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.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because the coupling groove and coupling protrusion of claims 16 and 17 are not numbered in the figures or the specification. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claims 9-10 and 16-17 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 9 should be changed to “the second member has
Claim 10 should be changed to “a second member protruding upward from the first member and guiding the movement of oil for oil accommodated in an upper part of the first member to be moved to the coil,” since horizontal member is not previously recited in claim 10 and to have a similar form as claim 1. Examiner will interpret the limitation as such.
Claim 10 should be changed to “the plurality of guide parts have the first members respectively inclined downward toward a first line segment passing through a center of the cooling guide and parallel to
Claims 16 and 17 should be changed to “the housing has a coupling groove disposed in the inner peripheral surface of the housing, and the cooling guide has a coupling protrusion disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the cooling guide” as disclosed in the specification ([0060] & [0064[) and figures 8 and 10-12.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
In claim 1 “including a plurality of guide parts guiding a movement of oil for oil discharged from the first groove to be moved to the coil” is unclear since previously “a plurality of first grooves” is recited. It is not clear if this is the plurality of first grooves or one of the first grooves. Claims 2-9 and 17 are rejected since they depend on claim 1.
In claim 1 “including a plurality of guide parts guiding a movement of oil for oil discharged from the first groove to be moved to the coil, wherein the guide part includes” is unclear. It is not clear if this is the plurality of first guide parts or one of the guide parts. Claims 2-9 and 17 are rejected since they depend on claim 1.
In claim 5 “in the guide part, an upper surface of the first member is spaced apart in a downward manner by a predetermined distance from one end of the first groove or the other end of the first groove.” is unclear since claim 1 recites “a plurality of first grooves”. It is not clear if this is the plurality of first grooves or one of the first grooves. Claims 6-9 are rejected since they depend on claim 5.
In claim 10 “including a plurality of guide parts guiding a movement of oil for oil discharged from the first groove to be moved to the coil” is unclear since previously “a plurality of first grooves” is recited. It is not clear if this is the plurality of first grooves or one of the first grooves. Claims 11-16 are rejected since they depend on claim 10.
In claim 10 “including a plurality of guide parts guiding a movement of oil for oil discharged from the first groove to be moved to the coil, wherein the guide part includes” is unclear. It is not clear if this is the plurality of first guide parts or one of the guide parts. Claims 11-16 are rejected since they depend on claim 10.
In claim 10 “a first member protruding from the first surface and disposed to be flat to be inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to gravity” is unclear.
Fig. 13 shows the first member 420 is flat and is inclined with respect to line L1, but the underlined limitation above is not clear. Claims 11-16 are rejected since they depend on claim 10.
In claim 14 “in the guide part, an upper surface of the first member is spaced apart in a downward manner by a predetermined distance from one end of the first groove or the other end of the first groove.” is unclear since claim 10 recites “a plurality of first grooves”. It is not clear if this is the plurality of first grooves or one of the first grooves. Claim 15 is rejected since it depends on claim 14.
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 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun et al. (CN214314940, “Sun”, using machine translation) in view of Matsui et al. (JP2004180376, “Matsui”, using machine translation) and Sugimoto et al. (JP2012231647, “Sugimoto”, using machine translation).
Re claim 1, Sun discloses a cooling guide structure of a motor, the structure comprising:
a stator core 200 having a shape of a hollow cylinder extending in a length direction (figs 1 & 3-4, [0036]), and having a plurality of first grooves 210 disposed in an outer peripheral surface of the stator core in the length direction (figs 1 & 4, length dir=axial dir);
a coil 300 installed in the stator core to have at least a portion protruding to one end of the stator core in the length direction or the other end of the stator core in the length direction (fig 1, [0046], one end & other end are axial ends in axial dir);
a housing 400 including an oil inlet 130 disposed in an outer peripheral surface of the housing and allowing oil to flow in (figs 2-3 & 5, [0043], inlet through 140 or 150), having a second groove 120 disposed in an inner peripheral surface of the housing 100 and communicating with the oil inlet 130 (figs 2-3 & 5, [0035]), and installed on the outer peripheral surface of the stator core 200 for the oil flowing into the oil inlet 130 and flowing through the second groove 120 to flow into the plurality of first grooves 210 and be discharged to the one end of the stator core 200 in the length direction or the other end of the stator core in the length direction (figs 1-4, [0036]).
Sun is silent with respect to a cooling guide having a first surface and a second surface, having a shape of a ring with a portion cut off, installed at one end of the housing in the length direction or the other end of the housing in the length direction for the first surface to face the stator core, and including a plurality of guide parts guiding a movement of oil for oil discharged from the first groove to be moved to the coil, wherein the guide part includes: a first member protruding from the first surface and disposed to be flat in a direction perpendicular to gravity, and a second member protruding upward from the first member and guiding the movement of oil for oil accommodated in an upper part of the first member to be moved to the coil, and the guide part is disposed on a part of the cooling guide except for an upper part of the cooling guide.
Matsui discloses a cooling guide 28 having a first surface and a second surface (figs 1, 3a & below), having a shape of a ring with a portion cut off (figs 2 & 3b), installed at one end of the housing 32 in the length direction or the other end of the housing 32 in the length direction for the first surface to face the stator core 16 (figs 1 & below).
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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 cooling guide structure of Sun to include a cooling guide having a first surface and a second surface, having a shape of a ring with a portion cut off, installed at one end of the housing in the length direction or the other end of the housing in the length direction for the first surface to face the stator core, as disclosed by Matsui, in order to cool the ends of the windings ([0014]) and provide better coolant direction from the coolant supply port ([0005]), as taught by Matsui.
Sun in view of Matsui discloses claim 1 except for a plurality of guide parts guiding a movement of oil for oil discharged from the first groove to be moved to the coil, wherein the guide part includes: a first member protruding from the first surface and disposed to be flat in a direction perpendicular to gravity, and a second member protruding upward from the first member and guiding the movement of oil for oil accommodated in an upper part of the first member to be moved to the coil, and the guide part is disposed on a part of the cooling guide except for an upper part of the cooling guide.
Sugimoto discloses the cooling guide 20 having a plurality of guide parts guiding a movement of oil for oil discharged from the oil supply unit 70 to be moved to the coil 14 (figs 1-4 & below, guide parts are four parts on circumferential sides of the top part indicated below), wherein the guide part includes:
a first member 40 protruding from the first surface and disposed to be flat in a direction perpendicular to gravity (figs 1-3 & below, [0028], horizontal parts of 20 except for the top part indicated below), and
a second member protruding upward from the first member 40 and guiding the movement of oil for oil accommodated in an upper part of the first member 40 to be moved to the coil 14 (figs 1-4 & below, [0028],[0031] & [0034], 2nd members include walls 42, 222, 224 & 226; 2nd members indicated guide oil towards 50), and
the guide part is disposed on a part of the cooling guide 20 except for an upper part of the cooling guide (figs 2-3 & below); and
discloses employing the step shaped cooling guide in place of curved cooling guide (fig 6, [0043-0046]).
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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 cooling guide of Sun in view of Matsui to have a plurality of guide parts guiding a movement of oil for oil discharged from the first groove to be moved to the coil, wherein the guide part includes: a first member protruding from the first surface and disposed to be flat in a direction perpendicular to gravity, and a second member protruding upward from the first member and guiding the movement of oil for oil accommodated in an upper part of the first member to be moved to the coil, and the guide part is disposed on a part of the cooling guide except for an upper part of the cooling guide, as disclosed by Sugimoto, in order to prevent cooling oil from flowing along the radially inner circumferential surface of the cooling guide as occurring for a curved cooling guide, as taught by Sugimoto (fig 6, [0045]).
Re claim 10, Sun discloses a cooling guide structure of a motor, the structure comprising:
a stator core 200 having a shape of a hollow cylinder extending in a length direction (figs 1 & 3-4, [0036]), and having a plurality of first grooves 210 disposed in an outer peripheral surface of the stator core in the length direction (figs 1 & 4, length dir=axial dir);
a coil 300 installed in the stator core to have at least a portion protruding to one end of the stator core in the length direction or the other end of the stator core in the length direction (fig 1, [0046], one end & other end are axial ends in axial dir);
a housing 400 including an oil inlet 130 disposed in an outer peripheral surface of the housing and allowing oil to flow in (figs 2-3 & 5, [0043], inlet through 140 or 150), having a second groove 120 disposed in an inner peripheral surface of the housing 100 and communicating with the oil inlet 130 (figs 2-3 & 5, [0035]), and installed on the outer peripheral surface of the stator core 200 for the oil flowing into the oil inlet 130 and flowing through the second groove 120 to flow into the plurality of first grooves 210 and be discharged to the one end of the stator core 200 in the length direction or the other end of the stator core in the length direction (figs 1-4, [0036]).
Sun is silent with respect to a cooling guide having a first surface and a second surface, having a shape of a ring with a portion cut off, installed at one end of the housing in the length direction or the other end of the housing in the length direction for the first surface to face the stator core, and including a plurality of guide parts guiding a movement of oil for oil discharged from the first groove to be moved to the coil, wherein the guide part includes: a first member protruding from the first surface and disposed to be flat to be inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to gravity, and a second member protruding upward from the first member and guiding the movement of oil for oil accommodated in an upper part of the horizontal member to be moved to the coil, the guide part is disposed on the other part of the cooling guide except for an upper part of the cooling guide, and the plurality of guide parts have the first members respectively inclined downward toward a first line segment passing through a center of the cooling guide and parallel to the gravity, and symmetrical to each other based on the first line segment.
Matsui discloses a cooling guide 28 having a first surface and a second surface (figs 1, 3a & above for claim 1), having a shape of a ring with a portion cut off (figs 2 & 3b), installed at one end of the housing 32 in the length direction or the other end of the housing 32 in the length direction for the first surface to face the stator core 16 (figs 1 & above for claim 1).
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 cooling guide structure of Sun to include a cooling guide having a first surface and a second surface, having a shape of a ring with a portion cut off, installed at one end of the housing in the length direction or the other end of the housing in the length direction for the first surface to face the stator core, as disclosed by Matsui, in order to cool the ends of the windings ([0014]) and provide better coolant direction from the coolant supply port ([0005]), as taught by Matsui.
Sun in view of Matsui discloses claim 10 except for a plurality of guide parts guiding a movement of oil for oil discharged from the first groove to be moved to the coil, wherein the guide part includes: a first member protruding from the first surface and disposed to be flat to be inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to gravity, and a second member protruding upward from the first member and guiding the movement of oil for oil accommodated in an upper part of the horizontal member to be moved to the coil, the guide part is disposed on the other part of the cooling guide except for an upper part of the cooling guide, and the plurality of guide parts have the first members respectively inclined downward toward a first line segment passing through a center of the cooling guide and parallel to the gravity, and symmetrical to each other based on the first line segment.
Sugimoto discloses the cooling guide 20 having a plurality of guide parts guiding a movement of oil for oil discharged from the oil supply unit 70 to be moved to the coil 14 (figs 1-4 & above for claim 1, guide parts are four parts on circumferential sides of the top part indicated below), wherein the guide part includes:
a first member 40 protruding from the first surface and disposed to be flat in a direction perpendicular to gravity (figs 1-3 & above for claim 1, [0028], horizontal parts of 20 except for the top part indicated below), and
a second member protruding upward from the first member 40 and guiding the movement of oil for oil accommodated in an upper part of the horizontal member (as best understood by examiner the first member 40) to be moved to the coil 14 (figs 1-4 & below, [0028],[0031] & [0034], 2nd members include walls 42, 222, 224 & 226; 2nd members indicated guide oil towards 50), and
the guide part is disposed on the other part of the cooling guide 20 except for an upper part of the cooling guide (figs 2-3 & above for claim 1); and
discloses employing the step shaped cooling guide in place of curved cooling guide (fig 6, [0043-0046]).
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 cooling guide of Sun in view of Matsui to have a plurality of guide parts guiding a movement of oil for oil discharged from the first groove to be moved to the coil, wherein the guide part includes: a first member protruding from the first surface and disposed to be flat to be inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to gravity, and a second member protruding upward from the first member and guiding the movement of oil for oil accommodated in an upper part of the horizontal member to be moved to the coil, the guide part is disposed on the other part of the cooling guide except for an upper part of the cooling guide, as disclosed by Sugimoto, in order to prevent cooling oil from flowing along the radially inner circumferential surface of the cooling guide as occurring for a curved cooling guide, as taught by Sugimoto (fig 6, [0045]).
Sun in view of Matsui and Sugimoto discloses claim 10 except for the first member to be inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to gravity; and
the plurality of guide parts have the first members respectively inclined downward toward a first line segment passing through a center of the cooling guide and parallel to the gravity, and symmetrical to each other based on the first line segment.
Sugimoto discloses in another embodiment for the first member 40b to be inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to gravity (figs 10 & below, [0051]); and
the plurality of guide parts have the first members 40b respectively inclined downward toward a first line segment passing through a center of the cooling guide 20b and parallel to the gravity (figs 10 & below, [0051], portion of 40b is inclined downward & extends towards the 1st line seg), and symmetrical to each other based on the first line segment (figs 10 & below).
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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 guide parts of Sun in view of Matsui and Sugimoto so the first member to be inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to gravity; and the plurality of guide parts have the first members respectively inclined downward toward a first line segment passing through a center of the cooling guide and parallel to the gravity, and symmetrical to each other based on the first line segment, as disclosed by Sugimoto in another embodiment, in order to efficiently guide the oil towards the opening, as taught by Sugimoto ([0051], last four lns).
Claims 16 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun in view of Matsui and Sugimoto and in further view of Swales et al. (US20110084561, “Swales”).
Re claims 16 and 17, Sun in view of Matsui and Sugimoto disclose claims 1 and 10, respectively, as discussed above, but are silent with respect to the housing has a coupling groove disposed in the inner peripheral surface of the housing, and the cooling guide has a coupling protrusion disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the housing and is made of an elastic material to be installed in the housing as the coupling protrusion is inserted into the coupling groove.
Swales discloses the housing 56 has a coupling groove disposed in the inner peripheral surface of the housing (figs 2-4 & below, [0031], cooling guide 96a has flanges 107 & 56 has grooves for 107, as indicated below), and the cooling guide 96a has a coupling protrusion 107 disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the housing (as best understood by examiner outer peripheral surface of the cooling guide; figs 3-4) and is made of an elastic material to be installed in the housing as the coupling protrusion is inserted into the coupling groove (fig 3, [0030], elastic as indicated by “sprung against the housing”).
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 housing and cooling guide of Sun in view of Matsui and Sugimoto so the housing has a coupling groove disposed in the inner peripheral surface of the housing, and the cooling guide has a coupling protrusion disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the housing and is made of an elastic material to be installed in the housing as the coupling protrusion is inserted into the coupling groove, as disclosed by Swales, in order to retain the cooling guide, as taught by Swales ([0031]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-9 and 11-15 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Specifically Matsui discloses the first surface is closer to the stator core than the end of the coil in the length direction; and Sugimoto does not show or discuss the position of the first surface with respect to the end of the coil in the length direction.
Conclusion
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/ERIC JOHNSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/OLUSEYE IWARERE/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834