding the portion occupied by the “outlet port 71”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the first annular member of Li having an outlet port where the second holes are not provided as taught by Takenaka, in order to allow for circulation of the cooling medium to an external cooler (¶ 0063 of Takenaka) thereby improving the cooling efficiency.
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Regarding claim 5, Li, in view of Takenaka, discloses the motor [200] according to claim 4, as stated above, wherein Takenaka further discloses that the first section of the circumference of the first annular member [1b] is located below a horizontal plane passing through the axis (fig. 4A; the "first section", i.e. the axial surface excluding the area of "outlet port 71", is located both above and below the center of the annular member).
Regarding claim 6, Li, in view of Takenaka, discloses the motor [200] according to claim 4, as stated above, wherein Takenaka further discloses that the first section of the circumference of the first annular member [1b] is located above a horizontal plane passing through the axis (fig. 4A; the "first section", i.e. the axial surface excluding the area of "outlet port 71", is located both above and below the center of the annular member).
Regarding claim 7, Li discloses the motor [200] according to claim 1, as stated above, wherein a distance from the second plane [p2] to the first end face [left] of the stator core [30] is greater than a distance from the first plane [p1] to the first end face [left] of the stator core [30] (fig. 2, 6).
Li does not disclose that a number of the at least one first hole [16] is smaller than a number of the at least one second hole [15].
Takenaka discloses a motor [M] comprising a rotor [R] and a stator [S], with a first annular member [1b] having at least one first hole [h1] and at least one second hole [h2a,h2b] (fig. 1-4; ¶ 0040-0044, 0048-0051, 0057-0058), wherein a distance from the second plane [p2b] to the first end face of the stator core [SC] is greater than a distance from the first plane [p1] to the first end face of the stator core [SC] (fig. 1-2; the holes located on either one of the other radial planes, labelled "p2a" and "p2b", are located farther from the stator core [SC] than the first plane [p1]), and
a number of the at least one first hole [h1] is smaller than a number of the at least one second hole [h2b] (fig. 2, 4A; four axial-side second holes are shown for each of the radial-side first holes).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the first annular member of Li having a larger number of second holes as taught by Takenaka, since Takenaka teaches that cooling efficiency deteriorates when fewer holes are provided (¶ 0006).
Regarding claim 12, Li discloses the motor [200] according to claim 1, as stated above. Li does not disclose that each of the at least one second hole [15] is aligned with a corresponding one of the at least one first hole [16] in a circumferential direction of the first annular member [100].
Takenaka discloses a motor [M] comprising a rotor [R] and a stator [S], with a first annular member [1b] having at least one first hole [h1] and at least one second hole [h2a,h2b] (fig. 1-4; ¶ 0040-0044, 0048-0051, 0057-0058), wherein each of the at least one second hole [h2a/h2b] is aligned with a corresponding one of the at least one first hole [h1] in a circumferential direction of the first annular member [1b] (fig. 2, 4A; each of the radial- and axial-side second holes is circumferentially aligned with a first hole).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the first annular member of Li having aligned first and second holes, by increasing the number of second holes to match the number of first holes, as taught by Takenaka, since Takenaka teaches that cooling efficiency deteriorates when fewer holes are provided (¶ 0006).
Claim(s) 8-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Kikuchi et al. (US 2014/0217842 A1), hereinafter referred to as “Kikuchi”.
Regarding claim 8, Li discloses the motor [200] according to claim 1, as stated above, wherein a distance from the second plane to the first end face [left] of the stator core [30] is greater than a distance from the first plane to the first end face [left] of the stator core [30] (fig. 2, 6; the first hole [16] on the first plane is closer to the stator core [30] than the second hole [15] on the second plane).
Li does not disclose that an opening area of the at least one first hole [16] is larger than an opening area of the at least one second hole [15].
Kikuchi discloses a motor comprising a stator [1] with a core [110] and coils [14], the coils [14] cooled by coolant sprayed from first and second holes [204a/b] (fig. 1, 6; ¶ 0033-0035), wherein an opening area of the at least one first hole [204a] is larger than an opening area of the at least one second hole [204b] (fig. 6-7; 1 0047-0053).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the first holes of Li having a larger opening area than the second holes, as taught by Kikuchi, in order to adjust the flow rates of the coolant to provide uniform cooling of the stator windings, thereby enhancing the cooling effect which makes possible a reduction in size and increase in output density (¶ 0012-0014 of Kikuchi).
Regarding claim 9, Li discloses the motor [200] according to claim 1, as stated above, wherein a distance from the second plane to the first end face [left] of the stator core [30] is greater than a distance from the first plane to the first end face [left] of the stator core [30] (fig. 2, 6; the first hole [16] on the first plane is closer to the stator core [30] than the second hole [15] on the second plane).
Li does not disclose that an opening area of the at least one first hole [16] is smaller than an opening area of the at least one second hole [15].
Kikuchi discloses a motor comprising a stator [1] with a core [110] and coils [14], the coils [14] cooled by coolant sprayed from first and second holes [204b/a] (fig. 1, 6; ¶ 0033-0035), wherein an opening area of the at least one first hole [204b] is smaller than an opening area of the at least one second hole [204a] (fig. 6-7; T 0047-0053).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the first holes of Li having a smaller opening area than the second holes, as taught by Kikuchi, in order to adjust the flow rates of the coolant to provide uniform cooling of the stator windings, thereby enhancing the cooling effect which makes possible a reduction in size and increase in output density (¶ 0012-0014 of Kikuchi).
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Lepres et al. (US 2013/0076167 A1), hereinafter referred to as “Lepres”.
Regarding claim 15, Li discloses the motor [200] according to claim 1, as stated above.
Li does not disclose that the coil [40] comprises a plurality of segment coils, outer surfaces of the segment coils being coated with insulating films, at the first coil end, ends of the plurality of segment coils are each exposed from the insulating films, and each pair of segment coils comprises a welded portion where the ends of the segment coils are welded to each other.
Lepres discloses a motor [14] comprising a stator [26] comprising a stator core [28] and a coil [34] (fig. 1-3; ¶ 0030-0031), wherein said coil [34] comprises a plurality of segment coils [44], outer surfaces of the segment coils [44] being coated with insulating films [54] (fig. 6; ¶ 0035-0036, 0038),
at the first coil end [58], ends of the plurality of segment coils [44] are each exposed from the insulating films [54] (fig. 6; ¶ 0040), and
each pair of segment coils [44] comprises a welded portion [60] where the ends of the segment coils [44] are welded to each other (fig. 6; ¶ 0039-0040).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the coil of Li as welded segment coils as taught by Lepres, in order to secure the coils with sufficient spaces in between adjacent end windings (fig. 3 of Lepres) thereby allowing coolant to reach both the outer and inner surfaces of the conductors which improves the cooling effect (¶ 0021 of Takenaka).
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Takenaka and Kikuchi.
Regarding claim 17, Li discloses the motor [200] according to claim 1, as stated above, wherein a distance from the second plane to the first end face [left] of the stator core [30] is greater than a distance from the first plane to the first end face [left] of the stator core [30] (fig. 2, 6; the first hole [16] on the first plane is closer to the stator core [30] than the second hole [15] on the second plane).
Li does not disclose that a coil density of the first coil end [40a] at the second plane [p2] is smaller than a coil density of the first coil end [40a] at the first plane [p1], and an opening area of the at least one first hole is larger than an opening area of the at least one second hole.
Takenaka discloses a motor [M] comprising a rotor [R] and a stator [S], with a first annular member [1b] having at least one first hole [h1] and at least one second hole [h2a,h2b] (fig. 1-4; ¶ 0040-0044, 0048-0051, 0057-0058), wherein a coil [C,CE] density of the first coil end [CE] at the second plane [p2a/p2b] is smaller than a coil [C,CE] density of the first coil end [CE] at the first plane [p1] (fig. 1; the coil ends are shown being more tightly packed closer to the stator core and less tightly packed further from the stator core).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the coil ends of Li having a lower coil density at the second plane as taught by Takenaka, in order to allow for increased flow of the cooling medium thereby improving cooling efficiency.
Li, in view of Takenaka, still does not disclose that an opening area of the at least one first hole [h1] is larger than an opening area of the at least one second hole [h2].
Kikuchi discloses a motor comprising a stator [1] with a core [110] and coils [14], the coils [14] cooled by coolant sprayed from first and second holes [204a/b] (fig. 1, 6; ¶ 0033-0035), wherein an opening area of the at least one first hole [204a] is larger than an opening area of the at least one second hole [204b] (fig. 6-7; ¶ 0047-0053).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the first holes of Li having a larger opening area than the second holes, as taught by Kikuchi, in order to adjust the flow rates of the coolant to provide uniform cooling of the stator windings, thereby enhancing the cooling effect which makes possible a reduction in size and increase in output density (¶ 0012-0014 of Kikuchi).
Citation of Relevant Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. Prior art:
Pu et al. (US 2023/0116766 A1) discloses a motor comprising a rotor and a stator, with nozzles for spraying a coolant on the stator end windings.
Takahashi (US 2014/0292119 A1) discloses a motor comprising a rotor and a stator, wherein the coil comprises a plurality of segment coils, outer surfaces of the segment coils being coated with insulating films, at the first coil end, ends of the plurality of segment coils are each exposed from the insulating films, and each pair of segment coils comprises a welded portion where the ends of the segment coils are welded to each other.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Michael Andrews whose telephone number is (571)270-7554. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday, 8:30am-3:00pm.
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/Michael Andrews/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
Prosecution Insights