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 . This Office Action is responsive to the Applicant's communication filed on April 8, 2025. In view of this communication, claims 11-20 are now pending in the application.
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.
Claim 20 is 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.
Claim 20 recites an "ancillary unit or electromechanical brake booster of a motor vehicle" comprising an electric motor of claim 11, but does not recite any additional limitations of said An electric motor of an ancillary unit or electromechanical brake booster of a motor vehicle. Thus, the claim does not further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends.
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.
Claim(s) 11-14 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated UENO (US 20200195083 A1).
Regarding claim 1, UENO teaches:
An electric motor (Fig 1; 30) of an ancillary unit or electromechanical brake booster of a motor vehicle[0073], the electric motor (Fig 1; 30) comprising: a stator (Fig 1; 31)disposed concentrically with a rotor axis(Fig 1; 32), said stator(Fig 1; 31) having a plurality of electric coils wired for a plurality of phases[0035];
a bearing shield (Fig 2; 50) having a passage opening(Fig 2; 503);
a plurality of one-piece busbars(Fig 2; 41) each electrically contacting a respective one of the plurality of phase[0041], said plurality of one-piece busbars(Fig 2; 41) protruding through said passage opening(Fig 2; 503)[0052]; and
a plastic material overmolding (Fig 2; 42)at least partially encasing said plurality of one- piece busbars(Fig 2; 41) together[0041].
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Regarding claim 12, UENO teaches the electric motor according to claim 11:
wherein said plurality of one-piece busbars (Fig 3; 41)each have one end region (Fig 3; 41b) disposed parallel to said rotor axis(Fig 3; Z), said end regions (Fig 3; 41b)are guided through said passage opening(Fig 3; 503)[0050], said end regions (Fig 3; 41b)are mutually disposed tangentially relative to said rotor axis(Fig 3; Z), and each of said end regions (Fig 3; 41b)is surrounded by a respective conical portion (Fig 3; 44)of said plastic material overmolding(Fig 3; 42)[0052].
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Regarding claim 13, UENO teaches the electric motor according to claim 12:
wherein said conical portions (Fig 6; 44) are connected to one another by a stabilizing rib(Fig 6; 441).
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Regarding claim 14, UENO teaches the electric motor according to claim 12:
which further comprises compression ribs (Fig 5/6; 443) each formed on a respective one of said conical portions(Fig 6; 44), said compression ribs (Fig 5; 443) running parallel to said rotor axis(Fig 5; Z) and resting on a periphery of said passage opening(Fig 5; 503)( The compression ribs 443 are provided to enhance the shear strength in the molding shrinkage direction of the overmolding 42 in view of the fact that the positional relationship between the plurality of terminal passage opening 503 in the bearing shield 50, thus they must lie on the periphery [0062]).
Regarding claim 20, UENO teaches:
An ancillary unit or electromechanical brake booster of a motor vehicle, the ancillary unit or electromechanical brake booster[0073], comprising an electric motor(Fig 1; 30) according to claim 11.
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.
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) 15-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over UENO (US 20200195083 A1) in view of SHIRAISHI (US 20190386535 A1).
In regards to claim 15, UENO, teaches the electric motor according to claim 11.
UENO does not teach:
which further comprises an interconnection element disposed between said stator and said bearing shield, said interconnection element including a plurality of insertion pockets, said insertion pockets each having a respective contact element inserted therein, and each of said contact elements having a clamping contact clamping a respective one of said plurality of one-piece busbars.
SHIRAISHI teaches:
which further comprises an interconnection element (Fig 1; 11) disposed between said stator (Fig 1; 10)and said bearing shield(Fig 1; 126), said interconnection element (Fig 6; 11) including a plurality of insertion pockets(Fig 6; 11a), said insertion pockets (Fig 6; 11a) each having a respective contact element (Fig 2/6; 13)inserted therein[0049], and each of said contact elements(Fig 2; 13) having a clamping contact (Fig 2; 133)clamping a respective one of said plurality of one-piece busbars(Fig 6; 121)[0061].
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify UENO by adding an interconnection element with the insertion pockets, contact element, and wire portion taught by SHIRAISHI in order have a more reliable connection and contacting of its contact wires.
In regards to claim 16, UENO, in view of SHIRAISHI, teaches the electric motor according to claim 15:
wherein said electric coils are electrically wired to one another[0035] and an insulation displacement contact (Fig 2; 41a)acting as an interconnection point for a respective one of said wire portions[0041].
UENO does not teach:
said electric coils have wire portions, and each of said contact elements has an insulation displacement contact.
SHIRAISHI teaches:
wherein said electric coils (Fig 1; 12)are electrically wired to one another[0050-0052] and have wire portions(Fig 1; 12a/b), and each of said contact elements (Fig 1; 13)has an insulation displacement contact (Fig 2/3; 131)acting as an interconnection point for a respective one of said wire portions(Fig 1; 12b)[0054].
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In regards to claim 17, UENO, in view of SHIRAISHI, teaches the electric motor according to claim 15:
wherein said plurality of one-piece busbars (Fig 2; 41)each have one end region (Fig 2; 41b)disposed parallel to said rotor axis(Fig 2; Z), end regions (Fig 2; 41b)are guided through said passage opening(Fig 2; 503), and all of said end regions (Fig 2; 41b)are supported on one of said insertion pockets(Fig 2; 503) ( The compression ribs 443 are provided to enhance the shear strength in the molding shrinkage direction of the overmolding 42 in view of the fact that the positional relationship between the plurality of terminal passage opening 503 in the bearing shield 50, thus they must lie on the periphery [0062]).
In regards to claim 18, UENO, in view of SHIRAISHI, teaches the electric motor according to claim 17:
wherein one of said end regions (Fig 3; 41b)is disposed above said insulation displacement (Fig 3; 41a)contact or said clamping contact.
Claim(s) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over UENO (US 20200195083 A1), in view of SHIRAISHI (US 20190386535 A1), in further view of DOSCH (US 20210057951 A1).
In regards to claim 19, UENO, in view of SHIRAISHI, teaches the electric motor according to claim 17.
Combination UENO/SHIRAISHI does not teach:
which further comprises a reinforcement rib formed on said insertion pocket, said reinforcement rib being perpendicular to said insertion pocket.
DOSCH teaches:
which further comprises a reinforcement rib (Fig 3b; 44)formed on said insertion pocket(Fig 3b; 30), said reinforcement rib (Fig 3b; 44)being perpendicular to said insertion pocket(Fig 3b; 30)[0042].
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify combination UENO/ SHIRAISHI by adding a reinforcement rib taught by DOSCH in order have a more reliable connection and contacting of its contact wires [0005 DOSCH].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NICHOLAS L SETZER whose telephone number is (571)272-3021. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm EST.
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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.
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/N.L.S./Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/OLUSEYE IWARERE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834