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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 02/28/2024, and 01/29/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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(s) 1-13, 15-17, 19-22, 24-25, 28-29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US PG Pub 2021/0261755) in view of Saga (US PG Pub 2008/0265202) and Takamatsu (US PG Pub 2022/0006359).
As to independent claim 1, Kim teaches a polymer composition that comprises a polymer matrix that includes a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer and a thermally conductive filler distributed within the polymer matrix, further wherein the polymer composition exhibits an in-plane thermal conductivity of about 2 W/m-K or more as determined in accordance with ASTM El1461- 13 (see abstract and see paragraph [0046], useful in electric vehicles).
Kim teaches the claimed limitations as discussed above except an in-wheel motor comprising a housing that is supported in an inner space of a wheel portion and a stator core that is supported inside the housing wherein the motor includes a polymer composition.
Saga teaches the motor includes a polymer composition (see abstract and see paragraph [0046-0047]), for the advantageous benefit of obtaining a polymer composition that is both thermally conductive and electrically insulating that that has good physical properties.
Takamatsu teaches an in-wheel motor (10) comprising a housing (32) that is supported in an inner space of a wheel portion (20) and a stator core (62) that is supported inside the housing (32) as shown in figures 2-3, for the advantageous benefit of providing the heat can be efficiently dissipated, by increasing the heat-dissipation surface.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify Kim by using an in-wheel motor comprising a housing that is supported in an inner space of a wheel portion and a stator core that is supported inside the housing wherein the motor includes a polymer composition, as taught by Saga and Takamatsu, to obtain a polymer composition that is both thermally conductive and electrically insulating that that has good physical properties and provide the heat can be efficiently dissipated, by increasing the heat-dissipation surface.
As to claim 2/1, Kim teaches wherein the polymer composition exhibits a melt viscosity of about 300 Pa-s or less as determined in accordance with ISO 11443 at a shear rate of 1,000 s1 and temperature of about 150C above the melting temperature of the composition (see claim 16).
As to claim 3/1, Kim teaches wherein the polymer composition exhibits a deflection temperature under load of about 1700C or more as determined in accordance with ISO 75:2013 at a load of 1.8 MPa (see paragraph [0017]).
As to claim 4/1, Kim teaches wherein the polymer composition exhibits a melting temperature of about 2500C to about 4400C (see paragraph [0020])
As to claim 5/1, Kim teaches wherein the thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer contains repeating units derived from one or more aromatic dicarboxylic acids, one or more aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acids, or a combination thereof (see paragraph [0020-0024].
As to claim 6/5, Kim teaches wherein the aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acids include 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, 6-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid, or a combination thereof (see paragraph [0020-0026]).
As to claim 7/6, Kim teaches wherein the aromatic dicarboxylic acids include terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, or a combination thereof (see paragraph [0020-0026]).
As to claim 8/5, Kim teaches wherein the liquid crystalline polymer further contains repeating units derived from one or more aromatic diols (see paragraph [0020-0026]).
As to claim 9/8, Kim teaches wherein the aromatic diols include hydroquinone, 4,4'-bipheno
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or a combination thereof (see paragraph [0020-0026]).
As to claim 10/1, Kim teaches wherein the thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer is wholly aromatic (see paragraph [0026]).
As to claim 11/1, Kim teaches wherein the thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer includes repeating units derived from naphthenic hydroxycarboxylic and/or dicarboxylic acids in an amount of about 10 mol.% or more. (see paragraph [0027]).
As to claim 12/1, Kim teaches wherein the polymer composition exhibits a cross-plane thermal conductivity of about 0.8 W/m-K or more as determined in accordance with ASTM E 1461-13 (see paragraph [0029]).
As to claim 13/1, Kim teaches wherein the polymer composition exhibits an in-plane thermal conductivity of from about 4 to about 8 W/m-K, as determined in accordance with ASTM E 1461-13 (see paragraph [0029]).
As to claim 15/1, Kim teaches wherein the thermally conductive filler includes mineral particles (see paragraph [0031]).
As to claim 16/15, Kim teaches wherein the mineral particles include talc (see paragraph [0031]) .
As to claim 17/15, Kim teaches wherein the mineral particles constitute from about 70 to about 250 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the polymer matrix (see paragraph [0029]).
As to claim 19/1, Kim teaches wherein the thermally conductive filler includes mineral fibers (see paragraph [0030]).
As to claim 20/19, Kim teaches wherein the mineral fibers include wollastonite (see paragraph [0030]).
As to claim 21/19, Kim teaches wherein the mineral fibers constitute from about 10 to about 150 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the polymer matrix (See paragraph [0029]).
As to claim 22/1, Kim teaches wherein the polymer composition is free of fillers having an intrinsic thermal conductivity of 100 W/m-K or more (see paragraph [0016]).
As to claim 24/1, Kim in view of Saga and Takamatsu teaches the claimed limitations as discussed above except wherein the housing includes the polymer composition.
However Saga teaches the housing includes the polymer composition(see abstract and see paragraph [0046-0047]), for the advantageous benefit of obtaining a polymer composition that is both thermally conductive and electrically insulating that that has good physical properties.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify Kim in view of Saga and Takamatsu by using the housing includes the polymer composition, as taught by Saga, to obtain a polymer composition that is both thermally conductive and electrically insulating that that has good physical properties.
As to claim 25/1, Kim in view of Saga and Takamatsu teaches the claimed limitations as discussed above except further comprising a drive board that is housed inside the housing and controls an electromagnetic force generated in the stator core.
However Takamatsu teaches a drive board (80) that is housed inside the housing (32) and controls an electromagnetic force generated in the stator core (62) as shown in figures 2-3, for the advantageous benefit of providing the heat can be efficiently dissipated, by increasing the heat-dissipation surface.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify Kim in view of Saga and Takamatsu by using a drive board that is housed inside the housing and controls an electromagnetic force generated in the stator core, as taught by Takamatsu, to provide the heat can be efficiently dissipated, by increasing the heat-dissipation surface.
As to claim 28/1, Kim in view of Saga and Takamatsu teaches the claimed limitations as discussed above except an electric wheel comprising the in-wheel motor.
However Takamatsu teaches an electric wheel (10) comprising the in-wheel motor (see title) as shown in figures 1-3, for the advantageous benefit of providing the heat can be efficiently dissipated, by increasing the heat-dissipation surface.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify Kim in view of Saga and Takamatsu by using an electric wheel comprising the in-wheel motor, as taught by Takamatsu, to provide the heat can be efficiently dissipated, by increasing the heat-dissipation surface.
As to claim 29/28, Kim in view of Saga and Takamatsu teaches the claimed limitations as discussed above except an electric vehicle comprising an electric wheel.
However Takamatsu teaches an electric vehicle (see paragraph [0010])) comprising an electric wheel (10) as shown in figures 1-3, for the advantageous benefit of providing the heat can be efficiently dissipated, by increasing the heat-dissipation surface.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify Kim in view of Saga and Takamatsu by using an electric vehicle comprising an electric wheel, as taught by Takamatsu, to provide the heat can be efficiently dissipated, by increasing the heat-dissipation surface.
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US PG Pub 2021/0261755), Saga (US PG Pub 2008/0265202) and Takamatsu (US PG Pub 2022/0006359) applied in claims 1 above, and further in view of Zia et al. (US PG Pub 20220403159).
As to claim 14/1, Kim in view of Saga and Takamatsu teaches the claimed limitations as discussed above except wherein the polymer composition exhibits a dielectric strength of about 10 kilovolts per millimeter or more as determined in accordance with IEC 60234-1:2013.
However Zia et al. teaches wherein the polymer composition exhibits a dielectric strength of about 10 kilovolts per millimeter or more as determined in accordance with IEC 60234 (see paragraph [0042]), for the advantageous benefit of providing article having improved electrical tracking resistance, hydrolysis resistance, flame retardance, tensile modulus, break stress, break strain, and Charpy notched impact strength.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify Kim in view of Saga and Takamatsu by using the polymer composition exhibits a dielectric strength of about 10 kilovolts per millimeter or more as determined in accordance with IEC 60234, as taught by Zis et al., to provide article having improved electrical tracking resistance, hydrolysis resistance, flame retardance, tensile modulus, break stress, break strain, and Charpy notched impact strength.
Claim(s) 18 and 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US PG Pub 2021/0261755), Saga (US PG Pub2008/0265202) and Takamatsu (US PG Pub 2022/0006359) applied in claims 1 and 15 above, and further in view of Kim et al. (US PG Pub 2022/0336931).
As to claim 18/15, Kim in view of Saga and Takamatsu teaches the claimed limitations as discussed above except wherein the mineral particles have a median diameter of from about 1 to about 25 micrometers, specific surface area of from about 1 to about 50 m2/g as determined in accordance with DIN 66131:1993, and/or moisture content of about 5% or less as determined in accordance with ISO 787-2:1981 at a temperature of 105°C .
Kim et al. teaches the mineral particles have a median diameter of from about 1 to about 25 micrometers, specific surface area of from about 1 to about 50 m2/g as determined in accordance with DIN 66131:1993, and/or moisture content of about 5% or less as determined in accordance with ISO 787-2:1981 at a temperature of 105°C . (see paragraph [0052]), for the advantageous benefit of providing a polymer composition that enables to insulate a conductive portion of the component.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify Kim in view of Saga and Takamatsu by using the mineral particles have a median diameter of from about 1 to about 25 micrometers, specific surface area of from about 1 to about 50 m2/g as determined in accordance with DIN 66131:1993, and/or moisture content of about 5% or less as determined in accordance with ISO 787-2:1981 at a temperature of 105°C, as taught by Kim et al., to provide a polymer composition that enables to insulate a conductive portion of the component.
As to claim 23/1, Kim in view of Saga and Takamatsu teaches the claimed limitations as discussed above except wherein the polymer composition exhibits a comparative tracking index of about 170 volts or more as determined in accordance with IEC 60112:2003 at a thickness of 3 millimeters.
However Kim et al. teaches the polymer composition exhibits a comparative tracking index of about 170 volts or more as determined in accordance with IEC 60112:2003 at a thickness of 3 millimeters (see paragraph [0024]), for the advantageous benefit of providing a polymer composition that enables to insulate a conductive portion of the component.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify Kim in view of Saga and Takamatsu by using the polymer composition exhibits a comparative tracking index of about 170 volts or more as determined in accordance with IEC 60112:2003 at a thickness of 3 millimeters, as taught by Kim et al., to provide a polymer composition that enables to insulate a conductive portion of the component.
Claim(s) 26-27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US PG Pub 2021/0261755), Saga (US PG Pub2008/0265202) and Takamatsu (US PG Pub 2022/0006359) applied in claims 1 above, and further in view of Mitsuyoshi (JPS6022861).
As to claim 26/25, Kim in view of Saga and Takamatsu teaches the claimed limitations as discussed above except wherein the drive board includes the polymer composition.
However Mitsuyoshi teaches a board (1) includes the polymer composition (5) as shown in figures 1-3, for the advantageous benefit of improving a radiation effect.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify Kim in view of Saga and Takamatsu by using the board includes the polymer composition, as taught by Mitsuyoshi, to improve a radiation effect.
As to claim 27/26, Kim, Saga and Takamatsu and Mitsuyoshi teaches the claimed limitations as discussed above except wherein the drive board includes a heat diffusion plate that contains the polymer composition.
However Mitsuyoshi teaches a board (1) includes a heat diffusion plate (4) that contains the polymer composition (5) as shown in figures 2-3, for the advantageous benefit of improving a radiation effect.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify Kim, Saga and Takamatsu in view of Mitsuyshi by using the drive board includes a heat diffusion plate that contains the polymer composition, as taught by Mitsuyoshi, to improve a radiation effect.
Conclusion
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/JOSE A GONZALEZ QUINONES/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834 October 31, 2025