Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 17, 2026
Application No. 18/862,318

STATOR, MOTOR, COMPRESSOR, REFRIGERATION CYCLE APPARATUS, AND STATOR MANUFACTURING METHOD

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Nov 01, 2024
Priority
Jul 04, 2022 — nonprovisional of PCTJP2022026587
Examiner
STOUT, RILEY OWEN
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
77%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
11m
Est. Remaining
78%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 77% — above average
77%
Career Allowance Rate
104 granted / 135 resolved
+17.0% vs TC avg
Minimal +1% lift
Without
With
+1.3%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 8m
Avg Prosecution
20 currently pending
Career history
161
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.7%
-39.3% vs TC avg
§103
55.0%
+15.0% vs TC avg
§102
35.9%
-4.1% vs TC avg
§112
7.6%
-32.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 135 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions. 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 1-6 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gronowski et al (US 10510464 B1) in view of Shin et al (US 20200220408 A1). With respect to claim 1, Gronowski teaches a stator comprising: a hollow cylindrical stator core (col. 20 ln. 53-56 “For example, a suitable winding or other CTC structure may be formed for a motor, generator, rotating machine, load reactor, transformer, stator, or other electrical device.” The Examiner is interpreting at least one of the aforementioned comprises a hollow cylindrical core); a first coated wire including a first wire conductor and an insulating coating covering the first wire conductor (fig. 4, first conductor 405a and insulation 410a); and a second coated wire including a second wire conductor and an insulating coating covering the second wire conductor (fig. 4, first conductor 405b and insulation 410b), the first and second wire conductors having different hardnesses (col. 11, ln 34-58 “A wide variety of suitable types of insulation material 310 may be utilized as desired. In certain embodiments, the insulation material 310 may include one or more layers of enamel. An enamel layer is typically formed by applying polymeric varnish to the conductor 305 and then baking it in a suitable enameling oven or furnace. As desired, multiple layers of enamel may be applied to the conductor 305 until a desired number of enamel coats have been applied and/or until a desired enamel thickness or build has been achieved. Examples of suitable polymeric materials that may be utilized to form an enamel layer include, but are not limited to, polyvinyl acetal-phenolic, polyimide, polyamideimide, amideimide, polyester, polyesterimide, polysulfone, polyphenylenesulfone, polysulfide, polyphenylenesulfide, polyetherimide, polyamide, etc. In certain embodiments, a polyimide-based material (e.g., polyimide, polyamideimide, etc.) or a material including a polyimide precursor may be utilized, as these materials typically have relatively high heat resistance. Additionally, in certain embodiments, an enamel layer may be formed as a mixture of two or more materials. As desired, different enamel layers may be formed from the same material(s) or from different materials. For example, a first layer of enamel may be formed from a first material, and a second layer of enamel may be formed from a second material.” The Examiner is interpreting the differing materials listed above as encompassing differing hardnesses), the first wire conductor being harder than the second wire conductor (col. 11, ln 34-58 above), Gronowski does not teach “the insulating coating covering the second wire conductor being thicker than the insulating coating covering the first wire conductor, wherein the first coated wire and the second coated wire are wound together around a plurality of teeth arranged in a circumferential direction of the stator core.” Shin teaches the insulating coating covering the second wire conductor being thicker than the insulating coating covering the first wire conductor (figs. 10-11, first section 160a and second section 160b), wherein the first coated wire and the second coated wire are wound together around a plurality of teeth arranged in a circumferential direction of the stator core (fig. 1, slots 114). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill, in the art at the time the invention was filed to combine the coated wires and stator of Gronowski with the different thickness wires of Shin in order to further shield the wire, thereby preventing any magnetic losses during operation. With respect to claim 2, Gronowski does not teach “the second wire conductor has a larger cross- sectional area than the first wire conductor.” Shin teaches the second wire conductor has a larger cross- sectional area than the first wire conductor (paragraph 97 “The first hairpins 310a have a greater cross sectional area than the second hairpins 310b. The first hairpins 310a have a greater width and thickness than the second hairpins 310b. An extension part 115, which extends so that the first hairpins 310a can be inserted thereto, is provided in the slot 114 of the stator core 110.” The Examiner is interpreting the cross-sectional area being greats in reference to the conductors). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill, in the art at the time the invention was filed to combine the coated wires and stator of Gronowski with the different cross-sectional area wires of Shin in order to further shield the wire, thereby preventing any magnetic losses during operation and to further strengthen the strand thereby reducing damage in construction and use. With respect to claim 3, Gronowski in view of Shin teaches the above-mentioned limitations. Gronowski further teaches the first coated wire and the second coated wire are equal in cross-sectional area (fig. 4, wires 405 have same cross-sectional area). With respect to claim 4, Gronowski in view of Shin teaches the above-mentioned limitations. Gronowski further teaches the first wire conductor comprises copper (Col. 10, Ln 41-47 “For example, a different number of component strands, different types of component strands, and/or a different component strand configuration may be formed. The present disclosure envisions various CTC strand constructions that can be incorporated into a wide variety of different CTC cables.” and col. 11, ln 7-15 “The conductor 305 may be formed from a wide variety of suitable materials and/or combination of materials. For example, the conductor 305 may be formed from copper, annealed copper, oxygen-free copper, silver-plated copper, aluminum, copper clad aluminum, silver, gold, a conductive alloy, carbon nanotube(s), copper/carbon nanotube(s), copper clad carbon nanotubes, or any other suitable electrically conductive material.” The Examiner is interpreting differing types as differing materials), the second wire conductor comprises aluminum (see col 10 and 11 quoted above), and the insulating coating covering the first wire conductor and the insulating coating covering the second wire conductor comprise a material selected from the group consisting of polyamide- imide, polyester-imide, polyester, polyurethane, and polyvinyl formal. (col. 11, ln 34-58 “A wide variety of suitable types of insulation material 310 may be utilized as desired. In certain embodiments, the insulation material 310 may include one or more layers of enamel. An enamel layer is typically formed by applying polymeric varnish to the conductor 305 and then baking it in a suitable enameling oven or furnace. As desired, multiple layers of enamel may be applied to the conductor 305 until a desired number of enamel coats have been applied and/or until a desired enamel thickness or build has been achieved. Examples of suitable polymeric materials that may be utilized to form an enamel layer include, but are not limited to, polyvinyl acetal-phenolic, polyimide, polyamideimide, amideimide, polyester, polyesterimide, polysulfone, polyphenylenesulfone, polysulfide, polyphenylenesulfide, polyetherimide, polyamide, etc. In certain embodiments, a polyimide-based material (e.g., polyimide, polyamideimide, etc.) or a material including a polyimide precursor may be utilized, as these materials typically have relatively high heat resistance.). With respect to claim 5, Gronowski in view of Shin teaches the above-mentioned limitations. Gronowski further teaches the first coated wire and the second coated wire have a circular or rectangular cross-sectional shape (fig. 4, conductors 405 are rectangular, fig. 5, conductors are circular). With respect to claim 6, Gronowski teaches the stator of claim 1 (col. 20 ln. 53-56 quoted above). Gronowski does not teach “a rotor configured to be rotated with a magnetic field generated by the stator.” Shin teaches a rotor configured to be rotated with a magnetic field generated by the stator (paragraph 86 “According to such a configuration, when a rotor (not shown) is placed inside the stator core 110 and power is applied to the stator coil 150, the rotor may be rotated by the stator.”). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill, in the art at the time the invention was filed to combine the coated wires and stator of Gronowski with the rotor of Shin in order use the power generated by the stator. With respect to claim 9, Gronowski teaches stator manufacturing method comprising: producing a first coated wire and a second coated wire (fig. 4, first conductor 405a and second conductor 405b), the first coated wire including a first wire conductor and an insulating coating covering the first wire conductor (fig. 4, first conductor 405a and insulation 410a), the second coated wire including a second wire conductor and an insulating coating covering the second wire conductor (fig. 4, first conductor 405b and insulation 410b), the first and second wire conductors having different hardnesses (col. 11, ln 34-58 “A wide variety of suitable types of insulation material 310 may be utilized as desired. In certain embodiments, the insulation material 310 may include one or more layers of enamel. An enamel layer is typically formed by applying polymeric varnish to the conductor 305 and then baking it in a suitable enameling oven or furnace. As desired, multiple layers of enamel may be applied to the conductor 305 until a desired number of enamel coats have been applied and/or until a desired enamel thickness or build has been achieved. Examples of suitable polymeric materials that may be utilized to form an enamel layer include, but are not limited to, polyvinyl acetal-phenolic, polyimide, polyamideimide, amideimide, polyester, polyesterimide, polysulfone, polyphenylenesulfone, polysulfide, polyphenylenesulfide, polyetherimide, polyamide, etc. In certain embodiments, a polyimide-based material (e.g., polyimide, polyamideimide, etc.) or a material including a polyimide precursor may be utilized, as these materials typically have relatively high heat resistance. Additionally, in certain embodiments, an enamel layer may be formed as a mixture of two or more materials. As desired, different enamel layers may be formed from the same material(s) or from different materials. For example, a first layer of enamel may be formed from a first material, and a second layer of enamel may be formed from a second material.” The Examiner is interpreting the differing materials listed above as encompassing differing hardnesses), the first wire conductor being harder than the second wire conductor (col. 11, ln 34-58 above). Gronowski does not teach “the insulating coating covering the second wire conductor being thicker than the insulating coating covering the first wire conductor, wherein the first coated wire and the second coated wire are wound together around a plurality of teeth arranged in a circumferential direction of the stator core.” Shin teaches the insulating coating covering the second wire conductor being thicker than the insulating coating covering the first wire conductor (figs. 10-11, first section 160a and second section 160b), wherein the first coated wire and the second coated wire are wound together around a plurality of teeth arranged in a circumferential direction of the stator core (fig. 1, slots 114). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill, in the art at the time the invention was filed to combine the coated wires and stator of Gronowski with the different thickness wires of Shin in order to further shield the wire, thereby preventing any magnetic losses during operation. Claims 7-8 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gronowski in view of Shin in further view of Lee et al (US 20220090829 A1). With respect to claim 7, Gronowski in view of Shin teaches the above-mentioned limitations but does not teach “a hermetically sealed container including a suction pipe through which a fluid is to be sucked and a discharge pipe through which the fluid is to be discharged; and a compression element configured to be driven by the motor to compress the fluid sucked through the suction pipe and discharge the compressed fluid through the discharge pipe.” Lee teaches a compressor comprising: the motor of claim 6; a hermetically sealed container including a suction pipe through which a fluid is to be sucked and a discharge pipe through which the fluid is to be discharged (fig. 9 main suction tub 9) and a compression element configured to be driven by the motor to compress the fluid sucked through the suction pipe and discharge the compressed fluid through the discharge pipe (fig. 9, compressor pump 7). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill, in the art at the time the invention was filed to combine the coated wires and stator of Gronowski with the different thickness wires of Shin with the compressor of Lee in order to use the insulated wires and stator for the work they produce. With respect to claim 8, Gronowski in view of Shin teaches the above-mentioned limitations but does not teach “a condenser configured to liquify the fluid;a pressure reducing device configured to reduce a pressure of the compressed fluid; andan evaporator configured to gasify the fluid.” Lee teaches a refrigeration cycle apparatus comprising: the compressor of claim 7;a condenser configured to liquify the fluid (paragraph 139 “the Separator 37, containing the motor (rotor 2 and stator 4), is exposed to minimum low-side pressure necessary for supercharging above suction pressure as the metered flow of liquid from the condenser is introduced through liquid injection tube 39 expanded to close to the minimum low-side pressure to provide evaporative cooling to the motor, while the other section, called high-side section (high pressure and high temperature section),”); a pressure reducing device configured to reduce a pressure of the compressed fluid (paragraph 68 “As used herein, a separator may refer to a pressure-separating member within a shell that would create a discharge pressure/temperature section (high-side shell section), and a low pressure/temperature section (low-side shell section)”); and an evaporator configured to gasify the fluid (paragraph 141 “there is a Shaft-balancing, low-pressure gas cavity 47 below the eccentric shaft compressor-pump-assembly-side end plug 46 and above the lower flange nose plug 45. The Shaft-balancing, low-pressure gas cavity 47 is connected to the low-side through the pressure equalizing connector 48 so that the Shaft-balancing, low-pressure gas cavity 47 is at low-side pressure. The tube 39 is used only for injecting small amount of liquid refrigerant drawn from the condenser, isenthalpically (maintaining constant specific enthalpy) expanded to no lower than the minimum supercharging pressure and the resulting liquid will remove heat from the motor mostly by evaporation.t”). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill, in the art at the time the invention was filed to combine the coated wires and stator of Gronowski with the different thickness wires of Shin with the refrigeration apparatus of Lee in order to use the insulated wires and stator for the work they produce. With respect to claim 8, Gronowski in view of Shin teaches the above-mentioned limitations but does not teach “the fluid is a refrigerant, and the refrigerant is, at least one refrigerant selected from the group consisting of a HFC- based refrigerant such as R32, R125, R134a, R407C, or R410A, aHFO-based refrigerant such as R1123, R1132(E), R1132(Z), R1132a, R1141, R1234yf, R1234ze(E), or R1234ze(Z), and a natural refrigerant such as R290, R600a, R744, or R717.” Lee teaches the fluid is a refrigerant, and the refrigerant is, at least one refrigerant selected from the group consisting of a HFC- based refrigerant such as R32, R125, R134a, R407C, or R410A, aHFO-based refrigerant such as R1123, R1132(E), R1132(Z), R1132a, R1141, R1234yf, R1234ze(E), or R1234ze(Z), and a natural refrigerant such as R290, R600a, R744, or R717.a (paragraph 85 “third example is the use of certain refrigerants such as R410a or CO2 that the discharge temperatures are inherently high as to reduce the motor performance significantly or go beyond the maximum tolerable temperature of affordable or economically feasible permanent magnet material or stator insulator.”) It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill, in the art at the time the invention was filed to combine the coated wires and stator of Gronowski with the different thickness wires of Shin with the refrigerants of Lee in order to run a refrigeration apparatus. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RILEY OWEN STOUT whose telephone number is (571)272-0068. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:30-5:30pm EST. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher M Koehler can be reached at (571)272-3560. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /R.O.S./ Examiner, Art Unit 2834 /CHRISTOPHER M KOEHLER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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Prosecution Timeline

Nov 01, 2024
Application Filed
Jul 20, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
77%
Grant Probability
78%
With Interview (+1.3%)
2y 8m (~11m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 135 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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