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 21 May 2026. In view of this communication, claims 1-10 are now pending in the application.
Response to Arguments
The Applicant’s arguments, filed 21 May 2026, have been fully considered and are persuasive.
The Applicant’s first argument (page 7 of the Remarks) states that claim 9 has been amended to recite additional details of the armature and coil assembly. As such, the previous grounds of rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) have been withdrawn.
The Applicant’s second argument (pages 7-8 of the Remarks) alleges, regarding the previous grounds of rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102, that Nakamura does not disclose the amended limitations of claim 1, specifically the first to sixth straight portions of the coils. While this is persuasive regarding Nakamura, the recited coil portions are common components disclosed, at least, by several of the previously cited references. Thus, new grounds of rejection have been made under 35 U.S.C. 103 in view of Nakamura and the newly applied Graham 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 § 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-6 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakamura et al. (US 2009/0079277 A1), hereinafter referred to as “Nakamura”, in view of Graham et al. (US 2002/0069508 A1), hereinafter referred to as “Graham”.
Regarding claim 1, Nakamura discloses a coil assembly (fig. 1-3) comprising:
a band member [1] formed of an electrically-insulative material into a band shape and rolled along a circumferential direction (fig. 1-3; ¶ 0029-0030; “cylindrical substrate 1 made of an insulating thermoplastic resin”);
a plurality of coils [7,13] formed of an electroconductive material on the band member [1] and arranged in alignment with each other along the circumferential direction (fig. 2; ¶ 0033-0037), the plurality of coils [7,13] having a plurality of paths [a1,a2] through which electric current flows and which constitute parts of a closed circuit (fig. 2; ¶ 0031-0034; the coil patterns are formed of conductors laid in pairs of axially-parallel and circumferentially-parallel grooves);
a first connection portion [b1] constituting a part of the closed circuit and connecting between the plurality of paths [a1,a2] (fig. 2; ¶ 0033-0037; the axially extending paths are connected by circumferentially extending portions); and
a second connection portion [b2] constituting another part of the closed circuit and connecting between the plurality of paths [a1,a2] or between the plurality of coils [7,13] (fig. 2; ¶ 0033-0037) so that induced currents, which are induced in the closed circuit by electromagnetic induction due to movement of magnets in the circumferential direction, are canceled out by each other in the closed circuit (according to ¶ 01554 of the publication of the present application, the corresponding structure responsible for providing this function is simply the “closed loop” or coiled structure of the winding pattern; such a coiled structure is clearly shown in figures 2(d) and 2(h) of Nakamura),
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wherein:
the plurality of paths [a1,a2] include a first path [a1] and a second path [a2] that are arranged side by side in the circumferential direction (fig. 2);
each of coil portions [7,13] of at least some of the plurality of coils [7,13] is divided into a first part [7] and a second part [13] in a direction intersecting an extending direction of the coil portion [7,13] (fig. 2; each coil portion comprises two individual coils divided in the radial direction, which intersects the axial and circumferential directions in which each individual part extends);
the first parts [7] of the coil portions [7,13] constitute the first path [a1], and the second parts [13] of the coil portions [7,13] constitute the second path [a2] (fig. 2; each individual coil contains both first and second axial paths and connection portions); and
the first path [a1] and the second path [a2] are connected with each other by the first connection portion [b1] and the second connection portion [b2] to form the closed circuit (fig. 2; ¶ 0033-0037; the axially extending paths are connected by circumferentially extending portions).
Nakamura does not disclose that each of the plurality of coils [7,13] has first to sixth straight portions as recited.
Graham discloses a coil assembly comprising a plurality of coils [18,22] forming a first path [22] and a second path [18] (fig. 1-5; ¶ 0034), wherein each of the plurality of coils [18,22] has:
a first straight portion [a] that is inclined toward a second side in the circumferential direction [c2] as the first straight portion [a] extends toward a second side in an axial direction [s1] (fig. 1a; ¶ 0034-0036),
a second straight portion [b] that extends from the first straight portion [a] toward the second side in the axial direction [s2] (fig. 1a; ¶ 0034-0036),
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a third straight portion [c] that is inclined toward a first side in the circumferential direction [c1] as the third straight portion [c] extends from the second straight portion [b] toward the second side in the axial direction [s2] (fig. 1a; ¶ 0034-0036),
a fourth straight portion [d] that is inclined toward the first side in the circumferential direction [c1] as the fourth straight portion [d] extends from the third straight portion [c] toward a first side in the axial direction [s1] (fig. 1a; ¶ 0034-0036),
a fifth straight portion [e] that extends from the fourth straight portion [d] toward the first side in the axial direction [s1] (fig. 1a; ¶ 0034-0036), and
a sixth straight portion [f] that is inclined toward the second side in the circumferential direction [c2] as the sixth straight portion [f] extends from the fifth straight portion [e] toward the first side in the axial direction [s1] (fig. 1a; ¶ 0034-0036);
each of the first to sixth straight portions is divided into a first part [a-c] and a second part [d-f] in a direction intersecting an extending direction of the straight portion (fig. 1a, 1b; ¶ 0034-0036);
the first parts [a-c] of the first to sixth straight portions [a-f] constitute the first path [22], and the second parts [d-f] of the first to sixth straight portions [a-f] constitute the second path [18] (fig. 1-5; ¶ 0037-0040); and
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the first path [22] and the second path [18] are connected with each other by the first connection portion [33,35,37] and the second connection portion [39,41,43,45] to form the closed circuit (fig. 4-5; ¶ 0042).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the coils of Nakamura having first through sixth straight portions as taught by Graham, thereby forming the conductors as three-dimensional arc shapes, in order to made the conductors stiffer and self-supporting (¶ 0031 of Graham). Further , it has been held that a mere change in shape of a particular component of a device is a matter of design choice involving only routine skill in the art. In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966).
Regarding claim 2, Nakamura, in view of Graham, discloses the coil assembly as set forth in Claim 1, as stated above, wherein each of the plurality of coils [7,13] has a plurality of turns; and to each of the plurality of turns, there is formed one closed circuit (fig. 2; ¶ 0033-0037; each coil comprises two full turns, each turn comprises both axially and circumferentially extending conductors formed in a closed coil shape).
Regarding claim 3, Nakamura, in view of Graham, discloses the coil assembly as set forth in Claim 1, as stated above, wherein each of the plurality of coils [7,13] has a plurality of turns; and to each of the plurality of coils [7,13], there is formed one closed circuit (fig. 2; ¶ 0033-0037; each coil comprises two full turns, each turn comprises both axially and circumferentially extending conductors formed in a closed coil shape).
Regarding claim 4, Nakamura, in view of Graham, discloses the coil assembly as set forth in Claim 1, as stated above, wherein, to the plurality of coils [7,13], there is formed one closed circuit (fig. 2; ¶ 0033-0037; each coil comprises two full turns, each turn comprises both axially and circumferentially extending conductors formed in a closed coil shape).
Regarding claim 5, Nakamura, in view of Graham, discloses the coil assembly as set forth in Claim 1, as stated above, wherein axial positions of those parts [b1,b2] in the paths [a1,a2] of the coils [7,13] where the coils [7,13] are folded back from the first side [top] to the second side [bottom] in the axial direction are set to be the same as each other (fig. 2; the coils are overlaid in the radial direction, at the same axial positions); and
axial positions of those parts [b1,b2] in the paths [a1,a2] of the coils [7,13] where the coils [7,13] are folded back from the second side [bottom] to the first side [top] in the axial direction are set to be the same as each other (fig. 2; the coils are overlaid in the radial direction, at the same axial positions).
Regarding claim 6, Nakamura, in view of Graham, discloses the coil assembly as set forth in Claim 5, as stated above, wherein the number of the coils [7,13] of a same phase is 2n, where n is a natural number (fig. 2; ¶ 0033-0037; two coils are formed, i.e. ‘n’ equals one);
counting the coils [7,13] of the same phase in order from the second side to the first side in the circumferential direction, the first and second parts [7,13] of the coil portion at one end of the (2m-1)-th coil are connected with each other via the first connection portion [b1], the first and second parts [7,13] of the coil portion at one end of the 2m-th coil are connected with each other via the second connection portion [b2], and the first and second parts [7,13] of the coil portion at the other end of the (2m-1)-th coil are connected respectively with the first and second parts [7,13] of the coil portion at the other end of the 2m-th coil, where m is a natural number that satisfies m ≤ n (fig. 2; ¶ 0033-037; the connecting portions join the axially-extending portions of each of the two coils, i.e. ‘m’ equals one); and
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one closed circuit is formed to every two coils [7,13] of the same phase that are electrically continuous with each other (fig. 2; ¶ 0036; each closed coil is connected via the radially-extending “longitudinal wire 18”); and
Graham further discloses the coils having first through six straight portions [a-f] connected respectively with the first and second parts [a-c,d-f], as stated above.
Regarding claim 10, Nakamura, in view of Graham, discloses a rotating electric machine [27] comprising a stator [26]; and a rotor [21], wherein one of the stator [26] and the rotor [21] includes the armature [26] as set forth in Claim 9, as stated above, and the other of the stator [26] and the rotor [21] has the magnets [21] arranged to radially face the coil assembly (fig. 4; ¶ 0009-0010).
Claim(s) 7-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakamura and Graham as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Takahashi et al. (US 2020/0162003 A1), hereinafter referred to as “Takahashi”.
Regarding claim 7, Nakamura, in view of Graham, discloses the coil assembly as set forth in Claim 5, as stated above, wherein the number of the coils [7,13] of a same phase is 2n, where n is a natural number (fig. 2; ¶ 0033-0037; two coils are formed, i.e. ‘n’ equals one);
counting the coils [7,13] of the same phase in order from one side to the other side in the circumferential direction, the first and second parts [7,13] of the coil portion at one end of the (2m-1)-th coil are connected with each other via the first connection portion [b1], the first and second parts [7,13] of the coil portion at one end of the 2m-th coil are connected with each other via the second connection portion [b2], and the first and second parts [7,13] of the coil portion at the other end of the (2m-1)-th coil are connected respectively with the first and second parts [7,13] of the coil portion at the other end of the 2m-th coil, where m is a natural number that satisfies m ≤ n (fig. 2; ¶ 0033-037; the connecting portions join the axially-extending portions of each of the two coils, i.e. ‘m’ equals one);
for the (2m-1)-th coil to the 2n-th coil, one closed circuit is formed to every two coils [7,13] of the same phase that are electrically continuous with each other (fig. 2; ¶ 0036; each closed coil is connected via the radially-extending “longitudinal wire 18”); and
Graham further discloses the coils having first through six straight portions [a-f] connected respectively with the first and second parts [a-c,d-f], as stated above.
Nakamura does not disclose the number of coils of a same phase being 2n+1, rather than 2n (i.e. two coils, rather than 3 coils are disclosed); or one closed circuit is formed to the (2n+1)-th coil of one phase and the (2n+1)-th coil of another phase (i.e. only a single phase is disclosed, rather than multiple phases).
Takahashi discloses a coil assembly [51] comprising a number of coils [81] arranged in a number of phases [U,V,W] (fig. 12-15, 19; ¶ 0213, 0261-0262, 0331), wherein the number of the coils [81] of a same phase [U,V,W] is 2n+1, where n is a natural number (fig. 15; ¶ 0288-0293; each phase comprises three circumferentially adjacent and overlapping coils); and
one closed circuit is formed to the (2n+1)-th coil of one phase [U,V,W] and the (2n+1)-th coil of another phase [U,V,W] (fig. 19; ¶ 0331; the coil structures shown in figure 12-15 are duplicated for each of the three phases).
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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 implement the coil assembly of Nakamura having multiple phases each with three coils per phase as taught by Takahashi, in order to improve the surface magnetic flux density and minimize magnetic saturation of the armature (¶ 0010-0013 of Takahashi).
Regarding claim 8, Nakamura, in view of Graham, discloses the coil assembly as set forth in Claim 1, as stated above, wherein the band member [1] has a plurality of layers in a radial direction (fig. 2; ¶ 0026); and the plurality of coils [7,13] are radially stacked and arranged so that those coils of a given phase which are formed in one layer are aligned in the circumferential direction to those coils [7,13] of the given phase which are formed in another layer (fig. 2; ¶ 0033-0037; both layers of coils are overlaid in the radial direction).
Nakamura does not disclose that the plurality of coils formed in one layer are offset in the circumferential direction from those coils of the given phase which are formed in another layer.
Takahashi discloses a coil assembly [51] comprising a number of coils [81] arranged in a number of phases [U,V,W] (fig. 12-15, 19; ¶ 0213, 0261-0262, 0331), wherein the plurality of coils [81] are radially stacked and arranged so that those coils of a given phase which are formed in one layer are offset in the circumferential direction from those coils of the given phase which are formed in another layer (fig. 15(a); ¶ 0011, 0290-0293; the coils are layered radially and “arranged at given intervals away from each other in the circumferential direction of the armature”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the coil assembly of Nakamura having layers of circumferentially offset coils as taught by Takahashi, in order to improve the surface magnetic flux density and minimize magnetic saturation of the armature (¶ 0010-0013 of Takahashi).
Regarding claim 9, Nakamura, in view of Graham, discloses an armature [26] comprising the coil assembly as set forth in Claim 1, as stated above (fig. 4; ¶ 0007-0010).
Nakamura does not disclose the armature [26] having an armature core.
Takahashi discloses a coil assembly [51] comprising a number of coils [81] arranged in phases [U,V,W] (fig. 12-15, 19; ¶ 0213, 0261-0262, 0331), and an armature core [52] to which the coil assembly [51] is mounted (fig. 10-11; ¶ 0217-0219).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the armature of Nakamura having the coil assembly mounted on an armature core as taught by Takahashi, in order to limit the occurrence of leakage magnetic flux and eddy-current losses, thereby enhancing torque output (¶ 0006-0008, 0218 of Takahashi).
Citation of Relevant Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. Prior art:
Morita et al. (US 2022/0123616 A1) discloses a motor comprising an armature having a coil assembly formed on a cylindrically wound substrate, with individual coils formed as closed circuits.
Takahashi et al. (US 2021/0328488 A1) discloses a motor comprising an armature having a coil assembly formed on a cylindrical substrate, with individual coils formed as closed circuits stacked radially and circumferentially offset from one another.
Morita et al. (US 2021/0066982 A1) discloses a motor comprising an armature having a coil assembly formed on a cylindrically wound substrate, with individual coils formed as closed circuits.
Graham et al. (US 6,111,329) discloses an armature having a coil assembly formed on a cylindrically wound substrate.
Malsky (US 4,645,961) discloses a dynamoelectric machine comprising an armature having a coil assembly formed on a cylindrically wound substrate, with individual coils formed as closed circuits.
DiMeo (US 4,271,370) discloses a coil assembly formed on a cylindrically wound substrate, with individual coils formed as closed circuits.
Faulhaber (US 3,944,857) discloses an armature having a coil assembly formed on a cylindrically wound substrate.
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.
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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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/Michael Andrews/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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