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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 7/29/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Regarding objections to the drawings:
The drawings were objected to for an informality. The Applicant amended the specification with respect to the drawings to correct the informality, therefore the rejection was withdrawn.
Regarding objections to the claims:
Claims 9 and 13 were objected to due to multiple informalities. The Applicant amended the claims to correct the informalities, therefore the objections were withdrawn.
Regarding rejections of the claims under §103:
Claims 1-2 and 9 were rejected as being obvious over Kawamura in view of Hwang and Satterfield. Claim 7 was rejected as being obvious over Kawamura in view of Hwang, Satterfield, and Berthelemy. Claim 8 was rejected as being obvious over Kawamura in view of Hwang, Satterfield, and Yamamoto. Claims 13-14 were rejected as being obvious over Kawamura in view of Hwang. The Applicant amended claims 1 and 13 and added new claims 16-18.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 6-9, filed 7/29/2026, with respect to the rejections of claims 1 and 13 under 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of WIPO Publication No. 2014/060399 to Schaefer et al.
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 (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.
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 1-2, 9, 13-14, and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Japanese Patent No. 2012-191772 to Kawamura (provided by Applicant on 3/13/2024) in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0257885 to Hwang et al. (hereinafter Hwang), U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0265654 to Satterfield, and WIPO Publication No. 2014/060399 to Schaefer et al. (hereinafter Schaefer).
Regarding claim 1, Kawamura teaches an electrical machine (FIG. 3, 3), comprising:
a stator (FIG. 4, 27) comprising
a stator core (FIG. 4, 28) having an annular body (FIG. 4, 28a) and a plurality of poles (FIG. 4, 28b) projecting radially from the annular body,
a coil (FIG. 4, 30) mounted on and surrounding each pole of the stator core, wherein circumferentially adjacent coils are spaced apart to define a plurality of axially extending slots between adjacent poles (FIG. 4, between poles 28b); and
a moulded dielectric material (FIG. 4, 13; Paragraph [0035]) encapsulating the stator core and coils, and
a plurality of cooling bores (FIG. 4, 40) formed in the moulded dielectric material extending into the axially extending slots of the stator; and
a heat sink (FIG. 6, 42) integral to a stator cover (Paragraph [0044]) and positioned adjacent an axial end face of the stator (FIG. 5, 42), the heat sink comprising a body (FIG. 6, 42a) and a plurality of fins (FIG. 6, 42b) extending axially from the body, wherein the plurality of fins extend into the plurality of cooling bores of the dielectric material (FIG. 4, 42b).
Kawamura does not teach the heat sink comprising a disk-shaped body that is continuous across a central region thereof and lacking a central through-opening and the plurality of fins having a generally trapezoidal cross sectional shape.
However, Hwang teaches a heat sink with fins (FIG. 4, 311) having a generally trapezoidal cross sectional shape (FIG. 5, 311).
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 the electrical machine of Kawamura with the teachings of Hwang to implement a trapezoidal cross sectional shape heat sink fin to maximize the contact area of the fins with the dielectric material and increase heat transfer.
Kawamura in view of Hwang does not teach the heat sink comprising a disk-shaped body that is continuous across a central region thereof and lacking a central through-opening.
However, Satterfield teaches a heat sink inserted into a core having a disk-shaped body (FIG. 4A, 228).
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 the electrical machine of Kawamura in view of Hwang with the teachings of Satterfield to have a heat sink with a disk-shaped body to increase the surface area of the heat sink body for the heat to be dissipated at a faster rate.
Kawamura in view of Hwang and Satterfield does not teach the disk-shaped body being continuous across a central region thereof and lacking a central through-opening.
However, Schaefer teaches a disk-shaped heat sink (FIG. 1, 40) located at the axial end of an electric machine (FIG. 1, 3) being continuous across a central region thereof and lacking a central through-opening (FIG. 1, 24).
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 the electrical machine of Kawamura in view of Hwang and Satterfield with the teachings of Schaefer to provide a wholly continuous disk-shaped heat sink to further increase the heat capacity of the heat sink and potentially increase its thermal performance.
Regarding claim 2, Kawamura in view of Hwang, Satterfield, and Schaefer teaches the electrical machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein Kawamura further teaches the plurality of bores being open bores extending axially through the stator (FIG. 3, 40).
Regarding claim 9, Kawamura in view of Hwang, Satterfield, and Schaefer teaches the electrical machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein Kawamura further teaches a rotor (FIG. 1, 23).
Regarding claim 13, Kawamura teaches a method of forming an electric machine (FIG. 3, 3) including a stator, the method comprising:
providing a core assembly (FIG. 4, 27) comprising a stator core (FIG. 4, 28) having a plurality of poles (FIG. 4, 28b) and a plurality of coils (FIG. 4, 30), each mounted on a pole of the stator core;
encapsulating the core assembly in a dielectric material (FIG. 4, 13; Paragraph [0035]) which conforms to a profile of the core assembly to define a plurality of cooling bores (FIG. 4, 40), each bore extending axially between circumferentially adjacent coils (FIG. 3, 40);
providing a heat sink (FIG. 6, 42) integral to a stator cover (Paragraph [0044]), the heat sink having a plurality of fins (FIG. 6, 42b); and
attaching the heat sink to the core assembly such that the plurality of fins extend into the plurality of cooling bores (FIG. 4, 42b).
Kawamura does not teach the heat sink having a disk-shaped body, each fin having a generally trapezoidal cross section, and wherein the disk-shaped body is continuous across a central region thereof and lacks a central through-opening.
However, Hwang teaches a heat sink with fins (FIG. 4, 311) having a generally trapezoidal cross sectional shape (FIG. 5, 311).
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 the method of Kawamura with the teachings of Hwang to implement a trapezoidal cross sectional shape heat sink fin to maximize the contact area of the fins with the dielectric material and increase heat transfer.
Kawamura in view of Hwang does not teach the heat sink comprising a disk-shaped body that is continuous across a central region thereof and lacking a central through-opening.
However, Satterfield teaches a heat sink inserted into a core having a disk-shaped body (FIG. 4A, 228).
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 the method of Kawamura in view of Hwang with the teachings of Satterfield to have a heat sink with a disk-shaped body to increase the surface area of the heat sink body for the heat to be dissipated at a faster rate.
Kawamura in view of Hwang and Satterfield does not teach the disk-shaped body being continuous across a central region thereof and lacking a central through-opening.
However, Schaefer teaches a disk-shaped heat sink (FIG. 1, 40) located at the axial end of an electric machine (FIG. 1, 1) being continuous across a central region thereof and lacking a central through-opening (FIG. 3).
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 the method of Kawamura in view of Hwang and Satterfield with the teachings of Schaefer to provide a wholly continuous disk-shaped heat sink to further increase the heat capacity of the heat sink and potentially increase its thermal performance.
Regarding claim 14, Kawamura in view of Hwang, Satterfield, and Schaefer teaches the method of claim 13, wherein Kawamura further teaches encapsulating the core assembly comprises moulding the dielectric material over the core assembly (Paragraph [0030]).
Regarding claim 16, Kawamura in view of Hwang, Satterfield, and Schaefer teaches the electrical machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat sink and the stator cover are integrally formed as a single-piece component (Paragraph [0044]).
Regarding claim 17, Kawamura in view of Hwang, Satterfield, and Schaefer teaches the electrical machine as claimed in claim 16, wherein Satterfield further teaches the stator cover comprises a stator-facing side facing the axial end face of the stator (FIG. 4A, side of 228 facing towards laminations 42) and an opposite, non-stator-facing side that is external to the electrical machine (FIG. 4A, side of 228 facing towards laminations 42).
Regarding claim 18, Kawamura in view of Hwang, Satterfield, and Schaefer teaches the electrical machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein Satterfield further teaches the stator cover enclosing the axial end face of the electrical machine (FIG. 4A, 228).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kawamura in view of Hwang, Satterfield, and Schaefer and in further view of German Patent No. 10 2014 215 148 to Berthelemy et al. (hereinafter Berthelemy; provided by Applicant on 3/13/2024).
Regarding claim 7, Kawamura in view of Hwang, Satterfield, and Schaefer teaches the electrical machine as claimed in claim 1.
Kawamura in view of Hwang, Satterfield, and Schaefer does not teach the coils comprising edge windings.
However, Berthelemy teaches an electric machine with windings (FIG. 2, 2) folded edgewise (Paragraph [0040]).
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 the electrical machine of Kawamura in view of Hwang, Satterfield, and Schaefer with the teachings of Berthelemy by implementing edge windings due to a high mechanical strength, fill factor, and thermal coupling of the winding (Paragraph [0040]).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kawamura in view of Hwang, Satterfield, and Schaefer and in further view of Japanese Patent No. 2003-070199 to Yamamoto et al. (hereinafter Yamamoto; provided by Applicant on 3/13/2024).
Regarding claim 8, Kawamura in view of Hwang, Satterfield, and Schaefer teaches the electrical machine as claimed in claim 1.
Kawamura in view of Hwang, Satterfield, and Schaefer does not teach each coil further comprising a bobbin, windings of the coil being supported on the bobbin, and the bobbin being mounted to the poles of the stator core.
However, Yamamoto teaches an electric machine with a coil comprising a bobbin, windings of the coil being supported on the bobbin, and the bobbin being mounted to the poles of the stator core (Paragraph [0024]).
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 the stator of Kawamura in view of Hwang, Satterfield, and Schaefer with the teachings of Yamamoto by incorporating a bobbin as it helps in the mounting and forming of the winding.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSHUA KIEL MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-9881. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:30am - 7:00pm ET.
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/JOSHUA KIEL M RODRIGUEZ/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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