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 .
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.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Should applicant desire to obtain the benefit of foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d) prior to declaration of an interference, a certified English translation of the foreign application must be submitted in reply to this action. 37 CFR 41.154(b) and 41.202(e).
Failure to provide a certified translation may result in no benefit being accorded for the non-English application.
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it contains the form and legal phraseology “means.” A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 4, 8, and 10 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1, “a refrigerant compressor, cluster assembly comprising” should be changed to “a refrigerant compressor, the cluster assembly comprising”
Claim 4, “have radial recesses on their outer edges” should be changed to “have radial recesses on [[their]] outer edges of the cutout areas”
Claim 8, “has coil webs on its inside that are arranged to be evenly distributed over its circumference and directed radially inwards relative to its cross section” should be changed to “has coil webs on an inside that are arranged to be evenly distributed over a circumference and directed radially inwards relative to a cross section”
Claim 8, “provided with basic insulation formed between the stator core and the coils; a cluster assembly according to claim 1” should be changed to “provided with a basic insulation formed between the stator core and the coils; the cluster assembly according to claim 1”
Claim 10, “directed radially inwards relative to its cross section…are arranged to be evenly distributed over its circumference” should be changed to “directed radially inwards relative to the cross section…are arranged to be evenly distributed over the circumference”
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that use the word “means” or “step” but are nonetheless not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph because the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure, materials, or acts to entirely perform the recited function. Such claim limitation(s) is/are:
“by means of a mounting connection on an outer circumference of the cluster” in claim 1,
“clamp elements which are part of a snap connection system by means of which the at least one side closure ring segment is mounted on the cluster” in claim 5.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are not being interpreted to cover only the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant intends to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to remove the structure, materials, or acts that performs the claimed function; or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) does/do not recite sufficient structure, materials, or acts to perform the claimed function.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claims 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends.
Claims 10-12 recite a method for producing a stator insulation and fails to further limit the subject matter of the apparatus claim upon which they depend. U.S. patent law, 35 U.S.C. 101, defines four categories of invention that can be patented: processes (which include methods), machines, manufactures, and compositions of matter. An apparatus (machine or manufacture) is a different type of invention than a method (process). While a single patent application can contain claims to different categories, claims are generally grouped based on these categories for examination purposes. Blending categories, such as including method steps within an apparatus claim, can risk rendering the claim indefinite or in this case failure to further limit the claim upon which they depend.
Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
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.
(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 1-5 and 7-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Heo (US 2019/0203715).
Regarding claim 1, Heo discloses a cluster assembly (500 of Figure 3-4) for coil connection, contacting and insulation of a stator unit (10 of Figure 1; 210 of Figure 3-5) of an electric motor (200 of Figure 3) for driving a refrigerant compressor (Para. 0007, 0017), cluster assembly comprising:
an annular cluster comprising:
an annular support part (560 of Figure 4) formed by injection molding and overmolding with an insulating cover (see 560 of Figure 4);
three first connecting elements for a connection to wire ends of three-phase wires of a stator winding on one side of the stator core of the stator unit, and three first conductor parts, each connected with one of the first connecting elements (Para. 0012); and
three second connecting elements of a common second conductor part for an electrical connection of three wire ends to one another on a side of the stator winding opposite the connection to wire ends to the first connecting elements (Para. 0012),
wherein the cluster has cutout areas (571-573 of Figure 4, 6) without the insulating cover, in which the first connecting elements and/or the second connecting elements project radially outwards from the support part of the cluster and protrude axially outwards from the support part of the cluster (see Figure 4, 6; Para. 0012), and
at least one side closure ring segment (30 of Figure 1, 2A, 2B, 2C; 541-543 of Figure 6-8) securing the connection to wire ends to the first connecting elements or the connection to wire ends to the second connecting elements (Para. 00012, 0018) and insulation by means of a mounting connection (564 of Figure 4-6) on an outer circumference of the cluster (see Figures 4-5),
wherein the at least one side closure ring segment corresponds to one of the cutout areas without the insulating cover of the cluster in each case.
Regarding claim 2, Heo discloses wherein several vessels (571-573 of Figure 4, 6) are formed for filling with an electrically insulating filling material by assembling the at least one side closure ring segment (541-543 of Figure 6-8) with the cluster (560 of Figure 4) in at least one of the cutout areas (571-573 of Figure 4, 6), each of which encloses a space around a contact point of one of the first connecting elements or the second connecting elements with one of the corresponding wire ends (see Figures 4, 6).
Regarding claim 3, Heo discloses wherein the at least one side closure ring segment (541-543 of Figure 6-8) is embodied as a one-piece plastic injection-molded part (520 of Figures 4-6).
Regarding claim 4, Heo discloses wherein the cutout areas (571-573 of Figure 4, 6) each have radial recesses on their outer edges (see Figures 4-6) through which each of the wire ends can be passed axially in a direction of a contact point of the first connecting elements and the second connecting elements (Para. 0012), and that the at least one side closure ring segment (541-543 of Figure 6-8) has a number of side closing elements distributed in a direction of curvature of a ring segment wall on an inside of the ring segment wall (see Figure 4-7), which correspond to the radial recesses in a respective one of the cutout areas in terms of shape, number and distribution, whereby the radial recesses are at least partially closed (see 571-573 of Figure 4, 6).
Regarding claim 5, Heo discloses wherein the at least one side closure ring segment (541-543 of Figure 6-8) has clamp elements (561 of Figure 5) which are part of a snap connection system (211, 561, 564 of Figure 5) by means of which the at least one side closure ring segment is mounted on the cluster (see Figure 5).
Regarding claim 7, Heo discloses wherein the at least one side closure ring segment (30 of Figure 1, 2A, 2B, 2C) has at least two lower clamp elements (see Figures 1, 2A, 2B; 561 of Figure 5) which are positioned and arranged on the inside of the ring segment wall so that they engage an underside of a base plate of the cluster (500 of Figure 3-4).
Regarding claim 8, Heo discloses a stator unit (10 of Figure 1; 210 of Figure 3-5) comprising:
a stator core having at least substantially a shape of a hollow cylinder (Para. 0008, 0018), which has coil webs (20-22 of Figure 1; 230 of Figure 4, 5) on its inside that are arranged to be evenly distributed over its circumference and directed radially inwards relative to its cross section, wherein lead wires forming coils are wound around the coil webs, which are divided into at least three phases, and wherein the stator core is provided with basic insulation formed between the stator core and the coils (see Figure 4, 5; Para. 0018);
a cluster assembly (500 of Figure 3-4) according to claim 1, wherein the cluster is placed on an axial wall surface of the stator core of the stator unit (see Figures), and the first connecting elements and the second connecting elements of the first conductor parts and the second conductor parts are connected in each case to the wire ends of the lead wires of the coils passing through a recess (see 571-573 of Figure 4, 6) in a base plate (560 of Figure 4) in an axial direction at contact points in the cutout areas (571-573 of Figure 4, 6), and wherein vessels (571-573 of Figure 4, 6) enclosing a space around one of the contact points in each case, which are formed by assembling the cluster with the at least one side closure ring segment (30 of Figure 1, 2A, 2B, 2C; 541-543 of Figure 6-8), are filled with an electrically insulating filling material (Para. 0020).
Regarding claim 9, Heo discloses wherein the at least one side closure ring segment (30 of Figure 1, 2A, 2B, 2C; 541-543 of Figure 6-8) is placed on a wall step (see Figures 1, 4, 5) formed by the basic insulation on the axial wall surface of the stator core (10 of Figure 1; 210 of Figure 3-5).
Regarding claim 10, Heo discloses a method for producing a stator insulation system for the stator unit (10 of Figure 1; 210 of Figure 3-5) according to claim 8, the method comprising steps of:
overmolding the stator core, on an inside of which the coil webs directed radially inwards relative to its cross section and around which the lead wires are completely wound to form the coils, are arranged to be evenly distributed over its circumference, with a plastic for formation of the basic insulation (see 560 of Figure 4),
aligning the wire ends of the lead wires in the axial direction,
mounting the cluster on the stator core provided with the basic insulation (see Figures 4-5),, the cluster being placed on the axial wall surface of the stator core and the wire ends being connected to the first connecting elements and the second connecting elements of the first conductor parts and the second conductor parts of the cluster at the contact points (Para. 0012), and
attaching the at least one side closure ring segment (30 of Figure 1, 2A, 2B, 2C; 541-543 of Figure 6-8), wherein the vessels (571-573 of Figure 4, 6) surrounding one of the contact points in each case are formed by mounting the at least one side closure ring segment on the cluster (see Figures 4-5), and
filling the vessels with a casting compound of the insulating filling material (Para. 0020).
Regarding claim 11, Heo discloses wherein the at least one side closure ring segment (30 of Figure 1, 2A, 2B, 2C; 541-543 of Figure 6-8) is mounted on the cluster in a radial direction, in the axial direction, or in a combination of both the radial direction and the axial direction (see Figures 4-5).
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 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Heo (US 2019/0203715), in view of Shirai (US 2020/0036255).
Regarding claim 6, Heo discloses all of the elements of the current invention as mentioned above, however does not explicitly disclose wherein the at least one side closure ring segment has two outer clamp elements which are designed in a form of a radial projection on each of two ends of the ring segment wall of the at least one side closure ring segment that are opposite each other in the direction of curvature of the ring segment wall, which projection has a hook-shaped end pointing outwards in the direction of curvature.
Shirai discloses wherein the at least one side closure ring segment (141 of Figure 3-6) has two outer clamp elements (153, 154 of Figure 3, 4, 6) which are designed in a form of a radial projection on each of two ends of the ring segment wall of the at least one side closure ring segment that are opposite each other in the direction of curvature of the ring segment wall, which projection has a hook-shaped end pointing outwards in the direction of curvature (see Figures 3, 4, 6).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing of the claimed invention to have the outer clamp elements of Heo have a hook shaped form, as taught by Shirai, in order to latch and secure a firm connection with other components as needed [Shirai: Para. 0072].
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Heo (US 2019/0203715), in view of Walisko (US 2022/0324298).
Regarding claim 12, Heo discloses all of the elements of the current invention as mentioned above, however does not explicitly disclose wherein the insulating filling material is an epoxy resin.
Walisko discloses wherein the insulating filling material is an epoxy resin (Para. 0071-0072).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing of the claimed invention to have the insulating filling material of Heo be of an epoxy resin, as taught by Walisko, to be able to close any gaps for current flow and thus possible flow paths for leakage current or creeping current [Walisko: Para. 0071].
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Walisko (US 2024/0313604), Rathje (US 4,313,076) disclose a cluster assembly for coil connection, contacting and insulation of a stator unit of an electric motor.
Sharp (US 4,537,067), Walisko (US 2024/0097517) disclose an insulating material such as epoxy, and a cluster assembly for a stator.
Prucher (US 2023/0006505) discloses a cluster assembly for a stator.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHARLES H REID whose telephone number is (571)272-9248. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30-4:45 PM.
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, 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.
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.
/Charles Reid Jr./ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834