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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/10/2024 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.
Claim 8 is 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.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "a field pole of the first rotor unit is constituted by a salient pole only" in line 13. This limitation renders the claim indefinite as it is unclear whether each pole of the first rotor unit is a salient pole only or if it is merely claimed that a single one of a plurality of field poles is a salient pole only.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "a field pole of the second rotor unit is constituted by a permanent magnet only" in line 13. This limitation renders the claim indefinite as it is unclear whether each pole of the second rotor unit is a permanent magnet only or if it is merely claimed that a single one of a plurality of field poles is a permanent magnet only.
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.
(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 46 may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-2, 4-9, 11-12, 14-15, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by MARUYAMA: JP 2017192190.
Regarding claim 1, MARUYAMA discloses a motor comprising:
a stator 2; and
a rotor 3, wherein
the stator 2 has a plurality of first teeth 21 disposed with a spacing therebetween in a circumferential direction (Fig. 5), and an armature winding 22 wound around each of the plurality of first teeth 21 (para [0011]),
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the armature winding 22 is a ring connection (i.e., delta- ; see para [0018]),
a DC power source is connected to one end and another end of the ring connection (para [0030]),
in each of the plurality of first teeth 21, a magnetic pole with an identical polarity is formed by a direct current flowing through the armature winding 22 (Fig. 6(a)),
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the rotor 3 has a rotor core and a plurality of permanent magnets 6,
the rotor core has an outer diameter surface facing outward in a radial direction, and an inner diameter surface which is a surface opposite to the outer diameter surface in the radial direction (Fig. 5),
the rotor core has a plurality of salient poles 32 forming first magnetic poles in the outer diameter surface,
the plurality of salient poles 32 are arranged with a spacing therebetween along the circumferential direction (Fig. 5),
each of the plurality of permanent magnets 6 is attached to the outer diameter surface so as to be located between two adjacent salient poles 32 of the plurality of salient poles 32 in the circumferential direction, and forms a second magnetic pole (Fig. 5),
and the plurality of salient poles 32 and the plurality of permanent magnets 6 face the stator 2, with a cavity 10 being interposed therebetween, in the radial direction (Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 2, MARUYAMA discloses the motor according to claim 1, wherein a winding direction of the armature winding 22 is identical in each of the plurality of first teeth 21 (Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 4, MARUYAMA discloses the motor according to claim 1, wherein
the stator 2 further has a plurality of second teeth disposed with a spacing therebetween in the circumferential direction, and
each of the plurality of second teeth is disposed between two adjacent first teeth 21 of the plurality of first teeth 21 (i.e. there are at least five teeth disclosed, two of which are second teeth as broadly claimed; see annotated Fig. 5, below).
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Regarding claim 5, MARUYAMA discloses the motor according to claim 1, wherein a minimum value of a distance between each of the plurality of permanent magnets 6 and the stator 2 is different from a minimum value of a distance between each of the plurality of salient poles 32 and the stator 2 (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 6, MARUYAMA discloses the motor according claim 1, wherein
each of the plurality of permanent magnets 6 has a first end and a second end in the circumferential direction,
each of the plurality of salient poles 32 has a third end and a fourth end in the circumferential direction (Fig. 9), and
a first angle formed between a first virtual straight line passing through the first end and a center of the rotor core and a second virtual straight line passing through the second end and the center is different from a second angle formed between a third virtual straight line passing through the third end and the center and a fourth virtual straight line passing through the fourth end and the center (para [0051]).
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Regarding claim 7, MARUYAMA discloses the motor according to claim 1, further comprising
a power converter electrically connected to the armature winding 22, wherein
the power converter is driven by a DC bus, and
a voltage of the DC bus is larger than a voltage of the DC power source (para [0035]).
Regarding claim 8, MARUYAMA discloses a motor comprising:
a stator 2; and
a rotor disposed with a cavity 10 being interposed between the rotor and the stator 2 in a radial direction (Fig. 6), wherein
the stator 2 has a plurality of teeth disposed with a spacing therebetween in a circumferential direction (Fig. 5), and an armature winding 22 wound around each of the plurality of teeth (para [0011]),
the armature winding 22 is a ring connection (i.e., delta- ; see para [0018]),
a DC power source is connected to one end and another end of the ring connection (para [0030]),
in each of the plurality of teeth, a magnetic pole with an identical polarity is formed by a direct current flowing through the armature winding 22 (Fig. 6(a)),
the rotor has a first rotor unit and a second rotor unit (i.e. as broadly claimed this could be the respective poles with 31 and without 32 magnets),
the first rotor unit and the second rotor unit are arranged along an axial direction (i.e. they are mounted to shaft 4, which is arranged along an axial direction as broadly claimed),
a [each] field pole of the first rotor unit is constituted by a salient pole only, and
a [each] field pole of the second rotor unit is constituted by a permanent magnet only (para [0038]).
Regarding claim 9, MARUYAMA discloses the motor according to claim 2, wherein a minimum value of a distance between each of the plurality of permanent magnets 6 and the stator 2 is different from a minimum value of a distance between each of the plurality of salient poles 32 and the stator 2 (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 11, MARUYAMA discloses the motor according to claim 4, wherein a minimum value of a distance between each of the plurality of permanent magnets 6 and the stator 2 is different from a minimum value of a distance between each of the plurality of salient poles 32 and the stator 2 (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 12, MARUYAMA discloses the motor according to claim 2, wherein
each of the plurality of permanent magnets 6 has a first end and a second end in the circumferential direction,
each of the plurality of salient poles 32 has a third end and a fourth end in the circumferential direction (Fig. 9), and
a first angle formed between a first virtual straight line passing through the first end and a center of the rotor core and a second virtual straight line passing through the second end and the center is different from a second angle formed between a third virtual straight line passing through the third end and the center and a fourth virtual straight line passing through the fourth end and the center (para [0051]).
Regarding claim 14, MARUYAMA discloses the motor according to claim 4, wherein
each of the plurality of permanent magnets 6 has a first end and a second end in the circumferential direction,
each of the plurality of salient poles 32 has a third end and a fourth end in the circumferential direction (Fig. 9), and
a first angle formed between a first virtual straight line passing through the first end and a center of the rotor core and a second virtual straight line passing through the second end and the center is different from a second angle formed between a third virtual straight line passing through the third end and the center and a fourth virtual straight line passing through the fourth end and the center (para [0051]).
Regarding claim 15, MARUYAMA discloses the motor according to claim 2, further comprising a power converter electrically connected to the armature winding 22, wherein
the power converter is driven by a DC bus, and
a voltage of the DC bus is larger than a voltage of the DC power source (para [0030]).
Regarding claim 16, MARUYAMA discloses the motor according to claim 3, further comprising a power converter electrically connected to the armature winding 22, wherein
the power converter is driven by a DC bus, and
a voltage of the DC bus is larger than a voltage of the DC power source (para [0030]).
Regarding claim 17, MARUYAMA discloses the motor according to claim 4, further comprising a power converter electrically connected to the armature winding 22, wherein
the power converter is driven by a DC bus, and
a voltage of the DC bus is larger than a voltage of the DC power source (para [0030]).
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 3, 10, 13, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over MARUYAMA in view of KATO: US 20110309707.
Regarding claim 3, MARUYAMA discloses the motor according to claim 1, further comprising:
a shaft 4; and
a case 46, wherein
the shaft 4 is attached to the inner diameter surface,
the case 46 covers the stator 2 and the rotor 3, and
a magnetic flux generated in each of the plurality of first teeth 21, by the direct current flowing through the armature winding 22, passes through the cavity 10, each of the plurality of salient poles 32, the shaft 4, and the case 46, and returns to each of the plurality of first teeth 21.
However, MURUYAMA does not teach the shaft and the case are each formed of a magnetic body.
KATO teaches a motor with a shaft 21 and a case 305 that are each formed of a magnetic body. (See para [0123] and [0112]).
It 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 to provide the motor of MARUYAMA with the shaft and the case are each formed of a magnetic body, similar to KATO.
A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains would have been motivated to make such modification in order to reduce the leakage flux of the rotor, as taught by KATO (para [0127]), and to provide a high-strength material for the case and the shaft in a magnetic metal.
Regarding claim 10, MARUYAMA in view of KATO teaches the motor according to claim 3, wherein MARUYAMA teaches a minimum value of a distance between each of the plurality of permanent magnets 6 and the stator 2 is different from a minimum value of a distance between each of the plurality of salient poles 32 and the stator 2 (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 13, MARUYAMA in view of KATO teaches the motor according to claim 3, wherein MARUYAMA teaches
each of the plurality of permanent magnets 6 has a first end and a second end in the circumferential direction,
each of the plurality of salient poles 32 has a third end and a fourth end in the circumferential direction (Fig. 9), and
a first angle formed between a first virtual straight line passing through the first end and a center of the rotor core and a second virtual straight line passing through the second end and the center is different from a second angle formed between a third virtual straight line passing through the third end and the center and a fourth virtual straight line passing through the fourth end and the center (para [0051]).
Regarding claim 16, MARUYAMA in view of KATO teaches the motor according to claim 3, further comprising a power converter electrically connected to the armature winding 22, wherein MARUYAMA teaches
the power converter is driven by a DC bus, and
a voltage of the DC bus is larger than a voltage of the DC power source (para [0030]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US-20100033046-A1 Chiba discloses an inner rotor DC motor with axially tandem rotor sections, alternating salient poles and permanent magnets, and a casing made of magnetic material; US-20170222504-A1 KUSASE discloses an inner rotor motor with a shaft made of magnetic material; JPA 1975016818-000000 is Document 2 in the ISR.
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/JUSTIN STEFANON/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/OLUSEYE IWARERE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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