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 .
Specification
The following guidelines illustrate the preferred layout for the specification of a utility application. These guidelines are suggested for the applicant’s use.
Arrangement of the Specification
As provided in 37 CFR 1.77(b), the specification of a utility application should include the following sections in order. Each of the lettered items should appear in upper case, without underlining or bold type, as a section heading. If no text follows the section heading, the phrase “Not Applicable” should follow the section heading:
(a) TITLE OF THE INVENTION.
(b) CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS.
(c) STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT.
(d) THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT.
(e) INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A READ-ONLY OPTICAL DISC, AS A TEXT FILE OR AN XML FILE VIA THE PATENT ELECTRONIC SYSTEM.
(f) STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR A JOINT INVENTOR.
(g) BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION.
(1) Field of the Invention.
(2) Description of Related Art including information disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98.
(h) BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION.
(i) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S).
(j) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION.
(k) CLAIM OR CLAIMS (commencing on a separate sheet).
(l) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE (commencing on a separate sheet).
(m) SEQUENCE LISTING. (See MPEP § 2422.03 and 37 CFR 1.821 - 1.825). A “Sequence Listing” is required on paper if the application discloses a nucleotide or amino acid sequence as defined in 37 CFR 1.821(a) and if the required “Sequence Listing” is not submitted as an electronic document either on read-only optical disc or as a text file via the patent electronic system.
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.
Claims 1-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yamamoto et al (US 20040124733 A1).
With respect to claim 1, Yamamoto discloses a stator for an electric motor, the stator comprising: a star (fig. 18, stator 30, made of tooth cores 34) comprising a cylindrical central part around which a plurality of teeth extend radially (fig. 18, yoke 33), and a plurality of bobbins configured firstly to receive turns of a winding wire in order to form a coil, and secondly to be positioned around the respective teeth of the star (fig. 1, winding frame 36c), characterized in that wherein the star comprises a plurality of openings formed in the central part thereof between the teeth (fig. 18 marked below), and in that wherein the bobbins comprise a positioning pin arranged on an inner radial part of the bobbin (fig. 2, assembly guide 36d), and wherein, when the bobbin is mounted on the star, the positioning pin being configured to be positioned in an associated opening of the star so as to position the bobbin relative to the star in the axial direction (paragraph 63 “moreover, the assembly guide 36d extends from one end of the winding frame 36c on the yoke core tightening portion side in the lamination direction of the laminate 34b up to the vicinity of the tightening portion of the tooth core 34 in such a manner as to easily guide the insertion of the tooth core 34 into the yoke core 33, and further, it is formed into a rectangular shape having substantially the same width (i.e., the dimension in a direction perpendicular to the lamination direction of the laminate 34b) as that of the tightening portion of the tooth core 34 (i.e., the dimension in the direction perpendicular to the lamination direction of the laminate 34b).”).
PNG
media_image1.png
684
875
media_image1.png
Greyscale
With respect to claim 2, Yamamoto discloses the bobbins have an annular overall shape of rectangular cross section (fig. 1 and throughout, cross-section of winding frame 36 is generally rectangular).
With respect to claim 3, Yamamoto discloses the openings formed in the central part of the star are configured to allow the magnetic field to circulate (paragraph 52 “The magnetic pole piece 46 is a region constituting a magnetic circuit for allowing the magnetic flux from the permanent magnet 42 to flow toward the stator 30 via a clearance defined between the stator 30 and the rotor 40.” And paragraph 57 “The groove 34n is formed in parallel to the longitudinal direction of the tooth core members 34a forming the laminate 34b (or in a direction in which the stator 30 and the rotor 40 face each other, or in a direction of a magnetic path in which the magnetic flux formed by the stator winding 32 flows) in such a manner as not to prevent the flow of the magnetic flux in the magnetic path. The intrusion 34k and the grooves 34m and 34n are formed continuously from one end in the lamination direction of the laminate 34b toward the other end thereof.”).
With respect to claim 4, Yamamoto discloses the openings have a rectangular shape and the pins have a square or rectangular shape and are configured to come into contact with an edge of a respective opening in order to immobilize the bobbin in axial translation relative to the star in a first direction (paragraph 63 “the assembly guide 36d extends from one end of the winding frame 36c on the yoke core tightening portion side in the lamination direction of the laminate 34b up to the vicinity of the tightening portion of the tooth core 34 in such a manner as to easily guide the insertion of the tooth core 34 into the yoke core 33, and further, it is formed into a rectangular shape having substantially the same width”), wherein the immobilization of axial translation in the second direction being is provided by an internal wall of the bobbin in contact with a wall of the tooth (paragraph 56 “At the tip of the winding wound portion 34i on a side opposite to the tooth core tip 34j, there is formed an intrusion 34k constituting a tooth core tightening portion to the yoke core 33. Additionally, grooves 34m which constitute tooth core tightening portions to the yoke core 33 and the intrusions formed at the yoke core 33 are intruded at the tip of the winding wound portion 34i on the side opposite to the tooth core tip 34j and symmetric portions of two laminate thick faces 34l facing to each other in the winding wound portion 34i (i.e., two laminate thick faces 34l, in which the unit winding 32a is disposed via the slot insulator 36).” The Examiner is interpreting the combination of grooves and intrusion 34k as immobilizing the tooth core 34a) .
With respect to claim 5, Yamamoto discloses the positioning pins have comprised a chamfered part at their free end to facilitate insertion of the positioning pin into an opening of the star (paragraph 63 “, the assembly guide 36d may be formed into a tapered shape having a width which is gradually reduced from the vicinity of the tightening portion of the tooth core 34 toward one end of the winding frame 36c on the yoke core tightening portion side in the lamination direction of the laminate 34b”).
With respect to claim 6, Yamamoto discloses the star is formed from a stack of sheet-metal laminations assembled with one another in an axial direction (paragraph 54 “The tooth core 34 is a laminate 34b obtained by laminating, as shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of tooth core members 34a shown in FIG. 6. The tooth core member 34a can be obtained by punching a thin plate-like silicon steel plate as a magnetic member exhibiting a high magnetic permeability with a punch. The plurality of laminated tooth core members 34a are caulked inside of the punch, to be thus tightened together. Otherwise, the plurality of laminated tooth core members 34a are tightened together by welding the outer periphery of the laminate 34b with a laser after the lamination.”).
With respect to claim 7, Yamamoto discloses the positioning pin is positioned facing an opening situated at one axial end of the star (paragraph 63 “Moreover, the assembly guide 36d extends from one end of the winding frame 36c on the yoke core tightening portion side in the lamination direction of the laminate 34b up to the vicinity of the tightening portion of the tooth core 34”), wherein the positioning pin being is configured to come into contact with that edge of the opening that is situated at the axial end of the star (fig. 2, and paragraph 63 above, assembly guide contacts axial end of tooth 34a).
With respect to claim 8, Yamamoto discloses further comprising a yoke of cylindrical shape configured to be positioned around the star and the coils (fig. 18 yoke 33).
With respect to claim 9, Yamamoto discloses the yoke and the star are formed by cutting from a stack of sheet- metal laminations configured to be superposed axially (fig. 14 and paragraph 75 “Furthermore, the yoke core members 33a are laminated in the laminate 33b in such a manner that tightening portions (i.e., split portions) 33g of the yoke core member 33a are shifted stepwise, zigzag or in a brick laying manner in the laminating direction of the yoke core members 33a.” and paragraph 54 “The tooth core 34 is a laminate 34b obtained by laminating, as shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of tooth core members 34a shown in FIG. 6. The tooth core member 34a can be obtained by punching a thin plate-like silicon steel plate as a magnetic member exhibiting a high magnetic permeability with a punch. The plurality of laminated tooth core members 34a are caulked inside of the punch, to be thus tightened together. Otherwise, the plurality of laminated tooth core members 34a are tightened together by welding the outer periphery of the laminate 34b with a laser after the lamination.”).
With respect to claim 10, Yamamoto discloses an electric motor comprising a stator as claimed in claim 1one of the preceding claims (fig. 18, stator 30).
With respect to claim 11, Yamamoto discloses method for manufacturing a stator as claimed in claim 1one of claims 1 to 9, the manufacturing method comprising: a step of cutting a stack of sheet-metal laminations to form a star comprising a plurality of teeth (paragraph 54 “the tooth core member 34a can be obtained by punching a thin plate-like silicon steel plate as a magnetic member exhibiting a high magnetic permeability with a punch.”), and a yoke comprising a plurality of slots having a shape complementary to the ends of the teeth (paragraph 73 “The yoke core member 33a is a magnetic member obtained by punching a thin silicon steel plate having a high magnetic permeability with a punch, and further, one circumferential end of an arched unit yoke core member 33c having a predetermined curvature and one circumferential end of another unit yoke core member 33c formed in the same manner as described above are tightened by laser welding or the like in repetition by predetermined times.” And fig 15, recessed cutouts 33d), a step of forming a plurality of openings in the star between the teeth (fig. 18 marked above, and paragraph 62 “he insertion of the tooth core 34 into the yoke core 33 when the unit winding 32a is wound around the yoke core 33 by disposing the unit winding 32a in each of the tooth cores 34.”), a step of forming the coils by winding a winding wire around bobbins comprising a positioning pin on a part that is radially internal when the bobbin is mounted on the star (paragraph 62 “the unit winding 32a is wound around the yoke core 33 by disposing the unit winding 32a in each of the tooth cores 34.”), a step of positioning the coils on the teeth of the star (paragraph 62 “the unit winding 32a is wound around the yoke core 33 by disposing the unit winding 32a in each of the tooth cores 34.”), wherein the positioning pin of the bobbins becoming is inserted in an opening of the star, a step of inserting the star into the yoke using axial translation (paragraph 63 “Moreover, the assembly guide 36d extends from one end of the winding frame 36c on the yoke core tightening portion side in the lamination direction of the laminate 34b up to the vicinity of the tightening portion of the tooth core 34 in such a manner as to easily guide the insertion of the tooth core 34 into the yoke core 33”).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RILEY OWEN STOUT whose telephone number is (571)272-0068. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:30-5:30pm EST.
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.
/R.O.S./ Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/CHRISTOPHER M KOEHLER/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834