DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-18 of U.S. Application No. 18792733 filed on 08/02/2024 are presented for examination.
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 submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 02/06/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 1-6, 13-18 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.
Regarding claim 1: claim 1 recites, “…a plurality of first pins, attached to the generally annular body at a distal end of the plurality of first pins…”. The limitation is not understood as written since it is not known how the first pins are attached to the distal end of itself. For examination purposes, the limitation in question is understood as “…a plurality of first pins, attached to the generally annular body at a distal end of the plurality of annular body…”
Claims 2-6 are rejected for depending on claim 1.
Similarly, claim 13 recites, “…plurality of first pins, attached to the first generally annular body at a distal end of the plurality of first pins…” and also recites “…a plurality of second pins, attached to the second generally annular body at a distal end of the plurality of second pins…”
Claims 14-18 are rejected for depending on claim 13.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 1-5, 7-11, 13-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Arai Kenji et al. (JP2006033916A; Hereinafter, “Kenji”) in view of Hanumalagutti et al. (US 2017/0271951; Hereinafter, “Hanumalagutti”).
Regarding claim 1: Kenji discloses an electric motor (title) comprising:
a stator body (20) that defines a rotor bore (for hosting rotor 10) and a plurality of stator fluid channels (25);
a plurality of electrically conductive windings (windings 22) forming a plurality of first winding loops (end windings 23) extending axially outward from a first axial end (the left side of fig. 1) of the stator body (20); and
a generally annular body (35 or 36), unitarily formed from a thermally conductive and electrically insulating material (resin; para [0020]), that surrounds the plurality of first winding loops (23) and couples to the first axial end of the stator body (20; fig. 1).
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Kenji does not disclose wherein the generally annular body includes a plurality of first pins, attached to the generally annular body at a distal end of the plurality of first pins, and the plurality of first pins are configured to receive fluid from a cooling system.
Hanumalagutti discloses (see fig. 7, 9) the generally annular body (140) includes a plurality of first pins (protrusions 184 on surface 147 and/or the side walls 143, 145; [para [0047]), attached to the generally annular body (140) at a distal end of the plurality of first pins, and the plurality of first pins (184 and/or 174) are configured to receive fluid from a cooling system (in channel 149; para [0042]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provide the annular bodies of Kenji with a plurality of first pins, attached to the generally annular body at a distal end of the plurality of first pins, and the plurality of first pins are configured to receive fluid from a cooling system as disclosed by Hanumalagutti to disrupt the flow of the coolant, thus to improve its cooling performance (para [0047]), also to increase the surface of heat exchange which also improves the cooling efficiency.
Regarding claim 2/1: Kenji in view of Hanumalagutti disclose the limitations of claim 1 and Kenji further discloses the generally annular body comprises injection molded plastic (molded resin; para [0020]).
The Examiner notes that the limitation “…comprises injection molded” has not been given a patentable weight since it is product by process limitation. “Even though product-by-process claims are limited by and defined by the process, determination of patentability is based on the product itself. The patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production. If the product in the product-by-process claim is the same as or obvious from a product of the prior art, the claim is unpatentable even though the prior product was made by a different process.” In re Thorpe, 777F, 2d 659, 698, 227 USPQ 964, 966 (Fed. Cir. 1985); see also MPEP 2113.
Regarding claim 3/1: Kenji in view of Hanumalagutti disclose the limitations of claim 1 and Hanumalagutti further discloses the plurality of first pins (184) extend radially outward (since sidewall 143 is at the radially inner side of the stator) from the generally annular body (from the side wall 143; para [0047] last 5 lines).
Regarding claim 4/1: Kenji in view of Hanumalagutti disclose the limitations of claim 1 and modified Kenji further discloses the plurality of first pins receive fluid (within chamber 37) from the cooling system (inlet 32) prior to flowing into the plurality of stator fluid channels (25).
Regarding claim 5/1: Kenji in view of Hanumalagutti disclose the limitations of claim 1 and modified Kenji further discloses the generally annular body comprises a first inner wall, a first outer wall, and a first end wall (annotated fig. 1 below).
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Regarding claim 7: Kenji discloses an electric motor (title) comprising: a stator body (20) that defines a rotor bore (accommodating rotor 10) and a plurality of stator fluid channels (25); a plurality of electrically conductive windings (22) forming a plurality of first winding loops (23) having a first portion that is proximate the stator and a second portion that extends radially outwardly from the first portion (fig. 1 showing the coil end 23 extend axially then radially outward); a generally annular body (35, 36), unitarily formed from a thermally conductive and electrically insulating material (resin; para [0020]), that surrounds the plurality of first winding loops (23) and couples to the first axial end of the stator body (fig. 1), wherein the generally annular body (35, 36) includes a pair of first end walls (at the axial ends of the tanks 35, 36).
Kenji does not disclose the pair of first end walls including a plurality of first pins or fins, the plurality of first pins or fins are configured to receive fluid from a cooling system.
Hanumalagutti discloses the pair of first end walls (147) including a plurality of first pins or fins (184), the plurality of first pins or fins are configured to receive fluid from a cooling system (para [0047]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provide the annular bodies of Kenji with the pair of first end walls including a plurality of first pins or fins, the plurality of first pins or fins are configured to receive fluid from a cooling system as disclosed by Hanumalagutti to disrupt the flow of the coolant, thus to improve its cooling performance (para [0047]), also to increase the surface of heat exchange which also improves the cooling efficiency.
Regarding claim 8/7: Kenji in view of Hanumalagutti disclose the limitations of claim 7 and Kenji further discloses the generally annular body comprises injection molded plastic (molded resin; para [0020]).
The Examiner notes that the limitation “…comprises injection molded” has not been given a patentable weight since it is product by process limitation. “Even though product-by-process claims are limited by and defined by the process, determination of patentability is based on the product itself. The patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production. If the product in the product-by-process claim is the same as or obvious from a product of the prior art, the claim is unpatentable even though the prior product was made by a different process.” In re Thorpe, 777F, 2d 659, 698, 227 USPQ 964, 966 (Fed. Cir. 1985); see also MPEP 2113.
Regarding claim 9/7: Kenji in view of Hanumalagutti disclose the limitations of claim 7 and Hanumalagutti further discloses the plurality of first pins (184) extend radially outward (since sidewall 143 is at the radially inner side of the stator) from the generally annular body (from the side wall 143; para [0047] last 5 lines).
Regarding claim 10/7: Kenji in view of Hanumalagutti disclose the limitations of claim 7 and modified Kenji further discloses the plurality of first pins receive fluid (within chamber 37) from the cooling system (inlet 32) prior to flowing into the plurality of stator fluid channels (25).
Regarding claim 11/7: Kenji in view of Hanumalagutti disclose the limitations of claim 7 and modified Kenji further discloses the generally annular body comprises a first inner wall, a first outer wall, and a first end wall (annotated fig. 1 below).
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Regarding claim 13: Kenji discloses an electric motor (title) comprising: a stator body (20) that defines a rotor bore (accommodating rotor 10) and a plurality of stator fluid channels (25); a plurality of electrically conductive windings (coils 22) forming a plurality of first winding loops (23) extending axially outward (fig. 1) from a first axial end (the left side in fig. 1) of the stator body (20); a first generally annular body (35), unitarily formed from a thermally conductive and electrically insulating material (resin; para [0020]), that surrounds the plurality of first winding loops (23) and couples to the first axial end of the stator body (fig. 1), a plurality of electrically conductive windings (22) forming a plurality of second winding loops (23) extending axially outward from a second axial end (the right side of the stator 20 with respect to fig. 1) of the stator body (20); and a second generally annular body (36), unitarily formed from a thermally conductive and electrically insulating material (resin, para [0020]), that surrounds the plurality of second winding loops (23) and couples to the second axial end of the stator body (fig. 2).
Kenji does not show the first generally annular body includes a plurality of first pins, attached to the first generally annular body at a distal end of the plurality of first pins; and the plurality of first pins are configured to receive fluid from a cooling system; wherein the second generally annular body includes a plurality of second pins, attached to the second generally annular body at a distal end of the plurality of second pins; and the plurality of second pins are configured to receive fluid from the cooling system.
Hanumalagutti discloses the first generally annular body (140) includes a plurality of first pins (184), attached to the first generally annular body at a distal end (147) of the plurality of first pins; and the plurality of first pins are configured to receive fluid from a cooling system; wherein the second generally annular body (140) includes a plurality of second pins (184), attached to the second generally annular body at a distal end (147) of the plurality of second pins; and the plurality of second pins are configured to receive fluid from the cooling system (para [0047]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have configured each of the first annular body, and the second annular body pf Kenji with the first generally annular body includes a plurality of first pins, attached to the first generally annular body at a distal end of the plurality of first pins; and the plurality of first pins are configured to receive fluid from a cooling system; wherein the second generally annular body includes a plurality of second pins, attached to the second generally annular body at a distal end of the plurality of second pins; and the plurality of second pins are configured to receive fluid from the cooling system as disclosed by Hanumalagutti to disrupt the flow of the coolant, thus to improve its cooling performance (para [0047]), also to increase the surface of heat exchange which also improves the cooling efficiency.
Regarding claim 14/13: Kenji in view of Hanumalagutti disclose the limitations of claim 13 and Kenji further discloses the first generally annular body and second generally annular body (35, 36) comprise injection molded plastic (molded resin; para [0020]).
The Examiner notes that the limitation “…comprises injection molded” has not been given a patentable weight since it is product by process limitation. “Even though product-by-process claims are limited by and defined by the process, determination of patentability is based on the product itself. The patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production. If the product in the product-by-process claim is the same as or obvious from a product of the prior art, the claim is unpatentable even though the prior product was made by a different process.” In re Thorpe, 777F, 2d 659, 698, 227 USPQ 964, 966 (Fed. Cir. 1985); see also MPEP 2113.
Regarding claim 15/13: Kenji in view of Hanumalagutti disclose the limitations of claim 13 and Hanumalagutti further discloses the plurality of first pins (184) extend radially outward (since sidewall 143 is at the radially inner side of the stator) from the first generally annular body and the plurality of second pins extend (184) radially outward (since sidewall 143 is at the radially inner side of the stator) from the second generally annular body (from the side wall 143; para [0047] last 5 lines).
Regarding claim 16/13: Kenji in view of Hanumalagutti disclose the limitations of claim 13 and modified Kenji further discloses the plurality of first pins receive fluid (within chamber 37) from the cooling system prior to flowing into the plurality of stator fluid channels (25).
Regarding claim 17/13, and 18/13: Kenji in view of Hanumalagutti disclose the limitations of claim 13 and modified Kenji further discloses the first generally annular body comprises a first inner wall, a first outer wall, and a first end wall; the second generally annular body comprises a second inner wall, a second outer wall, and a second end wall (annotated fig. 1 below).
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Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6/5/1, 12/11/7 are 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AHMED ELNAKIB whose telephone number is (571)270-0638. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00AM-4:00PM.
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/AHMED ELNAKIB/Primary Examiner,
Art Unit 2834
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