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 .
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.
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.
Claims 1-2, 8-10, 16-18 & 22-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by De Benedictis (US 2021/0376708).
Regarding Claim 1, De Benedictis discloses a linear electric motor [2] (FIG. 1a, Abstract; electrical linear motor), comprising:
a) a stator [4] comprising a plurality of stacked stator segments [11], wherein at least one of the plurality of stacked stator segment [11] (FIG. 1a-2, ¶ [0052-0053]; an electrical linear motor 2 comprises a stator 4 … The stator 6 comprises an electromagnet array 10. The electromagnet array comprises a plurality of disk-ring shaped electromagnets 11) comprises:
b) a stator portion [30] (FIG. 2a, ¶ [0053]; Each electromagnet 11 comprises a coil support 30 and a coil 26 mounted on the coil support.);
c) a stator back portion [40] adjacent the stator portion [30] on a first face of the stator portion [30] (FIG. 2a, ¶ [0053]; The coil support is substantially disc shaped, provided with the axial recess 32 that extends radially from a radially inner annular rim 40 to a radially outer annular rim 34 of the coil support 30); and
d) a conductor [26] (FIG. 3c-3e, ¶ [0053]; Each electromagnet 11 comprises a coil support 30 and a coil 26 mounted on the coil support); and
e) an armature [6] configured to travel linearly through the stator [4] during operation, wherein the conductor [26] substantially encircles the armature [6] (FIG. 1-3e, ¶ [0067]; The actuation shaft 6 extends between a first end 44 and a second end 46. At least one of the ends (in the embodiment illustrated the first end 44) is an actuation end configured for coupling to a first external component (not shown) that is movable relative to a second external component (not shown) to which the stator 4 is fixed).
Regarding Claim 2, De Benedictis discloses the linear electric motor of claim 1 [see rejected Claim 1],
wherein at least one of stator portion [30] OR comprises a plurality of laminations [34, 35] (FIG. 2).
Regarding Claim 8, De Benedictis discloses a stator for a linear electric motor [2] (Abstract; electrical linear motor) comprising:
a plurality of stacked stator segments [11] (refer to rejected Claim1, element “a” above), each stator segment comprising:
a stator portion [30] (refer to rejected Claim1, element “b” above);
a back portion [40] adjacent to a first face of the stator portion [30] (refer to rejected Claim 1, element “c” above); and
a conductor [26] adjacent to the back portion [30] (refer to rejected Claim1, element “d” above).
Regarding Claim 9, De Benedictis discloses the stator of claim 8 [see rejected Claim 8],
wherein at least one stator portion or at least one stator back portion comprises a plurality of laminations (refer to rejected Claim 2 above).
Regarding Claim 10, De Benedictis discloses the stator of claim 9 [see rejected Claim 9],
wherein at least one stator segment [11] further comprises a plurality of stator teeth [teeth by 52 and below where is not labeled] (FIG. 3c-3e).
Regarding Claim 16, De Benedictis discloses the stator of claim 8 [see rejected Claim 8],
wherein at least one stacked stator segment [11] further comprises a second back portion [32] adjacent a second face of the stator portion (FIG. 2).
Regarding Claim 17, De Benedictis discloses the stator of claim 8 [see rejected Claim 8],
wherein the back portion [32] includes an aperture of size to receive an armature [36] (FIG. 2).
Regarding Claim 18, De Benedictis discloses a method of assembling a stator [6] for a linear electric motor [2] (Abstract; electrical linear motor), comprising:
assembling a plurality of stator segments [11], each stator segment comprising a stator portion [30], a back portion [40] adjacent a first face of the stator portion [30], and a conductor [26] (FIG. 2); and
stacking the plurality of stator segments [11] to create the stator (as shown in FIG. 1-3s).
Regarding Claim 22, De Benedictis discloses a method of assembling a linear electric motor (Abstract; electrical linear motor), comprising:
stacking a plurality of stator segments [11] together to form a stator [4], each stator segment comprising a stator portion [30], a back portion [40] adjacent a first face of the stator portion [11s], and a conductor [26] (FIG. 2);
stacking a plurality of armature segments [10s] together to form an armature, wherein the conductor substantially encircles the armature (¶ [0064]; The electromagnets 11 of the electromagnet array 10 may be bonded together by various bonding technics such as welding); and
connecting windings of the conductors [26] of each of the plurality of stator segments [11] (FIG. 2).
Regarding Claim 23, De Benedictis discloses the method of claim 22 [see rejected Claim 22],
wherein stacking a plurality of stator segments [11] together further comprises stacking laminated stator portions (see rejected Claim 2 above).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-7, 11-15 & 19-21 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 JOSEPH ORTEGA whose telephone number is (469)295-9083. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 AM - 5 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, TULSIDAS C. PATEL can be reached at (571)272-2098. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JOSEPH ORTEGA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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