DETAILED ACTION
This communication is in response to the Applicant filing on 6.25.26. Claims 1-8 are pending and have been examined.
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 .
Response to Arguments and Amendments
The Applicant has made amendments to dependent claims 3,5 which will be examined below.
Claim objections related to claim 1 and claim 5 are withdrawn in light of explanation of claim 1 “the "axial direction" is defined as a "direction parallel to a center axis” and claim 5 amendment wherein “are” is deleted.
Specification objection is withdrawn in light of title amendment to make it descriptive.
Claim 3 rejection under 35 U.S.C 112(b) is withdrawn in light of amendment “axially-opposite”.
With respect to 35 U.S.C 102 and 103 rejections, the Applicant provides arguments to which the
Examiner will respond accordingly:
Applicant Argument 1: However, with reference to FIG. 1 of Fagel (reproduced above), Fagel discloses that the end portions of the conductors 5 (asserted by the Office as corresponding to the claimed "coil end portion") are "embedded in a cast and hardened insulator 8" (asserted by the Office as corresponding to the claimed "cover member") to form an integrated structure. Fagel at 2:1-6. Fagel does not teach or even suggest that the end portions of the conductors 5 are "bent toward" or "in contact with" the annular base or flange 2, extension 3, and comb with radial teeth 4 (asserted by the Office as corresponding to the claimed "housing").
Examiner Response 1: Examiner respectfully disagrees with above. Claim 1 is a product claim and Examiner has compared the structure of Fagel Fig 1 with instant invention. Looking at previously annotated Fig 1, it is clear that end winding 5e is configured to be bent outwards radially towards “inner peripheral surface of element 3 (portion of Examiner interpreted housing 2,3,4). Therefore the argument “are "embedded in a cast and hardened insulator 8" (asserted by the Office as corresponding to the claimed "cover member") to form an integrated structure” is not relevant. Further argument regarding Fagel not disclosing “coil end portion is in contact with the inner peripheral surface…” is also not persuasive because even in Applicant Fig 1, end winding 49 is making contact with inner peripheral surface of 12 through element 50 which is comparable to element 8 in Fagel.
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.
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.
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 1-6,8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fagel (US3123729A) in view of Halm (US3979822A).
Regarding Claim 1, Fagel discloses (Figs 1-2) a rotating electric machine comprising:
a stator (1) which has an annular shape (Fig 1) centered on a center axis (AA);
a rotor which is located on a radial inside of the stator (Fig 1 is an inner rotor structure),
a tubular housing (2,3,4 both sides taken together is tubular) which is configured to accommodate the stator and the rotor; and
a cover member (8) which is attached to the stator,
wherein the stator comprises:
a stator core (1) which has a core back portion (1y) having an annular shape centered on the center axis; and
a coil (5) which is attached to the stator core,
wherein the coil comprises:
a coil straight portion (5s) which is located on a radial inside (Fig 1) of the core back portion, the coil straight portion extending in a form of straight line (Fig 1) along an axial direction (AA); and
a pair of coil end portions (5e) which respectively protrude from both axial end surfaces of the stator core in the axial direction, and
wherein the cover member (8) comprises at least a first cover portion (8f)which contacts (Fig 1) one coil end portion (5e) of the pair of coil end portions,
wherein the coil end portion (5e) is bent toward an inner peripheral surface (Fig 1) of the housing, and
wherein the coil end portion (5e) is in contact (5e is contacting 2,3,4 inside through insulator 8) with the inner peripheral surface of the housing.
Fagel does not explicitly disclose the rotor being supported to be rotatable around the center axis. Halm discloses (Fig 1) the rotor (6r) being supported (5c,5d) to be rotatable around the center axis (6c axis).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have formed rotating electric machine of Fagel modified by supported rotor of Halm in order rotatably support a rotating shaft with bearings.
PNG
media_image1.png
794
508
media_image1.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image2.png
662
402
media_image2.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image3.png
454
738
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Regarding Claim 2, Fagel in view of Halm discloses the rotating electric machine according to claim 1. Fagel in view of Halm further discloses wherein the cover member (8) further comprises: a second cover portion (8s) which is located on a radial inside (Fig 1) of the coil straight portion (5s), the second cover portion applies a surface pressure (8s is touching 5s, therefore there will be contact pressure) radially outward to the coil straight portion to make the coil straight portion into contact with the stator core (1).
Regarding Claim 3, Fagel in view of Halm discloses the rotating electric machine according to claim 2. Fagel in view of Halm further discloses wherein the at least first cover portion (8f) comprises: a pair (8f on both axial ends) of first cover portions which are respectively located at radially-opposite outer-sides (5e is radially opposite to 8f) of the coil end portion (5e) , respectively, and wherein the pair of first cover portions (8f) are respectively located at axially-opposite (Fig 1) outer-sides (See 35 U.S.C 112(b) section) of the second cover portion (8s).
Regarding Claim 4, Fagel in view of Halm discloses the rotating electric machine according to claim 2. Fagel in view of Halm further discloses wherein the stator core (1) comprises: a plurality of protrusion portions (1t) which protrude radially inward (Fig 2) from the core back portion (1y), the plurality of protrusion portion being arranged in the circumferential direction (Fig 2), and wherein the coil straight portion (5s) extends in the axial direction (AA) between the protrusion portions adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction (Fig 1) and wherein the second cover portion (8s) includes a plurality of divided portions is resin which are respectively located between the protrusion portions [Col 2, 9-11 discloses slot wedges being formed which is same as divided portions].
Regarding Claim 5, Fagel in view of Halm discloses the rotating electric machine according to claim 1. Fagel in view of Halm further discloses wherein the cover member (8) comprises: a second cover portion (8s) which is located on a radial inside of the coil straight portion (5s), wherein the at least first cover portion (8f) comprises: a pair of first cover portions (8f on both axial ends) which respectively connects to both axial ends of the second cover portion (8s) and are respectively located on an axially outside of the coil end portion (5e) on one axial side and the other axial side (Fig 1), wherein the housing (2,3,4) has a housing inside space, and the cover member (8) partitions the housing inside space into a first space and a second space, the first space being located on a radially outside of the cover member, and the second space being located on a radially inside of the cover member, wherein the coil (5) is disposed in the first inside space, and wherein the rotor (Fig 1) is disposed in the second inside space (8f lies radially between 5e and rotor space) in Fig 1).
Regarding Claim 6, Fagel in view of Halm discloses the rotating electric machine according to claim 1. Fagel in view of Halm further discloses wherein the first cover portion (8f) has a pressing surface (8f is contacting 5e) which contacts the coil end portion (5e), and wherein the pressing surface is inclined radially outward (Fig 1) as it goes away from the stator core (1) in the axial direction (AA).
Regarding Claim 8, Fagel in view of Halm discloses the rotating electric machine according to claim 1. Fagel in view of Halm further discloses wherein an insulating member (8i is resin) is interposed between the coil end portion(5e) and the inner peripheral surface (3 inside surface) of the housing (2,3,4).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 7 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 7 recites “ The rotating electric machine according to claim 1, wherein the cover member is made of a ceramic material” . In Fagel , cover ember is 8 is “synthetic plastic or resin” which is not the same as “ceramic material” of instant invention. Halm does not explicitly disclose relevant structure. Therefore claim 7 is allowable.
Conclusion
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 VISWANATHAN SUBRAMANIAN whose telephone number is (571)272-4814. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm.
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, Christopher M Koehler can be reached at 5712723560. 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.
/VISWANATHAN SUBRAMANIAN/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
Prosecution Insights