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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed 04/24/2024 & 10/31/2024 fails to comply with 37 CFR 1.98(a)(3)(i) because it does not include a concise explanation of the relevance, as it is presently understood by the individual designated in 37 CFR 1.56(c) most knowledgeable about the content of the information, of each reference listed that is not in the English language. It has been placed in the application file, but the information referred to therein has not been considered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding Claim 1, in line 4, the applicant recites “a plurality of bolt fixing portions”. In line 10, the applicant then recites “the bolt fixing portion”. As recited, it is unclear if the “portion(s)” in both instances are the same or not “portion(s)”.
Claims 2-15 are rejected based on the dependency from Claim 1.
Regarding Claim 2, the applicant recites “wherein the bolt fixing portion, not a laminated body of steel plates, includes …”. As recited, it is unclear what is included or not included as the laminated body of steel plates.
Moreover, the limitation "end portions" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The examiner suggests to recite “a plurality of end portions.
Claim 3 is rejected based on the dependency from Claim 2.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "end plate portions" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 9 is rejected based on the dependency from Claim 8.
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.
Claims 1-2, 4-6 and 8-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Egashira (US 2021/0408849).
Regarding Claim 1, Egashira discloses a stator core [100] (FIG. 1-2, ¶ [0055]; “rotary electric machine”) comprising:
a stator core [21] fixed to a stator fixing member [2] by a fixing bolt [9] (FIG. 1-3, ¶ [0059]; Then the stator 10 is fixed to the frame 2 by inserting through-bolts 9 into the bolt passage portions 33, and fastening the through-bolts 9 to fixing portions 2 a that protrude radially inward from an inner wall surface of the frame 2 in a vicinity of the floor portion of the cylindrical portion. Here, it is preferable for lengths of the rib members 30 to be made longer than an axial length of the laminated core 21),
a core body [22] in a cylindrical shape [22 is shown as “a cylindrical shape”] (FIG. 3); and
a plurality of bolt fixing portions [31s for 30 shown in FIG. 7 around 21 shown in FIG. 3] which includes an insertion portion [33 as shown in FIG. 4] extending in an axial direction of the core body [22 shown in FIG. 3] and through which the fixing bolt [9] is inserted and is able to be fixed to the stator fixing member [2] by the fixing bolt [9] while the fixing bolt [9] is inserted into the insertion portion (FIG. 1 & 3-4, ¶[0059]; Then the stator 10 is fixed to the frame 2 by inserting through-bolts 9 into the bolt passage portions 33, and fastening the through-bolts 9 to fixing portions 2 a that protrude radially inward from an inner wall surface of the frame 2 in a vicinity of the floor portion of the cylindrical portion. Here, it is preferable for lengths of the rib members 30 to be made longer than an axial length of the laminated core 21),
wherein the core body [22] is a laminated body in which a core sheet [20] made of a steel plate having an insulating resin layer on surfaces are laminated (FIG. 3, ¶ [0057]; Although not shown, electrical insulation between the stator core 20 and the stator winding 11 is ensured by mounting insulating papers between the stator core 20 and the stator winding 11. In this case, insulating papers have been used, but an electrically insulating resin may be formed integrally on the stator core 20 using injection molding so as to cover an entire surface of the stator core 20), and
wherein the bolt fixing portion [31s for 30 shown in FIG. 7 around 21 shown in FIG. 3] is provided as a separate member [30’s are attached to 22 by 34] from the core body [22], and is attached to an outside of an outer peripheral surface of the core body [22] in a radial direction (FIG. 3 [0058]; As shown in FIG. 3, the rib members 30 are joined to the laminated core 21 firmly by laser welding, and bead portions 34).
Regarding Claim 2, Egashira discloses the stator core according to claim 1 [see rejected Claim 1],
wherein the bolt fixing portion [31s for 30 shown in FIG. 7 around 21 shown in FIG. 3], not a laminated body of steel plates, includes:
end plate portions [30 as shown in detail in FIG. 6] provided on both axial direction sides of the bolt fixing portion [31 for 30 shown in FIG. 3] and fixed to the core body [22 as shown in FIG. 3] (FIG. 3 & 6); and
an insertion body [body of 33 as shown in FIG. 4] which forms the insertion portion [33] and is disposed to be sandwiched between the end plate portions [30] on the both axial direction sides (FIG. 3 & 6).
Regarding Claim 4, Egashira discloses the stator core according to claim 1 [see rejected Claim 1], wherein
the bolt fixing portion [31s for 30 shown in FIG. 7 around 21 shown in FIG. 3] includes:
a cylindrical portion [33 is “cylindrical”] forming the insertion portion [33] provided by a bent shape of a plate material [33 is “bent shape”] (FIG. 3, [0058]; s shown in FIG. 3, the rib members 30 are joined to the laminated core 21 firmly by laser welding, and bead portions 34 are formed so as to extend from a first end to the second end in the axial direction of the laminated core 21); and
a joining portion [30’s on each end shown in FIG. 6] which extends from the cylindrical portion [33] and is joined to the outer peripheral surface of the core body [22] (FIG. 3).
Regarding Claim 5, Egashira discloses the stator core according to claim 1 [see rejected Claim 1], wherein
the bolt fixing portion [31s for 30 shown in FIG. 7 around 21 shown in FIG. 3] has a length in the axial direction shorter than a length of the core body [22] in the axial direction (FIG. 3-5; 31 is between 30 as shown in FIG. 4, therefore 31 is shorter than 30 and consequently “axially shorter” than 21 as shown in FIG 5).
Regarding Claim 6, Egashira discloses the stator core according to claim 5 [see rejected Claim 5], wherein
the bolt fixing portion [31s for 30 shown in FIG. 7 around 21 shown in FIG. 3] is attached to the core body [22] such that at least one of axial direction end surfaces on both axial direction sides is located at a core middle position in the axial direction on the outer peripheral surface of the core body [22] (FIG. 3 shows the recited limitation), and wherein
a position of an axial direction end surface of the bolt fixing portion [31s for 30 shown in FIG. 7 around 21 shown in FIG. 3], which is a core middle position, does not match with a lamination boundary line of the core sheet extending in a circumferential direction of the core body [22] (FIG. 3 & 7. 31 is attached by 34 and therefore “does not match with a lamination boundary line”).
Regarding Claim 8, Egashira discloses the stator core according to claim 1 [see rejected Claim 1], wherein
the core body [22] has a back yoke formed in an annular shape, and wherein end plate portions are fixed to both axial direction sides of the core body [22] while being in contact with axial direction end surfaces of the back yoke (FIG. 3, 5, [0057]; As shown in FIG. 5, the laminated core 21 includes: an annular back yoke 22; and a plurality of teeth 23 that are arranged at a uniform pitch circumferentially so as to each protrude radially inward from an inner circumferential surface of a back yoke 22), and
wherein the bolt fixing portions [31s for 30 shown in FIG. 7 around 21 shown in FIG. 3] are attached at predetermined intervals in a circumferential direction of the core body [22] between the end plate portions [30] on both axial direction sides (FIG. 3-5).
Regarding Claim 9, Egashira discloses the stator core according to claim 8 [see rejected Claim 1], wherein
the end plate portion [30] has a positioning portion that performs radial positioning with respect to the core body [22] (FIG. 3-5).
Regarding Claim 10, Egashira discloses the stator core according to claim 1, wherein
the core body [22] includes:
a back yoke formed in an annular shape (FIG. 3, 5, [0057]; As shown in FIG. 5, the laminated core 21 includes: an annular back yoke 22; and a plurality of teeth 23 that are arranged at a uniform pitch circumferentially so as to each protrude radially inward from an inner circumferential surface of a back yoke 22); and
a plurality of teeth [23] which extend in the radial direction from the back yoke [22] and are arranged in a predetermined interval in a circumferential direction of the core body [22] (FIG. 5), and wherein
the stator core [21] is formed with slots [gap between each 23] among the plurality of teeth adjacent in the circumferential direction (FIG. 5), and wherein
the core sheet includes:
a plurality of first portions [42] that are opening recesses for forming the slots (FIG. 30); and
second portions that are provided at predetermined intervals [42 in each 41] in the circumferential direction on a side opposite to slot opening side in the radial direction, wherein the core body [22 as shown in FIG. 3] is formed with one of a coupler pair [24a as show in FIG. 18] extending straight in the axial direction by the second portions of the core sheet (FIG. 18-20), and wherein
the bolt fixing portion [31 for 30 shown in FIG. 3] is provided with the other one of the coupler pair extending straight in the axial direction (FIG. 3), and wherein
the bolt fixing portion [31 for 30 shown in FIG. 3] is attached to the core body [22] by engaging the other one of the coupler pair of the bolt fixing portion [31 for 30 shown in FIG. 3] to the one of the coupler pair of the core body [22] (FIG. 3).
Regarding Claim 11, Egashira discloses the stator core according to claim 10 [see rejected Claim 10], wherein
the core body [22] is a helical core structure in which a core sheet having a belt-shape [“belt shape” of 16] is laminated in a helical manner (FIG. 3, 28),
the core sheet is stacked in a helical manner while positions in the circumferential direction of the second portions are matched [18 are stacked to each other as 18 above each other “circumferentially direction”] (FIG. 28).
Regarding Claim 12, Egashira discloses the stator core according to claim 11, wherein
the slots are formed to open radially inward in the core body [22], and wherein
the core sheet [16] is formed with slits extending radially outward from the first portion in the core sheet, and a recess [gap between each teeth from 16] as the second portions at a center position between circumferentially adjacent slits (FIG. 30).
Regarding Claim 13, Egashira discloses the stator core according to claim 1 [see rejected Claim 1], wherein
the core body [22] is a helical core structure in which a core sheet having a belt-shape is laminated in a helical manner (as shown in FIG. 28 as element 16),
the bolt fixing portion [31s for 30 shown in FIG. 7 around 21 shown in FIG. 3] is welded to the outer peripheral surface of the core body [22], and a welded portion thereof also serves as a seat fixing portion that fixes a longitudinal end of the core sheet on an axial direction end surface of the core body [22] (FIG. 3, ¶ [0026-0027]).
Regarding Claim 14, Egashira discloses the stator core according to claim 1 [see rejected Claim 1], wherein
the bolt fixing portion [31 for 30 shown in FIG. 3] is attached to the core body [22] while protruding more in the axial direction [FIG. 3 shows three 30s “protruding” 22] than an axial direction end surface of the core body [22] on at least one of both axial direction ends (FIG. 3).
Regarding Claim 15, Egashira discloses the stator core according to claim 1 [see rejected Claim 1], wherein the bolt fixing portion [31 for 30 shown in FIG. 3] is joined to the outer peripheral surface of the core body [22] by welding, and wherein a welding position [“welding positions” of each 30] of the bolt fixing portion [31 for 30 shown in FIG. 3] to the outer peripheral surface of the core body [22] is divided into a plurality of pieces [FIG. 3 shows three 30s] in the axial direction (FIG. 3, ¶ [0057]; As shown in FIG. 3, the stator core 20 includes: an annular laminated core 21 that is produced by axially laminating annular core strips that are punched out of a magnetic steel sheet such as an electromagnetic steel sheet by a press, and fixing together the laminated core strips by a fixing means such as crimping, welding, gluing, etc.; and rib members 30 that are fixed to an outer circumferential surface of the laminated core 21).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3 & 7 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH ORTEGA whose telephone number is (469)295-9083. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 AM - 5 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, TULSIDAS C. 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.
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/JOSEPH ORTEGA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834