DETAILED ACTION
1. Claims 1-5 of U.S. Application 18/719232 filed on May 5, 2026 are presented for examination.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
2. 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
3. Drawing objection is withdrawn due to the cancellation of claim 6.
4. Applicant's arguments filed May 5, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding amended claim 1, the applicant argues on page 5 that Taguchi bus bars 14-17 are merely adjacent to the insulator 12 and are not embedded in the insulator 12.
The examiner respectfully disagrees and points out that Taguchi teaches the extending portion (see annotated fig. 6 below) is embedded in the insulating resin (12), since N-phase bus bar 17 extending portion is embedded in a recess of portion 12a of the insulating resin 12 and U, V and W bus bars 14-16 extending portions are embedded in slots 12b of the insulating resin 12, (see fig. 5, pages 2-3).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
5. 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.
6. Claims 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Taguchi (WO 2015151214, see English Machine Translation previously attached).
Regarding claim 1, Taguchi teaches (see figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6 below) a stator (10) (Abstract), comprising:
a stator core (11) including a yoke (11a) and a plurality of teeth (11b) (Abstract; page 2);
a plurality of coils (11) that are wound one-to-one onto the plurality of teeth (11b) (pages 2-3);
a busbar (14-17) disposed adjacent to the stator core (11), the busbar (14-17) including joining portions (14e, 15e, 16e, 17e) to which end portions (13a) of the coils (13) are joined and an extending portion (see annotated fig. 6 below) that extends in a circumferential direction of the stator core (11) (Abstract; pages 3 and 5);
an insulating resin (12) that is molded (molded is a process limitation not given patentable weight, see below) integrally with the busbar (14-17) in a state in which the extending portion (see annotated fig. 6 below) is partially exposed (Abstract; pages 2-3); and
a sealing resin (19) formed of a resin with higher thermal conductivity than the insulating resin (12) (since it is the sealing resin 19 that is used to remove heat from the device, Abstract; pages 4 and 6),
the sealing resin (19) sealing in at least an exposed portion of the extending portion (see annotated fig. 6 below) that is exposed through the insulating resin (12) (Abstract; pages 4 and 6),
wherein the extending portion (see annotated fig. 6 below) is embedded in the insulating resin (12) (since N-phase bus bar 17 extending portion is embedded in a recess of portion 12a of the insulating resin 12 and U, V and W bus bars 14-16 extending portions are embedded in slots 12b of the insulating resin 12, see fig. 5, pages 2-3) by insert-molding (insert-molding is a process limitation not given patentable weight, see below)
The Examiner points out the limitations of “an insulating resin that is molded” and “embedded in the insulating resin by insert-molding” are considered as a product-by-process limitation. “Even though product-by-process claims are limited by and defined by the process, determination of patentability is based on the product itself. The patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production. If the product in the product-by-process claim is the same as or obvious from a product of the prior art, the claim is unpatentable even though the prior product was made by a different process.” In re Thorpe, 777F, 2d 659, 698, 227 USPQ 964, 966 (Fed. Cir. 1985); see also MPEP 2113.
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Regarding claim 2/1, Taguchi teaches (see figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6 above) a portion of the extending portion (see annotated fig. 6 above) is exposed through the insulating resin (12) in an axial direction of the stator core (11) (figs. 2 and 5; Abstract; pages 2, 3 and 5).
Regarding claim 3/2/1, Taguchi teaches (see figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6 above) the exposed portion of the extending portion (see annotated fig. 6 above) that is exposed through the insulating resin (12) is a surface at one plate thickness direction side of the extending portion (see annotated fig. 6 above) (figs. 2 and 5; Abstract; pages 2, 3 and 5).
Regarding claim 4/1, Taguchi teaches (see figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6 above) a portion of the extending portion (see annotated fig. 6 above) is exposed through the insulating resin (12) in a radial direction of the stator core (11) (fig. 5; Abstract; pages 2, 3 and 5).
Regarding claim 5/1, Taguchi teaches (see figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6 above) the stator core (11), the plurality of coils (13) and the insulating resin (12) are sealed in by the sealing resin (19) (Abstract; pages 4 and 6).
Conclusion
7. THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 ALEXANDER A SINGH whose telephone number is (571)270-0243. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am to 5pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Seye 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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/ALEXANDER A SINGH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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