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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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 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 1-4, 6, 8-10 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ishiyama et al. (JP63077450, “Ishiyama”, using machine translation) in view of Hasegawa et al. (JP2012057560, “Hasegawa”, using machine translation) and Lin (US6127755, “Lin”).
Re claim 1, Ishiyama discloses an electric motor comprising:
a stator including a stator core 14 (fig 1), at least one fixing hole (fig 1, for 42), (fig 1), a molded resin 10 molded unitedly with the stator core 14;
a rotor 26 disposed inside the stator (fig 1);
a bracket 40 covering an inside of the stator (fig 1); and
at least one screw 42 fitted into the fixing hole and fixing the bracket 40 to the stator (fig 1).
Ishiyama discloses claim 1 except for:
at least one resin component having at least one fixing hole;
the molded resin molded unitedly with the at least one resin component;
the molded resin is a thermosetting resin, the resin component is a thermoplastic resin, the resin component includes an opening and a bottom;
an inside diameter of the bottom is smaller than an inside diameter of the opening; and
an inside diameter of the fixing hole decreases from the opening to the bottom.
Hasegawa discloses at least at least one resin component 81 having at least one fixing hole 84 (figs 12-14);
the molded resin 53 molded unitedly with the at least one resin component 81 (figs 3, 9 & 11); and
the molded resin 53 is a thermosetting resin ([0042]), the resin component 81 is a thermoplastic resin ([0049]), the resin component 81 includes an opening and a bottom (figs 11 & 14).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the electric motor of Ishiyama to comprise at least one resin component having at least one fixing hole; the molded resin molded unitedly with the at least one resin component; the molded resin is a thermosetting resin, the resin component is a thermoplastic resin and the resin component includes an opening and a bottom, as disclosed by Hasegawa, in order to prevent the molded resin from being damaged by vibration, as taught by Hasegawa ([0004]).
Lin discloses the fixing hole 124 has an inside diameter d of the bottom is smaller than an inside diameter of the opening (figs 3 & below); and
an inside diameter of the fixing hole 124 decreases from the opening to the bottom (figs 3 & below).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the fixing hole and resin component of Ishiyama in view of Hasegawa to comprise an inside diameter of the bottom is smaller than an inside diameter of the opening; and an inside diameter of the fixing hole decreases from the opening to the bottom, as disclosed by Lin, in order to guide the screw from the opening to the bottom, as demonstrated by Lin. Specifically the tapered sides of the opening guide the screw towards the bottom.
Re claims 2, 3 and 4, Ishiyama in view of Hasegawa and Lin discloses claim 1 as discussed above and further discloses the at least one fixing hole comprises two or more fixing holes (Ishiyama, fig 1; Hasegawa, fig 14);
the two or more fixing holes are arranged at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the stator (Hasegawa, fig 14); and
the resin component 81 has the two or more fixing holes (Hasegawa, fig 14).
Re claim 6, Ishiyama in view of Hasegawa and Lin discloses claim 1 as discussed above and further disclose the resin component 81 is combined with the stator core 54 (Hasegawa, figs 11-14, [0052-0053], combined through 53 & 86/54a).
Re claims 8, 9, 10 and 18, Ishiyama in view of Hasegawa and Lin discloses claim 1 as discussed above and further discloses:
the at least one resin component 81 comprises two or more resin components 85 (Hasegawa, figs 12 & 14), and each of the two or more resin components 85 has the at least one fixing hole 84 (Hasegawa, figs 12 & 14);
the two or more resin components 85 are arranged at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the stator (Hasegawa, figs 12 & 14); and
the stator includes a connecting member 87 connecting the two or more resin components 85 (Hasegawa, figs 12 & 14, [0050]).
Claims 5, 7, 11 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ishiyama in view of Hasegawa and Lin and in further view of Ishii et al. (JP2010242624, “Ishii”).
Re claim 5, Ishiyama in view of Hasegawa and Lin disclose claim 1 as discussed above and further disclose the resin component 81 includes a protrusion 85a extending in a radial direction of the stator from an outer peripheral surface of the resin component 81 (Hasegawa, figs 12-14, [0051]); but fail to disclose the protrusion extending in a radial direction of the stator from an outer peripheral surface of the resin component.
Ishii discloses the protrusion 85 extending in a radial direction of the stator from an outer peripheral surface of the resin component 81 (figs 34-36, pgs 9, 3rd to last paragraph to pg 10, 1st paragraph).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the protrusion of Ishiyama in view of Hasegawa and Lin to extend in a radial direction of the stator from an outer peripheral surface of the resin component, as disclosed by Ishii, in order to prevent rotation of the resin component, as taught by Ishii (pg 10, 1st paragraph).
Re claims 7, 11 and 19, Ishiyama in view of Hasegawa and Lin disclose claims 1 and 2, respectively, as discussed above but are silent with respect to the stator includes an insulating member insulating the stator core, and the resin component is combined/integrated with the insulating member.
Ishii discloses the stator includes an insulating member 56 insulating the stator core (figs 34-36, pg 9, 3rd to last paragraph), and the resin component 81 is combined/integrated with the insulating member 56 (figs 34-36, pg 9, 3rd to last paragraph).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the stator of Ishiyama in view of Hasegawa and Lin to include an insulating member insulating the stator core, and the resin component is combined/integrated with the insulating member, as taught by Ishii, in order to insulate the coil from the stator core and reduce processing cost, as taught by Ishii (pg 9, 3rd to last paragraph to pg 10, 1st paragraph).
Claims 6, 15 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ishiyama in view of Hasegawa and Lin and in further view of Oikawa et al. (US20190199149, “Oikawa”).
Re claim 6, Ishiyama in view of Hasegawa and Lin discloses claim 1 as discussed above but are silent with respect to the rotor is a consequent pole rotor.
Oikawa discloses the rotor 61 is a consequent pole rotor (fig 9, [0070]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the rotor of Ishiyama in view of Hasegawa and Lin to be a consequent pole rotor, as disclosed by Oikawa, in order to reduce the number of magnets and magnet holes for the rotor, as taught by Oikawa (fig 9, [0070]).
Re claim 15, Ishiyama in view of Hasegawa and Lin discloses claim 1 as discussed above but are silent with respect to the bracket is made of metal.
Oikawa discloses the bracket 30 is made of metal (fig 1, [0045]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the bracket of Ishiyama in view of Hasegawa and Lin to be made of metal, as disclosed by Oikawa, in order to form the bracket from a known material for a molded motor, as taught by Oikawa.
Re claim 17, Ishiyama in view of Hasegawa and Lin discloses claim 1 as discussed above. Ishiyama is silent with respect to and air conditioner comprising: an indoor unit; and an outdoor unit to be connected to the indoor unit, wherein the indoor unit, the outdoor unit, or each of the indoor unit and the outdoor unit includes the electric motor according to claim 1.
Oikawa discloses an air conditioner 300 comprising: an indoor unit 310 (fig 21); and an outdoor unit 320 to be connected to the indoor unit 310 (fig 21), wherein the indoor unit 310, the outdoor unit 320, or each of the indoor unit and the outdoor unit includes the electric motor 100 (fig 1, [0100-0102]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the electric motor of Ishiyama in view of Hasegawa and Lin in an air conditioner comprising: an indoor unit; and an outdoor unit to be connected to the indoor unit, wherein the indoor unit, the outdoor unit, or each of the indoor unit and the outdoor unit includes the electric motor according to claim 1, as disclosed by Oikawa, in order to employ the electric motor to drive different mechanisms.
Claims 12, 13 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ishiyama in view of Hasegawa and Lin and in further view of Aso et al. (US20190348892, “Aso”).
Re claims 12-14, Ishiyama in view of Hasegawa and Lin disclose claim 1 as discussed above but are silent with respect to:
the bracket is made of resin;
a metal component to radiate heat of the electric motor to an outside of the electric motor, wherein the resin covers part of the metal component; and
the metal component is aluminum.
Aso discloses:
the bracket is made of resin 6 (figs 1-2 & below, [0043-0044]);
a metal component 5 to radiate heat of the electric motor to an outside of the electric motor (figs 1-2, [0045-0046]), wherein the resin covers part of the metal component 5 (fig 1, 6 covers bottom of 5); and
the metal component 5 is aluminum ([0046]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the bracket of Ishiyama in view of Hasegawa and Lin so the bracket is made of resin; a metal component to radiate heat of the electric motor to an outside of the electric motor, wherein the resin covers part of the metal component; and the metal component is aluminum, as disclosed by Aso, in order to transfer heat from the stator/windings, as taught by Aso (]0045]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIC JOHNSON whose telephone number is (571)270-5715. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 8:30-5pm EST.
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/ERIC JOHNSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834