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 Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see page 4, filed 04/27/25026, with respect to the rejection of claim 3 under 35 USC 112 have been fully considered and are persuasive, in consideration of the amended claim language. The rejection of claim 3 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-6, regarding the anticipation rejection under SHIN, have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by YADA (US 20230094579).
Regarding claim 1, YADA discloses an in-wheel motor (para [0003]) of an outer rotor type (para [0021]) including a stator 18 and a rotor 19, the in-wheel motor comprising:
a sensor 27 which detects a rotational state of the rotor 19 (see para [0091]); and
an attachable/detachable member 4 which is attachable to and detachable from the rotor 19 (see para [0069]) and is provided with the sensor 27 on a surface facing an inner circumferential surface of the stator 18 (see Fig. 3);
a shaft 5 which is secured to the stator and which is inserted into an inner circumferential side of the attachable/detachable member 4; and
a bearing 6 provided between an outer circumferential surface of the shaft 5 and an inner circumferential surface of the attachable/detachable member 4,
wherein the attachable/detachable member 4 is rotatably supported by the shaft 5 via the bearing 6.
Regarding claim 2, YADA discloses the in-wheel motor according to claim 1, wherein:
the attachable/detachable member 4 includes:
a tubular body 4a that includes, as an outer circumferential surface, a surface facing the inner circumferential surface of the stator 18 (Fig. 1); and
a flange 7 which faces an outer surface of the rotor 19 and is provided continuously to the tubular body 4a, and
the sensor 27 is provided in a leading-end portion of the tubular body 4a (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 3, YADA discloses the in-wheel motor according to claim 2, wherein the sensor 27 is provided adjacent to the bearing 6 in an axial direction of the tubular body 4a (Fig. 1).
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Regarding claim 4, YADA discloses the in-wheel motor according to claim 1, further comprising a friction member 12 which is provided between the rotor 19 and the attachable/detachable member 4 and is secured, together with the attachable/detachable member 4, to the rotor 19 (see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 5, YADA discloses the in-wheel motor according to claim 1, further comprising a positioning part 29 that defines a positional relationship between the sensor 27 and a magnet 19b of the rotor 19 such that a phase difference between the sensor 27 and the magnet 19b reaches a set value when the attachable/detachable member 4 is attached to the rotor 19.
Regarding claim 6, YADA discloses the in-wheel motor according to claim 1, further comprising a bolt that fastens the rotor 19 to the attachable/detachable member 4, wherein the bolt is inserted from an outer side in a wheel assembly width direction into a bolt hole provided in each of the attachable/detachable member 4 and the rotor 19 (see para [0086]).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUSTIN STEFANON whose telephone number is (703)756-4648. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday and alternate Fridays 8AM - 5PM EDT.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Oluseye Iwarere can be reached at (571) 270-5112. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JUSTIN STEFANON/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/OLUSEYE IWARERE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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