DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to applicant’s communication filed on 3.7.24. In view of this communication, claims 1-11 are now pending in this application.
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 Objections
Claims below are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites “a plurality of linear coil portions disposed side by side in four or more along a radial direction of the stator core” which can be restated as ““a plurality of four or more linear coil portions disposed side by side along a radial direction of the stator core”. Further claim 1 recites “a busbar member including a plurality of busbars connecting to each other connection portions provided on the protrusions of the linear coil portions” can be restated as “ “a busbar member including a plurality of busbars connecting connection portions provided on the protrusions of the linear coil portions to each other”.
Claim 2 recites “respective the” and “protruding lengths” which should be corrected to “the respective” and “the protruding lengths”.
Claim 4 recites “one side” which should be corrected to “the one side”. Further claim 4 has “a radially outer side” and “a radially inner side” towards end of claim wherein “a” should be corrected to “the”.
Examiner requests a thorough review of all claims for numerous similar kinds of errors. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims below 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.
Claims 8 recites the limitations “ so as to have an L-shaped connection surface along the radial direction the and axial direction as viewed from the circumferential direction”. It is not clear from claim recitation what the viewing angle is. To advance prosecution, Examiner will interpret only “L-shaped connection surface”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
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.
(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.
Claims 1, 4-6, 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Fujii et al (US20080136274A1), hereinafter Fujii.
Regarding Claim 1, Fujii discloses (Figs 2,4,6,12A) a stator (21) comprising:
a stator core (211) including a plurality of slots (2113) extending in an axial direction (J1);
a segment coil (212) portion including, in each of the plurality of slots, a plurality of linear coil portions (2121) disposed side by side in four (Fig 6) or more along a radial direction (R) of the stator core and linearly extending along the axial direction (J1), in which each of the plurality of linear coil portions has a protrusion (2123) protruding from the slot to one side (J1 pointing up in Fig 4) in the axial direction; and
a busbar member (2131p) including a plurality of busbars (2132) connecting to each other connection portions provided on the protrusions of the linear coil portions disposed on the slots different from each other (Fig 10B disclose busbar connecting to end portions protruding from different slots),
wherein
in each of the plurality of slots (2113), a protruding length, in the axial direction (J1), of each of the protrusions of an outermost coil portion (Fig 4,A2) that is the linear coil portion on a radially outermost side and of an innermost coil portion (R2) that is the linear coil portion on a radially innermost side is shorter than a protruding length, in the axial direction, of the protrusions of intermediate coil portions ((R1,A1) that are the linear coil portions disposed between the outermost coil portion (A2) and the innermost coil portion (R2).
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Regarding Claim 4, Fujii discloses the stator according to claim 1. Fujii further discloses wherein each of the connection portions (2121) includes a radial side surface (212ar,212br) provided so as to be orthogonal to the radial direction (R) on the one side of the protrusions (2123) in the axial direction (J1), the radial side surface includes an outer radial direction side surface (212ar) provided on the one side of the protrusions in the axial direction so as to face a radially outer side (R away from J1), and an inner radial direction side surface (212br) provided on one side of the protrusions (2123) in the axial direction (J1) so as to face a radially inner side (R towards J1), the busbar member (2131 p) includes an outer bus ring (2135) having an annular shape (2135) and including a plurality of the busbars (2132) connecting, to each other from the radially outer side (ring 2135 provides a connection through 2132 which has ends connected to radially outer side), the outer radial direction side surfaces of the protrusions of the slots different from each other (Fig 10B), and an inner bus ring (any of 2134) having an annular shape (2134) and including a plurality of the busbars (2132) connecting, to each other from the radially inner side (ring provides a connection through 2132 which has ends connected to radially inner side), the inner radial direction side surfaces of the protrusions of the slots different from each other (Fig 10B), and each of the outer bus ring and the inner bus ring is disposed so as to avoid (2135,2134 are concentric) the intermediate coil portions as viewed from the axial direction (J1).
Regarding Claim 5, Fujii discloses the stator according to claim 1. Fujii further discloses wherein the connection portions (2121) include circumferential side surfaces (212bc, 212ac) provided so as to be orthogonal to a circumferential direction (C) of the stator core, and the busbar member (any of 2131p) includes the plurality of busbars (2132) connecting to each other the circumferential side surfaces (2132a connects to circumferential side surfaces) provided on the protrusions of the linear coil portions disposed on the slots different from each other, and is disposed so as to avoid (2135,2134 are concentric) the linear coil portions as viewed from the axial direction (J1).
Regarding Claim 6, Fujii discloses the stator according to claim 5. Fujii further discloses the stator according to claim 5 wherein the busbars include both end portions (2132a, 2132a) extending along one side and another side of the circumferential direction (C), the both end portions abut on the circumferential side surfaces (212bc, 212ac), and have a first end portion (2132a) connected to the circumferential side surface of the connection portion of one of the linear coil portions, and a second end portion connected to the circumferential side surface of the connection portion of another of the linear coil portions, and the circumferential side surface of the connection portion of one of the linear coil portions, the connection portion being connected to the first end portion, and the circumferential side surface of the connection portion of another of the linear coil portions, the connection portion being connected to the second end portion, are provided so as to face each other along the circumferential direction (surfaces inside the slot 2132b of 2132a are facing each other in circumferential direction).
Regarding Claim 10, Fujii discloses (Figs 4,6,9C,10B) a method (method is in structure) for manufacturing a stator (21), the method comprising: a step of disposing a segment coil portion (212) including, in each of a plurality of slots (2113) extending of a stator core (211) in an axial direction (J1), a plurality of linear coil portions (2121) , such that a plurality of linear coil portions linearly extending along the axial direction is disposed side by side in four (Fig 6) or more along a radial direction (R) of the stator core, and that each of protrusions (2123) of the plurality of linear coil portions protrudes from each of the slots to one side (J1 pointing up in Fig 4) in the axial direction; and
a step of connecting, to connection portions (2123 portion) of the linear coil portion , each of a plurality of busbars (2132) connecting to each other the connection portions provided on the protrusions of the linear coil portions disposed on the slots different from each other (Fig 9C, 10B disclose busbar connecting to end portions protruding from different slots),
wherein
the step of disposing the segment coil portion includes a step of disposing the segment coil portion, such that, in each of the plurality of slots (2113), a protruding length, in the axial direction (J1), of each of the protrusions of an outermost coil portion (Fig 4,A2) that is the linear coil portion on a radially outermost side and of an innermost coil portion (R2) that is the linear coil portion on a radially innermost side is shorter than a protruding length, in the axial direction, of the protrusions of intermediate coil portions (R1,A1) that are the linear coil portions disposed between the outermost coil portion (A2) and the innermost coil portion (R2).
Regarding Claim 11, Fujii discloses (Fig 8) the method for manufacturing a stator according to claim 10. Fujii further discloses the method further comprising a step of forming a subassembly member (2131p) by combining the plurality of busbars (2132) before (2131p is an assembly which is welded on to coil segment wire) a step of connecting each of the plurality of busbars to the connection portions (2123 portion) of the linear coil portions (2121).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
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.
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 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fujii in view of Tanaka et al(WO2018168108A1 English translation).
Regarding Claim 7, Fujii discloses the stator according to claim 6. Fujii further discloses wherein the both end portions (2132a, 2132a) of the busbars (2132) have a busbar-side notched portion (2132a has partial notch) that is partially notched, and the busbar-side notched portion (2132a) is connected to the connection portion (2121) so as to have an and the circumferential direction as viewed from the axial direction (2132a has surface along radial and circumferential direction) but does not disclose an L shaped connection surface .
Tanaka discloses (Fig 7) an L shaped (4a,4b) connection surface.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have formed stator of Fujii with L shaped connection surface of Tanaka to optimize amount of contact surface needed for good electrical connection with available space.
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Regarding Claim 8, Fujii in view of Tanaka discloses the stator according to claim 7. Fujii in view of Tanaka does not explicitly disclose wherein the connection portion of the linear coil portions has a connection portion-side notched portion that is partially notched, and the connection portion-side notched portion is connected so as to engage with the busbar-side notched portion, so as to have an L-shaped connection surface along the radial direction the and axial direction as viewed from the circumferential direction.
Tanaka further discloses (Figs 11-12) wherein the connection portion (3a,3b) of the linear coil portions (3) has a connection portion-side notched portion (3a,3b) that is partially notched, and the connection portion-side notched portion is connected so as to engage with the busbar-side notched portion (4a,4b) , so as to have an L-shaped connection surface (Fig 13 discloses L-shaped connection surface in radial direction).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have formed stator of Fujii in view of Tanaka with L shaped connection surface of Tanaka to optimize amount of contact surface needed for good electrical connection with available space.
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Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fujii in view of Koga(JP2010239798A English translation).
Regarding Claim 9, Fujii discloses the stator according to claim 1. Fujji does not explicitly disclose wherein the segment coil portions are formed of copper, and the busbar member is formed of aluminum.
Koga discloses wherein the segment coil portions[Para 0044 discloses copper or aluminum for conductor 21] are formed of copper, and the busbar member is formed of aluminum [Para0046 discloses copper or aluminum for end conductor 31].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have formed stator of Fujji with materials for segment coil and bus bar being copper and aluminum as taught by Koga in order to have good compromise between electrical conductivity, strength and cost.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-3 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 2 recites “The stator according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of linear coil portions is disposed such that, in each of the plurality of slots, protruding lengths of the respective the protruding lengths of the protrusions of the intermediate coil portions in the axial direction”. In Fujii, the protrusions are all of different lengths. Koga and Tanaka do not disclose this structure either. Therefore Claim 2 is allowed. Claim 3 is allowed for being dependent upon claim 2.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VISWANATHAN SUBRAMANIAN whose telephone number is (571)272-4814. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm.
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/VISWANATHAN SUBRAMANIAN/Examiner, Art Unit 2834