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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
(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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Michel (US 2017/0110933 A1).
As to claim 1, Michel shows (FIG. 4) An in-wheel motor of an outer-rotor type, the in-wheel motor comprising:
a stator 2 that includes a coil 24; and
a rotor 3 that includes a magnet 34 and rotates around a motor axis A with respect to the stator 2, the magnet 34 facing the coil 24, wherein
a seal member 77 is interposed between the rotor 3 and the stator 2 (motorized wheel para[0052], [0058], [0059], [0078]).
As to claim 2/1, Michel further shows (FIG. 4) wherein:
the rotor 3 further includes:
a rotor case 31 that includes an inner end part in the wheel assembly width direction, the inner end part being open; and
a rotating body 39 that is connected to the inner end part of the rotor case 31 and rotates together with the rotor case 31, and
the seal member 77 is disposed between the rotating body and the stator 2 (para [0058]).
As to claim 4/2/1, Michel further shows (FIG. 4) wherein:
the rotor 3 further includes a brake disc 45 that rotates integrally with the rotor case 31, and
the rotating body is a drive plate 39 interposed between the rotor case 31 and the brake disc 45 (para [0058]).
Claim(s) 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kanetani (JP 2020089223 A).
As to claim 1, Kanetani shows (FIG. 2) An in-wheel motor of an outer-rotor type, the in-wheel motor 10 comprising:
a stator 40 that includes a coil 43; and
a rotor 30 that includes a magnet 34 and rotates around a motor axis J with respect to the stator 40, the magnet 34 facing the coil 43, wherein
a seal member 83 is interposed between the rotor 30 and the stator 40 (para [0015],[0019],[0029]).
As to claim 2/1, Kanetani further shows (FIG. 2) wherein:
the rotor 30 further includes:
a rotor case 32 that includes an inner end part in the wheel assembly width direction, the inner end part being open; and
a rotating body 31 that is connected to the inner end part of the rotor case 32 and rotates together with the rotor case 32, and
the seal member 83 is disposed between the rotating body 31 and the stator 40 (para [0015],[0019],[0029]).
As to claim 3/2/1, Kanetani further shows (FIG. 2) wherein:
the stator 40 further includes:
a spindle shaft 20 that forms the motor axis J; and
a stator body 51 that is disposed on an outer side of the spindle shaft 20 in a radial direction,
the rotating body 31 is pivotally supported by the stator body 51, and
the seal member 83 is disposed between the rotating body 31 and the stator body 51 (para [0015],[0019],[0029]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Larkin (US 2015/0144453 A1) shows a seal (FIG. 8);
Furuuchi (US 2017/0324297 A1) shows a seal; and
Yabuta US 2020/0112229 A1) shows a seal.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT E MATES whose telephone number is (571)270-5293. The examiner can normally be reached M to F 12:00pm to 8pm.
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, TULSIDAS PATEL can be reached at (571)272-2098. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ROBERT E MATES/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/TULSIDAS C PATEL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834