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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 14-16 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 06/01/3026.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 07/29/3024 is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
the following reference numbers appear in the drawings but not in the specification: 201b, 201c, 205.
Para [0102] refers to “welds 204” whereas elsewhere the refnum 204 has been used to cite the pins.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1-6 and 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by MARTIN: US 20230034953.
Regarding claim 1, MARTIN discloses a motor comprising a stator and a rotor (para [0038]), the stator carrying a plurality of phase windings (para [0005]) and the rotor carrying a plurality of magnet poles (para [0003]); and
in which the stator comprises a stack of laminations 300 which each comprise a ferromagnetic plate (para [0038] and [0041]), each lamination 300 including at least one hole 302 within the plate that is aligned with a corresponding hole 302 in adjacent plates in the stack, and further comprising at least one electrically conductive pin (i.e., rivets; see para [0046] and [0062]) that extends axially along a length of the stator passing through the aligned holes 302 to provide a path for currents axially along the stator (i.e. it is capable of performing the claimed function; see para [0062]).
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Regarding claim 2, MARTIN discloses a motor according to claim 1 in which every lamination 300 includes at least one hole 302 aligned with a hole 302 in every adjacent lamination 300 such that the pin extends axially through the whole of the stack of laminations 300 (i.e. it is a through-hole; see para [0038] and para [0004]).
Regarding claim 3, MARTIN discloses a motor according to claim 1 in which the pin comprises an elongate rod of ferromagnetic material such as a metal or metal alloy (see para [0062]).
Regarding claim 4, MARTIN discloses a motor according to claim 1 in which the pin has an interference fit with at least two plates to hold those plates together (forming by riveting is an interference fit as broadly claimed; see para [0062]).
Regarding claim 5, MARTIN discloses a motor according to claim 1 in which the pin is deformed at one or both ends to act as a rivet holding the lamination stack together (it is a rivet; see para [0062]).
Regarding claim 6, MARTIN discloses a motor according to claim 1 in which each plate includes a second hole 304 which is aligned with a corresponding second hole 304 in adjacent plates and the motor further includes a second pin which passes through the aligned second holes 304 to enhance the electrical conductivity and mechanical stability of the assembly (Fig. 3 and para [0038]).
Regarding claim 11, MARTIN discloses a mechanical assembly comprising:
a housing (para [0003]);
a shaft(para [0005]) rotatably mounted with respect to the housing;
one or more motors each having a stator and a rotor (para [0038]), the stator carrying a plurality of phase windings (para [0005]) and the rotor carrying a plurality of magnet poles (para [0003]) and being connected to the shaft (para [0005]);
a control circuit adapted to control the current flowing into or out of the or each motor to cause a net torque to be applied to the shaft during normal operation (para [0063]), and in which the stator comprises a stack of laminations 300 which each comprise a ferromagnetic plate (para [0038] and [0041]), each lamination 300 including at least one hole 302 within the plate that is aligned with a corresponding hole 302 in adjacent plates in the stack, and further comprising at least one electrically conductive pin (i.e., rivets; see para [0046] and [0062]) that extends axially along a length of the stator passing through the aligned holes 302 to provide a path for currents axially along the stator (i.e. it is capable of performing the claimed function; see para [0062]).
Regarding claim 12, MARTIN discloses a mechanical assembly according to claim 11 in which every lamination 300 includes at least one hole 302 aligned with a hole 302 in every adjacent lamination 300 such that the pin extends axially through the whole of the stack of laminations 300 (i.e. it is a through-hole; see para [0038] and para [0004]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 302, 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.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over MARTIN in view of LU: US 20060113859.
Regarding claim 7, MARTIN discloses a motor according to claim 1 in which the stator comprises a yoke from which a plurality of teeth project (Fig. 3).
However, MARTIN does not disclose the motor in which at least one hole is formed in each layer of an end portion of every tooth of the stator aligned with corresponding holes in adjacent teeth.
LU teaches a motor in which at least one hole 147 is formed in each layer of an end portion of every tooth of an armature aligned with corresponding holes in adjacent teeth.
It 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 to provide the motor of MARTIN with at least one hole is formed in each layer of an end portion of every tooth of the stator aligned with corresponding holes in adjacent teeth, similar to LU.
A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains would have been motivated to make such modification in order to allowing a bolt or a screw to be led through for fastening the stator plate assembly and provide a low-cost assembly capable of manufacture by punching at high precision and automatically assembled, facilitating automatic inserting of permanent magnets, as taught by LU (see para [0006-0007]).
Claims 8-10 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over MARTIN in view of DAS: US 30250015644.
Regarding claim 8, MARTIN discloses a motor according claim 1
However, MARTIN does not disclose the motor in which the motor stator is configured such that the motor stator assembly excluding copper windings has an effective loss per mass of at least 30 Watts per kg.
DAS teaches that arrangements of different torque-speed power curves can be used in a motor (see para [0073]), making the power amounts result effective variables, in order to improve haptic feedback (see para [0075]).
Thus, it 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 to arrange the power according to the claimed drag loss per mass of at least 30W/kg.
A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains would have been motivated to make such modification in order to improve the haptic feedback, as taught by DAS (see para [0073-0075]), and since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art See In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980)
Regarding claim 9, MARTIN discloses a motor according to claim 1
However, MARTIN does not disclose the motor configured to provide at least 60 percent of the resistance to rotation of the rotor for at least one speed in the range, or at least 70 percent, or 80 percent, or substantially all of the drag torque over a range of non-zero rotational speeds.
DAS teaches that arrangements of different torque-speed resistance curves can be used in a motor (see para [0073]), making the resistance amounts result effective variables, in order to improve haptic feedback (see para [0075]).
Thus, it 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 to arrange the resistance according to the claimed drag torque between 60 percent to substantially all.
A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains would have been motivated to make such modification in order to improve the haptic feedback, as taught by DAS (see para [0073-0075]), and since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art See In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980)
Regarding claim 10, MARTIN discloses a motor according to claim 1
However, MARTIN does not disclose the motor configured to provide at least 2 Nm of drag torque over a substantial range of non-zero rotational speeds of the rotor.
DAS teaches a low torque of about 3 Nm (para [0074]).
It 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 to provide the motor configured to provide at least 2 Nm (3 Nm) of drag torque over a substantial range of non-zero rotational speeds of the rotor, similar to DAS.
A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains would have been motivated to make such modification in order to provide feedback to a driver to provide generic steering feel and road condition feedback to the driver, as taught by DAS (see para [0073-0075]).
Regarding claim 13, MARTIN discloses a mechanical assembly according to claim 11.
However, MARTIN does not disclose a gearbox comprising a first gear fixed relative to the shaft and a second gear fixed relative to the output of the motor, rotation of the first gear causing a rotation of the second gear.
DAS teaches a gearbox comprising a first gear fixed relative to the shaft and a second gear fixed relative to the output of the motor, rotation of the first gear causing a rotation of the second gear (para [0053]).
It 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 to provide the assembly of MARTING with a gearbox comprising a first gear fixed relative to the shaft and a second gear fixed relative to the output of the motor, rotation of the first gear causing a rotation of the second gear, similar to DAS.
It 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 in order to supply torque to assist in magnifying output of a system, as taught by DAS (para [0055])
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUSTIN STEFANON whose telephone number is (703)756-4648. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday and alternate Fridays 8AM - 5PM EDT.
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/JUSTIN STEFANON/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/OLUSEYE IWARERE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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