DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . This Office Action is responsive to the Applicant's communication filed 23 June 2026. In view of this communication and the amendment concurrently filed: claims 1-20 were previously pending; claims 5 and 19 were canceled and claims 21-22 were added by the amendment; and thus, claims 1-4, 6-18, and 20-22 are now pending in the application.
Response to Arguments
The Applicant’s arguments, filed 23 June 2026, have been fully considered but are only partially persuasive.
The Applicant’s first argument (page 9 of the Remarks) states that the title has been amended as suggested in the non-final rejection. As such, the objection to the title has been withdrawn.
The Applicant’s second argument (page 10 of the Remarks) states that the previously indicated allowable subject matter of claim 5 has been incorporated into independent claim 1. Thus, claim 1 is now in condition for allowance, as are all claims dependent thereon.
The Applicant’s third argument (pages 10-14 of the Remarks) states that the prior art does not disclose the limitations of canceled claim 19, now incorporated into independent claim 11. Specifically, the prior art does not disclose the particular arrangements of the first air-guiding ring and the plurality of end plates abutting one another. This argument is persuasive and the previous grounds of rejection have been withdrawn. Thus, claim 11 is now in condition for allowance, as are all claims dependent thereon.
The Applicant’s fourth argument (pages 14-15 of the Remarks) alleges that Han does not disclose various “structure and achieved effects” of the present invention. The argument alludes to the air-guiding plate being “only provided with a first opening” through which air passes, contrasting that against the plurality of holes present in Han’s air-guiding plate, but does not point to any specific language in the claim that recites the plate having only one single hole. In response to the Applicant's argument that the references fail to show certain features of the invention, it is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., the air-guiding plate having only one hole) are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993). Thus, this argument is unpersuasive and new claim 21 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 over the Han reference.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d) or (f), 365(a) or (b), or 386(a), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Disclosure
The specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant's cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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 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)(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) 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Han et al. (US 2023/0268796 A1), hereinafter referred to as “Han”.
Regarding claim 21, Han discloses a motor [100] (fig. 1-3; ¶ 0063) comprising:
a shaft [140] extending in an axial direction (fig. 2-3; ¶ 0066-0067);
an inner rotor [141] fixed on the shaft [140] (fig. 2-3; ¶ 0073-0075);
an outer stator [150] sleeved on an outer circumference of the inner rotor [141] (fig. 1-3; ¶ 0069-0070); and
a fan [110] mounted on the shaft [140], the fan [110] rotating with the shaft [140] (fig. 3; ¶ 0066-0068) to generate airflow to cool the outer stator [150] (fig. 8; ¶ 0147-0163);
wherein the motor [100] further comprises an air-guiding cover [120,130], the air-guiding cover [120,130] comprises a first air-guiding ring [120a], a second air-guiding ring [120b] and an air-guiding plate [130,131] (fig. 3; ¶ 0067-0068);
the first air-guiding ring [120a] and the second air-guiding ring [120b] are arranged along the axial direction of the shaft [140], the air-guiding plate [130,131] is located between the first air-guiding ring [120a] and the second air-guiding ring [120b], and the first air-guiding ring [120a] is located between the outer stator [150] and the second air-guiding ring [120b] (fig. 3; ¶ 0068-0069);
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the air-guiding plate [130,131] is an annular plate extending radially and defines a first opening [133] for the shaft [140] to pass through, and the first opening [133] forms a single passage in the air-guiding plate [130,131] that communicates the first air-guiding ring [120a] with the second air-guiding ring [120b] (fig. 2-4; ¶ 0094; the plate has a single center hole through which the shaft passes); a gap is formed between an outer circumferential surface of the shaft [140] and an inner wall of the first opening [133] (fig. 3), and airflow inside the first air-guiding ring [120a] is drawn away by the fan [110] through the gap (this statement of the intended use of the gap/fan does not imply any additional structural limitations);
the outer stator [150] has a first inner diameter d1, the fan [110] is located within the second air-guiding ring [120b], and the first air-guiding ring [120a] has an inner diameter d3 of the first air-guiding ring [120a], and the inner diameter d3 of the first air-guiding ring [120a] is greater than or equal to the first inner diameter d1 of the outer stator [150] (fig. 3; the air-guiding rings surround the stator, making their inner diameters greater than both the inner and outer diameters of the stator).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 1-4, 6-18, 20 and 22 is/are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claim 1, and all claims dependent thereon, the prior art does not disclose, inter alia, a motor comprising:
a shaft extending in an axial direction;
an inner rotor fixed on the shaft;
an outer stator sleeved on an outer circumference of the inner rotor; and
a fan mounted on the shaft, the fan rotating with the shaft to generate airflow to cool the outer stator;
wherein the motor further comprises an air-guiding cover, the air-guiding cover comprises a first air-guiding ring, a second air-guiding ring and an air-guiding plate; the first air-guiding ring and the second air-guiding ring are arranged along the axial direction of the shaft, the air-guiding plate is located between the first air-guiding ring and the second air-guiding ring, and the first air-guiding ring is located between the outer stator and the second air-guiding ring;
the air-guiding plate defines a first opening for the shaft to pass through, the first opening has an inner diameter d4 of the air-guiding plate, the fan comprises a hub driven by the shaft and a plurality of blades radially protruding outward from a peripheral edge of the hub, the plurality of blades surrounds the hub, the hub has a hub diameter d5, and the fan has a fan diameter d6;
wherein a relationship between the inner diameter d4 of the air-guiding plate, the diameter d5 of the hub, and the diameter d6 of the fan satisfies a formula of 0.5(d5+d6)≤d4≤d6;
the fan is located within the second air-guiding ring, and the first air-guiding ring has an inner diameter d3, the outer stator has a first inner diameter d1, and the inner diameter d3 of the first air-guiding ring is greater than or equal to the first inner diameter dl of the outer stator.
Claims 2-4, 6-10, and 15-18 are objected to due to their dependencies.
Regarding claim 11, and all claims dependent thereon, the prior art does not disclose, inter alia, a power tool comprising:
a casing; and
a motor in the casing, the motor comprising:
a shaft extending in an axial direction;
an inner rotor fixed on the shaft;
an outer stator sleeved on an outer circumference of the inner rotor; and
a fan mounted on the shaft, the fan rotating with the shaft to generate airflow to cool the outer stator,
wherein the motor further comprises an air-guiding cover, the air-guiding cover comprises a first air-guiding ring and a second air-guiding ring arranged along the axial direction of the shaft, wherein the first air-guiding ring is located between the outer stator and the second air-guiding ring;
the fan is located within the second air-guiding ring, and the first air-guiding ring has an inner diameter d3, the outer stator has a first inner diameter d1, and the inner diameter d3 of the first air-guiding ring is greater than or equal to the first inner diameter d1 of the outer stator;
the motor further comprises a plurality of end plates, the plurality of end plates is on an end side of the outer stator facing the air-guiding cover, the inner side of the first air-guiding ring is arc-shaped and an outer edge of the first air-guiding ring abuts against the plurality of end plates, and the first air-guiding ring further has a first volute portion to conduct air flow.
Claims 12-14, 20, and 22 are objected to due to their dependencies.
While the prior art discloses various arrangements of air-guiding covers having plates and rings in various sizes, it does not disclose the specific formula relating the diameters of the air-guiding plate, the hub, and the fan, as recited in the above claims and as shown in figure 6. Nor does the prior art disclose the particular arrangement of the air-guiding ring abutting against the plurality of end plates. Thus, the prior art neither anticipates nor renders obvious the claimed invention.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated any 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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
This action is a final rejection and closes the prosecution of this application. Applicant’s reply under 37 CFR 1.113 to this action is limited to an appeal to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, an amendment complying with the requirements set forth below, or a request for continued examination (RCE) to reopen prosecution where permitted.
General information on the Patent Trial and Appeal Board is available at: www.uspto.gov/patents/patent-trial-and-appeal-board/about-ptab/new-ptab. The information at this page includes guidance on time limited options that may assist the applicant contemplating appealing an examiner’s rejection. It also includes information on pro bono (free) legal services and advice available for those who are under-resourced and considering an appeal at: https://www.uspto.gov/patents/patent-trial-and-appeal-board/patent-trial-and-appeal-board-pro-bono-program-independent. The page is best reviewed promptly after applicant has received a final rejection or the claims have been twice rejected because some of the noted assistance must be requested within one month from the date of the latest rejection. See MPEP § 1204 for more information on filing a notice of appeal.
If applicant should desire to appeal any rejection made by the examiner, a Notice of Appeal must be filed within the period for reply. The Notice of Appeal must be accompanied by the fee required by 37 CFR 41.20(b)(1). The current fee amount is available at: www.uspto.gov/Fees.
If applicant should desire to file an after-final amendment, entry of the proposed amendment cannot be made as a matter of right unless it merely cancels claims or complies with a formal requirement made in a previous Office action. Amendments touching the merits of the application which otherwise might not be proper may be admitted upon a showing of good and sufficient reasons why they are necessary and why they were not presented earlier.
A reply under 37 CFR 1.113 to a final rejection must include cancellation of or appeal from the rejection of, each rejected claim. The filing of an amendment after final rejection, whether or not it is entered, does not stop the running of the statutory period for reply to the final rejection unless the examiner holds all of the claims to be in condition for allowance.
If applicant should desire to continue prosecution in a utility or plant application filed on or after May 29, 2000 and have the finality of this Office action withdrawn, an RCE under 37 CFR 1.114 may be filed within the period for reply. See MPEP § 706.07(h) for more information on the requirements for filing an RCE.
The application will become abandoned unless a Notice of Appeal, an after final replay that places the application in condition for allowance, or an RCE has been filed properly within the period for reply, or any extension of this period obtained under either 37 CFR 1.136(a) or (b).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Michael Andrews whose telephone number is (571)270-7554. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday, 8:30am-3:00pm.
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, 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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/Michael Andrews/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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