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 Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see page 7, filed 05/05/2026, with respect to the claim objection of claim 2 and 35 USC 112 claim rejection of claims 3 and 7 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The claim objection of claim 2 and 35 USC 112 claim rejection of claims 3 and 7 have been withdrawn.
Applicant's arguments filed 05/05/2026 have been fully considered. Applicant argues that Fayle discloses a cup oriented opposite to the presently claimed cup. However, claim 1 merely requires that a flat circular end of the cup be in face-sharing contact with an outer facing surface of an end cap. The claim does not recite any particular orientation of the cup opening relative to the fastener, nor does it require the cup to function as a journal bearing, carry radial loads, or enable material hybridization. Furthermore, the alleged advantages discussed in the specification are not commensurate in scope with the claimed invention because the claims do not recite the structural features responsible for these asserted benefits. Thus, Applicant’s arguments are not found persuasive.
Claim Objections
Claim 5 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 5 was previously presented as a cancelled claim and has now been re-entered without being renumbered (See 37 CFR 1.121).
The numbering of claims is not in accordance with 37 CFR 1.126 which requires the original numbering of the claims to be preserved throughout the prosecution. When claims are canceled, the remaining claims must not be renumbered. When new claims are presented, they must be numbered consecutively beginning with the number next following the highest numbered claims previously presented (whether entered or not).
Misnumbered claim 5 has been renumbered as 22.
Furthermore, claim 21 was previously presented and has inadvertently been omitted in new claim set. Claim must be cancelled or re-entered accordingly. Please note that if claim was intended to be re-entered the same rejection would have been maintained if claim 21 was intended to be presented.
EXAMINER’S AMENDMENT
The application has been amended as follows: Claim 5 has been renumbered to claim 22, and claim 21 has been re-entered as previously presented in claim set filed on 07/18/2024.
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.
Claims 1,2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11-19, 21, and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Paul (DE 102012110157 A1) in view of Fayle (US D256553 S).
Claim 1
Paul teaches: A rotor assembly (1), comprising:
a first end cap (11);
a second end cap (11);
a rotor core (formed by plurality of laminations 10) positioned between the first end cap (11) and the second end cap (11); and
a fastener (27) extending axially through a center of the first end cap (11), through a cavity of the rotor core (formed by plurality of laminations 10), and through a center of the second end cap (11), the fastener (27) affixing the first end cap (11) and second end cap (11) to the rotor core (formed by plurality of laminations 10) without any other fasteners (27).
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Paul does not explicitly disclose: one or more cups comprising a flat circular end in face-sharing contact with an outer facing surface of the first or second end cap;
The concept of employing a cupped structure such as a cupped shaped washer for example, is a well-known concept relevant to the art of the claimed invention. Cupped washers provide a flush finish for fasteners and they help center fasteners fastened through materials. Fayle for example, teaches the employment of a cupped shaped washer wherein a fastener extends through the center of the cupped shaped washer.
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It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA) of the claimed invention to employ one or more cups, wherein one or more cups comprising a flat circular end in face-sharing contact with an outer facing surface of the first or second end cap of Paul’s rotor assembly. A rigid cupped washer can help center the fastener locate it within a recess in the end plate. Additionally, the cup geometry may mate with a complementary contour in Paul’s end plate, acting almost like a seat or pocket that keeps the fastener centered during tightening.
Claim 2/1
Paul as modified by Fayle teaches: The rotor assembly (1) of claim 1, wherein the fastener further extends through a center or centers of the one or more cups (Fayle).
Claim 4/1
Paul as modified by Fayle teaches: The rotor assembly (1) of claim 1, wherein the rotor core (formed by plurality of laminations 10) comprises one or more lamination stacks (10), the first end cap (11) includes a first flange (13) and the second end cap (11) includes a second flange (13), and the first flange (13) and second flange (13) extend axially towards each other to align the one or more lamination stacks (10).
Claim 6/1
Paul as modified by Fayle teaches: The rotor assembly (1) of claim 1, wherein the fastener (27) is a bolt.
Claim 21/1
Paul as modified by Fayle teaches: The rotor assembly of claim 2, wherein at least one of the one or more cups (as taught by Paul) is a journal of a journal bearing (Paul’s journal 20).
Claim 8
Paul teaches: A rotor assembly (1), comprising:
a rotor core (formed by plurality of laminations 10) comprised of a plurality of aligned lamination stacks (10), each lamination stack including a first hole (hole through which fastener 27 is disposed through) forming a cavity;
a fastener (27) positioned within the cavity and spaced away from the plurality of aligned lamination stacks (10); and
a first end cap (11) and a second end cap (11), each of the first end cap (11) and second end cap (11) positioned at axially opposite ends of the fastener (27) and comprising a cylindrical flange (13) adapted to align the plurality of aligned lamination stacks (10).
Paul does not explicitly disclose: one or more cups, wherein the one or more cups are each received by a cylindrical opening defined by a cylindrical protrusion of the first end cap or the second end cap.
The concept of employing a cupped structure such as a cupped shaped washer for example, is a well-known concept relevant to the art of the claimed invention. Cupped washers provide a flush finish for fasteners and they help center fasteners fastened through materials. Fayle for example, teaches the employment of a cupped shaped washer wherein a fastener extends through the center of the cupped shaped washer.
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It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA) of the claimed invention to employ one or more cups, wherein one or more cups comprising a flat circular end in face-sharing contact with an outer facing surface of the first or second end cap of Paul’s rotor assembly. A rigid cupped washer can help center the fastener locate it within a recess in the end plate. Additionally, the cup geometry may mate with a complementary contour in Paul’s end plate, acting almost like a seat or pocket that keeps the fastener centered during tightening.
Claim 9/8
Paul as modified by Fayle teaches: The rotor assembly (1) of claim 8, wherein there are no other fasteners (fastener 27 is only fastener present, tie rods 17 are not fasteners).
Claim 11/8
Paul as modified by Fayle teaches: The rotor assembly (1) of claim 10, wherein the fastener (27) rotationally couples the rotor core (formed by plurality of laminations 10), the first end cap (11), the second end cap (11), and the one or more cups (Cups taught by Fayle).
Claim 12/8
Paul as modified by Fayle teaches: The rotor assembly (1) of claim 10, but is silent to: wherein one of the one or more cups or a drive end coupling rotationally couples the rotor assembly to a torque converter (torque transmission; Disclosure of the invention, para. 21-24).
Claim 13/8
Paul as modified by Fayle teaches: The rotor assembly (1) of claim 8, wherein the fastener (27) applies axial force to prevent axial movement and radial movement of the rotor core (formed by plurality of laminations 10), the first end cap (11), and the second end cap (11), relative to one another.
Claim 14/8
Paul as modified by Fayle teaches: The rotor assembly (1) of claim 10, wherein the fastener (27) axially aligns the first end cap (11), the second end cap (11), and the one or more cups (cups taught by Fayle) to have centerlines (12) along an axis of rotation of the rotor assembly (1).
Claim 15/8
Paul as modified by Fayle teaches: The rotor assembly (1) of claim 8, wherein the fastener (27) extends through the first hole (hole through which fastener 27 is disposed through), a second hole (hole provided by first end cap 11) in the first end cap (11), and a third hole (hole provided by second end cap 11) in the second end cap (11) such that a first end of the fastener (27) is outside of the cavity and a second end of the fastener (27) opposite the first end is outside of the cavity.
Claim 16
Paul teaches: A rotor assembly (1), comprising:
a first end cap (11) and a second end cap (11);
a rotor core (formed by plurality of laminations 10) comprised of a plurality of lamination stacks (10) positioned axially between the first end cap (11) and the second end cap (11); and
a fastener (27) adapted to apply axial force on the first end cap (11) and second end cap (11) to prevent radial movement of the plurality of lamination stacks (10).
Paul does not explicitly disclose: a first cup received by a cylindrical opening defined by a cylindrical protrusion of the first end cap such that a flat surface of the first cup is in face-sharing contact with an outer facing surface of the first end cap.
The concept of employing a cupped structure such as a cupped shaped washer for example, is a well-known concept relevant to the art of the claimed invention. Cupped washers provide a flush finish for fasteners and they help center fasteners fastened through materials. Fayle for example, teaches the employment of a cupped shaped washer wherein a fastener extends through the center of the cupped shaped washer.
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It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA) of the claimed invention to employ a first cup received by a cylindrical opening defined by a cylindrical protrusion of the first end cap such that a flat surface of the first cup is in face-sharing contact with an outer facing surface of the first end cap. A rigid cupped washer can help center the fastener locate it within a recess in the end plate. Additionally, the cup geometry may mate with a complementary contour in Paul’s end plate, acting almost like a seat or pocket that keeps the fastener centered during tightening.
Claim 17/16
Paul as modified by Fayle teaches: The rotor assembly (1) of claim 16, wherein the fastener (27) extends through the first end cap (11), the second end cap (11), and a cavity formed by the plurality of lamination stacks (10) therebetween such that the first end cap (11) and the second end cap (11) are axially aligned.
Claim 18/16
Paul as modified by Fayle teaches: The rotor assembly (1) of claim 16, wherein the first end cap (11) and the second end cap (11) are adapted to axially align the plurality of lamination stacks (10).
Claim 19/16
Paul as modified by Fayle teaches: The rotor assembly (1) of claim 16, but is silent to: wherein the fastener applies a first axial force to the first cup and a drive end coupling applies a second axial force to the second end cap, the first axial force being oriented opposite of the second axial force along an axis of rotation, such that the fastener, the rotor core, the first end cap, the second end cap, the first cup, and the drive end coupling are rotationally coupled.
The concept of employing a cupped structure such as a cupped shaped washer for example, is a well-known concept relevant to the art of the claimed invention. Cupped washers provide a flush finish for fasteners and they help center fasteners fastened through materials. Fayle for example, teaches the employment of a cupped shaped washer wherein a fastener extends through the center of the cupped shaped washer.
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It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA) of the claimed invention to employ one or more cups, wherein a fastener (Paul’s fastener 27) would apply a first axial force to a first cup (Fayle’s cup) and a drive end coupling to apply a second axial force to the second end cap (Paul’s end cap 11), the first axial force being oriented opposite of the second axial force along an axis of rotation, such that the fastener, the rotor core, the first end cap, the second end cap, the first cup, and the drive end coupling are rotationally coupled. A rigid cupped washer can help center the fastener locate it within a recess in the end plate. Additionally, the cup geometry may mate with a complementary contour in Paul’s end plate, acting almost like a seat or pocket that keeps the fastener centered during tightening.
Claim 21/2
Paul as modified by Fayle teaches: The rotor assembly (1) of claim 2, wherein a hole is formed into the one or more cups (see Fayle’s Fig. 1).
Claims 3, 7, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Paul as modified by Fayle in view of Wagner (DE 3326543 C2).
Claim 3/1
Paul as modified by Fayle teaches: The rotor assembly (1) of claim 1, but is silent to: further comprising a retainer, wherein the retainer and fastener apply compressive forces to componenents of the rotor assembly in directions oriented opposite to one another.
A retainer and fastener normally cooperate to apply compressive forces oriented opposite to one another. Paul’s rotor assembly inherently accomplishes this fastener and retainer relationship involving compressive forces to stabilize Paul’s rotor assembly. Paul accomplishes this through an alluded teaching of a direct end-plate threading which holds the rotor assembly securely with a fastener. Accordingly, Paul discloses that their fastener 27 provides a torque-proof bond between the end plates 11 and the lamination pack 10 via correspondingly high tensile forces (Preferred Embodiments of the Invention, para. 29). Thus, Paul’s end plate 11 (end plate opposite to fastener head) also serves as a retainer for retaining the fastener and it applies compressive forces oriented opposite to one another to components of the rotor assembly (i.e. rotor laminations closest to leftmost end plate are being pushed to the right while rotor laminations closest to rightmost end plate are being pushed to the left, see. Fig. 9).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art of the claimed invention to deduce from Paul’s invention that the rightmost end plate 11 serves as a retainer wherein the retainer and fastener apply compressive forces in oriented opposite to one another to components of the rotor assembly.
Furthermore, the concept of providing a separate retainer to a rotor assembly design within the realm of the claimed invention is well known. For example, Wagner teaches a fastened laminated core assembly similar to Paul’s, comprising a first end cap (10),
a second end cap (10), a laminated core (9) positioned between the first end cap (10) and the second end cap (10), and a fastener (38) affixing the first end cap (10) and second end cap (10) to the laminated core (9). Wagner also teaches their laminated core assembly (9) as further comprising a retainer (27), wherein the retainer (27) and fastener (38) apply compressive forces in oriented opposite to one another to components of the laminated core assembly.
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It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art of the claimed invention to have provided a laminated rotor assembly with end plates and a separate retainer, wherein the retainer cooperates with a fastener to apply compressive forces oriented opposite to one another to components of a rotor assembly. A PHOSITA could consider adding a retainer (such as nut 27 taught by Wagner) at the end of a fastener to secure the fastener against loosening due to vibrations. This is a simple design alternative to Paul’s alluded threaded end-plate fastening design.
Claim 7/3/1
Paul as modified by Fayle teaches: The rotor assembly (1) of claim 3, wherein the fastener (Paul’s 27 or Wagner’s 38) is engagingly coupled to the retainer (Paul’s 11 or Wagner’s 27) via complementary threads (Wagner’s 28).
Claim 20/16
Paul as modified by Fayle teaches: The rotor assembly (1) of claim 16, wherein the fastener (27) applies a first axial force to the first cup (as taught by Fayle), but is silent to: a retainer applies a second axial force to a second cup, the first axial force being oriented opposite of the second axial force along an axis of rotation, such that the fastener, the rotor core, the first end cap, the second end cap, the first cup, and the second cup are rotationally coupled.
A retainer and fastener normally cooperate to apply compressive forces oriented opposite to one another. Paul’s rotor assembly inherently accomplishes this fastener and retainer relationship involving compressive forces to stabilize Paul’s rotor assembly. Paul accomplishes this through an alluded teaching of a direct end-plate threading which holds the rotor assembly securely with a fastener. Accordingly, Paul discloses that their fastener 27 provides a torque-proof bond between the end plates 11 and the lamination pack 10 via correspondingly high tensile forces (Preferred Embodiments of the Invention, para. 29). Thus, Paul’s end plate 11 (end plate opposite to fastener head) also serves as a retainer for retaining the fastener and it applies compressive forces oriented opposite to one another to components of the rotor assembly (i.e. rotor laminations closest to leftmost end plate are being pushed to the right while rotor laminations closest to rightmost end plate are being pushed to the left, see. Fig. 9).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art of the claimed invention to deduce from Paul’s invention that the rightmost end plate 11 serves as a retainer wherein the retainer and fastener apply compressive forces in oriented opposite to one another to components of the rotor assembly.
Furthermore, the concept of providing a separate retainer to a rotor assembly design within the realm of the claimed invention is well known. For example, Wagner teaches a fastened laminated core assembly similar to Paul’s, comprising a first end cap (10),
a second end cap (10), a laminated core (9) positioned between the first end cap (10) and the second end cap (10), and a fastener (38) affixing the first end cap (10) and second end cap (10) to the laminated core (9). Wagner also teaches their laminated core assembly (9) as further comprising a retainer (27), wherein the retainer (27) and fastener (38) apply compressive forces in oriented opposite to one another to components of the laminated core assembly.
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It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art of the claimed invention to have provided a laminated rotor assembly with end plates and a separate retainer, wherein the retainer applies a second axial force to a second cup, the first axial force being oriented opposite of the second axial force along an axis of rotation, such that the fastener (27), the rotor core (formed by plurality of laminations 10), the first end cap (11), the second end cap (11), the first cup, and the second cup are rotationally coupled. A PHOSITA could consider adding a retainer (such as nut 27 taught by Wagner) at the end of a fastener to secure the fastener against loosening due to vibrations. This is a simple design alternative to Paul’s alluded threaded end-plate fastening design.
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 AHMED F SECK whose telephone number is (571)272-4638. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30 am - 4:30 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher Koehler can be reached at (571) 272-3560. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AHMED F SECK/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/CHRISTOPHER M KOEHLER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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