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 .
Remarks
Office Action is in response to the Preliminary Amendment filed 9/23/2024.
Claims 3, 5-10, 13, 15, and 19-20 have been amended. Claims 21-26 have been cancelled.
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 1/7/2025 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 § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 7-8, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Evans et al. (FR 2997243; IDS; English Machine Translation Attached).
In claim 1, Evans discloses (Fig. 1-5) a laminated structure (Page 1) for forming a rotor or a stator of an electric machine, the laminated structure comprising: a plurality of laminates (Page 1); the plurality of laminates being arranged together to provide: a circumferential support section (44); and a plurality of magnetic posts (42) connected to the circumferential support section (44); wherein at least one of the magnetic posts comprises a plurality of support connections (43) connecting the magnetic post (42) to the circumferential support section (44); at least two of the plurality of support connections (43) being formed in different laminates of the laminated structure to one another and connecting one of the plurality of magnetic posts (42) to the circumferential support section (44) at different circumferential positions on the post (42) and/or the circumferential support section (44).
In claim 2, Evans discloses wherein the at least two of the plurality of support connections (43) are formed in different adjoining laminates (Fig 2 and 4) of the laminated structure to one another.
In claim 7, Evans discloses wherein at least one flux-restriction aperture (section formed by 61, 62) passes partially or completely through the at least one post (42) in a direction of the rotational axis.
In claim 8, Evans discloses wherein the at least two of the plurality of support connections (43) which are formed in different laminates of the laminated structure to one another, and which connect one of the plurality of magnetic posts (42) to the circumferential support section (44) at different circumferential positions on the post (42) and/or the circumferential support section (44), overlap one another.
In claim 17, Evans discloses (Fig. 1-5) a method providing a stator or a rotor for an electric machine, comprising: providing a plurality of laminates (Page 1), at least one of the laminates comprising: a circumferential support member (44); and a plurality of magnetic post members (42), comprising a plurality of support connections (43) extending circumferentially from the circumferential support member (44) and connecting the magnetic post (42) members to the circumferential support member; the method comprising forming a laminated structure by arranging the plurality of laminates together, the laminated structure comprising: a circumferential support section (44 members of combined lamination); and at least one magnetic post (42) formed from at least two of the magnetic post members (42); wherein the step of forming the laminated structure comprises providing at least two of the plurality of support connections (43) in different laminates of the laminated structure to one another, the at least two of the plurality of support connections (43) connecting at least one of the plurality of magnetic posts (42) to the circumferential support section (44) at different circumferential positions on the post (42) and/or the circumferential support section (44).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11-16 are allowed.
Claims 3-6, 9-10, and 18-20 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The cited prior art taken singularly or in combination fails to anticipate or fairly suggest the limitation of the (in)dependent claim(s), in such a manner that a rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102 or 103 would be proper. The prior art fails to teach a combination of all the features as presented in the (in)dependent claim(s) with the allowable feature being:
Claim 3: “wherein the first plurality of support connections are formed at different circumferential positions on the post and/or the circumferential support section to the second plurality of support connections.”
Claim 9: “at least one set of the respective support connections being formed in different laminates of the laminated structure to one another and connecting a respective one of the plurality of magnetic posts to the circumferential support section at different circumferential positions on the post and/or the circumferential support section.”
Claim 11: “and at least two of the plurality of support connections are formed in different laminates of the laminated structure to one another and connect one of the plurality of magnetic posts to the circumferential support section at different circumferential positions on the post member and/or the circumferential support section.”
Claim 18: “wherein at least one magnetic post member of each laminate defines an asymmetric cross- sectional profile; the method further comprising the step of arranging the at least two laminates together, such that respective magnetic post members which each define asymmetric cross-sectional profiles form at least one post comprising a symmetrical cross-sectional profile.”
Claim 19: “further comprising arranging at least two of the plurality of support connections of one of the plurality of magnetic posts in different contiguous laminates of the structure to one another such that the magnetic post is connected to the circumferential support section at different circumferential positions on the post and/or the circumferential support section.”
The examiner found no prior art satisfies all above conditions by itself or as combined during the examination period.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Brahmavar et al. (US 2023/0042319) teaches an axial flux motor includes a housing and a rotor assembly rotatably secured to the housing.
McCormick et al. (US 2018/0152061) teaches a stator comprising multiple, stacked laminations, which collectively define a core having a number of posts arranged circumferentially about the core.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RASHAD H JOHNSON whose telephone number is (571)272-1231. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30am-5pm.
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RASHAD H. JOHNSON
Examiner
Art Unit 2834
/RASHAD H JOHNSON/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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