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 .
Response to Amendment
This office action is in response to amendment filed on 04/03/26. Regarding the amendment, claims 1-15, 17 are canceled, claims 16, 18-32 are present for examination.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see remark, filed 4/3/26, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 16-32 under 102(a)(1) rejection 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 Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn.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 Apple and Bell.
Claim Objections
Claims 18-20 are objected to because of the following informalities: claims 18-20 are depended to the cancel claim 17. Appropriate correction is required.
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)(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.
Claim(s) 25-26, 28-30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bell (US 6,202,285 B1).
Regarding claim 25, Bell teaches a stator for an electric machine for a motor vehicle, comprising:
a can (43) that delimits a rotor chamber (40) from a stator chamber (30), wherein the can (43) is produced by a cured resin material (50) and a main part (52) in one piece with a slot insulation (fig 3).
Regarding claim 26, Bell teaches the slot insulation (46) in the stator slot (44) is formed over an entire surface (fig 3) and insulates an interior space of a receiving region with respect to inner surfaces of the stator slot (44).
Regarding claim 28,Bell teaches at least one slot insulation (46) has an anti-rotation device.
Regarding claim 29, Bell teaches an electric machine with a stator comprising:
a rotor chamber (40);
a stator chamber (30); and
a can (43) that delimits the rotor chamber (40) from the stator chamber (30),
wherein the can (43) is produced by a cured resin material (50) and a main part (52) in one piece with a slot insulation (fig 3).
Regarding claim 30, Apple teaches a motor vehicle comprising:
an electric machine (motor) comprising:
a can (43) that delimits a rotor chamber (40) from a stator chamber (30),
wherein the can (43) is produced by a cured resin material (50) and a main part (52) in one piece with a slot insulation (fig 3).
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) 16,18, 20-21, 23-24, 31-32 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Apple et al. (US 1,921,111 A) in view of Bell.
Regarding claim 16, Apple teaches a method for producing an electric machine having a can (94, fig 11) that delimits a rotor chamber (22, fig 1) of the electric machine from a stator chamber (20) of the electric machine, the method comprising:
introducing a stator main part (12, fig 1) into a molding tool (44, fig 5), wherein the molding tool (44) has at least one element (56, fig 2) configured to keep an area free which, when the stator main part (12) is received in the molding tool (44), engages in a stator slot (20) of the stator main part (12) and defines a receiving region (42, fig 4) for at least one conductor in the stator slot (20);
removing the stator main part (12) from the molding tool (44).
However, Apple does not teach a method having steps of introducing a main part into an opening in the stator main part; injecting a curable resin material; curing the curable resin material; wherein the can of the electric machine is produced by the cured resin material and the main part and in at least one portion has slot insulation received in the stator slot.
Bell teaches a method having steps of introducing a main part (52) into an opening in the stator main part; injecting a curable resin material (50); curing the curable resin material (col 5 ln 18-25); wherein the can (43) of the electric machine is produced by the cured resin material (50) and the main part (52) and in at least one portion has slot insulation received in the stator slot to provide a novel electrostatic shield arrangement that is compact and effective (col 1 ln 48-50).
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 Apple’s method with steps of introducing a main part into an opening in the stator main part; injecting a curable resin material; curing the curable resin material; wherein the can of the electric machine is produced by the cured resin material and the main part and in at least one portion has slot insulation received in the stator slot as taught by Bell. Doing so would provide a novel electrostatic shield arrangement that is compact and effective (col 1 ln 48-50).
Regarding claim 18, Apple in view of Bell teaches the claimed invention as set forth in claim 16, Apple further teaches the slot insulation (70) in the stator slot (20) is produced over an entire surface (74, fig 7) and insulates an interior space (88, fig 8) of the receiving region with respect to an inner surface of the stator slot (20).
Regarding claim 20, Apple in view of Bell teaches the claimed invention as set forth in claim 16, Apple further teaches at least one slot insulation (70) is produced with an anti-rotation device.
Regarding claim 21, Apple in view of Bell teaches the claimed invention as set forth in claim 16, Apple further teaches at least one of a main part (54) geometry of the main part and/or a material of the main part is selected or set differently in at least two axial regions ( fig 5).
Regarding claim 23, Apple in view of Bell teaches the claimed invention as set forth in claim 16, Apple further teaches a variable-volume core (52, 54) is used.
Regarding claim 24, Apple teaches a device for producing an electric machine, comprising:
a molding tool (44), wherein the molding tool (44) has at least one element (54) configured to keep an area free which, when a stator main part (12) is received in the molding tool (44), engages in a stator slot (42) of the stator main part (12) and defines a receiving region (56) for at least one conductor in the stator slot (20). However, Apple does not teach a can of the electric machine is produced by the cured resin material and the main part in one piece and has slot insulation received in the stator slot.
Bell teaches a device having a can (43) of the electric machine is produced by the cured resin material (50) and the main part (52) and in one piece and has slot insulation received in the stator slot to provide a novel electrostatic shield arrangement that is compact and effective (col 1 ln 48-50).
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 Apple’s device with a can of the electric machine is produced by the cured resin material and the main part in one piece and has slot insulation received in the stator slot as taught by Bell. Doing so would provide a novel electrostatic shield arrangement that is compact and effective (col 1 ln 48-50).
Regarding claim 31, Apple in view of Bell teaches the claimed invention as set forth in claim 16, Apple further teaches the electric machine is an electric machine for a motor vehicle (a dynamo electric machine can be use is a motor vehicle).
Regarding claim 32, Apple in view of Bell teaches the claimed invention as set forth in claim 16, Apple further teaches the main part (54) is a tubular main part (fig 5).
Claim(s) 19 and 27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Apple in view of Bell, further in view of Nakano (US 4,691,131 A).
Regarding claims 19 and 27, Apple in view of Bell teaches the claimed invention as set forth in claims 17 and 26, except for the added limitation of at least one receiving region or the slot insulation has at least one temperature-control channel region, configured as a radially inner temperature-control channel region.
Nakano teaches a stator laminate impregnation in a motor having at least one receiving region or the slot insulation (19) has at least one temperature-control channel region (22, fig 3), configured as a radially inner temperature-control channel region (col 2 ln 40-45) to constantly maintain a uniform distribution of heat in the laminated core and the peripheral parts to obviate thermal distortion of the laminated core (col 1 ln 65-68).
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 Apple in view of Bell’s method with at least one receiving region or the slot insulation has at least one temperature-control channel region, configured as a radially inner temperature-control channel region as taught by Nakano. Doing so would obviate thermal distortion of the laminated core (col 1 ln 65-68).
Claim(s) 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Apple in view of Bell, further in view of Halm (US 3,873,861 A).
Regarding claim 22, Apple in view of Bell teaches the claimed invention as set forth in claim 16, except for the added limitation of the molding tool is heated at least in sections and/or at least temporarily.
Halm teaches an electric motor having a housing member comprising a set cast mass forming a solid piece, in which winding leads are embedded wherein the molding tool is heated at least in sections and/or at least temporarily (col 2 ln 62 - col 3 ln 9) to provide a firmly connection with reducing cost of fabrication of electric motor (col 1 ln 15-20).
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 Apple in view of Bell’s method with the molding tool is heated at least in sections and/or at least temporarily as taught by Halm. Doing so would provide a firmly connection with reducing cost of fabrication of electric motor (col 1 ln 15-20).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Smith et al. (US 6,069,421 A) teaches an electric motor disclosed in the specification has an encapsulated stator which includes inner and outer annular composite layers each having a radial flange joined to an end of the other layer by chemical welds, an array of laterally adjacent circular laminations and windings in axially extending slots in the laminations adjacent to the inner composite layers, and a metal band surrounding the laminations, along with encapsulating resin filling the space between the inner and outer layers. The motor also includes an encapsulated rotor having a similar structure, but with magnets inserted in axially extending slots in the laminations adjacent to the outer composite layer and a metal band disposed between the inner annular composite layer and the laminations.
Matsumoto (US 9,030,062 B2) teaches a cooling structure of a rotating electric machine includes a rotor core formed of a plurality of electromagnetic steel plates and a resin molding portion molding the rotor core with resin. The rotor core is provided with a through hole passing therethrough in the axial direction of the central axis that is a rotation axis. The rotor core is provided inside the through hole with an oil passage through which oil circulates. The resin molding portion has a cover portion covering the outer peripheral side of the oil passage. This configuration can provide the cooling structure of the rotating electric machine that achieves efficient cooling while suppressing occurrence of energy loss.
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.
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/LEDA T PHAM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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