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
The preliminary amendment to the claims and specification dated 5/15/2024 is acknowledged. Claims 7 and 10 were amended and new claims 11-17 were added.
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 (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 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 1-7 and 10-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by “On the Use of Pulse Width Modulation Method for the Elimination of Flux Density Harmonics in the Air-Gap of Surface PM Motors” to Chaithongsuk et al. (hereinafter Chaithongsuk; provided by Applicant on 11/26/2025).
Regarding claim 1, Chaithongsuk teaches a method for forming a rotor structure (FIG. 3), comprising:
providing a plurality of magnet units (Page 1738 Column 1 Paragraph 3), wherein each of the plurality of magnet units comprises a magnet component having a plurality of tooth portions (FIG. 1, magnets); and
dividing an ideal sinusoidal air-gap magnetic field wave into N segments (FIG. 6; N=5), wherein when a center line of a tooth portion of the plurality of tooth portions is in a corresponding segment of the ideal sinusoidal air-gap magnetic field wave, an area of the tooth portion is equal to an area of the corresponding segment of the ideal sinusoidal air gap magnetic field wave (Abstract).
Regarding claim 2, Chaithongsuk teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the magnet component further comprises a plurality of grooves (FIG. 2, between magnets) respectively arranged between two adjacent tooth portions, and the plurality of grooves are symmetrically arranged relative to an axis d of a rotor (FIG. 2, π/2, center of pole).
Regarding claim 3, Chaithongsuk teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein a width of the tooth portion decreases as a distance between the tooth portion and an axis d of a rotor increases in a circumferential direction of the rotor (FIG. 2(b)).
Regarding claim 4, Chaithongsuk teaches the method according to claim 2, wherein the magnet component further comprises a yoke portion (FIG. 1, ROTOR), and one end of each of the plurality of tooth portions is connected with the yoke portion.
Regarding claim 5, Chaithongsuk teaches the method according to claim 4, wherein when a center line of a groove of the plurality of grooves is in a corresponding segment of the ideal sinusoidal air-gap magnetic field wave, a sum of the area of the tooth portion and an area of a corresponding portion of the yoke portion is equal to the area of the corresponding segment of the ideal sinusoidal air gap magnetic field wave (Abstract).
Regarding claim 6, Chaithongsuk teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein N is equal to a number of the plurality of tooth portions (FIG. 6).
Regarding claim 7, Chaithongsuk teaches a rotor structure (Page 1738 Column 1 Paragraph 3), wherein the rotor structure is formed by the method according to claim 1.
Regarding claim 10, Chaithongsuk teaches a motor structure (Page 1738 Column 1 Paragraph 3), comprising the rotor structure according to claim 7.
Regarding claim 11, Chaithongsuk teaches the rotor structure according to claim 7, wherein the magnet component further comprises a plurality of grooves (FIG. 2, between magnets) arranged between two adjacent tooth portions, and the plurality of grooves are symmetrically arranged relative to an axis d of a rotor (FIG. 2, π/2, center of pole).
Regarding claim 12, Chaithongsuk teaches the rotor structure according to claim 7, wherein a width of the tooth portion decreases as a distance between the tooth portion and an axis d of a rotor increases in a circumferential direction of the rotor (FIG. 2(b)).
Regarding claim 13, Chaithongsuk teaches the rotor structure according to claim 11, wherein the magnet component further comprises a yoke portion (FIG. 1, ROTOR), and one end of each of the plurality of tooth portions is connected with the yoke portion.
Regarding claim 14, Chaithongsuk teaches the rotor structure according to claim 13, wherein when a center line of a groove of the plurality of grooves is in a corresponding segment of the ideal sinusoidal air-gap magnetic field wave, a sum of the area of the tooth portion and an area of a corresponding portion of the yoke portion is equal to the area of the corresponding segment of the ideal sinusoidal air gap magnetic field wave (Abstract).
Regarding claim 15, Chaithongsuk teaches the rotor structure according to claim 7, wherein N is equal to a number of the plurality of tooth portions (FIG. 6).
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.
Claims 8 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chaithongsuk in view of European Patent No. 2 479 872 to Storath (provided by Applicant on 11/26/2025).
Regarding claim 8, Chaithongsuk teaches the rotor structure according to claim 7.
Chaithongsuk does not teach a rotor punching sheet, wherein the plurality of magnet units are arranged on the rotor punching sheet.
However, Storath teaches a rotor punching sheet comprising a laminated rotor core (FIG. 2, 1; Paragraph [0002]), wherein a plurality of magnet units (FIG. 2, 4) are arranged on the rotor punching sheet.
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 rotor structure of Chaithongsuk with the laminated rotor core of Storath to reduce eddy current losses in the rotor.
Regarding claim 16, Chaithongsuk teaches the motor structure according to claim 10.
Chaithongsuk does not teach a rotor punching sheet, wherein the plurality of magnet units are arranged on the rotor punching sheet.
However, Storath teaches a rotor punching sheet comprising a laminated rotor core (FIG. 2, 1; Paragraph [0002]), wherein a plurality of magnet units (FIG. 2, 4) are arranged on the rotor punching sheet.
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 motor structure of Chaithongsuk with the laminated rotor core of Storath to reduce eddy current losses in the rotor.
Claims 9 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chaithongsuk in view of Chinese Patent No. 102157998 to Surong et al. (hereinafter Surong; provided by Applicant on 5/15/2024).
Regarding claim 9, Chaithongsuk teaches the rotor structure according to claim 7.
Chaithongsuk does not teach the magnet component being a line-shaped magnet component or a V-shaped magnet component.
However, Surong teaches a rotor magnet component (FIG. 1; 1a-1e) being a line-shaped magnet component.
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 rotor structure of Chaithongsuk with the line-shaped magnet component of Surong to have a simpler fabrication of the magnet unit.
Regarding claim 17, Chaithongsuk teaches the rotor structure according to claim 10.
Chaithongsuk does not teach the magnet component being a line-shaped magnet component or a V-shaped magnet component.
However, Surong teaches a rotor magnet component (FIG. 1; 1a-1e) being a line-shaped magnet component.
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 motor structure of Chaithongsuk with the line-shaped magnet component of Surong to have a simpler fabrication of the magnet unit.
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
/TULSIDAS C PATEL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834