DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-6, 8-11, 15, 17, 26, 33, 37-40, 44, 62 of U.S. Application No. 18/712,040 filed on 05/21/2024 are presented for examination.
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 05/21/2024, and 08/28/2024 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-6, 8-11, 15, 17, 26, 33, 37-40, 62 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 1: claim 1 recites, “…the dust passage configured to permit dust to migrate from out of the interior of the cap body through the dust passage.”
It is not clear, what is the “out of the interior”? is it the exterior? Does the claim dust passage move the dust from the outer to the inner of the cap? The recitation “…from out of the interior…” seems to be the opposite of what is in the specifications. For example, the abstract recites, “…The brush dust migrates from an interior of the motor to outside of the motor at least partially through the dust passages”
The Applicant is to kindly clarify. For examination purposes, the limitation in question is interpreted as “…the dust passage configured to permit dust to migrate from
Regarding claim 62: Claim 62 recites the limitation "the second seal" in lines 12-13 There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
Claims 1-2, 8, 10, 40, and 44 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li et al. (US 8049380; Hereinafter, “Li”).
Regarding claim 1: Li discloses an end cap (50, and 70) for a motor housing of an electric motor (10), the end cap comprising:
a cap body (the body covers 50, 70) having an inner side (within the cover) and an outer side (outside of the cover), the cap body disposed about a cap axis (shaft 31) and at least partially defining a cap cavity (annotated fig. 1 below) on an interior of the cap body; and
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a dust passage (the passage from 28 to 63 in fig. 5) extending between the cap cavity and the outer side (fig. 3, 5), the dust passage (53) configured to permit dust to migrate from out of the interior of the cap body through the dust passage (vent 63 that is used for cooling the brush and removing dust to the outside col. 4, lines 1-14; also see the arrow direction in fig. 5).
Regarding claim 2/1: Li discloses the limitations of claim 1 and further discloses that the cap cavity (seen in the annotated fig. 1 above) includes a commutator cavity (see the commutator 53 fits in the cap cavity in fig. 1-2) configured to at least partially surround a commutator of the electric motor (fig. 2).
Regarding claim 8/1: Li discloses the limitations of claim 1 and further discloses a plurality of the dust passages (at least 2 are seen in fig. 3, 5), wherein each dust passage of the plurality of the dust passages extends at least partially within a respective rib (71) of a plurality of ribs of the cap body (two ribs 71 are seen extending from the central portion in fig. 2).
Regarding claim 10/1: Li discloses the limitations of claim 1 and further discloses that the cap body comprises an inner collar (50), and wherein the dust passage extends through the inner collar (fig. 4-5).
Regarding claim 40/1: Li discloses the limitations of claim 1 and further discloses that an outer aperture (from which shaft 31 extend via bearing 52) is formed through the outer side and aligned on the cap axis (31), the outer aperture configured such that a drive shaft (31) can extend axially from the interior of the end cap (50, 70) to outside of the end cap through the outer aperture (fig. 2).
Regarding claim 44: Li discloses an end cap (50, 70) for a motor housing of an electric motor (10) , the end cap comprising:
a cap body comprising: an inner side (receiving the commutator); an outer side (out of the motor);
an inner collar (50) at least partially defining a commutator cavity (annotated fig. 1 above) configured to at least partially surround a commutator (33) of the electric motor (10); and
an outer collar (70) disposed radially outward from the inner collar (50); and
a dust passage (the passage from 28 to 63 in fig. 5) extending at least partially within the inner collar (50) and from the commutator cavity to the outer side (through 63), the dust passage defining a flow path for brush dust to migrate from the commutator cavity to the outer side (col. 4, lines 1-14).
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 17, 37-39 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Tinglong Huang (CN 201332331; Hereinafter, “Huang”).
Regarding claim 17/2/1: Li discloses the limitations of claim 2 but does not show that the commutator cavity is axially aligned with the dust passage.
Huang discloses forming the commutator cavity (where commutator 5 is enclosed) is axially aligned (fig. 1-2) with the dust passage (7).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have formed the motor of Li with the commutator cavity is axially aligned with the dust passage to directly discharge the dust out of the motor, thus increase the effectiveness of the dust disposal.
Regarding claim 37/1, 38/37, 39/37: Li discloses the limitations of claim 1 but does not show that the dust passage extends along a passage axis between a passage inlet open to the interior and a passage outlet on the outer side; the dust passage does not include bends between the passage inlet and the passage outlet; the passage axis is parallel with the cap axis and radially offset from the cap axis.
Huang discloses the dust passage (7) extends along a passage axis (annotated fig. 1 below) between a passage inlet open to the interior and a passage outlet on the outer side; the dust passage (7) does not include bends between the passage inlet and the passage outlet (fig. 1); the passage axis is parallel with the cap axis and radially offset from the cap axis (annotated fig. 1 below).
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Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have formed the motor of Li with the dust passage extends along a passage axis between a passage inlet open to the interior and a passage outlet on the outer side; the dust passage does not include bends between the passage inlet and the passage outlet; the passage axis is parallel with the cap axis and radially offset from the cap axis, as taught by Huang thus increase the effectiveness of the dust disposal.
Claim 26 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of JPS51106808 (Hereinafter, “J’808”).
Regarding claim 26/1: Li discloses the limitations of claim including a plurality of the dust passages (2 are shown) arrayed about the cap axis (31).
Li does not show plurality of the dust passages including:
a first subset of dust passages arrayed partially about the cap axis; and
a second subset of dust passages arrayed partially about the cap axis.
J’808 discloses plurality of the dust passages (2; fig. 2) including:
a first subset of dust passages (two holes 2 out of the shown 4 holes 2) arrayed partially about the cap axis (the shaft of the electric machine); and
a second subset (other two holes 2 out of the shown 4 holes 2) of dust passages arrayed partially about the cap axis (fig. 2).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have formed the motor of Li with the plurality of the dust passages including: a first subset of dust passages arrayed partially about the cap axis; and a second subset of dust passages arrayed partially about the cap axis as disclosed by J’808 to increase the amount of brush cooling and dust discharge in the electrical machine.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-6, 9, 11, 15, 33 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AHMED ELNAKIB whose telephone number is (571)270-0638. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00AM-4:00PM.
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/AHMED ELNAKIB/Primary Examiner,
Art Unit 2834
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