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 .
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4, 7-13, 15, 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Gong et al. (CN 120934213 A).
Regarding claim 1, Gong teaches an apparatus, comprising:
a stator (112);
a housing (111); and
an electrical connector (113) configured to:
establish an electrical connection between the stator (112) and the housing (111); and
create a path to discharge current from a bearing (115) via the electrical connection (113).
Regarding claim 12, Gong teaches a vehicle, comprising:
a drive unit assembly (110), including:
a stator (112);
a housing (111); and
a bearing (115); and
an electrical connector (113) configured to:
establish an electrical connection between the stator (112) and the housing (111); and
create a path to discharge current from the bearing (115) via the electrical connection (113).
Regarding claims 2 and 13, Gong teaches the electrical connector (113) disposed at least partially between the stator (112) and the housing (111).
Regarding claims 4 and 15, Gong teaches the stator (112) including a protrusion (A, B portion, fig 4); the electrical connector (113) configured to surround at least a portion of a surface of an aperture (1121) of the protrusion (112a).
Regarding claim 7, Gong teaches the stator (112) including a protrusion (A, B); the protrusion (A, B) including an aperture (1121); and the electrical connector (113) configured to dispose within the aperture (1121).
Regarding claims 8 and 17, Gong teaches the electrical connector (113) including: a first portion (11312) configured to dispose at least partially within the housing (111); and a second portion (11311) to couple with the stator (112).
Regarding claim 9, Gong teaches the electrical connector (113), including: a first portion (11312) configured to couple with the housing (111); and a second portion (11311) configured to contact at least a portion of a protrusion (A, B) of the stator (112).
Regarding claim 10, Gong teaches the electrical connector (113), including: a first portion (1131) configured to couple with a first side of the housing (1112); and a second portion (1132) configured to couple with a second side of the housing (fig 7).
Regarding claim 11, Gong teaches the electrical connector (113), including: a first portion (1131) configured to contact a first side of a protrusion (A) of the stator (112); and a second portion (1132) configured to contact a second side of the protrusion (B).
Regarding claim 18, Gong teaches a method, comprising:
disposing an electrical connector (113) at least partially between a stator (112) and a housing (111);
establishing, by the electrical connector (113), an electrical connection between the stator (112) and the housing (111); and
creating, by the electrical connector (113) responsive to establishing the electrical connection, a path to discharge current from a bearing (115) via the electrical connection.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 3, 5-6, 14, 16, 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gong in view of Klaus et al. (EP 3493369 A1).
Regarding claims 3 and 14, Gong teaches the claimed invention as set forth in claims 1 and 12, except for the added limitation of the stator including a plurality of laminations, and the electrical connector including a connection between at least two laminations of the plurality of laminations.
Klaus teaches a stator in an electrical machine having a housing (1), a stator (2) and a rotor (3) wherein the stator (2) including a plurality of laminations (fig 1), and an electrical connector (11) including a connection between at least two laminations of the plurality of laminations (2) to reduce eddy current in the stator.
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Gong’s stator with a plurality of laminations and the electrical connector including a connection between at least two laminations of the plurality of laminations as taught by Klaus. Doing so would reduce eddy current in the stator.
Regarding claims 5 and 16, Gong teaches the claimed invention as set forth in claims 1 and 12, except for the added limitation of the electrical connector comprising a plurality of electrical connectors, and the plurality of electrical connectors configured to dispose between at least two laminations of a plurality of laminations of the stator.
Klaus teaches a stator in an electrical machine having a housing (1), a stator (2) and a rotor (3) wherein an electrical connector (11) comprising a plurality of electrical connectors, and the plurality of electrical connectors (11) configured to dispose between at least two laminations of a plurality of laminations of the stator (2, fig2) to reduce eddy current in the stator.
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Gong’s stator with the electrical connector comprising a plurality of electrical connectors, and the plurality of electrical connectors configured to dispose between at least two laminations of a plurality of laminations of the stator as taught by Klaus. Doing so would reduce eddy current in the stator.
Regarding claim 6, Gong teaches the claimed invention as set forth in claims 1, Gong further teaches the stator (112) including a protrusion (A, B); and the electrical connector (113) configured to dispose at least partially between the protrusion (A, B) and the housing (111). However, Gong does not teach the stator including a plurality of laminations and the electrical connector configured to couple with the plurality of laminations.
Klaus teaches a stator in an electrical machine having a housing (1), a stator (2) and a rotor (3) wherein the stator (2) including a plurality of laminations (fig 1) and the electrical connector (11) configured to couple with the plurality of laminations to reduce eddy current in the stator.
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Gong’s stator with the stator including a plurality of laminations and the electrical connector configured to couple with the plurality of laminations as taught by Klaus. Doing so would reduce eddy current in the stator.
Regarding claim 19, Gong teaches the claimed invention as set forth in claim 18, except for the added limitation of the electrical connector comprising a plurality of electrical connectors, and comprising: disposing the plurality of electrical connectors between at least two laminations of a plurality of laminations of the stator.
Klaus teaches a stator in an electrical machine having a housing (1), a stator (2) and a rotor (3) wherein the electrical connector (11) comprising a plurality of electrical connectors, and comprising: disposing the plurality of electrical connectors (11) between at least two laminations of a plurality of laminations of the stator (2) to reduce eddy current in the stator.
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Gong’s method with the electrical connector comprising a plurality of electrical connectors, and comprising: disposing the plurality of electrical connectors between at least two laminations of a plurality of laminations of the stator as taught by Klaus. Doing so would reduce eddy current in the stator.
Regarding claim 20, Gong teaches the claimed invention as set forth in claim 18, Gong further teaches the stator (112) including a protrusion (A, B); and disposing the electrical connector (113) at least partially between the protrusion (A, B) and the housing (111). However, Gong does not teach the stator including a plurality of laminations and coupling the electrical connector with the plurality of laminations.
Klaus teaches a stator in an electrical machine having a housing (1), a stator (2) and a rotor (3) wherein the stator (2) including a plurality of laminations (fig 1) and the electrical connector (11) configured to couple with the plurality of laminations to reduce eddy current in the stator.
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Gong’s method with the stator including a plurality of laminations and coupling the electrical connector with the plurality of laminations as taught by Klaus. Doing so would reduce eddy current in the stator.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Yoshida (JP 2004229429 A) teaches in the moulder motor 10, a stator 22 wherein a coil 16 is wound around a stator core 12 is coated with a molding resin of high permittivity, and a housing 26 is formed. A screw-like grounding terminal 40 which penetrates a metal bracket 38 and the housing 26 and reaches the stator core 12 is attached, a current is made to flow from the stator core 12 and the bracket 38 to the outside, so that the electrolytic corrosion of the bearings 30, 32 is prevented.
Yuki et al. (2018/179832 A1) teaches a motor is provided with: a rotor; a stator; a resin casing that seals at least an insulator and a winding of the stator; a plurality of bearings that rotatably support a rotating shaft at positions separated from each other in the axial direction; a cover that covers the outer circumferential surface of the resin casing; and a conductive member having conductivity. The stator is provided with a plurality of bearing housing members in which the plurality of bearings are housed, respectively. The conductive member is supported by the cover. The conductive member has, on one side thereof, a contact part that is in contact with the stator core, and on the other side thereof, a grounded part that is grounded, and the bearings and the conductive member are electrically insulated.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LEDA T PHAM whose telephone number is (571)272-5806. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:00-5:00.
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, Christopher M 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.
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.
/LEDA T PHAM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
Prosecution Insights