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
This office action is in response to amendment filed on 11/21/25. Regarding the amendment, claims 9-10 are canceled, claims 1-8, 11-22 are present for examination.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-8, 11-22 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-6, 8, 11-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hiroyuki (JP 4351929 B2).
Regarding claim 1, Hiroyuki teaches a stator unit for a molded motor comprising:
a stator core (1) that faces a rotor (6) of the molded motor (1a);
a coil (10) that is wound around the stator core (1); and
a molded resin (35) that covers the stator core (1) and the coil (10), wherein
the stator core (1) has a rotor facing surface (the inner surface of stator core 1) that faces the rotor (6),
the molded resin (35) covers the rotor facing surface (fig 1),
the molded resin (35) includes a pin hole (a, fig 7),
a surface of the stator core (the outer surface of stator core 1 wherein the engaging step portion 17a engaged) includes a pin hole surface (fig 7),
the pin hole surface (the outer surface of stator core 1 wherein the engaging step portion 17a engaged) is a surface other than the inner peripheral surface of the stator core (1), and
the pin hole surface is exposed to the pin hole (fig 7).
Regarding claim 2, Hiroyuki teaches the stator core (1) is disposed to surround the rotor (6), and the rotor facing surface is an inner peripheral surface of the stator core (1, fig 1).
Regarding claim 3, Hiroyuki teaches a pin (17) that directly supports the stator core (1) is inserted into the pin hole (a), when the molded resin (35) is molded is formed in the molded resin (fig 6).
Regarding claim 4, Hiroyuki teaches the pin hole surface is an outer surface of the stator core (1) in a direction orthogonal to a shaft center direction of a rotating shaft (6a) of the rotor (6).
Regarding claim 5, Hiroyuki teaches the pin hole surface is an outer surface of the stator core (1) in a shaft center direction of a rotating shaft (6a) of the rotor (6).
Regarding claim 6, Hiroyuki teaches the pin hole surface includes an outer surface of the stator core (1) in a direction orthogonal to a shaft center direction of a rotating shaft (6a) of the rotor (6) and an outer surface of the stator core (1) in the shaft center direction of the rotating shaft (6a) of the rotor (6).
Regarding claim 8, Hiroyuki teaches a stator unit for a molded motor comprising:
a stator core (1) that faces a rotor (6) of the a molded motor including a rotating shaft (6a);
a coil (10) that is wound around the stator core (1); and
a molded resin (35) that covers the stator core (1) and the coil (10), wherein:
the stator core (1) has a rotor facing surface that faces the rotor (6),
the molded resin (35) covers the rotor facing surface,
the molded resin (35) includes a pin hole (a) into which a pin (17) that supports the stator core (1) is inserted, when the molded resin (35) is molded is formed in the molded resin,
the pin hole (a) is filled with a resin (fig 8), and
the resin contacts the pin hole surface of the stator core (1).
Regarding claim 11, Hiroyuki teaches the stator core (1) includes a plurality of teeth (4) that protrude toward the rotor (6), and each of the plurality of teeth (4) has a front end surface as the rotor facing surface (fig 2).
Regarding claim 12, Hiroyuki teaches the rotor (6) that faces the stator core (1) included in the stator unit.
Regarding claim 13, Hiroyuki teaches a method of manufacturing a stator unit, the method comprising:
disposing a stator (1a) having a stator core (1) and a coil (10) wound around the stator core (1) in a mold;
supporting the stator core (1) with a pin (17) by directly contacting the pin (17) to a surface of the stator other than a rotor facing surface (fig 6); and
molding a molded resin (35) that covers the stator (1a) by injecting a liquid resin into the mold and curing the liquid resin (fig 8).
Regarding claim 14, Hiroyuki teaches the rotor facing surface is an inner peripheral surface of the stator core (1, fig 1).
Regarding claim 15, Hiroyuki teaches the pin (17) supports an outer surface of the stator core (1) on a side (fig 5).
Regarding claim 16, Hiroyuki teaches the pin (17) supports an outer surface of the stator core (1) in a vertical direction (fig 5).
Regarding claim 17, Hiroyuki teaches the pin (17) has a step (17a), and the stator core (1) is supported by the step (17a) of the pin (17, fig 5).
Regarding claim 18, Hiroyuki teaches a pin hole (a) into which the pin (17) is inserted is prevented from being formed in the molded resin by removing the pin (17) from the liquid resin before the liquid resin is cured (fig 7).
Regarding claim 19, Hiroyuki teaches filling a pin hole (a) formed by removing the pin (17) from the molded resin with a resin such that the surface of the stator core (1) is covered by the resin.
Regarding claim 20, Hiroyuki teaches the molded resin covers the rotor facing surface (fig 1).
Regarding claim 21, Hiroyuki teaches the stator core (1) includes a cutout portion formed at an outer peripheral portion of the stator core (1), and the pin hole (a) and the cutout portion overlap with each other when viewed along a shaft center direction of a rotating shaft of the rotor (fig 7).
Regarding claim 22, Hiroyuki teaches the stator core (1) includes a cutout portion formed at an outer peripheral portion of the stator core (1), and the pin hole (a) and the cutout portion overlap with each other when viewed along a shaft center direction of a rotating shaft of the rotor (fig 7).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hiroyuki in view of Yamamoto et al. (JP 2000134833 A).
Regarding claim 7, Hiroyuki teaches the claimed invention as set forth in claim 1, except for the added limitation of the stator core has a core hole that is recessed inward from an outer surface, and the pin hole communicates with the core hole.
Yamamoto teaches a stator for dynamo electric machine comprising a stator core (11) has a core hole (12d) that is recessed inward from an outer surface (fig 1), and a pin hole (12e) communicates with the core hole (12d, fig 1) to improve efficiency (abstract).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Hiroyuki’s stator with the stator core has a core hole that is recessed inward from an outer surface, and the pin hole communicates with the core hole as taught by Yamamoto. Doing so would improve efficiency (abstract).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Neet (US 6,873,082 B2) teaches a stator assembly for a dynamoelectric machine in accordance with the present invention includes a stator core having a plurality of core slots in a surface thereof. Each of the core slots define a plurality of tooth members therebetween. A plurality of insert members is each fixedly received by a respective one of the core slots for lining each respective core slot. The insert members have a pair of leg members extending from a base member that form an aperture therebetween. A stator winding includes straight wire segments that are received by the insert members. The straight segments of the stator winding and the insert members are electrically insulated from one another. At least one of the extending leg members is bent over a portion of the straight wire segments in the core slots, narrowing the aperture between the extending leg members.
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 LEDA T PHAM whose telephone number is (571)272-5806. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:00-5:00.
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/LEDA T PHAM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834