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.
Claim(s) 1-8 and 12-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over prior art reference in view of Awazu et al. (US PG Pub 2006/0119204).
As to independent claim 1, Awazu et al. teaches a method of manufacturing a rotor (10) for a motor, the method comprising: preparing a rotor plate (11), a rotor core (12) , and a plurality of permanent magnets (13); coupling the rotor core (12) to the rotor plate (11); and forming a molding part (14), wherein the molding part (14) is formed by molding a resin composition for a molding material on the plurality of permanent magnets (13) so that the molding part (14) is shaped to integrally connect the plurality of permanent magnets (14) in a circumferential direction of the rotor core (12), wherein the rotor (10) is manufactured such that the rotor plate (11), the rotor core (12), the plurality of permanent magnets (13), and the formed molding part (14) are coupled as shown in figure 1.
As to claim 2/1, Awazu et al. teaches wherein the rotor core is coupled and bonded to the rotor plate using a bonding agent (see paragraph [0032 and [0034]).
As to claim 3/1, Awazu et al. teaches wherein a permanent magnet resin molded product (see paragraph [0032 and [0034]), in which the molding part (14) is integrated with the plurality of permanent magnets (13), is manufactured by installing the plurality of permanent magnets (13) so that the plurality of permanent magnets (13) are arranged in the circumferential direction in a mold for forming the molding part (14), and injecting a molten resin composition for a molding material into the mold, and wherein the permanent magnet resin molded product is coupled to a surface of the rotor core (12) coupled to the rotor plate (11) as shown in figures 1, 3 and (see paragraph [0032 and [0034]).
As to claim 4/3, Awazu et al. teaches wherein the permanent magnet resin molded product (see paragraph [0032 and [0034]) is bonded to the surface of the rotor core (12) coupled to the rotor plate (11) using a bonding agent as shown in figures 1, 3 and (see paragraph [0032 and [0034]).
As to claim 5/3, Awazu et al. teaches wherein the molding part (14) is formed so that a first surface of each of the permanent magnets (13) is exposed, and a second surface of each of the permanent magnets (13) is embedded in the molding part (14) as shown in figure 3.
As to claim 6/1, Awazu et al. teaches wherein the molding part (14) is formed on the plurality of permanent magnets (13) by: installing the rotor plate (11), the rotor core (12), and the plurality of permanent magnets (13) in a mold for forming the molding part (14), wherein the rotor plate (11) is coupled to the rotor core (12), and wherein the plurality of permanent magnets (13) are arranged in the circumferential direction; and injecting a molten resin composition for a molding material into the mold as shown in figures 1 and 3, (see paragraph [0032 and [0034]).
As to claim 7/6, Awazu et al. teaches wherein the rotor core (12) is coupled and bonded to the rotor plate (11) using a bonding agent as shown in figures 1, 3 and (see paragraph [0032 and [0034]).
As to claim 8/6, Awazu et al. teaches wherein the molding part (14) is formed so that a first surface of each of the permanent magnets (13) is exposed, and a second surface of each of the permanent magnets (13) is embedded in the molding part (14) as shown in figure 3.
As to independent claim 12, Awazu et al. teaches a rotor for a motor, the rotor (10) comprising: a rotor core (12); a plurality of permanent magnets (13) arranged in a circumferential direction of the rotor core (12); a rotor plate (11) coupled to the rotor core (12); and a molding part (14) formed by molding a resin composition for a molding material on the plurality of permanent magnets (13) so that the molding part (14) is shaped to integrally connect the plurality of permanent magnets (13) arranged in the circumferential direction, wherein the rotor plate (11), the rotor core (12), the plurality of permanent magnets (13), and the formed molding part (14) are coupled on the rotor (10) as shown in figures 1 and 3.
As to claim 13/12, Awazu et al. teaches wherein the rotor plate (11) and the rotor core (12) are coupled and bonded using a bonding agent as shown in figure 1 a, 3 and (see paragraph [0032 and [0034]).
As to claim 14/12, Awazu et al. teaches wherein a first surface of each of the plurality of permanent magnets (13) is exposed, and a second surface of each of the plurality of permanent magnets (13) is embedded in the molding part (14) as shown in figure 3.
As to claim 15/14, Awazu et al. teaches wherein the molding part (14) formed on the plurality of permanent magnets (13) is coupled and bonded to a surface of the rotor core (12) using a bonding agent as shown in figure 1, 3 and (see paragraph [0032 and [0034]).
As to claim 16/14, Awazu et al. teaches wherein the molding part (14) covers a surface of the rotor core (12) between adjacent permanent magnets (13) as shown in figures 1 and 3.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9-11 and 17-18 are 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. Note claim 9 depends claim 8, claim 10 depends claim 9 and claim 11 depends claim 1, claim 17 depends claim 16 and claim 18 depends claim 12.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSE A GONZALEZ QUINONES whose telephone number is (571)270-7850. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 6:30-2:30 EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, OLUSEYE IWARERE can be reached at (571)270-5112. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JOSE A GONZALEZ QUINONES/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834 December 22, 2025