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 6, filed 06/24/2026, with respect to objections to the specification and the drawings have been fully considered and are persuasive. The objections of the specification and drawings have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, see page 6, filed 06/24/2026, with respect to rejections under 35 USC 112 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejections under 35 USC 112 of claims 1-6, 9, and 10 have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-10 as rejected under 35 USC 103 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)(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 and 3-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by YAMADA (US 20240171029).
Regarding claim 1, YAMADA discloses a motor (10) comprising:
a shaft (32); a rotor (31) coupled to the shaft; a stator (21) disposed to correspond to the rotor, wherein the stator includes a stator core (22), an insulator (25) coupled to the stator core, and a coil (23) disposed on the insulator
a bus bar (60) electrically connected to the coil (23) wherein the bus bar is a single bus bar (Fig. 5); and
a bus bar holder (61) configured to support the bus bar (60),
wherein the bus bar (60) includes a bus bar body (74) connected to the coil (see para [0034]), and an extension part (71) bent at the bus bar body (74),
the extension part (71) includes a first part (75) connected to the bus bar body (74), and a second part (77) continuously extending from the first part (75) (see Fig. 5),
the bus bar holder (61) includes a first hole (65), and a second hole (unlabeled; see annotated Fig. 2, below) communicating with the first hole (65) and having a different shape from the first hole (65) (Fig. 1-2),
a cross-sectional shape of the first part (75) differs from a cross-sectional shape of the second part (77) (Fig. 5), and
the first part (75) is disposed in the first hole (65), a portion of the second part (77) is disposed in the second hole, and the remainder of the second part (77) is exposed to the outside of the bus bar holder (61) (see Fig. 1).
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Regarding claim 3, YAMADA discloses the motor of claim 1, wherein the first part (75) includes a first area whose size of a cross section decreases toward an end thereof (see Fig. 5), and
the first area (35) is connected to the second part (77) (i.e. via the side terminal portion 72).
Regarding claim 4, YAMADA discloses the motor of claim 1, wherein YAMADA at least a portion of an outer surface of the second part (77) protrudes more than an outer surface of the first part (75) (see Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 5, YAMADA discloses teaches the motor of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the cross section of the second part (77) is greater than a thickness of the first part (75) and smaller than a width of the first part (75) (see annotated Fig. 5, below).
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Regarding claim 6, YAMADA discloses the motor of claim 1, wherein YAMADA teaches the bus bar holder (61) includes a boss (63, 71) protruding from one surface of the bus bar holder (61), and
the first hole (65) and the second hole are each disposed in the boss (63, 71).
Regarding claim 7, YAMADA discloses a motor (10) comprising:
a shaft 32; a rotor 31 coupled to the shaft; a stator 21 disposed to correspond to the rotor, wherein the stator includes a stator core 22, an insulator 25 coupled to the stator core, and a coil (23) disposed on the insulator.
a bus bar (60) electrically connected to the coil (23); and
a bus bar holder (61) configured to support the bus bar (60),
wherein the bus bar (60) is a single bus bar and includes a first terminal (76) and a second terminal (78) which are opposite ends of the bus bar,
the first terminal (76) protrudes more than one surface of the bus bar holder (61) and is exposed to the outside (see Fig. 2),
the second terminal (78) protrudes more than a side surface of the bus bar holder (61) and is exposed to the outside (see Fig. 1), and
a cross-sectional shape of the first terminal (76) differs from a cross-sectional shape of the second terminal (78) (Figs. 2 and 5).
Regarding claim 8, YAMADA discloses the motor of claim 7, wherein the bus bar holder (61) includes a boss (63, 71) protruding from one surface of the bus bar holder (61), and
the second terminal (78) is exposed upward from an upper surface of the boss (63, 71) (see Fig. 1).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 2 and 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over YAMADA in view of IIZUKA US-20220407246-A1.
Regarding claim 2, YAMADA discloses the motor of claim 1, wherein YAMADA teaches the first part (75) has a quadrangular cross section (see Fig. 5).
However, YAMADA does not teach the second part has a circular cross section.
IIZUKA teaches an electrical conductor with a quadrangular and circular cross-section (Fig. 5).
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It 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 to provide YAMADA with a second part having a circular cross section, similar to IIZUKA.
A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains would have been motivated to make such modification in order to produce a bus bar with a shoulder through a simple bending process, as taught by IIZUKA ([0034])
Regarding claim 9, YAMADA discloses the motor of claim 7, wherein the first terminal (76) (see Fig. 5) has a quadrangular cross section
However, YAMADA does not teach the second terminal has a curved cross section.
It 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 to provide YAMADA with a second part having a curved or circular cross section, similar to IIZUKA.
A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains would have been motivated to make such modification in order to produce a bus bar with a shoulder through a simple bending process, as taught by IIZUKA ([0034])
Regarding claim 10, YAMADA in view of IIZUKA teaches the motor of claim 9, wherein YAMADA teaches a planar surface of the first terminal (76) is a quadrangle (Fig. 5), and IIZUKA teaches the second terminal has a circular cross section (see above regarding claim 9).
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.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US-6429556-B1 Nakamura teaches a conductor with a mixed square/rounded section to provide a shoulder; US-7723879-B2 Fujii teaches a conductor with a mixed square/rounded section to facilitate welding connections; US-7936100-B2 Naganawa teaches a conductor with a mixed square/rounded section to improve packing and reduce overall size; US-20220384911-A1 Eheim teaches a bus bar with a mixed square/rounded section which is disclosed as being interchangeable with other shapes; US-20220407246-A1 IIZUKA teaches a bus bar with a mixed square/rounded section formed by simple bending.
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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