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 .
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)(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 1-3 and 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yamamoto et al (US 20160241104 A1).
With respect to claim 1, Yamamoto discloses a motor comprising: a stator (fig. 14, stator 61) including a stator core (fig. 1, stator core 62) and a coil wound around the stator core (fig. 12, coil 68); a rotor that rotates with a magnetic force generated by the stator (fig. 14, rotor 101); a circuit board on which an electronic component for controlling energization of the coil is mounted (fig. 12, substrate 1); a mold resin covering at least a part of the stator core and the circuit board (fig. 13, resin molded portion 100); a lead wire drawing member at least a part of which is in contact with the mold resin (fig. 12, sensor-lead retaining part 9); and a lead wire connected to the circuit board and led out to an outside via the lead wire drawing member (fig. 12, power supply lead 2), wherein the lead wire drawing member includes a catch that catches on a mold used when the mold resin is molded (fig. 9, legs 9c, Examiner notes the stator is covered in BMC with the molded stator 100, see at least paragraph 77).
With respect to claim 2, Yamamoto discloses the catch restricts the lead wire drawing member from moving in inward and outward directions of the mold resin (figs. 9-11 and paragraph 51 “legs 9c of the sensor-lead retaining part 9 are fitted into the space between the attaching legs 7c and the base portion 7a, whereby the sensor-lead retaining part 9 is attached to the power-supply-lead retaining part 7.”).
With respect to claim 3, Yamamoto discloses the catch is a protrusion provided on the lead wire drawing member (fig. 9, legs 9c), and the protrusion fits to a recess provided in the mold (fig. 10, legs 7c).
With respect to claim 8, Yamamoto discloses a method for manufacturing a motor, the method comprising: a connection step of connecting, to a circuit board, a lead wire to which a lead wire drawing member is attached (paragraph 66 “The legs 9c of the sensor-lead retaining part 9 are fitted into the space between the attaching legs 7c and the base portion 7a of the power-supply-lead retaining part 7 to which the lead lead-out part 8 is attached, whereby the sensor-lead retaining part 9 is attached to the power-supply-lead retaining part 7.”); a disposition step of disposing, in a mold, a stator including a stator core around which a coil is wound and the circuit board (paragraph 27 “The stator 61 is obtained by bending the strip-shaped core, from which the stator core 62 around which the coils 68 are wound”); and a resin molding step of injecting a liquid resin into the mold and curing the liquid resin to cover at least a part of the stator and the circuit board with a mold resin (paragraph 77 “The molded stator 100 is obtained by setting the stator assembly 60 (FIG. 1) in a mold and molding the molded stator 100 from a mold resin, such as BMC (Bulk Molding Compound).”), wherein in the disposition step, the lead wire drawing member is disposed in the mold by causing a catch included in the lead wire drawing member to catch on the mold, and in the resin molding step, the mold resin is brought into contact with at least a part of the lead wire drawing member (fig. 9, legs 9c, Examiner notes the stator is covered in BMC with the molded stator 100).
With respect to claim 9, Yamamoto discloses the catch restricts the lead wire drawing member from moving in inward and outward directions of the mold (paragraph 25 “a power-supply-lead retaining part 7, which is attached to the sensor substrate 1 and the lead lead-out part 8 and retains the power supply leads 2 together with the lead lead-out part 8; and a sensor-lead retaining part 9, which is attached to the power-supply-lead retaining part 7 and retains the sensor leads 3 together with the lead lead-out part 8”).
With respect to claim 10, Yamamoto discloses the catch is a protrusion provided on the lead wire drawing member (fig. 9, legs 9c), and the mold includes a recess that fits to the protrusion (fig. 10, legs 7c).
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 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 4-7 and 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamamoto in view of Kakuda et al (US 20160111931 A1).
With respect to claim 4, Yamamoto teaches the above-mentioned limitations but does not teach “the catch is a recess provided in the lead wire drawing member, and the recess fits to a protrusion provided in the mold.”
Kakuda teaches the catch is a recess provided in the lead wire drawing member (fig. 13, body portion 115), and the recess fits to a protrusion provided in the mold (paragraph 71 “In the state where the bush 110 is fitted in into the attaching hole, the fit with the flange portion 114, the body portion 115 and the outer peripheral rib 116, and each portion in the attaching hole that corresponds to these flange portion, body portion and outer peripheral rib is the same as the bush 81 and the attaching hole 91. That is, the flange portion 114 and/or the outer peripheral rib 116 is in the pressed-in state against each corresponding portion of the attaching hole. The bush 110 may be configured without the outer peripheral rib 116. The first insert hole 112U, the second insert hole 112V and the third insert hole 112W may be configured to have the plurality of lead lines gathered and passed therethrough as described above based on FIG. 12.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill, in the art at the time of filing, to combine the motor of Yamamoto with the protrusions surrounding the terminal plug of Kakuda in order to seal the motor from external ingress thereby protecting the electronic components and extending the motor’s lifespan.
With respect to claim 5, Yamamoto teaches the above-mentioned limitations but does not teach “the catch is provided over an entire circumference of the lead wire drawing member.”
Kakuda teaches the catch is provided over an entire circumference of the lead wire drawing member (fig. 13 bush 110).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill, in the art at the time of filing, to combine the motor of Yamamoto with the protrusions surrounding the terminal plug of Kakuda in order to seal the motor from external ingress thereby protecting the electronic components and extending the motor’s lifespan.
With respect to claim 6, teaches the above-mentioned limitations but does not teach “the lead wire includes a conductive wire and an insulating film covering the conductive wire, an internal led-out portion of the lead wire, the internal led-out portion being led out from the lead wire drawing member to an inside, is covered with the mold resin, and the insulating film and the mold resin in the internal led-out portion are in close contact with each other by melting.”
Kakuda teaches the lead wire includes a conductive wire (fig. 2, lead lines 61-64) and an insulating film covering the conductive wire (paragraph 57 “The lead lines 61, 62, 63, 64 of each phase which were drawn out to the outside of the molded portion 100 are, for example, aggregated and covered by a member such as an insulation tube. Power supply terminals for connection or the like are attached to the top end portions of the lead lines 61, 62, 63, 64 of each phase.”), an internal led-out portion of the lead wire, the internal led-out portion being led out from the lead wire drawing member to an inside, is covered with the mold resin, and the insulating film and the mold resin in the internal led-out portion are in close contact with each other by melting (paragraph 52 “As a resin to form the molded portion 100, thermosetting resin is shown as an example. For example, the molded portion 100 is formed by Bulk Molding Compound (BMC).”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill, in the art at the time of filing, to combine the motor of Yamamoto with insulated and molded wires of Kakuda in order to seal the motor from external ingress thereby protecting the electronic components and extending the motor’s lifespan.
With respect to claim 7, Yamamoto teaches a motor comprising: a stator (fig. 14, stator 61) including a stator core (fig. 1, stator core 62) and a coil wound around the stator core ((fig. 12, coil 68); a rotor that rotates with a magnetic force generated by the stator (fig. 14, rotor 101); a circuit board on which an electronic component that controls energization of the coil is mounted (fig. 12, substrate 1); a mold resin covering at least a part of the stator core and the circuit board (fig. 13, resin molded portion 100); a lead wire drawing member at least a part of which is in contact with the mold resin (fig. 12, sensor-lead retaining part 9); and a lead wire connected to the circuit board and led out to an outside via the lead wire drawing member (fig. 12, power supply lead 2),
Yamamoto does not teach “wherein the lead wire includes a conductive wire and an insulating film covering the conductive wire, an led-out portion being led out from the lead wire drawing member to an inside, is covered with the mold resin, and the insulating film and the mold resin in the internal led-out portion are in close contact with each other by melting,”
Kakuda teaches the lead wire includes a conductive wire (fig. 2, lead lines 61-64) and an insulating film covering the conductive wire (paragraph 57 “The lead lines 61, 62, 63, 64 of each phase which were drawn out to the outside of the molded portion 100 are, for example, aggregated and covered by a member such as an insulation tube. Power supply terminals for connection or the like are attached to the top end portions of the lead lines 61, 62, 63, 64 of each phase.”), an internal led-out portion of the lead wire, the internal led-out portion being led out from the lead wire drawing member to an inside, is covered with the mold resin, and the insulating film and the mold resin in the internal led-out portion are in close contact with each other by melting (paragraph 52 “As a resin to form the molded portion 100, thermosetting resin is shown as an example. For example, the molded portion 100 is formed by Bulk Molding Compound (BMC).”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill, in the art at the time of filing, to combine the motor of Yamamoto with insulated and molded wires of Kakuda in order to seal the motor from external ingress thereby protecting the electronic components and extending the motor’s lifespan.
With respect to claim 11, Yamamoto the above-mentioned limitations but does not teach “wherein the catch is a recess provided in the lead wire drawing member, and the mold includes a protrusion that fits to the recess.”
Kakuda teaches the catch is a recess provided in the lead wire drawing member (fig. 13, body portion 115), and the mold includes a protrusion that fits to the recess (paragraph 71 “In the state where the bush 110 is fitted in into the attaching hole, the fit with the flange portion 114, the body portion 115 and the outer peripheral rib 116, and each portion in the attaching hole that corresponds to these flange portion, body portion and outer peripheral rib is the same as the bush 81 and the attaching hole 91. That is, the flange portion 114 and/or the outer peripheral rib 116 is in the pressed-in state against each corresponding portion of the attaching hole. The bush 110 may be configured without the outer peripheral rib 116. The first insert hole 112U, the second insert hole 112V and the third insert hole 112W may be configured to have the plurality of lead lines gathered and passed therethrough as described above based on FIG. 12.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill, in the art at the time of filing, to combine the motor of Yamamoto with the protrusions surrounding the terminal plug of Kakuda in order to seal the motor from external ingress thereby protecting the electronic components and extending the motor’s lifespan.
With respect to claim 12, Yamamoto the above-mentioned limitations but does not teach “the catch is provided over an entire circumference of the lead wire drawing member.”
Kakuda teaches 12, the catch is provided over an entire circumference of the lead wire drawing member (fig. 13 bush 110).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill, in the art at the time of filing, to combine the motor of Yamamoto with the protrusions surrounding the terminal plug of Kakuda in order to seal the motor from external ingress thereby protecting the electronic components and extending the motor’s lifespan.
Conclusion
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/R.O.S./Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/CHRISTOPHER M KOEHLER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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